Landmannalaugur

We headed into the Iceland Highlands on an extremely bumpy gravel road (for 3+ hours!) to get to Landmannalaugur, which is a camp from which you can do many day- and multi-day hikes in Iceland.

Our rented vehicle had to "ford" through many such shallow streams on the way!
(here is Kelvin gauging whether we'd make it across [the first one]. There were many more!)

The scenery was gorgeous!  The hills, with volcanic minerals, appear "painted."

Sheep resting

  
The area is known for thermal activity and natural hot springs (here I am testing out the hot water).

 

We started our hike through the Laugahraun lava field to Mt. Brennisteinsalda ("Sulfur Wave"). We stopped to take a LOT of pictures, and finished the 6.3-km round trip in about 3 hours.

 

 

 

"boy band" picture

thermal pool

Eddie's jumping picture was the best!

 

Atop Mt. Brennisteinsalda (2805 ft, 855 m), one of the most colorful volcanoes in Iceland.

 

We found snow!

(and some mountain sheep)

Smelly sulfur steam

Landmannalaugur was a difficult-to-get-to place, and a pretty rigorous hike, but well worth it!

Ice Lagoon, Skaftafell, Canyon hikes, and Black Sand Beach

Our second day in Iceland, we drove East on the southern Ring Road towards Höfn.

Our first stop, about 2.5 hours from Vik, was Jökulsárlón a Glacier Lagoon with giant floating ice pieces drifting down from the glacier tongue.

It was a bit cold!

We then headed to the Skaftafell entrance to Vatnajökull National Park, which houses the massive (13.5% of Iceland and world's third largest) Vatnajökull glacier.

We hiked to Svartifoss waterfall.

By the roadside was another beauty, Foss á Síðu.

We hiked along Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon.

Our day ended at Reynisfjara, with Black Sand Beach, Reynisdrangur (offshore sea stacks), and these awesome basalt columns.

The last wonder of the day was that ... our luggage was delivered to our apartment!  I can wear a new outfit for tomorrow's pictures! :)