Day 7 - Gods & Trolls

Today we begin with a visit to Godafoss ("waterfall of the gods"), where the current carries rushing water along a glacial river and over the rocks, falling 40 feet into the pool below. It is said to have gained its name when one of the leaders of the country's parliament disposed of his statues of Norse gods at this waterfall upon the adoption of Christianity as the official religion in the year 1000.

We'll visit a handcraft workshop run by local women before discovering the Lake Myvatn area, sculpted throughout the ages by volcanic eruptions and renowned for its diverse bird population, with ducks, gyrfalcons, plovers, ptarmigans, and more. We'll explore the pseudo crater field, formed by steam explosions when lava flowed over wet earth, at Skutustadir. Afterwards, we'll visit the whimsical "black castles" lava formations of Dimmuborgir, where a lonely troll is said to have lived. According to legend, he was paid a visit by his friends, and they stayed up dancing and celebrating all night long—until the light of morning turned them to stone. After lunch at a local restaurant, we witness some of Iceland's more recent volcanic activity during a visit to the Námaskard geothermic area.

Then we travel overland back to Akureyri. Upon arrival, we'll explore the city, visiting the harbor and then the Botanical Gardens.

Iceland is a land of contrasts. Gods and Trolls. From boiling hot geothermic water to frigid sub-arctic water... and lots of both. Interestingly, even this far north, the gulf stream keeps the waters here from being even colder than they are. This 'Waterfall of the Gods' is one of many waterfalls that dot this island, so much so that by the last day of our trip, Beggie begged our indulgence for 'just one more waterfall.' Maybe it's the negative ions, or whatever it is, just being around water, and especially falling water, puts one in a halcyon embrace.

Black Castles Lava Formations

Is that a troll?

Again, we were impressed with how well they treat the horses here. Jan chatted with a gal that had ridden up on horseback with a group that had been riding for a week or so. They take along twice as many horses as they need, so they can switch them out during the ride and not overtax them.

Pseudo Craters

Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.
Oops, that's Shakespeare... we'll be visiting him on the second leg of our journey.

Nature Imitating Art

Gods thrown over waterfalls. Trolls turning to stone. Boiling Mud. It's been quite a day! It was time for a soak in hot water... well a soak and a slide.

That's Sue... really... she did it!   I was tardy in clicking the shutter.

Yee Haw!   Another day in Untamed Iceland

Day 8 - The Golden Circle

We transfer to the airport for our flight to Reykjavik after breakfast this morning. Today we'll discover more of Iceland's marvels as we circumnavigate the Golden Circle, a ring of natural highlights: Thingvellir National Park, Geysir hot spring area and Gullfoss waterfall. First, we'll stop at Thingvellir National Park, the location of a major rift between two tectonic plates—the European and North American—which creates a dramatic (and growing) fissure in the land. The snowcapped mountains surrounding this forested plain, dotted with canyons, caves, streams and springs, form a striking natural amphitheater. It's not surprising that the world's oldest Parliament was formed here. Lunch is on our own after the visit at Thingvellir.

Then we'll visit Geysir, the geyser from which all others take their name, which erupts frequently in dramatic columns of water that shoot into the air. In this area of intense geothermal activity, puddles of water on the ground literally boil.

We end our Golden Circle tour with a visit to the stunning Gullfoss waterfall, which features three tiers of rushing white water that flow into a hundred-foot deep crevice.

We'll continue overland to Selfoss/Hveragerdi and check into our hotel. Selfoss is the largest town in South Iceland and the gateway to all that this area of rich farmland and natural wonders has to offer. Located on the banks of the Olfusa River, it is home to around 6,300 inhabitants. We'll have dinner at our hotel this evening.

Beggie 'Hand Talker' Althorsson explains the continental rift to us.

Iceland's First Parliament Building

Walking between continents.

Some things are worth swimming upstream for!

Thar she blows!

Another stunning waterfall!

Hot water. Cold water. Wrenching tectonic plates.   It's all connected & it's dynamic.

Day 9 - The Glacier Walk & More Pristine Beauty

After breakfast this morning, we’ll witness the breathtaking landscape of South Iceland firsthand—the river gorges, the farmland, and the waterfalls.

We'll enjoy an included glacier walk, donning special shoes to stroll across the Solheimajokull glacier with an expert local guide. Afterwards, we’ll journey to the south coast and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. We’ll go off-road driving for an included Super Jeep Tour, introducing you to the black beaches. Our next stop is the wispy Seljalandsfoss (the word foss means “waterfall” in Icelandic). Located near the Seljalands farm, this picturesque waterfall drops about 200 feet over the rocky cliffs country’s southern coastline. We’ll also have views of the Markafljot River, a glacial river sunk into a canyon that in some spots sinks to depths of 180 meters (590 feet).

Cramp-ons on, ice axes in hand... ready to attack the glacier.

He just had to take this call, on a remote glacier, in Iceland. You gotta love it!

The Intrepid Adventurers

While others looked on, some in shorts and sandals.

Then on to a hard earned lunch where we were greeted by an accordian player. And then on a Jeep tour to a mountain top, and to a black sand beach. There's also columnar basalt on the black sand beach, which we would also see in a week's time on the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland.

From Wikipedia: During the cooling of a thick lava flow, contractional joints or fractures form. If a flow cools relatively rapidly, significant contraction forces build up. While a flow can shrink in the vertical dimension without fracturing, it can't easily accommodate shrinking in the horizontal direction unless cracks form; the extensive fracture network that develops results in the formation of columns.

The black sand that gives these beaches their name.

After some 4-wheeling, we took in the view from on high on this windswept mountain top.

Then off to see another magnificent waterfall...