Reykjavik, Iceland

The city of Reykjavik Iceland is known for it’s colorful homes, unique architecture, and wild nightlife. Here are some of the best things to do in Reykjavik during your visit!

Reykjavík may be one of Europe’s most remote capital cities, but it has been known to surprise most new visitors, with a little something for everyone.

Iceland’s capital is famous for its unique architecture, wild nightlife, strange museums, smelly traditional cuisine, and a few hidden attractions as well.

There are many quirky, unique, unusual, and secret spots to discover in Reykjavik!

I’ve traveled to the city many times on different Iceland photography trips, often using it as a base for a few days before a big Icelandic road trip (like the popular Ring Road, or the Golden Circle routes).

Because most travelers visiting Iceland spend some time in the capital, I wanted to recommend a few fun and unusual things to do in Reykjavik, no matter what time of year you visit.

My Reykjavik itinerary is completely free! I’ve worked hard putting it together for you. If you find it useful, please use my affiliate links when you book hotels, rental cars or activities. I’ll get paid a small commission, at no extra cost to you! Thanks.

Reykjavik Highlights Map

HOW TO USE THIS MAP: Above you’ll find a map of highlights in Reykjavik, Iceland. Click on the top left of the map to find separate layers marking the route and points of interest. You can hide and show different layers, or click icons on the map to see the names of places I mention in this travel guide. “Star” the map to save it to your own Google Maps, or open the map in a new window for a larger version. Enjoy!

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Best Things To Do In Reykjavik In 2023

1. Visit Hallgrimskirkja Church

One of the most prominent buildings in Reykjavik, Hallgrimskirkja Church is pretty hard to miss. This very unique looking architectural masterpiece boasts a 74 meter tower that you can go up for excellent 360 degree views of the city.

The church is itself a monument to the famous Icelandic poet Hallgrímur Pétursson. You can visit most days, except during Sunday services or if there happens to be a special event/concert going on. The elevator to the top costs 900 ISK ($6 USD) for adults or 100 ISK ($0.70 USD) for children.

2. The Sun Voyager Sculpture

One of my favorite free things to do in Reykjavik is walk along the waterfront to this beautiful metal sculpture that resembles a viking war ship (even though its not). The famous ‘Solfar’ or Sun Voyager sculpture.

This remarkable piece of art built by Icelandic sculptor Jon Gunnar Arnason is an “ode to the sun” symbolizing light and hope. One of the best times to view it is around sunset. You can reach it on foot heading East from Harpa Concert Hall.

Reykjavik Walking Tour

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3. Harpa Concert Hall

One of the coolest looking buildings I’ve ever visited, Harpa Concert Hall is completely made of glass — reflecting the Icelandic landscape, sea, and sky off its wild geometric design. This impressive structure is home to the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and the Icelandic Opera.

At night there are moving multicolored lights, making the building seem alive! Try to see a concert there, but if not, it’s still worth going in and having a look around (which is free). Harpa is open from 8:00a to midnight. Make sure to walk around the backside by the docks too!

4. Eat Icelandic Hot Dogs

Icelanders LOVE their hot dogs. In fact, the hot dog has been called the National Food Of Iceland. And if you want to give it a try, you need to check out the best hot dog stand in Europe — Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur.

This unassuming Reykjavik hot dog stand near the harbor produces some tasty ones. I make it a point to stop in and eat three on every trip to Iceland! Order “the works” which includes ketchup, sweet mustard, fried onion, raw onion and remolaði, a mayonnaise-like sauce with relish.

Iceland Food Tour

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5. Attend Elf School

Iceland is a mystical and magical place with dramatic landscapes, active volcanoes, icy glaciers, and steaming mud pots. A perfect home for Huldufólk, or “hidden people” like elves & trolls.

Magnus Skarphedinsson has spent 30 years studying these mythical creatures in Iceland. Attending his Elf School in Reykjavik will teach you everything you ever wanted to know about wee folk. For example: there are 13 kinds of elf, 4 types of gnome, two varieties of troll and three species of fairy!

Elf school is in session on Friday afternoons in Reykjavik, classes last 3 hours, and cost $64 per person (with tea & pancakes included).

6. Icelandic Phallological Museum

Yes, it’s a penis museum. An odd attraction in Reykjavik for sure, but totally worth a stop if you enjoy eccentric places (like me)! Iceland’s Phallological Museum boasts 282 penises from 93 different species of animals, including humans. A fun stop for a rainy day in the city.

The largest ones are from whales, the smallest ones are from elves of course. The museum is a mix of serious scientific study, and tongue-in-check humor. While there are specimens of all shapes and sizes sitting in glass cases, there’s also a robot dude in a trench coat with a motion sensor who flashes you.

7. Crazy Icelandic Nightlife

For such a small city, Reykjavik has awesome nightlife. The downtown area’s nightclubs and bars are open late (until 5:00am) on weekends. Everything is based in a central location, so it’s easy to bar hop from one place to the next on foot. My favorite bars in Reykjavik are Kaffibarinn, Kaldi, and the fancier B5.

Iceland is also one of the safest countries in the world, so you can relax and party safely without worrying as much as you might when traveling to other countries. Reykjavik is home to a bunch of cool music festivals too, like the annual Iceland Airwaves in November.

8. Visit The Saga Museum

Want to learn more about Iceland’s fascinating viking history? Stop into the Viking Saga Museum located in Reykjavik’s Grandi neighborhood. They’ve recreated some of Iceland’s most important moments in history using life-like wax figures.

You get to learn what life was like for the first settlers here, through the use of a self-guided audio tour. At the end, you can dress up in some viking clothing for photos too! It’s pretty fun and gives you a glimpse into Icelandic history. For example, did you know Iceland was discovered by lost sailors trying to reach the Faroe Islands?

9. Feed Birds At Tjörnin Pond

This quiet pond in central Reykjavik is a hangout for people who want to relax and feed the local birds. Reykjavíkurtjörn Pond, or Tjörnin for short, is used by locals for taking a stroll along the shore or walking their dogs. A kind of park in the middle of the city.

The pond is surrounded by Scandinavian style homes, giving it fishing village feel in the heart of the city. There are over 40 species of birds who stop by the pond on a regular basis, including Arctic Tern, ducks, geese, and even Whooper Swans. In the winter Tjörnin freezes over and becomes a giant ice-skating rink!

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10. Street Art Hunting

Downtown Reykjavík is covered in street art murals and graffiti, most of it part of a project called Wall Poetry where artists & musicians collaborate together.

On of my favorite things to do in Reykjavik was just wander the streets, looking for these cool murals. I’ve included the location of a few of the best ones on my Reykjavik city map at the top of this article, but you can also find even more here.

11. Try Some Fermented Shark

Icelanders have a very strange and stinky traditional food called Hákarl — fermented shark meat. There was a time when food was hard to come by on this island, so people ate whatever was available. Fresh Greenland shark meat is poisonous. However after fermenting underground for 6–12 weeks, it’s edible.

I use the term “edible” lightly though, as the meat stinks like ammonia, and is very difficult for foreigners to keep down! A popular activity in Reykjavik is attempting to try Icelandic fermented shark at one of the many local cafes that serve it, like Islenski Barinn or Café Loki.

And you can’t eat your piss-tasting shark pieces without washing them down with a strong glass of Brennivín — Iceland’s traditional unsweetened alcoholic schnapps often called “The Black Death”. Good luck!

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12. National Museum Of Iceland

Another great museum to check out in Reykjavik is the National Museum of Iceland (or Thjodminjasafn in Icelandic). They have 2 floors filled with over 2,000 artifacts discovered around the country.

See how the first settlers in Iceland lived, from a typical home to examples of the boats they used. It’s usually not very crowded, and has interesting exhibitions starting from medieval Viking settlements to the present day. They also offer a self-guided audio tour of the museum.

13. Go For A Heated Swim

Swimming is a big deal in Iceland. The country is full of geothermal heated swimming pools, indoors and out. Some are hot springs set in scenic locations, others are just regular swimming pool complexes.

Reykjavik has a bunch of heated swimming pools, but two of the most popular are probably Laugardalslaug and Sundhöll Reykjavíkur. Laugardalslaug is the largest, with all kinds of different pools, slides, steam baths, and other activities.

Another option is to take a dip at Nauthólsvík Geothermal Beach, where hot water is pumped into a couple of large jacuzzis, as well as part of the ocean bay itself. This keeps the water at a comfortable 68 degrees, allowing a “tropical” beach experience in Iceland!

14. Dress Up Like A Viking

I’m sure you’re already aware that parts of Iceland were used as a filming location for the wildly successful Game Of Thrones TV series. Well why not get your photo taken dressed up in the same style as the characters?

On my first trip to Reykjavik with my friend Kiersten, we stopped into MINK Studio for a professional viking photo shoot. It was super fun! Photographer Guðmann Þór Bjargmundsson (who actually worked on the Game Of Thrones series) gave us life-like viking clothing & weapons for amazing shots.

A single photo session takes about 45 minutes for one person, or 1-2 hours for a group. The photo props are super realistic, including their weight! Putting on chain-mail and lifting a broadsword was quite an experience…

15. Perlan Museum & Viewpoint

Sitting on top of Öskjuhlíð Hill in Reykjavik you’ll find the very cool glass-domed Perlan Museum. Not only does the museum boast one of the best viewpoints of the city, it also has Iceland’s largest nature exhibition.

Feel the power of Iceland’s earthquakes and volcanoes, or walk through a 100 meter long man-made ice cave (with real ice!) within the building. Another highlight of the museum is Áróra — a special 8K resolution northern lights planetarium visual experience.

16. Take A Ferry To Viðey Island

If you’re looking to get out of the city, but maybe don’t have a lot of time, I recommend jumping on a ferry boat to visit Viðey Island. It’s home to over 30 species of birds, including Iceland’s famous Puffins. There are also hiking trails and the historic Viðey House, one of the country’s oldest homes.

Along with all the birds, the island is also where Yoko Ono built a dramatic light memorial to her late husband, John Lennon. The Imagine Peace Tower is lit up during certain times of year and is quite a sight to see if you’re lucky.

You can catch the ferry from Ægisgarður Harbor and the Skarfabakki Pier during the summer, and it’s free if you bought the Reykjavik City Card.

17. The Blue Lagoon

Ok, Iceland’s famous Blue Lagoon is not actually located in Reykjavik, even though many first-time visitors think it is. This popular man-made heated lagoon is closer to the airport, about an hour away.

But a good time to visit the Blue Lagoon is when you’re leaving Reykjavik to head to the airport before your international flight out of the country — just leave a few hours earlier than normal. So I thought I’d mention it!

Blue Lagoon Bus Transfer

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18. Kolaportið Flea Market

Kolaportid Flea Market is an old warehouse located in the harbor area of Reykjavik. Packed with all kinds of odds & ends, cheap souvenirs, and used books. If you want to buy a classic Icelandic wool sweater, this is the place to find a deal.

It’s fun to wander looking for a bargain, or to just people-watch and hang out with regular Icelanders. You can also get food here, like dried fish, flatbread, fresh licorice, and Iceland’s famous fermented shark too. It’s usually open on weekends, and all week during the summer months.

19. Go Whale Watching

Ready to see some wildlife? Faxaflói Bay next to Reykjavík is home to minke whales, humpbacks, porpoises and dolphins too. It’s possible to book a whale watching tour that leaves from the city’s Old Harbour area. Trips take about 3 hours.

While the whale watching tours run year-round, high season for whales in Iceland is during the summer months between April and October — when the whales swim up from the equator to feed. It’s not impossible to see whales in the winter, but much less likely.

Whale Watching Trip

Set off on a fantastic whale watching boat to spot minke whales, dolphins, porpoises and more.

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20. The Rauðhólar

The Rauðhólar (aka The Red Hills) is an area in Heiðmörk Nature Reserve made up of lava fields and red pseudo-craters on the edge of Iceland’s capital city. The craters were formed 5000 years ago when lava flowed over ponds, causing the them to boil and explode.

It’s a cool place to go for a walk, take photos, and some companies offer horseback riding tours through the unique landscape too. It feels like you’re walking around on Mars. Rauðhólar is located only about 15 minutes drive from Reykjavik, just off the Ring Road (Route 1).

Lava Field Horseback Riding

Discover the Red Lava Hills outside Reykjavik on an Icelandic horse for 1 hour. Good for beginners.

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21. Free Reykjavik Walking Tour

One of my favorite things to do in any new city is go on a free walking tour to get my bearings — and Reykjavik has a great one. This two hour stroll is guided by the awesome team at City Walk Reykjavik as they discuss the history of the island.

You’ll start on Reykjavik’s main shopping street, Laugavegur. Learn about the evolution of the city and quirky details about local culture. While the tour is free, keep in mind guides are compensated by tips, so make sure to tip what you think the experience is worth!

22. Hike Mount Esja

If you’re looking to get some fresh air and exercise, a good free thing to do in Reykjavik is to hike the nearby Mount Esja, located only 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the city. This flat-topped mountain gives great views of Reykjavik. The hike is 5 miles and about 3 hours round-trip.

You can get to the trailhead by bus if you don’t have a car. Just make sure to check the weather before you go, because Icelandic weather can get pretty brutal, especially the wind. The summit section involves some scrambling and cables, but you don’t have to go to the very top.

23. Experience The Northern Lights

You’ll never forget your first time witnessing the magical Northern Lights — and Iceland is one of the best places to see this incredible natural phenomenon! I’ve written a whole guide full of tips for finding and photographing them.

If the lights are strong enough, you may be able to see them from the city itself, but that’s pretty rare. The best way to see the aurora is to get outside away from the city lights. If you don’t have a rental car, there are some great northern lights hunting expeditions that will help you find them!

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24. Visit The Old Harbour

After the construction of Harpa Concert Hall along the water, Reykjavik’s Old Harbour area has quickly become a hip spot to hang out. Stroll along the boardwalks enjoying the view of Mount Esja in the distance, grab lunch at Iceland’s oldest restaurant, or stop into the Víkin Maritime Museum.

This is also where the local marina is, a docking spot for fishing boats, yachts, and whale-watching tours. Colorful old sheds have been turned into little shops, where you can browse for souvenirs or grab a cup of freshly roasted coffee. As a digital nomad, it’s a wonderful place to get a little work done too!

25. Þúfa Hill

Because I’ve only visited the city a few times, I asked a local for some additional advice on what to do in Reykjavik. Ernir Eyjólfsson is a photographer for Iceland’s largest daily newspaper, Fréttablaðið. He also has a side-gig shooting photos of tourists with Flytographer.

One of Ernir’s favorite spots in the city is this interesting man-made outdoor art piece called Þúfa Hill (TH-OO-FHA) located in the Grandi area of Reykjavik. Built by artist Ólöf Nordal, you can walk up for nice views of Harpa Concert Hall and the harbor. There’s even a small traditional shack for air-drying fish at the top.

Transportation Around Iceland

Getting From The Airport To Reykjavik

Iceland’s international Keflavík Airport is about an hour away from downtown Reykjavik. So unless you’re renting a car, you’ll need to book an airport transfer into the city itself to check into your hotel.

Rental Car

The best site to book your car is with Discover Cars. They search both local and international car rental companies to help you find the best possible price. This is the easiest way to rent a car and drive in Iceland.

Renting a car offers the best flexibility to explore remote spots on the island. Iceland has one main ring road the encircles the entire country, Route 1. It’s perfect for road trips!

Bus

Iceland does have a public bus system, and the yellow city buses in Reykjavik are called Strætó. A single ticket costs about 350 ISK ($2 USD), but they also offer discount cards if you happen to be using it a lot. For example, a 72 hour card for 1700 ISK ($11 USD).

Taxi

There are taxis in Iceland, but you don’t hail them from the road like you might in other countires. You need to book a taxi on the phone, and there are no ride service apps like Uber or Lyft (yet). However there are some taxi stands in key downtown locations. The main taxi services are Hreyfill (+354-588-5522) and BSR (+354-561-0000).

