The Land of Fire and Ice - Adventures in Iceland
"We are only human, and the gods have fashioned us for love. That is our great glory, and our great tragedy." — Maester Aemon
“Laugh when you can. Apologize when you should. Forgive when you can. Let go when you need to. Life is too short to hold onto things that steal your happiness.” - Charlie Brown
“Never forget the ones who saw you at your lowest point, and instead of offering judgment and distance, they extended presence and grace - those are your people.” - Terrence Lester
Chasing Waterfalls and Catching Puffins: The Ultimate Iceland Family Hiking Adventure
Land of Fire, Ice, and Flying Saucers
10 min read | Iceland
Day 1: Jetlag, Flying Saucers, and Hidden Canyons
Landing at Keflavík Airport at 8:30 AM after an overnight flight, we hit the ground running. First strategic move? Hit the local Icelandic Costco to stock our pantry for the week. While we got plenty of practical groceries, the undisputed MVP of our shopping cart was a bag of flying saucer candies, which we completely devoured before even reaching our lunch spot at a bakery in Hveragerði.
With full bellies, we drove east toward our first major sightseeing milestone: Seljalandsfoss. This legendary waterfall drops over 200 feet, and the true magic is the trail that loops directly behind the roaring curtain of water. We were incredibly thankful for our raincoats; the sheer volume of water generates an enormous cloud of freezing spray!
Just a short walk away, we discovered Gljúfrabúi. At first glance, you can only see the very top of the falls peeking over massive boulders. To get the full, immersive experience, we waded a short distance directly back into a hidden canyon slot. It felt like stumbling into a secret world.
We finished our evening with a three-hour drive to the Black Beach Suites in Vík, our home base for the next four nights. After cooking a quick dinner, we headed down to the local black sand beach to watch the waves roll in under the arctic twilight.
Day 2: Icebergs, Organs, and Jelly Pizza
Our second morning took us further along the southeastern coast. We paused to look out across the Skaftáreldahraun Lava Field, a sobering landscape born from one of the largest recorded lava flows in human history, which choked the region for eight months in the 1780s.
From fire, we moved directly to ice: Vatnajökull National Park, home to Europe’s largest glacier and the famous Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. Seeing massive blocks of ancient ice crumble away into the expanding lagoon was incredibly beautiful, yet a stark, obvious reminder of the ongoing effects of global warming. Right across the road sits Diamond Beach (Breiðamerkursandur). Here, chunks of ice drift out from the lagoon, get polished smooth by the North Atlantic waves, and wash back up onto the jet-black sand like glistening, translucent sculptures. We capped the experience off by jumping onto a lagoon boat tour, allowing us to get close enough to touch the floating fragments of the glacier.
Heading back, we stopped at Skaftafell for a hike up to Svartifoss (Black Falls). The 80-foot waterfall tumbles over a dramatic cliffside flanked on both sides by dark, geometric basalt columns that look exactly like the pipes of a giant church organ.
By the time we hit the road back to Vík, the family was entirely wiped out. Only the driver stayed awake, save for a few brief moments to chase some roadside sheep and admire a random, unnamed waterfall. We celebrated a massive day by trying a local specialty: pizza topped with jelly. Don’t knock it until you try it!
Day 3: Volcanic Bombs and Shoulder-Sitting Puffins
We woke up early to catch a ferry to Heimaey, the only inhabited island in the Westman Islands chain. This place is an absolute goldmine for volcanic history, wildlife, and incredible food.
We spent our morning exploring the town center and learning about the devastating 1973 eruption that lasted for five months and buried a large portion of the island. After touring the historic churches, fortress, and harbor, we joined a volcano and puffin tour. We stood at Stórhöfði—rightfully known as the windiest place in Europe—marveled at the famous Elephant Rock, and explored the Eldfell volcano. The absolute highlight? Collecting volcanic bombs and getting to hold wild puffins. A few of the birds even decided that our shoulders and heads made excellent resting perches!
To end our island excursion, we tackled Heimaklettur. This is a strenuous, heart-pounding 4-mile scramble to the highest point on the island. We scaled near-vertical wooden ladders and clambered up steep rock faces, but the reward was an unmatched panoramic view of the harbor. We proudly signed the logbook at the summit to mark our family achievement.
Day 4: Trapped Ghosts and Walking on Ice
After a relentless pace, the next day was a designated recovery day. We spent a relaxing morning walking the black sands near our suite and headed into town to grab a bowl of hot lava soup at The Soup Company—hands down one of our absolute favorite meals of the entire trip.
