Chap 3: Vatnajökull National Park, Ice, and Fire
Adventurous Activities
Iceland is perfect to display your adventurous side. I particularly recommend snorkeling, glacier hiking, and cave exploring. All of them are super beginner friendly with amazing instructors available. Don’t worry about the freezing cold water. All snorkeling activities are equipped with dry suits that keep you decently warm. The best place to go snorkeling is between the North American tectonic plates and the Eurasian tectonic plates at the Silfra fissure. Not surprisingly, Iceland is also a great place for ice climbing. I myself also tried my hand in ice climbing in the Vatnajökull National Park and found the instructors to be both patient and informational.
Northern Lights
I tried, tried, and tried. I watched the forecast, signed up for tours, and read many articles on Northern Lights watching; I didn’t see anything over our 11-day trip. Icelanders say that Northern Light watching depends on the season, which is trigger by the climate. Some seasons, up to 90% of the nights, you can see Northern Lights. Other seasons, 20% at best. So, the moral of the story is that you need some luck if you wish to bring home that prized green light picture. As for the equipment, I have tried to GoPro Hero 7 Black on time-lapse mode with outstanding results of night sky picture. I would expect GoPro Hero 7 to be a decent choice for photographing the Aurora.
Ice (Glaciers)
Namesake island because of its abundance of ice is a great spot for glacier viewing. Signing up for a glacier walk is the best way to enjoy the majestic crystals palaces. Due to the changing global climates, most of the glaciers in Iceland are shrinking.
Fire (Volcanos)
Being on a divergent tectonic plate boundary, Iceland is a hot spot. Hiking around the crater of the erupted volcanoes is a unique experience. Some volcanoes’ crater retained its round crater while others’ have collapsed. The best places to view these volcanoes are around the Western Ring Road.
Food (Always!)
Other than seafood such as fermented sharks, there are a few must-try while you are in Iceland. Lamb, rye bread with butter, Icelandic fish stew, Icelandic lamb stew, and dairy products such as ice cream are some of the key dishes you should taste.
