Tag: Ring Road travel

The land of fire and ice! For being a relatively small country in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, Iceland has an impressive array of sights to behold. From fjords to volcanos to waterfalls to beaches and all the glaciers in between, the topographic variety here is truly astounding. This is quite the dream vacation locale for anyone that thrives on outdoor exploration adventures. You’ll have the experience of a lifetime driving along Iceland’s circumferential highway: Ring Road.

Ring Road is an 820 mile or 1322 km long highway that connects most of the towns and cities in the more populated regions of the country. Besides being important for country infrastructure, it makes for a perfect highlight reel to anyone looking to see the country in a weeklong (or in our case ten day) snapshot. Ring Road circles the island, making it the perfect foundation for road trip travel. Follow the often-paved-but-also-rather-gravel-y road for all the unforgettable views and memories. We’ve cultivated the perfect ten day itinerary for your Icelandic campervan road trip!

We just returned from Iceland and, we’re already excited to go back! What’s better than exploring, getting a little lost, savoring the hot springs, hiking it out, and and just plain gasping at all the scenic drives??? While I love tent camping and the occasional backpacking trip, I can’t say I’m quite as outdoorsy as my raised-in-the-wilderness-of-Oregon husband (he’s actually from Portland, but spent an above-average amount of time wilderness adventuring). As such, I was a little nervous about committing to over a week of van life, but it was all for nothing!! The vans are intuitively designed, the bed was surprisingly comfy, the toilets and showers in the campgrounds were beyond satisfactory, and we ate such yummy meals!

If you’re one the fence about committing, JUST DO IT!!

Renting a Van

Where to even begin? Ecotourism has exploded in Iceland and with it so has the converted campervan industry. How do you know which one to choose? Who includes all of the things you want and need? Is an airport shuttle included? How much space do you need?

The why

Before we even get into the nitty gritty, why rent a van in Iceland? Why not just drive around and get hotel rooms? So many reasons! First and foremost, Iceland is big spendy. Even a ~budget~ trip can get expensive quickly! Renting a car plus getting hotel rooms is almost certainly going to add up to more than the cost of the rental van. An added money-saving bonus is that meals out add up quickly too, so having your own kitchen allows you the opportunity to make food instead of eating out for every meal.

The second reason would be the flexibility. Before we left, I spent hours and hours scouring blogs, reading Iceland travel books, checking Instagram accounts, etc. trying to craft the perfect itinerary… and we still shot from the hip and changed plans the day of more than once to do something different. When you’re just driving to a campground, it’s nice to be able to have that ability to change your mind.

Anyone that’s done much camping will already know where I’m headed with reason number three here… the VIEWS! While it’s not quite the same as backpacking to a remote alpine lake, there’s a handful of the campsites that are so amazing, and you just wouldn’t get the same view with a hotel. Our favorite campsite was actually in a location that just had camping options— 45 min from the closest hotel, so in order to truly enjoy this place you had to be all in.

The who

We probably spent almost as much time exploring all of the various car-camping options as we did planning the trip… not joking quite as much as I wish I was. Due to the extent of reconnaissance we did, I feel pretty confident recommending Happy Campers as a van rental company! Not only was everything in the van exactly as advertised, but the customer service was excellent.

Three weeks before we were supposed to arrive, we reached out to see if there were any automatic vehicles available in their fleet. We’d originally rented a manual van and planned to have Salvador drive the whole way, BUT plans changed when he tore his right Achilles. He ended up having surgery exactly two weeks before we left, and I had never driven a manual transmission a day of my life. The gravel-y rolling hills of Iceland did not seem like the most ideal place to learn.

Even though we didn’t see anything available on their website, we emailed Happy Camper to see if there would be any way to switch over to an automatic van, and by golly, they were able to finagle the fleet and make it happen.

The other things that swung us to Happy Camper were a collection of smaller perks… all the overnight bedding was included as were the gas cooking canisters. Our rental included our pick up and return to the airport as well as a wifi transponder and GPS for use throughout the entirety of the trip! We were sooooo pleased with our experience.

the What

You may be thinking how big of a van do I need? Is four wheel drive (4WD) necessary? The very frustrating answer is… it depends! If you’re visiting in the summer months, you can traverse the ring road in a 2WD vehicle without any issue. Some people really prefer to pull away from the crowds and would rather sacrifice more popular stops for some F-road exploration. F-roads are roads in Iceland that you MUST have a 4WD to explore due to the road conditions you may encounter. One could also argue that during a 7-14 day trip, there’s enough to see in Iceland accessible via 2WD vehicle that a 4WD van isn’t reaaaally necessary.

Now, visiting in the winter is a whole other dealio. We drove on roads in Iceland that had us thinking… if this isn’t an F-road, what do the F-roads look like?!?! Now, if we were encounter some of those same roads in the middle of winter with ice and snow on the road, I would definitely want a vehicle with 4WD. Even friends that visited a couple months ahead of us in May woke up to snow one day and were glad they had a car with a little extra oomph.

go big or go home

Now to the important question… which van size are you going to go for? While there’s loads of different companies, they all more or less offer different spins on the same vans. We opted for Happy Camper’s Happy 2 – 3 Pax rendition of a Renault Trafic van. Having never lived the #VanLife before, I was worried about feeling crammed in one of the smaller WV Caddy, Renault Kangoo, or Dacia Dokker sized-vans.

