Our keep at The FossHotel Glacier Lagoon, after the day earlier than spent exploring among the finest waterfalls in Iceland, was just for one night time however this was as far East as we might be going – hotels-wise.
We truly selected it initially attributable to its proximity to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon in addition to Stokksnes but in addition as a result of it could be our first time doing an ice cave tour in Iceland which might be leaving from Vik.
Again, Vik isn’t too removed from right here in order that simply works good for our plans for the day.
Now we’d truly left our lodge reserving for Iceland until fairly late this summer season and each single place gave the impression to be absolutely booked.
It was then we realised how unfold out resorts had been as a result of, in a great world, we might have relatively booked resorts with a lot shorter drives in between them however hey ho.
The good factor is that the drive the day earlier than was in all probability the longest drive between resorts we’d should do.
Plus this lodge was fairly near Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, which we made our very first cease that morning.
Thankfully the fog from the day earlier than had lifted and we had clearer skies for our go to to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon in the present day.
The final time we had been at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, it was throughout a snowstorm and you may barely see something in any respect.
It was so unimaginable seeing all of the, typically gigantic, icebergs floating previous.
Every so usually they’d crack and create smaller icebergs which arrived full with a wave to usher them alongside their merry method.
This journey was additionally the primary time we’d noticed the wildlife at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon.
We noticed a seal swimming round and I believe it’s the primary time I’ve ever seen a seal in Iceland in all of the years we’ve been visiting.
We additionally noticed geese taking part in round within the water right here too.
Leaving Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, we made our method over to Stokksnes – which is that this space with this grand seaside and towering mountains standing guard over it.
You truly should pay to go to this place if you happen to drive right here which is so in contrast to most locations in Iceland.
There’s additionally a bit of ‘village’ right here which is the place The Witcher on Netflix was filmed.
The finest time to go to is when the tide is a bit in and it creates this mirror-like impact that appears completely dramatic with the mountains within the background.
We didn’t examine the tide occasions earlier than we visited Stokksnes and actually even when we did, we nonetheless wouldn’t have had a lot alternative as we might solely actually go to at a selected time given our schedule.
If you’re nevertheless travelling alongside additional or staying right here for longer, I’d positively suggest being strategic with the time of day you go to Stokksnes.
Leaving Stokksnes, we made our method over to Vik for one thing we had been very enthusiastic about.
So a lot in order that it was the very very first thing we booked after reserving our tickets to Iceland.
See in Vik we might lastly get the prospect to enter an ice cave.
We’d tried doing this just a few years earlier than however the snowstorm in Iceland scuppered all probability of that.
This time it appeared extra probably however then as we left Stokksnes, the climate simply appeared to take a wierd flip.
The darkish clouds descended alongside the way in which and got here with some thick fog to maintain it firm.
At this level, I wasn’t fairly certain what climate circumstances this go to to the ice caves might run beneath but it surely wasn’t wanting promising.
Still although, our lodge was in Vik so we simply carried on our journey.
We stayed on the Hotel Kria in Vik and it’s truly fairly good.
It’s pretty easy in the way in which most Icelandic resorts are however appears fairly constructed for plenty of social enjoyable with video games rooms and areas to only hand around in.
We truly checked into this lodge within the rain and after dropping our stuff off, headed over to city to fulfill our guides for the ice cave go to.
We booked this ice cave tour on Get Your Guide – it’s this particular one right here and I can’t suggest it sufficient.
You may e-book a Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon tour right here too.
There are a number of issues you are able to do in Iceland with out a information and a go to to an ice cave isn’t a kind of issues.
You must e-book on an official ice cave tour since you want somebody to take you right here as a result of there are such a lot of errors one might make in the event that they attempt to go to on their very own.
For starters, the entire space is surrounded by quicksand however you received’t know which elements are quicksand and which elements are simply common.
It’s all of the volcanic ash that’s launched that makes it this fashion.
It’s so superb and has been trapped within the ice for ages and launched because it melts which may be tough to navigate when it will get moist.
Then there’s the entire entry to the ice cave itself.
You received’t know which one to enter and even how you can get into the place.
The guides accomplish that you’ll want them for this.
Also, keep in mind ice caves are continually melting so the guides are those that know which of them are robust sufficient to go to and which of them you might want to keep away from.
Anyway so yeah, we went off to fulfill our information as I child you not, as he drove us nearer to the ice cave, the climate began to clear.
We had been simply happy that the rain had stopped, however the climate determined to take issues up a notch and convey out this wonderful sunshine.
It was like all of the fog and rain had by no means even occurred.
We had been fitted with crampon attachments for our sneakers and hardhats and off we went into the ice cave.
It was completely wonderful by the way in which.
So attractive and the colors inside it had been phenomenal.
It kinda brings the entire expertise earlier at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon full circle too.
It additionally opens up on the different finish wanting into the glacier.
It was melting on the entrance after we received in however not likely inside.
Inside, the ground was coated by the ash launched from when it melted.
If you take a look at the ice partitions contained in the ice cave, you’ll be able to see every time the volcano erupted and launched ash (depicted by the road of the ash inside) then all of the snow that collected on high of it, then the following volcanic eruption, adopted by the snow and so forth and so forth.
It’s unimaginable. It’s like this snapshot into the pure historical past of the world.
After taking our time marvelling at this place, it was ultimately time to go away and if you happen to take a look at the glacier round right here, you’d truly assume they’re mountains.
They are coated in ash and look similar to that.
It’s solely if you look nearer that you simply realise it’s all ice beneath them.
Anyway, suffice to say, we left that have so completely happy.
It was so unimaginable seeing Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon after which occurring this ice cave tour that confirmed the place the icebergs within the lagoon began off as and even Stokksnes that confirmed the way in which the ice and ash formed the panorama in Iceland.
Like I mentioned this ice cave tour was the very first thing we booked for Iceland, even earlier than reserving our resorts and we’re so happy it was so value it. Absolutely wonderful.
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