Huge caves of fabulous blue ice, hot rivers among ice floes, black waterfalls - this is not a fabulous landscape. This and many other wonders created by nature can be seen and captured in Iceland's National Park, which is called Vatnajökull.
History
In order to understand how the existence of such extraordinary phenomena is possible, it is necessary to find out the nature of their occurrence. Iceland is an island of volcanic origin. This island was formed due to the action of fiery matter inside the globe. With the high latitude of Iceland (the northernmost point of the island is beyond the Arctic Circle), the mountain peaks that form the volcanoes are mostly covered with snow. But lava will certainly break through the ice sheet. Therefore, it is possible for fire and ice to exist side by side. Instead of ordinary earth or sand, lava sheets cover the ground.
Natural beauty of the park
In the southeastern part of Iceland, there is a place where you can see the wonders of nature with your own eyes - this is Vatnajökull Park, which covers an area of 12,000 km2. The uniqueness of the Icelandic National Park is in the variety of natural phenomena that are not found anywhere else.
The name of the park was given by a large glacier, which covers an area of about 8% of the entire territory of the country. The thickness of the ice in some places reaches 1 km. Very interesting things happen when this power of ice meets the internal energy of the earth in the form of volcanoes. The ice is melted, and huge masses of water come out, making passages for themselves in the ice coat.
Subglacial rivers wash out entire caves, then the water polishes them. The result of this colossal work is the caves in which the ceiling is transparent like a diamond. The sun makes the ice shimmer like precious stones. Depending on the intensity of the illumination, the pictures are the most amazing. A back-up camera should always be ready. Because you will want to shoot a lot, and these miracles are unstable. Volcanoes are still doing their job, and the climate on the planet is changing. Therefore, you need to have time to capture what you saw here.
There are hot springs in the glacial caves. Daredevils take baths, after which, they say, it is very easy to breathe, the skin becomes velvety. But this is not surprising, because they contain a lot of minerals from the depths of the Earth and there are no chemical impurities. The clean air of Iceland is considered by the locals to be their pride. They are very close to nature; there are no production facilities in the country. Life expectancy here is 75-80 years.
The Yekulsayu-au-Fjedlu river originates in the glacier and on the way, encountering a cliff, forms the powerful Dettifoss waterfall. The scenery here is stunning. The water falling from a great height bewitches, attracts to itself.
Another waterfall is located in Skaftafell Park, which since 2008 has been combined into a common national park called Vatnajökull.
This stream is called Svartifoss. Translated as "black water". It got this name for the black lava flows that surround it like columns.
Routes to the craters of the volcano
There is an opportunity to visit the crater of the volcano only in Iceland. The cooled lava is a heap of shiny black stones and ash. Therefore, travel by car is not possible here. For those who like to look at the results of the "work" of volcanoes, a lot of hiking routes have been developed here. Craters are located throughout the park. A must-see is the Askja volcano on the Oudaudahruin plateau, whose last eruption was in 1961. Lake Josquatn was formed in its crater. It is very deep and closed on all sides by rocks, but from the east you can go down to it and even swim.
In another crater of the same volcano, there is Lake Viti. It is small but warm.
Lucky volcano is not at all like the previous one. It is a long crack, 25 kilometers long, dotted with craters. There are almost 100 of them. The highest is about 100 meters.
In addition to hiking trails, for lovers of extreme sports, a bike ride through the lava fields is offered. This, of course, is not asphalt, but that makes it more interesting.
Jokursarlon glacial lagoon
The next attraction is also located in the park. This is the Jokursarlon glacial lagoon, which is a bay with drifting icebergs. For thrill-seekers, boating among these huge chunks of ice is offered. The larger the iceberg, the deeper its blue color. The setting and rising sun paints it and the waters of the lagoon in unique colors. For an artist or photographer, the flight of fantasy cannot be stopped here. You can leave this fragile beauty in your memory with a brush and a camera.
Of course, the main attraction of this park is the Vatnajökull glacier. This kingdom of ice and the fire hidden under it attracts many.
Entertainment for tourists
Visitors come to the park to get impressions, so there are many types of entertainment. For a quiet contemplation of the views, walking is best. There are routes of varying difficulty and length.
For more active travelers, snowmobile tours, jeep safaris, sailing between icebergs, climbing ice mountains are offered.
Tourist centers
Information about the national park, routes, services can be found in the tourist centers of Asbyurgi, Hjöfn, Hoffel, Holmür, Skaftafell. It is very convenient that bank cards are accepted for payment almost everywhere. Even in a taxi, you can drive without cash.
You must take warm clothes with you, even if you are traveling in summer. Iceland's weather is changeable and can be a stumbling block for people in other countries if you don't take care of it in advance. By the way, knitwear made from wool of Icelandic sheep is very warm. Things come out of it beautiful and of high quality. You can buy them at local shops and stores.
How to get there on your own
You can only get to Reykjavik by plane with a transfer in Amsterdam or Stockholm.
It is much more pleasant to get from Norway (Bergen) or Denmark (Hanstholm) by sea if you are not in a hurry. You can also admire the view from the ferry. This is quite convenient, because your car can travel with you on the ferry.
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Further from Reykjavik by road number 1 you can get to Asbjurga and Skaflafell. And there and hand to the desired beauty. Roads are not always paved, sometimes you have to drive on gravel roads. Therefore, the transport should be appropriate, preferably 4x4.
The city of Akureyri also has an airport. A regular bus runs from Akureyri to Asbyurgi all year round. In summer, there is a daily bus to Dettifoss.
Get ready carefully, charge your camera and go! Enjoy your surprises in this very northern country!
And do not forget to read a few more articles about the beauty of Iceland: Jokulsarlon Glacial Lake and Strokkur Geyser - read on our website.
