We’ve had a few people ask us the details of our itinerary, so I’m listing it here.  Most of the credit goes to Rick Steves, whose suggested path we followed pretty faithfully.  We added in a few stops and took out a few others (mostly museums), and we didn’t visit too many of his recommended lodgings or restaurants (mostly due to price and/or availability), but we drove the route he told us to drive and slept in the towns he told us to overnight in.

And we all agreed that we would do it pretty much the same way again.  I don’t think there was anything on this list that we would skip, and not much we feel we missed out on either.  Most of the places we visited were right on the main route, with ample free parking, bathrooms, well laid-out paths, and informative sign boards.  Everything was clean and safe, and everyone was friendly and helpful.

Not what you would call a LOT of extra space

Our itinierary did involve a lot of driving, but the driving was so scenic that it could often be considered an attraction in and of itself.  Our full-sized sedan managed to fit five of us, plus all our stuff, in semi-comfort, and the middle-seat-rotation system that we worked out with the girls prevented too much strife in the back seat.

Making it all the way around the ring in 9 days meant staying on the move.  We spent only one night in each place, except for Lake Myvatn, where we stayed one extra night to see the many attractions in the area.

We stayed mostly in guest houses, which are kind of a cross between a hostel and a hotel.  We had our own room or rooms, but usually shared a bathroom and had access to shared kitchen facilities.  This proved to be valuable since restaurants in Iceland are so expensive, and for occasions where we were too late/too tired to go out.

Of course this involved a spreadsheet

This was an excellent destination during Covid times.  Iceland’s vaccine rate is very high and Covid rate was low (though this was starting to change towards the end of our trip).  Vaccinated Americans (as of this time) can enter the country without needing to test or quarantine.  To get back to the US, we had to present a negative Covid test, but Iceland simplified this by having a rapid test site (15 minute results) right next to the airport.  We spent the vast majority of our time outside — for the most part, we were only indoors in our hotel room (we even ate mostly outside) — so our exposure risk was low in any case.

For most of our trip, we were able to almost forget about the pandemic.  Other than hand sanitizer prominently displayed at the entrances to many hotels and restaurants, there didn’t seem to be many precautions in place.  But in the last couple of days, we saw a change — more masks and more caution.  We’re not sure if this is because we were in the more populous capital area, or because the state of things had worsened during our week.

Day 1: Keflavik airport to Borgarnes

• Fagradalsfjall volcano
• Blue Lagoon
• Lodging: Seaside airbnb

Day 2: Borgarnes to Siglufjordur

• Hraunfossar & Barnafossar waterfalls
• Haalfell Goat Farm 
• Grabrok Volcano Crater hike
• Stroll around Siglufjordur
• Lodging: Herring House guesthouse

Day 3: Siglufjordur to Lake Myvatn

• Akureyri – botanic garden & walk; lunch
• Godafoss falls 
• Namafjall Geothermal Area 
• Krafla Geothermal Valley
• Leirhnjukur Volcanic Cone hike
• Viti Crater
  
• Lodging: Elda Guesthouse

Day 4: Around Lake Myvatn

All the attractions below except the nature baths are on a loop right around the lake.  I was originally hoping to do this by bike, but we were daunted when we saw the narrow, shoulderless road and fast-moving traffic.  It was just as well, since we encountered a fair amount of rain in the afternoon and ended up not having a lot of extra time (partly due to our kids’ chronic inability to get up early in the morning).

• Hverfall Crater rim hike
  

  The Old Hospital was the loveliest place we stayed.

• Dimmuborgir Lava Formations
• Hofoi Promontory
• Skutustadir Pseudocraters
• Myvatn Nature Baths
• Lodging: Elda Guesthouse

Day 5: Lake Myvatn to Seydisfjordur

• Horseback ride at Safari Stables
• Dentifoss Falls
• Rjukandafoss waterfall
• Stroll around Seydisfjordur town & lagoon
• Lodging: Halfadan Old Hospital Hostel

Day 6: Seydisfjordur to south of Hofn

• Roadside stop at unnamed pebble beach
• Jökulsárlón Iceberg Lagoon
• Fjallsárlón Iceberg Lagoon boat tour on Zodiac raft
• Diamond Beach
• Lodging: Gerdi Guesthouse

Day 7: South of Hofn to Hafnarfjörður (Reykjavik suburb)

• Skaftafell Natl Park 
• Reynisfjara Beach
• Seljalandsfoss waterfall
  
• Lodging: T10 hotel

(We intended to stop at the Lava Center museum at the end of the day — Rick Steves claimed it was open late — but found that it unfortunately had closed at 4.)

Day 8: Hafnarfjörður to Keflavik airport

• Downtown Reykjavik
• Covid test
• Flight home!

