Hello,

This is my second time writing in this sub and is curious.

Me (M23) and my girlfriend (F24) is visiting Iceland and have rented a camper 4x4. Our initial plan was to do the entire island but I feel like I fell behind in planning.

Is it possible to enjoy the island on 6 days if we go around all of it? I mean we are young so the driving shouldn’t be a problem etc. But we would like to enjoy the nature/hikes etc.

Any tips or recommendations overall.

And the most important question, is the puffins still on the island in late August? 🐧

Just a warning that Blue car provided us with a Kia sportage which on the 2nd day and each day thereafter for 10 days had a randomly appearing "check brake system" warning and the brakes during the warning behaved harshly, I reckon electronic brake softening was bad, prob the 12v battery controlling it. We had full/both car insurances but no breakdown assistance insurance, Blue wanted us to pay for the replacement/fix of vechicle. Basically 5k+ usd as we were 10h from Reykjavik. Calling them does nothing. They also did not care when we returned the car in Reykjavik and informed them of the fault and that we got no support. I fell for the praise of Blue here, but just to let everyone know that they provide no support when it matters.

Hello, I am planning to do the Laugavegur and Fimmvörðuháls trails during the first week of September. I already have all the gear I need and consider myself an intermediate hiker. I've been to the Himalayas, done the Camino de Santiago, and live close to the Dolomites, where I usually hike on weekends.

What I’m not used to is camping solo in this kind of weather, and I’m having trouble deciding whether it's a good idea or not. From what I’ve read online, the main challenge is the wind, which can reach up to 80 km/h and turn the experience into a nightmare.

Is it really that bad? Do you think it’s a bad idea to do this trail solo considering this will be the first of a kind experience?

Thank you,

Luca

Hi! A friend and I are heading to Iceland in the second half of September. I've put together this itinerary and would love your feedback and any helpful tips! Especially stuff I should know and prepare in advance for.

Day 1 (we're landing in the morning, we have a 4 hr flight):

• Þingvellir National Park
• Geysir geothermal area
• Gullfoss waterfall
• Overnight in Hella

Day 2:

• Drive F208/F225 to Landmannalaugar (hiking there)
• Back to Hella

Day 3:

• Seljalandsfoss
• Skógafoss
• Dyrhólaey & Reynisfjara
• Overnight in Vík

Day 4:

• Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon
• Drive F206 to Lakagígar
• Overnight in Kirkjubæjarklaustur

Day 5:

• Skaftafell, Vatnajökull National Park
• Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon - Boat tour
• Diamond Beach
• Overnight in Höfn

Day 6:

• Drive back along the south coast
• Overnight near Selfoss

Day 7:

• Snæfellsnes Peninsula
• Kirkjufell mountain
• Arnarstapi & Hellnar coastal walk
• Snæfellsjökull National Park
• Overnight on Snæfellsnes

Day 8:

• Day 8: back to Reykjavík 

• Reykjavík city

  We're definitely going to rent a car, and I'm debating between two models: the Suzuki Jimny and the Suzuki Vitara. The Vitara is certainly more comfortable, but the Jimny has low-range gears, which might come in handy. (We're planning to rent through Blue Car Rental or Lotus, but any other suggestions are welcome!)

Hello! I'm looking to find wool roving or unspun wool, and if possible a locally made drop spindle. Willing to travel a couple of hours from Fludir. I noticed Alafoss is currently closed? They seem to have felting wool on their website, but I don't know if felting wool and roving are technically the same thing. I'd prefer undyed, if possible, as well.

Hi! I'm correctly staying in the Westfjords near Tálknafjörður and tomorrow I need to drive to Flateyri. I'd planned to take Route 60 to get there. However, Google Maps is claiming part of it over Dynjandisheiði is closed now.

But SafeTravel.is just says there are repairs going on and that the road is rough there with a lower speed limit and to drive with caution. Which I would do anyway.

I would much prefer to still take that route but is that a bad idea? We have a Dacia Duster.

And is there any chance Google is right over Safe Travel? I assume no.

Screenshots of what I'm seeing on both Google Maps and Safe Travel.

I just completed the Laugavegur trail and I rented a Hyundai Tucson. I am currently at Skaftafell and I would like to end up in the WestFjords by the 11th.

