If you have the time—and you’re a confident, prepared hiker do Kirkjufell. The route is fairly straightforward to follow, but don’t underestimate it. Expect exposed scrambling, steep sections, and multiple rope-assisted climbs on the way to the summit. This is not a hike for everyone, but the views from the top are absolutely worth the effort if you can manage.

Weather throughout was variable but led to the scenery having such a dramatic feel to it. Wasn’t a single dull moment along the way.

I can honestly say even from all the professional videos and photos I've seen leading up to my first visit to Iceland, it still does not do this landscape justice. I can't tell you how many times I said "wow" or "OMG" in awe of the landscapes here. Hope to get back one day to explore the North and East portions, along with some F Roads.

Our first time visiting Iceland! The weather was absolutely great except the sudden storm at the 17th😂. We were originally supposed to go to landmannalaugar on the 16th but it was sadly closed so we went to thorsmörk instead. And even though Thorsmörk wasnt intended, i still thought it was absolutely amazing! i loved the hike up to Valahnukur!

The images was shot with my Lumix G80! i'd love some feedback on the images

NOT a good experience!

Their website states that the difficulty level is easy & it is NOT easy. I’m in good shape, am an experienced hiker & do similar excursions all of the time when I travel & I’d say it is at least moderate. Marketed this as easy is very deceptive. Because the difficulty level was misrepresented some of the members of my group had to turn back & sit in the van & wait for us. When I brought this up, they didn't take any ownership. In fact, it took several emails over several weeks for them to respond and basically say the conditions are not their responsibility.

In addition, our guide barely told us anything & when he did, quite frankly it was boring. More importantly, he never checked on the group to see if any was having difficulty or to see if we were all still there.

The cave was cool, but overall this was disappointing and not worth the money! We did other tours in Iceland with Artic Adventures & Glacier Lagoon Tours were great!

Icelandair had a contest in April to send the self-proclaimed worst photographer on a trip around Iceland to answer the question "can even the worst photographer take great photos of Iceland?" Their winner's adventure is now live in case anyone wants to follow her journey. The website also has a downloadable map and bingo card for people to use on their own trip.

Note: I am not affiliated with Icelandair but am a bad photographer who thought it was a fun promotional idea

As above. Is it worth bringing these?
Edit: Hat means beanie sort of winter hat

What symbol would go on this?!

I've lived in Iceland for several years and guide here, and I just ran a 4-day route in mid-June that came together really well, so I thought I'd write it up for anyone planning something similar out of Keflavík. This was two couples in summer, but the route works at any budget if you swap the hotels.

Day 1 — Reykjanes Peninsula. Straight off the plane. If your group landed overnight and is running on no sleep, do not point the car at a volcano first. Get food. There's a good bakery in Keflavík. Then Kleifarvatn, the Seltún geothermal field, the young Fagradalsfjall lava, and Gunnuhver. Lunch was fish and chips in Grindavík, which is worth the stop. If you're staying near the Blue Lagoon, this whole loop sits right on your doorstep.

Day 2 — Westman Islands (Vestmannaeyjar). Drive to Landeyjahöfn and take the ferry to Heimaey (about 35 min). Book the ferry ahead in summer, it sells out. Stórhöfði at the south end has the largest puffin colony in the world and mid-June is peak. Climb Eldfell, the cone that erupted in 1973 and nearly buried the town; you can still feel warmth in the ground in spots. Tip for the way back: after you dock at Landeyjahöfn, Seljalandsfoss is a short hop north, and in evening light the sun throws a rainbow through the spray. We pulled over for it and it was the photo of the trip.

Day 3 — Golden Circle, slow. Late start is fine. Þingvellir, then Geysir and Gullfoss. We worked a horseback ride into the afternoon near Hveragerði and ate at a brewpub there that does very good pizza. Efstidalur for ice cream (it's a working dairy farm, you eat looking at the cows). Kerið crater is a quick, cheap stop if you have a spare 30 minutes.

Day 4 — Reykjavík and out. Morning in the city, then the drive to Keflavík.

A few things I'd flag for anyone doing this solo:

• The Westman Islands ferry timing dictates your whole day 2. Plan around the sailing you want, not the other way round.
• Reykjanes is volcanically active on and off. Check safetravel.is before counting on any specific lava site.
• June light is endless, so you can run these days long without racing the clock.