It’s hard to believe it’s already our last full day in Iceland.  Making it all the way around the island has made for a pretty busy schedule, but our Rick Steves Iceland book has not led us astray and there’s really nothing we would have skipped or done differently.  It’s been a lot of driving, but the scenery has been so incredible throughout that we don’t really mind (despite the unnerving lack of guardrails).

Last night we stayed at a guest house in a pretty remote area on the southeast coast — our room even had a view of the chilly, gray ocean.  As we set out today down the lonely road, with mile after mile of nothing but mountains, ocean, and the occasional sheep, we started to get a bit worried about where we might next find a gas station.  Fortunately when I was finally able to get phone reception and ask Google, Google managed to materialize one literally about a quarter mile down the road.  (There was a little difficulty about the shared payment kiosk and Bob accidentally paid for the gas of some French person, but luckily the French person was nice about it and handed him a wad of cash to compensate.)

Puffins in flight

Relieved of our worry that we might need to hitchhike to Reykjavik, we were able to enjoy our visit toSkaftafell National Park.  It was a raining for much of our drive today and threatened to start again anytime, so we contented ourselves with a short and easy hike to get up close to one of the tongues of the glacier.  We were rewarded with lots of wildflowers and another remote iceberg lagoon.

Our next stop was the spectacular Reynisfjara Beach, with its pebbly black sand, amazing rock formations, and abundant bird life — including a colony of puffins nestled in the rocks high above us.  The sky was full of hundreds of wheeling birds — graceful ones that glided smoothly through the air, and madly flapping puffins with their short wings and red feet.  The beach had towering basalt rock columns (perfect for climbing) and intricately shaped caves. It was also one of the most crowded places we’ve been — we’re definitely noticing the difference it makes being within day-trip distance of Reykjavik.

Lastly there was one more waterfall.  We’ve been talking about how we’ve seen so many waterfalls here, but all of them have been different.  Today’s was a tall, delicate stream falling straight down over a concave area, allowing you to walk around behind it.

By evening we’d made it to our hotel in the suburbs of Reykjavik.  It’s in kind of a weird area — sort of light industrial — and did not look particularly appealing from the outside.  But our room is surprisingly nice, with hardwood floors, ample space, a couch, refrigerator, and our own bathroom.  We made a quick trip to the nearly Noodle Station for dinner (a local chain with only one thing on the menu — Vietnamese noodle soup) and a trip to the town center on the waterfront in search of ice cream, and the evening was complete.  Tomorrow we explore Reykjavik for a few hours, then it’s off to get ourmandated Covid test en route to the airport.

You can see us trotting happily along before things turned terrifying.

As Bob mentioned yesterday, we ended up canceling our 4 pm horseback ride due to the rain (which my iPhone told me was going to last for hours, but which actually cleared up about two minutes after I made the phone call).  All was not lost, however, because we had a little extra time this morning and were able to squeeze in a 10 am ride before hitting the road.

Bob elected to skip this one, which was probably for the best.  We meandered through stunning scenery, until we rounded a bend and found ourselves right on the edge of the lake — or, I should say, quite a long ways above the lake, with a very narrow path and a sheer drop off to our right.  Our guide told us we were riding on the edge of a pseudocrater, which is a large, round bump that was formed long ago by bubbles in lava flows.  Nadia and I were both very concerned

The walk to Detifoss, through cool rock formations.

about our horses taking a wrong step and plunging us down the slope into the waters far below, but fortunately they handled it like pros.  This was not a trail that would be considered suitable for beginners in the U.S.  (“No one has ever fallen off,” the woman who runs the farm later told me cheerfully.  “If they did, we probably would not go there anymore.”)  My midge-proof head net, which was actually necessary for the first time, blew off my head and I barely even noticed.

We were also supposed to experience the “tolt”, which is a special gait unique to Icelandic horses.  It’s kind of like a trot but supposedly much smoother and more comfortable for riding.  I was very skeptical about this, because I found it plenty bumpy, but the kids later told me that my horse was rebelliously trotting rather than doing the tolt.  Between the cliff ride and the trotting, I spent most of the ride holding onto the saddle with both hands like grim death.

After thanking our horses and our guides, and a quick visit to a week-old baby horse that our hostess was kind enough to introduce us to, we hit the road again.  Today we made our way from the inland lake back out to the east coast, to an area called the Eastfjords.  All along our route, you could barely turn your head without seeing a spectacular waterfall.  The most spectacular of all, Detifoss, was a bit off our route, but well worth the detour.  Google tells me it’s the most powerful waterfall in Europe, and this is easy to believe.  Just a short walk down the road is another large waterfall, Selfoss — somewhat less powerful, but probably even more beautiful.  We’ve been really struck by all the different waterfalls we’ve seen here — from massive, thundering falls to tall, lacy cascades.