Rent A Car In Iceland

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Where To Stay In Reykjavik

Accommodation in Reykjavik is expensive. There’s just no way around it. Reykjavik is a small city, so hotels within the center charge a premium. Here are suggestions for good places to stay during your trip to Reykjavik, Iceland…

Reykjavik Travel Tips & Advice

• Pick up a Reykjavik City Card (about $27 USD) if you plan to be in the city for a few days, as it gives you free or discounted access to all kinds of local museaums and attractions.
• Iceland is an expensive destination. After all, it’s a remote island. Food is especially pricey. One way to save money is to keep eating out to a minimum, and try to cook your own meals if you have a kitchen in your accommodation.
• Many tourists who visit Iceland don’t get very far outside the city. While Reykjavik has a lot to offer, the best of the country is found in the countryside. For example, to maximize your chances of seeing the elusive northern lights, you need to get away from the city.

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I hope you enjoyed my guide on what to do in Reykjavik! Hopefully you found it useful. Here are a few more wanderlust-inducing articles that I recommend you read next:

• Check out my ultimate Iceland Ring Road itinerary to learn about all the top highlights along the way.
• Planning an Iceland road trip, but afraid of driving? Here’s everything you should know about driving in Iceland.
• If you only have a few days, make sure to explore Iceland’s Golden Circle as a day trip.
• Learn how to properly photograph the amazing Northern Lights during your adventure.
• Bookmark my favorite Iceland photography locations to get that perfect shot for Instagram!
• Want to improve your photos? Read my best travel photography tips and guide to picking a travel camera.

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Any questions about things to do in Reykjavik? Do you have other suggestions? Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter to share!

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Photography Tips

Have you ever dreamed about seeing the colorful aurora borealis dancing in the night sky? Here’s how to find & photograph the amazing Northern Lights in Iceland!

Witnessing the magic of the northern lights at least once is a bucket-list experience for most people. I’ve been lucky enough to see and photograph the “Aurora Borealis” multiple times in a few different countries — including Iceland.

The northern lights can transfix you for hours, watching their mysterious green glow dance in the sky over the mountains or the sea.

Tracking down and shooting amazing photos of the northern lights in Iceland is always a top priority when I visit!

However many people don’t realize that this incredible natural phenomenon can often be elusive and unpredictable.

So to help you improve your chances, I’ve put together this guide on how to see and photograph the Northern Lights in Iceland. I’m going to share a few tips on how to find them, where to see them, as well as the camera settings and editing techniques I use.

Northern Lights Photography Guide

How To Find The Northern Lights In Iceland

So why are the northern lights so difficult to see, even in Iceland? Well, it’s because there are many different factors involved.

For the optimal northern lights experience, you need a combination of dark skies, clear weather, and strong aurora activity. Ensuring that all these requirements come together takes some planning.

Seek Out Dark Skies

For the same reason star-gazing is better when it’s dark out, viewing the northern lights is best in the dark too. Light pollution from cities & towns hinders the experience.

Yes, you might be able to see the lights from Iceland’s capital city of Reykjavik occasionally. However you’ll have more luck in the countryside away from man-made light sources.

Avoid The Full Moon

If you can, try to avoid seeking out the northern lights during a full moon. The brightness of the moon can make it more difficult to see the aurora in the sky.

Also, remember that the moon rises and sets like the sun. So you can try and time your northern lights hunting when the moon is hidden away below the horizon for maximum darkness.

My favorite smartphone app for checking the moon rise and moon set schedule around the world is called The Photographer’s Ephemeris.

That said, sometimes a little bit of moonlight from a 1/4 moon can light up the background landscape just enough to create some spectacular images too!

Wait For Clear Weather

If the weather is overly cloudy, you won’t be able to find the northern lights. So pay attention to the weather forecast, especially cloud cover (infrared satellite maps help a lot).

While you might still see some aurora lights if it’s only partly cloudy, you’ll have the best chance when there are no clouds at all.

My favorite smartphone app for checking cloud cover conditions around the world is called MeteoEarth.

Check The Aurora Forecast

Because aurora activity comes down from the sun in space, scientists are able to predict how strong it will be by looking at our sun’s solar wind, and the strength of the Earth’s magnetic field. This “KP-Index” ranges from 0-9.

In my experience, you might have some luck seeing the northern lights in Iceland when the KP Index is 3 or 4. If you are lucky enough to be there when a solar storm hits (KP 5+), then you’ll have quite a show!

My favorite smartphone app for predicting the aurora is called My Aurora Forecast Pro.

It gives push notifications when there’s a chance to see the lights near you!

For worldwide aurora predictions, Space Weather Ovation is also good.

Self-Drive vs. Group Tour

You should be able to go hunting for the northern lights on your own by renting a car in Iceland. Another option is renting a camper van, which allows you to get far away from towns and their street-light pollution.

Experience driving in snow is helpful if you’re visiting Iceland in the winter, as conditions can sometimes be very harsh. Big snowstorms are common.

I prefer exploring on my own, as it gives me the freedom to stay out all night or move locations on a whim.

However, if you don’t feel comfortable driving in Iceland at night, there are plenty of organized northern lights tours available too.

Best Time To See Northern Lights

Iceland’s best season to see the northern lights is the fall/winter months from September to April. The absolute darkest months are between November & February, but these months can also have the worst weather.

Remember that you need a combination of darkness away from towns, clear skies, and strong aurora activity to see the northern lights.

Witnessing Iceland’s northern lights during summer months is pretty rare, due to almost 20-hours of sunlight per day near the arctic circle.

The more time you spend in Iceland, the better your chances are of spotting the lights. If you’re only visiting on a 2-day stopover, you’ll need a LOT of luck to see them. I recommend spending at least 7 days in Iceland if you want to find the northern lights.

Even then it can be difficult. Some people can visit Iceland multiple times and never see them!

You probably won’t see the northern lights if you’re bar hopping in Reykjavik.

A primary reason why I was able to capture such great photos of the aurora borealis is that I stayed outside all night, for multiple nights, driving around searching for them. It takes some dedication.

For example, when I visited Iceland’s famous plane wreck in the middle of the night.

Where To Look For The Aurora

The best places to see the northern lights are in the northern latitudes. Think near the Arctic Circle.

The best viewing latitudes are between 68 degrees north to 74 degrees north. This includes Iceland. But some other good locations are the northern regions of Norway, Sweden, and Finland.

Greenland, Russia, Alaska, and Canada are also prime northern lights travel destinations.

Remember To Look North!

While it may seem obvious, remember to look North! The lights dance along the magnetic bands near the arctic circle, so you need to keep your eyes North to see them.

Often the lights start off weak at first, slowly increasing in intensity.

Weak aurora activity will look grey to the naked eye. Much like wispy clouds or fog moving in the wind. They can be easy to miss if you don’t realize it.

Aim your camera at the grey stuff and shoot a long-exposure photo (20 seconds or so). If those “clouds” come out green in your image, they aren’t clouds! You’re witnessing a weaker version of the northern lights.

The stronger the aurora activity, the brighter the colors will be.

The most common northern lights color you’ll see is green. However, if you’re lucky, they can also be blue, red, and orange depending on which atmospheric gasses happen to be prevalent.

Northern Lights Photography Tips

Once you find the Aurora, capturing decent images of it is a whole new challenge. Here are some tips to help you photograph the northern lights in Iceland.

Best Photography Gear

In most photography situations, the quality of your gear doesn’t matter too much. However for northern lights & star photography, it does.

Here’s a list of my recommended photography gear you’ll want to produce some great low-light shots. You can also see all my photography gear here.

• Digital Camera with Manual Mode & High ISO Capability
• Wide Angle Lens (24mm or wider) with Fast Aperture (2.8 – 4.0 minimum)
• Sturdy Tripod
• 2-3 Extra Batteries
• Cold Weather Clothing
• Hand-warmer Heat Packs

You’ll want a quality camera (brand doesn’t really matter) with a large sensor for minimal noise at high ISO settings.

A wide angle lens aids in photographing large landscapes with the night sky.

A fast lens aperture allows the maximum amount of ambient light to enter your lens.

Sturdy travel tripods allow you shoot long exposures without producing camera shake.

Extra batteries give you the flexibility to stay out all night waiting for peak activity — plus cold weather drains them faster.

How To Focus Your Camera At Night

Even with the best camera gear and knowledge of the optimal settings, without proper focus, your northern lights photos won’t come out crisp/clear.

There are a few different methods for focusing your camera at night, but my favorite is to focus on a distant landmark (like mountains) on the horizon.

This is easier to do right before the sun sets, so it isn’t too dark.

Most cameras have an infinity focus setting (∞), but it’s not always accurate. Zoom in as much as possible and adjust the focus manually if needed.

Once you have it locked in, remember to switch “autofocus” off and don’t touch the lens focus ring. Sometimes it helps to “tape” down your focus ring so you don’t move it by accident later.

Northern Lights Camera Settings

Make sure to watch the video above for examples of my camera settings.

Because the intensity of the light and amount of movement is constantly changing, you’ll have to experiment with your settings throughout the night.

Your camera should be set in Manual Mode, giving you the power to change each particular setting on its own.

IMAGE FORMAT
Most professional photographers shoot in RAW format rather than JPG, as it provides the maximum amount of information allowing for greater flexibility with post processing later.

It’s not necessary, but it does give you more wiggle room when editing the images.

APERTURE (F-STOP)
You want to capture as much light as possible, so use the widest (fastest) aperture your lens has. I recommend an aperture between F4.0 and F2.8.

To learn more about aperture, click here.

SHUTTER SPEED
Depending on how fast the lights are moving, or how bright they are, you’ll want to adjust your shutter speed (exposure) accordingly. Anything from 2 seconds to 13 seconds is a good place to start.

The faster the lights are moving, the shorter the shutter speed should be. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a massive blob of the overexposed green sky…

ISO
The last setting you should adjust for northern lights photos is ISO. Increasing ISO allows your sensor to capture more light. The downside is that the higher your ISO is, the more sensor noise you’ll get, resulting in a grainy image.

Generally, I shoot my northern lights photos using an ISO of 1000 – 4000 which seems to work best.

Post-Processing Your Aurora Images

Once you have a decent image, you can enhance your Iceland northern lights photos with post-processing software. I personally use a combination of Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop, but there are others.

They all basically do the same things. How much processing you do to your photos is a matter of preference. Remember, art is subjective! You and I may not like the same things.

Post-processing is a huge topic though, so I’ll just give you a super quick overview of what I did to enhance my northern lights images to really make them pop.

• Adjust White Balance
• Increase Exposure
• Brighten Shadows
• Brighten Whites
• Darken Highlights
• Increase Clarity, Vibrance, and Saturation
• Adjust Curves
• Noise Reduction
• Sharpening

Happy Northern Lights Hunting!

The Iceland northern lights photography featured here was captured in the fall, over multiple trips while driving around Iceland’s famous Ring Road.

The lights would usually start off weak, increasing in intensity over the course of a few hours. The best shots were captured at peak aurora activity, which usually only lasted for about 10-15 minutes.

Patience & dedication is soooo important for northern lights photography… you need to stick around long enough for the good stuff to show itself.

With a little planning, a lot of waiting, and a dash of luck, you too can witness this amazing natural phenomenon in Iceland called the northern lights.

There’s nothing like seeing the northern lights in person! It’s magic. ★

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I hope you enjoyed my guide to photographing the northern lights in Iceland! Hopefully you found it useful. Here are a few more wanderlust-inducing articles that I recommend you read next:

• Check out my ultimate Iceland Ring Road itinerary to learn about all the top highlights along the way.
• Planning a trip to Iceland, but not sure when to go? Here’s the best time to visit Iceland organized by seasons.
• If you only have a few days, a better option is to drive Iceland’s Golden Circle as a day trip instead.
• Did you know that many citizens of Iceland believe in elves? Here are some other strange facts about Iceland.
• Bookmark my favorite Iceland photography locations to get that perfect shot for Instagram!
• Save some money and learn about the best places to stay in Reykjavikwhen you visit the city.
• Want to improve your photos? Read my best travel photography tipsand guide to picking a travel camera.

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Have any questions about seeing the northern lights in Iceland? Or how to photograph them? Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter to share!

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

When To Visit Iceland

Learn the best time to visit Iceland this year with tips for traveling during the summer high season, the winter low season, and when to see the northern lights.

Iceland’s long days of sunlight and warm weather conditions convince most people to visit Iceland during the spring and summer months (May – September).

But the best time to go to Iceland really depends on what you want from your trip. Iceland is a popular vacation destination year-round for different reasons.

In this travel guide, I’ll help you to figure out when is the best time to visit Iceland for a Golden Circle road trip, to see the northern lights, when to see wildlife, how to experience Icelandic wildflowers, or when to avoid the crowds in the off-season.

I’ll also go over some of the best seasonal attractions, festivals, and highlights in Iceland depending on which months you’re planning to be there!

My Favorite Time To Visit Iceland

Personally, after multiple trips to the country, my favorite time to visit Iceland is during the shoulder season in autumn (fall).

The months of September and October are especially good times to visit.

Why Visit In The Fall?

By mid-September, many people’s “summer vacations” are over, and most of the tourists have gone home. Certainly not all, but a majority of them. It’s less crowded.

You’ll still find plenty of tourists at Iceland’s most popular attractions, but it’s more manageable in the autumn. Fall is also a great time to save money on hotels in Iceland (because they aren’t cheap!)

Iceland’s incredible Northern Lights (aurora borrelias) start to become more visible and frequent in late September and early October too.

You can also still drive around the Icelandic highlands via remote F-Roads, which usually get closed by October as the first snow storms hit.

Best Time For Northern Lights

Technically, the Northern Lights in Iceland can be seen from September through April. But September – October and February – March, particularly around the equinoxes – are the best months to see this spectacular natural light show. For a detailed guide on how to find and photograph the northern lights, click here.

Best Season For Photography

While I’m of the opinion that you’ll get great photos in Iceland no matter what season you visit, each has its own benefits. The autumn and winter light is particularly spectacular, as the sun stays low to the horizon throughout the day while sunsets and sunrises can last for hours. Plus, the northern lights of course.

Good Months For Whale Watching

Whale watching season in Iceland happens from April to October. But the peak season for whales is June, July, and August. Tours are available from Reykjavik, the Vestmannaeyjar Islands, and Akureyri.

When Is The Best Weather?

The best time to visit Iceland for great weather is during the summer high season. July and August have average highs around 13°C (55°F) however temperatures can be as high 20°C (68°F). Surprisingly, the spring months of May and June have the least amount of rain.

Best Season To Save Money

Hotels, airfare, tours, and car rentals in Iceland are cheapest during the winter months (November, December, January, February) — aside from the holidays. Everything is more expensive in the summer (July & August). For the best combination low prices and decent weather, go during the shoulder seasons: May – June or September – October.

Best Time To Avoid Crowds

Iceland has become incredibly popular over the last few years. If you’re trying to avoid the crowds, avoid visiting Iceland during the summer months of June – August. Winter has the fewest tourists, but also the coldest temperatures.

High & Low Seasons In Iceland

Visiting Iceland In The Summer: June – August (High Season)

Iceland’s warmest peak season sees hoards of tourists arrive in Reykjavik to take advantage of almost 24-hour sunlight. This is the warmest period to explore the country’s landscapes.

From late May to late July, Iceland’s famous midnight sun means there are almost 21 hours of daylight, from about 3am until midnight. The phenomenon peaks on June 21st, the summer solstice.

Most of the country’s popular attractions are open during the summer, and it also has the best driving conditions for a road trip. But it’s also the most crowded time to visit. Especially in July & August, the absolute peak of high season.

Summer Weather Conditions By Month

Pro’s Of Visiting In The Summer

• All attractions are open
• More daylight time to explore
• Iceland’s best weather conditions

Con’s Of Visiting In The Summer

• Overcrowded attractions
• Higher prices for accommodation and car rentals
• It can be hard to sleep with constant sunlight

[su_note note_color=”#DCEFF5″ text_color=”#333333″ radius=”3″ class=””]
USEFUL TIP: One way to avoid summer crowds is to sleep during the day and go sightseeing at night when everyone else is in bed, because the sun often doesn’t set until midnight and rises again at 3am![/su_note]

Packing For Iceland In The Summer

Although many Icelandic locals will tell you that their summer season is nice and warm, they probably don’t have the same definition for ‘warm’ as you do!

