Last Updated: February 15th, 2020
Traveling through Iceland on a 10 day campervan trip was one of the best experiences of our lives. It was made even better by a good amount of planning over the course of a year, but we still came across many things we couldn’t have predicted even if we wanted to. That’s part of the fun in traveling, though.
Still, you are probably here because you want to be as prepared as possible – and we don’t blame you. Traveling to a new country can feel daunting at first – especially a place as distinct and different than most like Iceland.
Here, we’ve compiled a list of the top considerations you should keep in mind and plan for if you are planning to travel to Iceland yourself. Some of these we were aware of before visiting, while others we only came to experience while we were in the country. Hopefully these help you to be better prepared for your own trip, maybe even in ways we were not!!
12 Considerations for Your Trip to Iceland
#1). Unpredictable Weather
Let’s be real for a minute…we’ve heard a lot about how weather on an island can be unpredictable, but we have a sense being on an island in the arctic circle brings with it harsher weather patterns than you might see on a tropical island beach. Certainly we’ve read a lot about the harsh winters in Iceland (paired with next to no sunlight at those times).
During the beginning of September when we visited, the weather was not “bad,” but it was unpredictable. We were met with rain quite regularly – sometimes seemingly out of no where. The most extreme of this was seen during our two days spent in the Westfjords, where nearly every fjord we went through seemed to have a different weather pattern going on – from bright and sunny to cloudy, misty, and rainy and back again. It’s a strange thing. Towards the end of our trip, as we walked through Dimmuborgir, the sunny weather was even so warm we needed to shed our layers!!
Adding to all this – whatever weather app you are using, it will probably be wrong for at least part of your trip. Hope for good weather, but come prepared to deal with bad weather.
#2) High Cost of Just About Everything
When we saw flights to Iceland were around $300 (at the time) from Newark Airport, we jumped on the opportunity to solidify our trip to Iceland a year in advance. We thought we were getting a steal, but needless to say, as we continued to plan and book our campervan and other necessities – the cost began to add up quite significantly.
As Iceland is an island, it’s no wonder costs are so high for most things, as the majority of the economy relies on imports from other countries. Still, it is not an inexpensive place to visit.
Keeping our budget in mind, we were able to cut some costs during our time there by primarily eating food from the grocery stores and gas stations. Eating out for even a simple meal you could expect to spend closer to 50$ USD.
While our campervan wasn’t cheap (booked through Kuku Campers), it did seem to be a better alternative to renting hotels/AirBNBs and a car separately – as the cost of the van covered both of these expenses simultaneously. While not for everyone, it suited the type of Iceland adventure we were looking for and gave us maximum freedom to explore the island without restrictions to tour groups and needing to be at a certain place at a certain time.
#3) Living Arrangements
The way we see it, there are 3 types of vacations you can have in Iceland – ranging from relaxing and comfortable (and expensive) to more outdoorsy and adventurous types. Here they are:
- Rent hotels/AirB&B’s. This is a fairly common option used by people traveling to Iceland. If you are staying around Reykjavik, this might just be preferred given the city can sustain a good amount of tourism and has a number of nice hotels and B&B options throughout. If you are planning to travel to other areas of the country, your lodging options will become more restricted and you may need to rely on AirB&B more than you might have expected. Still, it is entirely doable and you will be fairly comfortable – by Icelandic standards anyways.
- Camping. Probably the most popular option for those wanting some more adventure, camping around Iceland is quite a stellar and, potentially, more affordable option. Of course, camping comes in many forms – the most common on the island being by campervan or RV, or in an actual tent. For travels around the Ring Road, for instance, it is easy enough to do with a campervan or by driving a normal car and pitching a tent at a camp site. On some multi-day hikes, such as on the Laugavegur Trail, carrying along a tent and other gear is suitable as well.
- Hitchhike. While generally frowned upon in most of the world, hitchhiking is a pretty regular thing in Iceland. While this is obviously one way to get around the country without actually paying to rent a car, it can actually lead you to locations you may not have planned for – and your lodging might vary, too. You may end up at a campsite, someones house, or putting up some money to stay in a hotel for the night just because. It’s definitely a less planned trip to Iceland that is for sure.
#4) Photography Equipment
Whether you consider yourself to be a photographer or not, Iceland’s offering of beautiful scenic landscapes makes it a prime candidate for photography.
In our 10 days spent touring Iceland, we couldn’t imagine NOT taking a single picture. We easily consider this to be one of the greatest experiences in our lives so far, and who wouldn’t want to capture at least some of it to keep the memories closer?
