Iceland is becoming one of the trendiest travel destinations, especially within the Instagram community. While eyebrows still rise when I reveal my recent travel destination to friends and acquaintances, I slowly but surely see more and more pictures and blog posts regarding the snowy island. However, let’s address the elephant in the room…where are all the Black travelers that have been to Iceland? When I looked up blog posts, they were nearly all written by white people. While of course there is nothing wrong with this, I did want to see the perspective of Iceland from women of color and more specifically, from Black women. I had my fair share of questions! Would my hair and skin hold up in the drastic but ever-changing climate? How does the country view Black people in general? While I had many questions and concerns, this was a country that I wanted to go to for years, due to my love for geology, environmental science, and nature in general. This island contained a number of different land forms and geological features that I had studied and drooled over for years in school, but I only saw most of them through reading text books or through watching National Geographic’s. I couldn’t let my preconceived fears stop me from truly feeding my love for being connected to nature. So I decided to be that Black travel blogger to take that chance and possibly answer some questions that some of my peers may have.
What do you wear?
This is probably one of the biggest concerns for most people….it was at least one of my biggest concerns. My boyfriend and I took preparing for the weather very seriously and the both of us had prior experience hiking and camping, so we knew what to expect when it came to roughing it out in the good ol’ outdoors. Yes, I wanted to look cute in all of my pictures, but I chose warmth and comfort first! Iceland climate all depends on specifically when you choose to travel due to the wind patters and the hours of sunlight. We traveled during the second week of November, and thanks to a handy website, I was able to get an idea of what to expect when it came to temperatures and a rough estimate of overall sunlight.
I prepared for the snowy, wet climate and expected roughly five hours of sunlight. I started shopping on Amazon Prime around the end of September where I purchased three cheap long sleeve shirts, three fleece leggings, a water resistant snow sport coat, and two pairs of water resistant snow pants. I also bought water resistant biker gloves and an oversized large knitted winter hat, for my big protective passion twists. I purchased a stylish yet very warm fleece pull over as well. I suggest purchasing your gear at least a month before you travel. This way, you have enough time to return anything that does not fit you. At the last minute I purchased long crew socks and took three different scarves that I found from my closet. Try to get as much waterproof clothing as possible! I also purchased a waterproof backpack which I also recommend!
Luckily I already had a water resistant pair of hiking boots that were already broken in. If you plan on taking part in outdoor adventures and tours, then hiking boots are a must! I cannot stress this enough. Many of the walking surfaces are not paved when you leave ReykjavÃk (the main city in Iceland).
For the days where I planned on staying outside for long periods of time, especially for our tour days, I wore a long sleeved shirt and layered that with a short sleeve T-shirt, a fleece pull over, and my water resistant coat. If my boyfriend and I were staying in ReykjavÃk for some dinner, I wore my regular fashionable winter coat instead of the water resistant coat. For my bottoms, I wore fleece leggings which were layered by my snow pants. And again, if we were doing something less rigorous like dinner or just strolling down the streets, I would just wear jeans over my leggings. Layering was my best friend that week. I also always wore a hat and I always wore gloves. You learn quickly that a hat and gloves are necessary. I did bring some of my going out attire, but I didn’t get a chance to flaunt any of them. Their nightlife takes place on Friday and Saturday.
What/where did I visit?
Be sure to have at least one destination that you plan on seeing before coming to Iceland. I decided to stay in the most populated city, ReykjavÃk. This was mainly due to safety reasons. In all honesty, I did not feel comfortable going to desolate cities on a predominantly White European island.
We booked all of our tours through Viator about a month before our big trip. The tours were pretty pricey and we did not want to overbook ourselves. The great news is that all of our planned tours included a bus that picked us up from one of the bus stops in ReykjavÃk, and our hotel was less than a minute away from the bus stop.
Northern Lights Tour
The first tour we had scheduled was the Northern Lights tour through Gray Line. Always remember the name of the tour company, because there are so many different company buses that pull up to these bus stops. We went to this tour during our first night in Iceland. If you rented a car, please skip this tour! It is not worth it in my opinion. This tour is super popular so our bus was jam packed. My boyfriend and I were squished in the back seats of the bus, and we were in pain for the entire bus ride.
