Road Trip through Iceland

Earlier this year, Iceland re-opened its borders to fully-vaccinated travelers without quarantine or COVID-testing requirements. As such, the country experienced an influx of visitors from all corners of the globe, eager to experience the natural wonders of Iceland and explore the varied terrain that stretches across the country. Myself included. So there I was- with a campervan reserved and no clue on how to start this adventure. I struggled with how to even begin planning such a trip, especially while lacking insight on the lay of the land. In the beginning of my trip, I showed up exhausted each evening to a new camp site, slightly overwhelmed with having to plan the itinerary for the next day.

Below are some tips and advice to help you get started. There’s no purpose in recreating the wheel- so learn from my mistakes and revel in the excitement of planning an epic adventure!

Tips and Advice for Planning a Road Trip

1. Figure out how many days you have and backwards plan. Take into account when you will be picking up your rental and when you will be turning it in/flying out.
2. Pick 3, no MORE than 4 sites/destinations you want to visit each day.
3. Calculate the distance using Google Maps. Generally recommend driving no more than 3-4 hours a day.
4. Determine where the nearest campsite is from your last destination.
5. Pack meals ready to eat. I HIGHLY recommend Mountain House. This saved me time and money, because Iceland is EXPENSIVE.
6. Allow extra time for lunch, sight-seeing and shopping. You will always need more time than you think!
7. Stop for gas at at the beginning of each day, if you can. There are long stretches of road without any gas stations. Plus, the gas stations have good coffee, clean restrooms and pretty decent food.

Camper Van Rentals

There are a few camper van rentals available in Iceland. I traveled with Cozy Campers and highly recommend them. Other camper van companies that I saw included:

Things to consider: rental insurance (against sand, gravel and ash for example); and type of vehicle (2×4 or 4×4, which you will need to travel on the F roads). F roads require higher clearance and are roads through the highlands. BEWARE! When planning your route, be sure that the route Google Maps takes you through does not turn into an F road! Twice on my trip, I had to turn around and back track because of this.

I can’t speak for the other camper can rental companies, but Cozy Campers had free wi-fi and a tablet with important websites, even an app on Icelandic phrases. Cooking pots/plates/utensils were all included and the camper had a sink, which I found super useful.

You can rent extra camping gear on their website and they will have everything ready for you. This includes anything from a tent, to a camping table, chairs, camping stove (which was clutch). Otherwise, it’s possible to rent camping gear in Reykjavik.

Camping Sites in Iceland

Generally, you do not need to make a reservation prior to arriving at the camp sites. I payed around 1100-1500 Krona (roughly $8-12 per adult/night). If you arrive after the camp site office is closed, you can still park at the site and pay in the morning. They have staff circulating in the morning who will either leave a ticket or allow you to pay with them there. I normally Googled a camp site and just drove in. The only time the campsite was FULL was near the Fagradalsfjall Volcano.

Also note: Some bathrooms/showers are co-ed. Believe me, I did a double take when I walked into the restroom and saw a man exit the stalls (I was in the right location!).

• https://www.camping.info/en/country/iceland
• https://utilegukortid.is
  • Camping card for 159€ for one family (2 adults and 4 children older than 16 years old)
  • Note, expires on the 15th of September every year. Also, not widely accepted. If you are traveling solo, I do not recommend purchasing.

6 Day Itinerary

I recommend that you have at least 5-7 driving days if you plan on seeing the sites on Ring Road. I did it in 5 days and while it was adequate, there were days that I felt rushed and sites I left off, simply because I ran out of time. I also recommend going counter-clock wise if you are pressed for time. That way you can tackle the sites on the Golden Circle. Note: During high tourist season (during the Summer), sites get crowded. Arrive early before the tour busses get there (around 10am) to avoid the crowds, or arrive later in the evening (after 5pm).

