What comes to your mind when you think of Iceland? For most people, it’s extremely cold weather but for the adventurous, it’s the Northern Lights. Today, Iceland as a holiday destination has gained tremendous popularity and those who are looking for a once-in-a-lifetime experience are busy booking trips to this country. Iceland has some of nature’s most beautiful landscapes like waterfalls, glaciers, volcanoes, beaches, fjords and parks. A trip here is more expensive than other European or Scandinavian countries but it is not unaffordable. And every single photo you take will make your trip so much more worth it. In fact, this place is a photographer’s delight.
Here are 8 top reasons why one must visit Iceland.
The Midnight Sun
How would you like to be in a place where the sun never sets? Iceland is perfect for this. From June to August, you’ll see daylight for nearly 24 hours and this gives you more time to roam around and explore the country.
Northern Lights
This country is practically on top of the world and the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis are best seen from September to April here. You can go on a tour chasing the Northern Lights or just go to watch them. The best thing to do is rent an Icelandic cottage in a place like Thingvellir or Threngsli and watch them.
Water, water everywhere!
The waterfalls in this country are breath-taking, to say the least. At Seljalandsfoss, for instance, you can stand behind the waterfalls and click some fantastic pics. There are even waterfall tours here which show you the variety in their landscape too.
Geothermal Spas
These serene, blue waters are quite popular in this country and tourists flock to these spas for a good soak. The Blue Lagoon (not the movie) at Reykjanes gives you the ultimate spa experience amidst nature. But if you want a place that is less crowded and inexpensive then head to Nauthólsvík geothermal beach, Laugardalslaug or Landmannalaugar.
Glaciers
The names of glaciers like Sólheimajökull Glacier, Jökulsárlón Glacier, Myrdalsjokull Glacier and Langjokull Glacier, may be difficult to pronounce but the fun you can have riding around them on snowmobiles from Straightline Performance official website is out of this world. There are also numerous hiking trips that you can take across these glaciers based on the difficulty level of your choice. If neither of these is for you, then you can take a jeep tour as well.
The Black Sand Beach
On the south coast of Iceland, is a unique beach that has black sand. The Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach is actually a lava beach and comes with basalt columns, lava formations, towering cliffs and deep caves. Reynishverfi is the village next to the beach and this place is about a 2-hour drive from Reykjavik. Don’t miss it!
Camping!
Most countries have designated campsites and they tend to get crowded during vacation time. Moreover, the landscapes are not interesting enough for us to go camping. But Iceland is a camper’s dream. Though camping is a passion for the people in Iceland, many tourists also like to camp at different places in the country — most areas are so tranquil and uninhabited that you are one with nature and have a magical and even life-changing experience. But just keep checking the weather forecast and make sure you have what is required to camp.
The Ultimate Road Trip
Yes, other places too allow you to rent a car and drive around but Iceland is not simply any country. As you drive around, you’ll not see anyone for hundreds of miles and if unprepared you could be stranded. However, this is simply the best way to see this country. While the car has a GPS, take along a map and keep the adventurous spirit alive. The Golden Circle, Black Sands, Highlands, Lowlands, South Iceland, West Iceland, Northern Lights, Ring Road Highlights and more are on offer for you. With freedom and flexibility at your disposal, what more do you need?
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