Part 3 Itinerary: Vik to Skaftafell in One Day
We had originally planned to leave Vik around sunrise to head to Skaftafell, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, and ultimately our guesthouse in Höfn. But because of the weather the day before, we readjusted our itinerary to explore the area around Vik instead in the morning.
Day 4: Hopping In and Out of Our Cars
The drive between Vik and Skaftafell is little less than two hours, but there's plenty to see on and off the road.
Reynisfjara Beach
From Reynifjara Beach, you'll see two of the Reynisdrangar rock formations, but there are actually three.
Don't get too close to the water. You can be surprised by a sneaker wave, which can come farther onto shore without warning and pull people into the water. Case example below. Don't be these people.
Dyrhólaey Arch Take #2
Luckily for us, the wind had died down in the early morning, and we could safely venture up here again without fear of being blown off the cliff. When you're on the cliff, you'll see the arch:
Dyrhólaey lighthouse:
And incredible views of Reynisfjara Beach from up high:
Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon
I still cannot pronounce the full name of this canyon, no matter how many times I listen someone say it.
You'll also pass by quite a few sheep when you're driving into and out of the canyon.
On the Road
While you're driving, you'll see plenty of waterfalls randomly pop out of places and you'll want to stop and pull over for a photo, like this one:
And this one:
And this one:
And dramatic mountains:
Just remember to pull over someplace safe to take photos. Don't stop in the middle of the Ring Road, and don't be that person blocking traffic and creating a safety hazard.
Vatnajökull National Park (previously Skaftafell National Park)
There is a ton of activities to do in this area. You could very well spend an entire day just in this park. We went on two hikes — one 3.7 km hike with an impressive view of Skaftafellsjökull glacier:
And a longer uphill hike to Svartifoss waterfall. You'll pass by more beautiful views before reaching the waterfall.
Svartifoss
Remember our struggles trying to get to the plane wreck? Well, here's another one. We forgot the snacks in the car! We were so rushed to maximize the remaining daylight hours that we grabbed our cameras, lenses, and some water and, without a second thought, ran out of the car.
This may also be a signal to you that we are not fit hikers who were adequately prepared. That is also true in this case.
Halfway through the hike to Svartifoss, D got incredibly hungry. We saw the falls, but we didn't quite finish the hike down as we opted to rush back to our car to fill our bellies instead.
Both of us wish we persevered and deeply regret not hiking all the way down. But I guess this is just one more reason to go back to Iceland!
Additional Things to Do in Vatnajökull National Park
There are numerous other hikes you can do at this park in addition to the two above. If you're at this park during the winter, consider visiting an ice cave in Vatnajökull glacier. You can also go on guided glacier walks and helicopter tours.
If you're headed beyond Skaftafell, check out "Part 4 Itinerary: A Day of Backtracking and Driving" here!