Most people who visit Iceland spend much of their time in Reykjavik and many sign up for guided tours in order to see the natural wonders for which the island is famous. Three of the most popular tourist hotspots, known collectively as the Golden Circle, are Pingvellir National Park, Geysir and Gullfoss. The former harbors spectacular scenery and geologic features that bear witness to the tectonic forces that created (and continue to mold) Iceland; Geysir offers a roadside collection of hot springs and geysers while Gullfoss, one of the largest and most scenic waterfalls on the island, funnels waters from the Langjokull Glacier and other highlands to its north. Unfortunately, all three of these sites also attract hordes of tourists, arriving in a never-ending parade of buses during the warmer months of the year.
After visiting these natural wonders ourselves, we escaped to the southern coast and headed east on Route 1, the 900 mile highway that circles through Iceland. En route, we observed rich valley farmlands, numerous waterfalls, rocky coastal headlands, vast lava plains and a glimpse of the glaciers that loom above the mountain ridge just north of the highway. While many of these landscape features are mentioned in the guide books, they do no rise to the level of the Golden Circle, nor are they close enough for the bus tours from Reykjavik. But to truly appreciate the geography and ecosystems of a country, one must also travel to and through its less renowned areas; for many of us, these uncrowded regions prove to be especially rewarding.
At the end of our second day in Iceland, we settled down near Skaftafell National Park, at the southern edge of Vatnajokull, the largest glacier in Europe. We planned to hike at the Park in the morning before continuing our circumnavigation of this spectacular country.
