THE NORDIC SERIES, DAY 11
ICELAND
Ice caving in Iceland. Day 4 in Iceland: time to check out and head back to Skaftafell Visitor Centre for the glacier walk and ice cave tour. Many consider this the highlight of their Iceland adventures; it sure has a lot to beat.
IT’S GREAT TO GET A SCALE OF THESE GLACIERS
It took months of research to decide on a tour; in the end, we booked with Arctic Adventures. Honestly, they’re all similar and end up on the same glacier.
SKAFTAFELLSJOKUL
After suiting up, we boarded a bus to Skaftafellsjokul glacier, where we hiked yesterday. A river flows year-round, but our tour visits seasonal caves, inaccessible in summer—an extra reason to visit in winter! The caves are brief but stunning, with coveted rich blues.
CLAUSTROPHOBIA
The caves are narrow, but not claustrophobic; you can exit the same way or wait at the other end—it’s not a maze. Luckily, a new tunnel was found days ago; still, it’s tight for those uncomfortable in tight spaces.
However, one issue was the glacier covered in snow; you couldn’t see you were on ice! Next time, I’d hike higher up the glacier. Initially, I debated between that and cave tours.
RELATED READ: THE WORLD’S HIGHEST TOWER CLIMB
VIK
Day 4 takes us westward with stops before Reykjavik. Tonight, we stay in Vik, a quaint tourist hotspot. Vik offers Reynisfjara, the famous black beach, and other nearby attractions.
REYNISFJARA
Again, we found an hour till sunset, so we headed to Reynisfjara beach, bustling with Chinese tourists! The 2km beach has most near the basalt columns; for quiet, walk 50m up. Do be aware of the sneaker waves however!
Next, we went to Dyrholaey Lighthouse for sunset, away from crowds, a 10-minute detour from the beach. Stunning views of eastern and western beaches, and finally, a real sunset!
HOTEL KRIA
After photos, we returned to Vik and stayed at Hotel Kria, benefiting from Iceland’s tourist boom. Recently, nice hotels outside cities were rare, but now, options abound. Availability isn’t always guaranteed! Got talking to a Thai guy who was living in America. Turns out his boss decided to take him to Iceland for a holiday, what a boss!!
FINAL THOUGHTS
This country is full of surprises!!
NEXT UP
The secret waterfall! Click to read.
SAFE TRAVELS, DS x
138/229
This post is part of The Nordic Series, click to explore or for episode 1 click here.
To watch the video of my trip, head to my highlights on my Instagram.
Question Time
- Have you ever been ice caving in Iceland?
- Did you enjoy it, ever feel claustrophobic?
Let me know in the comments below . . .
