Our first 3 days of the 7 Days Complete Iceland Tour saw us went on the Golden Circle circuit, followed by ice caving on Iceland’s biggest ice cap. As we move northwards and away from the touristy Reykjavik, we saw more rugged natural landscapes and took a dip in a geothermal pool surrounded by a frozen lake and the serene mountains.
Moving on to the 4th day of our tour around Iceland, we ventured further inland of the land of ice and fire. We first got around the mountain range from our last accommodation to view the windswept Stuðlagil Canyon.
We then exited the snowy landscape to enter the Martian-like Hverir. With its billowing sulphric gases spewing from the ground, it felt totally out of this world. Equally mind-blowing was the lava field of Dimmuborgir with its towering lava pillars. We visited Goðafoss nestled within a snow capped landscape, before ending our day at Berjaya Akureyri Hotel.
Trip Overview
On Day 4, we completed the following itinerary:
0730: Breakfast
0830: Set off
1000 – 1040: Stuðlagil Canyon
1130 – 1230: Lunch at Beitarhúsið
1325 – 1405: Hverir
1410 – 1420: Myvatn
1430 – 1510: Lava field Dimmuborgir
1540 – 1640: Goðafoss (and Geitafoss)
1730: Check in to accommodation of the night – Berjaya Akureyri Hotel
1800: Exploring Akureyri town centre
2100: Chasing aurora at Akureyri Church and Akureyri Botanical Gardens
Our guide seemed to be playing a prank on us. We first plied a snowy road where everything the eyes could see was blanketed in white. Under the morning sun, we were so mesmerized that we stopped by the roadside just to take photos of this desolate landscape.
We then drove into a blizzard which began to blur the road ahead. We entered the mountains, which only meant the road got more rugged. There was even a point in time when we had to turn back due to bad road conditions!
Stuðlagil Canyon – Blizzard of a Lifetime
We eventually reached our first destination, Stuðlagil Canyon, after an hour and a half’s ride. We had stopped at the carpark overlooking the canyon. And if you think that was it, you’re wrong.
We had to climb 170 steps down the cliff side to the viewing deck. Adding to the challenge was the howling wind whipping snow onto our faces. Closer to the viewing deck, the steps became covered by thick ice slopes. We had to grip the stairs’ railings in order to get past it!
Of course, the ordeal was all worth it. Other than the snowy mountainscape across the canyon, we could also watch the blistering snow race the river down the canyon. It was an unbeatable view, and it’s unlikely I’ll ever see such a sight again.
Interestingly, there was a very well maintained toilet at Stuðlagil Canyon. Alas! It cost ISK 280 (USD 2) to enter. First paid toilet we encountered in Iceland? Yes. Did we use the toilet? Yes again. We had no choice as we were in a remote region of Iceland.
Beitarhúsið – Life in a Barren Snowfield
Since we were in the middle of nowhere, we also found a pit stop that was equally out of this world. It was so desolate that the winds whipped around the building at gale speed.
The owner knew that he had monopoly in the area. Hence, sandwiches and hotdogs made by my toddler niece cost a blistering ISK 3,170 (USD 23).
The place was also so small that it couldn’t hold more than 20 people. Many people either had to stand around or return to the bus. For those who self drive and has the liberty to choose, avoid this place at all cost.
While the wild and raw snowscape we encountered in the morning was overwhelming, it sort of satisfied my (lost) desire to visit Antarctica. Yup, cheap thrill, but given the constraints, we had to make do, ya?
Hverir – Encountering Otherworldly Life?
We soon exited the land of ice and entered the region of fire. The first spot was Hverir, which was a barren piece of land emitting sulfuric gases.
Online, Hverir was described as having the landscape of a moon. Honestly speaking, I didn’t know there was volcanic activity on the moon. But sans spewing gases, it did look like we were on another planet.
Of course, there was this stench of rotting eggs that grew stronger as we reached the bigger spouts. Folks with respiratory issues need to be wary of that and avoid venturing too far in (or not at all).
Despite how it looked like in the pictures, Hverir was still cold and unforgiving. That being a plain, the winds still picked up speed as it swept across the flat ground. Ice had also formed on the paths, and at places that were more trodden, it had melted and mixed with the dirt. Therefore, walking through the landscape was also challenging. A pair of crampons or a walking stick would be ideal when visiting Hverir in later winter.
Myvatn – Alternative Lifestyle in Northern Iceland
We were soon out of the geothermal spot and our guide Joey brought us to a viewing point that overlooked the Myvatn Pools and its surrounding town.