I wanted us to have enough space that we could enjoy ourselves during our trip and I wasn’t constantly needing to re-arrange things. I also didn’t want to feel like Salvador and I were too on top of one another. Nothing ruins a vacation adventure like getting sick of each other halfway through!

I’ll be honest, I casually scoped out the smaller vans, and I’m very glad we decided to punch up to the bigger version. While we certainly could have made it work, I think it was a bit more enjoyable experience for both of us to have the extra space. PLUS Salvador was 2 weeks out from an ankle surgery, and I don’t always have the best body awareness, so the extra room helped us avoid any nefarious ~whoopsie daisy~ situations.

There are bigger vans you can rent as well, but I subjectively think it’s a bit more space than you need, but everyone’s space vs cost desire is different!

Fast & Furious

Be aware of your surroundings as you’re driving. This is always true, but in Iceland there are cameras set up to catching speeding travelers. These speeding tickets are so easy to avoid because all of the speed check cameras have a sign posted about a quarter mile ahead that warns you of the upcoming situation. Most of the cameras are in the south part of the island as you approach/depart Reykjavik. Up in the north, near Akureyri, you’ll find an uptick as well. Nothing to stress about, but good to be aware of— no one wants to find out they got a ticket 1 month later.

Cash Out

Unlike many other European countries, you can really get through a whole trip to Iceland without needing any cash. Some of the shower machines at campsites requires 100 ISK coins; however, the campsites will almost always just charge you evenly for these coins when you pay for your nights stay. Gas stations can be a little finicky and might make you pay with a debit card (pin required), but there’s no real need to hit up an ATM or exchange for cash before you leave.

When To Go

Iceland is going to be beautiful in every season. As the days get shorter and colder, the aurora borealis begins to return, which only adds to the mystic wonderland ambiance of the island. Summer brings nearly endless hours of daylight and more moderate temperatures. The drier and more mild Icelandic weather tends to drive tourism to the summer months.

After reading so extensively about how popular Iceland becomes in the summer, we were honestly expecting to encounter more people on the road and whilst we were out adventuring. I don’t want to mislead anyone, parking lots will fill up and trails will be well traveled, but we never ran into any issues where we were unable to find a parking spot or go where we’d planned because of a crowing issue.

You can catch snow in Iceland as early as October or as late as May, so if you’re trying to avoid any snowy situations, I’d recommend planning your trip outside that time window. Since the fellow traveler situation wasn’t too crazy and the weather was rather perfect while we visited, we’re big champions of an early to mid-July visit! June or August would be rather lovely as well.

Chow Time

Food stays a top priority for this hungry girl. If you’re already thinking “what am I going to make for 10 days?”, have no fear. Cooking in the van really wasn’t that different than cooking on a stove at home. Our camp stove was build right into the internal structure of the van… it was almost like we had a mini kitchen!

Before we left, we packed a small container of Lawry’s seasoning salt and a lemon pepper I just snagged from Target. These were clutch to have for all of our cooking endeavors.

Breakfast

We kept breakfast pretty simple. I’m used to eating protein bars for breakfast, so I packed enough of those to last our whole trip. Salvador would usually have a yogurt or Skyr (Icelandic dairy product with the consistency of yogurt). He was also a big fan of some of the pre-made salmon sandwiches available in the grocery store. That made for an easy breakfast (or lunch) as well.

LUNCH

I won’t be winning any awards for creativity here… we ate the same thing for lunch almost every single day, but it was good! We maintained a stock of fresh bread, eggs, sliced turkey, and tomatoes in the cooler, so every day for lunch we had a delicious egg sandwich. It was a perfect combination of being nutritiously balanced and fresh!

You really just need a pan and spatula for this, so it doesn’t take long or create many dishes. This is key when you’re living out of the van day in and day out!

Dinner

Chef Salvador had full rein in the camper-van kitchen, and he served up some YUMMY meals. A few of our favorites include:

• Lamb Macaroni & Cheese
• Spaghetti and Chicken breast with a side of sliced bread
• Tacos
• Chicken with Pasta salad
• Lamb chops and salad

This obviously isn’t the most innovative list of meals you’ve ever seen, but don’t think campervan means you’ll be eating freeze-dried dinners for a week! We also ate out a couple times as well, which was not only tasty, but a nice reprieve from dishes. 🙂

The Highlight Reel

If a picture’s worth a thousand words, how many is a video worth??? Here’s a short video recap of some of our favorite sights… pick Iceland, chose Iceland— you won’t regret it for a second!

DAY 1 

First and foremost, gotta pick up the van! This might take a little longer than you expect, so be sure to leave yourself some wiggle room. There’s flexibility in the driving schedule because the total drive time for today is only around 4 hours, which is very doable.

We had an overnight flight arriving into Reykjavik, which I honestly thought would be perfect. We upgraded our seats, packed a comfy neck pillow, a tried and true eye mask, and threw in some ear plugs for good measure… only to sleep zero total minutes on the flight. As such I was full on crashing as we were supposed to be starting our drive.

The most insane perk of renting a camper van is that your bed and your car are one in the same, which means that if you’re tired and need a one hour power nap, you can pull over into a parking lot and pass out for a bit (this is do-able in a sleepy-girl-pinch, but overnight camping should always be done in a campground).

