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.

You're awoken by your lust for adventure, and before you know it, you're sitting behind the wheel of your hire car, ready to discover the most beautiful spots the South Coast has to offer. Your eyes are glued to the rugged landscape. Then you reach the first must-see: the Seljalandsfoss waterfall. You watch as its foaming waters cascade 197 feet into the depths, and 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! Your finger starts to cramp as you snap pics like mad, trying to capture this incredible moment from every angle. Can it get any more beautiful than this? 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 in a movie. In fact, Skogafoss has actually been used as the backdrop for several films!
No less spectacular or beautiful is the small town of Vík, which you'll find near the Katla volcano, overlooking the Mýrdalsjökull glacier – your destination for today! Stroll to the black beach and enjoy the magical silence that's only broken by the crashing of the waves.

One of the most impressive beaches in the world lies right outside your doorstep. And now it's high time to get out and see it for yourself. So you hop into your hire car and hit the road! After just a few minutes of driving, the earth beneath you turns black, and then there it is in front of you: Reynisfjara Beach. As you catch sight of the pitch-black sand, towering cliffs and the roaring waves crashing against the shore, you get chills from head to toe – yet another impressive show of nature's power! Cautiously, you head to the beach, heeding the warnings you heard about the dangerous and unpredictable 'sneaker waves' that can come from seemingly nowhere and take their victims by surprise. On the west end of the beach, you catch a glimpse of Iceland's volcanic history from its most beautiful side. The black, angular basalt columns of Hálsanefshellir Cave tower almost 50 feet high, creating a top-notch photo op. In the distance, you can already see your next destination: the Dyrhólaey Peninsula. Curiously, you hike over the steep cliffs and hope for a bit of luck so you can spot the adorable puffins that sometimes gather there. Then, you're off to the Sólheimasandur Plane Wreck, which looks like something straight of a film. Leaving your hire car in the car park, you trek through the lonely landscape. You feel the cool breeze against the distant backdrop of pitch-black rocks, mountains and the sea, and suddenly, the mysterious wreck appears before you – a truly unbelievable sight!

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.