Bring a hat, scarf and gloves just in case, it’s better to be over prepared than not being able to feel your fingers. You may also want to pack a sleep mask for the midnight sun. Especially if you’re camping in a tent!

Top Iceland Highlights In Summer

WHALE WATCHING – Animal lovers flock to Iceland during summer months to witness more than 20 different species of whales including humpbacks and orcas. Akureyri and Reykjavik are good places to go whale watching.

PUFFIN SPOTTING – Summer in Iceland is the best time of year to see some of the 8 million Puffin birds which nest in the sea cliffs. Many settle in Vestmannaeyjar and the Látrabjarg Cliffs in Westfjords from late April until mid-August.

MIDNIGHT SUN – To witness the Midnight Sun, aim to visit Iceland during the summer solstice on June 21st, the longest day of the year. In some parts of the country the sun never actually sets! It simply hits the horizon and starts to rise again.

HIKING & CAMPING – Some of Iceland’s best hiking is located in the highlands, the center part of the country. To access these remote areas, you need to drive on Iceland’s “F-Roads” which are only open from June to late September.

ROAD TRIPS – There’s nothing like a good road trip driving past geothermal areas, roaring waterfalls, or massive glaciers on Iceland’s Ring Road or the Golden Circle. Summer months provide the best driving conditions for these routes.

Fun Summer Festivals In Iceland

• Iceland National Day
• Secret Solstice Festival
• International Viking Festival

Visiting Iceland In The Autumn: September – October (Shoulder Season)

The autumn season in Iceland begins in September and stays until late October, with colder weather creeping in more and more each day. You’ll find that accommodation and flight prices start to decline as the daylight hours get shorter too.

If you’re hoping to catch the first snowfall of the year, October is your best bet. If you’re really lucky, you might even spot the Northern Lights in late autumn too. The wind can start to get stronger, making it feel colder than it really is.

Iceland is covered in stunning autumn colors of oranges and reds, plus the rain brings a distinctive smell to the air. You’ll also spot migratory birds as they prepare to move elsewhere for the winter months.

Fall Weather Conditions By Month

Pro’s Of Visiting In Autumn

• Attractions & hotels are often cheaper
• Less tourists, overcrowding
• Northern lights being to appear

Con’s Of Visiting In Autumn

• Less daylight hours to explore
• The weather gets colder

Packing For Iceland In The Autumn

Strong winds and rain is more frequent in the autumn, so be prepared for all weather conditions. From September to October, windproof and waterproof clothes are essential and wearing layers will help you stay on top of the ever-changing temperatures.

Freak snowstorms can also happen too, so wear comfortable footwear, pack a windproof & waterproof jacket, warm extra layers, and bring a winter hat and gloves just in case.

Top Iceland Highlights In The Autumn

FORAGING – This is the best time to go mushroom or berry-picking in the Icelandic countryside. During the autumn months, you can find and pick wild blueberries, strawberries, redcurrants and crowberries in Iceland.

EXPLORE F-ROADS – September is the last month you can still drive Iceland’s rugged & remote F-Roads that lead to the interior central highlands. Once the winter snows start in October (sometimes late September) they are no longer maintained, and only highly-modified super jeeps can attempt them.

GLACIER HIKING – Once you are kitted out by a tour company with crampons, a harness, ice ax, and a helmet — you can begin your glacier hiking adventure! Solheimajokull Glacier is one of Iceland’s most famous glaciers to hike, only about 2-hours from Reykjavik.

NATURAL HOT SPRINGS – Icelanders love to swim outside in all seasons, and fall is a great time to experience some of the many natural hot springs that dot the Icelandic landscape.

Fun Fall Festivals In Iceland

• Reykjavik International Film Festival
• Iceland Airwaves
• Halloween

Visiting Iceland In The Winter: November – March (Low Season)

Even with the cold & snow, there are many advantages of traveling in Iceland during the winter. With fewer tourists visiting between October and April, you’ll find many hotels for a fraction of the high season cost.

If you’re visiting Iceland on a budget, winter is also the best time of year to find cheap flights, car rentals and tours. Although camping is a bit more complicated.

One of the downsides of visiting Iceland in the winter are icy driving conditions. The main roads are usually plowed quickly though.

There’s much less daylight too, only 4 – 6 hours depending on the month, with only 3 hours of sunlight during the winter solstice (around December 21st). Which can be great if you’re hunting Northern Lights though!

Winter Weather Conditions By Month

Pro’s Of Visiting In Winter

• Save money on hotels, flights, and rental cars
• Fewer crowds, less tourists
• Best time for the northern lights

Cons’s Of Visiting In Winter

• Slippery winter driving conditions
• Many attractions are closed
• Less daylight hours to explore

Packing For Iceland In The Winter

We’ve all heard the saying “there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing”. Keep this in mind when packing for Iceland in winter. Although the temperature might not be as cold as you expect, the winter winds can make it feel a lot colder, so you’ll definitely need to dress warmly.

Iceland is famous for its thick handknitted wool sweaters – so pick one up if you plan to be out in the elements. On top of this, you should pack waterproof gloves, thermal socks, winter boots and the warmest hat you can find (furry ear-flaps are a plus!)

Everything in your suitcase should either be thermal, waterproof or windproof when traveling through Iceland in the winter.

Top Iceland Highlights In The Winter

Due to winter weather conditions and fewer visitors, you may find that some of Iceland’s attractions are closed during this time of year, but there are still plenty of things to do.

NORTHERN LIGHTS – Winter is the best time to see the northern lights in Iceland. While they’re visible for 8 months of the year, the shorter days of winter give you the best opportunities to witness this natural phenomenon.

CRYSTAL ICE CAVES – Iceland’s blue glacier ice caves can only be explored during the winter months, starting in November, when they become safe to enter. During the spring and summer many of these magical caves often collapse (when you don’t want to be inside!)

EPIC PHOTOGRAPHY – Even though it’s the darkest time of year, the sun doesn’t go down without a fight. Winter sunrises and sunsets can last for hours, featuring a beautiful golden glow over the country’s dramatic landscapes. Accentuated colors over the mountains provide the perfect backdrop for landscape photographers.

THE BLUE LAGOON – Winter is the perfect time to visit Iceland’s most famous attraction, The Blue Lagoon, located about 30 minutes away from Keflavik Airport. Along with fewer crowds, the steam rising from the warm mineral waters during the winter is very cool!

SUPER JEEP TOURS – Iceland has massive 4X4 vehicles called “super jeeps” with lifted suspensions and oversized tires to travel over deep snow and across glacier rivers. The only way to visit the remote central highlands during the winter is by traveling in one!

Visiting Iceland In The Spring: April – June (Shoulder Season)

The spring season is short and sweet, arriving later than many people think. While your chances of catching the Northern Lights starts to diminish in early April, you’ll be arriving just in time to witness the blooming of some of Iceland’s most beautiful flowers.

The most famous of which is the violet Lupin flowers, which come to light in late May and spread across the Icelandic landscape, creating the perfect backdrop for the many travel photographers who visit every year.

This is also the best time to visit some of Iceland’s many waterfalls, as the melting snow and ice create new streams of water through the rocky landscapes.

Spring Weather Conditions By Month

Pros Of Visiting In Spring

• Affordable accommodation and rental cars
• Daylight hours increase after the winter months
• Wildflower season begins

Cons Of Visiting In Spring

• Winter weather may not be over yet
• Long days of sunlight mean no northern lights

Packing For Iceland In The Spring

Similar to the autumn months, you can expect to find all 4 seasons in one day during the spring, so you need to be prepared for whatever the weather throws at you.

Comfortable footwear and warm clothes are a must, and they should also be windproof and waterproof. No matter what time of the year, I always recommend packing layers for Iceland.

Top Iceland Highlights In The Spring

As the winter weather dies down and the evenings become brighter, many of Iceland’s most popular attractions reopen for spring and summer.

If you are a nature lover, this is also a fantastic time of year to visit as Iceland’s landscapes come into full bloom with wildflowers!

JOKULSARLON GLACIER LAGOON – The massive glacier at the top of this cold lake begins to melt as the temperature increases, resulting in huge icebergs breaking off into the water. Spring is the best time to see all the fresh icebergs floating out to sea.

PURPLE LUPINE FLOWERS – Nootka Lupine, also known as Alaskan Lupine, is an invasive species of purple wildflower that has taken over Iceland. Fields of purple lupine make for some amazing photos when they bloom in mid-June.

PUFFIN SPOTTING – Summer in Iceland is the best time of year to see some of the 8 million Puffin birds which nest in the sea cliffs. Many settle in Vestmannaeyjar and the Látrabjarg Cliffs in Westfjords from late April until mid-August.

SNORKELING BETWEEN CONTINENTS – Snorkeling this water-filled crack called Silfra between the North American and Eurasian continental plates during spring is a great time to avoid the larger summer crowds.

Fun Spring Festivals In Iceland

• First Day Of Summer Festival
• Reykjavik Art Festival
• Festival Of The Sea

Enjoy Your Trip To Iceland In Any Season!

Well, I hope this guide to Iceland’s weather and seasons will help you better plan your trip to the land of fire and ice. However, I really think that no matter when you decide to visit Iceland, you’ll have an amazing experience! ★

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READ MORE ICELAND TRAVEL TIPS

I hope you enjoyed my guide to the best time to visit Iceland! Hopefully you found it useful. Here are a few more wanderlust-inducing articles that I recommend you read next:

• Check out my ultimate Iceland Ring Road itinerary to learn about all the top highlights along the way.
• Planning an Iceland road trip, but afraid of driving? Here’s everything you should know about driving in Iceland.
• If you only have a few days, a better option is to drive Iceland’s Golden Circle as a day trip instead.
• Learn how to properly photograph the amazing Northern Lights during your adventure.
• Bookmark my favorite Iceland photography locations to get that perfect shot for Instagram!
• Save some money and learn about the best places to stay in Reykjavikwhen you visit the city.
• Want to improve your photos? Read my best travel photography tipsand guide to picking a travel camera.

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Have any questions about when to visit Iceland? Are you planning a trip there? Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter to share!

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Reykjavik, Iceland

Plan your Iceland trip with my advice for where to stay in Reykjavik! Learn which neighborhoods, hotels, and hostel options are good depending on your budget & goals.

As I’m sure you’re already aware by now, Iceland is an incredible holiday destination for all types of people, from families to adventurous solo travelers.

While Iceland flights have become increasingly cheap, food & lodging are not.

There are tons of unique places to stay in Iceland due to its diverse scenery, and every time I visit I find something new to experience.

Visitors can explore epic waterfalls, hike through volcanic landscapes, or use the city as a starting point for driving Iceland’s famous Ring Road.

For those planning a visit and wondering about the best places to stay in Iceland, I’ve put together this free guide to the country’s best areas and accommodation options!

Best Places To Stay In Iceland 2023

When it comes to finding a place to stay in Iceland, hotels can be on the expensive side, and there aren’t many options compared to other places. However, alternatives like guesthouses can help you save money.

It’s important to book Iceland accommodation early to get the best deals.

Especially if you plan to visit during the summer high season, when finding a good place to stay can be much more difficult.

In this guide, I’ll cover everything from budget backpacker hostels to luxury Reykjavik hotels, family-owned farms, campgrounds, and even campervan rentals — you’ll learn exactly where to stay in Iceland to have a great time.

Best Neighborhoods In Reykjavik

Miðborg

The busy heart of Reykjavik is the downtown Miðborg neighborhood, especially Laugavegur Street, where you’ll find shopping, restaurants, nightlife and all sorts of fun things to do.

Vesturbær

Located just west of the city center, Vesturbær is a mix of a residential neighborhood and little cafes. It’s a bit quieter than downtown.

Hlíðar

A local working-class residential area east of the city, with plenty of parks & playgrounds. The name means “the hills” and places out here are much cheaper than the city center.

Laugardalur

Laugardalur is kind of the sports and recreation hub of Reykjavik. Known as “the hot spring valley,” this is where you’ll find the local sports stadium as well as a campground.

Where To Stay In Reykjavik

Reykjavik is the capital of Iceland, and where most travelers base themselves from initially. The city welcomes guests with a cosmopolitan mix of restaurants, cafes, street art, museums and tour company headquarters.

If you want to be where all the action is, stay close to Laugavegur Street. But there are some other great neighborhoods in Reykjavik too, which I share below.

Here are my suggestions for the top hotels, hostels, and campgrounds in Reykjavik depending on your budget.

LUXURY: Kvosin Downtown Hotel

Kvosin Downtown Hotel is the place to go to be pampered while staying in Reykjavik. Housed in a restored building from the 1900’s, this boutique hotel offers the largest rooms you can find in Reykjavik, decorated in modern Scandinavian style and featuring artworks by local artists.

MID-RANGE: Hotel Ódinsvé

Hotel Ódinsvé is a wonderful Iceland hotel with a window overlooking Reykjavik to enjoy magical views every day of your stay. Snaps Restaurant, within the hotel, offers tantalizing Danish cuisine. Additionally, the shoppers’ paradise, Laugavegur Shopping Street, is about two hundred meters from the hotel.

BUDGET: Rey Apartments

Rey Apartments is located in between the main shopping area and the trendy district of Skolavordustigur in Reykjavik. The modern, fresh looking apartments feature free wifi and fully equipped kitchens and living rooms. The geothermal Sunhollin swimming pool is just 10 minutes away!

BACKPACKER HOSTEL: Loft Hostel

Loft Hostel Boasts two Best Hostel awards and is one of the best places to stay in Reykjavik when you’re traveling on a budget. Located in the heart of the city, it features a large balcony to admire the city from above. They often organize music and activities, have good wifi, and friendly staff.

Camping & Campgrounds Near Reykjavik

• Reykjavik Campsite – Located in the Laugardalur area of Reykjavik, this modern campground features a kitchenette, self-service laundry and bathroom facilities. It is wheelchair accessible. Bring a canine friend too because dogs are welcome! Parking and wireless internet is free.
• Hafnarfjörður Camping – Stay in Iceland on a budget inside Vídistaðatún, on grounds with lush lawns. Escape the bustle of the city for a quiet camping experience just half an hour away from Keflavik International Airport. This family-friendly campsite has modern amenities like a laundry machine. Internet access is available at the hostel located next door.

Where To Stay On The Golden Circle – Selfoss & Hveragerði

The Golden Circle is a circular 300km route that takes you from the capital city of Reykjavik towards the center of Iceland, and back again in a single day. It’s the perfect introduction to Iceland if you’re short on time or on a layover.

From ancient historical sites to beautiful natural landmarks, the Golden Circle has a bit of everything. You can join an organized tour of the Golden Circle or rent a car and self-drive at your own pace.

Most people base themselves from Reykjavik for this drive, however, you can also spend the night somewhere along the Golden Circle. The towns of Selfoss and Hveragerði are good options for this.

Here are my suggestions for the top hotels, hostels, and campgrounds on the Golden Circle depending on your budget.

Luxury Hotels On The Golden Circle

Frost & Fire Hotel – This unique luxury hotel in Iceland is near a geothermal area, giving you the feeling of being in the middle of nature. Thingvellir National Park is only a 40-minute drive away. Relax at the spa-like facilities including two hot tubs, an outdoor pool, hot spring powered Jacuzzi and sauna. You can even cook an egg over a natural hot spring for breakfast!

Ion Adventure Hotel – View of the northern lights is a definite reason to stay at this hotel near Thingvellir National Park. The hotel sits on Mount Hengill and it has a restaurant, heated pool, spa and sauna. The communal lounge is where you share your stories as you meet other adventure-seekers.

Mid-Range Hotels On The Golden Circle

Eldhestar – Located only half an hour from the capital, this Iceland eco-hotel provides everything you need to relax. You can have a cup of hot tea in the lounge next to the fireplace or enjoy a cocktail at the bar. Each room has a private entrance with nature-inspired décor. Eldhestar has an outdoor wooden hot tub and is located next to an Icelandic horse farm.

Guesthouse Bjarney – The rooms share a furnished kitchen, bathrooms and a laundry room. On the terrace, you can host a barbecue for your travel buddies or for the new friends you make while chatting at the communal lounge. To take the experience to another level, stay in the caravan instead of an ordinary room.

