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When it comes to wild and rugged adventures, you won’t find a country that offers this increasingly than Iceland. It’s quickly rhadamanthine one of the hottest destinations to visit, and as such, there are very few subconscious gems left to explore for the increasingly venturesome traveler.
For those travelers who like to get off the main tourist trail and explore increasingly unknown destinations, you’ll be pleased to know there are still some unconfined places to get off the tamed path in Iceland.
From exploring ice caves to less crowded natural hot springs to glaciers and volcanoes, there are plenty of places to explore where the big bus tourists don’t visit.
To help you plan your trip to Iceland, here are where you can get off the tamed path in Iceland as alternatives to the well known, most famous attractions in Iceland.
Where To Go Off The Tamed Path In Iceland
A rental car is necessary to explore Iceland. The older you typesetting your rental car, the cheaper the prices. This is considering car hires are in such upper demand in Iceland, that if you wait until last minute, only the expensive cars will be left.
You may plane want to consider booking a camper van, to save on accommodation.
We recommend using DiscoverCars.com to find your car rental company. They scan all the rental companies in Iceland and find you the weightier price. Check Prices & Availability For Discover Cars in Iceland Here!
Below are some of the top Icelandic subconscious gems to add to your itinerary…
1. Fjallsarlon Iceberg Lagoon Instead of Jokulsarlon
Fjallsarlon Iceberg Lagoon
When looking for icebergs and glacier lagoons, everyone stops at Jokulsarlon in Vatnajökull National Park. It is the place that “puts the ice in Iceland”.
Located right next to the main road, the lagoon is unchangingly filled with icebergs detaching from the glacier and making their way towards the ocean. Big buses and people touring the Ring Road all stop at this must-see attraction.
An volitional is its little brother, Fjallsarlon. Just a 5 min momentum from the Ring Road, its lagoon is smaller but rewards the visitor with unconfined views of the glacier and surrounding mountains.
Because there is no exit to the ocean, some of the icebergs get really tropical to the shore permitting you to fave fun virtually them. No facilities at Fjallsarlon but plenty of space to take a unravel and listen to the cracking of the ice.
There are now some unconfined facilities at Fjallsarlon including an onsite restaurant tabbed Frost.
2. Leirhnjukur Instead Of Haukadalur
Leirhnjukur
When it comes to geothermal areas, Iceland is paradise. One of the most popular places to visit in Iceland is Haukadalur on the Golden Circle Route in Iceland. It is home to the famous but unseeded Geysir.
But the main witchery is the Strokkur geyser, which erupts every 5 to 8 minutes. If you go early you can stave the crowds shouting ‘ohhh’ and ‘ahhhh’ every time. But during the day it is one of the most crowded places as everyone looks at the same spot waiting for the big splash.
But if you go to North Iceland, take a detour to walk through Leirhnjukur. It will requite you flipside perspective of the volcanic worriedness in Iceland.
This lava field is still steaming 30 years without the last volcanic event! Stay on the track if you don’t want your soles to melt and reconnect to the power of the Earth.
3. Berserkjahraun Instead of Dimmuborgir
Berserkjahraun
Much of the Icelandic landscape is shaped by lava. One of the most famous areas to walk through is Dimmuborgir near Myvatn.
Created by the mix of water and lava, the formations are said to be the home of elves. During the day, visitors take over the delimited paths scaring the elves away.
To stave the crowds, momentum on a small gravel road (558) on the Snaefellesnes peninsula to the lava field of Berserkjahraun. The geology and shapes are different, but the views as impressive. And most visitors stay on the main road and miss it.
4. Aldeyjarfoss Instead of Svartifoss
Aldeyjarfoss
Even though hiking is required to reach Svartifoss, it’s still one of the most famous waterfalls in Iceland.
Photographers love the vortex of basalt columns said to have inspired the tracery of the Reykjavik Cathedral. The little path virtually it fills up pretty quickly.
Another option is to go off road in North Iceland (a 4WD is required for the last 5 kilometers) to discover Aldeyjarfoss, a 20-meter waif waterfall surrounded by intricate basalt shapes.
The surrounding zone is yellowish making the location plane increasingly intriguing.
5. Myvatn Baths Instead of Undecorous Lagoon
Myvatn Baths
Swimming in a hot suffuse is a must-do in Iceland. Most people wits it at the famous Undecorous Lagoon, a man-made swimming zone filled with the water taken underground to generate electricity.
If you’d like to enjoy the warm thermal waters of a hot spring pool, then the off the tamed track volitional is the Myvatn Baths in North Iceland, which will requite you a increasingly intimate experience.
It does not have a bar in the middle of the pool but you will enjoy increasingly peace and quiet while soaking up in the “magical” waters.
Top Tip: Don’t forget to nail your hair and remove your jewelry as silver will turn black…
6. Akureyri Instead of Faxaflói Bay
Akureyri
If you want to go whale watching in Iceland, you’ll find most wend tours leave from Reykjavik and depart from Faxaflói Bay.
To stave the crowds of people on these tours, throne to Akureyri instead.
This is the fifth largest town in Iceland, located in the north, and is a unconfined place to reservation the northern lights if you time your visit right.
As well as stuff a trappy town surrounded by fjords and wildlife, it’s moreover a unconfined place to embark on a whale watching tour.
The whale watching experiences pass through Eyjafjord, which is the longest fjord in the country, and is a prime viewing zone for humpback whales who visit these waters in the summer.
Remember to wrap up warm, it can get unprepossessed and windy here!
