Hi everyone! I’m Naz, a.k.a NazKnowz. I’ve been an avid traveler, foodie and explorer for years, and I’m finally starting the journey into the blogging world. I’ll be bringing you my personal tips and curated concierge services for destinations all over the globe. Let’s begin!
Reykjavik, Iceland
My very first blog post is about our recent trip to beautiful Iceland. What made me choose this as our vacation destination over somewhere tropical? Firstly, I had heard that the Icelanders are the nicest people on earth. And of course, I wanted to see the Northern Lights. We flew into Keflavik at 8:30am and it was still dark outside. During the winter months, there is only 4 hours of daylight in Iceland, from about 11am to 3pm. Kinda crazy right? It did take a couple of days to adjust to, but after that, it was actually super cool.
Where to stay, and how to get there.
We planned to stay in Reykjavik, which is about a 45 minute drive from the airport. To make our trip more convenient, I rented a compact car from Sixt Rental Car. You can take a free shuttle from the airport to the rental car locations, about a 3 minute drive from baggage claim. I did a lot of research as to where we would stay in Iceland. I booked the Black Pearl – some of Reykjavik’s finest suites. I couldn’t have asked for a better location, right in the heart of the capital city. This beautiful hotel/apartment is the absolute best place you can stay at. All the suites have a living room, dining room, full kitchen, separate bath, and heated floors throughout. The front desk/concierge is top notch. They will help you with making guided tour reservations, restaurants, anything you need. Big thanks to Ana and Bart for making our trip so memorable. Their room service breakfasts are not to missed. There’s literally enough food for 2 people plus some leftovers when you order 1 breakfast.
What to do.
Hallgrimskirkja
Let’s get onto the excursions and sightseeing. First stop, was a 10 minute walk to Hallgrimskirkja, not only the largest church in Iceland, but also one of the tallest structures. This is where we spent New Year’s eve (the most amazing fireworks we have ever seen, done by locals and amateurs). After some walking around the city, we ate at The Laundromat. What a cool restaurant and great food options. We had a tasty hot chocolate to warm us up, a burger and an avocado toast. This place was packed. I walked downstairs to use the restroom and there it was, a laundromat. Fully functional. Also, a kids area for dining and play. Definitely a must visit in the heart of the city.
Blue Lagoon
After lunch, we got in our car and headed back toward the airport to go and experience the famous Blue Lagoon. Although the facilities are man made, the lagoon is filled with 9 million liters of geothermal waters straight from the earth. And at 102 degrees, you soak into pure heavenly relaxation with the benefits of minerals that are super healing. I suggest booking this experience as soon as you book your flights. Time slots get booked up pretty quickly, and make sure to book the premium package – totally worth the splurge.
Solheimajokull Glacier
The next day we drove 2 1/2 hours from Reykjavik, and arrived at Solheimajokull Glacier for our glacier walk and ice climbing tour with IcelandicMountain Guides. What an amazing experience this was. Our guides geared us up with harnesses and clampons, and we trekked thru crevasses, ridges and climbed up the massive glacier. We even had the opportunity to ice climb! So very cool. I have to admit I was a little scared of sliding down the ice but Yanni, our guide, reassured me by showing me how to use my clampons and axe to keep steady. This is a must-do activity in Iceland.
Black Sand Beach
After we were done with this tour, we drove down to Black Sand Beach in Vik. If you have a chance to stay overnight in this quiet, serene area of Iceland, you absolutely must check it out. Vast black sand beaches and unreal towering black rocks that edge the shoreline make an absolutely epic photo opp. Plus, while we didn’t experience it here, I have heard that it’s one of the best spots to see the Northern Lights in the winter.
Essential Iceland Jeep Tour
The next day was an all day Jeep tour with Iceland Rovers called “Essential Iceland“. Our very informative and fun guide, Valdirmar aka Valdi, took us on a glorious adventure through the breathtaking landscapes of Iceland. Pictured is the Hraunfossar and Barnafoss waterfalls – absolutely breathtaking. Sidenote: bring your own lunch, snacks and water on the tours. Make sure to bring an empty water bottle and fill it up w/all natural icelandic water…the best of the best.
Valdi drove us through the highlands, which took us to the massive glacier, Langjokull, where we got off and played in the snow. We went inside the amazing lava caves and stood next to the boiling waters of a geyser. We had such a great time on this tour, definitely recommend!
The Golden Circle
On our next to last day we had no tours planned, so we did our own thing and drove the Golden Circle. This is about a 5 hour drive from the city center. See the beautiful Pingvellir National Park, Geysirs, Gulfoss Waterfall, Kerio Crater lake.
And of course, we stopped off the road to see the majestic Icelandic horses that are all over the country. If you want to do a horse tour, book with Laxnes Horse Farm. While our tour was cancelled due to unpredictable weather at the time, I’ve heard that it’s an absolute must-do. Also, do NOT miss out on a dog sledding tour. Book one as soon as you build your itinerary. This famous tour books up fast.
Iceland was definitely on our bucket list, and I’m so happy we got to experience it the way that we did. If you have any questions or need any recommendations, please feel free to leave me a comment – and don’t forget to follow me on Instagram for more tips and destinations!
-Naz
This is such detailed and helpful information!! Amazing!! So so proud of you. Your passion clearly comes through!!!