Once your sleep tank is full, stop by the grocery store to stock up on a few days worth of snacks. You’ll find spots in both Reykjavik and Borgarnes, so no need to stress about finding food. From there, it’s time to catch some views on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula.

Drive time: approximately 4 hours

THE Raidfeldsgja Gorge

This gorge makes for a great place to stretch your legs out. It’s a short uphill walk from the parking area up to the entrance of the gorge, but it’s rather fun to hop along the rocks to further explore up into the gorge. Like most spots in Iceland, the pictures really don’t do it justice— don’t let this dissuade you. It’s a perfect first stop to take in the immense landscape up close and personal.

Arnarstapi Cliffs

Oh man, get ready to feel that ocean breeze on your face! This will be the first glimpse of the uniquely cool basalt columns found all over Iceland. This lava-rock-meets-the-ocean junction is not only beautiful but rather peaceful as well. There’s also a cliff walk you can wander over to if you feel like living life on the edge!

Hellnar viewpoint 

There’s loads of places to pull off and take in the coastline, but the one in Hellnar is especially picturesque. Not only is it fun to get out and see the landscape from different vantage points, but after a few hours of driving, hopping out every 20 minutes or so is kinda nice.

Snæfellsjökull National Park

Being that it’s the first day, there’s no crazy hikes on the agenda. That being said, if you’re keen on an afternoon saunter, Snæfellsjökull National Park is the perfect place to stop. Salvador’s recent Achilles surgery didn’t alter our itinerary a ton, but it did change how much hiking we did. The park has loads of amazing trails to check out— it’s a national park for a reason!

Djúpalónssandur Beach

Djúpalónssandur Beach is actually part of Snæfellsjökull National Park, so this may be a bit redundant… but if you only make one stop in the park, it should be here! The black sand beach is rather picturesque, and the overlook of the beach is quite accessible for those with mobility impairments. As an added treat, we saw an arctic fox here, which was pretty special!

Ólafsvík Campsite

Tonight, plan to bunk down at Ólafsvík Campsite. This lovely campsite includes the cost of showers, so if you’re feeling a bit mucky, here’s your chance to rinse off! The bathrooms are nice, the showers-to-campers ratio is perfect, and they also have free wifi available. While the campground is tucked away just off the road, the surrounding area is just perfectly picturesque.

There’s a little road that makes for a nice post-dinner walk. It showcases views of both the town of Ólafsvík as well as the endless stretch of ocean.

DAY 2 

There’s no two ways about it, today is the longest drive day of the trip… but better to get it over with early, while you’re still hopped up on that beginning-of-trip excitement! Get ready to be shocked at just how fast 80km/hr feels on a gravel road. We were rather surprised at just how many “main” roads are gravel… and rather pot-holey at that.

Drive time: about 6.5 hours

Kirkjufell Mountain 

Only 20 minutes down the road from the Ólafsvík Campsite is Kirkjufell Mountain and its neighboring waterfall. While there’s loads of massive, powerful waterfalls in Iceland, this one is exceptional because of the very picturesque waterfall-mountain combo. As a matter of fact, it’s become a rather iconic photo spot on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula.

It’s a pretty simple walk from the parking lot to the waterfall. If you’re in the mood to walk around more and stretch your legs before a longer stint in the car, there’s ample trail space!

Hvitserkur

Oh man, if unique rock formations really tickle your fancy, this rhino is worth bumping out for, butttttt this is actually the only thing we did on our trip that we *wouldn’t* necessarily recommend. When we were there, you couldn’t get down to the beach, and he was honestly a little smaller than we expected, observing him from afar. So please enjoy this picture. Take it in and shave off the 45-60 minutes it would add to your day’s drive time!

An interesting bit of Icelandic folklore, some of the various rock formations found around the island are said to be trolls that were forever frozen in time. What do you think? Cheeky troll? Or rock eroded with time? I suppose we’ll never really know!

Hofsós Swimming Pool

Where to go instead? The Hofsós swimming pool! While we ended up omitting this stop (minimal pool and hot spring hopping since Salvador had a surgical incision we were trying to keep dry), it came highly recommended to us by a friend that visited a few years back! The pool is kept nice and warm and offers views overlooking the fjords… if you’re lucky, you might just see puffins or whales swimming by!!!

AkuREyri — Systragil campground

The Systragil Campground makes for a quiet spot to bunk down for the evening. While it was one of the smaller facilities we visited (two bathrooms, one shower), there was also a small playground for little kids to enjoy. It also still has a nice shelter to cook in and an area to clean off your dishes. Showers are an extra fee and so is use of the washing machine. Beware though, there’s no dryer, so everything would need to air dry! Besides the facilities, there’s a lovely little waterfall nearby, which is fun to go check out before you hit the road again.

DAY 3 

Iceland’s geography is impressive for so many reasons, but the range of landscapes to be seen on this small, island country will truly blow you away. From astounding waterfalls to Mars-esque lava fields, you will continue to feel amazed by the vast nature scenery. After yesterday’s long haul, today’s zippy little drive will feel like nothing— especially since it’s broken up by the stops!

Drive time: approximately 1.5 hours

Godafoss

Iceland is practically the land of waterfalls, but there’s a handful in the country that are extraordinarily spectacular. Godafoss is certainly one of them!! It’s always humbling to witness the power of a waterfall, and this one is no exception. From your overlook perch at the top of the falls you can take it in with a birds eye view, but there’s also a path that brings you down to a pool at the bottom of the falls (from the East bank side).