Like the Vok Baths that we visited the day before, and the popular Blue Lagoon down south Iceland, Myvatn Pools is a commercially developed geothermal pool touted for its health benefits. And like the Vok Baths, it’s less crowded than Blue Lagoon as it’s far from Reykjavik.
Lava field Dimmuborgir – Landmarks of another Lifetime
We next visited the lava fields of Dimmuborgir. Lava pillars were originally lava channels formed underground. Over the years, the soft rock surrounding it eroded, exposing the underlying lava rock which grew into towers.
In Dimmuborgir, the Icelanders made a park out of the cluster of lava pillars. Mind you, the entire park was massive. However, we only had the time (and energy) to explore the part nearest to the parking lot. Might as well, because there was a lot to see over there. The spot was also known as the gathering ground of the “5 lads”.
There were caves in which they took shelters. Rock formations were fashioned into thrones and furniture. It was a throwback to my childhood, except there was an entire park that catered to my adventuring fantasy!
Goðafoss (and Geitafoss) – Transcending Life’s Desires
Our next destination was Goðafoss, which is loosely translated to “Falls of the Gods” in English. Our guide told us that when Iceland converted to Christianity in AD 999, the lawmakers threw the statues of their pagan gods into this waterfall to make a proclamation.
Beyond the folklore, the falls were a sight to behold. The horseshoe falls stretched across the canyon where the water cascaded unevenly over its edges. As we were in the depths of the frozen northern lands, the entire landscape around the waterfall was covered in a thick blanket of untouched snow. The river carved a deep blue scar across the snowscape before making its torrential fall into the canyon.
Geitafoss, a smaller cascade, sat a few hundred metres away from Goðafoss. The water gushed through a tight bend spot, making up its petite size with its power. Apparently, there were trails along both sides of the canyon (via a truss bridge) to view the waterfalls. Unfortunately, it was closed in winter. Even the side that was opened to tourists was hard to traverse.
There was a path down the valley between the falls, but they were too slippery. The alternative was to walk around the top of the canyon, which was so thick with snow, what was once waist height railing was at my knees! The snow was so fine that the winds were whipping them up into the air.
#throwback remember when I mentioned in my review of Hilton Reykjavik Nordica that Icelanders knock off before their official knock off time? We encountered it again. The souvenir shop closed half an hour early! And that was considering there were still many visitors around the area. To think we had intended to do some shopping after visiting the falls…
Berjaya Akureyri Hotel
Our accommodation for the night was at Berjaya Akureyri Hotel in the northern city of Akureyri. Akureyri is the biggest settlement in northern Iceland. Many people also flew in from Reykjavik to start their tour of north Iceland. Located in the valley of the Eyjafjörður fjord, the town stretches from the waters up the sides of the mountains in a gradual slope.
Berjaya Akureyri Hotel sits at about halfway up the slope and being one of the tallest buildings around, it has a splendid view of the surrounding fjord. And yes, our hotel is owned by the Malaysian brand, and was by far the most “hotel” hotel we stayed at.
Overview of Berjaya Akureyri Hotel
Town: Akureyri
Room Number: 411
Room: Twin Single
Bathroom: Shower / Vanity Counter space / Toilet
Separate toilet and shower.
Room Amenities: Toiletries – shampoo, conditioner, shower gel/ Hair dryer / Power socket 3 by study, 1 by bedside / Heater in room
Safety: Card access to guest room rooms, but not guest room levels
Staff: Friendly / Helpful
Neighbourhood: Central
Getting around: 10 min walk to downtown.
After spending 3 nights in the lodgings of rural Iceland, it felt surreal stepping into the modern, minimalist lobby of Berjaya Akureyri Hotel. The lift was small and slow, but as we stayed just 2 levels above the lobby, it was easy getting in and out by the stairs.
Room – Modern, Spacious and Comfortable
The room sported an unconventional layout, where the shower and toilet were placed behind the bed with separate entrances. Even more eye-catching was its enormous windows that looked out over the town and the mountains beyond. Since the hotel is halfway up the mountainside, the view across the valley was superb, to say the least.
Our beds and sheets were also more comfortable than the night before. Each bed had 2 pillows, with spare in the open wardrobe. The wardrobe itself also came with plenty (6) of clothes hangers.
