Iceland is proud of their fables and folklore including the tale of how Iceland and Greenland were inaptly named.  But to be clear, Iceland in winter has plenty of ice and snow covering its wonderland.

Thankfully I toured the country without the abundance of tourists that visit during the summer.  And I was even more excited that my small group had so much of this unbelievable winterscape to ourselves.  The various activities were most memorable and breathtaking,  from the beauty, the cold and our exertion.  We hiked with our gripons firmly in place along the Kalda River and the next day through a geothermal valley with views of the largest lake, Thingvallavatn.

We even spent some time at the beach…watching the waves crash and eyeing the islands close by that host a special festival in June. I’m told that this is almost mandatory for Icelanders.  Their music and art scene are very much alive along with incredible love of their horses.

I was thrilled to finally put on snowshoes a couple of days later when we explored the Gifjokull Glacier and the Eyjafjallajokull Volcano (pronounced with a fake Iceland accent “hey I forgot my yogurt”).

Next came the crampons when we scaled the frozen landscapes of Solheimajokul Glacier, with a most experienced guide who knew where the deep holes were and how to avoid them.  And one could not leave this country without a visit to the Blue Lagoon.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the cuisine, especially the butter and yogurt! Oh, and the lava salt!!!  Thanks Backroads for another wonderful adventure!