What You Should Know About Iceland's Volcanoes And Waterfalls

If you’re interested in visiting Iceland, chances are it’s because you want to see the beautiful natural features of this tiny Nordic island. Situated on a rift between the North American and European tectonic plates, the island has a lot of volcanic activity and is in fact one of the most volcanic places on Earth, with 150 to 200 volcanoes both dormant and active. Of the 22 active volcanoes, 13 have erupted since the settlement of Norwegian Vikings in 874.

Over the centuries, consistent lava flow created amazing sites dotted around the island, such as towering spires made out of black lava and huge fields covered in moss. Check out Dimmuborgir in the North of Iceland, the name of which translates to ‘Black Castles’ in English.

Another natural feature that gets a lot of worthy attention is Iceland’s waterfalls. In such a rugged landscape, there are ample opportunities for a river to find its way to sea by rambling over steep cliffs, resulting in thousands of waterfalls. Iceland has an abundance of water in all forms from swimming pools, hot pools, lakes, geysers, glaciers, rivers, and the North Atlantic ocean. But many of the major waterfalls can be seen from the main ring road, which circulates around Iceland.

The most popular of all Icelandic waterfalls is definitely Gullfoss or ‘Golden falls’. Known for its beauty, it is the tallest waterfall in the country and is in close proximity to the capital Reykjavik. The second tallest waterfall is Glymur, at almost 200 meters high, and it’s located in a fjord just West of Reykjavik. It takes a two-hour hike up a mountain to get to but is well worth the effort. Meanwhile, Dettifoss in the North of Iceland is the most powerful waterfall by volume of water, although it is only 45 meters tall. You may recognize it from the opening scene of Ridley Scott’s 2012 film Prometheus.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.