After our morning rituals of yoga then breakfast we take a short drive through the countryside to two of Iceland’s most famous natural treasures: the waterfall Gullfoss and the Geysir hot spring area. As you drive toward the geothermal area, you will notice the smell of sulfur, rhyolite rocks, and various steam vents in the valley, these are all evidence of geothermal activity caused by the mantle plume that sits under Iceland on the mid-atlantic ridge.
The first stop is the famous hot spring that is the namesake of all sprouting hot springs, and his neighbor, the reliable Strokkur geyser, spouts hot water up as high as 15 – 30 m, every 5 – 10 min.
About 20 minutes from Geyser is the Gullfoss (or Golden Waterfall). Fed by meltwater from the Longjokull glacier, its water is milky with silt. It cascades over three tiers and if the sun is right, you will see rainbows.
The geothermal activity also powers and heats homes and businesses in the area. We will stop for lunch at a greenhouse turned into a restaurant. One of the associates will take you on a guided tour explaining how the tomatoes are grown using renewable energy. After learning about the inner workings of the restaurant, the group will enjoy all-you-can-eat tomato soup and homemade bread.
After lunch we take a 40 minute drive to the south coast. Before head out across the vast sand delta, we stop at the beautiful waterfall Seljalandsfoss. It is one of the most photographed waterfalls and unique because you can walk behind it for 360 degree views. Bring your rain gear because you are going to get wet!
Once we are done visiting the waterfall, we continue east for 1 hr and 40 min drive plus a stop to stretch our legs before arriving at to our guesthouse in Eldraun near Kirjjubæklaustur for two nights.
(B,L)