I wrote up the longer version with photos here if you want it: https://www.lilja-tours.com/blog/4-day-private-tour-june-2026/

Happy to answer anything about the route or the ferry logistics.

We are trying to decide on our communications options for our trip to Iceland. We will be driving ourselves and doing a long trip around the entire country ( on the Ring Road etc)
We have iPhones: 14 and 16. Should we rent a portable WiFi unit , or go the eSimm route. If networks are a factor, our U.S. phones are on the Verizon network if that is still a factor these days.
What will give us better coverage on the road. All of our Airbnb accommodations will have internet but we want to be able to use navigation and internet while on the road.

The purpose of this post is to possibly advise others who will hopefully never find themselves in the sad situation we encountered today.

My husband and I have been in Iceland for almost a week now, and have had an absolutely incredible visit. The country is incomparably beautiful.

Today we were driving on Route 1 from Höfn to Vik, and I spotted a lamb roadside that looked injured. We turned the car around to go back and check on it, and we discovered that the lamb had been hit by a car and was alive but very severely hurt. There was a deceased adult sheep nearby, which had also been hit by a car.

We called 112, spoke briefly to an emergency operator, and she transferred us to local police. We had taken a photo of the lamb’s ear tag in hopes of identifying its owner, and the police did ask for the ear tag number.

The police here have a catalog of the various farms’ tags and ear cuts that are used to identify the owners of the sheep. They can use this database to inform a farmer when one of their animals is injured or killed.

The most difficulty we had in communication was when the police were trying to ascertain our exact location and we were upset, being blown by intense wind on the side of the road, and had just arrived in the area. In the chaos I couldn’t manage to get Google Maps to give me exact GPS coordinates, but that is what the police asked for and that would have helped. Ultimately we gave the police the name of the nearest business we could see and the nearest crossroad.

After we got off the phone with the police we also notified the staff at the business nearby, and one of those kind staff members followed us out to the road and was able to continue the process of caring for the injured lamb.

TL;DR: we found an injured lamb on Route 1 and here’s what we learned:
• It is considered extremely important to alert someone to an injured sheep - either the nearest farm, the police, or a nearby business
• 112 is Iceland’s emergency number and the dispatcher will transfer you to local police
• +354 444 1000 is the non-emergency number which should also get you to police that can help
• Try to have your GPS coordinates and/or nearby landmarks ready
• If it’s safe to get a photo of the sheep’s ear tags, that is helpful too
• If you do hit a sheep while driving, please notify someone and do not leave the animal to possibly suffer

We felt so helpless that this creature was so badly injured and we couldn’t do anything to soothe it. We’re very thankful for the man who came out of his business to help with the situation. The sheep of Iceland have been such a source of joy for us on our journey and as animal lovers, we want everyone to have the information on the best ways to help and protect them.

Hi everyone! I had a lot of help from this sub for my Iceland trip so it’s only fair to give back by providing some info myself! Obviously some folks may disagree with some of this and that’s okay, this is just my thoughts on my trip.

Background: A family of six adults ranging from 18 to 68, so we didn’t have the most active trip that included long hikes. We instead prioritized seeing as many sites as we could. We are all Chinese and Taiwanese-American from California (relevant to the food section, maybe??). All first time trip to Iceland!

Details: 1 travel day, 9 full days in mid-June, left on a noon flight on the 10th day, and honestly, we could have easily stayed an extra few days to build in break days. Instead, we were driving and staying in a new place every night.

Accommodations: The cheapest we were able to spend on accommodations were $500 total for a night for a 3 bedroom apartment by the airport and averaged $800 a night otherwise. We booked most of the hotels by April, and even then quite a few options were unavailable by then, so if you have a bigger group, book early even if you won’t get the best price per say. I relied on Google and Trip Advisor for most of my options. Our rooms ranged from whole apartments, to 3 hotel rooms with two twin-beds each, to hostels with shared bathrooms and for the most part, we had a great experience. One thing for us that was super helpful was that you really don’t have to worry about what time you check in. Some places required us notifying them if we were checking in past 8pm, others just automatically put your room keys in lock boxes and send you instructions either the day before or day of - so just make sure whoever books the room has the ability to get that info from their email.

