The "Geldingadalir" eruption
The volcano eruption in „Geldingadalir“ is only one hour and a half drive away from the „Gamla húsið“ It is about 1,5 hours walk from the Parking-places to the volcano. It is not very difficult, ....but not very easy either. Everyone in a medium good shape should be able do that but for little children it is difficult.
If you want to experience the visit to there, we recommend driving i n the early afternoon so you can experience the fires, during the night, if you are here during that time of the year when the sun goes under? Everyone knows that June and July, the nights here in Iceland are very bright.
Hikers should have good walking-shoes on and bring with them „warmer” clothes. We recommend travellers to take something with them to drink and eat.
If you want to experience the visit to there, we recommend driving i n the early afternoon so you can experience the fires, during the night, if you are here during that time of the year when the sun goes under? Everyone knows that June and July, the nights here in Iceland are very bright.
Hikers should have good walking-shoes on and bring with them „warmer” clothes. We recommend travellers to take something with them to drink and eat.
Day One
Start the day taking a bath/sauna/hot tub/cold tub and swim in the very clean and nice swimming hall in Selfoss. Look here: https://sundlaugar.is/sundlaugar/sundholl-selfoss/
By the way, starting the day in the Swimminghall is something many of our guests have made a „every day habit“ Visit Þingvellir. Drive 30 km and 30 back „home “ One should use a whole day/afternoon when they visit Þingvellir. The place is so filled with beautiful nature and history. No single place epitomizes the history of Iceland and the Icelandic nation better than Þingvellir by the river Öxará. At Þingvellir - literally "Assembly Plains" - the Alþingi general assembly was established around 930 and continued to convene there until 1798. Major events in the history of Iceland have taken place at Þingvellir and therefore the place is held in high esteem by all Icelanders. Today Þingvellir is a protected national shrine. According to the law, passed in 1928, the protected area shall always be the property of the Icelandic nation, under the preservation of the Alþing. In Þingvellir there is a small Service building where one can buy some snacks or food, but making a „picnic“ is a good idea. Look here: https://www.thingvellir.is/en/ Day four
Maybe this is the right day for a visit and experience the Blue lagoon https://www.bluelagoon.com/
and to visit our capital city Reykjavík. https://reykjavik.is/en
Drive to Vík and,.......
A bit under 2 hours drive to Vík from the Gamla húsið Many of our guests especially those who have their teenage children traveling with them, want to take a look at the plain wreck in Sólheimasandur, around 6 km east from Skógafoss. The singer Justin Bieber made a music-video there which makes it very popular for young people to visit. Dyrhólaey, 9 km before Vík, is one of the „Much see“ places here in Iceland. Next to that, there is the Reynisfjara, called in English The Black beach or the Diomond beach. Vík is a beautiful nice village and the nature around it is beautiful. You need to take a walk on the beach and feel the stones there, ...so soft and nice in your hands. There is a nice restaurant in the hotel Vík. Þakgil, (only available during the summer, 1.june – 1.september, the road up there is closed during the winter.) one more “Icelandic diamond“ is a place in the mountains and going there, you leave the main road nr 1, about 10 km east from Vík. The distance from the nr1 is about 30 km and the road is small so if you meet a car on the way, you should either stop to let him pass, or he will stop to let you pass. There are so many beautiful places you will see on the way up there, drive slowly and carefully. This road is sometimes closed It has been a long day, and now you need 2 ½ hours to get „home“ |
Day Two
A hike to the geothermal bathing place in the Varmá river/Hveragerði. Drive for 10min and hiking for 30-45 min and 30min back.
In Hveragerði, a small town 7 km west from Gamla húsið, there runs the river Varmá which is a river of geothermal warm water coming down the mountain. Guests can make a hike up the riverbank until they reach a place popular for bathing. The hike takes normally from 30-45min and is pretty steep at parts but everyone can do it. After the bath/hike a good idea is to take a nice lunch in the Scandinavian restaurant Matkráin https://www.matkrain.is/ in Hveragerði. Really nice, clean restaurant that serves Open sandwisches and other dishes. Wery good service and prices are friendly. The Caves of Hella A recipe for a good afternoon is to visit the Caves of Hella, located in Hella about 30min drive from the Gamla húsið. https://www.cavesofhella.is/ For those interested in history of Iceland, this is a „must“ visit.
Þjórsárdalur/Gjáin/Stöng
1-hour drive and 1-hour back „home. This will be a day you can´t forget. The places and waterfalls you are about to visit are so unbelievably beautiful. https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALeKk0164c7OPqhu_KQ1soMsX0AIQPfDQg:1597083855208&source=univ&tbm=isch&q=%C3%BEj%C3%B3rs%C3%A1rdalur&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj8wfb-oJHrAhVwThUIHdkpBbMQsAR6BAgJEAE&biw=1440&bih=789 In Þjórsárdalur there are so many things to discover and see, you need a whole day there. It is not just the nature, you need to see the Þjóðveldisbærinn http://www.thjodveldisbaer.is/en The waterfalls Hjálparfoss and Háifoss are among the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland. |
Day Three
The waterfalls Seljalandsfoss, Gljúfurbúi, Skógarfoss and the Skógar-museum.
Driving for total 1 ½ hour, and 1 ½ hour back „home“, first stop Waterfall/Seljalandsfoss. https://guidetoiceland.is/travel-iceland/drive/seljalandsfoss After hiking under/behind this beautiful waterfall, one can hike for 100m direction north and look at the very special small waterfall gljúfurbúi. https://magicalskyiceland.com/waterfalls-south-coast/__gljufurbuiph3a9988_72dpi/ After Gljúfurbúi, drive on direction East for ½ hour to the waterfall Skógafoss https://guidetoiceland.is/travel-iceland/drive/skogafoss From the Skógafoss waterfall, one can walk to the Skógar museum https://www.skogasafn.is/
Geysir/Gullfoss/Friðheimar/
Laugavatn 2 hour drive total Start in Geysir, a famous hot spring in the geothermal area of Haukadalur Valley. Drive on to Gullfoss waterfall. After Gullfoss a perfect idea is to take a lunch in Friðheimar, a Tomato farm/restaurant, a place of „must visit“ They serve a very nice Tomato soup served with real home baked bread. You can see the greenhouses where the tomato’s grow and learn about that. After Friðheimar, drive to Laugarvatn and experience a fabulous geothermal sauna bath. |