Budget Hotels On The Golden Circle

SKYR Guesthouse – This guesthouse has spacious rooms equipped with a television and a coffee/tea maker. Enjoy good coffee and a sumptuous meal on site as you plan whether to go hiking or to enjoy a shopping excursion at the market. There’s free wireless internet everywhere and free parking. If you don’t wish to drive, hire a bike at the guesthouse and explore the neighborhood.

Guesthouse Inga – The location of this guesthouse on the Golden Circle is excellent, with open skies bringing the beauty of the northern lights over the property. The rooms are spacious, neat, and some have great views of the scenic surroundings. The communal bathrooms are modern and clean. You’ll also love the communal lounge.

Cheap Hostels On The Golden Circle

Selfoss Hostel – Everything you need to get a good night’s of sleep before you continue to explore Iceland. The clean, functional rooms have free wifi and a view over Ingolfsfjall mountain. There’s free parking, which is a big plus when you’re renting a car in Iceland. There’s a big common kitchen and a hot tub too.

Hot Springs Hostel – Splendid mountain views greet you when you look out of the window every morning. If you would like to relax within the hostel, there’s Wi-Fi, and you can also spend some time in the play area. However, the enchanting landscapes of Reykjafjall Mountain around the hostel invite you for a hiking expedition.

Where To Stay On Iceland’s South Coast – Vik

Iceland’s South Coast is filled with natural wonders, making it perfect for an adventure outside the capital. If you’re driving around the entire Ring Road on Route 1, this is usually the next stop after a trip around the Golden Circle.

The South Coast is home to some of Iceland’s most famous waterfalls, like Seljalandfoss and Skogafoss. Reynisfjara Black Beach, Sólheimajökull Glacier, and the Eyjafjallajokull Volcano are other highlights.

One of the larger towns tourists stop at is called Vik [MAP], with many different lodging options, restaurants, and activities nearby. So it’s a great place to stay for a night or two.

Here are my suggestions for the top hotels, hostels, and campgrounds along Iceland’s South Coast depending on your budget.

Luxury Hotels On Iceland’s South Coast

Hotel Kria – For a luxurious stay near Vik this new hotel opened in 2018. The rooms have a modern design and all the facilities one can expect from a high-class hotel. During your stay at Kria you can enjoy amazing mountain views, a cocktail at their bar or a delicious meal at their restaurant, which serves Icelandic specialties. The breakfast buffet features food from local farms.

Black Beach Suites – For unparalleled view of the mountain and the sea, just step into the terrace at this property on Iceland’s South Coast. You can prepare food in your room; there’s a fridge, a microwave and a toaster. The black sand beach is just 4km from this property, and fun activities in the vicinity are outdoor dining, skiing and golfing.

Mid-Range Hotels On Iceland’s South Coast

The Barn – Located near Vik and provides a great base for exploring the South Coast of Iceland. It features parking and free wifi,  being great for travelers who tour the island by rental car. The rooms offer enough privacy, which makes this hostel a great option for couples. Some of the rooms have a view over the mountains and there are dormitory beds with drapes available.

Icelandair Hotel Vík – This hotel is less than 5km from major attractions like Reynisfjall Mountain, Vikura River and Lake Höfðabrekkulón. Situated just opposite the beach, and near restaurants and other amenities, this hotel in Iceland is a perfect place to stay. It has various room options such as family, twin and triple rooms.

Budget Hotels On Iceland’s South Coast

Hotel Geirland – The rooms offer views of mountain ridges around the hotel. Some cabins are stand-alone units set on a pristine garden. The restaurant serves a la carte breakfast and dinner and it also pre-packs lunch on request ahead of expeditions. To catch up with family and friends online or to watch a television show, head to the hotel’s main building.

Guesthouse Reyir – This family-owned guesthouse is a short distance from the beach, and if you’re lucky, you’ll get a room with spectacular view of the sea. You share bathroom facilities with other guests, and the communal kitchen has everything you need to prepare a meal when you don’t want to dine outdoors.

Cheap Hostels On Iceland’s South Coast

Puffin Hostel – Located in the center of Vik, this hostel is only a 10-minute walk from the fabulous black beaches. It offers a fully equipped kitchen and a shared seating area. The functional rooms have shared facilities and bathrooms.

Where To Stay Near The Glacier Lagoon – Höfn

Continuing your drive, you’ll eventually reach the fishing village of Höfn. Höfn means “harbor” because it sits on one of the few natural harbors found in Iceland.

This is the next major town after Vik, about a 4-hour drive away. While four hours doesn’t seem like much, there’s so much to do in between these two Icelandic towns that you may want to spend a night here.

Hofn is the town closest to Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and Vatnajokull National Park. Watching the sunrise from Jökulsárlón was one of the highlights of my trip, so you might want to sleep nearby.

Here are my suggestions for the top hotels, hostels, and campgrounds near Hofn and the glacier lagoon depending on your budget.

Luxury Hotels Around Hofn

Aurora Cabins – If you’re lucky, you might catch the magnificent aurora borealis from the cabin porch at this awesome Iceland hotel. There’s a small hill nearby with a bench on top, another nice spot to admire the lights. The cabins are spacious and feature free wifi, a kitchen with microwave and toaster, terrace and a seating area. Great romantic place for couples!

Mid-Range Hotels Around Höfn

Hotel Hofn – Most rooms have views of the nearby glaciers and the sea. The hotel has private parking, a great bonus if you are traveling by rental car. You can dine on the restaurant’s terrace to admire the view as you enjoy Icelandic specialties. Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon is one hour away, while the Silfurnes Golf Club and Hofn Harbour are only a 10-minute walk.

Hotel Jökull – A short drive from Höfn, you arrive at this hotel for an unforgettable vacation with amazing views of the northern lights. Vatnajökull, the largest glacier you’ll see in this country ought to convince you to stay longer. Some rooms have a private bathroom while others share a bathroom. There’s free parking, and a bar.

Budget Hotels Around Hofn

Skyrhusid Guesthouse – How about a night right next to Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon? The view of the mountain is enchanting. The rooms at this farm-house style guesthouse have a wash basin and the bathroom is communal. There are two restaurants on the property. For history lovers, Thorbergssetur Historical Museum is on site.

Höfn Guesthouse – The shared dining area is the spot to meet fellow travelers. All rooms, whether in the main building or in the annex, have either a double or twin beds. Bathrooms are communal, and there’s free wifi. A lazy stroll to the harbor is perfect when you don’t want to visit Höfn Swimming Pool a short distance from the guesthouse.

Cheap Hostels Around Höfn

Höfn Hostel – Living close to the harbor, with exceptional views of Vatnajökull Glacier, is one of the highlights of a stay at this hostel. Shared facilities include a television lounge and a bathroom. Hiking should top your list of adventures, and you could also play golf about 3km from the hostel. Parking is available, without prior reservation, and it’s free.

Lilja Guesthouse – This friendly guesthouse offers spacious rooms with a warm floor and private bathrooms. The quiet rooms are equipped with a coffee machine and free WiFi. The nearby mountains provide a great view for the guests, who can enjoy their coffee in the shared lounge.

Where To Stay In East Iceland – Egilsstaðir

East Iceland is often overlooked by tourists, being so far from the capital of Reykjavik. But it has a lot to offer. The picturesque fishing villages which line the rugged landscape are dotted with waterfalls and glaciers, making the area perfect for hiking.

The main city people base themselves in East Iceland is called Egilsstaðir, one of Iceland’s youngest towns. It was built on the banks of the Lagarfljot River in a wide valley. It has good access to the Eastern Fjords too.

East Iceland is also rich in legends about the elves and other mythical creatures which were believed to populate the area. It’s a good place for wildlife spotting, including herds of wild reindeer, arctic foxes, and puffins.

Here are my suggestions for the top hotels, hostels, and campgrounds near Egilsstaðir and the East Fjords depending on your budget.

Luxury Hotels In Egilsstaðir

Hótel Valaskjálf – Lush, scenic lawns set the mood for a quiet stay at this hotel. The rooms have WiFi access; they are en-suite, spacious and clean. Enjoy buffet breakfast at the restaurant before you head outdoors to explore the forests and rivers. Fun activities in the vicinity include hiking and boat rides.

Mid-Range Hotels In Egilsstaðir

Icelandair Hotel Herad – This hotel’s plush lounge is probably where you will spend your evenings after exploring attractions like Hengifoss waterfall. There’s a terrace bar, a restaurant that serves delicious steak, WiFi in rooms and satellite TV. This hotel belongs to Icelandic Hotels. The detail in the interior décor and room furnishings is exceptional.

Budget Hotels In Egilsstaðir

Laufás Guest House – A night on a comfortable bed prepares you for the range of adventures nearby such as skiing, swimming and hiking. This family-friendly guesthouse has simple but modern rooms with a communal bathroom, a kitchen and a lounge. There’s a play area for kids, and you could also take children to the geothermal swimming pool a short walk from the property.

Cheap Hostels In Egilsstaðir

Tehusid Hostel – The rooms at this hostel in Egilsstaðir feature comfortable beds and shared bathrooms. Other communal facilities are a furnished kitchen and a lounge. Wake up to breakfast at the hostel before you explore the rivers, mountain and lake in the vicinity. The Stafdalur Ski Lift is 20km from the hostel.

Where To Stay In North Iceland – Akureyri

Akureyri is the largest and most important town in Iceland, after its capital. It is an old trading city and important fishing hub, it’s also a wonderful base for whale watching trips. The city has heated swimming pools too.

Travelers to Iceland generally end up staying in the city of Akureyri, or near Lake Myvatn, depending on where you end up after a long drive on Route 1.

Lake Myvatn is located in an active volcano area and is surrounded by amazing lava formations. There is a rich population of water birds living around the lake, making it great for bird watching.

Here are my suggestions for the top hotels, hostels, and campgrounds around Akureyri depending on your budget.

Luxury Hotels In North Iceland

Hotel Kjarnalundur – Just 2km away from Akureyri Airport and 5km from the city center. The panoramic views of the surroundings and the amazing Aurora Borealis can be enjoyed from all over the property. There is a hot tub on the deck of the cottage, which also provides a great spot to admire the scenic landscapes Cozy, modern design with wooden finishes. You also get free access to their sauna!

Mid-Range Hotels In North Iceland

Icelandair Hotel Akureyri – This Iceland hotel in Akureyri offers modern rooms with wooden floors and comfortable beds. They have a cozy bar with a fireplace, and the restaurant cooks delicious meals with Icelandic and Mediterranean influences. The Akureyri swimming pool and geothermal hot tubs are only a 2-minute walk away from the hotel.

Budget Hotels In North Iceland

Lónsá Guesthouse – This guesthouse is a family-owned property so expect a homely touch everywhere. The terrace yields awe-inspiring views of the surrounding. With free WiFi, and a desk in each room, you have all you need while traveling as a digital nomad. Guests share a bathroom, a living room and a kitchen. Close to the guesthouse is Akureyri Swimming Pool and Dalvik Fishing Village.

Cheap Hostels In North Iceland

Town Square Guesthouse – At Town Square Guesthouse you will find all the essentials for a decent stay. Some rooms offer views over the sea or the mountains, while all of them include access to a shared bathroom and free WiFi. Guests also have access to a fully equipped shared kitchen and a nice terrace.

Where To Stay On Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Snæfellsnes Peninsula is nicknamed “miniature Iceland”, thanks to its vast diversity of landscapes. This also makes it perfect for a quick weekend getaway, during which you can enjoy the best of Iceland.

Driving around this peninsula you’ll find waterfalls, hot-spring pools, lava tubes, black sand beaches, old churches, fields of wildflowers in the spring, and massive glaciers.

Driving around Snæfellsnes is another day-trip option if you don’t have a lot of time in Iceland, as it’s located only 2 hours north of Reykjavik city.

Here are my suggestions for the top hotels, hostels, and campgrounds on Snæfellsnes Peninsula depending on your budget.

Luxury Hotels On Snæfellsnes

Fell Holiday Home – This place has 6 separate bedrooms with 2 bathrooms, a fully equipped kitchen and a living room. The apartment also has a garden, which makes a great place to admire the Northern Lights and the Gatklettur rocks. There is free WiFi all over the modern property.

Mid-Range Hotels On Snæfellsnes

Arnarstapi Hotel – Located only 200m from the Gatklettur rocks and offers views over the sea, which makes it ideal when you just want to relax and enjoy nature after a long day. The rooms are modern and feature private bathrooms. This new hotel also has an on-site restaurant where you can enjoy some of the most delicious Icelandic specialties.

Budget Hotels On Snæfellsnes

West Park Guesthouse – The view of the mountain and the ocean will make you fall in love with this location. The guesthouse sits in Snæfellsjökull National Park, offering eight houses with sea and mountain views. Each house has a spacious kitchen and living room so you won’t feel caged when there are other guests sharing a house with you.

Cheap Hostels On Snæfellsnes

North Star Guesthouse – North Star Guesthouse offers spacious rooms and free private parking on the main street of Olafsvik. There is a self check in/check out which makes everything easier for the traveler who wants to get some rest before heading to the restaurants in the area for a drink and a meal. Popular activities for guests are golfing, hiking and fishing.

Keflavik Airport Hotels & The Blue Lagoon

Luxury Hotels Near The Blue Lagoon

Northern Light Inn – This inn has spacious rooms with WiFi, a TV, and a hairdryer in the bathroom. Max’s Restaurant treats guests to enticing seafood and local cuisine on the buffet and a la carte set-up as they enjoy a panorama of the peninsula at the dining area. The Blue Lagoon is walking distance from the inn.

Budget Hotels Near Keflavik Airport

The Base Hostel At Keflavik Airport – Located near the airport, the hostel style units share a bathroom and a kitchen. Free WiFi is available, and there are shuttle services to and from the airport. If you have time before your flight, request the staff to organize a trip to the Blue Lagoon nearby.

Brimarsbrú Sleep Inn – If you love art as much as you love traveling, the collection in the sleeping area will grab your attention. This inn has a cozy homestay feeling with all the amenities you need away from home. Prepare your meals in the kitchen; you can even bake or microwave your meals. The nearest restaurant, Tjarnargrill, is less than a kilometer away.

Kef Guesthouse At Grænásvegur – This guesthouse’s location is excellent, just 4km from Keflavik International Airport. Accommodation options are units with communal bathrooms and others with private bathroom facilities. If you don’t want to dine out, there’s a furnished communal kitchen. The Blue Lagoon’s geothermal spa is about half an hour away.

Budget Hotels Near The Blue Lagoon

Geo Hótel Grindavík – This hotel checks you into a clean, spacious room with a relaxing ambiance. Each room has a TV and a private bathroom equipped with a hairdryer. There’s a communal lounge, free WiFi and parking at no charge. With the Blue Lagoon’s geothermal spa just 6km from the hotel, there’s something to do outdoors.

Renting A Campervan In Iceland

There are many ways to explore Iceland. Most people rent a car while staying in hotels, or book a campervan while sleeping in the vehicle. Convenience is one of the main reasons people choose to rent a campervan.

Renting a campervan in Iceland can save you a lot of time and money. You can prepare your own food on the go and save money on accommodation. It also gives you a lot of flexibility to change your plans anytime you want.

But life on the road might take its toll, especially if you have small kids. Not all campervans have a toilet and you might miss showering on a regular basis.

The weather depends on luck and what time of year you visit. A worst-case scenario is that you might have to cook in the rain, snow, or deal with high winds and cold temperatures.

After many trips to Iceland, I’ve both stayed in hotels as well as rented a campervan. I highly recommend Happy Campers if you decide to go that route!

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I hope you enjoyed my guide to the best places to stay in Iceland! Hopefully you found it useful. Here are a few more wanderlust-inducing articles that I recommend you read next:

• Check out my ultimate Iceland Ring Road itinerary to learn about all the top highlights along the way.
• Planning a trip to Iceland, but not sure when to go? Here’s the best time to visit Iceland organized by seasons.
• If you only have a few days, a better option is to drive Iceland’s Golden Circle as a day trip instead.
• Organizing an Iceland road trip, but afraid of driving? Here’s everything you should know about driving in Iceland.
• Bookmark my favorite Iceland photography locationsto get that perfect shot for Instagram!
• Did you know that many citizens of Iceland believe in elves? Here are some other strange facts about Iceland.
• Want to improve your photos? Read my best travel photography tips and guide to picking a travel camera.