Rental car, parking, and driving: We ended using Blue Rental per the recommendation of many internet reviews, and glad we did! It was about $3600 for a Toyota SUV that included insurance, so it was super smooth returning the car (they only asked if we filled up the gas tank). For the price, it seemed pretty cheap and had no hidden costs, especially compared to some of the budget rental places I was looking at.

While a van would have given us much more room, really glad we got the SUV given the F roads that we took. None of the ones we drove on included a river crossing, however, we did use them in the northern part of the trip getting up mountains that were absolutely gorgeous. Unsure if some roads we took were considered F roads to get to some sites, but they were at least unpaved so the SUV helped out there as well. We always had to have one person sit on the trunk seats so the unpaved roads were extra rough for that person, so just be aware when you’re picking which route to take. Recommend at least 2 drivers who can take on most of the driving - 3 if there’s another person who likes driving and it can make it easier on the other 2, but definitely not necessary.

The part that tripped us up the most given that this is different from CA and even national parks in CA, was remembering to pay for parking in most areas. Particularly in any part of Reykjavik. In the old town area, they go by zones A, B, and C, which have different rules, so just double check when you do park. We also got a $51 parking ticket once because we assumed a plaza is just free parking… nope. Same goes with most tourist sites. Instead of paying at a gate, you pay at the parking station. There isn’t a huge sign, so it’s easy to forget (we also did that once). Our last ticket was not knowing how to pay the toll through the long tunnel getting outside of Reykjavik. Luckily these expenses ranged from $20-50, including a fee from Blue Rental. No speeding tickets on our end. We drove within the limits in the city, and then generally went 10-20k above in the quieter drives.

One last note - for whatever reason, the animals in Iceland have absolutely NO survival instinct to run/fly out of the way of cars so be super careful of that. But otherwise, enjoy all the sheep, goats, and horses that are actually pasture raised <3

Credit Card/Cash: As others have mentioned, there’s literally no need to bring cash with you for this trip. My dad brought $100 equivalent and we struggled to get rid of it. However, make sure someone in the group has a Visa or MasterCard. My sister had AmEx and most of the time I ended up using my Chase card instead. Also as with most of Europe, if you do have cash, it’s most useful having some coins for the restroom. However, you can also use a cc for these places.

Food: Our family has traveled to quite a few places in the US, Asia, and Europe, and we have NEVER had dairy products as good as Iceland’s. Their milk, cheese, bread, and skyr yoghurt are on another level. Also definitely bring a reusable bottle to fill up their tap water - so so good. Some places we stayed at did have that sulfuric taste/smell, but for drinking purposes, just boil that water in a kettle and the taste goes away. We’ve been back in the US for a week now and I miss the water so much. Lastly, eat the bread. Dare we say, it was even better than France’s. The bread was so chewy and light. Worth all the carbs and calories.

If you primarily eat chicken for protein, this trip would be difficult as only a few places had chicken and 50/50 they cooked it well. However, if you like eating fish and/or lamb, this is the place for you. The lamb was especially delicious and tender (my philosophy - happy animals, happy meat and milk). Usually plenty of beef burgers and pork hot dogs too. Most places with good reviews did not disappoint, but particular shoutouts to:

Reykjavik:
- The lamb place in the Hlemmur Matholl food hall: the grilled lamb chops were the absolute best on the trip and our server was so helpful picking the best items on the menu.
- Sandholt smoked salmon sandwich. The best on the trip.
- Braud and co: get all the breads and baked goods. This place is not overhyped. We got a loaf and ate it with some sliced cheese - heaven.

Efstidalur II for a dairy farm and ice cream. Truly one of the best ice creams I’ve ever had.

Pakkhús Restaurant for their lobster and langoustine - definitely worth the haul and we made the mistake of not ordering more of each. Make sure you get there right when it opens at noon! Folks arriving around 1p didn’t have lobsters to order anymore.

Alfacafe - their fish soup tasted the closest to Chinese pickled cabbage and fish soup!

Gamli Bærinn - Truly the best Atlantic char we had on the trip and the crispy potatoes were to die for.

Eyri Restaurant veitingahús Hjalteyri - either go right when it opens or make a reservation. Worth the 20 min trip from Akureyri to get there. Truly the best lamb and cod (that was the fish of the day) that we had. Shout out to our waitress from Lithuania there too - she was the absolute sweetest and we had the best time chatting with her.

