The land of Fire and Ice Iceland 3FI2502
We are in Reykjavik and the second Iceland tour is about to begin. But before the welcome briefing, there's time to explore this beautiful city, stroll through the center, and maybe visit a museum. The Perlan Museum is a great choice if somebody wants to learn more about the nature and geology of this unique island!
Today is the day, the Iceland adventure begins. But before we really venture into the lonely expanses of the island, we take a kind of familiarization tour around the Reykjanes Peninsula. In addition to an interesting Viking exhibition, there are all kinds of geological features to marvel at. The region between the capital and the airport is one of the most volcanically active on the island. Many of the volcanic eruptions of recent years have taken place right here. In addition, large geothermal fields provide a large part of the region's energy. We visit the bridge between the continental plates and the extremely hot, never-resting Gunnuhver spring. Of course, we also visit the famous blue lagoon. And even though the weather is not at its best today - to be honest, it's pretty awful ;-) - we still get a pretty good impression of what makes this island so special. In the afternoon, we drive a short gravel section to get in the mood for our first big Highland day before heading straight to our hotel. Hot pools and a fantastic dinner await us there.
Today we left Selfoss under gray skies and headed toward the north coast, riding into one of the most remote, rugged and untouched regions of the country. Our first stop was the impressive Gullfoss waterfall, one of the most famous (and beautiful) in all of Iceland. From there, the real adventure began as we turned onto the gravel section of Road 35, cutting through the barren highlands between two massive glaciers: Langjökull and Hofsjökull. The weather was challenging—rain in the morning and strong winds throughout the day—but the landscapes made it all worthwhile. We stopped for lunch at Hveravellir, a remote geothermal oasis in the middle of nowhere, with bubbling hot springs and steam rising from the earth. In the afternoon, we continued north on Road 35, eventually reaching the northern coast of Iceland. Before arriving at our hotel in Hofsstadir, we made a final stop to visit Glaumbær, a beautifully preserved turf farm that offered a glimpse into traditional Icelandic life. It was a wild ride through the heart of Iceland!
The day greets us with a breathtaking play of light. Rays of sunlight shine through the patchy cloud cover like spotlights and bathe the landscape in a beautiful light. The theme of the day is the north coast of Iceland, its landscape, stories and cities. As we can't get enough of driving, we take a short morning drive through a valley close to our hotel. Not a soul is out and about here. A good place to watch the famous Icelandic horses in peace and quiet. We then follow the coastline, enjoy the view and finally arrive in the small village of Siglufjördur, where we spend some time and learn more about the history of Herrings fishing. For lunch, right by the sea, we will of course have fish, what else? We have already arrived at Eyjafjördur, the largest fjord in Iceland, at the end of which is Akureyri, the second largest town on the island, and our destination for today. We have all the time in the world for a visit to the local motorcycle museum and a short, hello highland, tour in the south of the town.
Today we started with a short but wonderful stretch of gravel road just outside the city of Akureyri! Our first stop was the impressive Goðafoss waterfall, one of Iceland’s most iconic natural sights. We then continued toward Lake Mývatn, where we explored the fascinating pseudocraters and the surreal lava formations of Dimmuborgir—a landscape that looks like it belongs on another planet. Once in Húsavík, we enjoyed lunch near the harbor and later went on a whale watching boat tour, hoping to spot something... I forgot to mention the weather: awesome!!!
This day also greets us with perfect weather; the trolls seem to be on our side. And we don't want to question that ;-) Today, our tour takes us from the rugged north to the green east of the island, passing some of the island's most spectacular sights. After a short ride along the coast, we reach the mighty Asbyrgi Canyon and are once again overwhelmed by the forces that created this island and its places. And finally, we're back on the gravel. Europe's most powerful waterfall, Dettifoss, and its little brother, Hafragilsfoss, are next on our list. Rainbow included. We continue our journey through constantly changing landscapes on beautiful asphalt and gravel roads until we finally reach the last highlight of the day in the afternoon, the Studlagil canyon, whose unique basalt formations are well worth the effort. At the end of this fantastically beautiful day, we finally reach Egilstadir and our hotel, located directly on the lake. Iceland at its best.
Today’s ride was a mix of scenic paved roads and adventurous gravel sections. We started the day with a loop around Lake Lagarfljót, and then tackled the Öxi Pass—a beautiful but remote gravel road. The top of the pass greeted us with thick fog and chilly temperatures, so unfortunately there wasn’t much of a view. On the way down, we stopped for photos at two stunning waterfalls: Folaldafoss and Nykurhylsfoss, both set in dramatic, unspoiled landscapes. Lunch was in Djúpivogur, a quiet fishing village where we ate at a cozy hotel right on the harbor. In the afternoon, we followed the coastal road to Höfn, enjoying incredible, breathtaking landscapes—towering cliffs, sweeping ocean views, and distant glaciers. We ended the day with a short gravel ride to get a closer look at the Hoffellsfjöll Glacier—a perfect way to spend our last bit of energy!
When we look out of the window in the morning and see the mighty glacier tongues in front of us, we know once again why we came here. That's why today will be largely devoted to Vatnajökull, Europe's largest glacier. We drive along the south coast towards the west, with the sea on our left and the mighty glacier on our right, which seems to send streams of ice into the valley again and again. Our first stop is the famous Diamond Beach, and it's easy to see why this place has this name. On a trip in an amphibious vehicle in the adjacent lagoon, Jökulsárlón, we not only get to admire real icebergs, but also learn more about this unique place. The drive to our destination is marked by impressive landscapes. So impressive that we almost feel small in them. The power of nature is visible here for miles around. After all this nature, a little action is of course a must. And so, in the afternoon, we set off again to put our off-road skills to the test on a short highland tour before ending the day with a very special surprise.
Today’s ride was nothing short of spectacular, a true Icelandic Highlands adventure! We left in the morning with cool temperatures but under a bright blue sky, the perfect weather for exploring one of the most remote and beautiful regions of the country. Soon after leaving the main road, the asphalt gave way to gravel, and the landscape began to change: wide-open valleys, black volcanic sands, and mountains painted in shades of green, yellow, and red. The route took us across countless rivers (some shallow, others deeper and more challenging) making the ride even more exciting, and every crossing was a little adventure in itself! Around midday, we reached Landmannalaugar, a geothermal paradise surrounded by colorful mountains. Here we stopped for lunch at a very interesting food truck and went for a walk to see the hot springs. After lunch, we continued north on gravel roads through untouched wilderness, the kind of landscapes you can only find in Iceland. Eventually, back on paved roads, the highlands gave way to greener valleys, and by early afternoon we arrived in Geysir. Of course, before dinner, we went to see the famous geyser erupt, the perfect ending to a day of unforgettable beauty.
Today is the last day of our tour, and Iceland is showing itself from its best side once again. Our destination today is Reykjavik, and we can hardly believe that our trip is already over. But we are enjoying this last day to the fullest. Our route takes us along the deep blue Thingvellir vatn. The surroundings are breathtakingly beautiful. The road along the lake is wonderfully winding. And at its end lies the cradle of the Icelandic nation. A special place full of historical and geological features. Our next destination and last major highlight of the tour is Hvalfjord. Riding on almost empty roads, we almost forget that we are already so close to the capital. We have also chosen a very special place for our lunch. Finally, we reach Reykjavik, the place where our journey began ten days ago. A fantastic experience with cool people in one of the most fascinating places in the world comes to an end.