6 Days and No Nights in Iceland
Images from an all-too-quick adventure
As it turns out, 6 days is not a lot of time for Iceland.
But if you make the most of long summer days around the solstice, you can see a lot. The sun rises around 3:00 a.m. and sets close to midnight. The rest of the time is “civil twilight” when the sun never dips more than 6 degrees below the horizon. In other words, it never really gets dark.
This opens up great opportunities for photography. All that light means there’s plenty of time to get a jump on sightseeing buses packed with tourists. My travel buddies and I decided to go for it and see as much as possible.
Fair warning, in peak season, when you pull off the road to set-up camera gear, you’ll attract a posse. Cars pull off behind you figuring you must be on to something. The further away we traveled from Reykjavik, the more we didn’t have to share every spot with a crowd.
It’s true, sometimes Iceland feels like another planet.
The lunar-like landscapes are mesmerizing. Adding contrast are giant waterfalls set inside lush rolling hills. I used a Canon 16–35mm most of the time, trying to capture the wide vistas. I liked shooting with this wide-angle lens so much I left it on even walking around town.
Weather can be tricky in Iceland. Timing is everything when it comes to getting good shots. After a long drive, you might find your destination socked in with fog. That’s when you head to the pub.
Sometimes heavy weather is fine for adding to the mood. Reynisfjara black sand beach was dark and eerie when we arrived right before a storm. Given this was a Game of Thrones filming location, it kind of worked for photos.
The wind is very real.
Keeping water drops off camera lenses can be a frequent issue. Drizzle and high winds materialize out of nowhere. Lens caps float away like frisbees.
I guess a tip-off to the high winds should be that rental car agencies offer “gravel protection.” Not only for rough roads but for actual wind-blown flying gravel. The rough winds can sneak up you as you open a car door with a force that could rip it right off.
Neverending surprises
This place has textures, colors, and rock formations, unlike anything I’ve seen. Feeling like we were scratching the surface on this trip makes me excited to return. Next time the southern glaciers, the Westfjords, and the ring road will be on my list.
Wandering around Reykjavik
Even with only a few days in this country, we had a great time exploring. Most days we traveled through ever-changing landscapes. During the long summer evenings, there was plenty of time for nice hangs back in Reykjavik.
There’s creative energy in town all along the streets and it’s inspiring. Architecture is striking and street art is vibrant. It’s a compact city that’s easy to explore on foot. Without walking far, you can discover some interesting bars, restaurants, and shops. Many with a style and feel that seem unique to this place.
It’s easy to base in Reykjavik and see waterfalls, glaciers, and geysers all within a 90-minute drive. The Golden Circle, a scenic loop filled with some jaw-dropping sites, is only a day trip. It can be short or long, depending on how much time you spend at each location. Likewise, venturing down the southern coast to the town of Vik is a manageable trek.
What destination should be at the top of your list?
Snaefellsness Peninsula.
About two hours from Reykjavik, this region juts out along the west coast. Locals call it “Iceland in a nutshell” because it has a little bit of everything. In one fairly small region, there are rugged mountains, calderas, caves and lava fields. We based one night here so that we could explore more and drive less. It’s a welcome contrast to the city.
Each new place we went to made me want to explore deeper into the country. I’m grateful for the short adventure and can’t wait to go back.
If you go, safe travels and let me know what you think.
All photos by Tom O’Connor (Canon 5d MkIV, iPhone X)
follow me on Medium and Instagram @tom.oconnor
Good Travel Resources:
Iceland Travel Guide: Tips and Road Trip Itinerary by Alex Cornell
A Medium post from 2015 packed with good information and beautiful imagery. It drills down deep with great tips and suggested itineraries. Still holds up very well. I found a lot of inspiration here.
Great perspective from a local. Auður was born and raised in Reykjavik and created this website dedicated to travel in Iceland. Great information on local culture and all the quirky things you might encounter. Well-planned, useful itineraries and all the basic info worth knowing.
If you’re new to photography, here’s some gear you might want to keep in mind:
A Wide Angle Lens (The Canon 16–35 is very useful and light). If you don’t have one, consider renting from Adorama or BorrowLenses.com
Extra Batteries — You’ll be on the road a lot with no place to recharge.
Wind Sleeves and Lens Hoods — Even a cheap rain sleeve like this one available on Amazon will come in handy.
A Monopod — Easy to travel with and it helps if you are using long lenses, especially in the wind.
Lots of lens cloths.