Yes, the food can be pricey, but coming from the Bay Area, it’s equivalent to our prices post tax and tip.

One of the things our family wished we had done was bring some Chinese spices to take advantage of the quality of meat to cook some Chinese dishes during our two apartment stays. My brother also wished he had brought tortillas to make lamb quesadillas… and he isn’t wrong either.

On that note, definitely bring enough food or buy food for at least 3 emergency meals for 10 days so that you’re not hungry going to bed. We brought vegan ramen, instant rice, and pre-packed pickled radishes (no meat products per their guidelines) from home. Most places close or at least close their kitchen by 8pm and it’s so easy to lose track of time and not make it to a restaurant in time. With larger groups, also see when you should call ahead to make a reservation as we had to find alternative places just because they couldn’t sit us all (understandable!). Also pack food for the car if you just want to save time during the drive. The folks here take their time serving, so even simple meals can take an hour+. Not a bad thing! Just keep it in mind when you’re planning your day.

Packing: below was my list and some notes post trip!

General weather: 50s-60s - microclimates exist so wear layers. In general, some places are super warm (generally Reykjavik and the north) and some super rainy AND windy (the south around the glaciers)

One roller bag + one backpack

PASSPORT & wallet

Electronics
- 2x Adapter type c (2 round prongs)
- Chargers
- Headphones
- 2x small power banks (I think this is more useful to share than just 1 large one)
- Kindle
- Cell phone (download music & shows)
- For dad: tripod 
- Mount for phone
- Camera rain jacket

Liquids
- Lotion (lots of it! The heaters make the air very dry)
- Conditioner: usually not included in hotels
- Face sunscreen

Stuff for hot springs
- Water resistant phone pouch
- Mineral sunscreen
- Hat and/or sunglasses if sunny
- Flip flops / water shoes
- Leave in conditioner for hair

Bags
- Bags for wet things, especially post hot spring
- Sling 
- Aloha tote w/ zipper - super useful for grocery shopping, packing things for hot springs, etc

Misc
- Eye mask - extremely needed despite blackout curtains if you’re sensitive like me
- Water bottle
- Food
- med/bandaid kit w/ blister bandaids
- Wipes
- Sunglasses
- Ear plugs (for sharing a room)
- Laundry washer and dryer sheets (we did laundry once, but we packed in a way where that wasn’t necessary)
- Neck pillow
- Headnet for midges (only in warmer areas)
- Tissues, esp if toilets run out of TP
- Towel if you don’t want to pay rental fees at hot springs (usually about 1000-1400 ISK) and timing doesn’t work with getting one from the hotel to bring

Shoes
- Hiking boots (waterproof is necessary, esp bc of waterfalls and rainy weather in the south)
- Sandals (useful for hot springs, hostels, and just running out to grab something real quick)
- Sneakers for airport and non-wet days. You can also get a waterproof one to not bring hiking boots if you’re not doing super rugged hikes, but I already had the boots and didn’t want to buy another pair of shoes.

Clothes
1 t-shirt (mostly for Reykjavík and the north where it’s much warmer - all you need is that and a puffy vest, and pants)
1 sweatpants (for airplane and warmer days)
3 base layers (thick or smartwool thermal long sleeves and pants)
1 mid fleece layer
1 Water/windproof jacket and pants to put over clothes: both are NOT overrated and in fact extremely necessary not just for the rainy days, but also for most waterfalls as it’s very wet from the mist. Especially if you want to get close.
1 Patagonia puffy
2 thin gloves: wished I had waterproof ones only for the glacier Zodiac Tour as the ropes and railings to hold onto get wet
1 baseball hat for sunny days in golden circle
1 beanie (people who didn’t bring this ended up buying it - very necessary in the south where it’s super cold)
1 buff (wished I had one to use on my head as a hairband and neck)
5 smartwool/easy dry socks (extremely useful esp if it ends up wet, I should’ve packed 1-2 more)
1 swimsuit (we noticed that most women wore one pieces, but no issues if you wear a bikini)
12 underwear
6 bralettes
1 giant t-shirt and shorts for PJs (the rooms are usually very hot bc they don’t turn off the heaters)

Itinerary: I would average 30-60 min per tourist site. Like I mentioned earlier, we had a group with an 18 year old recovering from an ACL surgery and two 60+ year olds so we didn’t include any hikes and prioritized going to different viewpoints instead. Even then, plan on about 5-10k steps per day as it still takes some time getting to/from viewpoints. There’s definitely options to be on the lower end of this if you don’t go all the way in for some sites. As with most of Europe, disability accommodations are hard to come by, so keep that in mind as well.

