Every since I was a little dinosaur I dreamed of visiting the great land of fire and ice. Generations of dinosaurs had shared tales of their Icelandic adventures and now it was finally my turn!
Day 1-Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss and Sólheimasandur plane crash
We picked up the Dino-mobile in Reykjavik. A comfortable camper van, the perfect ride for our four day adventure. We waved goodbye to the capital, where 60% of Iceland’s population resides, and headed South, where we came across the famous Dinosaurs fountain, otherwise known as Seljalandsfoss waterfall. After taking in the stunning views and a refreshing splash, we folded out our tables and chairs and cooked up some Dino grub for lunch.
With full bellies we hit the road and headed to our next stop, Skógafoss waterfall, just a few stomps away. Legend has it there is treasure buried in a cave behind Skógafoss, but with our tiny arms, T Rex’s have never been world famous diggers.
Standing at the bottom of the waterfall made even me feel small so we took on the challenge of the 527 steps to the top platform where you could walk alongside the beautiful Skógá river.
Today was a day full of adventure, we jumped back in our camper van– our final mission to hunt down the Sólheimasandur plane crash. We raced the sun and walked 3.8km along the black sand to the site where a US Navy DC plane crashed in 1973-amazingly everyone survived.
After a productive food shop and toilet stop in Vik we parked up for the night. Cosy in our van we munched our Dino treats and settled in to watch Jurassic park, courtesy of the free WiFi!
Day 2- Reynisafara beach, Glacier lagoon, Diamond beach
The sun rose, welcoming another day of Dino discoveries. First stop was Reynisfjara black sand beach, home to the dangerous sneaker waves. So keep your distance unless you have flippers!
According to local Icelandic legend, the large basalt columns were once trolls engaged in trying to pull ships from the ocean. However, as bad luck would have it, the dawn quickly arose, turning the trolls into solid stone.
After freezing our tails off on the beach we were happy to jump back into our warm camper van starting the scenic drive to Jökulsárlón.
From the miles of moss to the glassy glaciers, every corner was more breathtaking than the last.
We reached Glacier lagoon just before sunset. As the icebergs stood towering over, we admired its beauty as the sunset turned the water a pretty shade of pink. After stomping our way around the lagoon we headed over to Diamond beach; another amazing sight that really lived up to its name. Chunks of ice, big and small, washing up on the black sand beach as clear as diamonds.
The sun had set on today’s adventures and it was time to park up for another night of home cooking and sleeping bag snuggles.
Day 3- Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, Geysir, Gullfoss
Today we woke up to the beautiful sun rising up over the Lava fields, Vestur-Skaftafellssysla.
We headed straight to Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon. With the temperature being at 1 degree it quickly woke us up for the hike up the hill to the canyon. We were greeted by magnificent views, definitely a must see and a great way to start our day.
Although sad to be leaving the scenic South, we looked forward to our quest around the Golden Circle. Starting with the famous Geysir, we witnessed the 100 degree water being rocketed up into the air every 5 minutes – so have your camera ready! And beware of the shower you may get if standing in the wrong place!
Afterwards we needed warming up so we ventured to the lovely café nearby that does a great pot of T-Rex Tea. Back into the Dino-mobile, our next stop on the Golden Circle was Gullfoss.
The largest waterfall in Iceland, standing 32m tall, it’s also known as the ‘Golden Waterfall’. On arrival, we could see why it was one of Iceland’s most popular tourist attractions, it was Dino dazzling! We couldn’t wait to get a closer look.
On the way down we became involuntary ice skaters as we slid down the icy trail. All worth it when we were greeted by a rainbow shining spectacularly over the waterfall; the perfect sunset view to end another great day in Iceland.
The excitement of the Golden Circle worked up our appetites so we found a super spot to spend the night and tucked into our delicious Dino dinner.
Day 4 – Kerið Crater Lake & Blue Lagoon
Our last full day of exploring, and determined to make the most of it.
We were eager to arrive at our first stop, Kerið, Crater Lake. It is believed that Kerið was originally a cone volcano which erupted, collapsed on itself, and then filled with water to create the 55m deep crater we explored today.
After taking in the striking contrasts of color we bundled back into the camper van and headed for the Blue Lagoon. (Top tip: Ensure you reserve your time slot in advance as it gets booked up pretty quick).
After a few scenic stops we made it to the Blue Lagoon, Iceland’s most popular tourist attraction, and we could see why! Defrosting in the 40 degree waters felt like heaven, we soaked in the spa with mud masks on our faces, until the sun came down. It was the perfect way to end our trip!
Ideally for us, the Blue Lagoon was only a 20 minute drive from the airport so we were fully relaxed ready for our flight back to Dino land. Beforehand, we had to part ways with our Dino-mobile. It was sad handing back our camper but we will be forever thankful for the memories it brought us along the way.
Kerið Crater Lake
Iceland exceeded all expectations and gave us plenty of tales to tell the rest of the Dino family! We will definitely be returning to hunt down those Northern Lights!
Until next time,
T x
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