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Have any questions about where to stay in Iceland? Which hotels in Reykjavik have you stayed at? Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter to share!

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Iceland Facts

If you’re looking for cool facts about Iceland, you won’t believe some of this stuff! Did you know Icelanders leave their babies outside, they like to eat rotten sharks, and there’s an app to prevent dating your cousin?

Tourism has exploded in Iceland recently, and this Nordic island country now entertains more than 2 million visitors annually.

This is no surprise considering that Iceland’s diverse topography enables people to visit black beaches, blue glaciers, and roaring waterfalls, along with whale watching and the opportunity to see the mysterious Northern Lights.

There are many other fascinating facts about Iceland to discover too. Here are 25 interesting things to learn about the Land of Fire and Ice that you may not have known before! Plus some general information that can be useful for planning a trip.

Feel free to share these Iceland facts at your next cocktail party, to make yourself look smart and worldly. You can thank me later!

Intriguing Facts About Iceland

1. There Aren’t Many People 

If you’re like me, you love traveling to places that aren’t overly crowded. Iceland can be good for this, compared to other parts of Europe, as long as you steer clear of the Reykjavik area. The population of Iceland is only 339,462, with more than a third of those people living in the capital city. Iceland is almost the size of Kentucky, which has 4.4 million residents. While tourism has boomed over the last 10 years, there are still plenty of places to explore where you’ll be mostly alone.

(Source: WorldOMeters)

2. Iceland Is An Eco-Friendly Country 

I was very impressed to learn that the vast majority of Iceland’s power supply comes from geothermal and hydro energy. In other words, this is a country that has clean power and a small carbon footprint. Iceland’s scientists are currently working on a way to harness more geothermal energy as part of a plan that could change the entire world.

(Source: Time Magazine)

3. Icelanders Believe In Elves

Surveys indicate that 54.4 percent of the nation believes in the existence of huldufólk, invisible elves & trolls living in the countryside, with many others being at least open to the possibility. You can even see evidence of this belief during your trip to Iceland in the small wooden álfhól “elf houses” that some people build for the elves to live in. Iceland even has an official Elf School where you can learn about Icelandic elf history.

(Source: The Atlantic)

4. McDonald’s Doesn’t Exist In Iceland

Once upon a time, you could dine at one of Iceland’s few McDonald’s restaurants. This changed in 2009, and the Golden Arches don’t appear set to make a return at any point in the near future. I was pleased by this fact, but don’t worry; there are several other fast food chains in Iceland. Hotdogs are particularly popular there!

(Source: The Reykjavik Grapevine)

5. Iceland Is One Of The Safest Countries

Coming from the U.S., I was pleasantly surprised by how rare violent crimes are in Iceland. How rare, you ask? The country was completely rocked by an unprecedented number of murders in 2017: four. In a typical year, there’s an average of 1.6 murders and a very low instance of other violent or drug-related crimes.

(Source: The Guardian)

6. It Was Once Covered In Trees

This interesting fact is also one of the few things about Iceland that’s not very idyllic. Before the Vikings plundered Iceland, 40 percent of the nation was covered in trees. However, they needed all the trees to build homes, boats, and to clear land for farming. Now, that number is only 2 percent, although reforestation efforts are underway.

(Source: Treehugger)

7. Iceland Is Mosquito-Free! 

Mosquitoes can make life miserable at times in the U.S., so I was thrilled to find out that Iceland is one of the world’s few mosquito-free environments. No matter what time of year you visit, you won’t have to worry about these pests. It’s surprising that the population of Iceland isn’t higher for this one reason alone.

(Source: The New York Times)

8. They Eat Some Nasty Stuff 

Iceland has some pretty disgusting food available to eat. Now, don’t get me wrong. They’re also known for some really good seafood and lamb. But their traditional dishes might produce a gag-reflex! The most famous has to be Hakarl, or fermented shark. This stuff is buried underground for 6-12 weeks, then hung out to dry in the sun. It tastes like ammonia (urine?) and is eaten with shots of unsweetened schnapps. Yum! Oh, and they sometimes enjoy a little smoked sheep’s head too (Svið).

(Source: CNN Travel)

9. There Are No Traditional Last Names

When a child is born in Iceland, they don’t get the same last name as either of their parents. Instead, their last name is derived from their father or mother’s first name. Musician Björk provides us with a good example. Her father’s first name is Guðmundur. Björk’s full name is Björk Guðmundsdottir, which means the daughter of Guðmundur.

(Source: Culture Trip)

10. Iceland Had A Peaceful Revolution

It wasn’t reported on much in the international press, but Iceland had a successful (and peaceful) revolution. In 2008, the country’s banking system collapsed, unemployment skyrocketed, and citizens were worried supermarkets would run out of food. Iceland’s people took to the streets peacefully protesting with pots & pans, completely blocking all traffic around the capital. Eventually, the Prime Minister and former government were forced to resign, and the people wrote themselves a new constitution.

(Source: Collective Evolution)

11. Iceland Is An Egalitarian Society 

Iceland takes the idea of equality very seriously. It’s considered to be the most feminist country in the world and also has a long history of being very accepting of the LGBTQ community. Additionally, only 3 percent of the country falls outside the middle class.

(Source: The Guardian)

12. Temperatures Are Usually Mild 

Iceland is a perfect choice for summertime travel as the average high temperature is only 57 degrees Fahrenheit. The overnight average summer low is 44 degrees, so it never gets too cold, either. But, the winters in Iceland can get pretty wild with freezing winds and heavy snowstorms.

(Source: Weather Spark)

13. Babies Nap Outside Alone

You probably won’t have to worry about listening to a baby cry inside restaurants in Iceland. It shocks many people, but it’s a common practice to leave babies outside in their strollers. You’ll see this all over the country, including when the temperature drops as low as 20-30 degrees F (-5C).

(Source: The Reykjavik Grapevine)

14. People Swim In The Winter 

One thing that’s really useful about having geothermal volcanicly-heated water is that you can go swimming no matter how cold it is outside. There are countless hot-springs and many iceland hotels feature heated pools that can maintain a temperature of at least 86 degrees Fahrenheit at all times.

(Source: Culture Trip)

15. There Are 30 Active Volcanoes 

I’m fascinated by volcanoes and was excited to see some of them during my trip to Iceland. Including flying over an active eruption of the Holuhraun lava field in 2014. It was so cool! There are approximately 130 total volcanoes, and 30 of them are active. None are currently erupting (but that can change). Scientists have gotten so good at predicting volcanic eruptions that the risk to residents and tourists is minimal.

(Source: Guide to Iceland)

16. You Can Visit A Very Weird Museum 

Before I went to Iceland, I’d never imagined that there would be an entire museum dedicated to penises. Even odder, the collection of 200 penises on display at the Phallological Museum supposedly includes specimens from mythological creatures such as trolls.

17. Iceland Elected The First Female President 

As previously mentioned, Iceland leads the world in feminism. Unsurprisingly, the country was also the first to elect a female president, Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, who served from 1980 to 1996. Icelanders also elected an openly gay woman as their prime minister in 2009.

(Source: The Guardian)

18. Homemade Ice Cream Is Everywhere

Iceland’s unofficial national sweet treat is definitely ice cream. People wait in long lines for it daily, regardless of weather conditions. After trying some of their homemade ice cream, I can see why; it’s delicious!

19. Iceland Once Hunted Male Witches 

Iceland may seem idyllic in many ways, but the country does have a dark history. Just like the U.S. and many parts of Europe, Iceland went through a period of witch hunts from 1654 to 1690. Only one woman was prosecuted as a witch during this time though because men were the primary targets.

(Source: What’s On)

20. Super Jeeps Are A Thing

Iceland is full of remote and rugged landscapes, and to reach some of them, especially in the winter, some locals use “super jeeps”. A super jeep is a highly modified truck with a lifted suspension and oversized tires that allow it to cross deep rivers or drive through deep snow and ice. Most of Iceland’s roads are paved, but for the off-road trails that go into the central highlands, these jeeps make it possible to travel in the winter.

(Source: GT Planet)

21. Iceland Is Young 

In terms of landform, Iceland is the world’s youngest country. Going along with this fact, Iceland was also the last European nation to be settled. However, don’t be fooled by Iceland’s youthfulness as it’s still approximately 25 million years old.

(Source: Go Icelandic)

22. Most Of The Country Is Uninhabited 

Due to Iceland’s unique topography, only 20 percent of it is actually inhabited by humans. Many of the remote, uninhabited areas can be visited, but I highly recommend registering your plans with ICE-SAR first using the 112 Iceland App. This is the best way to get help if something goes wrong in the middle of nowhere…

23. Iceland Has No Military 

Iceland doesn’t have a military and has only fought in one conflict. The Cod Wars were a power struggle with Great Britain for exclusive fishing rights to the water within 200 miles of Iceland’s shoreline. Iceland won after attacking their enemy’s fishing nets with scissors.

(Source: Atlas Obscura)

24. Icelandic Students Learn Three Languages 

Icelandic students are taught their native language, along with English and Danish. It’s estimated that at least 80 percent of young students can understand basic English, and some people claim that as many as 98 percent of adults are fluent in multiple languages. I had no problems communicating with everyone I encountered in Iceland.

(Source: Statistics Iceland)

25. There’s An App To Prevent Dating Your Cousin

Because Iceland’s population is so small, there’s a slight issue with everyone being related. This can be a problem in the local dating scene. So there’s a smartphone app called Íslendinga-App that lets Icelanders check if they are related or not. The company’s slogan is “Bump the app before you bump in bed.” LOL!

(Source: MentalFloss)

Iceland is a very special travel destination. The stargazing is breathtaking, the local cuisine is unusual and locals are often happy to share one of the area’s entertaining legends and myths. ★

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Kerlingarfjöll, Iceland

Deep within Iceland’s central highlands, Kerlingarfjöll is a group of small geothermically active and rust-colored mountains capped with snow. Here’s how to organize your own self-drive adventure.

Kerlingarfjöll is a lesser-known day-hiking experience not too far away from Iceland’s famous Golden Circle route. It was one of my favorite stops in Iceland!

If you want to get off the beaten path a bit and extend your Golden Circle trip with something more adventurous, this strange geothermal area is the perfect place to stop for a half-day hiking trip (and maybe spend the night).

Surrounded by rocky green peaks and Iceland’s Tuya volcano system, Kerlingarfjoll itself stands out with red & orange hues. Hiking these colorful rhyolite hills will expose you to hot springs, geysers, steam vents, and boiling mud pots.

In this travel guide you’ll learn tips for visiting this unique and photogenic spot.

Kerlingarfjoll Iceland Map

HOW TO USE THIS MAP: Above you’ll find a map of my route to Kerlingarfjoll. Click on the top left of the map to find separate layers marking the route and points of interest. You can hide and show different layers, or click icons on the map to see the names of places I mention in this travel guide. “Star” the map to save it to your own Google Maps, or open the map in a new window for a larger version. Enjoy!

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Kerlingarfjoll Travel Guide

Exploring Hveradalir Geothermal Area

Some of the summits in Kerlingarfjoll are covered in snow year-round, like Fannborg and Snækollur. In fact, at one time there was a ski-lift, but as global temperatures warmed they removed it due to lack of snow.

I spent about 4 hours hiking around and photographing the Hveradalir geothermal area of Kerlingarfjoll after camping out in their campground the night before.

Walking through thick steam clouds pouring from fumaroles, and hiking up its muddy orange slopes, I felt like an astronaut exploring another planet!

More visitors showed up later in the day, but I initially had it all to myself.

Kerlingarfjöll Hiking Trails

Kerlingarfjoll is crisscrossed with different marked and unmarked hiking trails. You can spend a few hours, or a few days trekking through this wild Icelandic landscape.

Hringbrautin Ring Route – This is a full 3-day trek that takes you to every nook & cranny of Kerlingarfjoll. With two mountain huts along the way, there’s no need to pack a tent.

Austurfjoll Peaks – A tough 5-6 hour hike over all the highest mountains in Kerlingarfjoll, including the highest called Snaekollur at 1,428m.

Hveradalir Walk – The standard 2-3 hour walk through the geothermal area of Hveradalir. Steam vents and hot springs, with optional hikes up a few mountains.

Myth Of The Troll Woman

The mountains of Kerlingarfjöll were once considered a refuge for outlaws and trolls. Icelanders are known for their belief in mystical creatures.

The weather in these mountains is notoriously bad — getting very cloudy and windy. The whole place is basically a big volcanic caldera, created by eruptions from a time when there were still glaciers of ice above it.

Icelandic legends tell the tale of Kerling, an old hag troll woman who was the daughter of the fire giant Surtur.

One day she didn’t make it home in time before the sunrise and was turned to stone by sunlight. If you look carefully, might spot her 30-meter tall stone pillar…

Getting To Kerlingarfjöll

Because it’s located in the highlands, Kerlingarfjoll can only be reached by driving on Iceland’s notorious “F-Roads”. The F-Roads are essentially rough jeep trails that weave through the remote center of the country.

These gravel tracks aren’t really maintained and close down for the winter in late September or early October (after the first snow) until June. So hiking Kerlingarfjoll is a summer adventure.

Some F-Roads are more hardcore than others, requiring you to drive through rivers with no bridges. Luckily F-35 Kjölur, the road to reach Kerlingarfjoll, isn’t too difficult.

A 4X4 vehicle is required for all mountain roads in Iceland though, 2WD rental cars are not insured here because conditions are extreme (snow, ice, mud, sand, rivers, etc.)

For more tips about driving in Iceland, make sure to read this article first.

Golden Circle Extension

If you’re planning to self-drive Iceland’s famous Golden Circle, and you leave early enough in the morning, you can tack on Kerlingarfjöll to extend your trip.

From Gullfoss Waterfall the drive up F-35 to Kerlingarfjöll takes 2-3 hours, depending on how rugged your vehicle is. The road can get very rough in some spots. It’s also possible to get here from the town of Blönduós in the North.

Iceland’s highlands are no joke, and you need to be prepared with food, water, a full tank of gas, and warm clothing should you break down.

If you decide to add Kerlingarfjöll to the typical Golden Circle stops, you’ll need to spend the night there and drive back the next day. There’s no way you could do all of it and get back to Reykjavik the same day. Plus, you’ll want to save some time to see all the fun things to do in Reykjavik too.

Where To Stay At Kerlingarfjöll

Kerlingarfjoll has a small resort with 20 double rooms and 10 smaller individual cabins and A-frames that you can rent out for the night.

This back-country lodge has hot showers available, bathrooms, a small shop, and a restaurant. There’s also a campground here, which is what I did. It costs 2000 ISK ($16 USD) per person to camp with your own tent.

From the cabins, you can follow a path beside the river leading to a nice little hot spring pool that’s safe to swim in. It takes about 30 minutes to get there on foot.

There’s also a remote backpacker hostel further up F-35 called Gíslaskáli Kjölur.

Kerlingarfjoll Travel Tips

• Icelandic names can be confusing. Kerlingarfjöll is the mountain range, while Hveradalir is the actual geothermal area.
• To reach the red hills and steam vents of Hveradalir, you can either hike from Kerlingarfjöll Mountain Resort (1.5 hours), or if you have a 4X4 vehicle, drive up a steep dirt road to save time.
• Fill your gas tank before entering the highlands. There’s one gas pump at Kerlingarfjöll but it isn’t always working.
• There are a few public buses that stop out here, the 610 and 610a, but you’d need to spend the night and take another bus back the next day.
• The hiking trails can be very muddy, or even covered in snow depending on the time of year. Proper hiking boots are recommended.
• The area is very sensitive to foot-traffic, so please stay on marked trails to avoid destroying the delicate landscape.

