Have you ever slept in below zero degree? Have you imagined waking up to the sound of waterfalls? If yes, welcome to the club! If not, then read on so you can (or cannot) have it on your Iceland trip. A couple of noodle lover decided to embrace themselves to camp in Iceland and bring to you their almost 24 hours of their second day there.
Day 2: Exploration of South Iceland
06:30 Woke up and got out of the tent to be sun-kissed. I was amazed by how bright, sunny, and warm Iceland could be!
Choosing camping site Hamragarðar in Hvolsvöllur was a great decision being made last night. Perfectly settling in front of Gljúfrafoss waterfall and next to the famous Seljalandsfoss waterfall, this campsite offers superb views.
07:30 We’re pretty upset since we can’t enter the toilet building. It was locked by irresponsible couple enjoying their private time. No more words. What’s next? Burning butane gas, cooking breakfast noodle, drinking hot jasmine tea, and gazing on pretty splashy waterfall Gljúfrafoss…
08:30 A campsite staff came in right after the private moment, and she was cleaning neatly. Thanks to the staff, we got a freshly cleaned shower room. In most campsites, hot shower is available with 100 ISK coin machine. My trick was to prepare everything ready before, because the countdown started immediately after coin insertion.
09:30 My curiosity lead me to check Gljúfrafoss while William heated up the car. From far away, the beauty was unseen because the waterfall was covered by two cliff rocks. If you follow a trail, you can watch the water rushing down into what became a small pool inside.
This waterfall showers a lot, so do bring rain coat and plastic bag to protect you and your camera. I literally just had a shower, so I didn’t enter. Still had curiosity left behind, please let us know how pretty Gljúfrafoss inside the canyon when you go there!
Next stop? Of course the neighborhood waterfall, Seljalandsfoss!
10:00 Having pause on our mid way to Skógafoss – cause I just wanna hang out with Icelandic horses.
10:30 Capturing Skógafoss in our camera – busy with protecting the lens from showers again.
As one of must-visit attractions, Seljalandsfoss was packed with tourists. Same thing happened in Skógafoss, since both were located aside from ring road 1 (20 minutes by car) with complete facilities that make them tourist friendly. Each waterfall in Iceland had their own charm, so I will put that in a different post!
11:30 Driving to reach US plane wreck location – somewhere in the south shore area, just before Vík city. Honestly, the location was a hassle to find. Follow my next post about Vík to get direction hints.
13:00 Catching our breath and eating sandwiches for lunch in US plane wreck after an hour gravel road drive. If old ruins are your thing, this abandoned plane will fascinate you. Afterwards, our hands were tied doing project for 2 hours – check the result on William’s website later on.
15:00 Driving back from US plane wreck and heading towards Reynisfjara. Be prepared for scenic views just after entering route 215.
16:00 People watching in Reynisfjara. This place is rich with rocky things, like basalt columns, pebble shore, and even rocky sea stacks Reynisdrangar as its background. We met Icelandic people on their weekend more than tourists here.
17:00 Heading towards Eldhraun lava field; but a complex of stacked stones urged us to stop by: namely Laufskálavarða. You can get details of this magnificent rock cairns formation in coming post. Believe me; you will want to create one!
18:00 Broad lava field Eldhraun was really mind blowing!
Laki volcano eruption in 1700’s creates an exceptional view centuries later. Dry lava duct structure mixed with soft moss surface, I wonder if I can get lost if we play hide-and-seek here…
19:00 While I was busy with my playlist, William saw the cyclist again. So I opened the window and friendly waving at him to encourage his long journey. Then, we’re turning left to route 206 to reach Canyon Fjaðrárgljúfur.
20:00 Finally, we arrived safe and sound in a scenic parking lot after our slow drive in bumpy and muddy gravel road. Tonight dinner was done while appreciating the might beauty of Fjaðrárgljúfur.
Afterwards, we’re ready to trek Fjaðrárgljúfur. If you walk to the edge of the canyon, you can see Fjaðrá River settled below. Beware of your footsteps since the ground can be slippery.
22:00 Our midnight sunset today was on our way back from Fjaðrárgljúfur. The golden hour was amazingly unbelievable though covered with gloomy cloud when we were back in ring road 1. Approaching Skaftafell National Park Campsite, we just felt crisp and tired.
23:30 Unfortunately, the campsite front gate closed at 19:00. A nice Canadian couple travelled with their camper told us to use the back door. Thanks to them, we built our second tent on Icelandic ground.
Good night, folks! It’s time to recharge energy!
Till then, be mesmerized by our video of second day recap!