Starting Iceland the Hard Way
After an overnight flight with zero sleep, a 6:25 a.m. landing, entering a foreign country with very little energy, and being physically exhausted, most travelers would probably call it a day, retreat indoors, find a place to rest, and take a long nap.
We decided to go hiking.
Reykjadalur Valley is a geothermal area in southern Iceland that offers visitors the unique opportunity to soak in a naturally heated river while surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery. The hike to reach the river winds through a valley filled with sweeping views, steaming vents, bubbling mud pots, and constant reminders that Iceland sits atop a remarkably active landscape.
What was supposed to be a forty-five minute hike ended up feeling much longer. We were running on almost no sleep, and every uphill section seemed to take a little more effort than it normally would. Along the way we passed steam vents pouring into the cool air and geothermal features that would be major attractions almost anywhere else. We also encountered midges. Lots of them. The kind that like to fly into your eyes and up your nose. I remember thinking several times during the hike, “We’ve got to be getting close by now.”
We weren’t.
Still, the scenery kept us moving. The valley opened up around us with incredible views of the Icelandic countryside, and before long we had our first opportunity to capture drone footage of the trip. We also got our first look at the river itself, fed by geothermal water that cuts its way through the valley.
Reykjadalur Valley
Eventually we reached our destination.
After all that hiking, the soak was amazing. We settled into a spot along the river and let the warm water soothe our aching legs and tired bodies. For a while, the exhaustion from the overnight flight seemed to disappear completely. Fortunately, most of the hike back was downhill, making the return trip much easier than the climb in.
Looking back, Reykjadalur was not the hardest hike we completed in Iceland. Not even close. But it may have been one of the most important.
After arriving with our physical, emotional, and mental tanks nearly empty, we could have chosen the easy option. We could have called it a day and gone to sleep. Nobody would have blamed us.
Instead, we started walking.
Somewhere between the steam vents, the mountain views, and the warm river flowing through the valley, Iceland began to reveal itself. The decision to push forward rather than retreat ended up becoming a fitting metaphor for the entire trip.
At the time, it felt like a simple decision to go for a hike. Looking back, it was our first lesson in resilience—something Iceland would continue teaching us throughout the next twelve days.
What started as an exhausting first-day challenge became the beginning of the most memorable family vacation we had ever taken.
