We spent our Thanksgiving week in Iceland. Our wish for going around this time was to see the northern lights. But the nights turned out cloudy and rainy, except for one when the sky cleared up briefly and we had a glimpse of the celestial wonder – faintly. We were not disappointed though. Iceland was so beautiful and had so much to offer that we almost forgot the main reason why we traveled there during the cold winter days in the first place. For one, Iceland has a dramatic and diverse natural landscape that would take anybody’s breath away.
On our first day, we headed straight to Snaefellsness Peninsula, the westernmost point of the country. With spectacular glaciered mountains and volcanic peaks, stunning fjords, countless waterfalls and salmon rivers, dramatic sea cliffs and rock formation, charming fishing villages dotting the coastlines, lush valleys and lava fields, etc. – Snaefellsness is considered a miniature Iceland as it provides a sampler of what the whole country offers best.
The road cutting through expansive lava fields with magnificent snowy mountain ahead.
The stark lava fields provides a fascinating contrast to the glistening glaciered mountain.
The area is dominated by the immensity of Snaefellsjokull, the volcano that was the setting of Jules Verne’s fantasy novel Journey to the Centre of the Earth.
Bjarnafoss, one of the many waterfalls in the area, gracefully flowing into basalt rocks.
An old church in Budir.
Hotel Budir provides a sweeping view of Snaefellsjokull glaciers.
The magnificient view of Snaefellsjokull and Budir-estuary.
The mysterious winter sight of Budir-estuary, where the river meets the sea.
The snowy path to Songhellir, the “cave of song,” known for its superb acoustic.
Hjalmar, our driver/guide, outside the Songs of Cave. It turned out that Hjalmar is an opera singer. He regaled us with a beautiful aria inside the cave and while we were driving. It was such a good treat. It seems like everyone we met in Iceland had an artistic bent. It’s either they’re a musican or a writer, plus something else.
The winter weather was ever changing. The locals say that if you don’t like the weather in Iceland, just wait five minutes. It can be dark, rainy, and windy one minute then bright and dry the next.
Mount Kirkjufell, considered to be one of the most beautiful mountain in Iceland.
The fishing village of Arnarstapi with its basalt rock columns.
The village of Arnarstapi
Some of the remaining traditional turf houses in the village. In the olden days, the roofs and sidings of the houses were covered with turf for insulation.
Cliffs and sea caves in the fishing village of Hellnar.
The dramatic basalt cliffs of Londrangar.
The Icelandic winter days maybe cold and short (with about 5 hours of daylight) accompanied by unpredictable weather elements, but at the end of each day we felt surprisingly exhilarated rather than depressed. Hjalmar told us that, “These mountains, these glaciers, we draw great energy from them.” There’s probably some truth to it. (And their beautiful, powerful nature is what probably gives the people of Iceland their artistic juices. )
———————————
Travel Notes:
- We booked a private trip to Snaefellsnes Peninsula with AT Iceland Tours/Daytrips.is. We recommend their services. It was great to have Hjalmar Georgsson, the company owner, as our driver/guide. He’s very knowlegeable and passionate about his country and, of course, his music:)
- This trip may be easily done on your own in the summer but we don’t recommend it during winter. It’s important to have a knowlegeable guide with you in wintertime who knows which roads are passable and which areas are closed for visits. We also recommend that you do this trip in 4×4 jeep in the wintertime.
- Dress in layers during winter. Waterproof outerwears are recommended.
———————————
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Google +.
_______________________
Linking to Travel Photo Discovery, Our World Tuesday, Travel Tuesday, Sweet Shot Tuesday, and Travel Photo Thursday.
Beautiful pictures. Iceland is my dream trip and my husband and I are going to go in August. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Brittanny, thanks! Oh, I’m sure you and your husband will love it there. We can’t wait to go back ourselves.
Iceland is easily one of my favorite places in the world and I’m desperately trying to get back. Some friends and I rented a car last March and went with the same goal in mind. Unfortunately we had cloudy nights and THEN the most ridiculous blizzard I’ve ever seen, and I’m from the Midwest. Needless to say, a car stuck in a snow drift, being snowed in to one location for 3 days, and driving 10 hours through weather where you can only see one reflector on the road put a damper on my trip. However, what we did see was stunningly beautiful. Very awesome pictures.
