Iceland Summer Road Trip — Natascha Klein

Have you ever dreamed of waterfalls glittering in the midnight sun, endless roads through surreal panoramic landscapes, mythical sagas, picturesque river deltas and unpredictable forces of nature, such as an eruption of a volcano? Ancient glaciers that carry the history of our earth, Nordic tundra with all its wonderful and unique inhabitants, numerous stories and relics about the Viking people and the most spectacular show the night sky has to offer, the dancing Aurora Borealis. For me, I have found my land of dreams - Iceland.

Personally, I have never found any other place in the world that can offer as much as this stunning island. Iceland never fails to fascinate, inspire, and touch me in unique ways, time and time again. 2021 was to be our Iceland year, travelling the island for nearly two months, both in winter and summer. It turned out to be an unforgettable year, as due to the pandemic, we were some of the only tourists on the island during the winter. To top it off, we experienced a fantastic summer with temperatures reaching up to +30 degrees celsius and weeks of continuous sunshine. It felt like we had the elves' blessing on our journey.

Heading North

26 June 2021 - Our journey begins. The van is packed to the brim with outdoor gear, wool sweaters and a few overlanding accessories also on board. We start late in the evening, as we prefer to drive through Germany at night when the roads are empty. We spent the whole night driving to reach Denmark, where we spend the next two days before the big journey to Iceland by ferry begins. We visit the largest shifting sand dune in northern Europe and explore the beaches by car, where you can look at the historic bunkers from the Second World War. The bunkers are right on the beach and are gradually being pulled into the ocean by the waves.

29 June - Arriving at the ferry harbour, the spectacle begins. Especially in the overlanding scene, Iceland is probably one of the most popular destinations of all. Numerous expedition vehicles and 4x4 off-road vehicles slowly line up for the ferry. The bigger the better seems to be the motto of many here. This makes us smile a bit, as we have neither four-wheel drive nor a snorkel or underbody protection with our old T5. We will see where the whole thing will lead us in the next few weeks. :)

We spend a total of 2.5 days on the Smyril Line ferry from Hirtshals to Seyðisfjörður, sailing past Norway, the Shetland Islands and the Faroe Islands to reach the open Atlantic. Food wise the ferry was a big disappointment - vegetarians can choose between French fries, pizza margarita and a veggie burger on board, but none of these are a real treat! You shouldn't rely on card payments on board either, so it's also highly recommended to have a few Danish Krone cash with you. Also consider bringing your own water as the tap water tastes like chlor.

The Arrival

1 July - Land in sight! With clear skies and the warm light of the morning sun, we reach the East Fjords of Iceland. We stand on deck and a few tears run down my cheeks. Iceland has a special effect on me, it will forever hold a place in my heart, and every moment I spend away from it makes me miss it even more, and I'm okay with that. I believe it's important to have a place that makes you dream, that inspires you and and is not always within reach, so it remains special. I adore the rugged, mystical landscape of the island, and as soon as I arrive, I know that the next few weeks will be remarkable, and I'll enjoy every moment of it. We say goodbye to our little cabin and head for our car. We leave the ferry in a convoy among all the overlanders. From the deck we could already spot some lupine fields in the fjord and so we decide to spend the day in Seyðisfjörður and enjoy the beautiful weather.

For several years now, we have spent every summer in northern Europe, always chasing the enchanting midnight sun. In order not to miss the magical light, we have got into the habit of being awake at night and sleeping during the day. This allows us to have all the wonderful places almost to ourselves and to photograph them in the most beautiful light conditions.

And so, on our first night in Iceland I turns out exactly like this. We head straight towards the Highlands in the East and our trusty old van, Wilma, maneuvers the bumpy roads with ease, always facing the midnight sun. Before the trip we equipped our van with all-terrain tires and sand plates, which are essential equipment for anyone planning to visit the Highlands with their vehicle. The bumpy gravel road leads us to one of Iceland's countless hot springs, in which we immediately take our first bath. At times like this, I can't help but wonder how such places could even exist. Our earth is full of natural wonders and especially in Iceland you can feel this every day. What a first night and what a way to start our journey!

Iceland summer roadtrip with self converted camper van

East & South Coast

Over the next few days we continue through the majestic East Fjords and along the stunning South Coast. With the most beautiful summer weather accompanying us along the way, we pass lupine fields, reindeer herds and watch the sea fog dance through the landscape at night. Here we do some hiking in the lush, magnificent valleys, go horse riding with Sophia from Glacier Horses, a lovely guide and owner of an authentic stud farm, nestled against the backdrop of spectacular glacier outcrops. And of course, we take every opportunity to bathe in the geothermal springs that cross our route. We follow the Ring Road, soaking up every moment of the journey, until we finally arrive on the Reykjanes Peninsula.