While many people travel Iceland’s famous Golden Circle, far less venture up into the rugged highlands. But as you can see, there’s a good reason why it’s worth the effort involved! ★

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I hope you enjoyed my guide to hiking Kerlingarfjoll! Hopefully you found it useful. Here are a few more wanderlust-inducing articles that I recommend you read next:

• Check out my ultimate Iceland Ring Road itinerary to learn about all the top highlights along the way.
• Planning a trip to Iceland, but not sure when to go? Here’s the best time to visit Iceland organized by seasons.
• If you only have a few days, a better option is to drive Iceland’s Golden Circle as a day trip instead.
• Learn how to properly photograph the amazing Northern Lights during your adventure.
• Organizing an Iceland road trip, but afraid of driving? Here’s everything you should know about driving in Iceland.
• Save some money and learn about the best places to stay in Reykjavik when you visit the city.
• Want to improve your photos? Read my best travel photography tips and guide to picking a travel camera.

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Have any questions about hiking Kerlingarfjöll in Iceland? What about other suggestions? Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter to share!

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Iceland Driving Guide

Ready for an epic road trip driving in Iceland? Renting a car is the best way to experience this beautiful country. But there are a few things you should know before you go.

So you’ve drooled over photos on Instagram for years, and are finally planning your own epic road trip to drive around Iceland!

After visiting a few times now, driving in Iceland on the famous Ring Road and the Golden Circle has been one of my favorite adventures after 10-years of travel and visiting 50+ countries.

Iceland will always hold a special place in my heart as an adventure traveler.

Renting a car and self-driving Iceland on your own is the best way to experience this stunning country, as it truly gives you the freedom to stop at every waterfall, volcano, hot-spring, and glacier.

Here are some important tips I learned about driving Iceland, so you’re ready to hit the road and explore the land of fire and ice on a vacation you’ll never forget.

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Driving In Iceland Guide For 2023

1. Should You Drive In Iceland?

Hey, if you’re a fan of big group bus tours, and don’t want to drive in Iceland, I’m not going to judge. It’s a nice way to see a country if you don’t have a lot of time.

No planning, no driving, just sit back and let someone else do all the work!

But if you’re like me, you prefer the adventure of independent travel.

True exploration, with no set schedule or timetable. Driving around Iceland with the freedom to stop anywhere interesting you find on your road trip.

If that’s the kind of traveler you are, renting a car and self-driving Iceland is the way to go! And driving in Iceland is a lot easier than you might think.

While there are some special things to keep aware of, I hope this post will help ease any fears you have of driving there.

2. Where To Rent Your Car In Iceland

The best site to book your car is with Discover Cars. They search both local and international car rental companies to help you find the best possible price. This is the easiest way to rent a car in Iceland.

I’ve also used and been very happy with Happy Campers. They rent fully-equipped campervans with a bed, kitchen, space heater, and everything you’d need for your road trip.

Top Car Rental Locations

Renting a car in Iceland from Keflavík International Airport is the most obvious choice, as that’s where most people land to start their Icelandic road trip.

The airport is about 40 minutes away from Reykjavik city.

However, you can also rent cars from the heart of Reykjavik if you decide to take a bus or shuttle into the city for a few days of exploring first.

3. Iceland’s Driving Rules & Regulations

What Side Of The Road Do They Drive On?

Luckily if you’re from the United States, driving in Iceland will feel familiar because you drive on the RIGHT side of the road and overtake on the LEFT — just like home. The steering wheel is on the same side too!

International Driver’s License

No, you do not need an international driver’s license to drive in Iceland or rent a car there. Just bring your passport, credit card, and your driver’s license from your home country.

Is It Legal To Drive Off-Road?

No, driving off-road in Iceland is very illegal — with large fines. But I need to make a distinction between driving off-road and driving gravel F-roads. Sometimes people confuse the two. F-roads are very basic (and marked) dirt roads in Iceland, and you CAN drive these with a 4X4 vehicle.

Keep Your Headlights On!

If you see someone flash their headlights at you in Iceland, it’s probably because yours are turned off. Iceland has a unique law that requires headlights to be on at all times, even during the day.

Iceland’s Seatbelt Laws

Another important safety law for driving in Iceland is that wearing your seatbelt is required. Driving without your seatbelt will get you stopped and fined. Passengers under 12 years old are also not allowed to ride in the front seat.

Driving With A Cellphone

Driving with a cellphone in your hand is illegal unless you are using a hands-free device. This is the one I pack with me for international road trips.

4. Different Road Types In Iceland

With the variety of land forms and terrain in Iceland, you’ve got to think about the type of trip you want to have.

Do you want to carve your way across the Icelandic highlands like a Nordic explorer? Or do you plan on having a more relaxed and comfortable drive?

This will determine the roads you’ll encounter and the vehicle you’ll need.

Ring Road & Golden Circle (Paved)

You can see some of Iceland’s most popular destinations driving around the Ring Road (Route 1). This mostly paved road runs a giant circle around the outer rim of the island through many towns, including the capital of Reykjavik.

There are some remote sections with gravel, but a 2-wheel-drive vehicle will get the job done. Speed limits average 90 kilometers per hour (56 mph) on these roads. While you can technically drive around the whole country non-stop in about 17 hours, in practice you’ll want to spend at least 7-10 days traveling this route.

You can choose a 2WD vehicle for driving the Golden Circle, too. This shorter route is a great day trip from Reykjavik if you don’t have much time (like during a layover).

USEFUL TIP: Planning to drive around Iceland’s ring road? Make sure to stop at Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon to see the incredible icebergs!

Adventurous F-Roads (Gravel)

Did you know that 54% of Icelanders believe in elves or the possibility they exist? If you want to search for them, you’ll find them near the F-roads.

These specially designated dirt mountain roads wind through Iceland’s rugged interior highlands. It is strongly advised to travel in groups of 2 or more cars for safety should a breakdown occur.

The rocky, sometimes muddy conditions are more treacherous than other gravel roads. You can travel for miles without seeing any other cars.

Iceland’s F-roads require a 4-wheel-drive rental car. They also require your full attention. Some F-Roads can get quite rough, with deep glacial river crossings.

USEFUL TIP: F-Road doesn’t mean off-road. Driving completely off marked roads in Iceland is illegal and can damage your rental and the environment.

Local Access H-Roads (Gravel)

These are dirt roads that often lead to farms and private homes off the main paved roads in Iceland. They are better maintained than the F-Roads, don’t require a 4X4 in the summer, but aren’t plowed as frequently as paved roads in the winter.

5. What Kind Of Vehicle Do You Need?

If you can’t drive manual stick shifts, double-check that you’re actually renting an automatic vehicle because many rental cars in Europe are manual.

The type of vehicle you’ll need depends largely on the season, weather conditions, and road type.

Two Wheel Drive

Small 2WD cars are the most affordable, and perfectly suitable for day trips around Reykjavik and the popular paved roads that run around Iceland (like the Golden Circle and Ring Road).

All 2WD rental cars in Iceland are equipped with studded tires during the winter season to help with traction on ice too.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? – Renting a small car in Iceland is going to cost between $40 – $100 USD per day (4200 ISK to 10,600 ISK) depending on the model/season.

Rent A 2WD Car In Iceland

Search both local and international car rental companies to help you find a good deal.

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Four Wheel Drive

The affordable 4×4 Suzuki Jimny, or a more expensive Land Rover is perfect for Iceland’s rugged F-Roads. If you plan to explore Iceland’s back roads at any point, you’ll want one of these four-wheel-drive bad boys.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? – Renting a 4X4 SUV in Iceland is going to cost between $75 – $250 USD per day (10,600 ISK – 26,500 ISK). A tricked-out Land Rover or Super Jeep could set you back $400+ per day.

Rent A 4X4 Truck In Iceland

Search both local and international car rental companies to help you find a good deal.

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Campervan

Transportation? Check. Accommodation? Check. Home-cooked meals? Fire up the grill, baby! This is the way to attack a serious Icelandic road trip in comfort. Plus, you’ll avoid spending cash on Iceland’s notoriously expensive accommodation and restaurant meals.

Campervans come in both 2WD and 4WD varieties, which is especially important for driving Iceland in the winter.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? – Renting a campervan in Iceland is going to cost between $140 – $250 USD per day (14,800 ISK to 26,500 ISK) depending on the model/season.

Rent A Campervan In Iceland

Search both local and international car rental companies to help you find a good deal.

Check Latest Prices

6. Car Rental Insurance In Iceland

Driving in Iceland can result in some pretty harsh conditions that many people aren’t prepared for — so I always recommend getting the extra car insurance options available to you.

Collision Damage Waiver

Car rental companies typically offer various levels of a Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), which isn’t exactly insurance. Instead, it means the rental company won’t charge you over a predetermined limit if you drop off the rental car with damage.

But this limit still tends to be upwards of $1750 for the basic CDW, and companies in Iceland are more likely to inspect every inch of your vehicle.

The basic CDW comes free with every rental. With most companies, an additional daily fee (about $10 and up) allows you to upgrade to Super CDW (SCDW), Grand CDW, and even Premium CDW. This lowers the amount you’ll be liable for in the end should damage occur to the vehicle.

These higher-level CDWs usually come with added protection like:

• Gravel Protection – Gravel roads abound in Iceland. There’s a risk of other drivers spraying rocks at your vehicle as they drive by, so it makes sense to grab this one for a few extra bucks a day.
• Sandstorm & Ash Protection – Yup, you read that correctly! High winds can blast your car with volcanic ash and sand, causing extensive damage to the rental vehicle.
• Ice Protection – Ice. Land. It’s in the name! Get this add-on, especially if you’re traveling in the winter. Sliding off icy roads is a common occurrence in Iceland.
• River Crossing Insurance – Read the terms carefully. If it only covers water up to half of the wheel-well, you’re not protected for deeper crossings (which you’ll find plenty of on F-roads).

You’ll also want to check if the rental company sets a mileage limit. Always try to get the unlimited mileage option!

7. Watch Out For Animals!

There are 3 types of large animals that may cross your path while driving in Iceland, and crashing into them will definitely ruin your trip.

Iceland has a lot of sheep. In the summer, they’re allowed to roam free through the countryside, often walking across the road.

Beautiful and funny Icelandic horses can sometimes be moved from one pasture to another via roadways too.

If you’re driving in the remote North East of Iceland, you may see some wild reindeer in the winter. Reindeer were brought over from Norway in the 18th century but were never domesticated.

Remember to slow down and pass any animals near the road very carefully.

8. Iceland’s Speed Cameras

You won’t see too many police cars on the roads driving around Iceland. However, Iceland does enforce its speed limit with camera traps.

These nondescript boxes on the side of the road record your speed and take a photo if you’re driving over the limit, resulting in a steep fine.

The speed limit in Iceland is 90km/h (55mph) on paved roads, 80km/h (50mph) per hour on dirt roads, and 50km/h (30mph) per hour in cities.

Also note that seatbelts are mandatory in Iceland, and just good common sense anyway.

9. Be Prepared For Extreme Weather

Weather can get severe in Iceland from time to time, especially in the winter. So severe, that 70mph wind gusts have been known to blow open car doors backward, bending the hinges or ripping them off completely!

To prevent wind damage try to park your car facing the wind, pushing the door closed, not open. Crack your window first, and stick your hand out to test wind strength, then slowly open the door with two hands.

Don’t assume you can handle driving through an Icelandic snowstorm just because you grew up in New England, because the weather can be VERY different here.

Weather changes quickly in Iceland, and a sunny morning can easily turn into a snowstorm later that day. Iceland has a fantastic website to check real-time road conditions called Road.is. They even have a handy smartphone app.

10. Gas Stations & Fuel Advice

Gas stations in Iceland are scarce once you get further away from the cities but spread out across the island. Be sure to fuel up before setting out, and refuel often — try not to let it fall below half a tank.

You’ll find plenty of gas stations on the Ring Road until you reach the more remote Eastern and Northern parts of the country, where they start to thin out. Fill up more frequently out there.

At about $2.25 USD per liter ($8.54 USD per gallon), gas for your road trip is going to be expensive (you can see current gas prices here).

USEFUL TIP: If you’re up in the highland’s driving Iceland’s F-roads, it’s wise to bring a spare gas can.

11. Do You Need A GPS Device?

Many car rental companies in Iceland will try to up-sell you a GPS device for your road trip. However this is not needed if you have international cell service.

Or you can pick up a local SIM card at the airport or in a Reykjavik mall before you embark on your journey.

Maybe bring along a vehicle smartphone holder like I do, so you can use your phone hands-free while driving.

Along with Google Maps, I’d also recommend downloading the Gaia GPS Hiking App (here’s how to use it), which will help you get around Iceland’s backcountry hiking trails, even if you don’t have cell service.

12. Don’t Stop In The Middle Of The Road!

Many of Iceland’s roads lack breakdown lanes or have small ones. However because the scenery in Iceland is so spectacular, tourists are constantly stopping on the edge of the road to take photos.

Don’t do this! It’s not safe, and you might cause an accident.

If you really have to get that amazing photo, keep driving until you find a proper turn-off, park, and walk back to that perfect spot. Even if it takes you an extra 10 minutes.

That photo opportunity can wait for a little, it’s simply not worth the danger of stopping in the middle of the road when there’s traffic passing by. Please be respectful of everyone else driving in Iceland.

13. Packing For An Iceland Road Trip

Even though Iceland is becoming a very popular tourist destination, parts of it are still pretty remote. Between large towns, you could be driving for a while before you’ll find regular civilization.

With this in mind, it’s wise to pack extra food, snacks, and water for your road trip. I’d also make sure you have proper clothing for cold weather and stormy conditions, warm and waterproof layers. Sturdy shoes or hiking boots too.

A first aid kit is always a great idea, here’s the one I travel with on my frequent adventures around the world. You never know when it will come in handy.

14. Car Camping Restrictions

So, you’ve packed a tent in your car, or you’re driving a camper van. You assume it’s legal to camp anywhere you please on this beautiful island. But should you? Can you legally camp anywhere in Iceland?

According to the Environment Agency of Iceland (EAI):

“Camping with no more than three tents is allowed on the uncultivated ground for a single night unless the landowner has posted a notice to the contrary. However, campers should always use designated campsites where they do exist. Do not camp close to farms without permission. If a group of more than three tents is involved, these campers must seek permission from the landowner before setting up camp outside marked campsite areas.

It is illegal to spent the night in tent trailers, tent campers, caravans, camper van or similar outside organized campsites or urban areas unless the landowner or rightsholder has given their permission.”

There are also protected areas in Iceland where you definitely may NOT camp. For a complete list of protected locations and descriptions of when to ask permission, visit the camping rules page.

Please use a designated campsite when it’s available. With more than three tents or driving a campervan, ask permission of the landowner. Avoid protected areas.

If you do choose to camp outside designated areas, please follow the rules above, and leave no trace of your presence behind — so Iceland stays beautiful for locals and future travelers.

15. Winter Driving In Iceland

Every year tons of unprepared tourists get stuck or slide off the road due to Iceland’s winter driving conditions. I was hit with 2 snow storms during my 3 week trip during October/November.

Part of the problem is many people don’t have any real winter driving experience, or they over-estimate their abilities.

Getting your rental car stuck in the snow or ice is a very real possibility during winter in Iceland. Do you know how to get yourself out?

• Clear snow away from your tires, using a shovel or hands and feet.
• Straighten your tires, rock the vehicle back and forth, shifting from drive to reverse.
• Create traction under your tires using dirt, sand, branches, granola, floor mats, anything you can find.

Always fill your gas tank when possible, especially in the winter. Getting stuck in a snowstorm and spending the night in your vehicle is a remote possibility. Without gas to keep it running (and warm), things get dangerous quickly.

When driving through heavy snow, try to stay inside the tire tracks. Drive slowly, and carefully move over to the edge when passing oncoming traffic.

16. F-Road Driving Tips In Iceland

While driving Iceland’s remote & rugged F-Roads is not technically driving off-road, basically you need to think of them as exactly that.

These roads are extremely basic, and not really maintained. In the United States, they’d be called “jeep trails” or “fire roads”.

So the same kind of safety concerns apply. You are on your own out there. No gas stations, no towns, no tow trucks.

If you get a flat, get stuck in the mud, or your engine breaks down, it could be a while before someone passes by who can help.

