Iceland (Selfoss)
Trip Summary
Taking 10 days to travel Iceland’s Ring Road in the summer, our first camping spot after staying in Reykjavík was Selfoss–but we did so much before we set up camp, so let me tell you about the journey there (because I am sure that you will be seeing the same sights!). After we checked out of our hotel in Reykjavík, we headed north toward Þingvellir National Park and the famous Silfra Fissure where you could snorkel/dive between two continents! It is also one of the coldest (and clearest) bodies of water you can explore, so being adventure enthusiasts, my husband and I decided that this was a “must-do” in Iceland.
So we booked the “Snorkeling Silfra — Meet on Location Tour.” They have other tours available, too, including some with pick-ups from Reykjavík, but since we had rented a car and were driving anyway, this seemed the best fit. We booked a morning tour as we had several hikes planned for the afternoon, and the instructions sent to us beforehand were easy to follow: bring long underwear, two pairs of thick socks, and meet at the designated meeting place. The meeting place is actually the same meeting place as all the other companies that sponsor snorkeling/diving trips, so they were easy to spot. The parking lot is close by, too, yet they do charge for parking (but there is a self-service booth where you can easily pay by card).
So after we parked, we headed over, and that is where things got a bit comedic with how chaotic it got with so many people snorkeling the Silfra Fissure at the same time. Each company has their own van where they keep their wet and dry suits, and after you check in, you are sent in to find a place for your stuff (good luck!) and change into your dry suit. However, the whole tour group was in there at the same time–men, women, kids–and the van isn’t extremely large, so it was wildly chaotic trying to undress and dress with a whole mess of elbows, knees, and butts in your face. But that was going to be on par for the course given how popular the site is and the time we went (summer).
All geared up, we stepped out for the second part of dressing–and that was the wet suit, and you did all that outside. There is a full suit along with gloves, a head piece, a neck fastener, and the guides help you put all of it on (make sure you only let the guides help–my husband got in trouble for trying to help me!). By the end of it, you feel a bit ridiculous as you are waddling around like a penguin by the end of the dressing process, but believe me, you want all those layers, because the water is cold…and I mean COLD.
The next step was to walk over to the Silfra Fissure itself, so we all waddled single-file over to the water, and there is a set of stairs that lead you into the water. Along the water, the guides tell you about the fissure, the temperature of the water, and the clarity of it, and right before you go in, you are fitted with a snorkeling mask. We were all so hot from walking over from the van site (even though it was cold and rainy that day) that my mask immediately fogged up, and I was thinking great, I’m going to be struggling to clear this thing constantly, but lo and behold, as soon as you submerge your face in the water, all heat and fog disappears.
Now that is because the water is FREEZING…as in quite painful, but the guides said to just push though it, and eventually, you will get numb. He also said that if you flail around too much, the water will seep in through your gloves and get into your suit, so the best thing would just be to float and not move much at all. This helped, but it was hard not to move given how crowded it was–our group was large, and the other tour companies had multiple groups in the water as well–many of whom had never snorkeled, so people were constantly thrashing and bumping into you.
While the crowds were a bummer, the water itself was mesmerizing, and you could see so far down with such clarity. There are no fish and the plants that you do see are sparse given how cold the water is, but it was truly unlike any other snorkeling experience. The water pressure is also so surreal, because it presses in on you from all sides, so it feels like you have a massively heavy weighted blanket on all sides of you, and if you bobbed yourself upright then went back down to a prone snorkeling position, you could feel the change in pressure around you as you moved–it was so weird, but cool!
With the wet and dry suit, it is very difficult to dive down as you are pretty buoyant, but even so, at the end of the tour, you are given time to explore a wider area, and this was nice because you could spread out and not bump into other people as much (previously, you were in a single-file line in a much narrower part of the fissure). However, this part was also after you had been in the water for about 45 minutes, so you had quite a headache from the cold and a lot of people just decided to get out while a brave few (like my husband) swam around until the tour was officially over.
After walking back to the van and shedding the wet suit then changing in the van back into our clothes (doubly chaotic as everyone was wet at that point, so keep your towel up high, because if it falls on the floor, it’s going to get soaked with all the wet bodies clamoring around in there). The company also takes some pictures throughout the tour (for purchase), so you can look at those afterwards, but we had taken some on our GoPro and had more things to see, so we headed out after that.
