Iceland 2025

Around 1:15 PM, we walked toward the train station. We then took the S-Bahn and a bus to Frankfurt Airport, just as we always do. We checked in our suitcases within 10 minutes using a self-service kiosk which, once again, left us with way too much time on our hands. So, we treated ourselves to a bite to eat upstairs in Terminal 2 at "The Golden Arches." About an hour before boarding was scheduled to begin, we headed to security control. There was no line there either, and we were through in just 5 minutes. We got lucky: our plane had landed 30 minutes early, so boarding started ahead of schedule, too. We took off right on time (what a miracle for Frankfurt!). After a relaxing flight of 3 hours and 20 minutes, we landed in Reykjavik just as the sun was setting. We quickly picked up our rental car and hit the road. Unfortunately, we couldn't see our first planned stop because it was simply too dark. However, we did spot some Northern Lights right away during the drive to our accommodation. Absolutely beautiful. Our accommodation is a small cabin located within a campsite. It’s cozy and warm inside; outside, it’s 7 degrees with strong winds. We grabbed a quick bite of a packet of instant rice and then headed straight to bed.

Oct 3

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We woke up early. The weather looks good. We ate the chocolate buns we had brought with us for breakfast and packed up our things. We set off shortly after 8:00 AM. Our first stop: a waterfall. Since you can park right next to it, we were back on the road again in no time. It's 5°C and windy. But in return, we have a brilliant blue sky and sunshine. The visibility stretches all the way to the horizon. At the next waterfall, it’s already a bit more crowded. We parked, paid the fee, and walked around a bit at the base of three cascading waterfalls. After about an hour, we continued on to the next waterfall (even taller and larger than the last). Along the way, we come across a small bakery with a magnificent view of the mountains, where we stop to enjoy cinnamon buns and coffee for €15. At our next stop, we have to park a bit further away because it is so crowded. But the sight is truly impressive. Here, you can hike up along the waterfall and river a good distance into the mountains—which is exactly what we do. It gets progressively less crowded the higher we go, and the view is incredibly beautiful. We spent about two hours exploring the area. At 2:00 PM, we continued our journey.

We drove to the glacier terminus of the volcano. Here, too, we spend about an hour exploring, walking right up to the glacier ice itself. Our final stop isn't far away, but we have to walk a considerable distance across a field of volcanic ash. We walked for about 45 minutes battling against very strong winds to reach the old DC-3 plane wreck. We snapped a few photos and then hiked back against the wind. We are absolutely exhausted by the end of the day. In Vík, we made a quick stop at the supermarket to stock up on supplies for the next two days. Then comes another 40-minute drive to our accommodation, passing through a lunar-like landscape ash and scree stretching to the horizon all set against the backdrop of a stunning sunset. Our accommodation is perched on a small hill, offering a direct view of this very landscape. We prepare something to eat, warm ourselves up, and head to bed early; we set an alarm for the middle of the night in hopes of seeing the Northern Lights, but unfortunately, the sky remains completely overcast throughout the night.

Oct 4

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After sleeping in, we had breakfast and enjoyed the view or at least as much of it as we can see. Unfortunately, it was raining, and the weather was quite dreary. We packed up our belongings and drove to a gorge once again, we had to pay an expensive fee for parking. Nevertheless, the view and the surrounding landscape are absolutely breathtaking. Afterward, we drove a bit further through a series of bizarre landscapes, moss covered boulders and areas of pitch black rock and sand that look as if they belong to another world. On our way to our main hiking destination, we made brief stops at a small waterfall and a unique rock formation. Upon reaching our destination, we ensure all our gear is waterproofed and set off on a 2-kilometer uphill hike toward the waterfall. The river here is flanked by peculiar hexagonal stone columns. After taking a few photos, we head back to the parking lot, where we treat ourselves to a portion of fries and a Coke for about €16 outrageously expensive, but delicious. Inside the visitor center, we dry off a bit and have some tea and coffee along with a cookie for another €15. We decided to take a quick walk down to the foot of the glacier, since we’re already soaking wet anyway. In the pouring rain, we take a brief look around at the glacier’s edge before heading back, the water is running down our clothes as if we were standing in a shower. Back in the car, we peel off our jackets and rain pants and crank up the heater. We drove for about an hour, passing once again through Iceland’s beautiful landscapes. Upon arriving back at our accommodation, we drape all our gear over the radiators and take hot showers. To wrap up the day, we have gnocchi with tomato sauce and settle in for a bit of Netflix.

October 5th

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I got up at 4:30 AM to check for the Northern Lights, but the moon was too bright and it was too cloudy. Then, at 7:00 AM, my actual alarm went off. We had breakfast and packed up our things. We drove for about an hour back to the glacier we visited yesterday, making a few brief stops at scenic viewpoints along the way we had skipped yesterday due to the heavy rain and poor visibility. Upon reaching the glacier area, our first order of business is to fill up the gas tank, after which we set off on a short hike to the glacier lake. After about 30 minutes, we continued eastward, driving for a long stretch through beautiful scenery—with that gigantic glacier, its tongues reaching down into the valley, constantly looming above us on the mountains.

Around noon, we arrived at Diamond Beach. Here, ice chunks that have been washed out to sea by a river are deposited back onto the shore. It was a beautiful sight, though unfortunately also very crowded with tourists... After a brief stop, we continued our journey another good three hours of driving along the coast and over a mountain pass, where we had to navigate a steep (17%) gravel road. We checked briefly into our little cabin in the woods, then drove over the next pass to a small fishing village. We strolled past a few colorful houses and stopped at a local Restaurant to grab some burgers. We watched the sun set over the mountains before heading back. From the top of the pass, the view at night was stunning. We tried to find something sweet to eat, as our meal hadn't quite filled us up, but all the shops were already closed. We finally managed to find something at a gas station, though. Once back at our cabin, we were just chilling out when my app suddenly alerted us to Northern Lights activity. We headed out into the cold and—just before the clouds rolled in we got lucky enough to catch a glimpse of them. That was it for today—time to hit the Bad.