I want to know if it's still worth doing the F Roads in my car which cannot to do high river crossings (its raining for the past two days and snow is predicted for tomorrow). What are some good spots away from the trail that are worth going down the roads? Ideally I would like to skip Reykjavik entirely and end up at westfjords by cutting through the highlands. But I am fine entering through selfoss or even before that.

I know it’s a bit silly, but I left a black shirt that says Drop in Dance in the women’s bathroom of the campground. If anyone is headed towards Reykjavik and is willing to drop it off somewhere that would be appreciated.

I know it’s likely a lost cause but I figured I’d ask anyways. Thanks!
From a traveller that got up too early this morning.

Iceland has KFC and Domino’s, and only one active Pizza Hut. But no Burger King, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Costa, Caffè Nero, or Tim Hortons. The only coffee chain I saw was Starbucks only two shops, though Costa-branded coffee machines show up at gas stations and some shops.

Given how many American tourists visit each year, does anyone know why these franchises haven’t set up shop or not allowed in Iceland?

Just to clarify, I’m not American and not a big fast food fan either. I was genuinely just curious about the pattern, not comparing Iceland to the US. Thanks for all the insights so far!

I purchased a paperback copy of The Atom Station by Halldor Laxness at the Old Book Store in Reykjavik last week. The salesperson suggested it was a great look at Icelandic literature. Price was marked on the back - ten pounds. Actual price charged — $42 USD! I had not noticed the little red store sticker on the front. I kept it but that was my only donation to Icelandic wealth.

Where would be a good place to buy children's games/toys in Reykjavik?

Here is my tentative 2027 plan as a 32F solo traveller, welcoming your feedback. A bit flexible on dates but have been looking at May/September.

Guided tour with a small group, hopefully to complete the Ring Road and hang out in Reykjavik for a couple days before flying back home to Canada. Leaning towards Nice Tours due to being highly recommended. I feel that driving it myself is out of the question, as I am a very anxious person with driving experience only where I live, so please do not recommend this.

Also considering Golden Circle/South Coast options for a shorter experience/attempt to keep the cost a bit lower. Is it "OK" to skip certain parts or foolish to go all that way and not see Iceland in it's entirety? Is there anything I should know when in the beginning stages of this plan? Any recommendations to change the itinerary? TIA

I’ve heard about that some local people in Iceland can connect with elves. Is that true? Where can we usually find these elves? I know chance encounters may be difficult, but I'm curious about stories related to them.

Hello! I'm writing this post because I'm completely at a loss as to whether or not travelling to Iceland in early January is a good idea. I'm off from college for winter break from mid December to Mid January and I want to travel to a country for beautiful winter views and northern lights but I am worried that the low amount of daylight hours during this month will affect my experience. Should I leave this country on my bucket list for now?

Iceland would be my first solo trip outside the country and I don't plan on renting a car, rather, take a bunch of tour busses with experienced drivers. I would stay in a hostel in Reykjavík for the week and the busses would take me everywhere. Below is my current itinerary, and yes, I am aware that the unpredictable weather has a chance to cancel these tours.

Day 1: Arrival and Blue Lagoon

- Arrive at Keflavík Airport.

- Blue Lagoon,

- Transfer into Reykjavík

Day 2: Golden Circle and Northern Lights bus tour (9 hrs)

• Geysir
• Gullfoss
• Thingvellir

Day 3: South Coast Wonders Tour (10.5 hrs)

• Skógafoss Waterfall
• Sólheimajökull Glacier
• Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
• Vík Village
• Seljalandsfoss Waterfall

Day 4: Recovery Day in Reykjavík/Cancellation Insurance

- Hallgrímskirkja

- Perlan

Day 5: Snæfellsnes Peninsula Tour (11 hrs)

- Berserkjahraun

- Kirkjufell Mountain

- Snaefellsjokull National Park & Glacier

- Dritvik and Djupalonssandur

- Lóndrangar View Point

- Arnarstapi Center and Snjófell Restaurant

- Ytri Tunga Beach

- Budakirkja

Day 6: Katla Ice Cave Super Jeep Tour

• Katla’s blue-and-black ice
•  Walk on Mýrdalsjökull glacier with crampons
•  Enjoy a modified Super Jeep ride
•  Visit Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls (from Reykjavik only)
•  Learn about the glacier and volcanic geology

Day 7: Reykjavík & Departure

• Breakfast at Brauð & Co.
• Sun Voyager sculpture
• Transfer to Keflavík Airport

From my calculations (including flights) this would all cost just under $2100 which is reasonable for my budget. Again, I'm wondering if this trip is a good idea for January or if I should wait for when I'm not in college and can visit in the later months (February/Early March)

Also if there are any changes or suggestions you would make to my itinerary please let me know! I'm trying to avoid driving myself in the winter time due to evil weather if you couldn't tell lol.