So on to the rating! It is a bucket-list item, and something you will never experience again, so it is totally worth the trip! The water is freezing, but if you keep still and try not to move around very much, most of your body will stay dry. The tour companies are also very strict about medical conditions and have medical forms to fill out beforehand to make sure that you are fit enough for the trip (age and heart conditions are disqualifying factors, so be sure to check those before booking). And that water IS cold–my goodness–and we even went in the summer. The chaos of it all was a bit of a deterrent (and this is where the experience loses some points for me), but I don’t think we could have avoided that. With so many people visiting and so many tour companies, that is just going to be part of the experience, but I think even if you were to book a private tour, you are still going to be swimming with all the other companies’ groups. So just expect crowds, and embrace the chaos of it all, and you can say that you swam between two continents! Not many people can say that!
Snorkeling Silfra–Meet on Location Tour by Dive.Is: B
But we were not done with Þingvellir National Park yet! Granted, you can literally spend weeks and weeks seeing all the amazing things in Iceland, but since we only had 10 days, we had to prioritize, so we decided to hike to see Oxararfoss. This was in the area and would give us a little preview of the waterfalls in Iceland, so we headed off to the trailhead and got started!
The trail wasn’t too crowded actually, and we got some nice pictures on the way there–just wandering along the volcanic path, admiring the rocks and the layer of moss over everything. The actual waterfall at the end of the trail is quite impressive as well, and there is a large viewing area where you can get multiple angles of the falls.
Being just a 2.6 mile loop, too, this was a relatively easy hike. Granted, there were still stairs and uneven terrain, but the trail was short compared to some of the other hikes we did, and quite beautiful, too, so I would recommend trying it out while you are in the area (though, I think it is closed in the winter months, so be sure that it is on your itinerary for the summer)!
Oxararfoss Trail: A
But that was just our warm-up waterfall! We had many, many to go, so after we wrapped up our hike, we set off to our next destination–Brúarárfoss! This waterfall is known as one of the bluest waterfalls in Iceland and all the pictures of it are gorgeous, so we made this a definite priority!
It was also good that we warmed up with the Oxararfoss hike, because this hike was longer and a lot more strenuous. The difficulty of it was not necessarily because of the incline, but rather the length and how muddy it was. It poured rain for our first few days in Iceland, and the ground was so saturated that water just started pooling everywhere and this made for a sloshy trip. There were lots of massive mud puddles to navigate around and the ground that was exposed was almost like quicksand which made for a lot more effort to pull your feet out of the mud along the way. I was glad that I had packed several hiking pants, because everything I was wearing was going in the laundry after this hike!
This trail is an interesting one in that it leads to a river then shifts to follow that river up to the main waterfall. You pass several mini-falls on the way, and there weren’t a ton of signs, so at some points, I was wondering–is this the main waterfall? What about this one? Is this it now? But then we got to the REAL waterfall, and that one was clearly marked with a bridge and viewing platform, so you definitely knew when you reached it. And what a waterfall it is! So blue and so unique in that it had two sides that fall into a central crevice and then down into the river below. Absolutely beautiful!
There is also a tall viewpoint behind the bridge where you can take some cool photos, so we took a ton of pictures before turning back. But the trek there and back along with the unforgettable views made this hike truly one to remember! It instantly became my husband’s favorite waterfall in Iceland, and we had barely even started the Ring Road! Even with all the other waterfalls we saw (and there were many!), he kept saying that Brúarárfoss was the best–simply because it was just so blue and gorgeous–so make sure that it is on your itinerary! Just bank a few hours for the roundtrip hike and wear boots and waterproof clothing if it is rainy! Truly magnificent!
Brúarárfoss Trail: A+
But we had more to see–so much more, so there was not a moment to waste! After making it back to the parking lot, we headed to our next destination–Gulfoss! This is one of the more famous waterfalls in Iceland–and for good reason as it is enormous! The walk to see this one is quite easy, too, because there are several viewing platforms–one above the falls and one closer to the base of it.
The one at the top of the falls is close to the parking lot, and if you are short on time, that is the best one to use, because you can easily get some pictures and be on your way. However, the crowds are also worse at the top because everyone wants the best shot, so you have to be patient in getting some pictures without a lot of people in them.
The trails that goes down to the falls is relatively easy and less crowded, but the water spray from the falls is also much denser here, so pictures tend to be fuzzier and not as good, but if you have the time and want to just sit and enjoy the view, this is a good option as well.
All in all, it was an impressive waterfall, so definitely add it to your itinerary! It’s an easy stop and an essential sight of the Ring Road!
Gulfoss: A
If you have a lot of time, the Kerid Crater and Geysir are also in the area and are very popular sights. Both would require a bit of time to see (there is a hike to go up and see the crater, and you can hike down to see it up close and if you see Geysir, it blows hot water and steam, but in intervals, so you may have to wait around for the next eruption). We got extremely lucky when driving by Geysir as it exploded right as we were passing, so we got to see the huge tower of steam blow into the air–all without the wait and the hike! How could you ask for better timing?