Seydisfjordur

We had to cross another high mountain pass on our way to our destination, Seydisfjorder.  All our drives have been pretty breathtaking, but this one probably takes the prize.  What with the steep drops and lack of guardrails, despite the beauty it was a relief to drop back down to this quaint little fjord-side town.

We loved Seydisfjorder — a tiny, colorful village at the innermost point of the fjord, surrounded on three sides by high mountains streaked with waterfalls — from first glance.  Our hostel is called the Old Hospital, and is in a beautifully restored historic building.  There is a sauna in the basement and white-capped mountains towering outside our windows.  We were almost disappointed to not be cooking dinner tonight, when we saw the lovely kitchen and dining areas on the first floor.

Luckily (especially since the grocery was closed) we actually managed to eat inside a restaurant for the first time on the whole trip.  (Normally this would be because Bob and I are being cheap — the food here is VERY expensive — but really, this time around we’ve tried several times and been foiled for one reason or another.)  A short stroll around the town and its lagoon, and we’re ready to call it a night. Onward and southward tomorrow!

View of Akureyri from possibly the world’s most scenicly located gas station

To make it all the way around Iceland in the course of our week here, we have to keep on the move almost every day.  We’ve been hampered a bit by our seeming inability to get up at a reasonable hour of the morning.  My assumption going in was that Bob and I would be up bright and early, ready to go for a stroll and maybe work on our blog before the kids arose.  But our sleep schedules haven’t quite arranged themselves, and we’ve been sleeping late too.  Competition for bathrooms (we’ve been staying in guesthouses with a shared bath) has also slowed down our morning progress.  So once again it was close to 11:00 before we managed to hit the road from Siglufjordur.

Strolling above the fjiord in Akureyri

After a quick stop for coffee and pastries at what was billed as “Iceland’s most popular bakery”, we were again on our way. Our progress down the winding roads was sped up a bit by two very long tunnels, burrowing deep through the mountains that line the fjords.

Our first stop was the cut little city of Akureyri — Iceland’s second largest city (though that’s not saying much).  We took a stroll through the charming streets and up the steps to the art deco church.  At this point we were high above the fjord, with the sweeping views that are the norm here.  After a stroll through the botanic garden and some delicious grilled sandwiches in the town square, we were ready to move on.

Godafoss Falls

Next stop: Godafoss Falls, yet another impressive waterfall right along the main Ring Road.  Iceland has done an excellent job with these roadside attractions — there are lots of paths leading to different viewpoints above and below the falls, and the option to descend down to a black sand beach near the base.  There’s a footbridge over the river to allow views of the horseshoe-shaped falls from both sides.  (We had to wait to cross it to allow the large group of horses to be marshalled across.)  Zoe would have stayed here all day if she had the option, and watching the powerful falls was mesmerizing.

Our route has now taken us away from the coast, to our next destination at Lake Myvatn.  After a quick stop to check in at our guest house near the lake, we headed a bit further along the road to the nearby geothermal and volcanic area.  (Even when we get a late start, we can get a lot of sightseeing in since it barely gets dark here.  In fact, I haven’t seen darkness at all — even when I was awake at 2:15am last night.)

The Namafjall Geothermal Area is the Icelandic Yellowstone — steaming craters, boiling mud pits, dazzling colors, and choking sulphurous air.  It’s not nearly as crowded or developed as Yellowstone, though, and you can get up as close to these attractions as your nose can bear.

A little further up the road is the Krafla Geothermal Valley.  The first interesting site you come across is a functioning shower in a parking lot in the middle of nowhere.  No one seems to know who erected it, but it’s hooked up to the geothermal spring beneath it and seems to be perfect showering temperature.  Continuing along past the huge geothermal power plant located here, we came to the Leirhnjukur Volcanic Cone.  This provided an amazing hike.  The crater itself was pretty impressive, but we were able to continue past it into the lava fields that stretched out as far as we could see.  The lighting always seems to be very  dramatic here, with lowering clouds and occasional bursts of sunbeams, and we could see forever in every direction.  We spent a lot longer here than we planned, but we couldn’t drag ourselves away.

There was one more stop along the same road — Viti Crater.  This is yet another crater, this one containing a bright blue lake, that Iceland has helpfully built a hiking trail all around.  However, the day was getting late and some of the troops were growing mutinous, so we contented ourselves with

Viti Crater

walking the fifty feet from the car to the crater’s edge, having a quick look at the lake, then retreating back to our guest house.  It made for another late dinner, but fortunately we’d learned our lesson in Siglufjordur and secured provisions from the nearby grocery before heading out.  The girls produced a delicious pesto alfredo pasta from the guest house kitchen, and all was well.

