Southern Iceland Road-Trip in Winter in 10 Days – Day 8
While traveling around in a new country, Richie and I are keen in discovering “secret spots”, places off the beaten path, to enjoy something only with your traveling partner. We found one such hidden hot spring in South-West Iceland. It was not on Google Map, there was no proper sign. I just managed to find the GPS coordinate of the location in one of the blogs I have read about it and we went there searching for it. The hidden gem gave us an exclusive experience, giving us the feeling of having traveled far away. Then, we enjoyed the whale-watching tour in the small town of Grundarfjordur, which is the only place to spot orcas or killer whales in Iceland. We made sure that the tour is ethical. Our guesthouse in Snaefellsnes Peninsula is also amazing, as it overlooks the famous Kirkjufell Mountain and the North-Atlantic shore.
Highlights of the Day
- Landbrotalaug Hot Springs
- Whale-Watching Tour at Grundarfjordur
- Grasteinn at Snaefellsnes Peninsula
- Kirkjufell Mountain & Kirjufellsfoss
Hidden Surprise on the Way to Snaefellsnes
We checked out from the Esjan Buses at around 8 AM. It was quite dark. Once we drove down from Skrautholar road to the Ring Road, we took a left heading North along the Atlantic shore. We crossed the Hvalfjardargong tunnel – one of the best known tunnels in Iceland – heading to the town of Borgarnes.
Because it was Christmas time, I was not sure there would be restaurants open in Snaefellsnes. Hence at Borgarnes, we stocked up at the Bonus Supermarket. Fruits worked out for our breakfast. When leaving Borgarnes, there is a round-about – Ring Road continues to be straight ahead and the road to Snaefellsnes called Snaefellsnesvegur is on the left. We took left and headed North-West to Snaefellsnes.
As we were planning for visiting at least one natural hot spring in our Iceland trip, none of them were falling on our route of the road-trip except the one on the way to Snaefellsnes. It is called Langbrotalaug Hot Springs but there is no proper sign board. However, I had managed to get the GPS coordinate of the location from one of the blogs mentioning it. N64°49.933 W22°19.110 is what you need to look for.
How To Reach the Hidden Hot Spring?
After a 30-min drive from Borgarnes, you would see the old volcanic crater Eldborg. Take a left turn as you cross the crater and drive for a few minutes on the dirt road. There you would pass a small abandoned house and in a few more minutes, you would see a small sign indicating “Heit Laug Hot Spring” in the middle of nowhere. That is the parking spot. If you are lucky like us, you would be the only car there. Go ahead and park and walk on out to the small pond – the most romantic Landbrotalaug Hot Springs.
Landbrotalaug Hot Spring
Landbrotalaug Hot Springs is naturally made by volcanic activities and it will surely give you a trip that you will never forget. When we got out of the car, the wind was chilly and we could not imagine if we could get the clothes off and get inside the pool. But woah! We did it! We were there for an hour or more.
Please note that this tiny pool has space for maximum 3 people at once. So I highly recommend you to visit this place in the early morning or late evening. It was only 2 of us and we had the best time there.
Whale-Watching Tour at Grundarfjordur
Within an hour’s drive, we reached a small yet popular fishing town located on the north coast of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula in the west of Iceland – Grundarfjordur. Laki Tours offers whale watching tours from this town as Snaefellsnes is a very special region for whale-watching during winters only. This is the only place in Iceland where you have a better chance of seeing orcas, also known as killer whales, in the wild. The best deal with this tour company is that they allow you to join their next tour on free if you fail to watch any dolphins or whales on the tour you have booked with them. Our tour started at 11 AM.
The guide told us about orcas or killer whales that are seen here often. They are the top predator in the ocean. They are known to eat large whales and even great-white sharks. However, in West Iceland, killer whales feed on fish, mostly herring. The North-Atlantic killer whales mostly stay in Iceland waters all year-round following herring. So it becomes easy for us to spot them in the wild without disturbing them at all.
Lunch at Laki Cafe
The whale-watching tour was of around 3 h. We came back to the Grundarfjordur jetty at around 2 PM. We gave back our gear to the tour operator and thanked them for such a wonderful experience. The same tour company has their own cafe, where we had some lunch before heading to our accommodation.