There’s actually two parking lots— east and west— which both lead to paved trails that provide two similar yet slightly different views. We kinda preferred the east, but with Godafoss being so mighty, it’s hard to pick which vantage point is best!

pseudocraters of Mývatn

The pseudocraters are fun to spot, and the walking path along Mývatn Lake is a nice way to take in the scenery from a few different perspectives and viewing platforms. This hike/walk isn’t too long but makes for a nice length to stretch your legs out.

Dimmuborgir lava field

The expanse of lava is such a stark contrast to the previous lakeside views. This spot really is a choose-your-own-adventure dealio because for anyone just looking to take in the vast lava field, there’s a viewing area, with various informational placards detailing the history of the area. You can also head down into the lava field and go hiking around. There’s a handful of different trails to explore as well as some cave dwellings to check out.

Hverfjall crater

As your driving to the crater parking lot, you may start to think… I’m climbing up the side of that?! But it actually went down easier than expected. Hiking up the crater is totally worth doing— both to see inside the crater itself but also for the panoramic views of Mývatn. Hiking up and all the way around the crater is about 3 miles, but even if you don’t have time for the whole circumferential journey, it’s worth it just to do part of it as an out and back!

Grjótagjá Cave

Look familiar to anyone? In season three, episode five of Game of Thrones, there was a scene filmed in this cave! This is an easy and low key stop (no more than 10 min), but the sparkling blue water is rather pretty. Plus it’s literally right along the way to the nature baths, so why not stop and check it out?!

Mývatn Nature Baths

Wowie wow wow… going to a hot spring in Iceland is a MUST! The Mývatn Nature Baths are so warm and relaxing, with spectacular views. You’ll find two large pools (one a bit warmer than the other) plus a rectangular hot tub for anyone looking to get extra toasty warm. There’s also a couple steam rooms to enjoy as well. They have a swim-up bar for all your libation needs as well as free pitchers of water placed around the pool area to ensure no one gets parched.

We put two Tegaderm patches on Salvador’s incision and hoped for the best as we embarked towards the pool. We actually used a wheelchair to help him get down the ramp without concern for slipping on any wet surfaces. As such, we can confirm that this hot spring nature bath is friendly to those with mobility impairments.

Just a heads up: before you get into any public pool or hot spring it is required to get naked and shower off. No need to bring your own soap though— they had some divine-smelling local products to use!

The 411

Pregnant women are discouraged spending too much time in hot springs so as not to excessively raise the core temperature; however, we were very very pleased to find out Mývatn Nature Baths had two pools— a warmer one that ranged from 37 to 39 degrees Celsius and a cooler one that ran 33 to 36 degrees Celsius (plus a third 40 degree Celsius ‘hot tub’). This was perfect because we were able to just hang out in the cooler (i.e. no warmer than body temp) pool without worrying about any damage to Sprout (he doesn’t have a name yet).

The ever iconic Blue Lagoon doesn’t have to same cooler vs warmer pool option, so if you’re pregnant and stressin’ about missing out on a hot spring adventure, this is a safer option for you to consider. Everyone’s body, baby, and health considerations are different, and our lived experience should never be used in lieu of a health care professional’s advice, BUT it’s always nice to know your options. 🙂

Vogafjós

Are you ready to take a little break from camper van cooking? This laid-back fine dining restaurant is the perfect spot to take your relaxed hot spring self. The farm to table ethos and historic recipes make this dinner more than worth the splurge. Everything they brought to the table left us wanting more… geysir bread that’s cooked underground using geothermal heat? YUM! The lamb shank and arctic char were clean-plate-club delectable, and the slice of cake had us ready to order another. If you only plan to eat out for a few meals, this should be one of them!!

Bjarg

Oh my goodness, just look at the picture below. What an amazingly beautiful campsite right on Lake Myvatn. There were toilets, a dish-washing station, and hot showers included in the camping fee. We found the facilities-to-campers ratio to be just right. We were so stoked to snag one of the last campervan spots facing out to the lake!!

DAY 4

This will be the second longest driving day, but man oh man is it amazing… and somehow doesn’t feel like too long of a drive day, because the drive time is broken up by adventurous stops and unforgettable views.

Drive time: about 6 hours

DETTIFOSS

Day four is off to a strong start, visiting one of the most powerful waterfalls in Europe. Dettifoss is in Vatnajökull National Park and the Vatnajökull glacier melt feeds its rushing waters. As you travel around the country it’s pretty amazing to get to experience so many waterfalls of such magnitude. Fun fact: the opening scene of the movie Prometheus features the one and only Dettifoss!

Stuðlagil Canyon

Oh man, when people ask “What was your favorite things you did in Iceland?” it’s such a hard question to answer because even just driving along ring road is such a visual delight. That being said, hiking down into Stuðlagil canyon and climbing around on the basalt columns definitely makes the top five memory moments. While the hike out isn’t anything too crazy, the columns and the canyon are just breathtaking. Being able to tinker around and explore down into the canyon makes it even better!! This is a must-do stop on your ring road itinerary!!!