The bus goes to this beautiful light house in Grótta, where we were able to buy refreshments inside a small museum/cafe. After about an hour or so we were just waiting until the sky cleared up to see the Northern Lights. But the sky never cleared. They wanted to keep trying by bringing us to another location, but the forecast did not look promising, so we went back to ReykjavÃk. The good news is that we were given the option to come back and see the lights free of charge since it was so cloudy. My boyfriend was so turned off by the tour, that the thought of a re-do made him feel nauseous. We did eventually see the lights the last night we were in Iceland. We hitched a ride with a really nice couple we met the night prior, and we saw them close to the light house location that the tours utilized. So we were away from the tours, yet we were away from the light pollution of ReykjavÃk.
Southern Iceland Tour Glaciers, Waterfalls, and Beach Day Tour
This was by far my favorite tour of the trip! Aside from the Northern Lights, I was really psyched to see the infamous Black Sand Beach. We used the tour company called Bustravel Iceland. The tour bus picked us up at our bus stop and took us to another bus where we met with a larger group. Our tour bus was not very full which was a major plus for us when it came to finding a decent seat on the bus.
It rained most of the day and we were able to stop at an N1 gas station and some other eateries along the way. The food and souvenirs tend to be the cheapest in these areas, so make sure you pick up some chocolate bars, nick knacks, and good eats.
We saw two awesome waterfalls, and we even hiked to the famous glacier towards the end of our trip. We covered a lot of ground with this tour!
We visited the Black Sand Beach during the middle of our trip. This is where my safety radar activated! It was a low tide at the beach, and the waves were monster sized! Like 15 feet high! I live in New Jersey, and although I have seen my share of massive waves before a hurricane, I was still thrown off by the size of these waves. With that being said, our tour guide warned us not to get too close to the waves due to some unfortunate fatalities which resulted from people standing too close to the ocean.
I will admit I was a baby about the waves…so I did not get too close. I kept yelling at my boyfriend to stand clear of the waves, but he was being hardheaded. In hindsight, I wish we had a better day for the beach, and I wish I stood closer to the water. But there will definitely be a next time. This beach was beautiful! It was like nothing I’ve seen before! After each wave came small ice pebbles, and there were larger black rocks that were scattered throughout. I was most impressed by the large rocks that protruded out of the water.
So the tour was fantastic! Do not skip this one because it may be a challenge to drive to all these locations on your own. I know I would have been wiped out if I planned an independent trip to each of these locations. We did get very wet from the rain and the waterfalls. My waterproof pants met their match by the end of this tour! My only issue with the tour was that it felt very rushed. We had roughly 20-30 minutes to visit each destination, and I do feel that it was largely because of the reduced hours of sunlight. I would do this tour again and maybe drive to the Black Sand Beach myself.
Golden Circle Tour
We did the Golden Circle tour on our second to last day in Iceland (we chose Gray Line again). I also highly recommend this tour, especially if you are not in the mood to be active. I found out that the Golden Circle is the name of the route in southern Iceland that covers major destinations. We saw Gullfoss Falls, Thingviller Valley which is Iceland’s portion of the Mid Atlantic Ridge, and Geyser Park. This tour was pretty easy-going and we did a lot of sitting on the bus, but honestly we were fine with that. We were still pretty worn out from the last tour.
The geysers/hot spring area was really unique! There is one shooting geyser surrounded by geothermal springs. There is a this strong sulfuric odor due to the hot springs, but in my opinion it is part of the experience.
Blue Lagoon
Many people suggest visiting the Blue Lagoon on the way to the airport or vice versa. I couldn’t disagree more! We did rent a car, so on our second second full day in Iceland, we drove to the Lagoon. We had time to enjoy it and we didn’t worry about being damp at the airport. It is best to buy your tickets ahead of time, because this is a very touristy landmark.
So the preparation process before getting into the water was bizarre. When we got inside to scan our tickets, we were told that we needed to take a buck naked shower in a gender designated locker room. I was totally not prepared for this! They had towels that were available for use, however robes and shower flip flops were an extra cost. I suggest bringing your own flip flops and if possible a robe. There are so many extra costs that will creep up on you! I thought the waterproof wristband payment process was clever and convenient, but it also allows for the trap of overspending on beverages and extras to exist.
