We visited Iceland a few years ago in 2020 and got to introduce the New Year in 2021. Each trip comes full of great surprises and challenges. This is a reflection of that year. It was one of the years with the most difficulties to travel. It was 2020 everything was shut down, but travel was so cheap and an opportunity presented itself to visit the most extreme country we have ever visited.

Iceland is known for being the land of Ice and Fire. The name of ice comes from its astonishing glaciers and the fire comes from volcanic activity and geysers* (Fun Fact: the word geyser is an Icelandic word and it is not translated in any other language). We visited during the winter time and during the pandemic year of 2020 together. What a combination? But we hardly ever say no to a challenge.

One of the things you have to keep in mind once you are planning a trip, especially to Iceland, is the weather. This country has a very particular weather pattern. During the winter months the sunlight is very limited to just a few hours and it is very extreme. Make sure to take clothes appropriate for the cold weather if you visit during the winter, this means everything has to be water resistant and multiple layers to make sure to be warm when exploring. Also, the shoes have to be water resistant and they have to have good tracking. There is ice everywhere and a fall can ruin the experience.

When navigating the country there is no public transportation unless you are in the main city of Reykjavik. Other than that the best way to see the country is by driving. The most popular route is the Icelandic ring route where it allows you to see the full country in a circle. When driving you must use the Icelandic app to keep up with the roads and weather changes. Vedur is connected to the weather service and will keep you informed at all times.

When it comes to the language in navigating the country it was not that difficult, because many natives speak English but we always try to learn at least how to say thank you for example: “takk fyrir.” We spent 3 weeks there and we enjoyed the long hikes and visiting several of the famous sites of Iceland. From seeing the beautiful waterfall Dynjandi completely frozen in the winter located in the western fjords region of Isafjordur from seeing diamond beach in the southern east region along with the beautiful glaciers meeting the sea water. We were fortunate that we spent this time with natives that made the trip easier.

We visited the main city of Iceland, Reykjavik, the Capital. Once there we explored the National Museum of Iceland. In this museum you can learn all about the history of Iceland, like the problem this country will encounter as a consequence of global warming. We also visited the unique church of Hallgrímskirkja as well. The only church in the world with that type of unique architecture. We ate traditional food, a lot of fish and bread. The best in our opinion was the smoked salmon. Also, for me (Karla) one thing I could not get enough of was their orange juice. I do not know why but I was
obsessed with it!

We saw first hand Myrdalsjokull Glacier once in a lifetime experience. The pictures we took there look like a dream. It was our last day in Iceland and we got blessed with a pink sky, and super blue glaciers that look like we stepped on a green screen. We also saw the cotton candy clouds. This is a phenomenon that happens when the earth is very cold and is trying to get warm. As well, visiting the famous vök baths the same ones Zac Efron visited in his famous series Down to Earth. Such a unique experience of the hot steaming baths right by the cold atlantic ocean, and seeing the view across from you of the mountains. Most of our experiences are mostly experienced at night due to the lack of sunlight they have during winter.

As well, we learned a lot about the excellent use of natural resources to create clean energy provided by the power of the hot water, the volcanos provide and strong waterfalls. Iceland is the #1 country leading in renewable energy. We were impressed with the recycling system, and how energy efficient everything is. Almost all the places we stayed at had heated floors from the volcanic water. We have to admit we have never slept so much in our life. The short daylight and the very long nights were something that affected our sleep pattern.

Overall, Iceland is such a beautiful country with such unique nature. It’s quite magical how the coexistence of fire and ice make up this country. As well, there are no trees in this country because the vikings took them down many years ago. Whether you are interested in nature, food, or just experiencing a unique culture Iceland is the best country to visit for that type of experience.

Our main recommendations for you if you are planning to visit during the winter time make sure to wear the proper clothing gear. Each trip requires preparation to get the best out of your experience.

This is our recommendation:
● Beanie
● Heavy Jacket with hoodie
● Thermal Clothing
● Sweaters to put over thermals
● Waterproof Gloves
● Water Resistant Pants *Recommend just skiing pants
● Long Socks
● A very good pair of waterproof shoes with traction
● Small backpack for hiking with a water bottle

*We recommend waterproof everything because you will get covered in snow and once you enter your accommodation it is hot and the snow melts off easier and it won’t soak your clothes for your next outing. Recs from locals!!

Hope you enjoy Iceland as much as we did!!

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