Iceland

As Wild As It Gets

by Christopher Gil

A quick note to the government of Iceland: jut make things easy and declare your entire country a National Park. Glaciers, steam rising from volcanic fields, rugged fjords, geysers and more waterfalls (yes, waterfalls) than one can count await the traveler in every part of this island nation astride the European and North American plates. Iceland is as wild as it gets—a land seemingly being formed before your eyes—and you will definitely know that you are somewhere different. The lighting is different; the color of the sky is like none you have ever seen; the nature calls to you.

Most travelers will make Reykjavik, the world’s northernmost capital, their first stop, flying into small yet efficient Keflavik Airport. The flight is shorter than you might think at just five hours from New York or eight-and-a-half hours from San Francisco. Be forewarned: do not take a cab into town unless you want to part with $80 real fast; instead, take the Flybus for (kroner) 2,100 return (about $31), and get dropped at the conveniently located BSI Bus Terminal south of the main part of Reykjavik.

Reykjavik is a compact city fronting a harbor of deep blue. The city’s architecture is epitomized by low buildings clad in corrugated iron or daubed in pebbledash as aegis from the capricious, ferocious North Atlantic wind and storms. Multi-hued roofs create a distinctive feature, as visible from the belltower of the tallest edifice, Hallgrimskirja, an architecturally distinctive cathedral (think Space Shuttle) at the top of the street named Skolavorddustigur. The old part of town features a lake, Tjornin, about which arctic terns glide. Labyrinthine streets and a plethora of nightlife spots, especially true of a city of just 110,000, create a cozy ambience. Culture abounds for such a small capital, with Reykjavik even being declared a European Culture Capital in the year 2000.

Reykjavik and its environs are the exception for Iceland, as most of the country feels empty. Three out of every five citizens live in the Reykjavik area; this country of about 280,000 is the seventh most sparsely populated in the world. Once you head half an hour out of the city, a bucolic land reveals itself.

Must-sees in the capital include: quaint Austurvollur, the old, main square and still the meeting ground for the capital’s denizens; City Hall, boldly built over the lake; a stroll down the main shopping and nightlife strip of Laugavegur, especially bustling on summer weekend nights; a boat cruise to go whale watching or to see the thousands of nesting puffins on the harbor’s island of Akurey, in season; and a trip to the Saga Museum to discover this land’s intriguing, ages-old history.

To drive around this oval nation that is about the size of Kentucky, 900-mile Route 1 (the Ring Road) is your best bet. Do note that only about 70% is paved, with the remainder being hard-packed gravel. My compact Toyota Yaris rental made for a bumpy ride in sections, but, on the plus side, it did get 45 miles to the gallon. With Iceland’s exorbitant petrol prices averaging 1.07/liter (yes, almost $6.50/gallon!), I was glad for the fuel efficiency of this vehicle.

A general rule is that Route 1 is a fairly good road, as are routes of two digits; however, routes of three digits can be tricky at best, so be aware of weather conditions and your automobile’s capabilities.

Heading north from Reykjavik on Route 1, the first town of note is Borganes, situated on a narrow spit of land into an eponymous fjord. This is the region from which emanates many of Iceland’s sagas, or historical stories, written down by medieval monks for posterity.

If you head off Route 1 onto Route 54 heading west, you wind up at the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, a thin piece of land which juts into the Atlantic and is dominated by Snaefellsjokull, a powerful force of a glacier at its westernmost tip. Down the peninsula’s spine runs a string of mountains, teeming waterfalls dumping into the ocean. Most towns are on the peninsula’s north coast, where harbors and good. I reached this side via Route 574 to the tiny fishing vilage of Olafsvik, and from there I drove along the wind-swept beaches that led me to Stykkisholmur, where I chose to stay the night.

Route 57 connected to Route 60, bringing me back to the Ring Road for the drive to the second biggest town in Iceland, Akureyri, with its 15,000 denizens living just 25 miles south of the Arctic Circle.

Akureyri is the transportation hub and commercial center of the north of Iceland. The city sits on the southeast side of Eyjafjordur, one of the prettiest fjords in the country. The compact main part of town features colorful buildings and is dominated by a cathedral named Akureyrarkirkja, whose twin towers are reminiscent of Reykjavik’s main cathedral, having also been designed by noted architect Guthjon Samuelsson. On the hill above the church are the Botanical Gardens, which during the short growing season show off the surprising number of flowers that can survive the harsh climate.

About a half hour east of Akureyri off Route 1 is Godafoss, one of the nation’s largest and most-beloved waterfalls. Another half hour east is one of the top tourist attractions in Iceland: Lake Myvatn. Bird watchers—donned in netting because of the myriad mosquitoes—love this region as in summer the lake’s plentiful food and nesting space make it the main European breeding ground for ducks. The lake’s islands resemble something from a lunar landscape.

