A trip to Iceland typically includes the Golden Circle, many waterfalls and the popular Glacier Lagoons. If you are looking for an experience off the tourist route, then you need to plan a trip to Gjáin, the most beautiful place in Iceland.
Getting to Gjáin
Gjáin is located in the Þjórsárdalur valley, about 1 hour from the Golden Circle and a 2 hours from Reykjavik. This magical spot is located in the middle of road 327 which connects with Route 32 on both ends. As we drove along Route 32 from the Golden Circle we took the first left onto 327. After driving on the road for a few minutes, we quickly realized that our tiny rental car would not make it. A local drove by us and recommended we turn around to return to the main road.
Safely back on Route 32 we continued driving until we reached the other end of 327. If you are not in a 4WD vehicle, we highly recommend trying to access Gjáin from this end of road 327. We were able to drive a decent distance along road 327, until we felt the rocks and potholes were too much for our small Argo to handle. We found a spot safely off the side of the road and parked the car.
The view from our parking spot on the side of the road was amazing!
We ventured the rest of the way to Gjáin on foot. We walked about 1 mile along the road. The terrain became hilly, rocky, and we knew it would have been too intense for our small rental car. We had a great time walking and even came across a group of Icelandic horses.
We saw Icelandic horses while walking to Gjáin.
Is Gjáin a Fairytale Land?
As thoughts of being on a wild goose hunt in a barren part of Iceland entered our minds, we reached a flat parking area for Gjáin. We walked to the edge of the parking area (not sure how any cars would make it here) and peered over the side of the ledge. We were welcomed with our first glimpse at the magical fairytale area.
A breathtaking first view of Gjáin.
Gjáin is luscious, green, and spotted with waterfalls. As you walk down the stairway into the sanctuary you feel as though you are stepping into a real life fairytale. There are caves and rock formations which could be homes for Icelandic elves. The area is remote and feels like your own secret world. The best part is not having to battle crowds for the best photo spot!
It is impossible to not be impressed by the beauty that Gjáin has to offer.
The one mile walk back to our car took no time at all since we were still on a Gjáin-high! We had a two hour drive to our campsite at Lava Hostel, located right outside of Reykjavik. If you plan to visit Gjáin be sure to pack a picnic lunch and plan to enjoy the area for a few hours!
Looking for more info on Iceland? Read our Iceland Tips & Tricks and The Ultimate 5-Day Iceland Itinerary to plan an epic trip to Iceland!
