| Month. |
Daybreak |
Dusk |
| Jan. |
10:03 |
16:59 |
| Feb. |
09:13 |
18:11 |
| March |
07:46 |
19:35 |
| April |
05:55 |
21:10 |
| May |
03:50 |
23:04 |
| June |
24 hr. |
daylight |
| July |
24 hr. |
daylight |
| Aug. |
03:06 |
23:57 |
| Sept. |
05:17 |
21:35 |
| Oct. |
06:50 |
19:43 |
| Nov. |
08:18 |
18:03 |
| Dec. |
09:36 |
16:57 |
|
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| The South |
| With more than its fair share of beautiful scenery, the south of Iceland has glaciers, waterfalls and some of the most colourful mountainous volcanic areas in the country. |
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| Map of South Iceland |
To view a larger version of this map in pdf format click here. |
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| Thjorsardalur & Hekla |
iceland's most notorious volcano, 1,498m Hekla is also among its most active and last erupted in March 2000. In its shadow lies Thjorsardalur, a lush valley with beautiful gorges and waterfalls, including Haifoss, the second highest in Iceland. Buried under Hekla's ash in the 12th century, Stong is an excavated farm in the valley. Nearby, a fascinating reconstruction of a turf homestead is open to visitors.
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| Thorsmork & Myrdalsjokull |
A popular beauty spot and excellent area for hiking, Thorsmork is a wooded valley, wedged between glaciers and cut through by swift-flowing rivers and their gorges. The rough jeep track to reach it fords several rivers, passing close to a spectacular glacier tongue that dips into an icy lagoon.
Nearby Seljalandsfoss is a delicate plume of water that leaps off a former sea cliff. A path leads behind the falls, making for an even more spectacular perspective. Under Mydralsjokull icecap, which can be explored on a snowmobile excursion, is the volcano Katla while south of it is another fabulous waterfall, Skogafoss, a shimmering curtain of water than plunges 60m over a cliff. The turf farm museum contains a a fascinating collection of local memorabilia. Dyrholaey bird sanctuary is a great place to observe puffins and other seabirds. Pounding waves have eroded a natural rock arch through the headland, which was formed from a submarine eruption.
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| The Fjallabak region |
| Tucked behind the glacier Myrdalsjokull, this is an area of vividly coloured rhyolite mountains, abundant hot springs, unusual craters and lava flows. In the heart of the region is Landmannalaugar, an especially scenic spot offering great hiking and a natural warm bathing pool, emerging from beneath an impressive lava wall. A dramatic roller coaster jeep route leads to Eldja, an 8km long fissure with a beautiful two-tiered waterfall, Ofaerufoss, which once boasted a natural rock arch. |
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| Kirkjubaejarklaustur |
| A village (pop. 150) centred in a region of great scenic beauty and geological interest. In its surrounds are waterfalls, pseudocraters, columnar basalt features and lava from Laki. This row of craters to the north where formed in 1783, in one of the world's most violent eruptions. In the famine which followed, on fifth of Iceland's population perished. Nupsstadur is a restored turf church in a dramatic setting. |
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| The Westman Islands |
| A group of 15 islands off the south coast of which only the largest, Heimaey (pop. 4,500) is inhabited. One of Iceland's major fishing centres, the town was evacuated during the unexpected and devastating eruption of 1973, with the loss of one third of the homes under ash and lava. With the harbour under threat, the enterprising islanders pumped sea water to stop the advancing sea wall. In September 1998 the island became home to Keiko, the orca of "Free Willy" fame who was transported back to his home waters from Oregon U.S.A. Flight and ferry connections link the islands with the mainland. |
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| © RTH Sigurdsson |
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Iceland
ICELAND HOLIDAYS
Iceland & Greenland 