Oh gosh, sorry to hear about your misadventure, Todd. But I’m glad that you got to appreciate the beauty of the country despite the damper.
The landscape and the mountains covered with the snow look amazing. I have never seen something like that in real life. Absolutely stunning. I really like the red traditional turf houses in the village!
Agness recently posted..Polish vs. Dutch people: How We Differ And What We Have In Common
Hi Agness, thanks! You have to see them for yourself to really see how amazing they are.
How utterly gorgeous! Iceland is high up on my to-visit list!
Lady Fi recently posted..Branching out
Thanks Fiona. I hope you get to visit there sometime soon.
Amazing photos…
Muza-chan recently posted..Traditional Japanese men hairstyle, Chonmage
Thanks Lilli!
OMG that is really really spectacular. I felt like it is an alien planet if you are not in some pictures. I can’t imagine why some people make it their home, as after all, humans are still hot-blooded animals. Thank you so much for the tour, at least i was able to see it through you. For someone who hasn’t experienced winter yet, this is just like a dream!
Hi Andrea, Iceland is a beautiful country that its people are so proud to make it their home. They leave but they always return. Some races are built hardy and adjust well to extreme climate in their countries. Winter in Iceland is actually not any hasher than the winter in North America. They say winter in NY where I live can actually be colder than in Iceland. I hope you get to experience winter sometime soon:)
With a landscape as dramatic as this, Marisol, I’m not surprised everyone you met has an artistic bent.
It is really breathtaking. Sorry you didn’t get a spectacular light show, but there’s always next year, right?
Marcia recently posted..Our 3rd Blogiversary – in 3 Takes, Take III and a Giveaway
Hi Marcia, so true. The stunning landscape can bring out the artistry in people. Yes, there’s always a next time for a northern light. Gives us an excuse to return or to venture somewhere else for it
oooOhh hello Iceland!!! Lovely photos Marisol! As much as I love white sand and beaches, I love snowcapped peaks just as much! How wonderful you guys braved the [freezing] cold for an Icelandic treat! I’m hoping to make it there in the next coming year. Did you book a tour throughout the entire week or just flew out there and signed up for tours when you got to the country?
Antoinette recently posted..Weekend Wedding and Giant Cactus in Arizona
HI Antoinette, thanks! I know there’s something magical about snowcapped peaks, isn’t it? You know, winter in Iceland isn’t any worst than in NY, only they have shorter daylight. I really hope you make it there next year; I’m pretty sure you will love it as much as we did. We booked most of the activities before we left; some of them we did on our own. If you’re not sure what you want to do, you can wait until you get there to figure it out and book the tours when you get there.
the landscape is raw and gorgeous. i doubt if the temps in the summer go to the 80s.
Photo Cache recently posted..People Watching
Its rawness is truly gorgeous! I heard that the average summer temp is in the high 70’s. The highest record summer temp is 86.9F and that was in 1939!
Wow gorgeous countryside, it looks spectacular and incredibly cold I bet….would love to visit there some day maybe in the warmer months
noel morata recently posted..Visiting a Gassho-Zukuri, Travel Photo Mondays#23
Hi Noel, It truly is spectacular. The winter isn’t that bad but then summer is better for having longer day lights for photography.
Gorgeous countryside!!! Less snow than I would imagine of Iceland..
It truly is gorgeous! Ironically, Iceland is actually more green than snow:)
What a wonderful trip and an amazing landscape which you captured well. Never neen on your blog but will certainly return to read about your travels.
HI Karen, it was an amazing place and trip indeed. Thanks for dropping by.
Wow, gorgeous shots! What a majestic landscape…. love the little church amid the mountains.
Hi Catherine, thanks! I also love that church that stands in the middle of nowhere. It added drama to the landscape.
What amazing light and scenery
Mollyxxx
Molly recently posted..Day 344 – The Look
Thanks Molly. The light was truly interesting because it kept changing every few minutes.
Breathtaking photos. I would love to visit there some day. Thank you for sharing!
