Our unexpected family holiday of a lifetime!
But then, during the Covid summer of 2021, Iceland was one of only a handful of ‘green’ countries from which you could enter the UK with no restrictions. Travelling direct from the UAE would have meant spending close to £3000 and 11 days in mandatory hotel quarantine… No thanks!
Having investigated every potential obstacle, we arrived at DXB with a mountain of paperwork and crossed fingers... and it worked! We were on our way! Limited flights meant an 11 hour layover in Amsterdam with the children - then aged 4 and 6 - but they took it in their stride, and after 22 hours of travel we finally arrived at our Airbnb in Reykjavik feeling incredibly relieved.
I hadn’t done a huge amount of research before we went – I think part of me didn’t quite believe we would get there! The trip was essentially a means to an end: getting us to the UK to see our families. Looking back, I think it was this mindset which made Iceland seem all the more incredible.
We had decided to base ourselves in the capital for the first 6 nights, followed by 5 nights in a cabin within Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park. With the children being quite young we didn’t feel that hopping from place to place every night or two was an appealing option!
Reykjavik is a small capital city with a population of just 140,000 people, making it easy to explore on foot. With Covid restrictions having been lifted, the summer streets were coming back to life with outdoor cafes, festivals and markets. It was like a breath of fresh air! Walking around the city we visited Hallgrimskirkja (the largest church in Iceland) and the rainbow road, Harpa Reykjavik concert hall, the main shopping street Laugavegur and the famous Sun Voyager sculpture to name a few sights.
Further East of the city centre we explored the expansive Botanical Gardens, Reykjavik Park and Zoo, a frisbee golf course and the Laugardalslaug outdoor thermal swimming pool. This was a big hit with the children; an impressive site boasting an Olympic sized pool alongside a large recreational pool and a range of plunge pools with varying chill factors! Tradition dictates you follow your swim with a hotdog, so we happily obliged.
Perlan museum, on the outskirts of Reykjavik, was well worth a visit. We spent half a day there exploring the interactive exhibits including a Northern Lights show and immersive Ice Cave experience! Another fantastic excursion was a whale watching trip from the harbour. We booked with Elding, spending 3 hours out at sea on a large vessel with multiple viewing platforms, spotting dolphins, puffins and of course humpback whales. Though it was summer, the temperature plummeted offshore, and we were very glad of the thermal suits provided on board combined with hot chocolate from the café!
After a few days in the capital, we picked up a hire car to allow us to explore further afield. We ventured North for a day, following a suggested route in our guidebook which incorporated beautiful scenery and a hike to the Glymur waterfall, and a visit to the Settlement Center and Saga exhibition in Borgarnes. Next, it was time to relocate to Þingvellir and begin exploring the incredible natural phenomena that Iceland has to offer. We began with some of the so-called ‘Golden Circle’ sights: Geysir hot springs, Gulfoss waterfall, the Kerið crater and Þingvellir National Park and Silfra fissure between continents. Each place we visited seemed to be even more amazing than the last!
Another road trip saw us venturing as far as Vik, some 140km from our cabin, and the Southernmost village in Iceland. Along the way there were so many places to stop at that we were out for more than 14 hours; a day where the constant daylight came in very useful! We visited Sólheimajökull glacier, Skógafoss waterfall, Seljalandsfoss waterfall, Dyrhólaey arch, black sand beaches and the picturesque church in Vik, and we still could have seen more…
Just a few months prior to our visit, the Fagradalsfjall volcano had begun erupting and contrary to the usual reaction to volcanic events, Icelanders and tourists alike were flocking to see this awe-inspiring sight. The eruption site was in a relatively accessible area and Icelandic voluntary search and rescue teams were monitoring safety, as well as posting daily online updates with conditions and route maps for those wanting to explore. So, we decided to embark on this once in a lifetime opportunity and hike up a volcano! It’s difficult to describe quite how amazing and surreal it felt to be standing beside a lava flow emanating such intense heat while watching the nearby crater spewing fresh lava tens of metres into the air. It was a truly humbling experience.
No trip to Iceland would have been complete without a dip in the Blue Lagoon of course. This well-deserved treat after all our exploring, sampling different mud masks and basking in the geothermal seawater, rounded off our holiday perfectly.
It really was the most incredible, unexpected holiday of a lifetime. No two days were the same, and even just travelling from place to place provided such awe-inspiring scenery. Given the choice, who wouldn’t prefer to do all this instead of hotel quarantine?
Although on reflection we did incorporate a huge amount, our visit only really scratched the surface of what Iceland has to offer. Next time we go (and there will most certainly be a next time!) my plan is to circumnavigate the entire country in a campervan and explore all the parts we missed first time round.
Top Tips for an Icelandic getaway:
• Book early - particularly if you are renting a car or campervan or are planning to do popular excursions.
• Pack layers and waterproofs - even in summer the temperature is around 14°C maximum and it is likely to rain… a lot.
• Take a picnic lunch out with you - some areas are very remote, and you can’t always rely on finding a café or food outlet.
• Be prepared for high living costs – taxis, restaurants and supermarkets are all pricey.
But most importantly, please take me with you!