It really ended up being a big bonus, because when you visit a place like Iceland, there is just so much to see and when you have to prioritize sights so that you can see the whole country in 10 days, things like the Kerid Crater and Geysir get left out (we knew that the snorkeling excursion was going to take a bit of time as well as the hikes and the driving times in between these places). Even so, we were happy with what we saw that day (the first of many busy, busy days on the Ring Road) and after wrapping up our time at Gulfoss, we got groceries, and started heading to our first campsite in Iceland!
Wild camping isn’t allowed in Iceland (see more about camping rules here in my Reykjavík post), so you are limited to the designated campgrounds that are first-come first-serve. Luckily, many of them are quite large (as camping is very popular in the summer!) and when we arrived at Gesthús Selfoss, we were impressed by how many people there were, the facilities available, and the hustle-and-bustle of it all. They were one of the few campgrounds that also offered accommodations like small bungalows. However, while this was one of the bigger campgrounds we stayed and with the most amenities, I probably liked this one the least because of the campground operator. There are different charges depending on the amenities you want (type of accommodation/shower/laundry/restaurant meal), and I asked for just the basic rate with no extra amenities, and he then proceeds to charge the maximum amount for four people (it was just me and my husband camping). So I asked him to change it, and he said he couldn’t make any changes or give a refund. Then, I insisted, and he said he could only give me cash back and then when he did, it wasn’t near the right amount (he was expecting me not to know the exchange rate), so I had to tell him yet again what he owed me, and he was extremely rude about it.
So the campsite gets points for its size, the strong Wifi, and its available amenities (if you pay to use them), but loses points for the manager who seems to prey on tourists by taking every opportunity to charge more. However, this was very much an anomaly as the Icelandic people were very gracious and kind overall. So just a fair warning–know the rates beforehand and keep a very close eye on what they charge you, and insist on making it right if they overcharge.
Gesthús Selfoss: B
It ended up being a jam-packed day even though we skipped certain sights, so just plan accordingly when you do the Ring Road! You’ll also see that there are no restaurants reviewed here, and that is because we bought groceries and just snacked on those during mealtimes. One strategy that I am very thankful for is when I made our itinerary, I wrote down our “for sure sights to see” then some back-up sights and then some back-ups to that. So if we had a lot of energy and the weather was good and we saw more than we hoped for, that was great, but if a hike was taking longer than anticipated, or the weather turned sour, or we were just feeling too tired, we could move the itinerary around and not worry too much. This worked out great, so do this, and this will take a lot of stress out of the mix if anything unexpected comes up!
Favorite Experiences
I think the favorite from this day is something my husband and I both agreed on–Brúarárfoss. There is just nothing like that blue color, and when a place is so pristine like Iceland, that blue stands out all the more and is that much more impressive! The water is so clear and clean that you can actually drink from most streams (my husband brought a water filter and used it as a precaution, but even so, he loved the hiking in Iceland because whenever you were thirsty, there was always a stream or river nearby with the freshest water you could imagine tasting)!
The hike out to Brúarárfoss is also one of the longer hikes, so it was one of the least crowded sights we saw, and this made it all the more magical as you could just enjoy nature, not have to rush, and take as many pictures as you wanted without having crowds press in. Truly a gorgeous place, and a must-see in Iceland!
What I Wish I Knew
Luckily, I had LIVED on travel boards before coming to Iceland, so I knew a lot of what to expect, but even so, we learned a lot on the road! I have a ton of tips on driving/gas stations/campgrounds/so on in my Reykjavík post, so definitely check that out. Be sure to always know the conversion rate, too, (and when you have an option to pay in the native currency or your own on credit card transactions, always pay in Iceland’s currency, because you will get a better rate). Bring credit cards that do not have international fees, and that will help, too! You can also get some amazing recommendations from travel groups on Facebook like Iceland – Tips for Travelers as well as travel forums, so check those out as well!
And enjoy the long summer days! Take advantage of the long hours of sunlight to see and do everything, because you WILL be exhausted and you WILL want to see everything, so do all you can! I know my husband and I treated Iceland like it may be the only time we would see it by doing absolutely everything we could, but even so, a return visit is in order! In a perfect world, we would love to come back in the winter to see the ice caves (and hopefully the Northern Lights), and then again in the summer to see the Highlands. Even so, Iceland was probably our favorite vacation destination yet, so be sure to put it high on your bucket list, because it deserves the top spot!
I also post reels and TikToks regularly of all the places I’ve reviewed on here, so if you want to see some videos of what to expect, check out my social media here:
TikTok: @touristyteacher
Instagram: @touristyteacher
Facebook: @touristyteacher
Happy travels!
