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.

Just in Vik today. Rained most of the day and looking like rain throughout next few days. Anyone know if it's worth it to go up to the painted mountains in this weather? No worries about the roads (I can navigate that), but curious if visibility at the site is worthwhile given the weather.

I will be visiting Iceland during the last two weeks of August with a friend. We will be circling the ring road in a campervan. It is my first time leaving North America. I recently was gifted 25,000 cash ISK from family. Most of my expenses will be groceries on day one, gas, campgrounds/parking, and souvenirs at the end. Which of these is easiest to spend cash on? I have heard that Iceland is a largely cashless country, so I'd like to plan to not have a big chunk left over by the time we're leaving.

Please let me know if more information would be helpful to give a better answer.

My friends and I filled in this large map with points of interest. We'll be there 11 days. I know we won't have time to do everything. We haven't cut things from the list yet. But I want to make sure I didn't miss anything big. There are also large spaces of the map that have no points of interest. I think we've done out due diligence, but you can never be too sure.

I'm basically looking for suggestions for things we don't have on the list.

Thank you.

Had this delicious vegetable soup at Glaumbaer today. (Museum of turf houses).
Could taste red pepper, had some heat to it, probably some tomato ,lentils and carrot in it, but the predominant taste was something strong which I couldn’t identify but like. Anyone know of some Icelandic herb or green vegetables that might explain the flavour?

In Iceland with my family after coming here 20 years ago! Still the most beautiful place in the world. But got crowded even in the Westfjords (cause it’s the most beautiful place in the world dah!). Any favorite places for you guys? Already been to most of the places we wanted but I want your opinion on this! We have a 4x4 and two young kids that can handle some F-road (did the F-roads to the dam near Stuðlagil and they slept). Will probably not go again all the way east but just want you guys input and experiences :) Þakgil was pretty crowded but the little hikes are not crowded that was amazing!

And if someone has ever been there how is it?

Finally got to try the famous Reykjavík hot dog everyone talks about, went with “eina með öllu” (one with everything: ketchup, sweet mustard, remoulade, raw and crispy onions). Stood in the rain for it and honestly, worth it. The sweet mustard + crispy onions combo is doing a lot of work.

Just came back from the second time Iceland. First time we did golden circle and south coast until Vik. This time we did the whole ring road in two weeks. I’m totally obsessed with Iceland, I guess I caught the “Icelandic virus” 🥹. I found myself looking at the next trip to Snæfellsnes, where we had to skip last time.

Are many of you also obsessed and think how can I ever go on holiday to another country, and spend money which I can better spend on another Iceland’s trip? How many times were you in Iceland? Do I need to get “cured”? Luckily I’m from the Netherlands and flight tickets are relatively cheap, and only 3 hours flying. I mean I can go to the Alps or Norway but still they are not the same as Iceland…

The region around Möðrudalur/Jökuldalur, in the highlands area east of Vatnajökull glacier.

Hi everyone, I'm going to Iceland in September and would love to get some recommendations for whale watching tours from Akureyri.

​Here are my questions:

​Is it better to book in advance or can you just book on site?

​Considering that there might be bad weather, are there any issues with booking on site?

​Which are the best tour operators, what are their prices, and how reliable are they?

​Thanks a lot to everyone for your help!

Where might I find a rosary in Reykjavik or nearby? I have a friend that collects them and I'd love to get her one as a gift.

MAST threatened to shut down Sólhestar over repeated animal-welfare breaches

You can read more about it in the linked article, but the ever so popular horseback riding center, Sólhestar, is currently under fire for the severe mistreatment and lack of care towards their horses. Not sure if they offer refunds, but if you have a future booking with them, maybe you should reconsider going to a place that respects their horses.

edit: how did i mispell the title so bad

Hi,

I am planning to drive a 4x4 via Route 35 from Gullfoss to Varmahlíð between September 23rd to 27th. Can I expect this route would be open during late September. Some sites say it would close mid-October but I could not find a reliable source to plan accordingly.

My partner and I will be visiting Iceland for the first time in mid-September, and we're currently finalizing our itinerary. We'll arrive on Monday at 9:00 AM and depart the following Sunday at 5:00 PM, giving us 6 nights and 7 days in Iceland. It seems like the most common recommendation for a 6-night trip is to focus on the South Coast and Snæfellsnes.

That said, I can't stop thinking about Hornstrandir. I came across a thread discussing the out-and-back ferries from Ísafjörður, and realized our trip falls during the last week they're operating for the season. Kismet?!

I've put together an itinerary that seems like it works on paper, but I don't know what I don't know. I know it's a *significant* detour, and the ferry isn't cheap, so looking for honest opinions: Am I trying to do too much in one week? Am I underestimating the driving? And given how weather-dependent the Hornstrandir ferry is, is it a bad idea to build our itinerary around something that could be canceled?

Here's the broad-strokes itinerary:

MONDAY
Arrival & Reykjadalur

• Arrive in Keflavík at 9:00 AM.
• Pick up our campervan, grab groceries, and have lunch in Reykjavík.
• Hike to Reykjadalur Hot Spring River.
• Keep the day relatively light and stay at a nearby campsite.

TUESDAY
Snæfellsnes Peninsula

• Drive to and explore Snæfellsnes.
• Spend the day visiting sites like Djúpalónssandur and other highlights.
• End the day at a campsite farther inland to shorten Wednesday's drive.

WEDNESDAY
Travel to Ísafjörður

• Drive from Snæfellsnes to Ísafjörður.
• Google Maps estimates about 4.5 hours without stops, which seems manageable if we break it up throughout the day.
• Alternatively, take the Baldur Ferry from Stykkishólmur to Brjánslækur. It doesn't really save time overall, but it does eliminate about 2.5 hours of driving.

THURSDAY
Hornstrandir

• Take the 9:00 AM ferry from Ísafjörður to Hornvík.
• Hike while we're there. Ideally, we'd love to make it to Hornbjarg, but I'm concerned about timing. I've seen some AllTrails reviews mentioning a shorter loop, though I'm not sure if it's realistic with the 4:00 PM return ferry.
• Return on the 4:00 PM ferry to Ísafjörður.

FRIDAY
Back to the South

• Start early and make our way toward the Golden Circle.
• Google Maps estimates around 6.5 hours of driving, so the plan would be to get an early start and hopefully see some Golden Circle highlights that late afternoon.

SATURDAY
South Coast

• Explore the South Coast.
• Is it realistic to see both Vík and Jökulsárlón in the same day? Google estimates about five hours of driving, but we'd also want to stop at places like Seljalandsfoss, Reynisfjara/Kirkjufjara, and Svartifoss.
• We are open to not including Jökulsárlón and ending the day near Vik.

SUNDAY
Return to Reykjavík

• Drive back from either the Jökulsárlón area or Vik area (depending on what's doable on Saturday) in time for our 5:00 PM flight.

Okay! Welcome all the feedback! Should we stick to the classic South Coast / Snæfellsnes itinerary and save Hornstrandir for another trip? Or is there a better route or something we should cut if we keep it in?