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Southeast Iceland

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River of Ice

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Overview

The 200km stretch of Ring Road from Kirkjubæjarklaustur to Höfn is truly mind-blowing, transporting you across vast deltas of grey glacial sand, past lost-looking farms, around the toes of craggy mountains, and by glacier tongues and ice-filled lagoons. The only thing you won’t pass is a town.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Fjaðrárgljúfur

    Fjaðrárgljúfur

    Southeast Iceland

    This darkly picturesque canyon, carved out by the river Fjaðrá, has been well and truly discovered, thanks to Instagrammers and one Justin Bieber (who…

  • Lómagnúpur

    Lómagnúpur

    Southeast Iceland

    Adding more eye candy to an impressive road trip, a precipitous 767m-tall palisade of cliffs known as Lómagnúpur towers over the landscapes, begging to be…

  • Skeiðarársandur

    Skeiðarársandur

    Southeast Iceland

    Skeiðarársandur, the largest sandur in the world, covers a 1300-sq-km area and was formed by the mighty Skeiðarárjökull. Since the Settlement Era,…

  • Þórbergssetur

    Þórbergssetur

    Southeast Iceland

    This cleverly crafted museum (its inspired exterior looks like a shelf of books) pays tribute to the most famous son of this sparsely populated region –…

  • Fjallsárlón

    Fjallsárlón

    Southeast Iceland

    A sign off the Ring Road indicates Fjallsárlón – this is an easily accessible glacier lagoon, where icebergs calve from Fjallsjökull. There are Zodiac…

  • Svínafellsjökull

    Svínafellsjökull

    Southeast Iceland

    Heading east on the Ring Road from Skaftafell, a sign points the way to the glacier Svínafellsjökull. A rough, potholed dirt road leads 2km to a car park,…

  • Núpsstaðarskógar

    Núpsstaðarskógar

    Southeast Iceland

    Inland from Lómagnúpur peak is Núpsstaðarskógar, a beautiful low-growing woodland area on the slopes of the mountain Eystrafjall. Due to the perils of…

  • Flatey Farm

    Flatey Farm

    Southeast Iceland

    The Flatey dairy farm (also known as Flatey á Mýrum) lies almost exactly halfway between Jökulsárlón and Höfn and is hard to miss as you drive along – the…

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