Nature places in Europe
The large and impressive waterfall Ófærufoss lies well inside the world's largest volcanic canyon Eldgjá, that covers a vast area. To get to the waterfall you have to walk for half an hour, but it is a beautiful area with contrasts of sharp volcanic rocks, rivers and extreme green vegetation and flowers. The water in Òfærufoss falls into three levels, and you can walk up via a staircase to the middle of the waterfall and enjoy the view. There has previously been a lava arch over one of the levels that you could cross, but it has now collapsed.
Iceland has a plethora of beautiful waterfalls, but very few can match Seljalandsfoss for an interesting perspective. Why? Because you can walk all the way around it, including behind the sheet of water cascading down the side of the mountain! The walk is perfectly safe, although a bit slippery in places – and you will get wet. Not so much from the falls themselves, as from the water mist that gets carried in all directions. Seljalandsfoss, like many other famous waterfalls close to a main road in Iceland, gets very busy. For a bit more peace and quiet, and for the best light, try coming here late in the evening slightly out of season. But even with the crowds this is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Iceland.
The large waterfall Skógafoss is located on the south coast of Iceland and is visible from the main coastal road. You can get very close to the impressive waterfall and see the large cascades of water pouring down from the long drop. It is one of the largest waterfalls in Iceland and has an approximately 60-meter high fall and is 25 meters wide. It is also possible to go to the top of the waterfall via a long staircase and from there also enjoy the beautiful views of the ocean and its special black beaches (colored by lava ash).
Watching a whale larger than your boat jump out of the water mere metres away is one of the most thrilling experiences Iceland has to offer, and it is one thing that simply shouldn't be missed. There are a few choices to be made. The first is location: Reykjavik is the most convenient, but Husavik in the north has by far the best chance of seeing the really big whales, like humpbacks and blue whales. Season is another consideration - summer is generally best (and most pleasant), but if you want to see orcas (killer whales) you will have to brave the Icelandic winter. Finally, boat choice: the bigger boats are more comfortable, but the more manoeuvrable zodiacs are faster and can get you much closer to the animals - not to mention that you are virtually at surface level yourself, which feels very different to observing them form several metres higher up. Also, the bigger boats can be so crowded that unless you are fast on your feet and don't mind pushing other guests out of your way, it might actually be hard to get a good view of the whales. Whatever your choices, going on a whale watching trip is an absolute must when visiting Iceland!
For bird watchers, bird cliffs are a bit like an all-you-can-eat buffet. They are found primarily in the Arctic and north Atlantic, and Norway has some of the most spectacular ones: in Svalbard, on the Lofoten Islands and on Runde. The steep cliffs have small shelves on which bird colonies nest, and a single site can play host to hundreds of thousands of birds at any one time. Needless to say, bird cliffs are a good place to see and photograph birds, primarily Little Auks, Atlantic Puffins, Kittiwakes and Razorbills. They also provide good opportunities to see the predators that prey on these birds, such as White-tailed Eagles. Just keep in mind that these cliffs really are very steep, and many of them present drops of hundreds of metres down to the sea, so try not to step over the edge.
Northern lights (aurora borealis) are a natural phenomenon caused by solar eruptions. It is often associated to the far North and winter, but can be seen at any time of year and at almost any place. However, it's best observed during the dark winter months in a belt around the magnetic pole at a distance of about 2,500 km called the auroral zone, which includes parts of Canada, Alaska, Siberia, Greenland, Iceland, and Scandinavia. Svalbard, where the pictures are from, lies in the periphery of this belt, meaning the mainland of Norway actually is a better place to see northern lights. On the southern hemisphere, the similar phenomenon is called aurora australis and happens simultaneously with the northern lights.
About 3000 polar bears live on Svalbard, the highest concentration on the planet. Though the Svalbard archipelago is large, bumping into a polar bear is not that unlikely. Any journey outside the town of Longyearbyen requires you to carry a firearm - and know how to use it. A hunting rifle is preferred, but you should at least have a flare gun and spray. If you encounter a polar bear and it sees you, try to scare it right away. Jump, shout, growl and wave your arms. If that doesn't work, try to shoot the flare gun righ in front of it (not into the air), and in worst case scenario shoot the bear with the rifle you hopefully are carrying. Even inside town you are not totally safe, since curious polar bears have in the past ventured into settlements which can have dire consequences - and not just for the bear. So when come to Svalbard, take the polar bear danger seriously.
Runde is a true highlight of the Norwegian coast. A stunning island, reachable by boat or bridge, it is a bird-watcher’s paradise, with as much as half a million sea birds present here during spring and early summer. With fewer than 100 people living on the island, you’re unlikely to feel very crowded. There are basically two things to do here: hike across the island on foot, or tour around it by boat. The weather here is, as one might expect, crazy: sunny one minute, heavy rain the next. But that provides some absolutely stunning ocean scenery, and the terrain is easy enough to navigate even in bad weather. While the climb to the top of the island’s 300 m centre is a killer, the sight of thousands of Atlantic Puffins crash landing against the cliffs is well worth the effort. There’s also a nearby ship-wreck that has yielded over 500 kg of gold, so if you feel lucky you can always pull on a dry suit and jump in the water!
Sognefjord is not only the longest and deepest (an unbelievable 1300m in some parts) of Norway’s fjords, it is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and varied. In some places its sides are steep and unforgiving, in others gentle, dotted with farms and cherry blossoms. There are countless little villages and towns along Sognefjord and its many branches, each cuter than the next. There is no end to what you can do here, from hikes in the many nearby mountains and boat trips on the water to scenic bike rides or drives along the paths and roads. Sognefjord also includes one of Norway’s two UNESCO-protected fjords, Nærøyfjord, which is often proclaimed to be Norway’s most beautiful. Boat trips are ideal, since they allow you to see places very difficult to access by land, such as waterfalls, farms and Viking graves. Nærøyfjord and its sister, Aurlandsfjord, are probably the most picturesque parts of Sognefjord.
This beautiful, mountainous, forested area is home to Kamchatka's indigenous Even people. The region has two main settlements: Esso, population 2,000, is a mixture of Evens and ethnic Russians while Anavgay's 600 inhabitants are mostly Even. They live by reindeer and horse herding, fishing and hunting, including for bears. In summer they get out to their hunters' lodges and reindeer herds by horse and in winter by snowmobile. There are a couple of guest houses and locals who rent out rooms in both villages. They can also organize sledge, snowmobile or horse trips, although if you do not speak Russian it is better arrange this in Esso. A trip here is also worth it for their thermal springs, folk dance troupes and, of course, the surrounding nature. One bus makes the grueling ten-hour trip here from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky every day. The dirt track ends at Esso, leaving all settlements further north isolated and inaccessible in summer. In winter, however, Anavgay is the starting point for a network of temporary winter roads that stretches right to the far north of the peninsula.