• It’s forbidden to drive Iceland’s F-Roads without a 4X4 vehicle due to the rough conditions.
• Traveling in pairs with a second vehicle is highly recommended, in case one of you breaks down.
• The conditions of F-roads can vary greatly. Some can be very easy to drive, others are more difficult. You may not know which it is until you’re on it.
• F-Roads are only open during the summer months, generally June – September (or first snow). Some don’t open until July.

Crossing Rivers In Iceland

If you’re driving the paved Ring Road or Golden Circle, you’ll have normal bridges (although some are one-lane). However, if you’re traveling to Iceland’s interior highlands on the dirt F-Roads, you may encounter a few rivers without a bridge.

Crossing a river in a 4X4 truck requires a bit of planning. If you’ve never done it before, here are some tips.

• Know where your vehicle’s “water line” is (maximum depth). Going past it may result in damage.
• Try to cross glacial rivers early in the morning, when the flow is lower. As the day heats up, the river gets more powerful/deeper.
• Shift your vehicle into 4X4 “low” before you start to cross, not in the middle of the river.
• Drive slow and steady through the current. Don’t drive too fast or “splash” into the water (it could kill the engine).
• Drive diagonally downstream, so the current helps push you across.
• Stick to the marked crossing points, and don’t assume it’s always safe to cross. Try to watch someone else go first.

USEFUL TIP: While the popular and cheap Suzuki Jimny is technically a 4X4 vehicle, you need to be VERY careful crossing rivers in it. Some rivers are just too powerful for the Jimny, and inexperienced tourists have been stranded or even killed attempting difficult crossings.

17. Accident & Breakdown Info

112 is the only emergency number in Iceland. This is what you’d call to report any bad accidents, fire, crime, search & rescue, or natural disasters.

112 can be reached from anywhere in Iceland, from any telephone, by voice or by SMS text message.

Another great resource is the 112 Iceland App, that lets you “check-in” before going on a hike or doing anything risky, to help provide location information if something goes wrong later.

If it’s not a life-or-death emergency, like your car breaks down or you get a flat tire, then contact your rental car office for help.

If you break down and you’re not exactly sure where you are, please don’t leave your car. Stay with your vehicle until someone passes by who can help.

Iceland’s F-Roads are patrolled by search & rescue teams who check for stranded drivers on a semi-regular basis.

Have Fun Driving In Iceland!

I hope I didn’t scare you too much about driving in Iceland. It really is worth the extra effort to rent a car and drive yourself!

Regardless of which vehicle or road you choose, one thing’s for sure — renting a car in Iceland gives you the freedom to set your own path and reach stunning locations off-limits to the typical bus tourist.

It also lets you do it at your own pace and in a style that suits you. And besides, how do you expect to hunt for elves or the incredible northern lights from your hotel room in Reykjavik?

Get out there and drive around Iceland in your own rental car! ★

Rent A Car In Iceland

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Check Latest Prices

Bonus Video! Driving Tips For Iceland

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READ MORE ICELAND TRAVEL TIPS

I hope you enjoyed my guide to driving in Iceland! Hopefully you found it useful. Here are a few more wanderlust-inducing articles that I recommend you read next:

• Check out my ultimate Iceland Ring Road itinerary to learn about all the top highlights along the way.
• Planning a trip to Iceland, but not sure when to go? Here’s the best time to visit Iceland organized by seasons.
• If you only have a few days, a better option is to drive Iceland’s Golden Circle as a day trip instead.
• Learn how to properly photograph the amazing Northern Lights during your adventure.
• Bookmark my favorite Iceland photography locations to get that perfect shot for Instagram!
• Save some money and learn about the best places to stay in Reykjavik when you visit the city.
• Want to improve your photos? Read my best travel photography tips and guide to picking a travel camera.

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Any questions about self-driving in Iceland with a rental car? Are you planning a road trip there? Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter to share!

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Jokulsarlon, Iceland

Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon in Iceland is full of broken icebergs, streaked blue and black while floating with the tide. Here are my tips for visiting this incredible place!

Jokulsarlon iceberg lagoon is Iceland’s deepest and most spectacular glacial lake, beloved by tourists, photographers, adventurers – even world-famous Hollywood super-spies.

If you visited this frozen landscape a hundred years ago, all you would have seen was ice. But then, the world started to heat up… thanks global warming!

Because of this increase in the world’s climate starting around 1920, the icebound edge of the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier started to melt. The Icelandic word Jökulsárlón actually means “glacier’s river lagoon”.

Jokulsarlon lagoon forms part of Vatnajökull National Park, and has become one of Iceland’s most popular attractions.

Jokulsarlon Lagoon Travel Guide 2023

The Icebergs At Jokulsarlon

In less than a century, this vast frozen landscape collapsed into a mess of shattered ice & liquid that we see now — Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon.

A river soon formed, and found its way to the sea, pulling broken icebergs into the North Atlantic and sculpting unearthly shapes along its black-sand banks.

Every year, this fledgling glacier lagoon is made larger as icebergs break off Vatnajökull glacier, float around in the lagoon, and eventually drift out to sea in the summer months.

Jokulsarlon doubled in size between 1975 and 1998. It now covers 7 square miles – and is growing every year.

Iceland At Its Most Beautiful

Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon is a photographer’s paradise. I was in heaven during my visit in November. First and most obviously, the ice is jaw-droppingly beautiful.

Compressed glacial ice often turns glassy and a deep, luminous blue, and that’s best seen when the icebergs break and flip over.

You’ll see plenty of broken blue icebergs at Jökulsárlón – and the contrast against the white backdrop of the distant glacier and the black sand of the lagoon’s beach is truly other-worldly.

You may even see seals too. Thanks to that small river leading to the ocean, the lagoon is filled with fish, and seals regularly gather at the river mouth to feed, along with huge numbers of seabirds.

Glacier Lagoon Boat Trips

A tour company called Glacier Lagoon has been running boat rides at Jokulsarlon for nearly 30 years, ever since the world’s most famous super-spy James Bond himself made an appearance.

In the opening scenes of Roger Moore’s A View To A Kill (1985), the iceberg lagoon was used as a stand-in for Northern Siberia – and when news got out, tourists started arriving, as did boat tour services.

There are two types of tours to choose from. There is an amphibious boat ride (ISK 5500 / $55 USD) for a relaxing tour around the biggest icebergs, accompanied by guided commentary.

For the more adventurous, get fitted with a flotation suit and lifejacket and take a Zodiac (ISK 9500 / $95 USD) for much closer views of the ice, including right under the glacier’s edge if conditions permit.

When To Visit The Glacial Lagoon

Jokulsarlon’s boat tours only run between May and October, and outside of those months, Icelandic weather can get fierce – although bad weather can hit at any time, so it’s wise to always be prepared for white-out conditions.

The best months for good weather (and clear-sky photography) at the lagoon are July and August – but September/October can be a better time to visit Iceland because the tourist season has ended, prices are lower and there will be less people around.

You’ll also have a better chance of seeing Iceland’s incredible northern lights!

Getting To Jokulsarlon Lagoon

The Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon is hard to miss off the side of Iceland’s famous Ring Road (Route 1) – but it requires some planning to get out here. Rather than try to cram it into a single day, you should really plan for two days.

Rental Car

Discover Cars searches all the big car rental companies and finds the best price. This is probably the easiest way to rent a car in Iceland.

You can also rent a campervan like I did, and save money on accommodation by sleeping in it while driving across Iceland on your own – it helps to have your own transportation because the lagoon is pretty far away.

The drive takes about 4 hours from Reykjavík, provided you don’t stop along the way (which is almost impossible in Iceland, there’s tons to see!).

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UPDATE: Since writing this post, Iceland implemented new laws in 2015 that restrict where you can spend the night in a campervan. You can no longer pull over and spend the night anywhere. You must stay at designated campgrounds.[/su_note]

By Bus

Strætó Bus: Route 51 from Mjódd bus terminal (Reykjavík) to Jökulsárlón. It’s a 6 hour trip that starts at 1pm – and the next bus back is usually at 12:55pm the next day.

If you visit Jokulsarlon by bus, you won’t be returning the same day – and since accommodation at the lagoon is non-existent (see later), you’d have to be pretty adventurous to pick this option.

Hitchhiking In Iceland

Another adventurous option, but hitchhiking in Iceland is pretty common and safe. How long it will take you to hitchhike here from Reykjavík just depends on your hitchhiking skills, luck, and how many stops you make.

Glacier Lagoon Tours

If you’re the type of person who prefers joining a tour, there are group tours that visit Jokulsarlon, some of which begin in Reykjavik.

Where To Stay Near Jokulsarlon

I spent the night camped in the Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon parking lot with a campervan (which is no longer allowed). There are no hotels, hostels or guesthouses at the lagoon itself. Höfn is the closest town, about an hour away.

If you’re wondering where to stay in Iceland near Jokulsarlon, here are my recommendations:

My Jökulsárlón Travel Tips & Advice

• Iceland in the summer can be surprisingly warm, but icebergs at Jokulsarlon lagoon give off waves of cold air you can feel on your face. Take a hat and warm gloves, even if it looks sunny.
• Watch out for the fiercely territorial skua seabirds that live in the area – if you get close to their nests, they’ll dive at you noisily until you back off!
• Sunrise is the best time to photograph the glacier lagoon icebergs, not only because of great lighting conditions but also because there are fewer tourists. Sunset is also good, but more crowded than sunrise.
• During the tourist season, there’s a small café that serves a limited amount of snacks. But that’s about it.
• Iceland’s incredible crystal ice caves are not far away from Jokulsarlon, so if you happen to be visiting in the winter, I highly recommend exploring them with a guide!

No trip to Iceland is complete without a stop at Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon, as you can see, there’s a good reason why it’s one of Iceland’s most popular natural attractions! ★

Travel Video: Adventures In Iceland

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(Click to watch Iceland Adventures with LifeProof on YouTube)

Travel Planning Resources For Iceland

Packing Guide Check out my travel gear guide to help you start packing for your trip. Book Your Flight Ready to fly? Here’s how I find the cheapest airline flights. Rent A Car Discover Cars is a great site for comparing car prices to find a deal. Cheap Accommodation Learn how I save money booking hotels & vacation apartments. Protect Your Trip Don’t forget travel insurance! Protect yourself from possible injury & theft abroad. Read why you should always carry travel insurance.

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I hope you enjoyed my guide to Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon! Hopefully you found it useful. Here are a few more wanderlust-inducing articles that I recommend you read next:

• Check out my ultimate Iceland Ring Road itinerary to learn about all the top highlights along the way.
• Planning a trip to Iceland, but not sure when to go? Here’s the best time to visit Iceland organized by seasons.
• If you only have a few days, a better option is to drive Iceland’s Golden Circle as a day trip instead.
• Iceland has a very cool abandoned plane crash on a black-sand beach, and here’s how to find it.
• Organizing an Iceland road trip, but afraid of driving? Here’s everything you should know about driving in Iceland.
• Looking for a cool day hik in Iceland? Check out the Kerlingarfjöll Geothermal Area in the highlands.
• Want to improve your photos? Read my best travel photography tipsand guide to picking a travel camera.

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Have any questions about Jokulsarlon Lagoon in Iceland? What about other suggestions? Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter to share!

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Vatnajokull Glacier, Iceland

In the winter months, Iceland’s incredible ice caves can be explored. Walking through a brilliant cathedral of frozen crystal blue waves. Superman would feel right at home!

When the Man of Steel wants to get away from the hustle & bustle of Metropolis, he flies to his “Fortress of Solitude” hidden in the Arctic. A magnificent crystal castle built using Krypton alien technology.

What if I told you Superman’s crystal ice caves are real?

Deep under Iceland’s massive Vatnajökull glacier, beautiful caves of ice are formed by rivers of melt-water.

Too dangerous to visit in the spring & summer due to a threat of collapse, cold winter temperatures strengthen the ice and make exploration possible.

A fellow photographer convinced me to go during my Iceland road trip.

Photographing Iceland’s Ice Caves

Iceland’s incredible glacier ice caves move or completely disappear with the shifting ice sheet each year. However one man seeks them out and guides people to their location.

Expert local guide Einar Sigurðsson has been running photography tours into these icy caverns for the past 20 years, and knows the glacier better than most. His family has a long history here.

Driving over rugged Icelandic terrain and through small rivers in Einar’s 4×4 van, snow covered Vatnajökull glacier appears in the distance. The ice has retreated a lot over the past few years, so it takes longer to reach the edge.

We begin our ice cave adventure by strapping on helmets and ducking into a small entrance, forced to crawl on the cold, black volcanic dirt.

Once inside though, the views are absolutely breathtaking.

Amazing Blue Caverns Of Ice

A long tunnel of ice boasting many different shades of translucent blue, white, and inky black stretches out before us. Thousands of years of snowfall compressed into frozen sculpted waves over our heads.

Gradually the tunnel grows large enough with room to stand up.

This densely packed glacial ice glows blue due to a lack of air bubbles which normally scatter colors of the spectrum as sunlight filters down from above. Layers of black volcanic ash are trapped in these ice formations, a remnant from previous eruptions.

We spent a few hours exploring the cave, setting up our tripods for the perfect shot. It was nice to be in here with a group of fellow photographers who understand the importance of patience & attention to detail.

When Einar discovers a new ice cave, he names it. This happened to be called the “Northern Lights Cave”, named after ribbons of deep blue frozen water surrounded by black ash.

It looked very similar to Iceland’s aurora borealis dancing in the night sky.

Vatnajökull Glacier in Iceland

Covering 8100 square kilometers (5000 square miles) Vatnajökull Glacier is the largest icecap in Europe by volume. The ice is up to 1000 meters thick in some places.

Located in the South East, Vatnajokull covers over 8% of Iceland.

There are seven different volcanoes hidden underneath the glacier. I actually flew over one of them while it was erupting, called Bardarbunga Volcano. This unique combination of fiery volcanoes & icy glaciers is why Iceland is called The Land of Fire & Ice…

Superman sure picked a great spot for his vacation home!

Exploring and photographing Iceland’s crystal ice caves was an incredible experience. If you’re traveling through Iceland in the winter, you really should’t miss them.

Nature’s phenomenal beauty never ceases to amaze me. ★

Where To Stay Near The Ice Caves

The closest town to the ice caves is Höfn, about an hour away. If you’re wondering where to stay in Iceland for a trip to the caves, here are my recommendations:

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This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Ring Road, Iceland

There’s nothing quite like an Iceland road trip. Especially when driving past incredible volcanoes, icebergs, waterfalls, and magical northern lights on Iceland’s Ring Road!

If you’re searching for an unforgettable adventure travel experience, a road trip around Iceland’s Ring Road will not disappoint. The country is visually captivating in a way I’ve not seen elsewhere.

Lurking around every bend a stunning new Icelandic landscape reveals itself.

Renting a car and self-driving Iceland on the Ring Road exposes you to bubbling geothermal springs, sparkling rainbows, beautiful horses, icy glaciers, massive waterfalls, and rugged mountains day after day.

If you’re lucky, you may even catch the magic of the northern lights too!

Now throw in the occasional ice cave or even an erupting volcano, and you’ll start to appreciate what traveling in Iceland is actually like. However, you must experience this country for yourself to understand!

In this travel guide I’ll help you get the most out of a self-drive ring road adventure. Learn how to prepare, where to stay, and the best things to see!

This Ring Road itinerary is completely free! I’ve worked hard putting it together for you. If you find it useful, please use my affiliate links when you book hotels, rental cars or activities. I’ll get paid a small commission, at no extra cost to you! Thanks.

Ring Road Iceland Travel Map

HOW TO USE THIS MAP: Above you’ll find a map of my itinerary for Iceland’s Ring Road. Click on the top left of the map to find separate layers marking the route and points of interest. You can hide and show different layers, or click icons on the map to see the names of places I mention in this travel guide. “Star” the map to save it to your own Google Maps, or open the map in a new window for a larger version. Enjoy!

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Iceland Ring Road Driving Guide For 2023

If you haven’t figured it out by the map above, Iceland’s Ring Road encircles the entire country covering over 800 miles on Route 1.

While you could technically drive the whole thing in less than 24 hours, the reality is it will take you at least a week with stops on along the way.

This is because you’ll be stopping a lot. Like every 5 minutes!