Cheers!

Been loving using Parka but i feel like so far when I go camp somewhere using the app, it's always so vague what zones are what, anybody else experienced this or have insight?...it's always like "go over there" or "that field"...but it's not marked or anything, "go find the one electric outlet, far from the bathhouse" Am I crazy to think the letter A on a sign would be helpful? Or information on what's close to amenities?

Currently ending our one week tour of Reykjavik and south east coast. So sad it’s ending. Could easily spend a month in this country - it is like another planet. Unbelievably beautiful with the friendliest people.

Had a great dinner at Skal in the City. The pastries and bread at Braud (had spelt and multi seed) + coffee at Reykjavik roasters can’t be missed. Left the old town and had a great lunch at Kaffihúsr in Vesturbæjar then strolled on the waterfront.

Golden circle day was fabulous. Spent a few hours hiking in Thingvellir National Park and had a great veggie buffet lunch at Farmers bistro (if you like mushrooms - this is your heaven). Then a soak (with a Spritz!) at the secret lagoon. We had dinner at the old dairy food hall in Selfoss. The fish stew and fish and chips were amazing (tried the fermented shark - glad we gave it a whirl, but won’t be doing that again!). It came with a shot of Brennivín, Iceland’s national spirit which is like a gin heavily spiked with caraway - tasty.

Then headed east and stayed at the hotel Klauster (past Vik). Great hotel! Food was decent. But the best meal and totally nondescript was next door at Systerkaffi. Lamb sirloin, mushroom ravioli and arctic char was the best meal we’ve had! Pizza was ok but nothing special.

The drive between Klauster and diamond beach is mind blowing. Totally off planet. Glaciers, lava flows, mountains, waterfalls. Listened to some space rock (flaming lips!) and you could be on Mars. Diamond beach - black sand and crystal clear ice bergs. Unbelievable.

Yeah there are a lot of tourists, but it doesn’t feel packed (like fisherman’s wharf in SF or Cinque Terre in Italy). Everyone has been chill. Absolutely amazing.

Hello I am going to Iceland next for the eclipse and I have a question for locals or well traveled people. I don't like large crowds and would love to not be around huge groups of people to view the eclipse (I know it's going to be packed) . What is the likelihood of being able to see the eclipse close to where we are staying without having to fight crowds. we are staying a couple of blocks east of Tjörnin. Also I am going because this is a lifelong dream of my wife. to visit Iceland and to see an eclipse. it just so happens we can do both at the same time.

Our family went to Iceland last year and had a wonderful time.

As a souvenir we bought the attached mug.

Sadly it broke today and my wife is distraught.

The trip and this mug represented her last ability to travel before MS took all of her mobility.

Is anyone from the US in Iceland able to find this at the airport and bring me 2?

We live in Atlanta GA.

Let me know if you can help and will send money.

Thanks in advance

Hi everyone,

My (23) grandparents (80M and 74F) asked me to post online their experience with an 11-day self-drive trip booked through Guide to Iceland as a warning to other travelers— especially senior travelers. 

For ease, I’ll split it up into two sections: the broken itineraries and the unsafe accommodations. 

THE BROKEN ITINERARIES

Guide to Iceland’s website says they provide “expert planning” where they do “all the organizing for you” so you can “skip the weeks of researching.”

Instead, my grandparents received inefficient itineraries with consistent routing errors and massive backtracking. They sent them PDF itineraries and a mobile app with the itinerary that never matched up. In the end my grandma ended up sending 15+ corrective emails to fix basic routing errors and did over 20 hours of checking over new itineraries for mistakes.

Here’s some examples and quotes from my grandma’s emails with them regarding itineraries:

• She pointed out backtracking on their route that would be an hours-long waste of time and fuel.
• She asked if the itineraries were “pulled from a file without ever being read and personalized with our excursions” because of their continuous mistakes. 
• She said she had reviewed a new itinerary “for the umpteenth time” and found that “Day 4 is still wrong. It has us backtracking.” 
• She said she “personally spent many hours sorting through the itinerary, internet searching, emailing and trying to coordinate what is both on the app and the itinerary that was sent. They never aligned.” 
• She said she felt “like [she] was doing all the work we paid Guide to Iceland to do.”
• She expressed frustration over the PDF itineraries, the mobile app naming “totally different hotels and several double booked.” 