Can you guess how I got from the locker room to the Lagoon? I ran to the hot pool wearing my purple, chromed-colored, one piece bathing suite in 35 degree weather. That was by far the worst and at the same time the most exhilarating part of the experience! Our basic ticket came with one drink and a free silica mask to apply to the face.
Again, be mindful of how kronas work before going to this destination. I spent about 50 extra dollars on a drink, a waterproof phone pouch, and slippers. I kid you not! But this was a once in a lifetime experience. Me and my boyfriend stayed in the water for about 3 hours, and it was a lot of fun. The experience of the cold wind and rain hitting your face, while the rest of your body is in 80 degree water, is an experience that everyone should try. I recommend planning a full day for the Blue Lagoon because you do want to enjoy this. I feel if we did this on our way to the airport or on our way to the hotel, it would have been sort of stressful.
Exploring ReykjavÃk
I honestly think that this is the most underrated activity, but definitely allocate a day to venture out and explore the city! I feel that many people take ReykjavÃk for granted because this is the place to rest your head and settle in before site seeing, which I think is a very natural reaction. On our last full day, we made plans to find some wall art, and famous landmarks that I found through Instagram and basic research. This is probably the first city where I have been able to visit most or all of the landmarks that I wanted to see. It’s a relatively small city, and it is very easy to navigate.
Luckily, our hotel was located right across the famous Hallrimskirkja church, so we literally just looked for the church to find our way back. It is also very pedestrian friendly, so you don’t need to drive around the main part of the city.
How was the vibe?
While I have been to three countries in Europe in 2017, this country as a whole was like nothing I’ve ever experienced. When we first left our hotel, I couldn’t help but notice how quiet the streets were. There were other people walking around, but you could literally hear a pin drop! Everyone was generally very quiet. It was sometimes very awkward, but I ended up becoming accustomed to it, since I am a relatively quiet person in public.
I quickly noticed that minimalism was a praised practice. While Europe in general always made me realize how America overindulges and provides many options everywhere, Iceland topped the cake when it came to conserving resources. Our hotel did not have an elevator and we were on the 4th floor. This to me is ableism at its finest, but that is a whole other conversation. When it came to food, we were given bird sized portions.
While I generally do not prefer a minimalist lifestyle (especially when it comes to food), I cannot ignore how their culture really embraces environmental consciousness. Iceland uses geothermal and hydro-electric energy, which are both progressive forms of renewable energy and greatly contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. They also have many vegan and vegetarian options, which I will be covering in my next post about how I ate in Iceland as a vegetarian.
Nearly all the bars and restaurants stopped serving food at around 9pm. This was a bit of a challenge on the nights we came back from our tours. Luckily, we rented a car so we were able to take a trip to the N1 which is a 24 hour gas station. But the food there was very mediocre.
The people were generally very nice, and I did notice that waitresses and hotel workers used a very formal dialogue, which showed me that they took their jobs very seriously. There were no homeless people at all. This was the first time I had witnessed seeing zero homelss people! One of our tour guides explained that the city had no homelessness, while tour guides tend to lie about their city, I actually think I believed him! He explained that there are substaintial programs available for anyone in need of shelter, and everyone pretty much knows each other enough to eventually help out someone in that predicament. I am interested in learning more about that.
As you can imagine, we did not run into too many Black people. Pretty much, any Black person we came across we always greeted them which was a mutal action. I will never forget seeing a black bus driver in ReykjavÃk, and as our eyes met he gave me the infamous “I see you sis” head nod. I also returned the head nod, because its a different type of connection when you see other Black people in Iceland. And in all of the hipster ReykjavÃk bars, they played American rap music from the late 80s to the early 2000s, which I found to be very specific.
There were times we were stared at and sometimes we felt that weird feeling of standing out like a sore thumb, but it wasn’t as bad as it would have been in America. They seemed to be much more respectful about it and did not generally have their eyes glued on us. I felt the stares more when we left the main city part of ReykjavÃk, especially when we were at the N1 or Taco Bell that was not within walking distance. We did not experience any racism and everyone was nice and respectful. I also felt very safe. I was never scared for my life while we walked the streets at night, and it never felt too crowded anywhere.
