Vik Iceland Day Tour
The village of Vík (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈviːk]), known as Vík í Mýrdal ([ˈviːk iː ˈmirˌtaːl̥]) in full, is the southernmost village in Iceland.
Time & Location
11 Aug 2024, 08:00 – 18:30 BST
Location is TBD
About the event
A DAY OUT TO VIK ['veek']
Often visited by those traveling the popular sightseeing route along the South Coast, it is a wonderful place to stop, recharge, and, if you are taking your time, rest for the night. Though it only has around 650 residents, the village is very popular amongst tourists for its convenience and beautiful surrounding landscapes.
It is just 12 a 10-minute drive from the famous Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach and the starting point for the popular Katla ice cave tour.
Due to its coastal location, visitors to Vík have a decent chance to see seals on the shore. There is also a slim chance to see whales or dolphins; the twenty or so species that live in Iceland’s waters can appear at any time.
Here are some of the highlights on our way to VIK
- Seljalandsfoss ['sell-ya-land-foss'] Waterfall
Seljalandsfoss is a waterfall that can be fully encircled, situated on the South Coast of Iceland with a drop of 60 meters (200 feet).
The most distinguishing feature of Seljalandsfoss is a pathway that stretches around it. The cliffs behind the falls have a wide cavern, and rocks and paths allow guests to fully encircle it in summer.
Though a mesmerising opportunity, visitors should be prepared to get dampened due to the perpetual mist of the falls, which also tends to make the rocks of the pathway slippery.
Floodlights have been set up on both sides of the waterfall, which impressively illuminate the scene during the night when the midnight sun is not out. The lights were installed in 2001 due to the growing popularity of the falls as a tourist destination.
- Skógafoss ['sko-gah-foss'] Waterfall
The breathtaking view of the Skogáfoss waterfall and picturesque surroundings and the snow-capped heights of two towering glaciers are Skógar's major summer attractions.
It is a beautiful 60-meter high waterfall in the river Skógá.
There is a legend about the settler Þrasi who is believed to have buried his chest of gold under the Skogáfoss waterfall.
If the sun conditions are favorable - one can see a vivid rainbow in front of the waterfalls. The river below the falls holds a large salmon and char population, and fishermen are seen here fishing from July - October. The path leading to the top of the waterfalls continues following the river upstream - where numerous more dramatic waterfalls of sheer beauty are found.
- Sólheimajökull ['soul-hey-ma-yo-cul' Glacier
Sólheimajökull is an outlet glacier of the mighty icecap of Mýrdalsjökull on the South Coast of Iceland.
Like all the glaciers in Iceland bar one, Sólheimajökull is shrinking rapidly. A glacier lagoon at its base reveals how quickly it is receding: the length of an Olympic swimming pool every year.
Sólheimajökull has several distinctive traits that separate it from other glaciers. Firstly, it is incredibly easy to find, laying just off of the Ring Road that encircles Iceland. Secondly, it is not surrounded by tall mountains, meaning those who ascend it can attain incredible views of the South Coast. Thirdly, it is home to many walls of ice that can be climbed up with ice axes on certain tours.
There are also crevasses that snake across the surface, spectacular ice ridges and formations, and a vivid colouration that dances between a gleaming white, electric blue, and ash black. Occasionally, you will even find an ice cave, though these can never be guaranteed.
A river runs from the meltwater of the glacier tongue, called the Jökulsá á Sólheimasandi. This river runs through a glacial outwash plain - otherwise known as a black-sand-desert - of Sólheimasandur to the nearby ocean.
- Reynisfjara ['reyn-is-f-jara'] Black Sand Beach
Reynisfjara is a world-famous black-sand beach found on the South Coast of Iceland, just beside Vik í Myrdal, which is the southernmost village on the mainland of Iceland.
With its enormous basalt stacks, roaring Atlantic waves, and stunning panoramas, Reynisfjara is widely considered to be the most beautiful example of Iceland’s black sand beaches. In 1991, National Geographic voted Reynisfjara as one of the Top 10 non-tropical beaches to visit on the planet.
Upon visiting the beach, travelers will immediately observe rocky sea stacks sitting off the shoreline, known as Reynisdrangar.
According to local folklore, these large basalt columns were once trolls trying to pull ships from the ocean to shore. However, these trolls were dim and went out too late in the night; dawn broke on the horizon, turning the trolls into solid stone.
Another legend tells of a husband whose wife was kidnapped and killed by two trolls. The man followed the trolls down to Reynisfjara where he froze them, ensuring that they would never kill again.
Potential Dangers
Visitors to Reynisfjara must be made well aware of the potential dangers present at the beach. First of all, the roaring waves of Reynisfjara are particularly dangerous, often pushing further up the beach than many would expect.
These are called sneaker waves, and they can appear when least expected, even on incredibly still days. There are no significant landmasses in between Antarctica and the shores of Reynisfjara, meaning waves have thousands of kilometers to build.
Visitors are advised to never turn their back on the waves, and keep a safe distance of at least 30 meters (100 feet).
But if you remain at a safe distance then be sure that a visit to Reynisfjara beach will be one of the highlights of your visit to Iceland.
For more information on VIK - Please click here