Accommodation in Snaefellsnes Peninsula
Our accommodation in Snaefellsnes Peninsula was just 4 km away from the village of Grundarfjordur. Grasteinn Guesthouse overlooking the famous Kirkjufell Mountain jutting out of the majestic Atlantic Ocean is the perfect accommodation in Snaefellsnes Peninsula. We had booked it online for 2 nights. This cute yet modern cottage has all the basic necessities. There is a shower, small stove, fridge, microwave, and basic utensils to cook a simple meal. There is a queen size bed and cozy chairs to enjoy the landscape outside. The owners are very warm and welcoming. They happily offer you to use their washing machine and dryer as well. You just need to ask them. Don’t forget to be greet their friendly cats and dogs.
Kirkjufell Mountain
As the magnificent Kirkjufell Mountain was just a km away, we walked to it and captured few amazing photographs. I always wanted to visit Kirkjufell because of “Game Of Thrones” series where the mountain was called as “Arrow Head Mountain” by the Hound, and the events that happen beneath it are some of the show’s most dramatic. The name Kirkjufell meaning “Church Mountain” is because of its resemblance to a church steeple with long curved sides. The serene and perfectly located waterfall Kirkjufellsfoss meaning “Church Mountain Falls” is there just below the mountain on the other side of the road.
Dinner With a View
Soon we rushed back to the guesthouse, and warmed ourselves, thanks to the room heater. Everyone is in festive mood, so nothing was apparently open for food nearby. We did not have to worry as we had already picked up groceries from Bonus Supermarket in Borgarnes in the morning. We got fresh, cooked dinner, enjoyed dinner with a view, caught up with the owners, and had the best sleep!
Total Distance Traveled: 160 km
NET EXPENSE FOR 1 PERSON (IN USD)
Let us have a look at the shared expenses of Day 8 in Iceland – Best of Snaefellsnes Peninsula in 2 Days Including Hot Springs, Whale-Watching & Kirkjufell – Part 1
- Grasteinn (2 nights): 110
- Whale-Watching Tour: 75
- Lunch at Lake Cafe: 10
- Food and Miscellaneous: 25
Total expense (roughly): 220 USD
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Wooow !! What a trip you took and iceland has always been on my bucket list. And hot spring hunting sounds actually more fun the I thought. I could see me and my wife spending so much time on one like yourself. Guessing the issue was getting out in the chilly winds. So glad u was able to see whales and dolphins as there so majestic.
Yes, loved the day.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about this experience in the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. In fact, I almost felt as though I was along for the ride! I love that you found a private hot-tub, off the beaten path. (Thank goodness for bloggers who scout things out and share their findings and coordinates, like you!) And your accommodations look perfect, set right within the foothills.The whale watch to see Orcas sounds amazing too! This is exactly the type of getaway I would love when I go to southwest Iceland. Someday!
Yes, you must!
Your post really takes me back to our Iceland trip a few summers ago. We too had an amazing whale watching excursion from a harbour in Snaefellsnes Peninsula, though ours was out of Stykkishólmur. We drove the same route out of Reykjavik you did, but didn’t know about the Heit Laug Hot Spring which looks absolutely wonderful! I love that you had it to yourselves! Your accommodation for the night also looks great.
Glad to know you had been there!
That hot springs experience probably beat the commercialized Blue Lagoon. And Kirjufell looks awesome especially with its companion waterfalls. I’ve done whalewatching in Mexico but uou got better pictures!
Thank you Carol!
You have had a tremendous whale-watching adventure. I was off-season for whales during my Iceland road trip, so I failed to admire them at this place. I was lucky to see them in Alaska and Hawaii. I also omitted Landbrotalaug Hot Springs. I chose other hot springs on the route. And now I regret it because these are fantastic. You convinced me to come back to Iceland! An excellent and very inspiring article!
No regrets, you surely have had the best of time in Iceland.
Wow! Your experience at the Landbrotalaug Hot Springs looks amazing. It find it a bit scary but I can imagine how good it feels to soak there. Happy to know that you were able to see the whales up close. What a perfect way to enjoy nature.
It was the best!
What a fantastic day you’ve had! I love that you started your day with a natural hot spring, and that you found one that is so remote and offers such beautiful views. Seeing orcas from the boat seems so magical, I would love to do that one day! Kirkjufell looks so beautiful and you have taken some great photos of it. What a lovely place to spend the night, with those gorgeous views.
Kirkjufell was magnificent.
Let’s face it, hidden treasures or “secret spots” are more exciting to explore. Soaking in the hot springs during the cold season is a wonderful form of relaxation. I’d like to go whale-watching as well. The mountains and waterfalls of Kirkjufell are definitely gorgeous.
Totally agree!
This is an astonishing informational blog. I would like to say thanks to the author. Travelling soon to Europe
Wow, glad if I could inspire you.