Must see mountains in Iceland

Icelandic nature is full of breathtaking landscapes. Waterfalls, glaciers, rock formations and mountains make driving around the island an unforgettable experience. In this blog post I will give you some information about four of the most stunning mountains I had the chance to visit during my September and October road trip! These are the must see mountains in Iceland no matter whether it’s winter or summer.

Kirkjufell

Kirkjufell (church mountain in Icelandic) is a 463m high mountain on the north coast of Iceland’s Snæfellsnes peninsula, near the fishing town of Grundarfjörður. This iconic landmark is claimed to be the most photographed mountain in the country. Kirkjufell has been the filming location for the famous TV series Game of Thrones referred to as “The mountain shaped like an arrowhead”. It also appeared in the movie The Life of Walter Mitty.

Next to Kirkjufell you will find Kirkjufellsfoss waterfalls (church mountain falls). Although this waterfall isn’t tall, its 3 stages and gentle flow make it a really beautiful scene. Photographing the falls in the foreground and the mountain in the background is probably the most iconic view of this location.

On a calm day walking a little bit further from Kirkjufellsfoss towards the small lake you may have the opportunity to view and photograph a perfect reflection of the volcanic mountain. Ideal for symmetry lovers!

How to get to Kirkjufell

Driving from Iceland’s capital city of Reykjavík to Kirkjufell will take about 2 and a half hours. Take Road 1 to the North, through the undersea tunnel and when you reach Borgarnes take road number 54. This road will lead you to Kirkjufell. There is a free parking space which was pretty full the two times we got there.

Vestrahorn

The mighty Vestrahorn (West horn in Icelandic) is a 454m tall mountain on the south-eastern coast of Iceland’s, located at Stokkness peninsula near the towns of Hofn and Hornafjördur. Vestrahorn is probably my favourite location to photograph in Iceland since it has so many possibilities and different angles to shoot. It’s a breathtaking landscape. No question why there were so many tourists and photographers there.

The black sand beach along with the sand dunes with tall grass make a wonderful foreground element. The waves that pull back slowly are great for taking long exposure photos. Waterproof boots are helpful in this case. If there is no wind you can catch an amazing reflection in the area between the mountain and the dunes. There is an area that floods and although it is only a few centimetres deep it will give you a great reflection of the mountain.

How to get to Vestrahorn

Getting to Vestrahorn is very easy. Just follow Ring Road 1 to the East and when you pass Höfn after abound 7km turn right on a gravel road just before getting into the tunnel. Driving another 5km and you have reached the magnificent Vestrahorn. Be prepared to pay an entrance fee though since it is a private area.

Eystrahorn

Eystrahorn (East horn in Icelandic) is a 756m tall mountain, not as famous as Vestrahorn. This means there will be fewer tourists here! However its steep slopes make it really beautiful as well and definitely worth visiting it if you are in the area. A small pond will give you an amazing reflection of the mountain.

How to get to Eystrahorn

Eystrahorn is located between the towns of Höfn and Djúpivogur on the Hvalnes Peninsula in East Iceland. Follow Ring Road 1 and search for Hvalnes Lighthouse. You can leave your car at the lighthouse’s parking at walk to the mountain.

Brunnhorn

Brunnhorn (Well horn in Iceland) is the third horn shaped mountain in south-eastern Iceland. It is also known as the batman mountain because of the shape of its three peaks. These peaks can also be seen from Vestrahorn if you get close to the sea and look at the right back of the mountain. Driving past Vestrahorn and after the tunnel if the wind is calm you can see a perfect reflection of the mountain into the waters. The presence of fog at the base of the mountain really adds to this landscape.

If you are interested in wall art prints from Icelandic landscapes be sure to check my prints!