Guide to Road Tripping in Iceland
So – you’ve set a date for your trip to Iceland. You’ve got all your items packed and you’re ready to book camper van then what?
Now – we recommend you dump a bucket of ice water on your head, check your pulse, and pinch yourself a thousand times to make sure you’re awake, because the only way to successfully experience everything that Iceland has to offer is by road tripping it Campervan Style!
Many visitors to Iceland book their Camper Van and then wonder where to go from there. If all you have for your road trip is a torn up map that you can’t make sense of, never fear – this guide to road tripping in Iceland will have you graduating to Road Trip Wizard in no time!
In this blog post, there are a few things we’ll address for you, from best campsites to park for the night, the best routes to take and what to expect while driving in Iceland.
Popular Routes to take Iceland has no shortage of beautiful roads to travel, each one taking you to a wide variety of amazing outdoor places. Depending on what you have an appetite for, you have a couple of options that we recommend at least starting with:
Golden Circle – Less driving, focuses on key attractions
Ring Road – More driving, see everything in Iceland!
Golden Circle Route
This route will take about 3.5 hours to drive, but we promise you, you won’t be driving the whole time! Packed into this scenic road are several attractions to visit, including Þingvellir National Park, Geysir Geothermal Area and Gullfoss waterfall. We could write a whole blog article on each of these places alone, but we’ll keep it short for now. Basically, if you want to see waterfalls, glaciers, ice caves and scuba dive, all within the same day, then this route was made for you!
Ring Road Route
So you have more time to hangout with us in Iceland, more like a whole week? Maybe you’ve just gotten married and you and your spouse want to go crazy and soak in everything there is about Iceland? Then the Ring Road (officially called Route 1) is the road for you and your Kuku Camper Van!
Without stopping, it would take you about 12-13 hours to drive the entire road, depending on how good the weather is – snowy conditions may cause delays. This route will take you all throughout the north, east, south and west parts of Iceland, where you can visit multiple popular attractions such as lagoons, black sandy beaches and volcanic mountains. You will more than likely also met some sheep crossing the road too! Speaking of sheep, now is a great transition into the next part of our road tripping blog:
Driving Safely in Iceland
If you’re coming from the U.K., remember that the driving lanes are opposite and the steering wheels are on the left side instead. Make sure to practice driving in the parking lot if you have to in order to adjust to the change.
It’s also important to remember these safety rules before driving: Follow the speed limits and road signs. Iceland has speed limits, road signs and in a few places, toll fees, and it’s your responsibility to abide by them. And never under any circumstances drive off the road into the country side unless you have permission from the proper authorities.
Be careful of high winds.
I don’t know where you’re from, but here in Iceland, we have some kuku winds that are strong enough to rip your vehicle door off, along with anything that might be holding on to the door. Be careful when opening your vehicle door, opening it with a firm grip.
Yield to the sheep
Yes, Iceland is known for sheep and cattle freely roaming the fields. Be mindful of your speed on the road, as you will probably need to stop for crossing animals. Don’t worry, they’re sweet, and you can probably manage to roll your windows down and get a selfie with one if you’re stopped!
Be mindful of the weather.
Besides high winds, Iceland is also known for changing weather quickly. You can be driving on a pretty calm day and have a blizzard out of nowhere show up. When this happens, roads become too covered in snow to drive on and visibility is impossible. If this happens, pull over somewhere safe in your Kuku Camper Van and wait until the snow dies down.
Campgrounds for your Camper Van
At the end of a long successful day of exploring, mountain climbing and hanging out in the lagoons, nothing will feel better than pulling your camper van in for the night at a nearby camping site. Below are a few campgrounds on your routes that will allow you to park your camper van for the night! Note, they do have a small cost for staying per night, but it’s dollars compared to staying in a hotel!
Þakgil Campground, South Iceland
This campground is a favorite for many of our customers because it is right off the South Ring Road near the little town of Vik, and is just minutes away from the beach. Not only does it offer places for you to park your camper van for the night, it also offers showers, laundry and wifi.
Gesthus Campground, Southwest Iceland
Gesthus has beautiful overnight accommodations located in the heart of the small town Selfoss, which allows for quick access to civilization, cafes, and stores, while also being near the Olfusa river, and right off the Ring Road. Depending on how late your plane flies into Iceland, we recommend this campground for your first night’s stay, as it’s less than an hour from Reykjavík, and is a great starting point for your road trip. It also offers amenities such as restrooms, showers, laundry rooms and wifi.
