Iceland has been on my travel bucket list—for as long as I could remember. I think it was most probably those teenage years of listening to Sigur Rós who sang so beautifully despite the fact that you never will know what they are singing about. I don't ever think that photographs will do this country any justice. Iceland is that destination that you must see for yourself in order to believe your eyes. Every corner you turn into and out of is a cinematic landscape that you may have ever imagined only in a dream.
I was completely mesmerized by what Iceland has to offer over 6-day long trip. Be surprised by the harsh winter in Iceland — daylight lasts only from about 11am to about 3pm. There is no chance of a long sunny day during winter days. However, the season is your best chance of aurora sightings —more popularly referred as the borealis in Iceland.
A tour of the Golden Circle, a 300km looping track from Reykjavík into central Iceland and back, is one of the top tourists must-dos. It is the great start to cover all major tourist attractions in Iceland. My personal recommendation is to hop on one of these day-tours, especially if it is your first time in the country.
Some of the amazing sights on the popular Golden Circle route would include the Gulfoss Waterfall and catching the sunset over the largest glacier in Þingvellir National Park. The country runs almost on 100% renewable energy for its primary demands—majority from geothermal energy as the country is surrounded by natural resources. We had a chance to get up close with one geyser called Strokkur. This is a natural geyser that erupts frequently and most reliably, hence is one of the major tourist attractions in Iceland.
Blue Lagoon is one destination that everyone associates with Iceland. I have been looking forward to visiting and have seen it all over social media. This amazing natural geothermal spa beats almost all of the onsen experience I have had in Japan. To be able to truly describe the beauty of this place—is extremely difficult. You have to come at least once in your life to truly understand the beauty of mother nature. Be sure to pre-book your entry in advance to the Blue Lagoon.
The best part of our trip was the glacier hike across the Skaftafell National Park—which has drawn much interest to Hollywood in the last few years. Films such as Star Wars, Star Trek, Interstellar (just to name a few) were filmed in this National Park. Glacier hiking takes you to observe glaciers closer and allows a chance to enter ice caves that has been formed naturally.
Another beauty in Iceland is observing glacier lagoons up-close where you can often spot seals or dolphins in the background of Jökulsárlón. In this place, the landscape never remains the same as icebergs are constantly moving around.
I believe that Iceland is a country that is worth to head back in the summer — where daylight is completely opposite of what you get in the winter. I booked my tour with Exreme Iceland whom was recommended by a family friend. Here are some of the activities that are suitable for family with children above 10 years old:
Glacier Hiking in Skaftafell
Golden Circle Tour
Dog Sledding in Iceland
Blue Lagoon
Our flight details was Jakarta - Dubai - Oslo and then we took Iceland Air into Reykjavik. Flights to Reykjavik are pretty common and frequent from most European and British cities. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask below!
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