Snæfellsnes Peninsula – A Look at West Iceland’s Gem
| All, DISCOVER ICELANDWith all of the beauty that can be found throughout the rest of Iceland combined into one compact area, The Snæfellsnes peninsula is an excellent starting point that blends adventures and stunning landscapes during your trip to Iceland. The Snæfellsnes Peninsula has its own unique, breathtaking nature including natural waterfalls, glaciers, picturesque villages and even hot springs. Many make their initial journey along the island’s Southern coast, leaving out one of Iceland’s best keep secrets, located just a few hour’s drive west from Reykjavik. The Snæfellsnes peninsula offers some of Iceland’s most dramatic landscapes, mossy fields of lava and distinctly carved out gorges. It goes without saying, even on a first-time visitor’s to-do-list, The Snæfellsnes Peninsula is a must visit region of the country.
Visit the wonders of Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Outside of the beauty offered by the Snæfellsjökull glacier, The Snæfellsjökull peninsula itself offers an array of charismatic fishing villages spread throughout the region‘s rigid tundra, including the towns of Grundarfjörður and Ólafsvík. Grundarfjörður is a small and welcoming town with close proximity to one of Iceland‘s most famous and picturesque mountains, Mt. Kirkjufell. You can easily spend 2 days exploring all that this peninsula has to offer.
Additional to the wonderful beauty of this mountain, Kirkujufellsfoss waterfall can be found across from the mountain, making for an excellent photo opportunity. The town of Grundarfjörður becomes quite active during the warmer months, different festivals for locals and tourists alike, including re-enactments from the times of the Vikings. The most well known festival is named Good Moment (Á góðri stund in Icelandic)and it takes place the last weekend in July. The town decorates its houses in reds, greens, blues and yellows and holds concerts and familyactivities right on its pier.
Within the peninsula‘s boundaries, visitors will also find Snæfellsjökull National Park, touching its shores with the Atlantic Ocean. This national park is not only home to the Snæfellsjökull glacier, but also to the famous lava cave Vatnshellier and the black pebble beach of Djúpalónssandur. An 8,000-year-old lava cave sitting roughly 35 meters deep below the earth's surface, Vatnshellier allows its visitors to follow the flow of the lava while enjoying the marvellous sand formations along the way. The black pebbled beach of Djúpalónssandur presents onlookers with breathtaking rock formations, and the rare sight of ebony colored stones spread out all along the coast. Whether or not you‘re already familiar with the famous black sand beaches of Reynisfjara, located along Iceland‘s Ring Road, you‘ll certainly want to include a visit to the West‘s own unique black pebble beach of Djúpalónssandur.
Hike your way up Snæfellsjökull glacier and enjoy spectacular views
It's certainly not every dayyou get the golden opportunity to hike up a 700,000-year-old dormant volcano. The hike up Snæfellsjökull glacier can be somewhat demanding on the body, requiring good health along with previous hiking experience. If you decide to take on this hiking challenge, an experienced guide along with proper glacier gear and safety equipment are highly recommended for a successful journey. The Snæfellsjökull Summit Hike provides you with all of that and more, ensuring you‘re ready to tackle the demanding hike up the peak of one of Iceland‘s most impressive glaciers. Make your way to the top and you‘ll be handsomely rewarded with breathtaking views overlooking all of the peninsula below. Hiking the Snæfellsjökull glacier is an excellent choice, with stunning wintry views in the colder months, and lush green surroundings during the summer months.
Visiting all of these wonders of Snæfellsnes are made easy by partaking in a guided tour, giving the comfort of having a knowledgable and experienced guide provide fascinating information about what this stunning region of Iceland has to offer.
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