Geysir, Iceland
Wandering the geyser area of Geysir in the Southwest of Iceland is like walking across another world. Steam wisps up from hot pools of perfect turquoise water, puddles bubble away heated by the Earth’s core and huge vents of H20 blast out of the ground every few minutes.
Waiting for the Strokkur geyser to blow feels like being a kid again; the anticipation of seeing something so unusual, the excitement of watching the huge bubble swell up from the ground and then shoot 20ft into the sky is exhilarating, and I let out a big cheer and laugh with all the other young-at-heart spectators as the water is sucked back into the seemingly bottomless hole.
We stood and watched it go a couple of times, roughly blasting off every three to five minutes, and then the geyser went up another three times all at once! It was spectacular and unexpected; if you were stood downwind you got soaked! We eagerly waited for it blow again but for the next 15 minutes it lay dormant, most definitely spent from its last spectacular display. Even when we had to start walking back to the car park it didn’t go off again; I hope we didn’t break it…!
Top tip for Geysir: Allow plenty of time here! The area is a designated geothermal park (no entry fee however) with paths that snake around the hot pools and geysers, and it would take you about 15 minutes to walk around it if you were not that interested. However I would bet my last Icelandic Kroner that you will be enthralled by the geyser and want to stay for hours. There is no way you could watch it go off once and then walk away!
More on Iceland here.
Like geysers? Well you can see my photo of a geyser erupting in Rotorua, New Zealand here.
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I would so like to visit Iceland one day. So expensive though.
Hi Alex, anywhere can be done on a budget! We booked cheap flights through Wow Air which was good value from the UK, stayed at budget hotel ‘Cabin’ (although it was very modern, clean, fresh towels every day, breakfast included, slightly out of town) and booked trips online for a 5% discount with Grayline. Let me know if you would like any more info or tips as I would be more than happy to help.
Thank you for the offer
I appreciate this info and have copied it. With a family of four, we need to budget. We’re planning a trip to England and Scotland and I’ll go check your tips for those for a reasonable hotel. Thanks!
Loved the captivating account of the phenomenon and the way you presented it !!!
Warm greetings
Doda
Hey, thank you! I decided to write it like I was 10 years old as that’s how I felt! It was just a joyous thing to behold.
I recently wrote a piece on the life that occurs in such hostile habitats. I wish I’d had a photo as nice as yours to accompany it. Keep up the good work.
Lovely of you to comment and leave such kind words, and thank you.
Thanks for the reminder to be a kid. Sometimes life makes you forget. Sometimes it helps you remember.
Very true. I need to remind myself of that fact more often
My husband and I spent our honeymoon in Iceland! Day 3 was visiting the Geysirs. Such a beautiful and romantic place! We love Iceland!
What a wonderful place it is, and for a honeymoon especially! Perfect for road trips, sharing warm blankets whilst looking out at incredible views, and a hot thermos of coffee to share!
Ahhh, I miss Iceland so much! Great tips on site-seeing, too! I can definitely attest to the fact that one can stay around those geysers for an entire afternoon easily.
When were you last in Iceland? I would have been quite happy to spend an entire day just sat there watching it pop off; next time I might take a blanket and chair and set up camp like an old lady!
I lived there when I was a child. My dad was in the military. School off days were so fun then. My mom would pick a place to explore and we would take the entire day enjoying it.
That sounds awesome!
Reblogged this on Mike Valletta.
Did you know that The Great Geysir, is the first geyser known to modern Europeans. I hope to see this geysir someday and will take you up on your tip to allow much time.
The Great Geyser doesn’t go off very often any more and Strokkur (pictured) is much more reliable. The volcanic activity and tectonic rifts underneath Iceland change this all the time though. Did you know there are hundreds of earthquakes every day in Iceland?
I had no idea about the earthquakes in Iceland. Thanks for openning up my mind with your blog. http://www.segmation.wordpress.com
Oh, hell, I am insanely jealous! Always wanted to frolic around Ees-land. A major vulcanology and geothermal nut, I returned to Yellowstone three years running just to stare at things “erupting.” Nothing tops standing astride the tectonic rift that rips right through an island, though.
Are the geysers sulfurous or do they smell sweet? Did you float in the world’s largest hot springs? What do locals say about the recent eruption a few years back? More pictures!
I love your comment! The smell was mildly sulphuous egg but not as strong as in Rotorua New Zealand. Not sure about largest hot springs but I certainly went for a swim in the Blue Lagoon – plenty of pix to follow! And Icelanders are pretty amused by the eruption a couple if years back firstly because it hardly affected them at all due to wind blowing it all to Europe, secondly we can’t pronounce the name of the volcano! And finally it was a pretty minor eruption to them.
