It’s known as the Land of Fire and Ice for a reason. Sitting atop a volcanic hot spot, Iceland is a geographical contradiction. The frigid temperatures, icy landscape and glaciers coexist with some of the most active volcanoes in the world. A day of hiking up snowcapped mountains might end with a warm dip in a hot spring. Iceland also boasts one of the world’s few black sand beaches and its own equine breed. Curious yet? Satisfy that curiosity. Take a look.
The Tungnaa River originates from the western slope of Vatnajokull Glacier, then flows southwest until it merges with the Thjorsa River, the longest in Iceland.
Luigi Ruoppolo, Landmannalaugar, 2022
A puffin, with its colorful accents in view, poses at the edge of a cliff in southern Iceland. Beverly Houwing, Ingolfshofdi, 2023
An aerial view captures the Fagradalsfjall Volcano, which last erupted in January 2024. Iceland, which sits above a volcanic hotspot, experiences an eruption every four to five years. Nathan Wood, Fagradalsfjall Volcano, 2021
Often pony-sized, Icelandic horses, known for their muscular bodies and their ability to grow long hair in the winter and shorter hair in the summer, snack on sparse roughage seemingly unaware of the picturesque mountain view nearby. Giovanna Dell’Acqua, Iceland, 2019
A dimly lit shack stands on the shore on the west coast of Iceland. Luke Madden, Snaefellsnes Peninsula, 2022
The power of water is evident at Hrafnabjargafoss, a waterfall in Skjalfandafljot River, which is one of the longest in Iceland. Mike Eyett, Hrafnabjargafoss waterfall, 2022
An Arctic fox hunts in the remote northwest corner of Hornvik Bay where the isolated landscape allows much of the wildlife to remain undisturbed. Conrad Dickinson, Hornvik Bay, 2023
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