Day 0: Arrived in Rekyavík

Day 1: Picked up Camper Van

• Seljalandsfoss (parking toll paid on site).
  • Hike behind the waterfall. Bring a rain jacket! Restroom and snack stand available on site.
• Gljufrabui
  • ~500m from Seljalandsfoss, park in the same location
• Skógafoss (free parking).
  • Follow the stairs up towards the top of the waterfall. There are several more waterfalls and hikes up there if you have the time.
• Sólheimasandur Plane Wreck
  • 45 min walk through black gravel to the site. Very sterile walk with nothing around you. Can be very windy.
• Camping site: Càmping Vik/Tjaldsvæðið Vík
  • 5 stars
  • Clean restrooms (separate male and female facilities)
  • Restaurant on site

Day 2: Southern Region (cont.)

• Viki Myrdal Church (nice viewpoint!)
• Dyrhólaey Peninsula
  • Place to see puffins in the summer and enjoy the scenic ocean view
• Reynisfjara Beach
  • Basalt columns on the black sand beaches; PLEASE be careful and never have your back to the waves. I’ve read about people being swept away in an undertow.
  • One of Iceland’s most popular sites, get there early!
• Vatnajökull National Park (NP)
  • Recommend two hikes:
    • Svartifoss is a waterfall in Skaftafell within the NP
      • Time: About 45 min from the Visitor’s Center to the waterfall
      • Distance: ~2.5 miles roundtrip
    • Skaftafellsjökull Glacier (opposite direction from Svartifoss from the Visitor’s Center).
      • Time: About 1.5-2 hours depending on how much time you spend admiring the glacier
      • Distance: ~3.5 miles roundtrip
• Diamond Beach (there are two sides of the beach, separated by the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon)
• Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon- the most enchanting site I witnessed on this trip
• Camping site: Camping Höfn
  • 3.5 stars
  • Older facility; you have to pay for the showers; only two stalls down by where I parked
  • Campsite is spread out so there is plenty of place to park your camper van
  • Good location: right next to a gas station to easy to fill up before heading out in the morning

Day 3: Eastern Iceland

• Stokknes and Vestrahorn mountain
  • Option to pay 900ISK/per person at the Viking Cafe to enter
  • Roads are gnarly coming up to the entrance, drive slowly and watch out for pot holes
  • There is a viking village you can walk to, and hiking around the location
  • Easy to spend ~2-3 hours walking around and taking in the serene views
• Lækjavik Coast (gorgeous place to take pictures along the black sand shore)
• Stuðlagil Canyon
  • Note: Possible route getting here is taking Route 95 (vs Route 1). Bear in mind, this road is unpaved with hair pin turns and can get EXTREMELY windy. Just drive slowly and you will be ok. I enjoyed the views and watching all the sheep walk along the road.
  • There are TWO sides of the canyon, east and west. The road to either location is unpaved as well and uphill.
  • East side will approach first (signs will be on the left hand side). There is a car park, but you can take the car further across the bridge (the road is narrow, sketchy and unpaved- drive carefully!)
    • You can hike from the first car park (will take about 1.5 hours and uphill in the beginning)
    • If you keep driving past the bridge, you can park closer to the start. From here it will be about 1 hour to the canyon.
  • West side has a viewing platform (metal stairs going down to the view point), with restrooms and a snack booth. Also possible to camp at this location.
• Námafjall aka Hverir Geothermal Area
  • Geothermal area with a steaming pools & mudpots
  • Strong sulfur smell
  • Hike around the area
• Mývatn Nature Baths
  • Open all year around
  • 5700 ISK for adults; 2700 ISK for teenagers; 3700 ISK for senior citizens
  • Highly recommended!
  • Note: In Iceland, you must take showers without bathing suits prior to entering the baths. There are cubbies located next to the showers (you cannot hang your towels on the shower curtain bar). Shampoo, conditioner and body wash are provided.
  • GREAT for camping as you can soak, shower and then hit the camp site and go to bed! They close late, at 2200 when I went, so it was perfect!
• Camping site: Camping Mývatn
  • 5.0 stars
  • Clean facility and plenty of parking
  • Quiet with nice views from the camp site
  • Co-ed facilities (showers and toilets)

Day 4: Northern Iceland (the longest driving day)

