Iceland expedition, on the island of ice and fire, under a tent

In search of geysers!

In Iceland, prepare to be surprised every day: here, every landscape is unique and completely different from the day before. Once we've picked up our rental cars and tents, we'll begin our adventure by driving along the famous Golden Circle. First stop: one of the country's most iconic natural phenomena. It doesn't take much guesswork; the word "geyser" in Icelandic means "to erupt" – and that's exactly what we'll see! Boiling water shooting dozens of meters into the air, a truly impressive sight. Next, we're off to Gullfoss, a gigantic waterfall, the first of many that will amaze us over the next few days!

The most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland

First stop of the day: Seljalandsfoss waterfall. Have you ever ventured behind a waterfall? Here, it's possible thanks to a cave that opens up just behind the majestic cascade. Bring your raincoat, because you won't come out dry!

Once dry, we continue our journey towards another wonder: Skogafoss, the second waterfall of the day. It might well be the most majestic and impressive, but it will be up to you to decide if it deserves that title!

And after dinner… we go out! Who will have the courage to go find a hot spring pool high in the mountains?

The black beach

"Hello Iceland!" – it's hard to think of anything else as we open our tent and admire the spectacular landscape around us! We're ready to begin this third day of our trip: this morning, we can choose to hike up to the Dyrholaey viewpoint, a rocky plateau with a huge stone arch rising not far from the coast. From there, we can admire it in all its splendor!

Next, head to the black sand beach of Reynisfjara, where the bravest will walk barefoot on this dark and impressive surface. The experience is almost surreal: here, only the powerful wind and the raging waves disturb the silence.

The Jokulsarlon Lagoon

This afternoon, we'll finish the remaining kilometers to the Jökulsárlón lagoon, surrounded by endless green plains. If yesterday, at the Golden Circle, we felt like we were in a post-apocalyptic film, today it's pastures and greenhouses that stretch to the horizon, with the Hekla volcano as a backdrop.

We finally arrive at this glacial lagoon, where Europe's largest glacier, Vatnajökull, descends majestically from the mountains, almost touching the shore. Seeing this ice giant is a unique experience, even more so if you're lucky enough to witness the formation of an iceberg. How does it happen? Enormous blocks of ice break off from the glacier's face and float in the lagoon, creating a surreal landscape.

Here, weather permitting, you can take part in an amphibious vehicle excursion: you leave from dry land, enter the water, and approach the icebergs. And the highlight? Climbing onto an iceberg to retrieve a piece and... taste it!

Once we arrive in Höfn, we set up our tents. For dinner, we have two options: enjoy a delicious soup in a local restaurant or cook together at the campsite.

The eastern fjords

After bidding farewell to the glacier, in just 170 km, you find yourself immersed in a completely different landscape: the East Fjords, famous for their summer beaches where thousands of puffins gather. These birds, with their penguin-like bodies and toucan-like beaks, are a unique sight to behold.

From here, you can descend to Seydisfjordur, a charming village nestled on the edge of the fjord. For the more active, several options are available: a mountain bike ride through the surrounding landscapes or a kayak trip to admire the fjord from the water.

Egilsstadir

In the afternoon, we reach what is considered the only town in eastern Iceland, a place with a population of fewer than 2,000! This will be an opportunity for some free time and relaxation—and as we now know, Icelanders love spas. At this point in the trip, we're certainly not going to say no to a little wellness break!

So, why not look for a thermal pool all to ourselves? Once we're relaxed, we'll pitch our tents for the night. We're really in the middle of nowhere, so if the sky is clear, we'll be treated to an impressive view: the stars will be so visible that we'll want to look up for hours.

Her Majesty Dettifoss

After another night lulled to sleep by the sounds or silence of the Icelandic landscape in our tents, it's time to set off again. Today, we're heading for the queen of European waterfalls: Dettifoss! The most powerful on the continent, with peak flows of 1.5 million liters of water per second in the summer. The water plunges 44 meters, creating spray visible from 1 km away. And what's even more impressive is that you can get incredibly close, safely and without any artificial structures. Once again, it will just be us and the power of nature.

Ancient legends

This afternoon, we're heading out for a hike in a canyon with walls reaching up to 100 meters high, entirely covered in lush vegetation that shelters the nesting Fulmar gull. We're not sure we'll see one, but never say never! Legend has it that the gods, thrown into the waters of Godafoss (which, however, are not at all offended by the affront they suffered), took refuge in Ásbyrgi, whose name means "refuge of the gods." From there, they continue to watch over the land.

Today, we're not afraid to linger: we'll be able to pitch our tents at the foot of the canyon. Admiring the midnight sun from here will be even more incredible.

In search of whales

Today, we wake up in Húsavík, a town famous for being the main port for whale watching. The companies that organize the excursions obviously don't guarantee sightings, but they are so frequent that the town is considered the whale-watching capital of the world. Húsavík also has an interesting natural history museum, where you can admire a stuffed polar bear and various perfectly preserved skeletons of numerous mammal species.

An hour's drive awaits us from the port of Húsavík and its whales, and an almost post-nuclear landscape will reappear around us, heading towards Lake Mývatn: craters, pools of steaming water, bubbling mud, sulphurous soil… Who knows? It might be an opportunity to see how to survive in an environment like this!

The last waterfall

Known as the Waterfall of the Gods, Godafoss will be the last major waterfall we see in Iceland. Unlike the other three, this one is less imposing, but no less spectacular: thanks to its horseshoe shape, it seems to embrace you as you admire it. Here too, nature reigns supreme over the landscape, completely devoid of any artificial structures. We're camping in our tents near the town of Akureyri: we're taking advantage of the nearby supermarkets to enjoy a good camping barbecue!

In the middle of nowhere

We wake up early, take down the tents, and set off for the Snæfellsnes peninsula. Since the journey will take several hours, we'll make a few stops. It's impossible not to stop and admire the historic turf houses (made from a deposit of decomposed plant and organic matter, once used to make bricks), these typical Icelandic houses that seem straight out of a Disney fairy tale, and which still contain objects from the past.

Relaxation and sunset

We arrive on the Snæfellsnes peninsula and have plenty of time to enjoy this magnificent place, probably one of the most famous in all of Iceland. Here we find Kirkjufell, considered the best photography spot in all of Iceland. So, what to do once we arrive? Let's grab our cameras and cell phones and find the best angle to film! After filling our memory cards with photos, we pitch our tents and get ready to spend the night here. For serious photographers, wake up at dawn tomorrow morning for more breathtaking photos of Kirkjufell at its finest!

A little relaxation

This morning, we headed to the natural thermal pools, a popular spot for Icelanders to relax. Plunging into this warm water, surrounded by scenery that looks like it belongs on another planet, is a true rejuvenating experience. After all those kilometers traveled, this wellness break is more than deserved!

On the way to Reykjavik

After a relaxing break, we dressed appropriately for the Icelandic climate and set off for Reykjavik. We expected to arrive in the afternoon, leaving free time for a shopping spree – the flea markets, especially Kolaportid, are perfect for finding souvenirs – or simply to stroll around the city center.

We end this adventure in style by diving into Reykjavik's nightlife! Here, the party doesn't stop until the early hours, with a multitude of bars offering live music and wild shows. It's our last night in Iceland, the perfect opportunity to say goodbye to our tents, our faithful travel companions… and to make this evening unforgettable!

Departure and farewell to Reykjavik

Goodbye and until the next adventure! Iceland is a country unlike any other place in the world and we cannot describe what we will bring with us to those who have not seen and experienced it with us.