Fagradalsfjall Volcano

5 July - A very special natural spectacle has been taking place here for several months - the eruption of the volcano in the Fagradalsfjall mountain massif. On our winter trip, we already experienced the power of this volcano in the form of violent earthquakes. Unfortunately, we left exactly two days before the first eruption, so this time it is even more exciting for us to finally see the volcano. We spend the entire night watching the bubbling lava and the newly-formed barren nature. Moments like these make us realise just how small we humans really are in the grand scheme of things.

The Highlands

Accompanied by our new friend Jan, whom we met at the volcano, we set out towards the southern part of the Highlands. We decide to travel with just one vehicle and leave our van behind at the coast as Jan has a specially equipped 4x4 T6 with everything the off-road enthusiast's desires. With its high roof, the van offers enough space for the three of us.

Right on time at midnight we start the drive to one of the most famous areas in the Icelandic Highlands - Landmannalaugar. It feels like we have the roads to ourselves - the roads are totally desolate, and for miles, we don't come across any other car. The fog hovering between the mountains creates a mystical atmosphere, as if the elves and trolls of the Highlands are keeping a watchful eye on us. Daniel and I spend the first night in the tent before we continue the next day to Landmannalaugar Basecamp, from where we start to climb the Bláhnúkur volcano. The view from its top is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular sights that Iceland has to offer.

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

After spending a few delightful days exploring the Landmannalaugar area, we head back to the coast to our van.

We then continue towards the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in the west of Iceland. However, the strong winds and much colder temperatures on this side of Iceland make it difficult for us to stay for too long. Thus we decide to move further North, where an unforgettable sailing experience awaits us with our friends from Northsailing and Ocean Missions.

Sailing trip to the edge of the Arctic Circle

14 July - We board the magnificent Schooner Opál - a traditional two-mast sailing boat built in 1951 - to sail towards the northern islands of Flatey, Grímsey and Puffin Island together with North Sailing. Sailing on the adventurous Opál is an experience that leaves no one untouched, it brings together the best of both worlds, this vessel has an authentic charm while it is driven by an hybrid-electric engine. Under full sails it minimizes disturbance to nature and wildlife - probably the most important thing for me when it comes to boat adventures. We also sail together with Ocean Missions, an organization that conducts marine environmental research and education.

As we make our way across the water to the open sea, we are accompanied by whales, dolphins, and puffins - what an experience! Contrary to popular belief, the mainland of Iceland is not situated within the Arctic Circle. Only the island of Grímsey, located at 66° North, falls within the Arctic Circle and is the northernmost inhabited area of Iceland. The island is home to a few houses, many sheep and many more Arctic birds. Since cats and dogs are not allowed on the island, it is a great for bird watching, with sightings of puffins, razorbills, black guillemots, guillemots and several species of gulls. The protected crabeater can only be seen here on Grímsey, otherwise it is not found in Iceland.

Upon our return to Húsavík, we go back to our van and spend a few more days in the north of Iceland with our friends Hannes and Frauke. We enjoy the endless summer nights, driving through inactive volcanic craters, and soaking in hot springs before we begin our journey back towards the East Fjords, where we will spend the rest of our time in Iceland.

Nordic Summer Happiness

People often ask me, "What is your favorite destination in Iceland?" It's a tough question to answer because every time I visit this breathtaking island, I discover a new place that captures my heart. With its vast expanse, there are still many places I have not discovered yet. While I could never definitively choose a favorite, I find that some of the most beautiful surprises are often found off the beaten path. During our visit, we were incredibly fortunate to experience sunny weather throughout most of our trip, particularly on the East Coast, where we always found the most beautiful light. This led us to spend the majority of our time in this region, and once again, the East Coast conquered my heart. Below are some photos that showcase the joy and beauty of a Nordic summer. It was a perfect ending to our unforgettable summer adventure in Iceland.

The Faroe Islands

23 July - After one day on the Ferry we reach the stunning Faroe Islands and spend an entire week exploring the rugged landscape, taking advantage of the good weather conditions and go on breathtaking hikes. We enjoy the tranquility and nature of the islands to rewind the last weeks and reflect on the incredible journey we've experienced over the past few weeks. On the last few days the sea fog rolled in and prevents us from seeing anything. Five wonderful weeks come to an end and it was definitely one of my favorite weeks ever! I would have said that this wasn't our last summer trip with our van to Iceland, if the next adventure wasn't already waiting for us at home. 🐶