Oct 6th

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We woke up and got out of bed before our alarm even went off. By 7:30 AM, everything was packed and stowed away, so we could head out immediately after breakfast. The breakfast buffet was quite extensive and absolutely delicious. We drove for about an hour to reach a canyon or rather, the canyon. We walked about 25 minutes from the parking lot along the unofficial trail. It was incredibly beautiful, though also very cold. As we were leaving, more and more people started arriving so we had timed our visit perfectly. Our next destination was supposed to be one of Iceland's largest waterfalls, however, on the way there, it started snowing and snowing quite heavily so we decided against it and just kept driving. We stop at a geothermal area where hot air and gases escape; it reeks of rotten eggs. Due to drifting snow, we continued driving after a brief stop. By chance, we spot a large waterfall right by the road which also happens to have restrooms so we pull over. The waterfall is gigantic, and for once, we don't have to pay for parking. From here, it’s not far to Iceland’s second-largest city. I took a gamble with the fuel level, and we arrived with only 90 km of remaining range. We head into town for a bit, eating cake and drinking coffee at a nice little café. In the pedestrian zone, there’s a hot dog stand where we also made a quick stop. On our way to our accommodation, we quickly picked up a few things and ended up filling up the gas tank. The final hour of the drive takes us past beautiful, rounded mountains topped with snowcaps. Our accommodation is a small guesthouse that we share with a few Americans, the view is lovely. We get lucky with the weather and try to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights. We are Lucky!

October 7th

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We woke up early and had breakfast. A New Zealander who stayed at the guesthouse with us joins our table, and we enjoy a long, pleasant conversation together. We set off a little later than planned. We had 360 ​​km ahead of us with no real stops we particularly wanted to make, added to that, it is very stormy and raining on and off. So, we drove for two hours until we reached a gas station, where we ate hot dogs and something sweet while stretching our legs. We continue on for a good hour and a half to the site where the tectonic plates are drifting apart. Here, I made an impulse purchase: warm, waterproof gloves. We spend about an hour walking through the "park" amidst stormy winds and hail showers; however, we are dressed perfectly for the conditions, so the weather doesn't bother us much. After that stop, we drove about 40 minutes to our accommodation. Once again, we have a little cottage situated right in the middle of nowhere. We ate some hot soup, took a quick shower, and hopped into the hot tub. Relaxation despite an outside temperature of 4°C and the wind. Afterward, we hade some pasta with tomato sauce and chill out on the sofa. The large windows in our accommodation might have allowed us to see the stars, but unfortunately, it is heavily overcast.

October 8th

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The weather forecast doesn't look promising. So, we set off early while it is still dry to visit the geyser. As we drove up, we spotted the large one erupting from a distance a truly impressive sight. Unfortunately, it didn't erupt again after that. Instead, we watch a few eruptions from a smaller geyser. After warming up briefly in the shop, we continue on to one of many but for us, the final waterfall of our trip. After a short drive, we reach the waterfall, it is truly beautiful and glows with a vibrant turquoise-blue hue. It begins to rain, and according to the forecast, there is no improvement in sight. Consequently, we decided against driving to the lava field, as that would have required a longer hike. Instead, we headed to the Perlan Museum in Reykjavík. We enjoy a slice of cake in the panoramic dome, then visit the museum, the volcano exhibition, and the planetarium to see the Northern Lights show. The film and the ice chamber are definitely worth the admission price. Afterward, we head back to our accommodation, we quickly picked up a pizza for dinner and bought a few snacks for the flight home, then we’re off. Once there, we hop into the hot tub relaxing in the rain at 42°C. Later, we watched a bit of Netflix and ate our pizza.

October 9th

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We woke up early and had breakfast, then we packed our things and drove into downtown Reykjavik to our final accommodation. We park the car on a side street and walk to the meeting point for our city tour. For two hours, a very humorous Icelander shows us around the city and explains a great deal about Iceland's history and formation. Just before the tour ends, it starts raining once again... We stroll through the city for a bit longer, popping into a few shops, before stopping at a small café for sandwiches for lunch. On our way back to our accommodation, we pick up some cinnamon buns, then chill out and dry off inside the guesthouse. At 4:30 PM, we drove to the Sky Lagoon, where we had already purchased tickets. It’s quite crowded at first, but it’s actually pretty cool. We relax in the infinity pool, drink some beer, and enjoy our final evening in Iceland. We visit the sauna and the steam room before spending a little more time relaxing outdoors in the lagoon under the cover of darkness. Around 8:30 PM, we headed back to our accommodation, where we made our final preparations for the flight and went to sleep.

Oct 10

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The alarm goes off at 4:00 AM. We drove to the airport and returned the rental car. Self-check-in and bag drop-off are completed within 30 minutes, leaving us with plenty of time to spare. We enjoy a leisurely breakfast of sandwiches we prepared ourselves, along with some coffee. Right on schedule at 7:20 AM, we take off for Frankfurt in an old 767 that had flown already for Air New Zealand back in the days. After a smooth flight of just over three hours, we landed in Frankfurt 30 minutes ahead of schedule.

We covered a total of 2,123 kilometers driving around Iceland in just seven days. We saw many beautiful waterfalls, incredible and breathtaking scenery. A beautiful country.

Oct 11