Iceland Travel and Photography Guide
Iceland Travel and Photography Guide
This is it, everything I learnt from my time in Iceland and I hope just one small snippet will make your adventure in Iceland magical and memorable. With wild places and photography locations at its core this guide will help you get the most from your time in this small and fiery country.
It was roller coaster of an adventure but it became easier the more time we spent exploring the country.
This is a guide to all the things I wish I had known before arriving in Iceland. Explore this amazing country of ice and fire as you plan your ultimate adventure. Find out where the best waterfalls are located, how to photograph ice and make friends with the local horses.
Summer and winter in Iceland are very different and this guide will focus on the summer months with a brief foray into winter visits.
Iceland has everything – deep fjords, rolling hills, geothermal pools, bubbling mud, whale encounters, arctic foxes, icebergs, glaciers, black sand beaches and thousands of unique locations to make lasting memories.
And if you are more of an armchair traveller, sit back and enjoy the galleries as you are transported to this unique country.
The problem with driving around Iceland is that you’re basically confronted by a new soul-enriching, breath-taking, life-affirming natural sight every five goddamn minutes. It’s totally exhausting.
As Stephen Markley puts it – Iceland is exhausting. The roads exhaust you, the weather exhausts you and even the landscapes are exhausting, but it is amazing. Whether you have a stop over or a month in this country, its people, its wildlife and its story will leave you wanting more.
Highlights of Visiting Iceland
The whole of Iceland is a treat, but some places are extra special. If you just want the edited highlights then this is the place to start. Everywhere in Iceland is magical, but if you want special waterfalls or the best places to stay then these summary guides will tell you all you need to know.
Iceland is an island nation and the coast is protected by a wide range of lighthouses. All are found on the coast but many are inaccessible or need planning to reach them.
Each community has its own church and while many are functional some are unique in their design with stunning locations and a long history.
As well as waterfalls and churches, Iceland has a number of distinct geothermal areas where the ground steams and boils. These are spread around the country so wherever you end up visiting you will find somewhere to explore.
In conjunction with geothermal areas come volcanoes. The island is covered in fault lines and volcanoes, some of which are still active and erupt on a regular basis.
Glaciers are spread across the country and dominate the landscape in the south and east of the country. In the north, the glaciers are more discrete and take more of an effort to reach. In the south the glaciers can be seen from the main road and are extremely easy to access. On the edges of the glaciers are beautiful lagoons and hidden ice caves.
Icelandic Regions, Roads and Weather
Iceland is divided into 7 individual and unique regions. Maps of Iceland show the main regions, however these change depending on where you are looking and the information you are searching for.
- South West and Reykjavík
- South Coast
- East Fjords
- North Iceland
- West Fjords
- Snæsfellsnes Peninsula
- Central Highlands
Roads in Iceland
Getting around Iceland is incredibly easy in good weather. Car hire is the easiest option and gives you the option to stop wherever you want (legally!).
The roads are empty for much of the journey and once you leave the Golden Circle the traffic volume decreases and once you head away from Höfn you feel as if you have the country to yourself.
When the weather is bad then everything takes much longer and you do need to ensure you check weather forecasts before going anywhere and check updates as you drive. You must follow local information and guidance. It can get deadly on the roads in the blink of an eye.
If driving is not for you then there are lots of organised tours and these will take you to some of the more remote regions without having to worry about driving or the weather. If you want to know more then read my articles about car hire, driving in Iceland and choosing a tour.
Distances and Driving Times in Iceland
We discovered very quickly that distances and driving times that were planned were fictional. A road that looks good on a map may take much longer to drive than anticipated even in good weather. The distances and times below are a rough guide to help with planning, but your own driving style, how many photography breaks you take and the weather conditions will all play a part in your individual journey time.
Reykjavík to Egilsstaðir 640km Minimum of 8hours
Reykjavík to Akureyri 390km 5hours
Reykjaviík to Höfn 450km 6hours
Reykjavík to Keflavík Airport 50km 1hour
Weather in Iceland
The weather in Iceland is infamous. It can change in a split second from sunshine to whiteout storm and there is nothing you can do about it. Planning is essential to survive the weather and make the most of it while you are visiting. Always check the weather forecast at the Icelandic Met Office and keep checking. Don’t look at the day as a whole, keep checking hour by hour, especially in the winter or when you are in the Central Highlands.
