Southern & Western Iceland

A November Adventure (2014)


In early November 2014, I spent a week exploring the dramatic landscapes of southern and western Iceland — a journey of waterfalls, glaciers, black-sand beaches, and steaming geothermal fields.


Driving along the South Coast, I visited Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls, walked the black sands of Reynisfjara, and stood before the vast glacier tongues reaching toward the sea. One of the highlights was venturing inside a glittering blue ice cave — a surreal world of frozen shapes and shifting light.


The long nights rewarded me with another unforgettable sight: the Northern Lights dancing across the Arctic sky, casting green and purple curtains over the snow-dusted landscape.


In the west, I explored the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, often called “Iceland in Miniature” for its mix of lava fields, rugged coastlines, fishing villages, and the glacier-capped Snæfellsjökull volcano.


This November trip revealed a quieter, moodier side of Iceland — raw, powerful, and almost entirely my own.

A row of decorative signs and markers at an arctic circle landmark site under blue skies.
Dramatic aerial view of clouds at sunset with golden sunlight filtering through the dense cloud formations.
Coastal homes with green roofs overlook frozen waves of ice patterns along a dramatic rocky shoreline at sunset.
A rustic white church with steeple sits on a hillside against a dramatic sunset sky illuminated in golden light.
Sunlight streams through clouds over rocky coastal landscape with cascading water and dramatic wave formations.
Aerial view of a melting glacier showing ice formations and rugged terrain patterns in a mountainous landscape.
Aerial panoramic view of rugged green moss-covered volcanic landscape in Iceland under dramatic cloudy skies.
Panoramic mountain landscape with dramatic clouds set against rugged desert peaks and red sandstone formations.
Panoramic view of a snowy mountain range with red roofed buildings nestled in the valley below.
Boats docked in a scenic marina surrounded by snow-capped mountains in Iceland with calm reflective waters at dusk.
A dramatic panoramic view of the rugged Faroe Islands coastline with steep cliffs and turquoise ocean waters below.
Snow-capped Mount Snaefellsjokull towers over a rugged Icelandic landscape under moody clouds at sunset.
Four connected natural rock archways frame views of a blue sky and distant mountains in the desert wilderness.
Golden sun setting over rocky coastline with waves crashing on pebble beach at twilight.
Rock formation silhouetted against a blue sky and calm ocean water with light reflecting off the surface.
Scenic panorama of empty desert highway stretches toward distant mountains at sunset with golden light.