Iceland 2017
In summer 2017, my girlfriend and I traveled to Iceland for a camping / roadtrip / hiking / bathing / sightseeing vacation. Many friends were interested in our route and activities, so I am providing some details here. You can access my bookmarks and the approximate route (clockwise) from one of the following sources:
- Google Maps: Points + Route
- Google Maps: Points only
- Download Points as Island 2017 Public.kml (43 KiB)
- Download Points as Island 2017 Public.gpx (29 KiB)
You can find some of our pictures here.
Weather. Iceland is for sure one of the most beautiful countries in this world. The weather is quite cold, wet, and windy and it can change very suddenly. However, please do not get frightened and just bring good equipment for every temperature and weather with you! The most important rule we learned in Iceland is to never postpone anything. If the floor is dry and it is not raining, put up your tent better sooner than later. If you have nice sunshine, do not stop with your planned trips - you might catch the best pictures of your trip very late in the evening. We made the experience that the weather might change every 10 minutes or every 5 kilometers. In a single hike to the airplane-wreck we were waiting for the rain to stop, started in bright sunshine, got into rain, got sunshine back. During returning it started hailing and raining with strong winds from the west so we got extactly 50 percent wet on one side only :-)
Car rental. We rented an Opel Astra from Sixt directly at the airport for 19 days for around 1160 € including "Vollkasko" (CDW) and unlimited kilometers. Anyhow, vulcanic ash damage (yes!), sand damage (during strong winds!), wind damage to doors, window damages, paint damages, underground damages, water damages, ... are not covered by this. If you want to be covered for this also, you need extra insurances which are very expensive (and you have to pay some part of the cost anyhow if something happens). It is very easy to get damages to your paint or to your windows as other vehicles often throw up stones which hit your car. The only defense is to slow down everytime you meet another car and avoid to leave the asphalted street (which is not always possible). To relieve the stress of driving during your vacation, I strongly recommend to book at least some additional insurance for the windshield. Make sure that you have enough money available for the deposit on exactly the creditcard you used for booking (may depend on the rental company)!
Road Conditions The roads on the Hringvegur ("Ringstraße") are very nicely prepared, much better than in Austria. But also on this road, there is one small part in the East where you have to go on unpaved roads. Side-trips are often unpaved, but the conditions of the unpaved roads are also very good. With "normal" cars, in Iceland you are not allowed to go on so-called "F"-roads which restricts your possibilities a little bit. There are also some additional routes which are banned for non-SUVs and even the SUVs need special labels to allow you to go on the "F" routes. Sometimes there are good reasons for these labels. We met some tourists who were going with a tourist-bus and their luggage was unvoluntarily washed when the bus went through a river. But, also without going on the "F"-Routes, there is more than enough to see in Iceland!
Alternatives (Biking / Hiking). We saw some people hitch-hiking or biking. The biggest issue is the weather, because you have no dry place to store your bags and you have to carry all equipment with you. Supermarkets are at large distances and you cannot always enjoy fresh food. Hitch-hiking is further difficult, because in some regions you meet cars very rarely. And if you are lucky and a car comes by, it is probably fully occupied with people and luggage. Biking is also not fun - the road is often dusty and not paved. Also, you will get very dirty in the rain. Cars don't slow down too much for you and might hit you with stones flying through the air. You need to protect against dust, stones, water, wind and cold. Sounds like an adventure? I warned you ;-)
Food. Despite Icelands very north location, you can buy almost everything in Iceland. However, you pay a lot for meat, vegetables or fruits. But that's nothing compared to the restaurants. Anyhow, I can recomment the "Islenski Barinn" in Reykjavik to try some traditional food! We payed 75€ for two main courses and one dessert and it was definetly worth it. However, we also saw a Pizza Margherita for 35 € ... Abroad, we prefered to cook our meals ourselves on our gas stove.