Speaking of lunar landscapes: be sure to take a stroll at Dimmuborgir, on the lake’s east-central side, where you’ll discover towering displays of black lava set amidst birch scrub. This was once a lava lake, with time creating indescribable shapes to the taller formations. Also, don’t miss wild Namafjall—as you drive Route 1 to the east of the lake, you will notice what looks like plumes of smoke in the distance. Upon closer inspection, you will see that this is actually steam emanating from the ground. You can view this steam and bubbling pits at Namafjall, the air redolent of sulphur. Head up Route 863 to Krafla to see more such steam, vestiges of an eruption in 1983. Krafla has been intermittently erupting for the past 3,000 years.

If you want to experience the invigorating effects of a geothermal bath, a favorite pastime of Icelandic people, Myvatn Baths just off Route 1 before Namafjall is the place to go. Considerably less crowded than the famed Blue Lagoon in the country’s southwest near Keflavik Airport, Myvatn Baths is a special place. The 45-degree air temperature was in stark contract to the 104-degree water, but it was energizing to float in its curative waters, all the while peering down on eerie Lake Myvatn.

Just northeast of this region, up bumpy Route 864, is Dettifoss, Europe’s most powerful waterfall. This spectacular waterfall is at the base of Jokulsargljufur National Park, a 22-mile stretch along Iceland’s second longest river which is perfect for hiking.

Continuing on Route 1, you will first encounter vast stretches of lava fields, reminiscent of a moonscape, and then more mountains with cascading waterfalls. Egilsstadir is the next biggest town along the way, and makes a good place to stay the night. Heading south from this town, Route 1 brings you to the coastal fjords of the southeast, offering spectacular vistas and birdlife galore. Have your camera ready at all times.

As you begin driving along the country’s southern coast, once past the town of Hofn you will begin to see it in the distance: Vatnajokull, Europe’s largest glacier, covering 11% of Iceland. Spectacular does not do it justice. As the glacier encroaches upon the Atlantic’s edge, you will happen upon Jokulsarlon, a glacial lagoon featuring playful seals and powder-blue icebergs. If you happen to be there on a sunny day, as I serendipitously was one afternoon after a more typical gray morning, the color is indescribable. You can take a short boat trip in a fat-bellied craft on the pellucid waters of the lagoon for (krona) 2,300 (about $35). This is a spectacular experience not to be missed.

Continuing down Route 1 along the Atlantic’s edge, you will happen upon myriad sulphur-laden rivers running south from the glacier. Most are traversed by one-lane bridges. You will eventually wind up in Vik, the southernmost point in Iceland. This part of the country has the wettest weather, but the sun was still shining when I was there—a rare treat. Take a hike on the mountain to the southwest of town, heading past the meadow for Icelandic horses and continuing the steep acsent to the top. Look to the north at the spectacular mountains and distant glacier; look to the west and see mile upon mile of black-sand beach; look to the southeast at the incredible birdlife nesting in the verdant, jagged peaks.

Just past Vik, down short Route 218, is Dyrholaey. This bluff has a lighthouse and is, in season, a place to see those comical North Atlantic penguins called puffins.These plump, little birds have an upright build and pied plumage, all set off by bright-orange feet and a sail-shaped bill striped yellow and red. Each April, an estimated six-million puffins come to Iceland to breed, departing in late summer. Their winter grounds are a mystery. The prime place in Iceland to see these creatures is Vetsmannaeyjar (the Westman Islands), reached via a two-and-three-quarter hour, choppy ferry ride from the southwest Iceland town of Dorlakshofn. On Heimay, the largest of the islands, millions of puffins nest, all leaving on the same night in August.

Heading back onto Route 1, the next site is Skogafoss. At a towering 200-feet high, this waterfall looks powerful from a distance—and omnipotent up close as its mist envelop you. On a sunny day, a double rainbow can be seen. You can hike above the falls via a staircase to the right of the falls, thus providing a different perspective on this amazing waterfall in a country of countless such natural wonders.

The region of Southwest Iceland has been given the monicker The Golden Circle by the tourist industry. While I ventured here last, interliners should note that if you have a short time in Iceland, this can be a day trip from Reykjavik either by a car rental or by motorcoach tour. This area has three highlights: Gullfoss, Geysir and Dingvellir.

Reached up Route 35, Gullfoss is yet another spectacular waterfall, its broad, twin cataracts thundering below you. The first falls for thirty feet in full view, then the river bends a sharp ninety degrees and falls another 65 feet into a gorge’s spray-filled shadow. Paths lead to rocks near the edge, where you can get sprayed while taking a close-up view.

Not far away is Geysir, active for thousands of years and from which the term originated. Hot springs bubble over a grassy slope. While Geysir itself has not naturally erupted since the 1960’s, nearby Strokkur provides a consistent, lively show every six to seven minutes.

The final site of the “Golden Circle” is Dingvellir. This historically significant spot sits in a rift valley—the rift between the European and North American plates crust—off Route 36 on the north side of the large lake named Dingvallavatn. This is the site of Iceland’s ancient parliament, an early experiment in democracy that still infuses this remote country’s citizens.

Iceland offers travelers a vacation like no other.

Christopher Gil last wrote of Washington, D.C., in the April 2005 issue.