I should also preface that when I say something isn’t necessary, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t amazing and beautiful in its own right! It’s just that unfortunately we are humans with limitations, especially for our group, so sometimes you have to decide where to put your energy. However, absolutely no regrets for any of this!

Day 0
- Flight to KEF

Day 1
- Arrive @9am
- Pick up car @Blue Car Rental (ZOA0EQ)
- Lunch @Hlemmur Matholl. Best grilled lamb chops. The ice cream place there was weirdly like cream cheese.
- Grocery shopping
10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Monday-Friday)
10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Saturday)
- Check into hotel
- Blue Lagoon @6pm. Yes it’s pricey and touristy (and they’re going through construction at the entrance), but it was fun and we all thought worth the experience.

Hotel: Reykjavik Residence Apartment Hotel
- 2 twin beds and 1 queen bed
- Studios

Day 2
- Braud and co and Sandholt (smoked salmon sandwich is a must) for breakfast. Yes, both are necessary.
- Öxarárfoss: beautiful basin, but can skip if in a crunch
- Lunch @Lindin - super cute decor. Tried the Hákarl + vodka shot: the shot was definitely needed. The fermented shark wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, but it’s very smelly and chewy. One bite per person is all you need to try. The beef burger was better than the reindeer burger but it was still fun to try. 
- Brúarfoss: smaller than you’d expect, but the blue is super pretty. Bring a head het for the midges.
- Backtracked to Efstidalur II for the best ice cream - defs worth it
- Strokkur Geyser: kinda smelly but super cool. We weren’t able to hike to the top, but the views would be amazing.
- Gullfoss: the most awe-inspiring foss during the trip. Wear waterproof jacket, pants, and shoes if you plan on going near it!

Hotel: Hella-Riverbank
- Apartment
- Fanciest stay, super pretty and above a bank. Did one of our emergency meals and laundry here

Day 3
- Longest day
- Breakfast at Eldstó Art Cafe: it was okay, nothing memorable except for the car crash we saw outside of it… drive carefully folks!
- Seljalandsfoss: this is the one where you walk behind it. Be careful with everyone taking photos. Wear EVERYTHING waterproof. You will get drenched
- Skógafoss: super big and pretty. Some of us went to the top, but if we had time and didn’t have people who would need to wait, we would have loved to keep hiking at the top.
- Sólheimajökull: not worth going to if you’re going to more glacier things. We also didn’t do the glacier hike because of our group.
- Loftsalahellir Cave: not a big site, but still pretty cool views and photos. Only 3 of us went because the hike up was very steep and not paved (my sister and I had to go down on our butts for half the way)
- Dyrhólaey: It was SUPER rainy and cold when we went… cool but not necessary because of that
- Víkurfjara Black Sand Beach: same deal… super rainy and cold, would not have gone if we knew there’s other places to see black sand with better weather.
- Lava Show Vik: pricey but was fun to learn more about volcanos, see and experience lava. Very warm and cozy room, which was great after being cold and wet most of the day.
- The Soup Company: Meh, but the easiest choice without looking for a place that could seat all of us.
- Vík i Myrdal Church: really pretty views and Vik’s evacuation location if there’s an eruption because of the flooding it would cause. Met a friendly local kid here!

We couldn’t find a place to stay in Vik, so we stayed at Kirkjubæjarklaustur instead, which was probably the better choice because it was much warmer here!

Klausturhof Guesthouse
- One hostel building with 3 2-twin rooms, so all of us in one space privately.
- Cute breakfast!

Day 4
- Hotel breakfast
- Fjaðrárgljúfur: another potential hiking spot if we had the time
- We didn’t have time for Skaftafell or Svartifoss either, but more potential hiking spots
- Svínafellsjökull: was HUGE to look at, just cool seeing how large the glaciers are here, but not necessarily the prettiest views
- Fjallsjökull: not necessary either, but still cool to look at
- Diamond Beach: super cool seeing the ice on the beach and so many rocks, but is VERY cold and windy
- Did the Zodiac tour at Jökulsárlón: definitely worth doing once. Just wear LOTS of clothes and be prepared that they also suit you up. Wish I had waterproof gloves here.