The time of your visit will also determine the weather you encounter. Snow is always present in the mountains and starts to arrive properly at lower altitudes in late August. This will stay until April when the weather turns warmer and spring arrives. The warmer summer months last from June to August but even during this time the weather can be harsh, cold and generally horrid.
Having the correct clothing for the weather is essential for safety and comfort. Even if you are travelling in the summer months you need to take layers and waterproofs as a bare minimum.
Planning a Road Trip to Iceland
While it is possible to turn up in Iceland and see what happens planning makes it much more relaxed. There is so much to see and do that careful planning will maximise your time in this unique country.
There are a number of factors that need to be considered, especially if you are visiting in the high summer season. There is a limited amount of accommodation in some areas, especially if you want a hotel room so you really need to book early. To be able to do this you need to have some idea of dates and how long it will take you to get from place to place. This is less of a problem if you are camping as the majority of sites do not take bookings, you just turn up and pick your spot.
Car hire is another thing that needs to be planned in advance. In the summer months cars are difficult to come by if you haven’t booked in advance. Make sure you book your car for the duration of your stay even if you don’t know what you will be doing or where you will be going. It is much easier to tweak your hire dates than find a car when all the hire companies are fully booked.
Planning your route can take a while and factoring in tours needs to be done if there are specific things you want to experience. These sell out quickly in the summer and again in the winter months (aurora hunting and ice cave experiences) so it is better to book your tours and then work self drive adventures around your bookings.
Photographing Iceland – Kit and Tips
Photography is one of the many reasons that travellers come to Iceland and one of the reasons many return time after time. The landscapes are unique and the light is something spectacular. Even in bad weather conditions the landscape look beautiful.
Given the extreme weather conditions kit needs to be well looked after. It can be exposed to rain, ash, sub zero temperatures and salt water as well as everything in between. Taking time to find suitable covers will pay dividends in the field as will allowing lenses time to equalise to indoor and outdoor temperatures when it is cold outside.
You can photograph Iceland with everything from a phone through to the most expensive camera. It really doesn’t matter what you have with you, the landscape will allow you to make amazing photographs and memories.
Many of the key areas have designated parking and viewing areas. Make sure you follow instructions and don’t wander off the path. This is for your own safety in geothermal areas and preserves the environment in more sensitive areas. Travel and photography in Iceland really is sustainable if you make sure you think about what you are doing and where you are going.
Some unique skills are required when taking photographs in Iceland. Horses need care when being approached so they are not distressed, geysers erupt when they want to and so you need to be ready. Waterfalls and rainbows are everywhere but getting a true feeling of the moment is easier said than done.
National Routes, Parks and UNESCO Sites
Iceland is known for its beauty and landscapes and to make it easy to navigate a number of national parks and routes have been developed over the years.
The main road around the country Ring Road 1, is now seen as a tourist route by many. It offers a simple way to explore the main points of the country on mainly good roads with plenty of stops and breaks.
There are also a number of routes that are spurs from the Ring Road which allow you to explore different places at your own pace.
The busiest and most well known is the Golden Circle. This takes in waterfalls and stunning landscapes just a short distance from Reykjavík and the 300km route can be completed in a day, although there is more than enough to fill a week. It includes Þingvellir National Park, Geysir Geothermal Area and Gullfoss waterfall.
Less well known are the Diamond Circle around Mývatn in the north and the newly developed, remote and stunning Arctic Coast Way which meanders along the north coast.
Iceland has a number of UNESCO World Heritage sites and national parks which are well worth taking time to explore and include in your plans for visiting Iceland. These include Þingvellir, Vatnajökull and Snæfellsjökull as well as the island of Surtsey off the Westmann Islands. There are also areas known as geoparks at Katla and Reykjanes which have been identified for their unique geology.