People often ask me, “Which has been your favourite country?” They ask me as I have been to more than 60 countries and I get associated with travel in most conversations. It is never an easy question because every destination has left behind wonderful memories. But if I had to choose just one or two, Iceland would undoubtedly be near the very top, alongside South Africa.

What makes Iceland so special is that the scenery changes almost every hour. Waterfalls give way to glaciers, glaciers to volcanoes, volcanoes to black sand beaches, and then suddenly you’re standing beside a steaming geyser or an iceberg-filled lagoon. It is one of the few places where the journey itself is the destination.

Over the years, many friends and associates have asked for my Iceland travel blogs, and quite a few have even followed the itinerary I recommended. Rather than sending seven separate links, I’ve gathered the complete journey together on this page.

Hope you will enjoy reading these and this post will inspire you to visit this wonderful island.

Part I : This is all about reaching the Capital of Iceland ‘Reykjavik’, and spending a couple of days in this lively city before moving on to the interiors.

https://rohin-arora.blogspot.com/2016/07/driving-in-iceland-journeys-begins-with.html

Part 2 : Before you hit the Ring Road, it is the Golden Circle that people get thrilled about. Many travelers just visit Reykjavik, The blue Lagoon and the Golden Circle. This part covers the magical Golden circle which gives you a feel of Iceland

https://rohin-arora.blogspot.com/2016/07/driving-in-iceland-golden-circle.html

Part 3 : This was most exciting. The breathtaking Skogafoss falls and actually climbing up to the top, The black sand beach, driving into the glacier world and walking the glacier.

https://rohin-arora.blogspot.com/2016/07/driving-in-iceland-3-skogafoss-falls.html

Part 4 : Each day brings new surprises. You do some off road drive and land up at a base of a glacier for a private picnic. You go by speedboat between the Icebergs and then you drive and discover a charming Fjord town of Seydisfjordur where not many tourists go.

https://rohin-arora.blogspot.com/2016/07/driving-in-iceland-4-moving-east-from.html

Part 5 : Don’t forget that Iceland is all about Volcanoes and Geo Thermal activity. And as you move North you see more stunning waterfalls and then you are at Arctic sea and the whale capital town of Husavik

https://rohin-arora.blogspot.com/2016/07/driving-in-iceland-5-sizzling-earth.html

Part 6 : The Blue Lagoon is the most visited place of Iceland. The Geo Thermal activity has made it into a large warm bathing area which has been described as the natural wonder of the world.

https://rohin-arora.blogspot.com/2016/08/blue-lagoon-icelandic-wonder.html

Part 7: This final part is based on our own experience and offers practical advice for anyone planning a trip to Iceland. Much must have changed over the past ten years, but hopefully its spectacular natural wonders will continue to remain just as breathtaking for many years to come.

https://rohin-arora.blogspot.com/2016/07/tips-for-iceland-visit.html

Bollywood in Iceland

(A chapter from my travel book – From Tuk tuks to Lions-A comedy of travels. The book is available on Amazon and Flipkart)

My travel book cannot be complete if I don’t write about Iceland – the most beautiful country I have ever been to. Once outside Reykjavík (where 60% of the population resides), you come across natural diversity you can’t even imagine.

The day we got out of Reykjavík, we first came across the breathtaking Þingvellir National Park. Then came the famous Strokkur Geysir, where hundreds of tourists stood staring at a hole in the ground, waiting for it to erupt. When it finally did, it was like a jack-in-the-box – people screamed, cameras clicked, and then everyone went back to waiting for the next round.

Next stop — waterfalls. Gulfoss, Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss… Iceland doesn’t believe in “one is enough.” It throws waterfalls at you like confetti. Each one guaranteed to soak you thoroughly.

To reach our hotel next to the stunning Skogafoss, we had to cross the infamous Eyjafjallajökull volcano – the one that once shut down all European flights for 3 weeks. Talking of volcanoes, while filling petrol one day, a local warned me: “Fill it up properly. In the next 200 km, you’ll find just 2 petrol pumps… but 30 volcanoes.” Very reassuring.

That evening, sitting outside the hotel with drinks, we watched Skogafoss endlessly hurl down gallons of water. The next morning, Devicka and I decided to hike to the top. Huffing and puffing, we somehow made it. From there we followed the river, and the landscapes were just too picturesque – with mini waterfalls every few hundred meters. Feeling proud, I told Devicka: “What a pity Kunaal, Jyoti, and the kids are missing this. They’ll never know what’s behind the waterfall.”
Well, I needn’t have worried. A little further, we saw Kunaal and Jyoti casually walking back from where we were heading. And when we looked down the river, the kids were already playing there. They had beaten us by an hour! So much for my grand discovery.

We went on to see the black sand beach, glaciers, fjords, Jokulsarlon Lagoon with its boat ride among icebergs, and more places of unimaginable beauty. Along the way, we also bumped into quite a few Indians.

For adventure, we signed up for a glacier walk. Strapped with crampons, we marched across ice for an hour with our guide. I mentioned to her that Iceland seems to be getting popular with Indians, as we’d seen quite a few. She laughed and said: “Indians were unheard of here until last year. Then came Dilwale. One Shahrukh Khan song shot in Iceland – and suddenly we had busloads of Indian tourists. Some agencies even created a special Dilwale itinerary!” Trust Bollywood — it can do what even Iceland’s volcanoes can’t: cause an eruption of Indian tourists.