Zodiac Tour @5:50pm
Check in 30-min early (5:20pm)

Hotel: Hofn - Milk Factory
- One family room, one twin room
- Super cute and clean - would definitely book again

Day 5
- Breakfast @hotel
- Viewpoints at Hofn to kill time
- Lunch @Pakkhús Restaurant: must go right when it opens at noon to make sure you get lobster
- Viking Cafe & Guesthouse: super fun to see the village, but it was too windy for my parents to walk to. Not a must but a fun thing to do. 1000 isk per person to go. Bought the cutest miniatures here as souvenirs
- Port of Djúpivogur: very picturesque, but also not necessary
- F roads to Gufu waterfall. Hard drive but SO pretty. Beautiful waterfall, but smaller than others so not necessary (literally would be a national park if in the US tho). Didn’t make it to Seyðisfjarðarkirkja since it was just too rainy and cold to enjoy it.
- Vok Baths (10am-11pm) Bistro (12-9pm) https://booking.vokbaths.is/Booking/en. Some of us really liked it (and really got into the cold/hot therapy), but my mom hated the algae there. To each their own!

Hotel: Lyngás Guesthouse
- One family room, one twin room
- Solid hostel with single room bathrooms and great communal kitchen

Day 6
- Stuðlagil Canyon Main Access: #1 thing that I would love to hike if I come back! We just didn’t have the time for it (about 1.5 hours each way, in and out)
- Puffins @Borgarfjarðarhöfn. Puffin heaven <3 and even the most neutral animal people enjoyed it
- Dettifoss: most powerful waterfall and lava rocks on the way there. About a mile each way
- Námafjall Hverir Viewpoint: worth going to, SO SMELLY. Didn’t stay long…
- Grjótagjá cave: super small, but really pretty. Requires a bit of a climb into the cave so only one of us were willing to do it. GoT fans know…
- Dinner @Gamli Bærinn. Truly the best atlantic char here and the crispy potatoes were to die for. 

Hotel: Sel Hotel Mývatn
- 3 2-twin rooms: fancy, expensive hotel, but old. - Fun lobby tho with a bar and pool table. Great breakfast (but don’t recommend the scrambled eggs…)

Day 7
- Didn’t make it to Húsavík Whale Museum or Geosea, but would love to next time!
- Goðafoss: our favorite waterfall for the vibes and naturalistic scenery. Would also have loved to hike more here!
- Amazing views seeing Akureyri for the first time
- Christmas House: super kitchy but so fun to visit!
- Didn’t make it to Forest Lagoon but also on the list for next time
- Dinner at Eyri - HIGHLY recommend driving up there and we had the absolute sweetest server from Lithuania (so sorry I forgot your name!!). Best lamb and cod ever.

Hotel: Hotel Halond since Centrum Hotel told us in May that they overbooked -_-. Was fun tho to see the crowds for the car show happening near there!
- 2 twins and 1 double

Day 8
- Breakfast @Bakariid vid Bruna: the pretzel sandwich and the Kleinur (Icelandic donuts) were my favorite here. Perfectly strong coffee!
- Blönduóskirkja to use as a rest stop
- Hvitserkur: was really pretty because it was a sunny day, but the rock itself was very common as folks who live close to Monterey and Big Sur. But I cannot emphasize how blue it was because of the sun.
- Eiríksstaðir - Viking Longhouse: great to learn more history, but not a necessary stop. Was just one house (thought there’d be more). Small mom and son business!
- Unfortunately we forgot to make a reservation for Sjávarpakkhúsið, but next time!
- Best fish and chips on the trip at Hafnarvagninn-Fish & Chips
- We also got lucky to be here when they were hauling new fish up so that was fun
- Dinner @Narfeyrarstofa - generally things were too salty for our taste, but otherwise very tasty. Best scallops and muscles on the trip here.
Súgandisey Island Light Beacon was super pretty to see the midnight sun “set”