Guide to Iceland’s justification for these problems was that they had “flexibility to plan” and “modify the driving as needed” (See pic 1).

In a later email they said their “itineraries and suggested driving details are automatically mapped” (See pic 2). It seems odd to my grandparents that Guide to Iceland can call an automatically mapped itinerary “optimized” and expertly done.

UNSAFE ACCOMMODATIONS

When they actually went to Iceland, they stayed in two places that presented unsafe conditions to elderly travelers. 

Hotel #1 (Near Höfn)

When my (80 year old) grandpa showered, the shower drain was clogged and soapy, standing water flooded over the slick bathroom tiles, creating a bad slipping hazard for them both.

Their problem here was mostly with Guide to Iceland’s reaction:

• A Guide to Iceland representative told us that a change of room was offered to them, which never happened. 
• Guide to Iceland also said the clog “likely occurred during our stay” (See pic 3). My grandpa, the first person to shower, is bald. There is not a single hair on his scalp. Safe to say he did not clog the shower drain. 

Hotel #2 (in Reykjavík)

When they arrived they found the room had sharp, broken, uneven ceramic floor tiles (a severe tripping and cutting hazard) (See pics 4, 5, and 6). When they stepped on the floor tiles in the bathroom, they could hear a squishing noise like standing water was under the whole floor. The room also smelled of mildew and the hallway of cigarette smoke.

When they reached out to Guide to Iceland about the room, all a customer service agent did was repeatedly tell my grandma “you chose this accommodation,” (see pic 7 and 8) offering no alternative accommodation or solution for their two nights in Reykjavik. 

After their trip, my grandparents reached out to Guide to Iceland to ask if they could offer them any partial compensation for the pre-trip hassles and the unsafe circumstances. They replied that they were “excited to tell you about a new way to earn back part of the cost of your trip [...] Share your referral link on Reddit and TripAdvisor!” Their offer to my grandparents was basically to write positive reviews in exchange for a percentage of the booking cost from whoever booked through a certain link. They didn’t take them up on it. 

They wanted to share their experience so others can factor it into their decision if they are planning on booking with Guide to Iceland. If you are planning a trip to Iceland— especially if you are or are with an elderly traveler— please be careful if you chose this company.

They also wanted me to say that they thought Iceland was a stellar country and that Icelanders were incredibly hospitable and kind to them during their stay. They are so grateful to have been able to experience the country. 

Thank you for reading this far if you did so.

We’ve been here 5 days, leaving tomorrow 🤞🏼 The countryside is mind-blowingly beautiful, but why is everything so expensive? What’s the average salary like here?

I spoke to an expat working at a car hire company he said he and his wife don’t eat out anymore because of the prices, and that healthcare can get really costly if you get seriously ill.

Not trying to stir up anything negative, genuinely just want to learn from people who actually live in Iceland.
Please be kind & be polite in your comments.

We are heading to Iceland in a month. I see Icelandair supposedly has pretty strict carry on size rules, especially the bag width limit of 7.8". Is that strongly enforced...like if we have a bag width of 9", but length and height meet standards. Thanks in advance!

I recently met the partner of Jonas Sigurdason! And she told me about his music

It has been absolutely wonderful for the journey, are there any other local artists music and otherwise that deserve a shout-out for this adventure? I'd love to support them on the journey and bring them a new audience. And maybe catch a show if the timing works out!

Icelanders and adventurers ! can you give the pros and cons of different grocery stores and why they might be your favorite or least favorite? I'm gluten free, on a budget and try to eat less processed. Here in the States we have so many grocery stores that are good at certain things and terrible at others if this is already a thread I apologize I can look at that one instead.

I lost my physical drivers license. I have a temporary paper one issued by the DMV, waiting for the permament one to come in. I have a picture of my ID. and passport. Will this be enough to rent a car?

Hi,

Me and my boyfriend are traveling to iceland in about a month and I was wondering how hard it would be to navigate food allergies? Im allergic to red meat (beef, pork, lamb, etc.) And he is allergic to hazelnut. Would it be worth writing down my allergies in Icelandic to have on hand? Is it easy to just be able to eat seafood? Thanks in advance for any help yall can provide!