I’m always amazed by how much you can do with a short stay in Iceland. For a week this August I worked from my company’s office in Reykjavik, but I had just one day to myself before returning to Philly. So I spent a lot of time thinking about the best day hikes I could do with just one free day. I whittled all of my ideas down to a list of seven and wrote this article for Matador Network.
Now, a few weeks later I’m back to thinking about all exploring I’ve done in Iceland and I wanted to share a few thoughts and ideas.
1. A hike at Landmannalaugar is one of the best things you can do in Iceland.
Landmannalaugar is my favorite place to hike in Iceland that can be done as a day trip from Reykjavik. The rhyolite mountains here are simply astounding. If you want to get there on your own, you should have a 4×4 vehicle and be up for a bumpy adventure. If you don’t have your own vehicle, Reykjavik Excursions offers bus transfers there and back to Reykjavik.
2. Gljúfrafoss, the semi-secret waterfall, is an easy add-on.
You’ll probably be stopping at Seljalandsfoss while you’re in Iceland. This famous waterfall is about 80 miles south of Reykjavik on the ring road and has a trail that winds behind the falls. But there’s another beautiful waterfall just a few minutes walk away that most visitors don’t know about. From Seljalandsfoss, follow the signs and walk the paved trail about a quarter mile to Gljúfrafoss. Inside a short mossy cavern you’ll find this amazing spectacle.
3. If you love abandoned stuff, hike out to an old plane crash on the south coast.
This is admittedly a boring and flat 4 mile round-trip hike, but if you are in to seeing an old plane crash this might be worth it for you. The plane is an old US Navy DC 3 that crash-landed here in 1973.
This place has become more popular lately so there’s a new parking lot at the trail head. It’s about a two-hour drive from Reykjavik on your right. Here’s a map:
4. Take the ferry out to the Westman Islands and explore.
This is one of the best day trips from Reykjavik. Book a round-trip ferry ticket for you and your car so you can easily explore the small island of Heimaey, the largest of the Westman Islands and home to the only town in the archipelago.
First thing you should do is hike up Eldfell for one of the best views in all of Iceland. Eldfell, meaning fire mountain, was formed in 1973 during a volcanic eruption. After your hike, roam around, exploring the roads and beaches.
If you’re lucky, you might see some of the thousands of puffins that nest here during the spring and summer. The last time I was here I got to see some local kids release rescued puffins back into the wild.
If you’d like to see more of the Westman Islands, book a boat tour. And if you like whales, check out the new Beluga Sanctuary. There’s so much you can do with your day here.
5. You have a good chance of seeing the Northern Lights if you travel in the fall.
September is one of the best months to see the Northern Lights in Iceland. You’d think it would be January or February, but September is just as active and the weather is often much better than the middle of winter. Snow doesn’t usually arrive until October, so you can still do some of the best hikes. And the colors! Reds and oranges and golds paint the hills. Blueberries are ripe. September is my favorite month to visit Iceland.
