WITH TWINTHEWORLD IN ICELAND
Credit: Twintheworld - Roman Flepp and Valentin Manhart
WHY ICELAND?
Iceland has been a dream destination for us for many years: the incredible expanses, which we as Swiss aren’t at all used to, but also the glaciers—which are actually familiar to us, yet are completely different from those in the Alps—that and much more drew us to Iceland as early as 2018 and 2019. As part of our annual extended trip within Europe, we therefore wanted to go “back to our roots,” so to speak.
Our Expectations
It was clear to us that we didn’t want to explore the same Iceland all over again. Not only would the island reveal a completely different side of itself simply because of the season, but we also wanted to venture into new areas: the rugged Highlands and the Westfjords had been on our list for a long time. True to the motto “Between Ice and Light,” we also wanted to explore Iceland under the midnight sun for the first time and go trekking at night.
Our rough plan—kept as flexible as possible—paid off, because very little turned out as we’d expected: Most roads were still closed for an unusually long time due to the snow, so the Highlands were off the table. The weather, too, was more stormy than sunny during our two and a half weeks in Iceland. So we changed our plans…
Ytri-Rauðarmelskúla Volcano
At the Svörtuloft Lighthouse
Puffins at Látrabjarg
Beach at the Önundarfjörður Pier
FIRST CAMPING SPOT
From volcanoes to glaciers and waterfalls to dizzying cliffs, it offers everything that makes Iceland special. Snæfellsjökull National Park is also incredibly beautiful; in addition to the famous Kirkufjell, known from *Game of Thrones*, there are many lesser-known areas. For example, we slept right next to a volcano for the first time—more specifically, next to Ytri-Rauðarmelskúla.
A good sleep mask was essential, since it never really got dark in May and the sun could wake you up at three in the morning.
The nearby cliffs near the Svörtuloft Lighthouse were no less impressive.
To the Westfjords
After a few rough days, we were finally drawn onward to the Westfjords—a region that had long fascinated us. This fascination was well-founded, because May is the perfect season for birdwatching!
That’s how our interest in birds took hold, and over the course of several days we photographed many different birds, such as the puffin at Europe’s westernmost point near Látrabjarg.
In addition, a wild arctic fox was spotted on the prowl, raiding birds' nests on the cliffs, as were many seals.
One fjord further every day
Every day, our journey took us one fjord further, so that after about a week we reached Ísafjörður, the largest town in the region. Before that, however, we spent the night at a magical beach near the Önundarfjörður pier.
Now our focus shifted to yet another region that was new to us: the mountains in northern Iceland, just west of Akureyri.
west of Akureyri
In this part of the island, however, spring hadn’t arrived at all yet: We were still in for harsher weather, as well as snow-capped mountains that were still being explored by ski tourers, and freezing-cold, frozen fjords and lakes. Some evenings, though, we were surprised by beautiful scenes—for example, when looking out over one of the incredibly long beaches.
For the past two days, we’ve been drawn back south, to springtime and volcanic landscapes.
The Right Equipment
Given the extremely harsh conditions in Iceland, HEIMPLANET exactly the partner we needed, thanks to its sturdy gear. We were especially glad to be sheltered on those stormy evenings. The Kirra proved its worth thanks to how quickly it set up and its stability. The size of the tents was also perfect for us, so everything always stayed dry and we didn’t have to store too much gear in the car.
This allowed us to focus entirely on photographing the magical landscapes and the midnight sun, always knowing that our base camp could withstand the Icelandic weather.
Our Questions for Twintheworld
HOW LONG WERE THE DRIVES?
We tried not to spend too much time in the car, but rather to be outdoors as much as possible—hiking, camping, and cooking. Still, the distances in Iceland are often long, and the fjords in particular can make the trip take much longer: Sometimes we drove for several hours in and out of fjords (with a good audiobook, of course). In remote areas like the ones we were traveling through, we also often encountered gravel roads.
WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE?
The weather was definitely the biggest challenge. We had expected snow, but not such significant regional variations. In the Westfjords, spring was clearly visible and palpable, and the weather was completely different from that in the northern mountains. We saw very little snow—at least at sea level. The fact that we would end up in a completely white landscape during our final week took us by surprise and forced us to adapt our gear flexibly.
WERE YOUR EXPECTATIONS MET?
So our expectations were met, but, as mentioned, in a completely different way: The Highlands remain a project for a future trip, but we found the adventure we’d been looking for! In many ways, the trip was even more adventurous than planned. Fortunately, with the Kirra, we were prepared for spontaneous changes in routes and weather (and seasons!). So we’ll always remember this as an unforgettable time.
Image and text by:
TWINTHEWORLD
Roman Flepp & Valentin Manhart
