Family Time: Driving Ring Road in Iceland in October

Ring Road (Route 1)

I was worried about driving the ring road in fall. Most of my worries were from Trip Advisor forums where users warned against icy road conditions in fall. I had a different experience. Although I did face strong winds and rains, all roads were open. I feel bad that I skipped Landmannalaugar due to fear of driving on F roads in fall.

I planned for the trip meticulously. In October, day light is ten hours and every hour must be used properly. Driving times to attractions, hike durations, and breakfast times were tallied. Lunches were to go. Dinners were planned to be at specific restaurants to save time in searching for food.

In the end we stayed true to our plan except that we skipped a few waterfalls, and cancelled drive to Snæfellsnes (Western Peninsula).

Our plan & restaurants for dinner

WOW airline gets you to Keflavik Airport at a very odd time: 4 AM. By the time we got a SIM (Simmin SIM works on Verizon phones), and got the rental car (City Car Rental is the cheapest), it was 5 AM. We drove to Hallgrímskirkja in Reykjavik (40 KM drive), slept for a couple of hours in the car, then checked Hallgrímskirkja. The first day was rainy, and wind was howling. We were tired and sleepless. Hallgrímskirkja was not very impressive from inside (Compared to churches in Italy) but it has a very distinct shape and hence worth visiting.

Hallgrímskirkja

The statue of Leifur Eiríksson

Hallgrímskirkja

As per our plan, we drove to Hveragardi. Hveragardi is about 40 km from Rekyjavik. We drove to parking location of Reykjadalur, then started 3 km hike to a warm river that you can bathe in. I thought it would be soothing and relaxing after a sleepless night, but Iceland weather had other plans. We met strong 60 mph winds, horizontal rain, zero visibility, and COLD. We had to turn back after 2 km hike and did not make it to the river. Then we drove back to Rekyjavik.

Horizontal rain, 60 mph winds (unable to stand steady), and cold/hazy conditions

In just one evening, we realized that Rekyjavik is not what we went to Iceland for. We needed to head out on Ring Road ASAP.

We switched Devitos Pizza for Scandinavian Restaurant. Dinner was the only pleasant experience of the day. The next day, we loved our breakfast at Brauð & Co. (right next to Hallgrímskirkja), but their staff has a bad attitude.

Day 2 was all about Golden Circle drive. It was a busy day with lots to see. We added Haifoss to the Golden Circle and that made it a super busy day. We started from Reykjavik and arrived in Þingvellir park.

Golden Circle + Haifoss

Sheep are everywhere in Iceland

Þingvellir Park (bugs ruined this picture)

Þingvellir park has easy walking trails. Scenery around here is remarkable.

Geese!


Strokkur Geyser

Driving clockwise from Þingvellir park we arrived at Strokkur Geyser. It erupts frequently and that makes it fun.


Gulfoss

A short drive from Strokkur Geyser is Gulfoss. It is an impressive waterfall and should not be missed.

Then we took a diversion from Golden Circle to arrive at Haifoss. Haifoss is the second tallest waterfall in Europe and it is our favorite waterfall. The last five miles of the road that leads to Haifoss is unpaved and bone breaking. A 4x4 is a must. It was worth the drive.

Gjáin

A short drive from Haifoss on a difficult road is Gjáin. This is a beautiful valley of waterfalls and rivers. We did not have time to descend in the valley and we left its exploration to another day.

Waterfall to right of Haifoss

Haifoss is impressive

Valley from Haifoss

We drove from Haifoss to Seljalandsfoss. Seljalandsfoss waterfall is unique because you can walk behind it.

Sun is out on day 2. Grounds of Seljalandsfoss

Family at Seljalandsfoss

Behind Seljalandsfoss

Seljalandsfoss with fish eye lens

Seljalandsfoss was our last stop in Golden Circle. We drove by Skogafoss but did not stop because by that time we had seen twenty waterfalls. By the end of our trip we had lost our waterfall count. Rainbows and waterfalls are around every corner in Iceland.

We drove to Vik and stayed overnight. Our guest house made us take off shoes at the entrance. "What a wonderful idea", remarked Momina. From then on, we took off our shoes at the entrances of all places we stayed in.

South Iceland is probably the most scenic place in Iceland, if not in the world. While most of Iceland is made of black rock, black sand beaches around Vik are pure black.

Road number 215 climbs to a light house. Views at the light house are astonishing. A small hike takes you down to beach.

View of a black sand beach from the light house


Sea water meets fresh water

Reynisfjara Beach Basalt Rocks

Reynisfjara Beach

Road 218 from Ring Road gets to Reynisfjara Beach. Basalt rock formations are remarkable.
Momina showed me a song filmed at Reynisfjara Beach (also features other places in South Iceland, and in Golden Circle): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRCQEI4GGr8

We drove to Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon.

