DAY THREE
What to do?
If you did the Golden Circle tour, you’d likely say that Iceland is a beautiful country. However, if you travel outside of the tourist circle to southern Iceland, you’ll soon realize that Iceland is a stunningly beautiful country. If you only have a few days in Iceland, prioritize this tour.
Again, we choose to travel with Hidden Iceland on the 2-day Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon tour complete with glacier hike. This tour is especially well-suited to families with active teens. Our guide was Ryan, co-owner of Hidden Iceland. While he’s a native Scotsman, you’d be hard-pressed to find an Icelander more well-versed on this country’s natural features. To say he knows a thing or two about volcanoes and glaciers is a complete understatement. His enthusiasm for the subject and for Iceland in general is contagious. My son and I have been on a lot of tours around the world, and this one ranked among the very best, largely due to Ryan’s energy and knowledge and the breathtaking scenery. It’s a sentiment that was echoed by everyone on this small, 12-person tour. Plus, when Ryan’s not imparting his immense knowledge about all-things-Iceland while on the road, he shares a pretty awesome playlist of music.
The tour starts with hotel pick-ups in the morning and then a 1-hour and 45-minute drive to the first waterfall of the day, Seljalandsfoss. What makes this waterfall extra special is that you can go behind it. If you walk fairly quickly, you also can follow the path to Glljúfrabúi, a hidden waterfall farthest from the parking area.
KidTripster Tip: Ryan had recommended that we don waterproof gear (pants, jacket, and boots) for the walk behind the falls. We didn’t listen. We should have. Know that if you’re unable to pack all that gear, Hidden Iceland has gear for you to borrow. Just let the company know in advance
As spectacular as Seljalandsfoss is, I actually liked the next waterfall, Skógarfoss, even better. While you can walk to the top of this waterfall, the real “money shot” in terms of photography is at the bottom where you’re likely to catch a rainbow in the spray. If you’re a Game of Thrones fan, Dany and Jon flew their dragons to this waterfall in the final season, though you may not recognize the location because in the television version, the special effects department added several more fake waterfalls to the scene.
The next stop also made a brief appearance in Game of Thrones as the beach near Eastwatch where the men of the Night’s Watch guarded the Wall. It’s better known as Reynisfjara, Iceland’s most impressive black sand beach, but it’s the basalt columns here that people come to see. These hexagonal columns are formed when magma cools slowly and then cracks. At Reynisfjara, the columns are part of a cross-section of an ancient volcano. Your kids may not be interested in the geology lesson, but I can guarantee that they’ll want to give climbing the columns a go.
KidTripster Tip: Read the seal skin folktale on the information placard at the entrance to the beach.
Where to eat?
There’s a small cafe at the beach where you can grab lunch or coffee. However, I’d actually recommend the hot dog stand just outside the restaurant. Hot dogs are “a thing” in Iceland and are often made with lamb. I don’t know what the condiment is that they put on top with those crunchy fried onions, but it’s pretty delicious!
What to do?
After lunch, you’ll make a stop at Fjaorárglijúfur Gorge. (Yeah, we don’t know how to pronounce that either!) The colors here are fantastic as an iron-laden stream running down one wall of the canyon meets an icy blue stream at the bottom.
KidTripster Tip: As you’re driving out, look for the large community sheep pen. Ryan explains that in the summer, farmers release their sheep into the wild to graze so that they can plant their land for the short growing season. Then in September, Icelanders and some tourists head into the countryside to take part in Réttir, the annual sheep round-up. You find a sheep and then put it in one of the community pens scattered throughout the country. At the end of Réttir, the farmers retrieve their marked sheep from the pens and bring them home for the winter. The round-up is followed by a singing, dancing, and general partying. If you visit in the fall, consider taking part.
KidTripster Tip: Especially at this point in the trip, you’ll be passing one awe-inspiring glacier after another. If you can, remember to sit on the driver’s side of the van when you begin the tour to get the best views.
The last stop of the day is definitely worth the drive: Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. Unlike Alaska, most glaciers in Iceland don’t end at the ocean; they stop farther inland. But at this lagoon, the glacier does calve into an icy blue lagoon, creating giant icebergs. As those icebergs melt, they morph into all different shapes as they float through the large lagoon and then out to sea. Ryan perfectly timed our stop here; the sunlight just danced on the water as curious seals swam near the edge. The photo ops are pretty astounding. My son and I were mesmerized by the different shapes. One iceberg looked like a perfectly-formed fish, complete with scales.
In one day, we’d covered 267 miles and saw a dozen glaciers and more than a half dozen volcanoes. Best of all, someone else did all the driving!
KidTripster Tip: All Hidden Iceland’s vans are outfitted with WiFi. We never had difficulty connecting. In fact, you’ll find that Iceland has fantastic coverage.
Where to eat and stay?
Hidden Iceland arranges your stay at Lilja Guesthouse, a family-owned sheep farm on the southeastern coast of Iceland. The rooms here are housed in a new building; they’re clean and simple. A group dinner at the on-site restaurant is included in the stay as is breakfast.
KidTripster Tip: If you visit during the summer, you’ll have nearly 24 hours of sunlight. The sun never really sets. Fortunately, rooms come with black-out shades, but you may want to take a sleep aid like melatonin to help. You’ll need your rest for the next day’s adventure.
A hike to a place called Diamond Beach marks Day 4, keep clicking below to continue along on the adventure.
