My Story: The Hidden Powers of Iceland’s South Shore by Jordan Dyck

Surreal is the word that I most often use to describe Iceland when talking about this trip I took with Iceland Travel.

Absolutely out of this world. I took the Hidden Powers & Northern Lights tour at the beginning of January, and it was the absolute best decision to start off the New Year. Starting in Reykjavik, you get time after your flight to explore the city. I started out with a visit to the famous Hallgrímskirkja Church to get a birds eye view of Reykjavik in all its colorful glory. I walked around the whole city, taking in the beautiful buildings, unique architecture, and stunning backdrops of the Esjan volcanic mountain range.

Hallgrimskirkja by Jordan Dyck

Starting our tour bright and early the next day was perfect; because Iceland in the winter has such limited hours of daylight we were able to see all of the sights at just the right time. As a photographer, travelling in the winter with Iceland Travel was great because I was able to get to beautiful locations at just the right time. Two of my absolute favorite spots were Gullfoss and the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. At Gullfoss, the sun was bright and shining, cascading a beautiful rainbow over the two-tiered waterfall. As a group, we went a little off trail and saw some incredible viewpoints of the trail. Because of this tour, I got to see things that I normally would’ve never even thought to look for. And learn about the history of it all along the way.

Gullfoss Waterfall by Jordan Dyck

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before, and our tour bus arrived just as the sun was rising, leaving a pink glow on top of the icy blues of the water. There were seals playing nearby, which was absolutely spectacular to see.

Reynisdrangar Beach by Jordan Dyck

Our hotels were equally as good, and Iceland Travel really made sure we were staying in the best accommodation possible. The Icelandair Hotel chain was fantastic at making sure we all got to eat together as a group, reminiscing about our day’s activities together. On one night, we went on a Northern Lights tour together and found them! It was such a sight, a complete unimaginable beauty. I feel very fortunate that our guide knew exactly when and where to go to see these dancing lights- we were very lucky.

Vatnajökull Glacier by Jordan Dyck

My trip with Iceland Travel was absolutely remarkable, and the Hidden Powers & Northern Lights tour truly gave me a chance to really immerse myself in Icelandic culture. I learnt about the background of Iceland, the volcano eruptions’ and how they affected the country, and tons of little facts along the way. I can’t wait to come back in the summer, and experience this beautiful country all over again.

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Jordan Dyck is a travel photographer and writer from Vancouver, British Columbia