Costs. I get asked very often how much a vacation in Iceland costs. It's very expensive. It starts with the rental car, where you have to plan 60 - 300 € per day and continues with hotel prices starting with 100 € per night. Camping is a very cheap alternative - sometimes you find even a place to stay for a night for free. Gas prices are ok, you don't have too large distances, so it does not matter that much. But don't forget to include unlimited kilometers if you want to go around Iceland otherwise it becomes very expensive! You can spend much more on souveniers if you want to buy an original Icelandic pullover - they look nice but the wool is not really comfortable. As mentioned above, food is also very expensive. If you want to go out for dinner, be prepared. You can pay everywhere with your credit card - also on every camp-site in the middle of nowhere. Credit card is also accepted for very small amounts of money. We had some cash with us but we would have never needed it.
Item | Approx. Costs |
---|---|
Fly (VIE-KEF, Austrian) | 876 € |
Train (Sparschiene) | 56 € |
1x Airbnb (Reykjavik) | 70 € |
Camping | ~300 € |
Food | ~450 € |
Gas (Diesel) | ~250 € |
Opel Astra (19 Days) | 1160 € |
Souveniers | ... € |
Camping equipment | ... € |
Entrance fees | ~500 € |
Total | ~3700 € + ... |
Hint: Camping Vehicles. If you can afford it, rent a small camping vehicle (e.g. from happycampers.is, GO Campers, Campervan Iceland, CampEasy ...). We saw a lot of them driving around and it is really nice because it makes you more independent from the weather compared to camping. You can still stay on camping sites spontaneously and don't have to arrange for fixed hotels upfront.
Travel Route & Highlights
- Day 00: Graz -> Vienna Airport by train
- Day 00: Vienna Airport -> Keflavik Airport
- Day 01: Keflavik Airport
- Day 01: Sixt Car Rental
- Day 01: Reykjavik (1 day)
- Harpa
- Sun Voyager
- Handknitting Association (handknit.is)
- Hallgrimmskirkja & Leifur Eiriksson
- Reykjavikurtjörn
- Perlan
- Nautholsvik Geothermal Beach
- Laugardalslaug (on return trip)
- Shopping Equipment: SportsDirect, Bauhaus
- Airbnb
- Day 02: Fossarett (15 min)
- Day 02: Glymur (5 hours hiking)
- Day 02: Borganes
- Day 02: Hraunfossar (30 min)
- Day 02: Reykholt / Snorralaug (30 min)
- Day 02: Varmaland Camping (west.is, tjalda.is)
- Day 03: Budakirkja & beach (30 min)
- Day 03: Raudfelsgja ravine (1 hour)
- Day 03: Anarstapi (1 hour)
- Day 03: Hellnar View Point, Gatklettur, Bardar Saga (1 hour)
- Day 03: Londrangar - Rock Cliffs
- Day 03: Snaefellsjökull Visitor Center
- Day 03: Vatnshellir Cave
- Day 03: Djupalonssandur beach (1 hour)
- Day 03: Kirkjufellsfoss & Kirkjufell (30 min)
- Day 03: Grundarfoss
- Day 03: Camping in Grundarfjördur (west.is)
- Day 04: Roadtrip (5 hours) - our first unpaved road
- Day 04: Hvitserkur (2 hours)
- Day 04: Blönduoskirkja
- Day 04: Camping in Hunaver (tjalda.is)
- Day 05: Stephan G Stephannson Monument (10 min)
- Day 05: Vidimyrarkirkja (45 min)
- Day 05: Byggdasafn, Glaumbaer (3 hours)
- Day 05: Saudarkroksbraut (break)
- Day 05: Grafarkirkja (30 min)
- Day 05: Hofsos Sundlaugin (3 hours) (sundlaugar.is)
