Day Tripping Around Iceland’s Golden Circle

Now you can’t read a travel article about Iceland without it mentioning the Golden Circle. This collection of geological phenomena stretches for about 300km in a ring near Iceland’s west coast with easy access from Reykjavik. It is a great way to see an incredibly diverse landscape in a structured way, but fair warning: it will only make you want to explore Iceland even more. Consider it the appetizer to the main course!

It was impossible not to stop by the side every so often just to take photos of the scenery. The examples below were captured throughout the day whenever the moment struck us.

However some of the official highlights on the journey included the following:

Black Beach:

Located along Iceland’s south coast, we actually visited this beach on a separate day as we were making our way from Skaftafell. Fancying a picnic on the beach we bought a few sandwiches and some Doritos and made our way down there. In case you can’t decide on going to the beach or hanging out in the mountains, here you can do both at the same time! There are some neat rock formations on the west and impressive flatlands on the right with a beautiful charcoal-colored beach that clashes violently with the powerful North Atlantic sea.

Silfra Fissure:

This is a protected area within Dingvellir National park where two sets of tectonic plates meet. The result is a deep gap in the earth that exists among some wetlands in which many people will dive or snorkel through. That activity seemed COLD, so instead we hiked to the staging area and saw several groups about to get in. This whole area is strikingly beautiful and we got some great photos while adding mileage to our hiking boots.

Geyser:

Another can’t miss opportunity, we were so excited when we finally got to the Geyser! Upon approach, the steamy, sulphury air made it seem as if the ground was on fire and every so often we would come across a pool of water that was boiling. Suddenly, we heard a surprising whoosh behind us and saw the geyser erupt out of the corner of our eyes! It sent superheated water some 50 feet into the air with a plume of steam that hung around for quite a while. This geyser erupts every 6-8 minutes and we got to see several other (smaller) eruptions.

Gulfoss Waterfall:

With a rapidly dropping temperature (12 degrees F), we made a quick stop at the Gulfoss waterfall. I still find it crazy that a significant river, with all its force, can completely freeze over. When I mean quick, I mean quick. We got back to the car after three minutes of photos and admiration.

Skaholt Church:

The sun had just set when we drove up on this church and the karma gods rewarded us with a few minutes of exclusivity! Skaholt is significant in that this was Iceland’s official Cathedral throughout the Middle Ages. It is very simple to look at, but stunning in it’s own, classically Scandinavian way. We had the whole place to ourselves for about 3 minutes when we saw the next tour bus making its way on over the horizon. Our last shots were taken amidst the backdrop of a gaggle of other tourists pouring out of the bus.

Geothermal exhibit at Hellisheidi power plant:

What seemed like a James Bond villian’s lair turned into an impressive power plant smack in the middle of a high-altitude mountain pass. Columns of steam shot up into the air from the turbines behind the exhibit. Due to all of the volcanic energy bubbling below Iceland’s surface, they can actually use it to generate almost all the electricity needed to power Iceland! The energy is used in two main ways: first, the steam is used to spin turbines that generate and store power. Next, the hot water byproduct is pumped to the cities for use, negating the need for separate water boilers in every house! We were quite impressed with Iceland’s commitment to responsibly leveraging their resources in such a green way.

Exploring these sights made for a great couple of days on the road with podcasts and Christmas music to keep things light. It really whet our appetite for exploring more the next time we visit and we can’t wait to go back!

-GP