Stunning! I so hope to visit Iceland someday.
Go for it! If you need any tips or advice get in touch via the ‘contact me’ page at the top.
Beautiful post! I love it when people maintain awe and wonder for the beauty of the world. It’s simply contagious!
P.S. Now I want to visit Iceland! Or at least American geysers
Hey thanks for commenting. You should visit or at least take pix at Yellowstone for me to drool over!!
I went to Iceland a few months ago and Strokkur was definitely one of the highlights! I completely agree that you could spend hours there. So beautiful. It feels otherworldly. If you get the chance, go snorkeling in Silfra. It’s well worth it.
It was truly beautiful. I did get the chance to go snorkelling at Silfra, which was other worldly too! It took ages to get used to the cold water on my head though. How much fun was it getting into the sleeping bags and drysuits!? Brilliant experience.
The cold water was definitely tough! And the dry suits were an adventure in and of themselves for sure!
Iceland has been a dream destination of mine for ages now! However, as I live in India its hard for me to plan a trip there. Hopefully one day I will. The stories of Iceland continue to enthrall!
India is certainly a long way from Iceland. You will have to plan a stop over in Iceland as part of a bigger trip to my it cost effective I imagine. Visit England and Scotland then pop up to iceland maybe?! Hope you make it one day.
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Iceland is already on our travel wishlist, and we’ll definitely take some time to visit this geyser.
It’s pretty easy to find on the famous Golden Circle route which takes in Geysir, Gullfoss waterfall and Pingvellir national park where tectonic plates are pulling the land apart.
Wow, amazing! Iceland!
Thanks for following my blog. It is great to hear about Iceland….What a great world there is to explore!
I’m dying to go to Iceland someday soon. Just have to talk my husband into it.
Just show him some pictures and hopefully he will fall for Iceland’s charms! My husband didn’t take much persuading as he likes running around in the cold!
Always dreamed of going. Thanks for sharing your beautiful experiences.
I just returned from Iceland – it was other wordly. The landscape was so dramatic and just… awesome.
I became addicted to photographing Strokkur exploding upwards, but we were on a time limit as were on a group tour. I kept looking back over my shoulder as we walked back to the coach, hoping to see it explode one more time.
I know the feeling! We kept saying “just one more time”! Wish we could have stayed there all day.
Reblogged this on claracorona's Blog and commented:
Magnifico
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So jealous. It looks amazing.
I was there in 2004, and loved every minute of it. Thanks for bringing back a happy memory!
Happy to have made someone smile
Wow, that is so amazing! Thank you for sharing your experience.
Congratulations on being freshly pressed! That is *so* exciting, and well-deserved.
Thanks very much Gina
Your post inspires people to visit there and it is Okay!
I was just in Iceland last summer. I am so glad I stumbled across your blog! Brought me back to the awesome time I had there.
You are most welcome to stumble around my blog! Iceland has given me many memories to treasure for years to come.
Beautifully done, Sayah and Ryan. Your description is so enthralling. We were there recently and were totally captivated by the awesomeness that is Iceland. Congratulations on the FP – well done! All the best, Terri
Whoops, sorry! Just meant to type “Sarah.” Fumblefingers!
No problem Terri. Glad you enjoyed my post and thank you for your congrats; I’ve been a little overwhelmed by the response but very pleased that people have been enjoying my words and photos.
Thanks. We were there at the end of September, and it’s nice to see your description of your excitement and the photo of a sunny day (it was cloudy and cold when we were there). Congrats on having this freshly pressed!
Thanks Morgan! It was very cold whilst I was there in Feb, but we arrived at Geysir around dusk which gave great light for this shot. Managed to catch a break in the clouds at Gullfoss too where we saw multiple rainbows in the falls.
Iceland in the summer is an awe inspiring trip! There are so many incredible things to do and see in this stunning country.
I would love to go back in summer and visit the glacier lagoon and whale watching! I’ve heard that white water rafting is good in the summer too.
Congrats on being Freshly Pressed! What an amazing country. I just wrote about Iceland too, as a sort of guide for my brother who just flew out there yesterday. His pictures on instragram already from his first 24 hours are making me want to go back. And then I spotted your post just now — it must be a sign
Definitely a sign!! Glad to have discovered your blog too – will be following along
My brother recently commented on visiting Iceland as a group, and am looking forward to visiting one day. Thank you so much for stopping by my site at Stylish Heath it made my day!!!
Thank you Kathleen. Your blog is a nice find – love your romantic style of photography. I collect perfume bottles from my travels too. Have picked them up in Italy, Egypt, and other areas of the Med mainly, with the odd one or two from antique shops.
Love This!!