Mysterious caves, waterfalls, and the natural features of Iceland's southern shore
Traveling outside of Reykjavík, the landscape is breathtaking. Snowcapped mountains, caves, black sand beaches and waterfalls are just a sample of natural features you can experience outside of the city.
The first stop of the day was at the Urriòafoss waterfall. It’s in the Pjòrsa river, which is Iceland’s longest river. The waterfall is the most voluminous in the country.
The next stop on the tour was at the Caves of Hella. The 12 man-made caves are Iceland’s oldest still standing archeological remains. Some say the caves pre-date the settlement of the Nordic Vikings. There is a lot of mystery surrounding these caves because it’s unclear who made them and what they were used for. There are rooms, hallways, chimneys, and alter-type areas inside the caves. Today, the caves are often used for wedding ceremonies. Four of the 12 caves are open for public tours.
After the caves, the Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss waterfalls were next. The majestic waterfalls are fed by melting glaciers. Visitors can walk behind them to experience the waterfalls up close and from a different vantage point.
Turf houses were next on the tour. The Skogar turf houses are fully furnished and reconstructed. The turf houses – or sod houses as they are also referred to- are good examples of south Icelandic architecture.
After lunch at the remote and historic Hotel Anna, the last stop was an unforgettable ATV tour of a black sand beach. Driving through water, sand and rough terrain is an experience unto itself, but the views during the ride were awe-inspiring. Black sand on the beach makes the view unique against the backdrop of the ocean on one side and mountains on the other.
Wreckage from a military plane that crashed on the beach back in 1973 creates a view that looks like it came straight out of a science fiction movie. The U.S. Navy DC plane ran out of fuel, crashing into the beach. Thankfully, no one was injured in that crash. What was left of the aircraft was moved further inland and remains a very “instagrammable” spot in Iceland and tourist attraction.
