Iceland in 10 Days: Circling the Land of Fire & Ice

No. 10: Puffins & more

There aren’t a whole lot of critters in Iceland, but we got a kick out of the wandering sheep, miniature horses waiting for riders, frolicking seals, and darling puffins at the Dyrhólaey cliffs and Reynisfjara beach, with its basalt caves (this is not the same as the black-sand beach). We never saw any reindeer.

Puffins at Dyrhólaey cliffs

No. 9: On the road

It’s relatively easy to drive here, despite the one-lane bridges, one-lane tunnels, and many signs with exclamation points. We passed more gas stations than toilets and saw only one policeman who had pulled over a driver. Bonus: We loved the free water hoses at gas stations to rinse your car.

No. 8: Þingvellir National Park

Part of the Golden Circle, this is a fascinating geological and historic site, one of the few places in the world to see and walk along the fault line between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates.

No. 7: Volcanoes

Iceland is a time bomb with 30 volcano systems. We hiked two of the most well-preserved, both by Lake Myvatin: Krafla, with its pristine lake called Víti, and Hverfell, which is steeper and bigger. Both rims were uncomfortably windy.

No. 6: Basalt columns

We learned to love basalt columns in Ireland and were especially delighted with the ones at the Reynisfjara beach near Vik, the coastal cliffs at Arnarstapi, and Svartifoss, where you hike down one mile to a great view of the waterfall against a wall of basalt.

Svartifoss set against a basalt wall

No. 5: Waterfalls

You’ve got more than 10,000 to choose from! It’s fun to go behind the waterfall at Seljalandsfoss and at the darling Kvernufoss, found via a little-known path by the Skogar Museum. Dettifoss was our favorite. You can get right up to this thundering beast, described as Europe’s most powerful based on water flow times and fall distance.

Dettifoss, the most powerful in Europe based on the water flow times and fall distance

No. 4: Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Rick Steves’ book does not list this as a highlight, and I think that is a serious oversight. We had way more fun in Snaefellsnes than in the popular Lake Myvatn area. In a short drive, you can see seals, waterfalls, canyons, cliffs, volcanoes, black beaches, and famed Kirkjufell. Stop into cool Rauðfeldsgjá canyon gorge, a crack in the rocks with a stream running through it.

Snæfellsnes Peninsula Arnarstapi

No. 3: Húsavík whale-watching

Near the Arctic Circle, Husavik is among the best sites in the world for whale-watching. My remarkable excursion with Húsavík Adventures went out 10 nautical miles on an RIB, where a few whales checked us out and one breached over and over again.

Amazing whale-watching from Húsavík

No. 2: Ice cave tour out of Vik

In late August, Katlatrack offered one of the few tours inside an ice cave. We drove to dormant Katla’s Kötlujökull Glacier, donned crampons and helmets with lights, and walked through a small cave with honeycombed walls, dripping icicles, and primeval blue/dirty snow.

We went inside this ice cave on the Kötlujökull Glacier, under dormant Katla volcano.

No. 1 Iceland highlight: Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon

Imagine a gigantic, ancient glacier calving constantly, shedding sparkling icebergs that float out to sea, melting into diamonds upon black sand. That is Jokulsarlon. I was mesmerized at sunset and again the next day on a Zodiac boat ride. The icebergs are of all sizes and shapes, moving slowly toward the Atlantic Ocean, speeding up as the currents swirl under the bridge as seals and ducks frolic. On the other side of the road is the “diamond beach,” where the melting icebergs shimmer on the sand.

My favorite spot in Iceland: Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

On a return trip, we stopped at the nearby Fjallsárlón glacier for comparison. I still treasure Jökulsárlón the most. Simply magical.

Give yourself at least 10 days to make the circuit—11 or 12 is better. Be prepared for high winds and ever-changing weather.

Aim to get to the most popular sites early as the parking lots fill up. You’ll need to pay for parking and most bathrooms, but they all accept credit cards. Download the appropriate apps to save yourself time.

For those short on time, I still urge you to make time for Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon.

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Iceland page.