Fjallsarlon Glacier Lagoon

Smaller it may be but Fjallsarlon is definitely worth a stopover for me. The quiet lagoon offers great views of Fjallsjokull and there were significantly lesser crowd here too. The lack of other tourists was a nice change. Moreover, itâ€s really nice to see the icebergs in such close proximity.

Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon

Jokulsarlon, on the other hand, is a crowd magnet and rightfully so. Itâ€s impossible to miss the famous Jokulsarlon while driving along the Ring Road. The parking lots were filled with cars and tour buses. There are definitely more people here than Fjallsarlon. But thatâ€s expected, for Jokulsarlon is so stunningly beautiful that nobody would give it a miss. This huge glacier lagoon was even featured in the blockbuster such as James Bond: Die Another Day, where the car chase scene took place. It also appeared in popular movies like Batman Begins (the sword training scene) and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (location as Siberia…huh?).

The floating icebergs and chunk of ice all over the lagoon is indeed a mesmerizing sight to behold. These were calved from Breidamerkurjokull and is just a part of the ginormous Vatnajokull glacier, which still covers over 8% of Iceland. Some of the smaller icebergs, which are called the growlers will make it to the shorelines. There were so many different varieties ranging from crystal-clear to icy blue till I lost count. Every now and then, cracking sound can be heard as the icebergs drift and collide into one another. What a place to be!

There was a bunch of seals lying and relaxing on the icebergs too.

The Eggs of Djupivogur

Thereafter, I continued driving Eastwards and stopped by the sleeping village of Djupivogur. Hereâ€s where a whole row of granite eggs can be found near the harbour area. Eggin i Gledivik or The Eggs at Merry Bay is the name for this public art. Those eggs represent the local Icelandic birds and their names are mentioned at the plaque below the eggs. It was a mere quick stop for me before moving on to Egilsstadir.

The winding road leading to Egilsstadir presented some great scenery and views. It started to turn foggy as I was navigating the turns. I knew I have to stop somewhere safe to capture the beautiful surroundings.

STAY: Guesthouse Egilsstadir

I arrived at Guesthouse Egilsstadir very late in the night and was exhausted from the after-dark drive. The kind staff at the front desk was quick to get me check-in and asked their kitchen to wait for me. I ordered and ate something light before retiring to my cosy bedroom. The bed was comfortable enough but the pillow was way too soft for my liking. The hotel is right next to a nice-looking lake which I only get to see it the next morning. My room comes with a free breakfast which was not too bad but there wasnâ€t much variety to choose from.

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Foss a Sidu Waterfall in Iceland

The entrance to the first waterfall has a ‘Private†and ‘Closed†signages so itâ€s not possible to get closer without trespassing the privately-owned spaces. But I am contended to see it from a distance while respecting the owners†rights. The name of this small and tall waterfall is mentioned as Foss a Sidu on Google Map.

Man, itâ€s so cool to own a property with a private waterfall as such!

The next waterfall is a mere 10 minutes†drive from Foss a Sidu and it’s situated near to the Ring Road. I think itâ€s more like a rapid rather than a typical waterfall but still beautiful nevertheless. The cascading and gushing waters make a wonderful pair for photography. More so, with the rocky mountain as a backdrop.

Vatnajokull National Park

The impressive Vatnajokull National Park covers an extensive area with a diverse landscape that captivates its visitors. Vatnajökull which roughly translates to ‘Water Glacier†in Icelandic is the largest national park in Iceland. The other two being Þingvellir and Snæfellsjokull. Together with the infamous Vatnajokull Glacier, well-known places within the park include Iceland’s highest mountain in Hvannadalshnjukur. The Svartifoss waterfall in Skaftafell Nature Reserve. Not forgetting Dettifoss Waterfall, Fjallsarlon Glacier Lagoon, Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and Crystal Ice Cave.

My first destination in Vatnajökull National Park involves a short 1.5km hike from the information centre to see the famed Svartifoss. There are 2 other waterfalls, Hundafoss and Magnusarfoss along the way as well.

Hundafoss and Magnusarfoss

I arrived at Hundafoss, the first waterfall, after 15 minutes of walking. The water plunges from the cliff and it looks quite good. But the thick foliage obstructed plenty of the views and makes it such a challenge to get a clear shot. This spoiler is probably the reason why nobody else bothers to stop by except me on that day. An alternative is to walk up to the gorge where the action starts.

The next is Magnusarfoss, which is even smaller than Hundafoss but with the same foliage problem.

Svartifoss and the basalt columns

After hiking for another 20 minutes, I can finally see Svartifoss aka ‘Black Falls†from a distance. Soon enough, I am admiring Svartifoss from the footbridge which doubles up as a viewing platform. However, the platformâ€s position does not provide a good front view of Svartifoss. Itâ€s possible to get nearer to the waterfall but the rocky terrain can be a potential ankle-twister.

Svartifoss looks impressive and unique together with the black geometrical basalt columns. The naturally created columns give a stunning frame to the waterfall and stand out from its surrounding. These unique columns found in a few places in Iceland are said to be the inspiration for Hallgrimskirkja Church in Reykjavik. The 45 minutes of walk (one way) was worthwhile after all!

Skaftafellsjokull Glacier

Once I am back at the information centre, I head towards my second destination in the National Park – Skaftafellsjokull Glacier. Skaftafellsjokull is one of the glacier tongues of the humongous Vatnajokull ice cap and perhaps the most accessible one. It took me about 30 minutes†walk on the rather levelled terrain until the rocky part towards the end. The temperature drops noticeably as I got nearer to the massive Skaftafellsjokull.

I am so amazed by the glacier and was tempted to get closer to this natural marvel. But I decided to heed the advice of the warning sign. More so when I am definitely ill-equipped while being alone that quiet afternoon. I stayed on to capture more pictures until the chilling wind decided itâ€s time for me to leave. And so I made my way to both Fjallsarlon and Jokulsarlon next.

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