Catch the aurora AGAIN - Day 4 in The Land of Fire and Ice
- Monday, January 11, 2016
- By Iva
- 0 Comments
Click here to read day 1, day 2, day 3, day 4, day 6, day 7, day 9 & 10 trip report
Day 4
Today is the last night in Iceland. We were heading back to Reykjavik from Kirkjubaejarklaistur, we need to spend a night in Reykjavik since we were taking early flight the next day.
There are many attractions along road number 1, just pay attention to the road signs. One tip for you, typical Singaporeans always say, as long as got queue, I also join in the queue. In Iceland, as long as got crowd, I follow too! So if you see any tour bus or few cars make a stop somewhere, just follow them!
Airbnb cabin which we stayed in Kirkjubaejarklaistur.
Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon
Gem in middle of nowhere. It is very close to Kirkjubæjarklaustur, maybe 10 to 15 minutes drive off from road number 1. This place is incredible. The road to car park (toilets are available there) is a little bumpy but manageable. The hike (up hill 15 minutes) from car park to top up there was manageable. It was rainy when we were there so watch out, trails would be slippery after rain. We just walked up didn't go to the bottom as it was flooding down there.
Laufskálavarða
A quick stop along road number 1. Travellers supposed to pile stones to make a cairn which would bring good luck on the journey. I have seen something similar when I was in Bhutan.
Just as the name, the beach is completely black. You will also see crystal ice on the beach from Jokursarlon. That's Reynisdrangar at the far end.
Beautiful unique basalt rock columns
Vik
Pall drove us up to a hill which somewhere near a petrol station in Vik, we could overlook black sand beach from the top of the hill. We went up with Pall's 4WD, you definitely need a 4WD to go up, it's uphill, steep and not possible to go up with a 2WD.
Baa baa black sheep.
Dyrhólaey
Dyrhólaey is one of the classic attraction sight along road number 1. view from the top. The track is not too bad for a 2WD, I guess, I have seen many 2WD drove up there.
Light house
There is a toilet up there but it did not open when I was there in October. I think it only open during peak season.
DC3 plane crashed site
It's a great place for photo shoot especially with blue sky, snow scene or aurora borealis even better. It is not far from black sand beach, you should make a stop to this place along road number if you are moving between Reykjavik and Vik. The journey is about 20km from Vik, you should see a not-so-obvious gate on your left from Vik towards Reykjavik. Then you will see this signboard (see picture below), follow the marker along the way, you should see the plane wreckage after 4km drive. I have seen 2WD car drove all the way but some 2WD may park their car beside signboard and walk 4km instead.
Skógafoss waterfall
A magnificent waterfall in Iceland. It's a short walk from car park. Don't forget to wear raincoat if you want to get closer, you can walk up the right side of the waterfall to the top. You can even go behind of the waterfall, walk behind the water curtain. It's very interesting. This place can be crowded and it's always crowded, so getting a picture without bunch of tourists is difficult unless you be there early or late in the evening.
First aurora show we saw for this trip
We reached the airbnb we stayed in Reykjavik at about 8pm. The first thing I did upon reaching there was rushing to the courtyard and took aurora pictures. I was so happy to see this as finally I get to see aurora after my second visit to northern Europe.
The show lasted a few hours. Amazing.
Here is our Iceland trip video.
Interested to visit Iceland? Check out my itinerary and click here to read day 1, day 2, day 3, day 4, day 6, day 7, day 9 & 10 trip report
Day 4
Today is the last night in Iceland. We were heading back to Reykjavik from Kirkjubaejarklaistur, we need to spend a night in Reykjavik since we were taking early flight the next day.
There are many attractions along road number 1, just pay attention to the road signs. One tip for you, typical Singaporeans always say, as long as got queue, I also join in the queue. In Iceland, as long as got crowd, I follow too! So if you see any tour bus or few cars make a stop somewhere, just follow them!
Airbnb cabin which we stayed in Kirkjubaejarklaistur.
Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon
Gem in middle of nowhere. It is very close to Kirkjubæjarklaustur, maybe 10 to 15 minutes drive off from road number 1. This place is incredible. The road to car park (toilets are available there) is a little bumpy but manageable. The hike (up hill 15 minutes) from car park to top up there was manageable. It was rainy when we were there so watch out, trails would be slippery after rain. We just walked up didn't go to the bottom as it was flooding down there.
A quick stop along road number 1. Travellers supposed to pile stones to make a cairn which would bring good luck on the journey. I have seen something similar when I was in Bhutan.
Black sand beach
Just as the name, the beach is completely black. You will also see crystal ice on the beach from Jokursarlon. That's Reynisdrangar at the far end.
Beautiful unique basalt rock columns
Vik
Pall drove us up to a hill which somewhere near a petrol station in Vik, we could overlook black sand beach from the top of the hill. We went up with Pall's 4WD, you definitely need a 4WD to go up, it's uphill, steep and not possible to go up with a 2WD.
Baa baa black sheep.
Dyrhólaey
Dyrhólaey is one of the classic attraction sight along road number 1. view from the top. The track is not too bad for a 2WD, I guess, I have seen many 2WD drove up there.
Light house
There is a toilet up there but it did not open when I was there in October. I think it only open during peak season.
DC3 plane crashed site
It's a great place for photo shoot especially with blue sky, snow scene or aurora borealis even better. It is not far from black sand beach, you should make a stop to this place along road number if you are moving between Reykjavik and Vik. The journey is about 20km from Vik, you should see a not-so-obvious gate on your left from Vik towards Reykjavik. Then you will see this signboard (see picture below), follow the marker along the way, you should see the plane wreckage after 4km drive. I have seen 2WD car drove all the way but some 2WD may park their car beside signboard and walk 4km instead.
A magnificent waterfall in Iceland. It's a short walk from car park. Don't forget to wear raincoat if you want to get closer, you can walk up the right side of the waterfall to the top. You can even go behind of the waterfall, walk behind the water curtain. It's very interesting. This place can be crowded and it's always crowded, so getting a picture without bunch of tourists is difficult unless you be there early or late in the evening.
First aurora show we saw for this trip
We reached the airbnb we stayed in Reykjavik at about 8pm. The first thing I did upon reaching there was rushing to the courtyard and took aurora pictures. I was so happy to see this as finally I get to see aurora after my second visit to northern Europe.
The show lasted a few hours. Amazing.
Here is our Iceland trip video.
Interested to visit Iceland? Check out my itinerary and click here to read day 1, day 2, day 3, day 4, day 6, day 7, day 9 & 10 trip report
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