There are two parking lots for this hike. One you will find initially, right before a bridge. If you keep driving down a rather pot-holey road (do-able in a campervan if you take it slow), you will find another parking lot, which is where we recommend parking. It does tend to fill up though, so it’s behoove of you to arrive sooner rather than later. Worst case scenario you’ll just end up tacking on an extra couple miles to your hike by leaving from the farther lot.

Poor Salvador got to hold down the fort in the van while I was out hiking and canyon rock climbing, BUT on the other side of the canyon, there’s an overlook. While this saves you the 3-4 mile hike, it’s still not the most mobility-impaired friendly as Salvador single leg hopped all the way down… and all the way back up! So so proud of him for being a trooper and powering through.

Rjúkandi Waterfall

What’s wild about the Rjúkandi Waterfall is that it’s literally just a side-of-the-road pit stop. Yup, right off ring road— no detour required. We actually flew right past it initially but thought it looked cool enough to double back for! It’s a short walk up to the falls and they really are lovely. This is an easy little 15-20 minute stop but worth it! Just another example of the immense natural beauty all over Iceland.

Höfn

On your way south, ring road bumps out along the coastline to trace the eastern fjords. While this is assuredly beautiful, we stayed more inland following 95 to 939, which provided us some of the most spectacular road-side views of the drive. Absolutely astounding topography that really leaves you struggling to keep your eyes on the road. Part of what makes this longer drive day fly by is that the drive itself feels like a treat!

Despite some pretty average Google reviews, we stayed at the campground in Höfn and found it to be perfectly amenable. Do you every read other people’s reviews and think that maybe, just maybe, someone had a little too high of expectations for a campground? This spot had two separate areas of bathrooms and showers (not included but pretty cheap) to accommodate all the campers as well as a covered area for cooking, eating, and washing up. They also had a washer and dryer here as well, but it seemed a little spendy at ~$7 per load per machine. But alas when your clothes are dirty, you gotta do what you gotta do!

We had actually been torn between staying here and at the Vestrahorn campground (only 20 minutes apart), but the grocery store 850 meters down the road from the Hofn campground was what tipped the scales this way. Not only was the campground solid, but the Netto was fab as well. We were rather surprised to see people flocking to snag their pastries in the morning like they were a hot commodity. Worth swinging by if you need to stock up on food!

DAY 5

After a longer day of driving, today’s 2 hours will seem like nothing— especially since a stop halfway through kinda breaks up the drive. As you come into this pocket of the country, the variety of dreamy landscapes is truly unmatched. The main showstoppers today will be glaciers, lagoons, and the might of an Icelandic national park. It’s such a unique experience to watch the topography change as you make your way down and around the island.

Drive time: approximately 2 hours

Diamond Beach 

This beach earns its sparkling name from the small chunks of glacier ice that wash up on the shore… sorry, no gem hunting here! Not only is it rather different to see an icy beach, but the mountainous backdrop is unforgettably beautiful as well.

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

The Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon is actually just on the opposite side of the road as Diamond Beach. You can keep your car parked where it is and just wander under the bridge. The lagoon is chock-a-block full of icebergs from the Breiðamerkurjökull Glacier. The ever-changing collection of icebergs is like a mural come to life with the poignant shades of blue and the dark ribbons of ash, serving as a reminder of past eruptions.

I mean, if you’re looking for a fun place to take a photo for your pregnancy announcement, this certainly isn’t a bad spot! 🙂

Fjallsárlón Glacier Lagoon

Yet another amazing stop that a photo just can’t do justice to. It’s wild to think you can see this massive glacier from ring road and can take a short hike to witness it up close and personal. Or at least pretty close. The glacier slopes down to meet the lagoon, so you can wander to the edge of the lagoon and take in the magnificence of the dynamic duo.

Vatnajökull National Park — Skaftafell Nature Reserve 

Not only is this a beautiful pocket of the national park to explore, but it’s also where we recommend camping for the night. The perk of rolling into your campsite a bit earlier in the day means you can hopefully snag a top notch spot. Once you’re all situated, you can set out on some hikes. The Svartifoss Waterfall trail (2 miles) and Skaftafellsjökull Glacier trail (3 miles) are two awesome hikes to sample the area. 

Outside of the hiking exploration, the campsite itself was one of our favorites. While it was the most expensive place we stayed, we felt it was more than worth the cost of admission. Your camping fee for the night includes toilets, plenty of sinks for cleaning dishes, hot showers (with lots of stalls for showering!!), AND a washer and dryer.

This may not seem like a huge deal, but it’s über convenient. Many of the campgrounds we visited either had no washer/dryer *or* just a washer, no dryer— almost always for a fee. After 5 days of frolicking around, you just might have a handful of things you’d be happy to see cleaned, so jump on the opportunity– might as well do it if you’ve already paid for it!

You just can’t beat dinner with a view!!!

DAY 6

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, Iceland brings you arguably your most astounding collection of views yet. From a jaw-dropping canyon to a puffin-filled beach to the most amazing campsite you’ll ever visit, day six just might be the best day of all.

Drive time: about 3 hours

Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon

This picturesque canyon isn’t far off of ring road, but it’s worth the stop! From the parking lot, there’s a ~2 mile out and back trail that provides a few different opportunities to peer into the canyon, and you’ll want to take all the glimpses you can get! The Fjaðrá River winds its way through the steep canyon, with a couple of striking waterfalls making an appearance as well. We happened to pass through on a rather drizzly day, and it was still so amazing!!

