Even with only a few days in Iceland, we still made time to explore some of Iceland’s South Coast. It was easily the best part of our trip!
Sean and I were determined not to repeat the same mistakes from the day before when we toured the Golden Circle. To avoid the tour buses and take advantage of the midnight sun, we decided to wake up bright and early (3 a.m. to be exact) to begin our day-trip South.
Getting Started and Kerið Crater
From our airbnb to our final destination, Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, which our airbnb host said was a must-see, we had roughly 130 miles of driving ahead of us (one way). If that seems like too much, you might plan a night in Vik and split the driving between two days.
I hate waking up this early, but waking up early is really the best way sight-see without the crowd. So I packed us a cooler of snacks and we were on our way.
Since our Airbnb was pretty close to the Kerið Crater, this was our first stop. There is usually an entrance fee of about $4, but no one was there at 2:30 a.m.
The blue of the water is such a stunning contrast to the red sand of the crater. I’m glad we got an opportunity to check it out without a crowd!
The Ring Road: A Scenic Journey
Next, we hopped on Iceland’s Ring Road, the main road that goes all the way around Iceland. The Ring Road boasts way more adventures than our day trip would allow. A full road-trip around Iceland takes about a week to complete. Since we only had a few hours, we were only going to be able to check out the first 150 or so miles.
In my opinion, the drive was the best attraction! However, if you hate coastal byways, waterfalls, herds of Icelandic horses, and vast green valleys sloping downward from rolling hills, this may not be the drive for you!
We continued down the road, stopping for a few pictures of the many herds of Icelandic horses and the fields of a purple flower. I later learned that the flower is an invasive species called purple nootka or Alaskan lupine. It was everywhere!
Seljalandsfoss & Skogafoss
Our first official stop along the Ring Road was Seljalandsfoss, a magical waterfall you can walk behind. It was pretty rainy, so Sean stayed behind rather than get even more wet. I couldn’t help adventure behind the waterfall, and, in my opinion, it was worth being drenched.
Because of the rainy and chilly weather, we ended up skipping the turn off for Seljavallalaug, a geothermal pool in a natural setting. If you want to check out this awesome landmark, turn right onto route 262. Park at the car park and take a short hike to the pool.
A few more miles down the road we stopped at the second famous waterfall on the South Coast, called Skogafoss. Foss, in case you were wondering, is Icelandic for “waterfall.” This one was much more powerful and had myriad trails on either side of the waterfall that you can hike.
Vik and Reynisfjara Beach
As we got closer to the town of Vic, we noticed more and more farms and buildings spotting the countryside. The red and green roofs covering many of the buildings make for some very picturesque photos.
We tried to drive up Dyrhólaey Peninsula, but a gate blocked us from being able to access it due to bird nesting that takes place in May and June. If you can, this is supposed to be a great place to view Puffins and to see the famous rock arch.
Right after the turn for Dyrhólaey is the turn for the South Coast’s famous black beach. Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach is famous for the black sand made out of volcanic stones. It’s also equally famous for the strong rip tides that can come up suddenly and carry people away, so be cautious,
Last year, a student came here with her family. Her parents edged closer to take a few pictures around the bend, and before they knew it, a rip tide had taken them out to sea! Luckily, the worst thing that happened was a few waterlogged jackets and cell phones.
Seeing that we were coming up to about 7 a.m., this is also when the tour buses started to flock in. We had maybe ten minutes alone before we were surrounded by the occupants of at least three buses. We took a few more pictures and decided to make our way to our final destination.
Fjadrargljufur Canyon
We had originally planned on ending our day trip at Reynisfajara Beach, but our airbnb host told us that Fjadrargljufur Canyon was a must-see.
On our way out, the landscape changed dramatically from lush countryside to dark volcanic fields that had a certain beauty all its own.
Despite the tiring drive and long journey, this was by far our favorite part of the South Coast. It was stunning! We parked at the car park next to a steep ledge (more on that later). From there, it was just a short hike up to the top of the canyon.
Due to an increase in tourism and foot traffic, there are sections of the path that have been built up and sections that are barred off. In the winter, I believe that the canyon is altogether inaccessible since the rainy weather creates landslides that ruins the terrain. If you go, please heed any signs about staying off certain sections so that people can enjoy this for years to come!
As you can see, the views at the top were well worth the wind and the mud. It was now around lunch time, and we were pretty ready to head back to the Airbnb for a well deserved dip and the hot tub and a nap!
One Last Adventure in the Car Park
Unfortunately for us, our adventures were not quite over. Remember that steep ledge? Instead of backing straight out, Sean turned the wheel to the left. Suddenly, our little rental car was more vertical than it had been moments ago.
We popped in the emergency break and jumped out of the car, unsure of what to do. I may have been screaming (which I am apt to do in emergencies— very helpful). The bottom did not seem to be scraping on the gravel just yet, but the small sedan seemed to be pretty precariously balanced. It obviously did not have the torque to move forward back up the ledge. It also definitely did not have the clearance to continue down. One hundred and fifty miles from Reykjavik, we were in trouble.
Suddenly, from behind me, in a thick German accent I heard a man asking, “Looks like you need some help?” Without waiting for a response, he jumped into the passenger seat. Five of his buddies surrounded the car and literally LIFTED the car off of the ledge and back on to solid ground. The entire car-park burst into applause.
We thanked our fellow tourists profusely and got back in the car. Exhausted and relieved, we decided not to push our luck with any more [mis]adventures and started our trek back to our Airbnb. Thank God for those friendly (and strong) fellow tourists! And we were able to return the rental without a scratch. 🙂