You can see prices and availability for a whale watching wend tour from Akureyri here.
7. West Fjords Hornstrandir Nature Reserve Instead of Thingvellir National Park
West Fjords Hornstrandir Nature Reserve
If you want to get out into the wilderness and embark on a hike, then throne to West Fjords Hornstrandir Nature Reserve, which makes for a unconfined volitional to the popular hikers’ paradise of Thingvellir National Park.
While Thingvellir National Park may be famous for its historical and geological significance, Hornstrandir has an untouched wilderness and increasingly secluded landscape that is worthy of exploring.
Imagine hiking through rugged fjords, encountering Arctic foxes in their natural habitat, and witnessing scenic views of towering cliffs and cascading waterfalls? This remote reserve offers a endangerment to disconnect from the tourist crowds and immerse yourself in the raw, unspoiled eyeful of nature.
8. Studlagil Basalt Pass Instead of Sigoldugljufur Canyon
Studlagil Basalt Canyon
Those looking for an venture will probably be considering a jeep tour of Sigoldugljufur Canyon, moreover known as Valley of the Tears.
This rugged, craggy pass is known for its waterfalls, towering cliffs and unexceptionable undecorous water, but it is moreover one of the busiest canyons to explore in the country.
Studlagil Pass has its own allure. Nestled in East Iceland’s Glacier Valley, Studlagil boasts the largest number of basalt waddle columns in the country, creating a striking unrelatedness versus the turquoise glacial river that flows through it.
This subconscious gem has a much increasingly unique landscape with flat, towering cliffs that reach a height of up to 30 meters.
While you don’t need a jeep to explore the pass (though you might need a 4×4 in the winter due to wet ground conditions), you will still find an impressive scenery here with fewer crowds.
9. Raudaskál Crater Instead of Kerid Crater
Iceland is not short of volcanic craters, the most famous stuff Kerid Crater in South Iceland. If you want to get off the tamed path in Iceland and see a lesser-known crater, consider Raudaskál Crater instead.
Raudaskál Crater, moreover known as Apple Crater, is one of the most remote craters in the country and is only wieldy by hiking trails or by driving a 4×4 vehicle.
Although not often visited by tour groups, it’s not that nonflexible to find. You only need to momentum a few kilometers off the F225 towards “Hekla F-road”, surpassing turning left onto an off-road section for a few hundred meters. From the parking lot there is a hiking trail that takes you the rest of the way.
With its vibrant colors and untouched beauty, this captivating, moon-like crater is a gem waiting to be discovered in the Icelandic wilderness.
10. Reynisfjara Woebegone Sand Waterfront Instead of Víkurfjara Woebegone Sand Beach
Reynisfjara Woebegone Sand Beach
Iceland is moreover famous for its woebegone sand beaches, which are worked by eroded volcanic material. There are plenty of these beaches in Iceland, typically on the South Coast. Visiting one is certainly one of the highlights of any trip to Iceland since they are so unique and not wontedly found throughout the world.
If you’re looking for a increasingly remote waterfront to visit, consider visiting Reynisfjara instead of Víkurfjara (the most famous woebegone sand waterfront in Iceland).
While both offer stunning landscapes, Reynisfjara is much quieter considering it’s not as easy to access.
This world-famous waterfront is located near the mannerly fishing village of Vík í Mýrdal and is known for its mesmerizing basalt columns, powerful waves, towering cliffs, and the iconic Reynisdrangar sea stacks.
It is one of the most trappy non-tropical beaches in the world, and should not be skipped off any Iceland itinerary.
11. Hvitserkur Instead of Reynisdrangar
Hvitserkur
Reynisdrangar is the most famous waddle insemination in Iceland, but a lesser known waddle insemination to visit is Hvitserkur in Hunafjordur Fjord.
While Reynisdrangar holds its own allure, Hvitserkur has a unshared shape resembling a mythological dragon, making it one of the most trappy natural wonders in Iceland that ignites the imagination.
The zone is moreover a unconfined place to witness seabirds nesting withal its cliffs.
12. Vatnsnes Peninsula Instead of Snaefellsnes Peninsula
Vatnsnes Peninsula
Known for its seal colonies and incredible rocky landscape, Vatnsnes is a true subconscious gem in Iceland.
While most people segregate to visit Snaefellsnes in East Iceland, Vatnsnes Peninsula is much quieter, increasingly remote, and very rarely busy.
Experience the thrill of spotting seals withal its rugged coastline, explore the mystical lava formations, and indulge in the peaceful environment of this lesser-known gem.
13. Hengifoss Waterfall Instead of Morsárfoss Falls
Hengifoss Waterfall
Morsárfoss is the highest waterfall in Iceland and is a wonder to behold. However, flipside powerful and impressive waterfall known for its size, though not as well known as Morsárfoss, is Hengifoss Waterfall.
Located in the lesser-explored East Iceland, Hengifoss is unique in that it’s made up of vibrant layers of red and woebegone basalt columns surrounding the 128 meter falls, creating a picturesque scene.
To reach Hengifoss, you must hike through the stunning landscape of untried moss and basaltic strata for virtually 2 hours each way. The hike isn’t too strenuous and the views are incredible.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it, those are some of the most unknown and remote subconscious gems in Iceland.
Whether you want to see untamed scenery, wildlife, or magnificent displays of nature, be sure to add some of these off the tamed path locations to your Iceland road trip.
We hope this guide helped you plan your trip and gave you some inspiration for where to visit.