A little pop culture fun fact for all the ‘Beliebers’ out there, Justin Bieber filmed his “I’ll Show You” music video here.

Reynisfjara Beach

This is another groovy black sand beach but the sand isn’t necessarily what draws in visitors. The tall basalt columns that line the shore make this beachy keen spot rather iconic. As a bonus, you might be able to see some wild puffins here! When we visited, there were dozens of puffins hanging out on the top of the rocks along the beach.

Dyrholaey Arch

You can spot the Dyrholaey Arch from afar at the Reynisfjara Beach or go investigate up close and personal. If you didn’t catch a glimpse of any puffins at Reynisfjara Beach, you might find some here!

Þakgil Campground

While there’s loads of lovely campsites in Iceland, Þakgil is the best!!!!!! Imagine this: waking up to see lush green mountains divided by a sparkling stream, right outside your campervan. Is so very worth going out of your way for. Located about 45 minutes off of the ring road, it’s not the most economical for time, but you’re getting so much more than just a place to park your car for the night! 

Does it seem like today’s itinerary is a little light? That’s because Þakgil isn’t just a campground— it’s also a trailhead. So be sure to arrive with time to hike it out! There’s an amazing 9-10 mile all-day hike the treks out to a glacier, or a more palatable 2.5 mile hike that makes for a perfect evening walk. When you look up trails for Pakgil, you’ll find people generally talking about the red, yellow, and purple trails; however, when we visited (summer 2023) , the red trail was closed and there was a fairly new blue trail available to explore.

Since Salvador was unable to go hiking and the general nature of this area is that it’s a bit more remote, I abstained from solo-Han hiking out to the glacier and decided to save that for a future Iceland adventure. You’ll quickly find out this place embodies the kind of natural beauty that’s not only worth going out of your way for but worth coming back for!! Even if you can’t do a long hike, I can confirm the blue trail afforded some amazing vistas.

But will I make it???

Reading google reviews can leave you in such a tailspin. The road to get to Pakgil is certainly laden with potholes and a couple blind hills/corners, so drivers should plan to take it slowly. That being said, it was totally totally doable to make the journey in a 2WD van. It was even a drizzly morning the day we drove in (i.e. not the most dry, perfect conditions), and we never felt unsafe!

Also, despite being rather ~out there~ this campground still had everything you might need for an evening of camping fun. Hot showers, toilets, a wash station, and even a cool covered eating area in a cave!

DAY 7

The theme song for today is all about chasing waterfalls. Not only does the day start with a behemoth of a fall, but you’ll get to hike it out on a trail full of amazing waterfalls. From very popular to off-the-beaten-path, today’s the day to explore them all!

Drive time: about 3 hours

Skógafoss

There’s a handful of must-see waterfalls in Iceland, and Skógafoss is certainly one of them. Not only is it beautifully immense, but you can appreciate it up close and personal. We were super lucky and didn’t encounter much rain when we were in Iceland, but it was worth packing our rain jacket and rain pants to get close enough to feel allllll the waterfall mist.

Fimmvörðuháls hike

The Fimmvörðuháls hike is a rather long hike. It’s possible to complete in a single day if you’re feeling frisky and very prepared, but it’s also very commonly backpacked by people. Stretching a total of 16 miles and tackling over 4,000 ft of elevation, this point to point trail highlights various terrains in the Icelandic backcountry. Think endless waterfalls, desolate lava fields, dramatic glaciers, and lush vistas. If you consider yourself even a casual hiker, doing at least part of this trail is a must!

The first 4-5 miles of the Fimmvörðuháls trail is known as Waterfall Way, which makes it a perfect stretch for anyone hesitant to commit to 16 miles of terrain. We’d originally discussed tackling this hike together; however, with Salvador out for the count, I solo hiked about 2 miles out and back to get a glimpse of the glorious trail. It did not disappoint!!

The trail is super easy to find, because it starts at Skógafoss. There’s a ~400 step ascent to the top of the waterfall, and once you’re done checking out the waterfall from a bird’s eye view, you just keep following the trail until you feel ready to turn around… or until you get to Basar!

arbaejarfoss

This waterfall is a little more off the beaten path— like the parking lot only holds 4-5 cars. It’s a rather chill stop, but so peacefully beautiful! We plopped down on the grass, shared a snack, and enjoyed this little slice of nature without much else going on around us. Nothing too crazy but a perfect lovely moment to share— a perfect spot to relax and reflect on some of your favorite places you’ve been and the couple days left to go.

Ölverk Pizza & Brewery

After a week on the road, a hot meal you don’t have to cook yourself might be just what you need. With indoor and outdoor seating options, the ambiance was very relaxed, and the pizza was delicious! Salvador enjoyed the couple beers he had here as well, so we have nothing but strong recommendations to give. Treat yourself to a little pizza and beer!

Borg campground

Honest reviews only, this was probably the most boring campground we stayed at in regard to views and natural beauty, but it’s conveniently located— especially since we figured driving a little extra today means less driving tomorrow. The bathroom and shower situation was solid, and there was a nice spot to clean up dishes, so no complaints here! Really though, anywhere you stay after Pakgil will kiiiinda be a relative disappointment.

DAY 8

Today’s the day for some Golden Circle Highlights. The Golden Circle is an area of sights, not far from Reykjavik, that tends to be easy to access by car or tour group. Close enough to hit up on a day trip excursion. The proximity to Reykjavik means that it that tends to get a little more touristy and crowded but not overwhelmingly so.