What is this?

Scenery along Ring Road

Fjaðrárgljúfur (Its fun when you ask kids to read it) canyon is a mile walk up and down on the side of a breath taking canyon with waterfalls.

Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon

Family at Fjaðrárgljúfur

A vista point in Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon.

Ring Road just before Hof meets the foot of VatnaJokull Glacier. We parked our car on a turn out on Ring Road and hiked to the base of the glacier. Vatnajokull is the largest glacier in Europe. It is impressive and spans as far as eye can see.

Vatnajokull

Steps away from the foot of Vatnajokull

Vatnajokull melts into a lake called Jokulsarlon. We drove towards Jokulsarlon.

Phil Collins started singing on Pandora...

And I've been waiting for this moment for all my life, Oh Lord

Jokulsarlon was the high point of our trip. I had never seen anything like it. Blue icebergs floating in a calm lake.

Jokulsarlon

Jokulsarlon icebergs

We took a ride on a boat in the lake, then drove to Hofn and stayed overnight in Hofn.

On Day 4, we drove Eastern Iceland. Winds were howling and made things quite challenging, yet fun. We turned many corners around Fjords and each new valley brought wonderful scenes. Not a single moment was boring.

Just another waterfall

Mountain wave

Impressive coast line in East

The sea is rough

Winds are challenging yet fun

Only picture of the car

Fjords, low clouds, grass bales


A brown beach

Just before the village of Breiðdalsvík lies a large beach made of brown sand. Its sand was undisturbed as if no one ever walked on it.


A small village of Breiðdalsvík, through its boat

We stayed overnight in Breiðdalsvík. It is a small village of a few dozen houses.

We drove to North Iceland on Day 5.

Waterfalls count -> infinity

I had read about lenticular clouds in aviation books, but then I saw them. The storm that had brought strong winds on our trip created a marvellous sky filled with lenticular clouds. No one dare fly around these airplane shredders.

Turbulence -> infinity

Lenticular clouds

North Iceland is dry and brown. It probably rains less there.

We drove to the largest waterfall in Iceland: Dettifoss. Life began here per Promtheus https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vdnmhDJ8i8. The drive to Dettifoss is 24 km of unpaved bone shattering road experience.

Dettifoss

A short drive from Dettifoss turn-out is Viti Crater area. The ground is hot here and steam is used to produce electricity.

Geothermal electricity generation plants

Viti Crater

Steam valley

Lava fields of Leirhnukur

Next to Viti Crater is a hike to Leirhnukur. This contains a Caldera which erupted recently. The Lava has solidified but you can still feel some heat under the rocks. Its a good place for kids to learn about volcanoes. We found many volcanoes in this area.

Leirhnukur boiling pools


Hverir

We drove South of the Krafla area to Námafjall, a mountain, beneath which is Hverir, a geothermal area with boiling mud pools and steaming fumaroles. For anyone who has visited Yellowstone, this is less impressive.

Godafoss

From Hverir, we drove through beautiful lake Myvatn area. We drove past a large waterfall called Godafoss. We approached Iceland's second largest town: Akureyri.

Just before Akureyri


Busiest street in Akureyri

Akureyri is neat. First, it is a city in an impressive Fjord of snow capped mountains. Second, it is trendy by Iceland standards. We stayed in Akyreyri overnight. The sky was clear and we saw Northern Lights.

Waterfowl by the Swimming Pool

Akureyri cultivation?

Busy city: Not

Aurora in Akureyri

We had plans to drive to Kirkjufellsfoss but we skipped it. It was adding four hours to our drive and we were tired of driving. Instead we drove to Hveragerdi to complete our mission to Reykjadalur.
In the way we visited Grabrok Crater. It is worth visiting for its views of the surrounding valley.

Grabrok Crater

The next day, we once again started our ascend to Reykjadalur in much different weather conditions. The wind was calm, and the sun was shining. The scenery on the hike is remarkable. There is a large waterfall, and you cross a shallow river.

Waterfall (Reykjadalur hike)

Once we got to Reykjadalur, we put on our swim suits and found a good spot to plunge into the river.

The river has hot water and the temperature depends on where you are in the river. River bottom and sides have boiling hot water vents. Hot water from vents mixes with cold river water to make the right temperature to bathe in. If you move too close to the hot water vents, the water become warmer, if you move away, the water becomes cold. You have to find your own comfortable temperature.

We got there early so had many options to select our spot. Later in the day, people had less options as all good spots were taken.

Looking for a spot to settle in

Our spot

Our pile of clothes

Steam valley of Hveragardi

Steam driven kitchens

You can buy bread baked by the ground heat in Hveragardi.

There is a bunch of activities around Hveragardi. We borrowed head lamps from our hotel and tried to explore Raufarholshellir caves. They were too difficult for me due to my recent back surgery.