Another shot of Vestrahorn mountain at Eastern Iceland. Vestrahorn rises out of a black sand beach and dominates the view. That morning the mountain and the sand dunes were painted with a wonderful yellow color while the sun was rising above the horizon. Oh, those dunes are much bigger than they appear in this photograph. It is pretty easy to get to this location but you have to pay a fee because you must pass through private area. Keep that in mind!

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Vestrahorn is a breathtaking mountain in south-east Iceland. You will find it in Stokksnes Peninsula, close to the town of Höfn. To get to Vestrahorn you will have to drive about six hours from Reykjavík. Therefore it is most often visited by those travelling the South Coast of Iceland or are on a road trip around the ring road of the island. On the Ring Road drive east past Höfn and after around 7km, just before reaching the tunnel, turn right onto an unmarked gravel road. Follow this road for around 5 km and you will have reached the black sand beach of Vestrahorn. Keep in mind though that since Vestrahorn is on private land you will have to pay a fee to get there!

Vestrahorn is a quite wild and remote location. It is made out of iron and magnesium rich gabbro rock, which leads to its dark and jagged appearance. Vestrahorn translates to “West Mountain” due to its proximity to the similar Eystrahorn, or “East Mountain”. Its dramatic peaks reach up to 454 meters (1490 ft.). The mountain rises behind a beautiful black sand beach with sand dunes scattered all around.

You might ask what time of the year is best to visit Vestrahorn. No matter whether you visit this place in Autumn, Winter or Summer it has a lot to offer for sure. If you are a photographer this iconic mountain could be described as a playground! There are so many different compositions to choose from! If you are lucky and there is no wind you will also be able to see the reflection of Vestrahorn into the calm ocean water. No wonder why this is such a famous tourist location.

In this photo you see the reflection of Vestrahorn mountain into the calm sea water during sunrise. Snow covers one of its peaks. The warm sun light is painting the mountain with red and orange tones. A small opening in the clouds allows the morning sun light to paint with beautiful red and purple tones the whole landscape. A few fluffy clouds are filing the blue sky making this scene look dreamy! Vestrahorn is such a beautiful mountain!

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Godafoss is a magnificent waterfall in the Mvatn District of Northern Iceland. Its name translates as “Waterfall of the Gods” in modern Icelandic! However, an old Icelandic folklore mentions a Viking leader named Orgeir Ljósvetningagoi as the source of the waterfall’s name. Nonetheless, due to its location on the Ring Road, approximately 45 minutes east of Akureyri, Iceland’s second largest city, it is easily accessible to tourists.

During our road trip around Iceland, we chose a settlement that was very close to this waterfall, which turned out to be a great decision. We didn’t have to get up super early the next morning to see a spectacular sunrise. The first photograph depicts the sunrise. The sky had beautiful purple and pink tones. Simply stunning!

Goðafoss waterfall is formed by the Skjálfandafljót River’s water, which falls from a height of 12 meters across a width of 30 meters. You can see Godafoss from two different viewpoints, so you could easily spend an hour there. You can also take a stroll down to the river’s edge. Cutting rocks, on the other hand, can be dangerously slippery, so proceed with caution. Aside from that, the walkaways and lookouts are fantastic for making the most of your visit.

This long exposure black and white photograph was taken from the riverbank on the east side of this lovely waterfall. Can you see the silhouette of a man standing on the rocks at the top of the waterfall? Now you can get a sense of scale of how big this waterfall is!

The following image was taken from a deck on the East Bank. Again, a long exposure contributes to the scene’s calm and peace. I think that the autumn colors complement the orange hues in the sky perfectly. Although, to be honest, the waterfall was definitely loud!

Of course, Godafoss is an excellent location for viewing the Northern Lights. The Aurora Borealis is always a spectacular sight. When you combine it with an incredible landscape of Iceland, you have a spectacular show into the arctic wilderness.

You should definitely not miss this waterfall if you are driving around Iceland or the Diamond Circle. Both the East and West Banks are worth a visit to take in the scenery and snap some photos!

If you liked my photos they are available as fine art prints, canvas prints and other products.

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