one week in iceland

Fly through Iceland Air to Reykjavik, rent an SUV because some spots you'll need a 4x4 to get to. We booked through Expedia but keep in mind checked baggage is about $100 each there and $60 each going back! Info we wish we saw before packing two large bags.. Compare flights from icelandair.com it might be worth the extra cost! Also weather is very unpredictable so it's best to be prepared for anything!If you're going in the winter, tights are your best friend. I was surprised I could fit tights under my skin tight jeans!
All the flights we've taken from Vancouver to Reykjavik we've landed very early in the morning, so see if you can request an early check in to your airbnb or hotel.

Cost: Be prepared, Icelandic Kronor will sound like everything is super expensive. I mean it will be, but not as bad as it sounds. The first time we were here and we ordered two coffees and two croissants it came to 2000.00 which is translated to about $22 US

Food: $25-40 for a meal. A sandwich is easily $15-25, latte $7 Hotels: $150-350 but a lot of hotels have buffet breakfast included
Icelandic Sweater or blanket: $250 Blue Lagoon: $100+ each

DAY 1 Reykjavik

We left rainy Vancouver at around 5pm Jan 19th 2018.  The Icelandair flight from Vancouver to Keflavik is about 7 hours, they have personal screens with movies and Icelandic treats to buy while you fly.  They have Icelandic words and quotes all over the plane which I think is so damn cute. Listen to some Icelandic music while you fly too!  Keep your eye out for northern lights on your way! Happened to us on the right sight of the plane. Have some Skyr, it's delicious. Arrive in Keflavik, pick up your rental car and depending if you're alive or dead tired you can check out Reykjavik or go to your hotel/air bnb and check in!
Recommended Accommodation: Kex Hostel $$, Foss Hotel Reykjavik $$$, Air BnB $ (The one we stayed with 2 years ago isn't avail anymore)
Reccomended Food & drink: Joe & the Juice (Sex me up juice is my fav) Great latte's
Cafe Loki right beside the iconic Reykjavik church "Hallgrímskirkja" sit by the window for an amazing view. Try the fermented shark! Dinner: Public house Gastropub has great share plates, Icelandic Street Food has great seafood soup and you must try a Plysur (hot dog) from anywhere you see it. As for vegetarian/vegan food there are options but you'll have to do your research!

Day 2 Garður - Lighthouse Inn 

If you're wanting to go check out the small town vibes and see if you can catch the northern lights, we recommend staying at Lighthouse Inn in Garður. We had a very warm welcome to this cute completely wood panelled rancher type hotel. While waiting for it to get dark outside we had ciders by the bar and played some pool. It felt like we were the only ones there and we didn't mind that at all! The price is right too, we only paid $100 a night. The rooms are cozy and you can't help but feel like you're in a room temperature sauna smelling the cedarwood everywhere you go. You can check out the windows for the northern lights and when you see it, drive over to the lighthouse! Drive in without your lights on because people were there every night taking long exposure shots of the colourful skies.

day 3 Reynisfjara black sand beach (Vik)

Start your drive towards Reynisfjara Beach and make the following stops: Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, Skógafoss Waterfall, Gullfoss Waterfall, Geysir & if you want a hot spring half way you have to check out Hrunalaug (cooradinates N64.140339°, W20.259107°) it's a 15 minute detour from the highway but a highlight from our trip! There's also Secret Lagoon next to it if you want a dip on the way home. You'll probably arrive late in the day so if you stay close to the beach we recommend staying with Ragnar at his air bnb (https://www.airbnb.ca/rooms/9542956) it's right on the beach and you'll wake up in the coziest little cottage with the views of the huge column stacks and cliffs on black sand beach.  If you're needing food when you arrive, there's a restaurant on the beach that stays open until 6pm but I recommend grabbing some groceries like bread cheese butter and coffee so you can cozy up! The beach is known for high winds so it makes for a wild night.

Fun fact: National Geographic voted Reynisfjara as one of the Top 10 non-tropical beaches to visit on the planet.