Refueled and rested, we drove to Skógafoss to begin a trek on the world-renowned Fimmvörðuháls trail. Walking up "Waterfall Way," we passed a staggering 26 distinct waterfalls cascading along the Skóga River. Unfortunately, mother nature had other plans for us. As we approached the end of the waterfall sequence, the trail was closed due to treacherous, dangerous winds. It was easily the windiest place I have ever stood. Walking directly into the gale was nearly impossible, forcing us to take shelter behind giant boulders just to catch our breath.
Adapting on the fly, we redirected to the Sólheimajökull glacier. Thanks to the detour, we were able to strap on our gear and actually step out to walk on the ancient glacial ice.
On our drive toward Reykjavik, we made a series of quick stops: the tranquil Flói Bird Preserve, the lonely Hafnarnes Lighthouse, and the boiling vents of Gunnuhver. Gunnuhver is a highly active geothermal area of roaring steam vents and mud pools named after Guðrún, a female ghost whose spirit was supposedly trapped in the springs by a priest 400 years ago. The vents spew 100% seawater at temperatures scaling past 570°F!
Day 5: Cracking the Cave of Glymur
We spent our next day relaxing at the world-famous Blue Lagoon. We slathered on the geothermal face scrubs and spent hours floating through the milky blue thermal waters. While it was undeniably crowded and expensive, the consensus was unanimous: totally worth the crowds and the money.
The following morning, we treated ourselves to breakfast at Bernhöftsbakarí, Iceland's oldest bakery, which opened its doors right next to our hotel back in 1834.
With some pastries in our system, we drove out to face Glymur, Iceland's second-tallest waterfall at 650 feet. This 8-mile hike is a true, rugged adventurer's trail that can only be completed on foot. We had to flashlight our way through a dark volcanic cave and balance across a log bridge over a rushing river to finally stand at the very peak of the canyon looking down. It was a steep, grueling climb, but easily one of the most rewarding vistas of the trip.
Day 6: Game of Thrones and The Golden Circle
Our final full day in Iceland was a whirlwind of iconic sights. Our first stop was Þórufoss, a beautiful 62-foot waterfall tucked away in a quiet river valley. Fans of Game of Thrones will recognize it immediately as the rocky home of the Children of the Forest.
From there, we drove into Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park. This site holds an immense double meaning: it served as the home of Iceland's open-air parliament from the 10th to the 18th centuries, and it sits directly inside a massive rift valley caused by the pulling apart of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. Walking between those towering stone fissures is something we won't soon forget.
For lunch, we snagged a table at Friðheimar, a unique greenhouse restaurant where tomatoes are grown year-round under powerful artificial lights. You literally dine at tables nestled right next to the vines, enjoying fresh tomato soup and hot bread surrounded by green leaves.
We wrapped up our journey with the classic Golden Circle stops: the Haukadalur Geothermal Area, where we watched the lively Strokkur geyser explode a 100-foot plume of water into the air every few minutes, followed by the thunderous Gullfoss Waterfall. Our final geographic stop was Kerið, a stunning volcanic crater lake framed by fiery red rock that is over 3,000 years old.
We couldn't leave Iceland without trying their most famous street food. We ended the trip huddled together and enjoyed traditional Icelandic hot dogs—warm, steamed buns packed with raw white onions, crispy fried onions, ketchup, sweet brown mustard, and plenty of caper-and-herb remoulade. It was the perfect, savory exclamation point on an unforgettable family expedition.
Quick Summary
Epic Waterfalls: Explored massive cascades including Seljalandsfoss, Gljúfrabúi, Svartifoss, Skógafoss, Glymur, Þórufoss, and Gullfoss.
Glacial Encounters: Boated alongside icebergs at Jökulsárlón, walked the diamond-strewn sands of Breiðamerkursandur, and stepped onto the ice at Sólheimajökull.
Volcanic Exploration: Ferry-tripped to Heimaey Island to scramble up Heimaklettur, collect volcano bombs, and hold wild puffins.
Geothermal Wonders: Soaked in the famous Blue Lagoon and witnessed boiling mud pools at Gunnuhver and spouting geysers at Strokkur.
Unique Local Eats: Fueling up on flying saucer candy, hot lava soup, greenhouse-grown tomato dishes, jelly pizza, and traditional Icelandic hot dogs.
The land of fire and ice