Iceland: Discover the Northern Lights, volcanic pools and awe-inspiring waterfalls

“So, did you see them?” they’ll enquire, excitedly.

“Did you see the lights?”

Thank goodness, then, that I’ll be able to reply in the affirmative. Because, yes, look, there they are, before our very eyes… The tail lights of a Toyota, if I’m not mistaken. And I couldn’t be more grateful to see them. 

Driving in Iceland is mostly fine, you see – until the weather does what it’s doing right now, as we head back to Reykjavik Airport on the final leg of what’s been an unforgettable four-day break. Namely, turn a bit blizzardy.

For the last 20 minutes or so I’ve had to drop the speed of our Europcar hire vehicle to about 2mph, and it’s hard to tell where the white sky ends and the white road begins. Hence my relief at finally spotting that other car’s tail lights ahead: like a gift from the gods to guide my wife and me safely home.

Now at this point you may be thinking, “Well, it’s Iceland, you ninny. What kind of weather did you expect?”

But that’s the surprising thing. Up until now, it’s been glorious. Maybe not glorious enough for us to go truly mad by stripping down outdoors to just our swimwear… oh, no, hang on a moment, we actually did do that, didn’t we? 

On our first morning, driven high into the mountains by our lovely tour guide, Oli, the two of us really did find ourselves following this proud Icelander’s lead, crunching our way through thick snow to a beautifully hot, blissfully remote volcanic pool where we eased ourselves into the therapeutic waters.

And you know those rare, precious moments when you think, “This memory will stay with me to my dying day”? This was one. It was extraordinary.

As indeed was our visit later to the breathtaking waterfalls of Gjáin and Háifoss, with not another human in sight. And that’s one of the joys of having a dedicated guide: they love to take you off the beaten track, to share their passion for, and unparalleled knowledge of, this wonderful country of theirs. 

Obviously you can visit more familiar spots, too. Left to our own devices on day two, my wife and I did bits of what’s known as the Golden Circle Tour – the geysers at Haukadalur, for instance, and the thunderingly spectacular waterfall at Gullfoss (yes, Iceland does have a lot of waterfalls, but their beauty takes many forms as you soon come to appreciate). 

We also varied the pace a little, pootling through Thingvellir National Park, site of Iceland’s first parliament in 930AD, before conducting some urgent ice-cream-based research at the Efstidalur dairy farm.

And then on day three, our last before flying home, we were back in the expert hands of a chap from Midgard, this time the charming Bjarni. Bjarni took us way, way up, his 4×4 negotiating the icy slopes with almost laughably effortless ease. 

En route, he pointed out Eyjafjallajökull, the volcano that spewed out that pesky ash cloud in 2010 (ironically, we’re told, the publicity worked wonders for Iceland, tourism-wise). And on the way back to our hotel, he took us via a tiny man-made cave, dug 1,000 years ago, and sang us an ancient Icelandic folk song. That may sound cringey here in print, but it was genuinely magical.

Actually, “magical” pretty much sums up our entire Icelandic experience.

The places we stayed were both fabulous: The Highland Centre at Hrauneyjar, where we lay our satisfyingly weary heads for the first two nights, proved the perfect base from which to explore that part of the country – not flashy, nor designed to be, but cosy and welcoming, with marvellous food.

At the extraordinarily beautiful Hotel Rangá, between Hella and Hvolsvöllur, we then basked for the remaining two nights in four-star luxury. The rooms were sumptuous, the location stunning and the hospitality is hard to fault.

You can even request a wake-up call should the famous Aurora Borealis – or Northern Lights – choose to put in an early-hours appearance.

For us, they didn’t. But in one sense we were rather pleased. Iceland is a country we can’t wait to return to.

10 things you must do in Iceland 

1 Treat yourself to an unforgettable Super Jeep tour with Midgard Adventure (midgardadventure.is). Prices start at 34,000 Krona per person (£250) for seven to eight hours.

2 Marvel at the breathtaking Gullfoss, an almighty two-tiered waterfall in a spectacular setting and with a 32-metre drop.

3 Discover the altogether different Gljúfrabúi Waterfall, tucked behind a cliff but offering an enchanting experience to those willing to wade through the shallow waters for the best view.

4 Stop for a dramatic snap of the Strokkur geyser in Haukadalur, erupting about eight times an hour.

5 Take in the awe-inspiring natural beauty of the Kerio crater in the volcanic area of Grímsnes. 

6 Experience a seaside view with a difference at the black sand beach at Reynisfjara.

7 Take a dip in the volcanic pool at Landmannalaugar, a remote alternative to the famous Blue Lagoon.

8 Indulge yourself at the Efstidalur family farm’s ice cream barn – and thank the cows personally.

9 Step inside the ruins of a Viking settlement at Stöng in the Þjórsárdalur valley.

10 And finally, fingers crossed, hope for a glimpse of the legendary Aurora Borealis, or northern lights.

Way to go

Flights with WOW Air from London Gatwick to Reykjavik start at £77 return (including taxes and booking fees).

Go to wowair.co.uk. A standard double room at Hotel Rangá is €314 (currently £283), including breakfast buffet. Details at hotelranga.is.