• Goðafoss 
  • Also known as the “Waterfall of the Gods”- it is Iceland’s forth largest waterfall and easy to reach from the roadside
  • There is a west and east side. I recommend parking on the east side next to the Fosshóll Guesthouse. That way you can walk to the east side after, then come back and use the restroom and buy any souvenirs.
• Akureyri (not to be missed- Iceland’s second largest city!)
  • If you plan on continuing on towards the west side of Iceland, you need to pay a toll (1,500 ISK for sedans) either 24 hours before or after. Use this link.
  • Coming out of the tunnel, you will see an AMAZING view on the right hand side of the city. I wish I had stopped to take a picture but I missed it.
    • Sites:
      • Akureyrakirkja (Lutheran church on a hill)
      • Akureyri Botanical Garden
      • Akureyri Museum
      • …plus lots of restuarants, coffee shops and stores around the area!

• Kolugljúfur Canyon (about 2 hours 15 min from the Akureyri)
  • Gorgeous waterfall off the beaten path. The last 15 minutes or so to the waterfall is on unpaved road, so just drive slowly.
  • Not touristy at all!
• Laugarvatn Fontana
  • Lake front, outdoor mineral pools and a sauna
  • Great place to have dinner (their soups are spectacular!)
  • Note: Watch the route on Google Maps to get here. It will try to take you to a road with a small portion on the F road, which is a NO-GO if you have a 2×2 camper. I had to turn around several times and almost missed the opening hours of this location!
• Camping site: Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park Campground
  • 4.0 stars
  • Price: Adults (18-66 years) ISK 1300 /night (purchase next door at the Information Center)
  • Clean facility and plenty of parking
  • Quiet with nice views from the camp site
  • Co-ed facilities (only two showers; private toilets)

Day 5

• Þingvellir National Park (not to be missed)
  • Note: at 10am every day, there is a FREE tour in English. Definitely recommend it to get your bearings and a great way to explore the park
  • Get there EARLY (before 1000) to find parking; small free for parking
  • You could easily spend a whole day here
    • Sites:
      • The Visitor’s Center
      • Scuba or snorkel in Silfra (many book tours ahead of time)
      • Walk in the rift and head towards…
      • Öxarárfoss Waterfall
• The Cave People
  • About 25 minutes away from the National Park, this is a hidden gem!
  • Great story telling about the history of families who lived in the caves around a century ago.
  • The tour is around 25 minutes long with a fantastic and engaging story teller
• Brúarfoss Waterfall
  • IMO, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland due to is rich blue hue
  • The GPS location will take you to the old location (which is now closed). Follow the signs which guide you to a small parking lot (no restrooms)
  • There are several waterfalls along the way, and you will traverse through muddy areas along private property (please respect their land)
  • Hiking distance: 4 miles; doable in 2 hours at a leisurely pace
• Friðheimar Restaurant
  • If you love tomatoes, this is a must!
  • Dine in a green house surrounded by tomato plants
  • Reservations are a must due to limited business hours (1200-1600)
• Fagradalsfjall Volcano (1 hour 29 min drive from Friðheimar)
  • Visit the live feed here to look at the conditions
  • Expectation management: No one can predict when the volcano will erupt.
  • Check this website for hiking paths and where to park (when I visited in July/August, the route had changed and there was the option to hike routes B and C. C took about 1 hour each way
  • Parking fee is 1,000 ISK and can be paid here
  • Clothing: It can get really windy, so dress accordingly. I recommend hiking boots with ankle support and a hiking pole as the terrain is rocky with loose gravel and dirt. It was very STEEP in some places!
• Camping site: Vogar Campsite
  • 3.0 stars
  • Small facility with co-ed bathrooms. Only two showers on site.
  • Quiet with nice views from the camp site
• Alternate site: Campsite Grindavik (when I arrived it was full- this is the only time that happened during my trip)

Day 6

• I stayed at Icelandair Hotel Reykjavik Marina for a few days and explored the city (more to follow on a future post!)
• Return camper van at rental site (make sure to clean the car out and discard any trash)
  • The rental company took me to my hotel, free of charge
• If you have time, check out the Blue Lagoon (make reservations ahead of time!)
• If you decide to use a shuttle company from a hotel to the airport, make sure to call ahead regarding the pick up time and location