    We’re in Iceland!  It’s strange and amazing to have been able to take an airplane somewhere.  And Iceland seems to have been a great choice.  I read yesterday that their full vaccination rate is over 85%, so we’re safer here than at home.  And after showing our own vaccination cards at the airport, we’ve been free to roam the country without tests or quarantining.

It was only a 4.5 hour flight to get here.  We were a little nervous that all the pieces would fall into place, but the whole process was very smooth.  Despite our worries, our carry-ons were not declared to be oversize or overweight.  (Checked bags cost $60 each way, so we relied heavily on carry-ons.)  They invited us to check them for free, so we didn’t even have to fight for space in the overhead compartments.  We took off from Boston right on time at 8:50 pm, and barely had time to close our eyes before touching down in Iceland at 5:15 am (1:15 am NH time).  Our bags appeared quickly and before we knew it we were behind the wheel of our rental car.

Our normal strategy when flying overnight to Europe is to power through the first day then go to bed early and sleep for 12+ hours, then wake up at a normal time and (hopefully) be done with jet lag.  Iceland made this very easy for us to do.  Two of our top destinations were close to the airport, so those were planned for Day 1.

After fortifying ourselves with ham and cheese croissants and coffee from a 24-7 gas station (the nearby cafes and grocery store unaccountably not opening until 11am), we set off into the Keflavik countryside in search of the Fagradalsfjall volcano.  This has been erupting since March of this year, and we’ve been enthralled watching youtube videos of fountains of orange lava splashing above the cone, and lava rivers spilling into the adjacent valleys.  The eruptions have been slowing down lately, with long periods of relative inactivity, so we were crossing our fingers that our timing would be lucky.

When your plane lands at 5:15 am, you tend to beat the crowds.  There were only a few cars in the parking lot when we arrived, and we were not entirely sure we were in the right place.  Iceland and some nearby landowners have built walking trails around the volcano to allow for viewing access (and new routes have been constructed a few times, as old ones are overtaken by lava flows.  We geared up in all our warm layers, plus hats and gloves (it’s pretty cold here, especially early in the morning!) and set off down the trail with a few other early birds.

Soon a large lava field came into view, with black lava coming over the nearby hills and stretching across the valley.  The scenery was beautiful even if there was no volcano at all — otherworldly mountains stretched out in either direction, and the gray ocean spread out behind us.  There were no trees to block our view.  And, after hiking an hour or so, we summitted a small peak and were rewarded with a view of orange lava flying up and splashing down into a distant crater.

After a few minutes of observations and pictures, we continued up the next (very steep) peak and lost our view of the lava for a while.  We continued on and on, and still — no lava.  Eventually we realized that the morning’s eruption had stopped.  We regretted the extra minutes we’d spent at the gast station and in the parking lot, which prevented us from getting a close-up view — but were very happy that we’d gotten to see it at all.  We continued hiking quite a ways further — rewarded with the sight of orange lava flowing down a distant hillside — but the volcano didn’t start up again during the next couple of hours before we left.  By the time we were on our way out the paths were thick with tourists, so we hope that they evetually got rewarded.  (Also, alas, the old lava flows that we were able to access were not hot enough to roast marshmallows over, as we’d seen others do on youtube.)

The view from our lodging

Next stop: the nearby and world-famous Blue Lagoon.  Things are less crowded than usual this year, so we were able to give them a call and head straight over there without waiting for our reservation time.  The warm, mineral-rich waters were just what our tired legs needed and felt wonderful against the chilly air.  The sun had emerged, and it was blinding in the whitish waters of the lagoon.  It was a somewhat pricy excursion (except for Lanie, who scraped by under the policy that 13 and under is free), but we enjoyed our included silica mud mask treatments and “free” drink at the swim-up bar.  (Bob and I sampled Gull, a local beer, after the people in line in front of us warned us against the cider being too sweet — and were not impressed.)

Then it just remained for us to make the hour and a half drive to our first night’s destination in Borgarnes.  We’ve taking a week to drive the Ring Road around the perimeter of the country, so we wanted to get a slight head start rather than staying near the airport.  After a night of no sleep, a long hike, and a soothing soak, it was a little challenging to stay alert, but we made it.  We unanimously agreed to skip finding a restaurant and instead visited a Bonus supermarket along the way for frozen ready-to-eat meals as well as breakfast provisions.

Soon we had driven down a gravel path, past roadside sheep and ponies, and were ensconced at our airbnb, a farm right on the ocean across an inlet from the city of Borgarnes.  Most of us were in bed by 7pm.  (And then briefly up a little while later, when Zoe awoke at 9:30pm and thought it was 9:30am.  It stays light almost around the clock here, so it’s hard to assess the time.)