Drive time: about 2.5 hours

GullFoss

This will be the last big time waterfall on the itinerary, so take her in, in all her grandeur! It’s a short walk from the parking lot, down a flight of stairs to the prime viewing area. There’s actually enough of a path that you can wander down and see Gullfoss from a few different vantage points. You’ll want to have your rain jacket to brave the spray… and leave behind any accessories that might blow away easily.

Geysir Geothermal

Have you ever seen a geyser before? If not, here’s your chance! The Geysir Geothermal area is actually home to a few geysers, but most of them stay pretty dormant. Strokkur is the exception, with eruptions occurring every few minutes. It’s such a wild experience to watch the ground bubble up and then turbulently erupt!

Thingvellir National Park

Onto the last Icelandic National Park: Thingvellir! This UNESCO World Heritage Site has both geographic and historical significance, earning it the prestigious designation.

The Silfra Fissure runs through Thingvellir National Park, and tour guide services, like Arctic Adventures, will suit you up and guide you through this underwater world of mystery. The water is exceptionally clear with visibility over 100 meters. The Silfra Fissure is aptly named as it is the space between Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. This makes Silfra one of the only places in the world where you can go snorkeling along a continental rift!

We had heard from friends that this is a must-do adventure; however, for us, this snorkeling trip was unfortunately a casualty of the itinerary tweaks we made after Salvador had surgery. Believe it or not, submerging a healing incision and kicking around for an hour is highly discouraged 2 weeks out from an Achilles tendon repair. We’re already excited to dive in whenever we return!

Once you’re all dried off, take those legs for a nice, easy hike to Öxarárfoss. There’s a couple different parking lots to choose from, which will affect how far you hike, but generally speaking, it’s a pretty flat hike that takes you to a lovely waterfall. Don’t be a waterfall snob after all the grandeur you’ve seen thus far! It may not be the largest or most powerful fall of the trip, but this waterfall makes for a lovely perch to take in the unique topography and geography in this region of the country.

Where to go next

We worked our way through the sights, sounds, and smells of Thingvellir National Park a little faster than we’d planned (perhaps because we were unable to go snorkeling :/ ). We felt like we’d sufficiently explored after a few hours, but not everyone might feel the same! There’s certainly more to see if you’re interested in some of the historical heritage aspects that earned it its UNESCO World Heritage designation. This is a total dealer’s choice opportunity. If you’re keen to see more of the historical roots in the park, spent the night in the Thingvellir campground! This was our original plan, but we decided to pivot and spend the evening near Reykjavik instead.

The essentials: ice cream & beer

While tomorrow will be a more thorough perusal of Reykjavik, tonight you can snag some well-earned treats. That’s right, during our time in Iceland I was doing the Lord’s work sampling all kinds of different chocolates, and I can say with confidence that OmNom makes the most amazingly tasty chocolate treats. You don’t have to swing by their shop to purchase one as they are available in grocery stores nationwide, BUT if you go to their store in Reykjavik, you can also sample some of their ice cream which was QUITE delish.

RVK Brewing Co. is another local treat-yo-self spot if you’re looking to enjoy an ice cold beer. It’s actually a little trickier to find than you’d expect (walk down the hill from the film stores), BUT they have a new taproom under construction, so hopefully that will make it an easier find for any future beer connoisseurs. Totally, totally worth making the effort to go check it out if you fancy craft beer.

Vogar Campground

Last night in the van!! While we originally thought we’d spend the night in Thingvellir National Park, it ended up being rather nice to snag a campsite along the water here. I mean, look at that sunset!!

The other bonus is that Vogar is only 10 minutes away from our rental company, Happy Campers. When we got up on day 9, re-packing our stuff, clearing our all the trash/recycling, and stopping to top off the gas tank weren’t the most time consuming processes ever but it did take longer than we initially expected. It was nice to know we didn’t have much of a drive to make it back to base camp.

DAY 9

You made it all the way around Ring Road! After a week of camp meals, the agenda for today is snacking your way through the city. That’s right, today is all about exploring Reykjavik.

Depending on when your van is due back, you can either drop off your van and catch a shuttle into Reykjavik or just drive that van into the city. The latter would certainly be the easier option, but we’ve laid out all the ways you can get yourself into the city for some Reykjavik sauntering around.

Drive time: depends on where you’re staying the night— it’s no more than 1.5 hours round trip from Keflavik to Reykjavik and back.

getting to Reykjavik

Once your van is returned, the question becomes… how does one get around? Uber, Lyft, Bolt, etc do not run here, and taxis are expensive. We’re talking ~$125 for a one way trip from Keflavik to Reykjavik. This will be the least cost effective but most time efficient way to make the journey. We returned out van early in the day, so we spent a little extra time to save some dollars.

Before returning our van, we dropped our bags off at our hotel because they very graciously agreed to hold them for us. We then returned the van and took Happy Camper’s free shuttle to the airport. From the airport, we hopped on the FlyBus shuttle that goes directly from the airport to a bus stop only a 5-10 minute walk from the general center of town. The FlyBus airport transfer still costs $30/person, so when comparing to a taxi, you save about $60… the more people you have in your party, you might just be better off taking a taxi!

