Iceland – Made for RVers

When you are ready for the next step after RVing across America, RVing across Iceland might be your next adventure.This is a country made for camping with plenty of campsites, multiple rental companies, and plenty of room to explore. With incredible landscapes and ocean views for miles, Iceland offers amazing and unique opportunities to try something new.

Icelandic Landscapes

Iceland is different from any other country I have experienced. An island with only 350,000 people with nearly all of them living in one city, it has a remoteness that is interesting and beautiful. The farms are scattered with the vast amount of land dotted with sheep or horses grazing and a few cows. Here you can experience mountains and beaches within minutes of one another. And of course, the amazing view of snow-capped glaciers and icy blue water. It felt like there was a waterfall nearly every five minutes and certainly a new landscape every few miles.

Þingvellir National Park

You can do a complete circle of the country via the Ring Road. As it sounds, it does a complete ring skipping only the peninsulas on the western side. We had one week and decided to focus on the southern half. We started at the Þingvellir National Park, also written Thingvellir in English. Only 40 minutes from Reykjavik, many people follow the Golden Circle to see the main sites of this area, while on a layover in Iceland. For us, it was a great first stop to help us learn the camper and quickly rest after our overnight flight.

The Þingvellir NP is the cradle of Iceland as the first Icelanders met here to set up government in 930 AD. Stop first at the Visitor Center where you can pay for your camp site, pick up maps and refreshments.

Top Sights

Easy trails connect much of the sights in this area including the first of our many, many waterfalls in Iceland. Oxararfoss (Icelandic hint – if it ends in foss, it is a waterfall ) is manmade to help with runoff from the nearby glacier. If continue the trail away from the waterfall, you reach an overlook and might recognize the canyoned area from Game of Thrones. Trails also lead left to walk to the original Assembly area. Here a maze of connecting boardwalks take you to Thingvallakirkja, the most photographed church in Iceland. You can also hike up to an area where the North American and Eurasian teutonic plates come together. Those who are more adventurous can book a diving tour to go into the water and see the plates up close.

Continuing on the Golden Circle brings you to the Geyser area and nearby Gullfoss, or the Golden Waterfall. While not the largest waterfall in Iceland, it is impressive. Like Niagara Falls, it has multiple falls and levels as well as a strong spray. This was a very busy stop so if possible, get here early and on a weekday. There is plenty of room to walk around and even get close enough to feel the spray. This is also a popular stop with a well-stocked gift shop and cafe.

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

The Snæfellsnes Peninsula is not directly on the Ring Road, but offers spectacular views and a few notable stops. Many do this easy drive from Reykjavik when they have limited time in Iceland as it can be an overnight. This area is also less popular since it is off the beaten track which meant less crowds!

Leaving Reykjavik, you head northeast. The first large town is Borgarnes, home to the Egil Saga. The Sagas of Iceland are essentially their history and myths rolled into one and a key part of the culture. We stopped for lunch at the Egil Museum and had Icelandic stew naturally made with lamb. I say naturally, because you will quickly learn the importance and high population of sheep in Iceland. I believe I saw one stat that there are more sheep than people.

This is a great area to leisurely drive the coast with stops at a few key sites while enjoying the changing sky above the mountain range. Shaped by volcanoes thousands of years ago, lava fields covered in vegetation lead to white and black sand beaches as well as dramatic cliffs housing a variety of birds. And the Snaefellsjokull glacier rises majestically above it all. Known for being the beginning location of Jules Verne’s “Journey to the Centre of the Earth,” you can take a guided tour on the actual glacier.

Stops along the way:

Búðakirkja in Budir- This small black church was first built in the 1700s and rebuilt after a woman was visited in a dream by the original owner. It offers striking opportunities for photography with the backdrop of either the mountain or the grasses of the seaside. You can also hike several trails that go all the way to Arnarstapi or just down to the lava rocks along the beach.

Arnarstapi – Here you can find a couple of restaurants but also the dramatic cliffs including caves beaten into the rock by the waves and an arch that offers great photography opportunities. A rock sculpture of Bárðar, overlooks and protects the area. A half giant, half human, he was said to have settled this area.

Svodufoss – This is a lovely waterfall. We went at dusk and had the place to ourselves. It was also a short drive to our campsite where we enjoyed a spectacular sunset!

Kirkjufellsfoss – If you are a Game of Thrones fan, you might recognize this area. For photographers, the dual waterfall is beautiful but they really like the lake below. On a clear and still day, the conical Kirkjufell mountain is reflected in the water. And of course, it sits as a backdrop to this whole area.

Stykkisholmur – A bit out of the way, but this adorable village has great options for food and shops. There is also a fascinating looking church that is said to look like a whale. We headed to the harbor where we found a food truck with tasty fish and chips as well as a great coffee shop just up the hill.

Southeast Iceland

The drive along the southern region of Iceland is dotted with beautiful farms, pastures filled with sheep and Icelandic horses, as well as a view of the coast for much of the drive. We were amazed by the number of waterfalls streaming down the rocks. Often, there would be a pretty white farmhouse with a red roof and a tall gorgeous waterfall cascading behind it. That would be a fun backyard feature!