If you are unsure of what photography equipment you’ll want to bring along, a good starting resource is our article – The Best Photography Gear for an Iceland Adventure.
At it’s most basic level, the photography gear you bring along should reflect what you want to capture in your travels. Serious photographers, like ourselves, pack a bag full of expensive gear to get the best shots we can. If you are approaching photography from a more casual perspective, you’d probably be just fine with a Canon Rebel T6 camera and some kit lenses.
#5). Minimal People Outside of Main Cities
Iceland is one of the few places we’ve felt like we were able to really get away from it all. Living where we do, wedged between NYC and Philadelphia in our own mid-sized town, and living the lifestyles we do with 2 full time jobs each in addition to our photography business…we do a lot of interacting with other people on a daily basis. Despite the good that comes with this, it can sometimes be difficult for us to totally disconnect.
While traveling in Iceland, there were stretches of open road where we seemed to come into no contact with other people. On a few occasions, distances from one town to the next seemed hours apart. It’s actually one of the great parts about traveling here – the solitude can be powerful, and getting to connect with nature in an environment like this is pretty powerful too.
Now, as great as being anti-social can be, the reason why we mention this in particular is for reasons you may have not considered. The lack of people means longer response times if something was to happen. Sudden car accident due to suicidal sheep? It’s a possibility. Get lost while hiking through the Icelandic wilderness? Cell reception wasn’t always that great, and getting someone out to rescue you isn’t always a simple task.
We don’t mention these things to scare you, but rather to give you something to think about – especially if you are considering any treacherous activities.
#6). Skip the Golden Circle
Okay, in all the things I’ve read about Iceland, one thing that sticks out is the recurring theme that you have to do the Golden Circle tour route. This includes many of the most popular tourist sites in the country – and for good reason!
These locations are easily accessible, a relatively short drive from Reykjavik, and give a taste of what Iceland has to offer. With Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir Geothermal Area, Gullfoss Waterfall, and Kerid Crater…these are mostly decent attractions, but not really worth the time in comparison to other areas of the country we would prioritize.
We use the term “attractions” intentionally, though, as these spots mostly felt like the Disney World rides of the country. They were generally overcrowded with other tourists, and Kerid in particular was overpriced in that there was a cost associated with visiting.
If you are taking a longer trip, The Golden Circle is definitely fine to see – but if you are just in for a few days, you’d be better off venturing off to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula for a similarly simple route, but more interesting sights to see (& less tourists!).
#7). Stick to the Speed Limits
Where we live in the US, speed limits sometimes feel more like guidelines than actual rules. Not to say we’re speed freaks or anything, but it can feel like a real chore to go 55mph on the highway every day for years commuting to work.
In Iceland, things are a little different – in particular because of how speed limits are enforced. Using cutting edge technology (…traffic cameras…), you can easily end up with a hefty fine for speeding. It can be difficult to spot where these cameras are in general, and while you might observe some of the locals speeding – as a tourist we’d suggest you to not. If possible, set your car to cruise control, and enjoy the sights.
The general rules of the road are simple: 90km/hour in paved portions of the road, 70km/hour on unpaved portions and in tunnels, and 50km/hour through cities and towns.
#8). Take Photos in Sensible Locations
As you travel throughout Iceland, you will notice an abundance of photographers. It’s hard not to get a little addicted to photography in a place like this, where the landscapes are just begging to be photographed constantly.
Of course, all good things have their down sides, and one of the things to avidly avoid is looking like a dumb tourist. This is mostly common sense, but stopping in the middle of the road is not suggested (or legal). Iceland has many great pull off areas along the Ring Road that make it safe for both you and other drivers on the road to get out, stretch, and snap some photos.
Of course, photos from the road isn’t the only thing to consider. Remember, Iceland’s ecology is pretty delicate, and venturing into areas that are clearly marked as “Do Not Enter” should be respected. While tempting, stay off the lava moss as well – as walking on it is actually doing more damage to it than not.
#9). Bring the Right Credit Card(s)
The one thing we struggled with while planning our trip to Iceland was figuring out what kind of credit/debit cards would be accepted. Being from the US, we have standard issue Visa debit cards from our banks – and have used Discover credit cards without a problem around here.
In Iceland, the most commonly accepted credit cards are Visa and Mastercard. Our Discover cards were virtually useless to us, and while we could use our Visa debit cards – we were limited to just available funds we had, not a credit line. Fortunately, before venturing to the country, we got a Visa Amazon credit card – which worked just fine.