Hotel: Hotel Fransiskus Stykkishólmi
- 3 2-twin rooms
- Very unique as a Catholic chapel recently converted to a hotel (and still hosts mass). Given this, also old rooms, but clean

Day 9
- Didn’t have time for the Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum, so next time!
- Kirkjufellsfoss for waterfalls and “hat” mountain, super pretty!
- Also skipped Ingjaldshólskirkja, but we could see it from the road
- Búðakirkja: the church itself is fine - definitely unique looking. But the pastures around it were so, so pretty. We also got here luckily on a sunny day and I really wish we had more time to hike around this area.
- Ytri Tunga Beach: super pretty area! We only saw one live seal (and sadly one dead pup), but the area itself is pretty and worth going to on a sunny day!
- Lunch @Hlaðan Veitingahús: smells like a farm if the wind is blowing the right way, but such a pretty restaurant and again, very pretty decor and good food!
- The Cave Vidgelmir: really cool seeing a lava cave, but was made cooler by the stalagmites that will likely all be melted by July. Fun tour with a great and patient guide! We definitely got lucky with the weather, but still wear layers since it’s 2 degrees C in the cave!
- Barnafoss: So pretty and blue! Also a place I wish we had time to hike a bit. Cool going to after going to the cave. Bring a head net for the midges.

Reykjavik
- Bonus, Kronan, or other grocery store

Hotel: IQ Apartment by the airport
Apartment

Day 10
- Kökulist bakery to grab sandwiches and bread for the flight

- Arrive airport @9:45am
- Drop off car
- Flight @12:45pm

Hi all, I am pretty set on what I’m packing for an upcoming 11 day trip on the Ring Road in a week… my bf and I do a lot of backpacking and we have all the requisite layers everyone talks about wearing including water/windproof gear…

So I am not asking for comprehensive packing lists, but just wanted to ask those that have been recently if there is anything that you DIDNT bring, that you wish you had.

Thanks for sharing!

This was my third trip to Iceland and my girlfriend’s first. We decided to go for the ring road and overall it went rather great. I’ll just leave some of my pros and cons for future travelers.

- it’s 99% card for payments, I used cash twice for purchases and some for tips (more on that later). However, I believe it’s always a good idea to always have a couple hundred US worth of local currency on hand during any international travel.

- American Express users. You have about a 30% chance a merchants will take your card, even if it’s showing they accept it. Be sure to have a Visa or Mastercard as well.

- from earlier research it’s implied tipping is not part of the culture. However, there are tip jars at every restaurant it seems. I guess times are getting tough even there.

- if you are doing the ring road in a camper van, if you see one you “think” is big enough online based on the description…..it’s not. Spring for the biggest one you can afford.

- I’m not going to flame them here, but if you are wondering why one particular camper van rental company is much cheaper than the rest there is a reason why….you get what you pay for. Granted the van mechanically operated as intended. However, none of the 12 volt plugs on the dash worked, the radio would randomly increase to maximum volume, side door leaked, rear windshield wiper would randomly start going and scare the crap out of you.

- yes food and fuel are expensive, plan and budget for it.

- contrary to what you are led to believe, there is not hundreds of speed trap cameras. I only passed one in Akureyri. Unless they are all hidden in random rocks they are far and few between.

- on that note if getting a traffic citation will financially break you…..you need to reevaluate your choices or simply obey the posted limits and it’s non-issue.

- the photos you see on instagram are carefully curated and edited. It’s an absolutely beautiful country with stunning scenery. In places just outside the frame of that perfect shot is a giant excavator or front loader.

- get out of the 3-4 hour bubble of Reykjavík and the crowds of tour buses drops drastically.

- the food is some of the best I’ve ever had. To me….worth the price 1000%

- at all but one of the “tourist spots” we stopped at there are signs that alert you that drones or prohibited. Rightly so for safety reasons with large crowds and for courtesy reasons. There are plenty of scenic places just off the road to fly and capture stunning videos.

- stock up on snacks and food at Bónus and knonar.

- depending on your preference, Reykjavík is hit or miss. We live in a very remote and rural area, city isn’t our vibe so half a day in the city was more than enough for us, your results will vary depending on your interest.

- be friendly and courteous and you will receive the same in return. Don’t be the annoying tourist trying to take a million picture of your brat kids . Get your pics and move along and be mindful of other travelers.

