Iceland Road Trip – Iceland trip Itinerary

Planning an Iceland Road Trip ?

Dream destination, Iceland is an off-beaten tracks destination with thousands of beautiful landscapes.

Looking to go on an Iceland Road Trip ?

National parks, volcanos, glaciers, wildlife and vegetation, puffins (marine birds) and of course Northern Lights are what defines the Land of Ice.
On Viking territory, hidden gems and natural phenomenons will make you fall in love with Iceland and its history.
Go discover this heaven on Earth and get to know the nordic culture and Game Of Thrones shooting settings.
When going back home you will have only one thing in mind : going back ! 

Ready for adventure ? Let’s go ! 

What to see during your Iceland Road Trip ?

What to do in Iceland ?

Live Icelandic experiences

• Go discover the Vestmann Islands and learn about their history.
• Have a pic-nic at Thingvellir National Park with the sound of the waterfall.
• Meet Iceland’s symbol, the cute puffins in Vík.
• Enjoy spiny lobsters, a Höfn speciality.
• Get a sweater from the Handknitting Association in Reykjavik.
• Admire the beauty of Snaefellnes peninsula. 

But wait for it … Iceland also knows how to celebrate !

There are many national holidays all year long :

• Be a viking for a moment at the end of January for Thorrablót : taste hákari (shark meat), sheep head or even ram testicules … Enjoy your meal ! 
• Light up at the Winter Lights Festival of Reykjavik in february.
• Join a huge party at Sónar festival in Reykjavik during 3 days in February.
• Take part in winter sports at the Iceland Winter Games in Akureyri in March.
• In April, celebrate the first day of summer in Reykjavik at Sumardagurinn Fyrsti.
• One of the main cultural festival in Iceland takes place in May : it’s the Reykjavik Arts Festival.
• In June, experience the longest day of the year (Summer Solstice) and admire the midnight sun !
• July means it’s time for all types of music festivals : Listasumar in Akureyri, the Folkloric Music Festival in Siglufjörður, a religious music festival in Skálholt or the pop and rock music festival of Bræðislan. 
• Runners and walkers, take part in the Reykjavik marathon in August.
• In september, enjoy the International festivals in Reykjavik : the film festival and the book festival. 
• October means Northern Lights ! Live a unique moment you will always remember. 
• Celebrate the beginning of winter in East Iceland with the Dagar Myrkurs festival. Beware of ghosts !
• Experience a unique New Year’s Eve in Iceland.

Languages in Iceland

We speak Icelandic !

Iceland’s official language is of course Icelandic. But don’t worry most people speak english as well !

Icelandic 101 !

You dream of going to Iceland but their language was not taught in you high school ? Here are the basic words you’ll need :

• Hello : Góðan daginn (in the morning) / Gott kvöld (in the evening)
• Bye : Bless 
• Please : Fyrirgefðu 
• Thank you : Takk 
• Sorry : Því miður
• Yes : Já 
• No : Nei 

Local currency in Iceland

Money, money, money

The local currency is the Icelandic Crown (ISK). Better get a money converter on your phone to manage your expenses more easily. Credit / Debit cards are accepted everywhere and ATM are found easily. Be sure to warn your bank that you are traveling so that they won’t block your card for suspect abroad transactions.

Traveling in Iceland

Is the steering wheel on the left or right ?

Traveling in Iceland is cheaper by bus but don’t be in a hurry. That’s why we chose to design the itineraries to fit traveling by car. Renting a car is rather easy, you will find car rentals everywhere. According to some travel agencies, you won’t find a car for less than 9 945 ISK / day for a lower range car. But we do not agree, we recommend you go to https://guidetoiceland.is/ to find cheap prices and save a lot of money !
To rent a car you will need to be at least 20 years old (or between 23 and 25 to rent a four-wheel-drive) and have a valid driver’s licence. If you live outside the Schengen area, better get an International Driving Permit.

Overall cost of a trip in Iceland

Thanks for all the information but how much is that going to cost ?

Transportation :

• You can get domestic flights, from Reykjavik : Air Iceland (cheaper), Eagle Air.
• For buses, go to a tourism office and get the Public Transport card and you’ll be able to travel by bus without paying again. The bus network works pretty well if the weather allows it. Some buses also offer tours and excursions.
• For ferries, expect about  3700 ISK for a one-way fare with your car, to the Vestmann Island for example.
• Renting a car should be around 4350 ISK / day. Gas is about 211 ISK / liter.

Accommodation :

• Campsites are about 2490 ISK / person / night for a tent spot and access to showers. You could also rent bungalows or cottages for up to 10 people for about the same price (or a bit more).
• Furnished vans are the best option to travel around Iceland, about 14 900 ISK / day but you get a way to travel and a place to sleep, so in the end it is cheaper. The only thing is, wild camping being forbidden you will have to go to a campsite and pay about 2490 ISK / night (for the spot and electricity). If you are staying longer than a week, get the Camping Card (http://www.campingcard.is) for about 18 650 ISK and will let you camp for a maximum of 28 nights. The last thing to pay will be the taxes (and added services).
• The youth hostels are – like anywhere else, a cheap place to sleep and meet new people. Expect about 6215 ISK / night for a dormitory bed.
• Finally, avoid hotels, they are not the best and often pretty expensive. For instance, you wouldn’t find a room for two for less than 26 105 ISK / night. Even though breakfast is included, it would still be a pretty big part of your travel budget.

Eating : 

• In restaurants expect about 1865 ISK for burger and fries, 3110 ISK for a traditional dish and less than 1245 ISK for a coffee and a piece of cake. For a full local meal expect about 4975 ISK / person.
  To save money, cook for yourself, it will be about 500 ISK / meal.

Activities :

• Popular activities can be expensive (between 2500 and 3800 ISK for the hot springs).
• Museum are rather affordable (about 1245 ISK).
• And for the bravest, don’t forget that when hiking you might come across hot springs and could enjoy them safely for free !

Useful contact information for your trip to Iceland

If you need to join / go to you embassy while in Iceland, go to this website for the address, phone number, email adress and website : https://embassy.goabroad.com/embassies-in/iceland

In case of emergency over there call : 112 (firefighters, police, medical services).

Book your trip to Iceland

Here are different website to book your trip.

For flights :

• IcelandAir
• EagleAir

For ferries :

• • Sea Tours
  • Hrisey
  • Samskip

For buses:

• • check out Public transport

For car rentals :

• Hertz
  

Find about fellow travellers’ experiences in Iceland and get inspired on ShareYourTrip !

Practical information for your Iceland road trip itinerary

Tips to travelers :

• No need to tip, the tip is already included in the price.
• Tap water is safe, so no worries about that.
• Get a universal adapter to charge your devices (expect if you live in Europe, most European countries have the same).