Iceland.
Take the wild turn.
The southern Ring Road, the central Highlands, and a river crossing with an exceptionally unexpected cameo. Our Iceland had range.
A little polish. A lot of wilderness.
We did the southern stretch of the Ring Road and the central Highlands. We also did the Blue Lagoon. I see no contradiction between a famous soak and a day that requires someone else to drive a very large vehicle through a river. A trip can contain both.
The south was one chapter. Landmannalaugar was another: the Highlands’ multicolored mountains brought an entirely different palette. This is the Iceland that makes you reconsider how much landscape one country is allowed to have.
The driver made the difference.
Our private Hummer driver trained NATO troops in off-road driving in his spare time. That is a reassuring extracurricular when the road becomes a river. Having the right person behind the wheel let us enjoy the adventure instead of trying to become qualified for it.
And yes, we bumped into Mel Gibson while fording a river in the Humvee. That happened. I can plan the driver. Celebrity river encounters remain outside the scope of services.
The Jess take
You do not have to complete the Ring Road to have an extraordinary Iceland trip. Our southern route and Highlands detour gave us contrast without making the whole island an assignment. As your Iceland travel planner, I would build a custom Iceland itinerary around your appetite for adventure, the season, and where expert local help makes the experience better. Leave room for the wild turn.