Our pleasure, Pat. I hope you get visit sometime soon. It’s really a breathtaking destination.
What an amazing experience! I’ve always wanted to visit Iceland, a dream of mine!
Amanda @ Wildly Simple recently posted..December (and Winter) Arrived
Hi Amanda, I hope you get to go soon and have the amazing experience.
I was planning a late spring visit to see the northern lights. Your journey makes me eager to get there.
Hi Pea, that’s awesome. I wish from the bottom of my heart that you get to see the auroras.
What a trip! Your photos are great!
Thanks Linda.
Oh, my, these photos are breathtaking! I had not realized the immense beauty of Iceland. Thank you for sharing all these. This is a new place on my bucket list now! My favorite is the waterfall above the “tiny” home. My goodness, what a view!
Sharon recently posted..Finding the Filbert Steps
Hi Sharon, thanks! That view of the tiny house below the waterfall is much more dramatic in person. There are also a lot more waterfalls that are stunning. Iceland should definitely be on everyone’s bucketlist.
How glorious – Iceland has been top of my travel to-do list for a while, and this has given me even more of a push – thanks!!
Claire recently posted..A Place Where the Kids are Hip
Hi Claire, thanks! I hope you can cross off your list soon.
Beautiful pictures of your trip! Snæfellsnes was one of my favorite road trips in Iceland so far. Bummer about the northern lights, they are so tricky. I have been here 7 times and I finally saw them when I made my official move here this October. Glad you guys enjoyed your trip, it truly is such a beautiful country with amazing landscapes.
Thanks Kiki! You’re lucky to be living in Iceland (and to finally have seen the auroras!). It’s such a beautiful country with such amazing nature and people. My husband and I are missing it and look forward to going back.
Love Iceland and it’s easily one of my favorite countries but I’m not sure if I can handle the 5 hour daylight. This still looks spectacular though. We never made it to Snaefellsnes Peninsula so we’d love to visit next time. Beautiful shots and glad you’ve some clear weather. Mount Kirkjufell looks so imposing. You two look adorable all snuggled up
I guess you’ll just have to go back to see the Northern Lights.
Mary {The World Is A Book} recently posted..Celebrating December Nights Festival in San Diego
Hi Mary, we also love it so much that we’d love to go back as well, maybe in the summertime for the midnight sun. You definitely have to visit Snaefellsnes next time. I can imagine how much more spectacular it can be during the summer.
Marisol recently posted..Iceland: The Winter Wonders of Snaefellsnes Peninsula
Oh Marisol it looks so other worldy, eerie and magical. I’ve always wanted to visit Iceland, and despite the bitter cold it must be an amazing adventure.
Hi Jo, it was truly magical and amazing. It was not actually bitter cold the whole time. It gets bitter cold for few minutes when the wind blows and the it will get comfortable shortly. I hope you make it there soon.
This is a part of the world I have always wanted to see – and your pictures show why!!
Very nice post.
Cheers – Stewart M – Melbourne
Stewart Monckton recently posted..The Court of Kings and Crimsons
Thanks Stewart. It’s definitely worth a long trek from Australia. I hope it happens soon.
What a gorgeous landscape. And a driver who’s also an opera singer? Wow, you were certainly lucky!
Freya Renders recently posted..Meeting Lesimbi, a young Maasai from Tanzania
Hi Freya, yes we were lucky. Gorgeous scenery and with beautiful live singing = awesome!
Wow! Your pictures are beautiful – I guess I always assumed that Iceland would be all white in the winter like Minnesota! A friend once told me that she loved Iceland in the winter, but I really didn’t believe her. Now that I’ve seen your pictures, I may have to reconsider!
cindy thetravelgal recently posted..I Suppose I Should be Getting Ready for Christmas
Hi Cindy, thank! You really have to reconsider. It’s truly beautiful in the winter and I can’t wait to see its beauty in the summer.
Absolutely stunning photos. . .you’ve almost convinced me that Iceland should be on the destinations list! (Iceland Air just advertised some great deals today from select US cities!)
Jackie Smith recently posted..Bora Bora: There’s nothing to see ‘that way’. . .or is there?
