Welcome back! If you haven’t caught Part 1 and Part 2 of my Iceland series, go check them out! I talk about how I planned a 12 day Iceland campervan trip and how the first four days went. In this next part, I’ll continue the story of my trip. I’ll pick up on the evening of Day 4 as we left Vik and began to make our way up the east coast of Iceland to the north.
Day 4 Continued – Vik to Hofn and the Glacier Lagoon
Leaving Vik on the evening of Day 4 we had a loose goal of reaching Höfn. It was early evening by the time we left (the horseback and plane wreckage had taken most of the day) but the midnight sun was to our advantage. Reaching Höfn would put us on the southeast coast of Iceland and set us up to head north in a timely manner. From Vik, it is about a 3.5-hour drive.
On the way we encountered numerous beautiful landscapes and waterfalls we stopped and took a peek at. If you love scenic waterfalls, Iceland has them! Iceland also has ever-changing geography from lush and green to more barren and volcanic. There is always something to see.
Of special interest to me on the way to Höfn was the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. Jökulsárlón is a glacial lake where you can see icebergs floating out from the lagoon to the open ocean. I was super excited to see this, especially since it was only hours from Vik’s black sand beaches. What a change in scenery!
By the time we found the lagoon it was already fairly late – it was around 9 pm – but this actually worked out wonderfully! Because of the almost 24 x 7 sun during this time of year, we had no problem seeing the lagoon – and because it was later in the day all the tourists were gone! Some people like to take boat tours on the lagoon or other such activities and these were closed at this time – but honestly, I think seeing it pure and uncrowded was the way to go. It was breathtaking!
Pro-tip: Visit the glacier lagoon after hours for a less crowded viewing! It is worth it!
We never actually made it to Höfn that day but decided to stop and stay outside the lagoon a bit so we could return and see the Diamond Beach (where the icebergs met the ocean) the next day.
Day 5 – Iceland Campervan Trip Höfn (for real) onto Djúpivogur
After enjoying extra time around the Diamond Beach (see above) we had to make up some driving time. Instead of spending a night in Höfn we only made a quick stop there as we pushed on into the northeast. It was a cute and welcoming town with a beautiful walking path which we used to stretch our legs. The wind off the water made it chilly but we still had a great time!
From Höfn we made our way north up the east coast. I was very excited to stop for the day in Djúpivogur. This small town doesn’t get as much recognition in guide books as some others, but it is near one of the most unique attractions – The Eggs of Merry Bay. These giant egg statues are a tribute to the birds of Iceland and each is different and representative of a native bird’s egg. It is a little weird and amazing! I had to see them!
After seeing the eggs, we headed into the town proper and happened upon a privately owned cottage, set up as a gallery and shop. It had to be the most eccentric, lovely, and special stop on our whole trip. Seriously I am in love with this place, whose name, Gallery Freevilli, I found on another blog (I missed catching it in person, thank you, thank you Voyager’s World).
Gallery Freevilli has everything – bones, carvings, tiny treasures! It also has a unique outdoor display – a path you can climb up a large hill to find human like statues at the top. Story posts guide you and tell of the “Hidden People” or the mythological figures of the area. There is such a genuine feel about Gallery Freevilli – it is so uniquely itself and I had to be dragged away.
After, we found the campsite in town. This was one of my favorite campsites and stops. The town is so cozy and the campsite had every – electric, showers, kitchen, etc. If you find yourself on an Iceland campervan trip – please, please stop in Djúpivogur. Such a special place.
Day 6 – Djúpivogur to Húsavík via Egilsstaðir
From Djúpivogur our goal was to make it about four hours to Húsavík where we would stay for the night and hopefully go whale watching on Day 7. As usual, I wanted to make a weird pit stop – this time in Egilsstaðir to see if I could spot the Lagarfljót worm! What in the world is a Lagarfljót worm you might ask – well, think of it like Iceland’s Nessie! It’s a worm-like lake monster said to live in Lake Lagarfljót and I had to try to see it! Spoiler alert – I did not find the Lagarfljót worm, but maybe you will have better luck!
Before arriving in Húsavík, we also made a stop in the Lake Mývatn region. This is a volcanic area and we stopped to view the interesting landscapes. It was incredibly windy that day, but that did not stop us from viewing boiling mud and geysers. Hold your nose if you visit – the sulphuric smell is something else!
Day 7 – Húsavík and Whale Watching, an Iceland Campervan Trip Must
Húsavík is a lovely and thriving town. It is popular on the Iceland campervan trip circuit as it is a great place for whale watching. I plan to write a more in-depth post about our whale watching adventure but let me say here it should be on your to-do list! We had a great time (albeit a little bit of seasickness on my part). Hot chocolate, whales, and puffins – what more could you want?
Pro-tip: Book early for whale watching in Húsavík and take some motion sickness medicine if you are prone to seasickness.
After our whale watching trip, we enjoyed exploring Húsavík on foot briefly before departing for the next part of our adventures! We had some long driving days ahead of us and needed to keep moving!
In Part 4, I’ll detail the last days of our trip as we finished our stop along the northern part of Iceland and discovered the Westfjords. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading!
— Lauren