The photography opportunities in Iceland are unbelievable, and you’ll find yourself constantly pulling over for photos. I gave myself 10 days in Iceland, with 7 full days to drive the Ring Road itself.

Looking back I wish I had spent an extra few days on the Ring Road.

While 7 days is possible, you’ll be moving non-stop, and will probably miss a few highlights. Especially if you have a bad-weather day.

Because the weather is definitely a factor in Iceland, with sudden snowstorms common in the spring, fall, and winter.

Rental Car Or Campervan?

The best site to book your rental car is with Discover Cars. They search both local and international car rental companies to help you find the best possible price. This is the easiest way to rent a car for driving in Iceland.

There are bus tours that drive the route, but a self-drive tour is the better way to go in my opinion. You can stop anywhere you want, for as long as you want, giving you complete freedom.

I drove the ring road in Iceland while living out of a Happy Campers van. The major benefit to renting a campervan is that it covers your accommodation.

My van was equipped with a fold-down bed, sink with running water, electric cooler, gas grill, battery-powered heating system and a large solar panel.

UPDATE: Iceland has implemented new laws that restrict where you can spend the night in a campervan. You can no longer pull over and spend the night anywhere. You must park at designated campgrounds.

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Planning An Iceland Road Trip

Where To Start From

Most travelers start their Ring Road drive from Keflavik International Airport, others spend a few days exploring Reykjavik from a hotel first. You can drive the route in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, but I recommend driving counterclockwise to hit the most touristy parts of Iceland first.

Gas Stations

Gas is expensive in Iceland at $2.25 USD per liter ($8.54 per gallon). Gas stations are easy to find around towns, but in the countryside, they are less frequent. Some foreign credit cards may need to be used inside rather than at the pump.

Fill up whenever you can, especially in winter, just in case you’re stuck in a snowstorm overnight. Gas for the entire ring road journey cost me about $300 USD.

Groceries In Iceland

Stock up on groceries before you leave for your road trip, because food in Iceland is expensive. There’s a famous budget supermarket called Bónus that’s perfect for this. You can’t miss it — the logo is a giant cartoon pig!

Many gas stations along the ring road also offer pre-made sandwiches, hot soup, and basic groceries for sale too. So you can buy some general food supplies along the way.

GPS & Mobile Phone

If your cellphone is unlocked, you can buy a local prepaid Icelandic SIM card from the Vodafone Store at Kringlan Shopping Mall in Reykjavik. This gives you access to GPS maps, internet data, emergency services, and local weather reports.

What Should You See?

I’d recommend picking a few highlights and loosely planning your journey around them. Most people start their Ring Road adventure from Reykjavik or Keflavik Airport.

Below you’ll find my suggested 7-10 day itinerary with highlights you shouldn’t miss, good places to stay for the night, plus a few adventure activities that must be booked in advance.

Complete Iceland Ring Road Itinerary

DAY 1: The Golden Circle

The Golden Circle is a short 1-day road trip that starts from Reykjavik which I covered in a separate article. This 300 km (190 mi) route covers many beautiful Iceland landmarks in a short period of time, so it’s perfect for people on a long layover.

It’s a good place to start a longer ring road adventure too because the attractions are some of the most visited in Iceland. I’d recommend getting these out of the way first before heading out into the more remote (and less crowded) parts of the country.

Thingvellir National Park

The location of Iceland’s first Parliament, and where the North American & Eurasian tectonic plates are slowly splitting apart from each other. You can spend a lot of time here, walking the trails. This is also where Silfra is, where you can go snorkeling or scuba diving between the plates.

Geysers At Haukadalur

An impressive geothermal area featuring two natural geysers that erupt on a regular basis. Churning boiling water that smells like eggs. You don’t have to wait long to see them go off either!

Gullfoss Waterfall

This wide & fast-moving river turns a corner and falls 100 feet into a huge waterfall, producing thick mist & frequent rainbows. From here most people turn around and head back to the Ring Road, or to Reykjavik.

➜ Read My Golden Circle Travel Guide Here

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DAY 2: Iceland’s South Coast

Seljalandsfoss Waterfall

Your next stop is perfect for incredible sunrises, so wake up early! Seljalandsfoss Waterfall [MAP] rises some 200 feet in the air, with a short hiking trail that takes you behind the waterfall itself.

Shooting photos behind the waterfall at sunrise can be difficult with all the spray though. Another good photo location is from a hill on the right, just be careful because it’s slippery climbing up.

Skógafoss Waterfall

After that you can drive to Skógafoss [MAP], another massive & beautiful waterfall only minutes away. About the same height as Seljalandsfoss, but much wider and more powerful. Colorful rainbows are a common occurrence here. A wooden stairway brings you to a viewing platform on the top.

Vatnajökull Glacier (Skaftafell National Park)

One activity you really shouldn’t do on your own is hiking across Iceland’s famous glaciers. If you’ve never hiked on a glacier before, I highly recommend joining a glacier hiking adventure!

There are a few different glaciers in Iceland, but probably the most popular one for visitors to hike on is called Vatnajökull Glacier in Skaftafell National Park. It’s massive, and there are a few different locations where you can explore the glacier.

One popular spot to get photos is at Sólheimajökull Viewpoint [MAP]. You can check out the glacier from a safe distance, without actually walking on the dangerous ice itself (which requires specialized gear).

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Sólheimasandur Plane Crash

The abandoned airplane wreckage on Sólheimasandur Beach is one of Iceland’s most iconic photography locations. Back in 1973 a United States Navy DC-3 crashed on the beach here. The plane has been used in a bunch of music videos making it famous.

You can park your car and hike out to the plane on foot and explore what remains. Check out my detailed directions if you’d like to see this famous spot first-hand!

Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach

Often referred to as the world’s most beautiful black sand beach, Reynisfjara Beach [MAP] is a must-visit location for travelers. This wild, rugged beach was created by lava mixing with ocean water.

I wouldn’t recommend sunbathing on this beach, but you will get some amazing photo opportunities here. From the black beach itself to the cliffs, caves and basalt columns, Reynisfjara is very impressive.

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DAY 3: Iceberg Lagoons & Ice Caves

Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon

This majestic canyon came to life approximately 9,000 years ago as a result of progressive erosion. I was thrilled by the opportunity to walk inside this narrow, winding canyon. However, if you want to avoid wading through water, I suggest enjoying its natural beauty from the walking path above Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon. Be aware that the path is steep, but the view is more than worth the effort.

Svartifoss Black Waterfall

The black basalt columns that flank the narrow flow of water from Svartifoss (aka the “Black Waterfall”) will make you feel like you’ve discovered an alien planet. Depending on whether you want to take the direct or more circular route, you can expect to walk for at least 2 miles to reach it. You can’t enter the actual waterfall area, but you’ll get close enough for great photos.

Jökulsárlón Iceberg Lagoon

Breiðamerkurjökull glacier is slowly melting, with giant blue-tinted icebergs breaking off and floating into a large lagoon called Jökulsárlón. The ice collects on its shores, while some pieces continue on and drift out to sea.

Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon is such a cool place (pun intended) that you can easily spend most of the day here. Don’t forget to visit the ocean beach nearby, where some icebergs get pushed on shore due to waves.

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Explore Magical Crystal Ice Caves

If you’re traveling in Iceland for photography, you can’t miss the beautiful crystal ice caves under Vatnajökull glacier. Melt-water creates these intricate natural ice tunnels, with sunlight filtering through the ice giving them a blue tint.

Iceland’s crystal ice caves can be difficult and treacherous to reach, so you’ll need to hire a guide. For safety reasons, you can only visit them in the winter too (starting in November) when the ice has hardened up and the risk of collapse is low.

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DAY 4: Egilsstaðir & The Eastern Fjords

Driving The Coastline

Ok, now you’re officially in the middle of nowhere. Eastern Iceland is an untamed wilderness of rocky mountain peaks, winding black-sand coastlines, and quickly changing the weather.

There’s a lot of driving here without many towns (or people). You’ll be weaving in and out of fjords all day. Pump up the jams and enjoy beautiful Icelandic views. Most people stop to spend the night in the town of Egilsstaðir.

Sheep & Reindeer Spotting

While it may not have many people, Eastern Iceland is home to many sheep & reindeer. Yup. Reindeer! Make sure to keep your eyes on the road, because a herd can suddenly cross your path without warning.

Pay special attention at night or in bad weather. In the winter the sheep will be fenced in, but in the summer and fall, they roam free through the countryside.

Hunting Northern Lights

You should be searching for the Northern Lights every evening while driving the Ring Road, however, on the East coast they were especially good for me. During my 7 day adventure, I lucked out with 3 nights of strong aurora activity and clear skies.

Night driving will actually improve your chances of spotting them. Here’s a post I wrote with tips for finding & photographing the Northern Lights in Iceland.

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DAY 5: Myvatn & More Waterfalls

Icelandic Mountain Passes

Fáskrúðsfjarðargöng tunnel (I dare you to say it out loud!) is 4 miles long and seems like it will never end. When it does, you’ll eventually be in the Highlands of Iceland. A barren stretch of a high plateau.

In the winter it’s covered in snow, and Route 1 is the only safe road to travel on. In the summer you can explore more with a 4×4.

Dettifoss Waterfall

Dettifoss [MAP] is the largest waterfall in Iceland (and Europe) by water volume. Imagine the visual and auditory impact of more than 132,000 liquid gallons rushing past you every second! It’s equally beautiful and overwhelming.

Most tourists go to the waterfall’s west side, but the east side is even better for photos. If you have the time, it’s definitely worth a stop. It’s very impressive, but also very dangerous if you get too close to the edge. Especially if the rocks are wet. Be careful!

Godafoss Waterfall

Godafoss Waterfall is famous for several reasons, including its impressive width of almost 100 feet. More importantly, if you go here at night during the right time of the year, you can photograph the Northern Lights over the water.

It doesn’t originate from a very tall height, but Godafoss has width and power that reminded me of Niagara Falls. This attraction is known locally as the “Waterfall of the Gods” due to an Icelandic legend involving Norse statues and the area’s conversion to Christianity.

Námafjall Hverir

Pulling back onto Route 1 you’ll soon get to the Myvatn Lake area in Northern Iceland. Volcanic activity is high, with some fun hot springs & other geothermal features to explore. One such place is Námafjall Hverir geothermal area [MAP]. You can get up-close-and-personal with boiling blue mud pits or steaming fumaroles.

DAY 6: Akureyri & North Iceland

Fly Over An Active Volcano!

Akureyri has tons of activities to keep you busy, but one, in particular, was pretty special. Flying over Iceland’s eruption at Bárðarbunga Volcano (also called the Holuhraun eruption). On August 2014 lava broke through the surface there and was spewing huge rivers of molten rock.

Flying over an erupting volcano had been on my bucket list for years, and I’m so happy I got to witness the power and fury of nature up close like that! For scenic flights over the volcano I used MyFlug.is. Booking a small plane is MUCH cheaper than a helicopter.

2022 UPDATE: The Holuhraun Eruption (pictured here) ended back in February 2015. However the Fagradalsfjall Volcano is currently erupting in Iceland just outside Reykjavik!

Whale Watching In Iceland

Because I was waiting for the weather to clear up for my volcano flight, I didn’t have a chance to go whale watching in Iceland. But it’s a very popular thing to do at the fjords around Akureyri. Whale season is from June to October.

Apparently, you can spot bottlenose, humpback, and minke whales. You can learn more about whale watching in Akureyri here.

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DAY 7: Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Kirkjufellsfoss Waterfall

Depending on how much time you have left, you’ll either want to head straight for Reykjavik or drive around the Snæfellsnes Peninsula (sometimes called “Little Iceland”). I drove all night in order to make time for the peninsula.

Snæfellsnes is where you’ll find Kirkjufellsfoss, the most photographed waterfall in Iceland just West of the town of Grundarfjörður.

Búðakirkja Black Church

One of my favorite things about Iceland is that’s it’s easy to leave the hustle and bustle of big city life behind. Búðir fully embodies this sense of wonderful isolation by having only two structures in the entire hamlet: a hotel and a tiny church named Búðakirkja. This black church sits inside a lava field, and it also has a lot of green space behind it. Be careful not to fall into any of the big holes that dot the grassy landscape.

DAY 8-10: Explore Reykjavik

If you made it back to Reykjavik and have a few more days to spare, there’s plenty of things to do in Iceland’s capital! Reykjavik is a vibrant city full of cool street-art, great nightlife, modern architecture, and some pretty weird attractions too.

Hallgrímskirkja Church

Iceland’s Hallgrímskirkja Church towers over Reykjavík and is the tallest church in the entire country. Naturally, this has made the expressionist architecture one of Iceland’s most popular tourist attractions. The two most noteworthy aspects of the church are the beautifully detailed statue of Leif Eiríksson and the huge, mechanical pipe organ. Make sure to take the elevator up to the top for some very cool views of the city.

Harpa Concert Hall

The glass facade of this modern Icelandic building is really impressive. Harpa Concert Hall is worth touring even if there are no performances during your visit. But if you’re lucky, you may be able to catch one of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra’s weekly concerts there. At night the whole building pulsates with colored lights, putting on a show of its own.

Tjörnin Pond

This natural geothermal pond in the middle Reykjavik attracts geese, swans and ducks year-round, along with picnicking families and couples looking for a romantic walk. Locals call the pond the “Biggest Bread Soup in the World” due to all the bread that’s offered to the birds. A little environmental tip is to offer seeds instead of bread, which is healthier for them.

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The Blue Lagoon

While not technically in Reykjavik, you can’t visit Iceland without a dip in the famous geothermal Blue Lagoon. It’s located about an hour away from the city center, closer to the international airport. Visiting the lagoon is expensive, but worth it.

The Blue Lagoon is not REALLY a natural lagoon, it’s actually man-made using surplus water from the nearby geothermal powerplant. But bathing in the warm mineral-rich waters surrounded by Iceland’s dramatic volcanic landscape is still fun!

Blue Lagoon Bus Transfer

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Tips For Driving The Ring Road

How Long Does It Take?

Seven days is the minimum, but you’ll really be pushing it. In fact, I’d recommend at least 10 days so you don’t feel rushed, maybe spending a few days in one spot. Two weeks would be ideal if you can spare that much time.

Save a day or two to explore Iceland’s capital city of Reykjavik too!

Best Time To Visit Iceland

The best time to visit Iceland and drive the Ring Road depends on what you’re after. For the best weather, the summer high season of June, July, and August is good. But the shoulder season of September & October has fewer tourists, shorter days, and better chances to see the northern lights!

Bathrooms & Showers

How do you shower if you’re in a campervan? Well most towns have heated public swimming pools that you can visit for $3-$6 USD. Or, you can pay to use a shower at one of Iceland’s many campgrounds. Sponge-baths work too! Regular bathrooms are available at most tourist attractions, restaurants, and gas stations.

Checking The Weather

Speaking of the weather, it changes quickly in Iceland. A sunny morning can easily turn into a whiteout blizzard. Bookmark the website Vegagerdin.is for real-time road conditions. There’s even a smartphone app.

Stay Safe Out There!

I recommend visiting the SafeTravel.is website to stay updated on Iceland’s weather, road conditions, and take their short online driving test to make sure you’re prepared for a safe & happy road trip.

Iceland is one of the most amazing countries I’ve ever visited, I think you’ll feel the same way after spending a week driving the Ring Road! ★

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READ MORE ICELAND TRAVEL TIPS

I hope you enjoyed my guide to the Iceland Ring Road! Hopefully you found it useful. Here are a few more wanderlust-inducing articles that I recommend you read next:

• Planning a trip to Iceland, but not sure when to go? Here’s the best time to visit Iceland organized by seasons.
• Here are my favorite things to do in Reykjavik if you want to get to know Iceland’s capital city during your trip.
• If you only have a few days, a better option is to drive Iceland’s Golden Circle as a day trip instead.
• Organizing an Iceland road trip, but afraid of driving? Here’s everything you should know about driving in Iceland.
• Want to improve your photos? Read my best travel photography tips and guide to picking a travel camera.
• Curious how I’m able to make money while traveling? This is how I get paid to travel the world.

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This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.