Iceland road trip: Natural wonders on the Ring Road

The moment has finally arrived: your plane lands with a gentle bump, and you realise that you're actually in Iceland! Your wanderlust for volcanoes, geysers and waterfalls will soon be satisfied. First, you grab the keys to your hire car, then you're ready to go. As soon as you leave Keflavik behind, the full beauty of the country unfolds before you – pristine nature, endless expanses and jaw-dropping scenery. And the best part is, it's only just the beginning!  When you arrive in Selfoss, first things first: time to settle in and relax. 

You're awoken by your lust for adventure, and before you know it, you're sitting behind the wheel of your hire car, ready to discover the most beautiful spots the South Coast has to offer. Your eyes are glued to the rugged landscape. Then you reach the first must-see: the Seljalandsfoss waterfall. You watch as its foaming waters cascade 197 feet into the depths, and you're burning to see what's behind the curtain. And you're in luck! You can actually go behind the fall's thundering curtain of water! But be careful, it's slippery back there! Your finger starts to cramp as you snap pics like mad, trying to capture this incredible moment from every angle. Can it get any more beautiful than this? Oh, yes, it can! The Skogafoss waterfall kicks it up a notch with a misty spray that, with the right lighting, creates two brightly shining rainbows – just like in a movie. In fact, Skogafoss has actually been used as the backdrop for several films!

No less spectacular is the small town of Vík í Mýrdal, which you'll find near the Katla volcano, overlooking the Mýrdalsjökull glacier – your destination for today! Stroll to the black beach and enjoy the magical silence that's only broken by the crashing of the waves.

One of the most impressive beaches in the world lies right outside your doorstep. And now it's high time to get out and see it for yourself. So you hop into your hire car and hit the road! After just a few minutes of driving, the earth beneath you turns black, and then there it is in front of you: Reynisfjara Beach. As you catch sight of the pitch-black sand, towering cliffs and the roaring waves crashing against the shore, you get chills from head to toe – yet another impressive show of nature's power! Cautiously, you head to the beach, heeding the warnings you heard about the dangerous and unpredictable 'sneaker waves' that can come from seemingly nowhere and take their victims by surprise. On the west end of the beach, you catch a glimpse of Iceland's volcanic history from its most beautiful side. The black, angular basalt columns of Hálsanefshellir Cave tower almost 50 feet high, creating a top-notch photo op. In the distance, you can already see your next destination: the Dyrhólaey Peninsula. Curiously, you hike over the steep cliffs and hope for a bit of luck so you can spot the adorable puffins that sometimes gather there. Then, you're off to the Sólheimasandur Plane Wreck, which looks like something straight of a film. Leaving your hire car in the car park, you trek through the lonely landscape. You feel the cool breeze against the distant backdrop of pitch-black rocks, mountains and the sea, and suddenly, the mysterious wreck appears before you – a truly unbelievable sight!

Iceland is simply next level – and today, you're seeing nature from its most extreme side! Skaftafell National Park welcomes you with a dramatic landscape of wild rivers, lava fields and glacier-blue ice. Your hike takes you to Svartifoss, where its freezing waters cascade over dark basalt columns as if in slow motion. Then things gets frosty: at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, a whole labyrinth of icebergs floats before you and adorable seals playfully swim between them. Afterwards, it's on to the grand finale at Diamond Beach! Black sand, glittering chunks of ice and a play of colours that you just can't put into words – 'Iceland, you're a masterpiece!'