This is a section that is also home to the Þingvellir National Park and many geothermal pools. In fact, you will see greenhouses warmed by the geothermal heat growing much of the local produce.

Vik

This was one of the larger towns in the southern region with nearly 1000 residents. It also is a superb stop as you take the Ring Road. Scenically set near the ocean, the famed black sand beach and towering rock formations named Reynisfjara are found here. The real draw for travelers might be the Icewear complex where you can load up on coffee drinks, groceries, and souvenirs.

Icewear is one of the largest companies in Iceland and produces beautiful sweaters and other knitwear as well as solid outdoor gear. If you want truly authentic, handmade products, you can also find Katla Woolen Knitting Factory up the hill. A small shop where you can see the women working on the knitting.

For a great hot drink, go to Skool Beans Cafe, an old US school bus turned coffee shop. Key hint – do not turn from Ring Road directly to get to the cafe. Meander through the neighborhood as the other route has potholes large enough to swallow a toddler.

Jokulsarlon glacier area

You know how sometimes, things don’t live up to your expectations? This stop was our only dud. We specifically drove further east to visit the tourist destination named, Diamond Beach. This is a beach not far from the Jokulsarlon lagoon where small pieces of ice wash ashore and seem to gleam like diamonds on the beach. You can image a photographer’s joy at the sight. Sadly, we were very underwhelmed by not dozens but three small “diamonds.” Two of which were small enough to pick up. So not as diamond studded as we hoped. It likely varies based on the weather and maybe the time of day.

The nearby Jokulsarlon glacier, which creates the diamonds, and its lake was beautiful. You can take a boat ride or kayak on this lake to get closer to the glacier. There is also a trail if you want to hike closer. One berg was moving slowly and you could clearly see the blueness underneath.

My favorite part of this stop was the seals. Around ten or so were playing in the canal leading out of the lake and entering the ocean. They seemed to be watching all the people on Diamond Beach as if laughing at us!

If you are on Ring Road, this is a definite stop but I am not sure I would drive all the way out there again.

Reykjavik

Reykjavik can be a destination all in itself and we did not spend much time there. We tried to get the famous Icelandic hot dog at the main stand made famous by Bill Clinton, but the line was too long. We ended up finding a stand closer to the airport on the way back.

While you will find groceries along the Ring Road, especially in a few of the larger towns, there are more choices in Reykjavik. After doing my research, Kronin seemed to offer the best prices and selection. We tried to stop at the original Braud & Co as we were told it was a must stop bakery. However, parking a camper in Reykjavik is difficult. Instead, Barry circled while we ran to one of their new shops. Definitely try the cinnamon roll and get a loaf or two of their bread. We also recommend the Vienna roll, a very tasty danish -like treat.

The final night of our stay, we returned to the Reykjavik area and went to Sky Lagoon. I am not sure they allow you to leave Iceland without having done at least one soak. This is a key part of their culture! While the Blue Lagoon is more famous, we didn’t really want the silica of that hot spring since we were leaving the next day. It can make your hair very straw-like. Instead, we wanted to experience the view from Sky Lagoon and were so happy with our choice. It was a gorgeous evening and the lagoon looks out to the water. The seven step ritual was the perfect way to end our visit and get out all the knots of our trip.

Waterfalls

Waterfalls are a category of their own when visiting Iceland. Not only are they numerous, but the variety is astonishing. You have high cliffs, low cascades, and some that I have never seen before. And you are never far from one. A few that top my list as must sees.

Hraunfoss – I have never seen a lava tube or its waterfall. A bit out of the way, this was my favorite and worth the trip. A short walk from the parking lot takes you to the viewing platform or you can hike a bit further for multiple views. I highly recommend going all the way to the end to see the crashing water coming through the canyon. This image of the fall doesn’t even do it justice as it is so wide and there is just so much water! This is also one of the few spots that had a nice cafe with a deck to enjoy a meal or one of the famous low alcohol beers of Iceland.

Bruarfoss – This might be the bluest water I have ever seen. A small hike from the parking lot brings you to a bridge that spans this powerful cascade. You can continue the hike to find two more falls if you have time.

Skogafoss – This required a short hike, but the cool thing was it was from our campground. The cliffs offer a unique surrounding to the lovely falls.

Campers

Camping might be the best way to see Iceland. This is a country with lots to see and big spaces between sights. While planning our trip, we considered finding places to get a hotel but quickly realized how much driving we would be doing. Renting the camper allowed us to park nearer to our next site and give us a comfortable place to take a break between sites or just have a restroom.

One thing to keep in mind as you decide what is the best option for you is that some roads, specifically in the National Parks, are four wheel drive. If you want to stay in or hike more remote areas, it might be better to tent camp or get four wheel drive. Most of the country and main sights though are easily accessible off the main Ring Road or roads accessible with most vehicles.

Rentals

We saw a lot of rental companies in the campgrounds. And lots of options to rent – from popup tents on cars to small RVs. We choose Europecar’s Touring Company for our rental, which was slightly larger and had two beds. One in the back corner and one that came down from ceiling with a button. It easily slept us three and could have handled a fourth as long as they didn’t mind sharing a small space with another. We saw a lot of Happy Camper campervans which seemed well equipped, from the peeks we saw inside.

