The South of Iceland was my FAVORITE! The next time we go I will be spending a lot more time in the south because there is so much to see.
The drive there is spectacular. One thing about Iceland is that different regions of the Island look so vastly different. The south looks wild, rugged, and like the earth just fell off a cliff. You can't tell where land meets the water.
We planned our day to drive from Reykjavik to Vik with as many stops on the way as we had time for. The drive to Vik was about 2 hours, but with all the stops we made it took much longer. It is still very doable as a day trip from Reykjavik. For tips on Reykjavik, see my blog post here.
I was so worried I was going to miss some of the epic waterfalls I had seen in so many pictures before coming to Iceland. But on this drive you couldn't miss them. Seljafoss was the first waterfall we passed. It was stunning and like nothing I had ever seen before. A waterfall you can fully walk behind with a light mist the whole way. Attractions in Iceland are nothing like they are in the US. In the US, there are ropes, and tapes, and lines and admission. In Iceland none of that exists. You can freely roam and explore anywhere you want and its amazing!.
Seljavellir was next on the list. I read about this secret pool you could only get to by hiking. So we followed some very unclear directions and pulled up to an empty lot. We began our hike over a stream and along the side of a mountain and within 15 minutes, it was like we went back in time. We changed in the old pool house and then stepped into the warm, naturally fed pool and took in the breathtaking scenery around us. Leon kept saying "down! down!" because he wanted to swim himself. Not so fast little guy! This pool really is a must see when you are in the South.
After the hidden pool we were on the road again, on a mission to find another waterfall that I was anticipating to be hidden just like the pool. But this waterfall could not be missed. The magnitude of Skogafoss was much greater than that of Seljafoss. And as I got closer, the mist from the fall created the most beautiful rainbows. This was a quick stop along the way to Vik so its another must see along this gorgeous drive.
Another interesting aspect to this drive is all of the turf houses you pass along the way. They are tucked into the side of rocks and the edge of mountains. These old homes really give you a glimpse of how people used to live in this country.
After we finished at Skogafoss, we continued our drive to Vik. A quaint little town with a beautiful black sand beach that has incredible rock formations. Leon played in the sand and threw handfuls of it all over the place. We stayed for a bit to watch the sunset and then started our way back to Reykjavik.
