Iceland road trip: Natural wonders on the Ring Road

Finally, the time has come! Your heart pounds with joy every passing second as you think about the land of volcanoes, geysers, waterfalls and glaciers. Just a moment later, at Keflavik Airport, you take a long, deep breath – adventure is in the air! You pick up the keys to your hire car, then you're ready to go. Iceland is absolutely gorgeous! After just a few miles, the full beauty of the country unfolds before you, making it almost impossible to concentrate on the road, and your first leg of the journey leaves you eager for more. And it's only just the beginning! When you arrive in Selfoss, first things first: time to settle in and relax.

Clear the stage for the Golden Circle! First stop: Thingvellir National Park, where the movements of the North American and Eurasian Plates have created the dramatic and rugged Almannagjá rift. And almost nowhere else in the world would you get such an unobstructed view of them as here – simply wow! Next, you're off to the roaring Öxarárfoss, which quickly sneaks its way into your photo album, before the boiling fountains of the Strokkur, Stóri and The Great Geysir shoot metres high into the air out of seemingly nowhere in the Haukadalur geothermal area. Suddenly, you can already hear waterfall number four. Thundering torrents of water provide a promising soundtrack that accompanies you on your way to the mighty Gullfoss.
The Seljalandsfoss waterfall is both mysterious and beautiful, with foaming waters that cascade 197 feet into the depths. You're burning to see what's behind the curtain. And you're in luck! You can actually go behind the fall's thundering curtain of water! But be careful, it's slippery back there! Can it get any more beautiful? Oh, yes, it can! The Skogafoss waterfall kicks it up a notch with a misty spray that, with the right lighting, creates two brightly shining rainbows – just like something out of a movie!

Opposites attract. And maybe they'll attract you, too! In Skaftafell National Park, you experience Iceland's contrasts in a truly impressive way. A vast network of hiking trails runs between plains of lava rock and numerous rivers that originate from the glacial tongues Skeidarárjökull, Morsárjökull and Skaftafellsjökull. Your destination: Svartifoss! The 'Black Falls' live up to their name with torrents of water that rush down from dark, snow-covered basalt columns. The mesmerising sight freezes you in your tracks, and after some time, you decide to continue along your journey before you get too cold. The hum of your engine fades into secluded tranquillity as the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon sinks into the icy distance. Gazing at what lies ahead, you're overcome with a mix of awe and disbelief: huge sparkling jewels washed ashore on the black sand beach. Welcome to Diamond Beach! Upon closer inspection, you realise that the giant icy gemstones are actually sparkling blocks of ice scattered all around.

The famous Vestrahorn on the Stokksnes Peninsula casts its shadow before you and is just waiting for you to come do a photoshoot (optional, entry fee payable on site)! And in the right tide, you can catch the reflection of the mighty mountain in the still waters of the lagoon. Before you know it, you've got so many pics that you're almost out of memory, and after reviewing them all, you find that the Vestrahorn looks perfect in every single one!
Your adventure continues towards the Eastfjords. As you travel down the incredible Ring Road, you'll encounter places with magnificent views, sharp mountain peaks and peculiar rock formations – some right by the water! Witness sheep all along the roadside, while in the distance, wild reindeer herds roam the mountains. It's just you and your hire car amidst Iceland's wild and pristine nature. You'll be stopping for photos left and right, unable to get enough of the breathtaking panorama. Take a break in the fishing village of Djúpivogur, stroll alongside the charming little houses and breathe in the fresh ocean breeze. Then get back behind the wheel, head further north and enjoy the Icelandic nature as it becomes more and more remote.