Geothermal Landscapes

Northeast Iceland felt like stepping into another world, where geology becomes art. Exploring volcanic craters and geothermal landscapes revealed an extraordinary palette of colours, textures and forms shaped over thousands of years.

The deep reds came from iron-rich volcanic rocks slowly oxidising, while brilliant yellows were created by sulphur crystals forming around steaming fumaroles. White and pale grey deposits were rich in silica and volcanic clay, while green tones appeared where copper-bearing minerals, mosses and resilient lichens found a foothold in this dramatic landscape. Every lava field told a different story, from jagged ʻaʻā lava to smoother pahoehoe flows, all sculpted by fire before being softened by carpets of vibrant moss.

Watching steam rise from the earth at the geothermal fields around Lake Mývatn, with bubbling mud pots, colourful mineral deposits and vast volcanic craters such as Krafla and Víti, was a powerful reminder that Iceland is still being shaped by the forces beneath our feet. It is one of the most geologically active places on Earth, sitting where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates continue to drift apart.