Iceland seems to be one of those destinations that everyone is talking about. Many of my friends have either been there or are super keen to go. My social media feeds are often full of people hanging out with Icelandic ponies, admiring waterfalls or bathing in hot springs. Now I understand why, and am an thrilled to have had the opportunity to explore this amazing country with my brother, Luke.
Whilst there, I learnt that between the volcanic eruption that caused global travel disruption in 2010 and the financial crash of 2008, there has been a 600% increase in tourism to Iceland. With that in mind, it's even more special that the place feels truly wild, untouched and non-touristic.
You may have seen my blog featuring the adventure I had climbing Iceland's highest mountain and exploring the hot springs with Luke. In this blog I'm opting for something a little different to hopefully give you a true taste of the wonders we explored in our week long road trip around the East. A photo and video journal of my favourite memories.
Here's a video blog I made of the week and photos below.
The Waterfalls
I'm a massive water baby and always love spending time around water in it's many forms. So powerful and beautiful!
The Road Trip
Road tripping with my brother, listening to the playlists he'd curated with all our favourite songs, driving through roads that sliced through deep, deserted mountain valleys and admiring the scenery as it changed every day. Just loved it.
The Midnight Sun
It never got dark. The weather was often a little overcast during the day but by early evening it was glorious and would stay like this throughout the night. Like perpetual dawn.
The Hot Springs
You slip into the warm water and it just feels so good. These are the moments I keep with me when I need a bit of calm.
The Icelandic Ponies
Horse riding was one of my first passions as a child and I was over the moon to go riding again. These ponies were an absolute delight to ride, they loved pushing forward and nothing was too much of a challenge for them. Super impressed with my brother who rode for the first time too!
The Food
We indulged in seriously delicious meals! Iceland prides itself on using organic, local produce and the food was clearly prepared with great care.
The Festival: Rock the Boat
We were staying in a tiny village on the East Coast Fjords called Breiddalsvik with 134 inhabitants when we discovered it was National Iceland Day. The town put on this folk concert in a little wooden fishing boat over looking the sea. It was a cool experience and the icing on the cake for one of our last evenings there.
Those Clouds
I could have stared at them all day just pouring over the mountain down towards the sea.
These Little Villages
As we drove around we found this little villages dotted around with waterfalls cascading down and nestled around a lake. A perfect place to stop for tea and cake.
The Quad Biking
This was one of my favourite days. We had tons of fun crusading the forest trails and driving through rivers. Amazing!
The Laughs With My Brother
Genuinely one of the most special things was just being with my brother. He has a 10 month old daughter and lives in the Peak District, so spending a whole week with him adventuring, road tripping and eating our way across Iceland was wonderful.
Discover The World organised a tailor made trip for me and Luke including all my favourite activities, gorgeous hotels, a car with an iPad pre-loaded with our itinerary and expert tips to make the trip the best it could be. They sent me to the places they love the most in Iceland and I'm so grateful, I'll keep these memories with me forever.
They are launching a new flight in July from London Gatwick to Egilsstadir in the East of Iceland between 9th July and 20th August for £99 return, providing direct access to all the East has to offer.
Iceland is a fantastic destination for an adventure or fun relaxing holiday, or something in between. Go explore!
Check out Discover The World and Inspired By Iceland for help planning your trip.
