Swirling iridescent lights danced slowly across the pitch-black sky. It was only my second night in Iceland, and I was experiencing a light show unmatched since my psychedelic 60s.
I was in Stykkisholmur in West Iceland, near the beginning of a two-week road trip around Iceland from mid- to late September.
For the first week, I traveled with my friend and colleague, Michael Bennett, the founder of Seattle-based travel design company, Explorer-X. The second week, I continued the adventure on my own.
Iceland is often called the Land of Fire and Ice. To that, I would add water, rock, and Northern Lights. Its scenery is incredibly varied: waterfalls, mountains, glaciers, fjords, volcanoes, steam vents, idyllic farmland, and lava in various forms, shapes, and sizes.
The country’s beautiful, dramatic, and often harsh landscape lends itself to the kind of mindful rumination and meditation I was seeking — about my life, my past, and my future, such as it is, at age 82.
West Iceland’s National Park
Two hours after landing, Michael and I were soaking in the geothermal waters of the posh Retreat spa at the Blue Lagoon.
Before we turned into limpid noodles, we got into our 4×4 SUV and drove three hours north to Stykkisholmur, a quaint town on a scenic harbor that is the gateway to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula.
The highlight of our two days there was a spectacular drive around the peninsula through Snaefellsjӧkull National Park, which wraps around a massive glacier.
On one side of the road was the sea; on the other, sharp, craggy, blown-out volcanoes with waterfalls tumbling down from the jagged heights.
The Northern Lights made their grand appearance that night, capping our two-day introduction to the wonders of Iceland.
South Coast: Waterfalls, Beaches, and the Golden Circle
Our next stop was the South Coast, only a couple of hours’ drive from Reykjavik. Think waterfalls — tall waterfalls, wide waterfalls, waterfalls you can walk behind, waterfalls that morph into wisps in the wind and disappear before they reach the ground.
We saw Skogafoss, where you have to climb several flights of stairs to reach the viewpoint from the top of the falls; Seljalandsfoss, a waterfall you can walk behind; and Gullfoss on the Golden Circle, the country’s most famous scenic route.
Gullfoss’ wide thundering falls create mist that will soak you to the bone unless you are fully encased in Gore-Tex or rubber.
The South Coast also features black sand beaches with towers of lava molded into bizarre shapes by the wind and water, and an active geyser on the Golden Circle.
The scenery on the South Coast is just as dramatic as on the Snaefellesnes Peninsula — a vertical world of flat coastal plains ending abruptly against soaring cliffs, buttes, and mountains cut by canyons and waterfalls, and capped by glaciers.
Read More: Hotel Húsafell, the Magical Northern Lights Hotel in Iceland
The Otherworldly Landscape of the Central Highlands
My favorite destination of the trip was Highland Base, a rugged yet luxurious resort nestled in a remote mountain range in the heart of Iceland. Getting there required a long drive through harsh tundra over a rough gravel road with one pothole after another.
A heavy fog hung over the tundra as we drove, making the experience a bit spooky. Through the fog, I could barely make out the landscape, but what I could see looked like a cross between Mars and the Scottish moors.
On our one full day at the resort, Michael and I hiked up a hill, then across a rocky plateau strewn with lava boulders with a 360-degree view of two huge glaciers, icy ridges, and valleys in the distance.
Later, we followed a trail alongside a river that opened up onto an unexpectedly colorful vista of yellow-green moss on the black lava slopes. This, plus the blue sky and a sparkling white glacier in the distance, made for one of the most beautiful views of our trip.
We capped the day by soaking in the outdoor bath with views of the otherworldly surroundings.
The North: Glacial Canyon, Volcanic Lake
A four-hour drive north (half on a rough, potholed road) took us to the rolling countryside of northern Iceland, then along a long fjord framed by snowcapped mountain ridges. The last hour of the drive was on a road sandwiched between cliffs edging the sea on one side and equally steep cliffs, leaving little room for a shoulder on the other.