Hi Jackie, thanks. You should definitely put it on your destination list. I hope you sealed one of those great deals!
A couple of photographer friends have run photography tours in Iceland that I was very tempted to go on. After seeing your fabulous photos I know that one day, I will definitely have to go. Seeing the Northern Lights is a dream of mine so maybe I can combine both!
jenny@atasteoftravel recently posted..A Weekend in Marysville
Hi Jenny, I urge you to do that photography tour with you friends! And I wish with all my heart the you get to see the northern lights.
Oh wow! What a beautiful series of shots!
Denise recently posted..Crazy, touristy, beautiful Bangkok
Thanks a lot, Denise.
Beautiful photos, amazing scenery!
Thanks Rachel. Glad you enjoyed the photos.
What an exciting trip. You were lucky to get the owner as your guide. The scenery is fantastic.
Hi Jan, it truly was exciting and fantastic:)
Where you were posting about Iceland on Facebook, I had been wondering if it was a layover or a chosen destination. I’d love to see the Northern Lights sometime, too. It’s always a bit hard when you’re dependent on nature, though, isn’t it? I’d be bummed if I went all that way and didn’t see them. That’s fantastic that your guide/driver sings opera. I imagine that hearing an aria inside a cave must be quite memorable.
Michele {Malaysian Meanders} recently posted..128 Hours 55 Minutes of Air Travel in One Year
HI Michelle, yes the northern lights is a bit tricky. I really wish with all my heart that you get to see it when you go. But I found that it’s really hard to be disappointed if you don’t see it because the country has so much to offer to make up for it. Yes, hearing the opera in the Song Cave was amazing.
Iceland is way, way up there on my wish list and I’d visit at any time of the year – though ideally in summer. Were there any hot springs you enjoyed on the trip? That would seem like a very fitting way to spend time on a dark, cold day in Ireland. Despite the weather you got beautiful shots.
And where is your next adventure? You always got to the most interesting places.
Leigh recently posted..Magical Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park, California
Hi Leigh, Iceland should definitely be up on your list. You’d love it! Yes, we did enjoy a hot spring at the end of the trip; it was divine after all the active trips. We’re still deciding on the next adventure. So many to choose from:)
Thanks for sharing the photos. Iceland must be the most photogenic country in the world. I have yet to see a bad pic of it. Sorry to miss the country on the current big trip – next time!
Hi Peter, our pleasure! Iceland is truly is photogenic; glad you agree! I truly hope that you make it there next time.
Ahh Marisol, please stop torturing me! You’ve been going to places I’ve been wanting to visit for a long time: Bhutan and now Iceland!
Even though you only got a glimpse of the northern lights, those breathtaking landscapes of Iceland surely didn’t disappointing at all.
Bama recently posted..Politics, Religion and Art at Jakarta’s Focal Point
Hi Bama, Ha! Ha! Now we’re even after you torture me with those food posts. It was easy not to be disappointed after seeing all those wonders that Iceland has to offer. I really hope you get to visit Iceland soon.
Wow, the lighting is just stunning! What a surreal place!
Erica recently posted..Thoughts on Madiba.
Hi Erica, the lighting was really fascinating because it kept changing every few minutes. Yes, it truly is a surreal landscape.
I have finally managed to link up with last weeks Travel Photo Thursday – and I am glad I did. What amazing photos you have posted of your time in Iceland. Fantastic scenes. I love the church in Budir, and the view from the hotel. Now I want to go to Iceland! Have a wonderful week and the countdown to Christmas. Did you see Father Christmas on your travels?
Hi Jill, yes, go, go! You and your camera will love it there! Iceland is big on Christmas and so yes we saw Father Christmas:)
Amazing pictures. Thank you so much for sharing these. Just discovered your blog, and I’m obsessed!
Have a wonderful new years.
More beautiful photos. I’m glad you put who you booked through and included the photo of the hotel windows…great info!
Greta And very lovely images sharing,
thank’s
When I originally commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” cjeckbox and
now each time a comment is addded I gget four e-mails
with the samme comment. Is there any wway you can remove people from
that service? Cheers!
social media watford recently posted..social media watford