Top 11 experiences not to be missed in Iceland

1 / DRIVING THROUGH RIVERS, BLACK SAND AND LAVA FIELDS TO ASKJA CALDERA

Nothing says road trip like Iceland, and nothing says Iceland like getting off the tourist trail and exploring the highlands on a mountain road. One of our favourite expeditions into the highlands was to Askja Caldera, the volcanic spectacle of nature that’s worth it just for the effort it takes to get there.

Askja Caldera is a massive subsistence caldera with an 11 sq km lake (Öskjuvatn) and a geothermal spring (Viti). Together they form a lesson in the power of mother nature.

The drive out to Askja is a thoroughly adventurous, concentration-testing Icelandic road trip. Gravel roads, shifting sands, river crossings, lava fields and massive boulders, fuel the independent traveller’s thirst for adventure.

It was one of our top things to do in Iceland which you can read all about here.

RELATED / DRIVING TO ASKJA CALDERA

2 / SPOTTING HUMPBACK WHALES AND CLUMSY PUFFINS IN HÚSAVÍK

In July – we were told – you have a 99% chance of spotting whales in Húsavík in the northeast of Iceland. Not the type to be easily seduced by smug statistics, we went to see for ourselves.

Straddling the bench on the RIB – the nimble inflatable vessel used for whale watching – I was grateful for the very calm seas. Known for my predisposition to seasickness, I wasn’t looking forward to throwing up over the person in front of me. They probably weren’t either.

After cruising past a puffin colony, we were soon entertained by the graceful ballet being performed by a family of Humpback whales. A tailfin rising in the air, a dorsal fin gliding above the surface. The water was their stage and we were their audience.

After spotting four humpback whales, a family of bottlenose whales and several Atlantic dolphins, we agreed the people of Húsavík were justified in their proud viewing statistics.

4 / PHOTOGRAPHING ICE FILLED LAGOONS AND BLACK DIAMOND BEACHES AT JÖKULSÁRLÓN

Often photographed in the perpetual darkness of winter – water smoothed by a long exposure; horizon glowing with diffused light – Jökulsárlón is an Icelandic poster boy.

But witnessing this natural sight under the midnight sun in July is just as impressive. The water in the glacial lagoon is perfectly still, its smoothness interrupted by the large blocks of ice that have fragmented away from the glacier. Occasionally the sound of ice breaking disrupts the quiet.

Some of these large ice-boulders have made their way down a small river to the famous black diamond beach – one of the many black sand beaches in Iceland. Seals were battling the current, trying to make their way from the beach to the lagoon, as we walked along beside them. The rough seas pounding these large diamonds, set against the black sand is one of the most unusual beach scenes you will find.

6 / GETTING EXCITED BY THE TOWERING PLUMES OF WATER AT GEYSIR

If there’s one thing that gets visitors gasping with delight, it’s the spectacle of Geysir. Easily accessible by bus from Reykjavik and positioned right by the highway, Geysir is not exactly a hidden gem in Iceland, but it’s still one of the best things to do in Iceland.

There are a number of different geysers, including Geysir himself, from which all others all over the world are named. The one that collects the biggest crowd is Strokkur, known for its predictability, Strokkur erupts every 10 – 15 minutes or so.

Geysers are formed by water seeping over rock heated by magma. Once the pressure builds up, the geyser erupts. Water shoots into the air. Cameras click. Tourists giggle. Repeat every 15 minutes. All the geysers are stretched along a 100m wide strip of land running along the gap between the tectonic plates.

7 / EXPLORING BUBBLING MUD POTS AND STEAMY VENTS AT HVERIR

Close to Krafla, Hverir is another attraction in Iceland that showcases its environmental weirdness. Sandy coloured terrain, completely devoid of vegetation, steams at regular intervals. Grey mud pots bubble and belch, spitting at anyone who gets to close.

A few small rivers weave their way around the landscape with warning signs dotted around reminding visitors to maintain some proximity. In some places, the water is at boiling temperature. Stepping out of the roped off areas quickly reminds you of that.

It’s a weird and wonderful world out here and interesting to see for its utter uniqueness. Like most attractions in Iceland, Hverir is completely free of charge.

8 / WITNESSING THE AWESOME POWER OF THUNDERING DETTIFOSS

Iceland is a waterfall chaser’s dream country – so good, they’ve been used as many Game of Thrones locations. The island is blessed with an abundance of waterfalls, each aching to be photographed. But our pick for this list is Dettifoss.

For sheer power alone, Dettifoss is a spectacle to behold. Each second around 193 cubic metres of water cascades over the 45 m drop. The spray from the waterfall so persistent and strong that the far wall of the waterfall – the one that gets the brunt of the spray – is visibly greener than everything else around it.

Dettifoss isn’t the most picturesque waterfall (that’s Godafoss), or the one with the best walking trails (Skógafoss) or even the waterfall with the most water (Gullfoss). But, Dettifoss does have the reputation for being the waterfall with the most power in Europe. Standing on the large rocks, so close to the torrent you can almost feel it, is another way to behold the power of nature in Iceland.

10 / SOAKING IN MODERN 5-STAR LUXURY IN THE BLUE LAGOON

There a number of geothermal pools in Iceland to experience the strange sensation of bathing in naturally heated water. A bit like a reverse swimming pool, it’s great fun to rush out in your swimming costume in the freezing cold to get relief by jumping in beautiful warm water.

The Blue Lagoon isn’t the most atmospheric lagoon in Iceland (that’s Landmannalaugar), or the warmest (Gamla Laugin) or the one with the best view (Mývatn), but it’s by far the most sophisticated.

So, if you’re looking for a luxurious geothermal pool experience, where you get changing rooms, a nice fresh towel, a swim-up bar and mud to smear on your face, wiping years from your appearance, then the Blue Lagoon is for you. The industrial-looking plant spewing out smoke right beside the lagoon is typical of an Icelandic scene, and something you just have to experience.

11 / BEING IN AWE OF THE SPECTACLE OF SVARTIFOSS AND VATNAJÖKULL

From the phenomenon that gave the world the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland, comes Svartifoss – an iconic waterfall in Iceland with an exquisitely carved stone façade.

The hike up to Svartifoss takes around 1 hour on a very good path with plenty of photo opportunities along the way. From the path, Svartifoss opens up in the distance, the unique rock face tucked in around rolling green hills.

After taking our fill of snaps at Svartifoss we continued along the path up to Skaftafellsjökull glacier. From a high vantage point, the breath-taking, rugged beauty of Iceland is laid out before you. The massive glacier stops directly below the lookout point where it converts into a lake. The views up the glacier as it twists through the surrounding mountains is a sight to behold.