National Geographic Explorer pulled into the pretty town of Djúpivogur this morning, welcomed by rare rays of sunshine. Guests quickly disembarked to commence their various excursions for the day. Options included a hike across a section of the vast Vatnajökull glacier, a boat cruise around the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, a walk along stunning Diamond Beach, and a Super Jeep tour of nearby canyons and hidden waterfalls, followed by a nature walk.
Some of us headed for spectacular Diamond Beach, where chunks of ice, calved from the nearby Vatnajökull glacier, washed up on a black, volcanic sand beach. The sun introduced itself on our expedition and made for stunning photographic opportunities. Our boat cruised around the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon in amphibious vehicles once used by the U.S. military. We had a unique perspective of the icebergs and Vatnajökull glacier, the chance for more phenomenal photo ops, and even the chance to taste 1,000-year-old ice.
Those who chose the glacial walk were treated to more intimate views of Europe’s largest glacier as they hiked across Skaftafellsjökull.
Our guests who had elected for the Super Jeep tour boarded beefed-up vehicles with huge tires and drove around wild off-road trails to nearby canyons and pristine waterfalls. These vehicles allowed our guests to explore some hidden parts of the countryside near Djúpivogur such as the Grenisgil canyon and Skógafoss waterfall.