In addition to the brand of card, you will also want to get a pin-and-sign card if available to you. These are apparently common in Europe, however have not made their way to the States quite yet. We were able to get by without one, except for at unmanned gas stations (of which there were quite a few) where we used our normal debit cards without issue (minus the extra fees).
#10). Difficult Roads for Driving
One of the more interesting aspects of driving around Iceland is seeing the diversity in road infrastructure quality. While during the summer months this is (supposedly) not as much of an issue as they are more heavily maintained, by fall and winter road conditions degrade pretty significantly. While most areas of the Ring Road were fine, and the tourist hotspots such as around the main cities of Reykjavik and Akureyri, and The Golden Circle route, was also more than fine – areas even a little off the beaten path were more challenging.
In general, this was mostly experienced through many pot holes in the roads, which can be sort of terrifying if your vehicle is not equipped with 4-wheel drive. Unlike pot holes we see in the US, where it is normally a one-off thing, the entire road for long stretches would be like this – requiring a lot of weaving and dodging to get around somewhat safely, and even still, it was a bumpy ride for sure.
Aside from road quality itself, there are also areas that can be quite frightening to drive if you are afraid of heights. The worst of this was felt while driving through the Westfjords, but there was at least one area like this on the Ring Road outside of Vik (in the South of Iceland) where this was felt as well.
As with everything, you can adjust to this sort of driving, but it is distinctly different than driving in the urban areas we live in back home.
#11). There is More Than One Spa in Iceland
For those looking to relax during their Iceland getaway, images of the milky blue waters of The Blue Lagoon can look very appealing. Based on our experience, The Blue Lagoon is actually a great spot for relaxing – but quite different, and more of a tourist attraction, than more authentic Icelandic geothermal spa experiences.
Unlike some people who suggest The Blue Lagoon is not worth it at all – we fall into the camp that if it looks remotely appealing to you, go for it. Our visit was met with some bias as we visited on the last night of our trip – after sleeping in our van and pretty much filthy for the majority of a 10 day trip. Even a soak in a bathtub would have probably impressed us by this point 🙂
Still, while it can be expensive, if you make it a date (…if you’re traveling with a partner), The Blue Lagoon also includes a fine dining restaurant, Lava, which is also great to pair with a relaxing dip.
Outside of The Blue Lagoon, there are many smaller spas around the country. It is a very common thing. In the North, the Myvatyn Natural Baths basically gave the same fundamental experience of warm, relaxing, and blue water but at half the price and with less people around. It’s well worth a visit if you are in that region of the country.
#12). Seeing the Northern Lights Requires Clear Dark Skies
If you’re from an area of the world where seeing auroras is not common place, a trip to Iceland can be a great opportunity to witness the stunning and magical beauty that these Northern Lights are. When we caught our first glimpse of them, we felt like kids in a candy store and couldn’t contain our excitement – despite how awkward it probably looked as we made our various exclamations of excitement in the open air of our campsite.
While the Northern Lights are one of many reasons people flock to Iceland, it is important to realize that atmospheric conditions have to be just right in order for them to occur and become visible.
Your best chance at seeing the lights would be to visit Iceland during the late fall or winter months, where the amount of daylight is increasingly limited. Of course, the trade off is…it’s dark quite often…and the weather doesn’t really help things. This can feel limiting to some for sure, and it’s why a holiday to Iceland during these times are “the low season.”
If you have a mind more like our own, going in early September allows optimal sunlight to do things during the day – and still have a chance to see the aurora borealis. We did not get to see it in full bloom as you might see in many images of Iceland online, but we did see a little bit as it creaked through some cloud coverage. It’s a phenomenon we hope to witness again in a more full display, but still what we saw was beautiful in its own right.
If you are serious about catching a glimpse of the auroras, it is highly suggested to reference Iceland’s aurora forecast website. This provides useful information that is consistently updated regarding areas where you will have the most potential to see the Northern Lights on any given day.
All things considered, Iceland is a place on unparalleled beauty. When traveling there, it is important to keep in mind considerations for local customs and, in particular, the way things are there that are different than how things are in your home country. Much of the country is quiet, and perfect for adventurers who want to see the beautiful natural landscapes – while the cities themselves are fairly quiet compared to what we are used to in the US.
We hope you are able to get some great information from us in this post. Our thoughts stem directly from our own experience preparing to travel Iceland, and actually traveling through Iceland. It’s a great place, and we hope to return some day!!
Have any questions about traveling Iceland yourself? Let us know in the comments below!!