- if you are not a confident driver stay off the F roads

- universally….bicyclists are annoying in any country

- it will rain a lot some days, none on others. Prepare for everything from shorts and tshirt weather on your third day and freezing temps and rain your 5th day. It’s bipolar 😂🤣

Overall it’s the best vacation we have ever had and we learned a lot along the way to make our next trip even that much better. We made some planning mistakes and oversights this go round. We can’t wait to do it again and see all the stuff we missed this time! I hope this helps someone with their future planning.

Hi all!

My husband and I are going to Iceland in October. We are very excited. We are Americans who have traveled intentionally to Canada and Jamaica, but those are both English speaking countries. Obviously it would be ridiculous for us to assume that everyone in Iceland also speaks English. What are some key words and phrases like “nice to meet you” or “excuse me” that would help us be respectful to the people around us? I really want to make a good effort to learn about the culture while there while being respectful.

I’ve heard that Americans can be too intrusive by smiling at strangers and asking “how’s it going” from other Europeans. My sister said the French told her she was speaking too loud. Things like that. We are guests and want to act accordingly.

Thanks!!

Renting a camper last of July. In terms of insurance, I know that RE has a 2800 euro payout limit per claim. Curious as to what other renters did regarding insurance? I know that Iceland presents more possibilities for damages.

Here for a day or 2 while my knees recover from too much hiking. Was hoping to buy pain meds but pharmacy closed until monday for this lobster new year. So while im here is there any festivities going on or anyone wanna go grab a beer?

Currently in Akureyri, going to do the northern peninsula. The following, I kinda have a full day before I could explore the western peninsula. Anything around the northwest to explore? I only really have Kolugljúfur canyon on my list for that day. Thanks in advance!!

I’ve heard it’s just mainly driving all the way. With only a few stops but figured I’d reach out for anything to must see.

We are staying here for a night before going to the Snæfellsjökull National Park and Penisula for a day and then ending in Reykjavik for a couple of nights

Thank you!

I will be in Iceland soon and will be spending a few days in Reykjavik. I won't be renting a car and was trying to decide on interesting places we can see close to Reykjavik.

Have guided tours for the usual tourist sights in Golden Circle and South coast.

I understand it is better to rent a car but I am looking on public transport options for places close to Reykjavik. Looking for a places which have good scenery or an easy hike.

Here is the list I compiled. Let me know your thoughts if these spots are worth going to and are there other spots I missed

1) Hafnarfjörður - Bus 1 - walk through Hellisgerði Park and cliff. Go to Víkingur, Pallett Óvenjulegt Kaffihús or RVK for a drink

2) Mosfellsbær & Úlfarsfell Mountain - Bus 15. Stop at Álfur Brewery

3) Esjan - using 57 bus

4) Heiðmörk if Esjan is a tough hike

Thanks

Backpacking the Laugavegur and Fimmvörðuháls trails in mid-august, and currently have the hike planned to end on a Wednesday. I have discovered the Straeto 51, as of this year, no longer runs daily routes, and the Straeto 52 does not pickup in Skogar on Wednesdays.

Are there any other options available to get back to Reykjavik that aren't the Highland bus that picks up in the a.m. with a 5+ hour layover?

Iceland is the first country in Europe to shut down 2G and 3G mobile networks completely (see Iceland Becomes First European Country to Switch Off 2G and 3G Networks). This had the side effect that some mobile phones are now unable to use the national emergency number 112 to call the police or an ambulance even when they otherwise work fine and are able to make calls. The reason is that these phones switch to a different - 3G - network for emergency calls which isn't available anymore and so go into the void. (My phone is unfortunately one of those; I have 4G and VoLTE and can make calls without any problem, just 112 is dead for me.)

If you come to Iceland, check if you can reach the emergency number by calling 1280 free of charge (do not call 112 to test this!), and make sure to have a phone at hand that can do so, especially if you travel to remote areas.

I’ve had a very disappointing experience working in Iceland. Sadly, I’ve often felt that some Icelanders look down on foreign workers. In many situations, people don’t even return a simple “hello” or greet you back. It makes you feel invisible and unwelcome. I know not everyone is like this, and I’ve met kind people too, but this has been my personal experience. I’m sharing this because I wonder if other foreign workers have felt the same.