Day 4 Hof

Before heading over to the Hof, check out the gorgeous black sand beach you're staying on! As for the basalt columns you see on the beach, legend tells of a husband whose wife was kidnapped and killed by two trolls. The man followed the trolls down to Reynisfjara where he froze them, ensuring that they would never kill again. Check out the Game of Thrones lookin rock wall and above is where the puffins are from April-September. From here head through Vik, check out the ice wear store if you need an icelandic sweater in your life, heads up- there is a locally made section with the name of the person who knitted it! Enjoy the beautiful drive to Hof, there is no shortage of amazing things to see on the way.
Recommended accommodation: Foss Hotel Glacier Lagoon $$$ comes with buffet breakfast, a sauna and a northern lights wake up call.

Day 6 Driving day – Grindavik

Start your morning with a delicious icelandic style buffet breakfast and coffee and hit the dusty trail back to Reyjkvavik. Stops to make: Vik lookout spots Dyrhólaey lighthouse lookout and the Dyrhólaey lookout, stop at the Secret Lagoon or Hrunalaug hot spring if you haven't already! The plane wreck is near Vik as well.  5 Years ago we found it from a local mentioning an unmarked road with a fence that you can open.. you take a very bumpy road down to the beach.  Our little car couldn't handle it so we waited for someone else to come down the road. Finally a big truck came by and we asked to join him.  He was a local just going to take some pictures of the wreckage! Fast forward 5 years later when we went by the "unmarked road" It's now a big parking lot with tour buses parked and you can now walk down a nice path all the way to the wreckage. It's not a short walk :P
End your night cozying up in Grindavik Harbur View Guest Houses, make sure you're able to call in for the keycode for your cabin. Grindavik is a small fishing town so if you're going to arrive too soon maybe stop in Reykjvavik for dinner unless you want fish & chips at the Grindavik gas station (not a bad option though!)

day 5 ökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon & Hofn

We recommend staying at the Foss hotel for a second night because you'll probably need it! Unless you want to continue past Hofn of course! This day check out Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. With the massive icebergs floating & collecting in the center with seals swimming and playing around in the waters, this is truly an amazing sight to see. You can continue on to Skaftafell National Park and do some glacier hiking or check out the ice caves. It's about $200 each but if this is something that would make the trip for you, do it! Continue to Hofn and check out the town famous for their local lobster (langoustine.) I recommend checking out Kaffi Hornið for lunch, which was recommended by a friend who visited a few years ago from Sweden, thanks Gustav! I had the langoustine pizza and Shannon had the reindeer burger. There's a cool hot spring on the way back if you want to catch sunset, it was closed when we went there (sad face) but it looked pretty cool if it was running and it's not a big detour. It's in Hoffell coordinates 64°23’49.5″N 15°20’26.9″W. Enjoy the drive back and if it's getting dark keep your eyes peeled for northern lights! If they are going off, we recommend going back to the glacier lagoon to watch it!

Day 7: Lagaurvatn Fontana & Reykjavik: Free day

You can go to Lagaurvatn for the day about 1.5 hours from Grindavik if you feel like driving! We went here the 2nd time in Iceland and it's very relaxing! A unique experience for the healing powers of the geothermal springs. Soak in a natural pool, listen to the bubbling hot spring in the steam rooms, or for the adventurous, take a dip in the refreshing lake. After your soak have some of their signature volcano bread which is made underground. After the Fontana head into Reyjkavik for dinner and drinks

Day 8 blue lagoon

Wake up early and go to Blue Lagoon! Bring a sandwich in your bag if you don't feel like buying a mediocre overpriced sandwich. There's also no need to get the upgrade package that comes with a robe and towel, unless you love wearing robes... You can ask anyone for a towel at any point. I don't suggest bringing your own towel because both of ours got swiped! Make sure you lock everything up in the lockers. Chill here for a few hours, then head back to Grindavik (7 min away) pack up, check out, post an award winning shot on instagram and get ready for your flight!

If you have less that 8 days, the Golden Circle is a must. We covered it all in just one day the first time to Iceland! Northern lights can potentially start from 10-11pm and last all night so make sure you get some rest after dinner so you can see them!
Northern lights websites we used: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/aurora-30-minute-forecast
Hot Springs locations: (was obsessed with this) www.hotpoticeland.com

Have an amazing time and comment below with any questions!!
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