In August 2018, we were in Iceland! While we didn’t believe any place could be better than New Zealand for a road trip, Iceland turned out to be quite a surprise.
Unlike New Zealand, Iceland has a raw beauty. It’s wild, unkempt, untamed and other-worldly. There are mountains seeped in shades of black, grey, oranges and reds. The beaches are black and the glaciers are painted in hues of white and blue often specked with volcanic ash. Vast expanses of land is barren with nothing at all. Miles of solidified lava formations stretch out before you, interspersed with hectares of moss covered grounds. The tundra climate hangs in the air and you feel like you are in a different world altogether.
To be able to do a road trip here, was quite an experience obviously. So here’s our one week itinerary to help you get started if you are planning a trip at the moment or wish to do so down the line.
The black markers and the blue circles were our main stops and to get to them we stayed on Route 1 aka the Ring Road. The purple markers are the activities/places-to-see we covered along the way.
Here’s a summary of our days on the road. Check out our things-to-do in Iceland vlog, here.
Day 1 – 2: Reykjavik to Hvolsvöllur via Golden Circle
We had arrived in Reykjavik, late evening the day before and we spent the night at an Airbnb near the airport on Day 1. The next morning i.e. on Day 2 after breakfast, we left from Reykjavik for sight seeing on the Golden Circle route. Our first stop was the Thingvellier National Park, followed by The Great Geysir and lastly the Gullfoss Waterfall. Then we drove down to our accommodation at Hvolsvöllur and stayed the night.
Day 3: Hvolsvöllur – Skogafoss, Glacier Hiking, Plane Wreck site
Our day started with a quick stop at the Skogafoss Waterfall which we realized is a great spot for a campsite as well. Then we drove down to the Sólheimajökull glacier where we had booked a Glacier Hike for beginners. It was our first time hiking on a glacier ever and it turned out to be an amazing adventure activity. The whole thing took about 4 hours after which we took a nice little lunch break.
Once done, we decided to drive down to the starting point of the Solheimasandur Plane Wreck site as it was quite close by to drive to. From the car park to the actual wreck site on the beach is a 1.5 hour trek each way! While the trek itself is just a straight path, it’s quite interesting as there is absolutely nothing along the way and gives you a sense of being on a different planet altogether. The site itself is just the wrecked plane which gives you a unique photo opportunity especially at sunset. Fair warning though, this site can feel underwhelming for some given the long trek back and forth (and so can be skipped). Our stop for the night was again at Hvolsvöllur.
Day 4: Hvolsvöllur to Eiðar via Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach
As the previous day had been quite tiring, we started out late morning on an overcast Day 4 and our first stop was the Jökulsárlón Lake. It’s a stunning glacial lake which can be admired via a boat tour or on a kayak. Right opposite that is the surreal black sand Diamond Beach. The name comes from the hundreds of glacier fragments that wash down onto the beach making it a sight to behold.
The rest of our day was spent on the road until we arrived at a place called Eiðar, where we had booked a comfortable guest house for our night halt.
Day 5: Eiðar to Akureyri via Vatnajökull, Hverir, Hverfjall
After a nice breakfast at the Eiðar guest house, we started off towards the Vatnajökull National Park. The ancient canyons there and roaring Dettifoss waterfall were breathtaking and the ‘middle-of-nowhere’ location made it even more interesting and a great spot for a lunch picnic, overlooking the falls.
Our next stop from here was the Hverir geothermal spot which is known for bubbling pools of mud and steaming fumaroles emitting sulfuric gas. Again a unique and fascinating location, one that we had not experienced before.
Our last activity for the day was a hike to the top Hverfjall crater. It’s not very often that you get a peek inside a 2,500 years old volcanic crater and even though the day was overcast and it started to drizzle as we were climbing up top, it turned out to be another unique experience.
Finally, we drove down to the town of Akureyri for our night halt and called it a day.
Day 6: Akureyri to Reykjavik & Blue Lagoon
Day 6 was mostly spent on the road driving back to base. The day was absolutely beautiful, the sun was shining and it was a pleasure to take pit stops along the way. Once in Reykjavik, we dumped our stuff in this cute little Airbnb in town and then drove off to soak in the mineral rich waters at Blue Lagoon and wash off the tiredness of the last few days.
Day 7: Reykjavik
Our last day was spent exploring the capital city. From its cute cafes, street art and souvenir stores to various other sights and smells.
Later that day, we were once again at Reykjavik airport to catch our flight back to Singapore.
Frequently Asked Questions and Travel Tips
- When did we visit – We visited in August of 2018, which is summers there. Even so the weather is unpredictable and you can have days of rains along with beautiful sunny days. The advantage of visiting in summers though is that the days are long and you can make the most of your time there.
- Getting around in Iceland – We flew into Reykjavik and from here, rented a car which is the most common form of transport in this country. Many car rentals are just a 5 mins walk from Keflavik International Airport. It’s quite convenient to pick-up/drop-off your rental car when flying in/out. Do note, Iceland is left-hand driving. While most of the driving is easy, you need some hill driving in the north of the island.
- What type of vehicle should you rent – Iceland has different kinds of roads like Paved, Gravel and F-roads – see more info here. If you plan to stay on paved roads, any normal car should do. But If want to drive on F-roads you need to be an expert driver. A 4×4 is a must if you plan to drive on the F-roads.
- Car Rentals and Cost – As we planned to stay on paved roads, we rented a Toyota Auris from Blue Car Rental. The cost was around US$ 750 for 7 days inclusive of insurance (excluding damage due to ash storms).
- Where did we stay – We stayed in budget guest houses and airbnbs at all of our stopovers. Out of the places we stayed at, we recommend two which we liked – Eidar Guesthouse and this Airbnb in Reykvajik. Get US$ 35 off on your very first Airbnb stay using this link, click here (it’s a win-win). Tip: Book your stays well in advance, around 1 month before your visit as the options are limited, especially when you go out of the golden circle route.
Other Travel Tips
- On the road fuel up at the next gas station you come across if your tank is less than half-full, as there are no fuel stations for miles on certain stretches.
- Stock up on food and water. Eating out in Iceland is not only expensive you may not find many options on the road. We always brought along sandwich spreads and fillings, bread/buns and croissants, instant noodles, mac and cheese, hot water + tea/coffee bags. We also carried groceries like milk, oats, tomatoes, baked beans etc. to prepare our breakfast at our stays.
- Cold tap water is drinkable there but the hot tap water is not as it comes from the hot springs with some sulphur in it.
- Iceland is a cashless nation. We did exchange some cash at the airport but we paid through the whole trip entirely using our credit cards, everywhere we went. Even at the smaller villages we took a pit stop at.
- Internet connectivity is surprisingly good even when you may feel like you are in the middle of nowhere. But it’s not the case everywhere. We strongly suggest you to save offline maps of your routes on your smartphone.
- Weather is unpredictable and it rains a lot so water/windproof jackets and shoes are a must.
We hope this post was useful and gives you a head start when planning your own epic Icelandic road trip.
Cheers and Happy Travels folks! And if you have any questions, leave them in the comments and we’ll try to answer as best as we can.
