Travel with Dom

September, 2026

After exploring the surrounding sights of selfoss and the extraordinary waterfalls Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss, the day after we began our journey to Vik. The first spot we hit was the last waterfall we wanted to see next to Skogafoss, Kvernufoss. This waterfall is located next to the Skogar museum to the right of Skogafoss. It has a relatively large parking lot with a fee paid through ‘parka’. The path there is not that long and takes you along a stream from the waterfall. There were tons of sheep along the stream going “BAHHHHHHHH”. You are going to see sheep all over the place.

Kvernufoss is around 100 feet tall and one of the more remote waterfall trails in the area. There is a big area to sit at behind the waterfall. As you look up around, the view of the mountains and cliff-sides is also really cool with the sunrise.

After Kvernufoss, we started making our way to Vik. The first spot we hit was the Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach. There is a very large parking lot with a welcome center. Parking is paid through ‘parka’, there are signs with a qr code if needed. The welcome center has plenty of bathrooms and a cafe.

Reynisfjara is a volcanic black sand beach. you will find lots of cool black rocks along the beach. On the left side, there are basalt column pillars. In the distance, there are the Rehnisdrangar rock pillars in the ocean. Over the past few years the basalt columns have started to erode from the water. Be very careful when walking along the beach. There are plenty of signs with warnings for the “sneaker waves” that come very far up to shore and can easily take you in. A cool photo spot is on the basalt columns. This is a very popular spot and can take a bit to get up there.

From the distance you can see the Dyrhólaey peninsula. This is the spot we went and visited after.

Dyrhólaey can be accessed from the Dyrhólavegur road off of route One. You take the road all the way to the top of the peninsula. The parking lot is pretty big, but can fill up quickly. We ended up having to park on the side of the road on the way up. Parking is paid through the parking app ‘parka’. You can use the app or a machine at the top. From the top you have an amazing view of the Katla volcano.

The top of Dyrhólaey offers amazing views of the black sand beach. From the parking lot is a path to the lighthouse at the top of the peninsula. Upon reaching the lighthouse called Dyrhólaeyjarviti, you will see amazing views of the rock formations in the peninsula. One of them being “elephant rock”, shaped like an elephant.

From the top of the peninsula, toward Reynisfjara, you can take a path down towards a cool rock arch way. It is a steep path with lots of stairs. Along this path you will notice lots of pillars with locks/chains. These are all old ship docking points. Dyrhólaey used to be one of the only ship ports in the country. These are remnants from the past.

A little bit further after that, you will be met with the basalt column archway. It has also eroded over the years, but it still is a cool sight to see, along with a view of Reynisfjara.

At this point I decided to turn around and start making my way back. After this we decided to start making our way to Vik, which was not that far away. On the way out though, we noticed a cave in the distance and stopped on a little parking lot on the side of the road to check it out. It’s a short path with a steep walk up containing tall grass. VERY easy to slip, so take your time. The cave is really cool on the inside with moss and plants.

From Dyrhólaey, Vik is twenty minutes away. We were very hungry at this point, so we hit a spot to get some crepes! Crepes.is food truck is a small little shack you can get some crepes. It is a very popular spot so expect a long line. I got the nutella one and it was so BOMB. Highly recommend checking it out when you get to Vik.

In Vik, an Iconic spot is the church at the center of town. Not only is it a beautiful sight, but it offers an amazing view of the city itself. There is a parking lot next to the church and a viewpoint at the top after a small walk. These red and white churches you will see all along the south coast of Iceland. They are parish churches that also serve as emergency shelters. When we got to the top at the viewpoint, there was an entire pack of sheep.

Vik is a beautiful city in Iceland with lots of surrounding sights to see. The locals are very nice and all the restaurants in the city are so good. Especially Suður-Vik! There is a building along the main route with a Lava Cafe and an Icewear store. Definitely check these out if you have the chance. We checked these out the following morning before we started to head west to Skaftafell the following morning.