There was a long ottoman with a suitcase rack, making plenty of space to put our stuff. The desk was also a wall to wall shelf that offered plenty of horizontal real estate. We could even place our cooking ware comfortably, on top of the usual coffee machine, kettle and table lamps provided in the room. And speaking of the coffee machine, the complimentary coffee tasted rich and was a pleasure to sip on in the morning while enjoying the superb view.
Bathroom – Uniquely Designed Separate Toilet and Shower
As mentioned, there was a separate shower and toilet, which could be accessed from either side of the bed. The shower faced the window that faced the street – which was sorta weird. Even though there were 2 layers of curtains between me and the open space, it still felt weirdly voyeuristic showering. But of course, the real gripe was that it was cold showering with no doors. But the toiletries were from l’Occitane – so I ain’t complaining.
The toilet on the other side offered plenty of space for personal toiletries on its vanity counter. I would say it was even bigger than that of Hilton Reykjavik Nordica. There were also additional towels – 3 for each of us – which was a real luxury even in Asian standards.
Breakfast – Gratifying
Breakfast was at the Aurora restaurant, 1 level below the lobby. Aurora offered the standard European breakfast buffet spread, though with slightly more variety than our previous lodgings. Their pastries were the highlight of the day with their light and crispy texture. They also had well grilled bacon that was crispy but not tough.
Exploring Akureyri
Berjaya Akureyri Hotel being right in the middle of a rather established town, we had the opportunity for some R&R after checking in. The town centre was a 10 minute walk from the hotel. But be warned: the hotel was on the hillside, so walking in between these 2 spots would be a little bit tiring. Not to mention the occasional ice on the pavements.
The quaint town centre reminded me of Takayama and perhaps Adelaide. There was barely anyone on the streets, except for the salesperson in the shops. We had ice cream at an ice cream parlour, Ísbúðin. Ísbúðin had options with fancy toppings like candies and syrups – which was a bit of an overkill for a millennial.
Instead, we ordered a traditional scoop of Mocha on a cone. The ice cream was rich and creamy and the biscuit cone was crispy. I would say compared to its hot food, Iceland’s dairy products and desserts were more delicious.
Next, we did grocery shopping for our dinner cook-out. During our little excursion, we walked past plenty of restaurants offering different cuisines – Japanese, Italian, American to name a few – at different price points. The diversity made Akureyri suitable for every traveller. For those who don’t want to drive all the way around Iceland, flying into Akureyri and making it as a base would be a great idea.
Chasing Northern Lights in Akureyri
Throughout the day, we enjoyed clear skies. We were hoping that we could finally catch the northern lights in Iceland. In fact, some of our tour mates booked a (rather expensive – at more than USD200) tour to chase the lights. We opted to stay around town instead.
Following the advice I found online, we set off to the church (Akureyrarkirkja) and the Akureyri Botanical Garden (which were 5 and 10 minutes’ walk from the hotel, respectively) at 9pm.
Between the 2, I would say the Akureyri Botanical Garden would be a better choice to catch the aurora. The church grounds simply had too much light (even though I believe they dimmed the lights and changed it to a purple hue to avoid blinding light chasers). The garden, on the other hand, had little light pollution. There were literally no lights in and around the garden, so the only thing holding us back was the spooky darkness beyond the gates.
That being said, the sky was getting overcast by dusk. Although we could catch some light hints of the aurora, the full moon and passing clouds made it really difficult to see something decent.
Parting Words
Sad to say, we still didn’t manage to catch the aurora at Akureyri. However, we did have a day of good weather. We managed to catch the gorgeous scenery of Goðafoss, with its waters glistening under the setting sun. The clear skies also allowed us to see the lava pillars in their full glory.
We also experienced the power of the winds on Iceland, as it swept across the barren northern snowscape and across the Stuðlagil Canyon.
We heard that our tour mates who booked the aurora chasing tour managed to catch the northern lights. Their guides had made it a point to find a spot with clear skies. Another tour mate who stayed out till after midnight also caught the lights as the skies cleared up.
Some things are not meant to be. We just weren’t meant to see the aurora in Akureryi. But I still had hopes to finally see them in the remaining nights in Iceland. Till then, stay wanderlust!
This post is part of a series where I document my trip to Iceland chasing auroras. I had taken an 18-hour flight on Singapore Airlines’ Business Class to reach Iceland via Copenhagen. Then I spent a day at Reykjavik to recover from the long and tedious journey, while staying at Hilton Reykjavik Nordica.
All photos and videos were taken using Google Pixel 7 Pro, and edited with Google Photos and Snapseed