Best Things To Do in Iceland: Interview (Part 2/2)
Updated: Oct 20, 2023
I hope you like the first part of the interview with Egor about Iceland, one of the most attractive destinations for nature lovers. If you didn't have a chance to read it, please do so, and then come back to this post to learn more about the best things to do in Iceland.
The main points covered in this post - 2nd part of the interview - are as follows:
Marie: Hi Egor, thank you for coming! Last time you shared with us your experience of exploring Iceland, shared a lot of useful details about the car rental process, visiting Reykjavik, Blue Lagoon, Strokkur geyser area and Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. Tell us more about other places you visited!
Egor: Hi Marie, you are welcome. Last time I mentioned that Glacier Lagoon is located around 380km from Reykjavik, so I suggest leaving it closer to the end of the trip if you are also focusing on the southern part of the island.
Before going there, I recommend visiting Skógafoss waterfall, located around 160 km away from Reykjavik - precisely in between the capital and the Glacier Lagoon.
The waterfall is about 60 metres tall and 25 meters wide - one of the largest waterfalls in Iceland. The views are astounding, you need to go there!
Marie: Wow. And what about hiking? I have heard it is an ideal place for this kind of activity.
Egor: Surely. Iceland is full of hiking trails, one of them starts at the top of the staircase near the waterfall and leads to the Fimmvörðuháls Pass, which offers remarkable views of the surrounding mountains and glaciers.
I would say, Iceland is for those who love active travel. I saw a lot of people cycling there, by the way.
Marie: Sounds excellent! What else is worth visiting?
Egor: Black beaches with volcanic sand, for sure. For example, Reynisfjara Beach - one of the most famous black sand beaches in Iceland and in the world, is known for its dramatic scenery and unique geological formations. It will be on your way to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon as well.
Do not miss the Dyrhólaey viewpoint to enjoy the picturesque views over the black beach and its surroundings.
Marie: Looks amazing. Egor, thanks a lot for such details. Could you please summarise your journey? Where did you start, what you visited on days 2-3, where did you go next, when did you reach the Glacier Lagoon and turn back?
Egor: So, as I mentioned last time, straight from the airport we went to the Blue Lagoon, spent a few hours there, and then went to Reykjavik.
On Day 2 we had breakfast in Reykjavik Roasters, walked around the Hallgrimskirkja cathedral, and then went to a trail to see an erupting volcano Fagradalsfall (around 55km, 1 hour from Reykjavik). We did an 8km trail to get to the top of a nearby hill, but there is an option to get closer to a volcano with a 20km trail.
Then we drove to Geysir Hot Springs (the same place as Strokkur) and Gullfoss Falls, 150km from the volcano, 2 2-hour drive. After exploring the hot springs and falls, we had dinner at Skjol Café nearby (they serve great pizza!).
On day three we started from the town of Hella and drove to explore the waterfalls (Seljalandsfoss and Gljufrabui), 35km from Hella, 30 30-minute drive; then we moved a bit further to explore Skógafoss waterfall (30km).
After that, we saw a glacier nearby (Sólheimajökull) and went to check it out, as it was just 15 mins from Skogafoss.
Then we moved to the town of Vik and tasted local soup from The Soup Company, 30km from the glacier. The soup was great it was served in a bread bowl and you could get a refill for free. Go for a spicy soup (Red hot lava), it’s very tasty. Apologies, no photos: the soup was so amazing that I couldn't afford to spend time doing the photo.
After that, we walk to Reynisfjara Beach (the Black Sand Beach I mentioned earlier) near amazing cliffs and caves. You could also see famous puffins there.
Then, we finished exploring the island by visiting Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon - the furthest place we saw there.
Marie: Wow, that was a colossal summary, with so many details! Thanks, Egor, that's helpful.
I think it is a perfect itinerary for a 5-6 day trip to Iceland. Now, the most important question: what was the overall budget for your trip? Accommodation, car rental costs, flights, tickets & tours, and other expenses (food, drinks etc).
Egor: We flew with Play (Icelandic low-coster) for ~EUR400/ticket (check out Aviasales for the best offers). The average accommodation cost was around EUR 250/night, however, we were booking rather late and not many hotels were available which limited our options. In any case, check out the suggestions on Booking.com.
Plus car rental of EUR 160/day and around EUR 300 total for tours (200 for Blue Lagoon and 100 for a boat trip). The average meal for two was EUR 50/meal, and food in supermarkets is slightly more expensive than in Luxembourg (try local dried fish though, it’s delicious).
You can save by drinking tap water (you can barely find non-sparkling water for sale anywhere). Most sightseeings of amazing Icelandic nature are free to visit, except for parking costs of EUR 5-6 (no time limit).
Marie: Do you want to come back? What would you do differently at the planning stage?
Egor: We would want to come back, this is a place of power and freedom. Next time we would book hotels and tours in advance to find better options near our route to decrease the travel time by car.
Also, we didn’t plan for volcano hiking, as it started erupting just a few weeks before our arrival. So I would recommend including a volcano visit (even if it is not erupting) in the initial plan.
Marie: Thank you, Egor, for sharing with us your impressions of your amazing trip! I do not know about other people who will read this small interview, but I think I will need to plan the trip to Iceland shortly (and start saving up some money).
Egor: You are very much welcome! Happy to hear that. If you plan your trip and book everything in advance, it might be much cheaper. Good luck, and thank you for inviting me.
Marie: See you soon!
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