- Day 05: Hofsos Basalt Columns (30 min)
- Day 05: Camping: Hrafnagilshverfi
- Day 06: Saubaejarkirkja (30 min)
- Day 06: Akureyri
- Day 06: Godafoss West (30 min)
- Day 06: Godafoss East (30 min)
- Day 06: Husavik (1 hour)
- Day 06: Husavik Whale Watching (5 hours): North Sailing
- Day 06: Myvatn / Vogar Camping (vogahraun.is)
- Day 07: Grotagja (1 hour)
- Day 07: Dimmuborgir (2 hours)
- Day 07: Hiking: Dimmuborgir -> Hverfjall (4 hours)
- Day 07: Höfdi (1 hour)
- Day 07: Skutustadagigar (1 hour)
- Day 06: Myvatn / Vogar Camping (vogahraun.is)
- Day 08: Myvatn Nature Baths (5 hours)
- Day 08: Blue Lake (15 min)
- Day 08: Namaskard, Hverir (1 hour)
- Day 08: Viti, Krafla (3 hours hiking)
- Day 06: Myvatn / Vogar Camping (vogahraun.is)
- Day 09: Dettifoss East (30 min)
- Day 09: Selfoss East (45 min)
- Day 09: Hafragilsfoss East (15 min)
- Day 09: Jökulsargljufur Visitor Center (15 min)
- Day 09: Asbyrgi Center (30 min walk)
- Day 09: Asbyrgi Top (4 hours hiking)
- Day 06: Myvatn / Vogar Camping (vogahraun.is)
- Day 10: Dettifoss West (2 hours)
- Day 10: Litlanesfoss & Hengifoss (2 hours hiking)
- Day 10: Atlavik Camping (east.is)
- Day 11: Stokkanes: Viking Village & Black Sand Beach (2 hours)
- Day 11: Höfn
- Day 11: Camping at parking spot 9.2 km before Jökulsarlon (south-east of the road)
- Day 12: Jökulsarlon & Diamond Beach (2 hours)
- Day 12: Hofskirkja (30 min)
- Day 12: Skaftafell, Vatnajökull (4 hours)
- Day 12: Kirkjugolf (1 hour)
- Day 12: Stjörnarfoss (30 min)
- Day 12: Systrafoss (15 min)
- Day 12: Eldhraun
- Day 12: Vik Camping (vikcamping.is)
- Day 13: Reynisdrangar & Halsanefshellir & Reynisfjara (1-2 hours)
- Day 13: Kirkjufjana & Dyrholaey (1 hour)
- Day 13: Solheimasandur Plane Wreck (2 hours hiking)
- Day 13: Skogar, Skodafoss (30 min)
- Day 13: Seljavallalaug Pool (2x 30min hiking)
- Day 13: Hamragardar Camping (tjalda.is, southadventure.is)
- Day 14: Seljalandsfoss (1 hour)
- Day 14: Landeyjarhöfn
- Day 14: Vestmannaeyjar
- Day 14: Eldfell (2 hours hiking)
- Day 14: West-Coast (Puffins)
- Day 14: Vestmannaeyjar
- Day 14: Landeyjarhöfn
- Day 14: Camping in Hvolsvöllur (tjalda.is)
- Day 15: Urridafoss (1 hour)
- Day 15: Hjalparfoss (1 hour)
- Day 15: Pjodveldisbaerinn (1 hour)
- Day 15: Fludir camping (tjaldmidstod.is, tjalda.is, south.is)
- Day 16: Strokkur, Geysir (3 hours)
- Day 16: Gullfoss (1 hour)
- Day 16: Pingvellir Camping (thingvellir.is)
- Day 17: Pingvellir National Park (5 hours)
- Day 17: Reykjavik: Laugardalslaug (5 hours)
- Day 17: Camping in Mosfellsbaer (tjalda.is)
- Day 18: Reykjavik: Klambratun
- Day 18: Reykjavik: Hallgrimskirkja
- Day 18: Reykjavik: ...
- Day 18: Reykjavik: Reykjavik City Hall
- Day 18: Reykjavik: Hard Rock Cafe
- Day 18: Reykjavik: Arnarholl
- Day 18: Reykjavik: Islenski Barinn (islenskibarinn.is)
- Day 18: Kleifarvatn
- Day 18: Krisuvik / Seltun
- Day 18: Gata Camping (free camping: tjalda.is)
- Day 19: Brimketill (15 min)
- Day 19: Gunnuhver Hot Springs (1 hour)
- Day 19: Lighthouse, Valahnukamöl & Rock Beach (1 hour hiking)
- Day 19: Bridge America-Europe (30 min)
- Day 19: Sixt Car Rental
- Day 19: Airport Keflavik
- Day 20: Vienna Airport
- Day 20: Train to Graz