00:00 Huh, tastes pretty good.
00:01 Bring waterproof everything because you're gonna get soaked.
00:05 I'm at the Black Sand Beach and this is amazing.
00:09 Today we're leaving the capital city behind
00:11 and venturing out to Iceland's scenic south coast.
00:13 Come along with me as I take you on a 12 hour tour
00:16 with Arctic Adventures that people say
00:18 is an experience of a lifetime.
00:20 I'm visiting breathtaking waterfalls,
00:22 a world famous black sand beach,
00:24 but what I'm looking forward to the most
00:26 is hiking a glacier.
00:27 I follow along my journey in the land of fire and ice.
00:29 The bus picked us up at 8 a.m. in Reykjavik by our hotel.
00:32 Then we headed south to the first stop on our tour,
00:35 Sallilandfoss Waterfalls.
00:37 Iceland has about 9,000 waterfalls across the country.
00:40 This falls is particularly popular amongst tourists
00:42 because you can walk behind it.
00:44 It's very misty.
00:45 We head up the flight of stairs
00:50 and can see the water crashing down on the ground below.
00:53 Sallilandfoss is 60 meters tall
00:55 and has a naturally carved deep alcove
00:57 that allows tourists to get behind the water.
00:59 It was such a cool experience.
01:00 I've never been behind a waterfall before.
01:03 First waterfall and I'm already soaking wet.
01:06 So it's true what they say,
01:08 bring waterproof everything
01:10 because you're gonna get soaked.
01:12 So I need some water.
01:14 And my tour guide told me to fill it in the stream
01:17 because this is spring water,
01:19 the freshest water you can get here in Iceland.
01:22 All right, let's try this out.
01:28 - What?
01:29 (laughing)
01:30 - You have to bend down and fill it up.
01:32 - Bend down and fill it up, okay.
01:34 - Every lake in Iceland is drinkable
01:42 and this water is extremely pure.
01:45 - Okay, well, there's no bugs.
01:47 - Bugs. - I don't think.
01:48 (laughing)
01:50 Okay, let's try it.
01:51 - Where do you come from?
01:52 - From Canada.
01:53 Okay, okay, let's try this water.
01:54 Let's try this water.
01:55 Let's see.
01:56 (water rushing)
01:59 I have to film it this way.
02:01 (laughing)
02:03 Okay, just tried the water.
02:04 It's actually really good.
02:05 Cheers, fresh spring water.
02:09 Next we're checking out Skóafoss, the forest waterfall.
02:13 My first reaction is it's gorgeous.
02:16 Skóafoss is one of the biggest waterfalls in Iceland.
02:18 It stands 200 feet tall and 83 feet wide.
02:22 Visitors can climb up the steep staircase beside the falls
02:24 to catch some amazing viewpoints,
02:26 but I was too happy just playing in the water.
02:28 On sunny days, you can usually see a rainbow
02:30 through the mist.
02:32 Our third stop of the day is the iconic Black Sand Beach.
02:35 I've never seen anything like it before.
02:37 The waves and strong currents make the beach
02:39 extremely dangerous to swim in.
02:41 (wind blowing)
02:44 If you don't like the weather in Iceland,
02:46 wait a minute because it will change.
02:48 It absolutely has.
02:49 It's raining, it's cold, it's windy now.
02:53 Visitors are warned about the potential dangers
02:55 with signs posted at the entrance.
02:56 Unfortunately, it started to pour when we got there,
02:59 but that didn't stop me from getting my hands dirty.
03:01 So the black sand at Black Sand Beach
03:03 actually comes from volcanic ash and black rock.
03:06 The beach is also known for its black basalt sea stacks,
03:09 which are formed when lava cools down suddenly.
03:11 The cape beside the ocean is covered
03:13 with these beautiful rock formations,
03:14 and across the water you can see spiky stacks
03:17 rising from the ocean.
03:18 This was definitely an unforgettable experience.
03:21 Absolutely soaked.
03:23 My hair, look, there's like water coming out of it.
03:26 Time to eat some lunch.
03:28 I've definitely worked up a daffodil.
03:30 Our final stop of the day
03:31 is hiking the Soljemálokul Glacier.
03:33 There are 269 named glaciers in Iceland,
03:36 and about 10% of the country is covered in ice.
03:39 We're walking to the glacier.
03:40 I've got some hiking boots.
03:43 I got, it looks like an ice pick.
03:47 Some crampons.
03:50 I haven't even started hiking yet, I'm already tired.
03:53 All right, let's go.
03:54 Glacier hiking is very dangerous without a guide,
03:57 especially if you're a noob like me.
03:58 So before we make our way up,
04:00 we're taught how to use the equipment properly to stay safe.
04:02 So let's say the terrain is going down in front of me,
04:05 it's a little bit higher behind me.
04:07 I have this thing, I can stick it to the ice behind me,
04:10 and every step I do, I can carry this behind me
04:12 and put my weight on it.
04:13 It takes about 30 minutes
04:15 to reach our destination on the tongue.
04:16 And let me tell you, the views are breathtaking.
04:19 The ice is covered with black ash
04:21 that's been left over from volcanic eruptions in the past.
04:24 Our guide explains to the group how glaciers are formed.
04:26 - Every winter we have a snowfall in here,
04:28 and then during summer it doesn't melt,
04:30 and next winter we have another one,
04:32 and another layer, and another, another, another,
04:34 and this goes on for hundreds of years, yeah?
04:36 - We're all getting a little thirsty at this point,
04:38 so our guide teaches us how to do a Viking pushup.
04:41 (water splashing)
04:43 (laughing)
04:46 - Whoever else.
04:46 - The Viking pushup.
04:49 I can't do pushups,
04:50 but I have to see what the water tastes like.
04:52 - Really.
04:53 Oh, it's pretty good.
04:57 It does taste earthy.
04:58 - Yeah.
04:59 - Then we make our way back to the bus.
05:01 What a way to end a beautiful tour.
05:03 By the time we get back to Reykjavik, it's 8 p.m.
05:06 I'm exhausted.
05:07 As for the tour, it's true what they say,
05:09 it is an experience of a lifetime.
05:11 I would highly recommend taking a trip
05:13 to Iceland's picturesque south coast.
05:15 If you've toured Iceland before or have plans on doing so,
05:18 let us know what your favorite part is in the comments.
05:20 (upbeat music)
05:23 (upbeat music)