Equipment

Your rental likely comes with an equipped kitchen, but you will have to rent the linens and towels if you don’t want to mess with packing them. We also encourage you to rent an inverter. This allowed us to easily charge our devices while driving since the electrical plugs didn’t work without being hooked up. We also rented three outdoor chairs and a table which we only used once. In the summer, those would likely come in handy. Don’t forget to pack all your own soaps and a few spices if you plan to cook.

The rental company provided a tablet which was our internet access, navigation and map of the campsites available. It is important to know that some campgrounds are not open during winter season. It looked like many closed at the beginning of October, but there are still some open through the year.

Campsites

Campgrounds in Iceland are scattered across the country. While we didn’t find any that were paved like in the US, the ground was very packed and mostly level. A few were set up with rows and designated spaces while others were more random and spaces were what you made. Most of the sites had electrical hook ups and a place for you to fill or empty tanks.

There is a cost per person at all the campgrounds. And the biggest rule of camping in Iceland is that you must camp where there is designated camping. No boondocking somewhere in a parking lot or pull off. Also, know that they take the speed limits very seriously and have speed cameras along the roads. We understand that if you are caught on camera speeding, they will contact the rental company and charge you the fee before you ever return the camper!

Most campgrounds had a kitchen facility where you would make and eat dinner. This is probably a great social spot during the summer with the tent campers. We mostly used it to clean our dishes so we had hot water. At nearly all the kitchens, they had pots and dish soap along with a few utensils and spices.

Nearly all the campsites had facilities for restrooms, showers and even a few laundry rooms. On the campsite map, it listed all the amenities available at the site. We did encounter one campground that had a shower where you had to pay by the minute, but all the rest were very nice and free.

To empty gray tanks, you simply drive over a grate in the ground and open the tank. The black tank was a cassette toilet which was easy to empty at the campgrounds or stations.

When to Go

Summer must be the best time to visit Iceland if you want to see and do everything. It would certainly be green and lush, plus you could likely see the puffins which had migrated by the time we visited. You would also experience the midnight sun or at least, very long days.

We visited in fall which meant the days were fairly normal with darkness arriving around 9 p.m. I was shocked though by the crowds of people. If the popular sites were this busy in late September, I can only imagine what it would be like in summer! I enjoyed the crisp weather and we really lucked out with five days of sunshine and no rain. Our final days there, we did hear that it was snowing in the northern section of Iceland.

I do think it would be gorgeous to see Iceland in winter but I might be more inclined to stay at a rental property and in the villages then. Of course, one of the draws of fall and winter in Iceland is the Northern Lights which we did get to experience. My dream is to return and stay in one of those igloos with transparent ceiling so I can be warm and surrounded by the lights!

Things to Know

Laws

• Nearly all sights with parking lots charge a parking fee. Make sure you pay this before venturing out as they will note your license and contact your rental company for fees.
• Speed cameras are set up along several spots on the road
• The inside person in a round about has the right of way for exiting the round about

Shopping

• Don’t grocery shop at the 10/11 where prices are not just Iceland high, but extremely high
• Don’t buy bottled water, Iceland has wonderful water from the tap. But do bring or buy something to fill water as the water from your camper might not be good for drinking.
• The souvenir of choice is Icelandic wool. You can get a beautiful sweater, mittens or hat. We can vouch that they are really warm. Just check the label states 100% Icelandic wool and made in Iceland for authenticity. Icewear, the largest shop in Vik, has a large selection but it is not all Iceland made or wool. Some say Iceland or Nordic design – this is not the same as made in Iceland. The best option is to visit one of the small shops where you can actually see them still knitting such as The Handknitting Association of Iceland which has several stores in Reykjavik or Katla Knitting Factory in Vik.

Pack or Not to Pack

• Hat or mittens – Ok, you should pack this if you don’t plan to shop until the end of your trip. However, if you want a great souvenir, plan to shop early and pick up an Icelandic wool beanie and mittens. There are a variety of colors and styles that are gorgeous. I ended up buying a few and definitely could have saved myself some suitcase room since I got my mittens the first day.
• Water pants and jacket – We ended up not needing ours, but I definitely could see where they would have been useful if we had not had sun. Plus a few of the waterfall cast a big spray so if you want to romp nearby, you might like to stay a bit dry.
• Swimsuit – Normally, I don’t pack swimsuits since I rarely hot tub. Iceland is one place where you will definitely want to get in a hot springs as it is part of the culture and daily life. Next time, I definitely want to try one of the more local springs along the drive and not wait until the end of the trip.
• Sunscreen and lotion – It is pretty dry for a country surrounded by water so be sure to pack lip and skin lotion. And in case of sun, you will feel closer to the sun and might want to cover up with sunscreen.
• Camera – Yes, you can use your phone but this is a land that has amazing vistas and opportunities for photography. Whether photographing waterfalls or sheep, you might want a good zoom and wide angle lens. Or at least a good option on your phone or small camera.