While in Iceland, my friends and I rented a camper-van from KuKu Campers and hit the road for a few days of sing-alongs and epic explorations. Being the experienced travel writer I am, I left the planning entirely up to my friend, Steffe. She had a full list of fun things to do – things I had never even heard of. Thus, we ended up at these Ultra Secret Hot Springs for Locals Only.
(That’s not quite the truth. A quick Google search will tell you how popular this pool really is…just maybe not in October, when we visited.)
But first! We picked up a trio of hitchhikers: two ladies, and a gent. One of them had read my blog, and so he became my favourite. And then began a magical adventure.
It’s in the south, and to get there all you need to do is head out on the main Ring Road, past Selfoss. Before you reach Skogafoss, you’ll see a dirt road leading towards Seljavallir.
Or just use a GPS.
The Seljavallalaug geothermal pool is actually a manmade one, constructed in 1923. But the water flowing into it is completely natural, and is located inside this insanely beautiful valley. There’s a short hike over some rocky terrain to get there, and the loose stone means it’s advisable to wear hiking boots. Or at least watch your step.
On that grey October afternoon, we had the pool entirely to ourselves. So naturally I took off all my clothes and went skinny-dipping (this seems to be a troublesome habit of mine).
And as we floated around inside a valley where the silence was omnipresent and thorough, our bodies warmed all the way through with volcanic energy, snowflakes started falling on the hills around us.
Perfection.