As far as non-Black POCs (people of color), there was a small population of Asian people. However, the island is still very white. And there weren’t enough people of color to categorize it as diverse.
Iceland in general is the most expensive place I have every been to. I payed 14 dollars for a Crunchwrap Supreme meal at Taco Bell. I’m sure I made my point with that statement.
How was the flight?
Direct flights that we found online were through Iceland Air. Do not book an Iceland Air flight through Google Flights! The company uses a third party to book the flight, and the different types of economy classes are not specified through Google Flights or the third party company. Furthermore, my boyfriend and I purchased the same ticket, at the same time, using our cell phones in the same room, and some how he purchased a regular economy ticket with one checked bag included. Meanwhile, I purchased a basic economy ticket through Priceline. I later realized that Google Flights connected my boyfriend to a different vendor.
When we arrived at the airport, I was told that I needed to pay $70 dollars for a checked bag, which lead to my mini meltdown at the airport. My boyfriend didn’t have to pay a cent for his luggage, and I did, because of their terrible connection with Google Flights. Also, make sure you choose your seats as soon as you can. I believe it is all much easier if you purchase Iceland Air tickets on the actual website.
Iceland Air was comfortable and the flight was about 5 hours from Newark International Airport. But I was irritated by the whole Google Flight debacle, and the fact that the airline did nothing to reimburse me or wave the checked bag fee.
Where did you stay?
My boyfriend and I stayed at the Hótel Leifur EirÃksson, which we reserved through Booking.com. I usually advise using Hotels.com because of the great deals and their rewards system. For Iceland, hostel-like hotel rooms are pretty much the norm when it comes to finding a place to stay. There are tons of cheap offers, however most of these hotels offered shared bathrooms and kitchen. My boyfriend and I wanted some privacy, so we tried to find a private room with a bathroom included.
Hotel Leifur EirÃksson was very quaint, and our room was pretty standard for a European sized room. Our bathroom was made up of a toilet, a sink, and a shower head in a tight narrow space. The water also smelled like sulfur, which was part of the geothermal energy experience. We also had a great mountain view from our room, and as stated before we were right across from the infamous church, so we heard that bell go off every fifteen minutes. We also saw a rainbow on our first day.
The hotel luckily served breakfast every morning, but we couldn’t always make it in time due to our natural response to jet lag. The breakfast was also very bland and monotonous. They served the same exact foods everyday. Like I stated earlier, this country praises the minimalist lifestyle!
When I come back to Iceland, I hope to stay at an Airbnb. The Black couple we met from New York City told us how easy it was to book through Airbnb. I’ve always been reluctant to book through Airbnb in another country, mainly because….well I’m a Black girl. Anytime I’ve booked a room through Airbnb in the states, I’ve only booked rooms through Black people or people of color. Not knowing how being black in a different culture would be like, reasonably made me nervous. But I definitely think Airbnb is the best idea in a Iceland, because buying food everyday in this country was the most expensive thing anyone can ever do in their lives!
Should I rent a car?
Yes, yes, yes, yes, 1000 times yes! Even if you use the provided transportation for the tours, you still need to rent a car! I cannot stress how important this is. The roads never get too crowded because the population is pretty low. Iceland also drives on the same side of the road as Americans, so that is a major plus. If the prices are astronomically high, you can imagine how expensive it would be to catch an Uber ride from the airport to ReykjavÃk. If you do decide to stay in ReykjavÃk, keep in mind that the city is about 45 minutes away from the airport. Also consider the fact that if you need to get food after 9 pm, it pays to have a vehicle that can take you back and forth from an N1 gas station. Even if you decide to only drive back and forth to the airport, it is worth renting a car.
Would you go back?
I will definitely be going back! I wish I had more time and money to do more activities. I would like to try the Fire & Ice Tour which is a tour through an ice tunnel and lava cave. I also want to visit the west side of the island and visit some of their famous glaciers and ice caves. I’d also like to try hiking on the glaciers and and do a snow mobile tour. Nonetheless, I am very proud of myself for making it out to such a beautiful and bountiful place. If you have any reservations about going to Iceland, put those fears aside and plan your next trip to this gorgeous country! Go before Global Warming depletes it of its glory! No, but really, after visiting Iceland it definitely made me appreciate the natural beauty of our planet.