This marked the end of our week together, a week filled with laughs, stories, and heartfelt conversations that strengthened an already strong relationship.
As Michael noted later, “Despite the significant difference in our ages, it was reassuring to see that we are dealing with many of the same challenges — the highs and lows of love and loss, figuring out who we are and where we are going, and where to find a good craft beer.”
After dropping off Michael at the airport in Akureyri, the second largest city in Iceland, I was on my own.
I headed to Asbrygi Canyon, part of Jokulsargljufur National Park, a long canyon with several hikes and scenic viewpoints.
The walks and hikes I chose were short and easy, including one to the river at the bottom of the canyon through woods glowing gold with autumn colors and an early morning walk to the bottom of the canyon for up-close views of lava towers shaped by cones, cubes, and columns of basalt.
Best of all was the short walk to the viewpoint for Dettifoss, the largest waterfall in Europe. A rainbow shone through the mist rising from the pounding water.
My final destination was Lake Myvatn, a volcanic landscape of craters, geothermal baths, and steaming pools and vents. I ended the long day by soaking in my hotel’s spring-fed hot tub while gazing at the sheep and horses next door.
The East Coast: Fjords, Waterfalls, Glacier
The drive to my next stop, Egilsstadir, on the fjord-carved East Coast, was the most harrowing of the trip. It was a tense, white-knuckled three hours through a driving snowstorm.
After checking into my hotel and chilling out for a couple of hours, I got back into the car and drove along Lagerflot Lake to Hengifoss, yet another stunning waterfall at the end of a steep, uphill trail.
The drive along the lake was almost as stunning as the waterfall, with the autumn colors lighting up the way.
The next day, I drove over a snowy mountain pass, then down to a stunning mountain-lined fjord. For the next couple of hours, I stopped often to take photos of the snow-capped peaks across the fjord, the rocky coastline, and sheep — loads and loads of sheep.
On my last day, I saw the Jokulsarlon glacier, the largest glacier in Iceland. Arms of the glacier, in full view from the road, snaked down one canyon after another as I made my way along the road.
Far less crowded than the better-known and more popular Jokulsarion Glacier Lagoon is the Fjallsarlon Glacier Lagoon, just a few miles down the road. I had the beach pretty much to myself for several minutes of quiet contemplation.
During the trip, I had plenty of such opportunities for reflection. On what, you might ask? The meaning of life? Hardly.
But I did think a lot about the meaning of my life. Have I lived my life well? Would I change anything if I had it to do over again? Perhaps most important, how am I doing now?
Since I was in Iceland, driving around, hiking, soaking in hot natural baths, and looking at stunning scenery and dancing Northern Lights, I figured that the answer to, “How am I doing now?” is, in the words of Larry David, “Pretty, pretty, pretty good.”
If You Go:
Nonstop round-trip airfare from BWI is about $450 on Icelandair.
In Stykkisholmur in the west, a double room in the Hotel Karolina is about $200/night.
On the south coast, the Skalakot Manor Hotel is about $350/night, as are self-catering cabins at Seljalandsfoss Horizons.
Highland Base in the central highlands ranges from $350 to $800/night.
In Asbergyi in the north, the Hotel Skulagardur is about $100/night. The Sel Hotel Myvatn, also in the north, is about $125.
On the east coast, Hotel Eyvindara is about $280, and the Hrafnavellir Guesthouse is $250.
Author Bio: Don is an award-winning travel writer. After a 40+ year career as an organizational psychologist, consultant, and academic, he transitioned to travel writing with the publication of his National Geographic book, Riding the Hulahula to the Arctic Ocean: Fifty Extraordinary Adventures for the Seasoned Traveler (with Shannon Stowell, 2008). The Wall Street Journal called this book, “ One of the best travel books to cross our desk this year…A wonderful – and inspiring – read.” Don specializes in writing about transformational travel and adventure travel for 60+ travelers.
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