On the way back we just rode a public transportation bus, which took a little bit longer, but was rather comfortable. At this point in the day Salvador’s ankle was aching so we didn’t really mind the longer journey. The bus stayed empty enough Salvador could keep his leg propped up, so we were big chillin’ just scrolling through the 177378498 pictures on our camera roll. Getting from Reykjavik back to our hotel took about an hour and fifteen minutes (~30 minutes longer than a taxi) and cost $17/person.

wandering around Reykjavik

Our plan for Reykjavik was to more or less wander around and just take in the city. We’re big fans of eating our way through a new place, and Reykjavik did not disappoint. By the time we got to town, I was I-want-food-right-now hungry, so we took a chance on 101 Reykjavik Street Food. This restaurant along the rainbow road keeps a pretty simple but delicious menu— comprised mostly of soups. We both snarfed down our lunch… plus the owner also brought us out a complimentary hot chocolate and a couple dessert to sample.

We headed to Kofinn next so Salvador could further sample the local craft beer scene. Turnabout is fair play, so after we finished there, we went to Saeta Husid for some rolled ice cream. I’d actually never tried ice cream quite this way before, but it was rather delectable. This is a pretty popular area, so there’s loads of fun shops and store to wander through as you walk around.

If you’re looking to grab another drink somewhere, head to Kaldi Bar! Not only were the beers deliciously refreshing, but the pub had quite the cozy ambiance as well. If you consider yourself a fearless eater, consider sampling the fermented shark at Cafe Loki. If this sounds terrible, that’s because it is!!!! It’s undigestible in its original form, so to become digestible, the shark must be fermented for 6 months. Salvador sampled some, but I didn’t feel so inclined.

Hallgrímskirkja is hard to miss as this eye-catching church is the tallest in the country. The organ-pipe-esque appearance is said to be designed in resemblance of the basalt columns found around the country. Hallgrímskirkja isn’t far from the center of Reykjavik, so this magnificent church won’t be hard to find!

Hotel Duus

Hotel Duus was perfectly situated close to the airport but also right along the harbor, so we ended the trip with an amazing bed and a marvelous view. An added bonus, Antons Mamma Mia is an above-averagely tasty spot just walking distance down the road. Good eats AND good sleeps… that’s what it’s all about. Especially by the end of the trip!

Their website isn’t the worst, but it’s also not the best ever… don’t let this dissuade you! When you’re looking to book a hotel near the airport do not just assume they will have a free airport shuttle. This doesn’t seem like a huge deal, but taxis are actually pretty spendy, even for short trips. Hotel Duus having the airport transfer included is a really nice perk.

DAY 10

After nine days of chock-a-block full days, the last day of the trip only has one stop: Blue Lagoon! Hands down the most infamous of all the hot springs in Iceland, the Blue Lagoon makes for a perfect relaxation station.

Drive time: no driving! just catching a taxi 🙂

BLUE LAGOON

Visiting Blue Lagoon is an activity best planned in advance. Due to its popularity, it’s highly recommended to purchase your tickets as soon as you cement your plans. Your ticket is for a specific window of time on a given day. Days and times will sell out— especially in the summer, so look early to ensure you have top pick!

When visiting for the day, you have a couple options for your day’s experience. The pricing for each of these levels of is dynamic and can fluctuate slightly across days of the week. You’ll also find that some times of day are more expensive than others. Generally speaking ‘premium’ will be slightly more expensive than ‘comfort’, with the ‘luxury’ being a more size-able jump in price. Family activities can add up quickly, but at Blue Lagoon children 13 and under enjoy free admission. The saved pennies can go towards all the snacks little people eat!

COMFORT	PREMIUM	LUXURY
Includes: – Entrance to the Blue Lagoon – Silica mud mask – Use of a towel – 1st drink of your choice	Includes: – Entrance to the Blue Lagoon – Silica mud mask + two additional masks of your choice – Use of a towel – 1st drink of your choice – Use of bathrobe – 1 glass of sparkling wine if dining at Lava restaurant	Includes: – Five luxurious hours at the Retreat Spa – Includes a private changing suite – Unlimited access to both the Retreat Lagoon and the Blue Lagoon (and all the extra luxe amenities in the Retreat center)

Replenishing the energy stores

You really can spend all day here… some morning relaxation followed by a delicious lunch and then back into the hot springs you go. Where to eat? You won’t find a food court here, that’s for sure. There’s a cafe with both dining-in and take-away options as well as three restaurants— all serving fresh, locally sourced ingredients and unforgettable views. While the food is bound to be good wherever you end up, they do have a Michelin-starred establishment, heralded for its gourmet revelations. This is a recent accomplishment as the Moss Restaurant just received their Michelin-star in 2023! It’s easy to make a reservation online when you book your admission ticket.

Take off

At the end of the day, it’s time to pack up and head home… all the way back home! Blue Lagoon is only ~20 minutes away from the airport, so it’s beyond easy to store your bags while you’re relaxing, shower off, and then jetset off for home. It’s always amazing just how quickly ten days flies by!

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So long, farewell

Iceland is beyond magnificent with its cornucopia of astounding natural beauty. To compare it to other places we’ve been, we found Iceland to be a rather unexpected combination of Hawaii meets Alaska?? Strangely enough. But anyways, we loved our ten day ring road adventure, and we wish you all the most exhilarating explorations as you venture out.

Happy travels!

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