12 Days Iceland Winter Itinerary for €2.3k or S$3.6k
There are many reasons for travelling to Iceland during winter. A chance to see the auroras (see also: how to spot auroras in Iceland), the dreamy winter landscapes, the beautiful natural formations, and to avoid the crazy summer crowds. But the best thing is that it’s significantly cheaper in winter!
While it isn’t exactly a budget destination, it also isn’t as expensive as people think. Especially in winter where accommodation and car rental prices are 2-3 times lower. So don’t let your dreams of Iceland get foiled because you think it’s expensive.
For the 12 days we were there (14 days including flight time), we spent only €2.3k plus flights without having to rough it out. We had to make conscious decisions, but we didn’t have to sleep in the car, stay in dorms (which was perfectly fine), nor eat bread everyday. We even indulged in food and accommodation every now and then!
Here’s our Iceland winter itinerary, summary of costs, and tips on how we did it.
All prices are listed in the currency we paid per pax, but I will convert them to Euros and SGD at the end.
The generic itinerary can be downloaded in pdf at the end of the post. :)
Plotted the main sights in Reykjavik and along the South Coast.
D1-3: Reykjavik and around
We arrived on the afternoon of New Year’s Eve. After settling in at our Airbnb apartment, headed out for some food before joining the Icelanders to celebrate New Year at Hallgrímskirkja Church!
Pro-tip: Even though winter is the low travel season, avoid the Christmas and New Year period unless you plan early.
Many people from Europe fly over for a quick getaway and we almost couldn’t get accommodation last minute. Most restaurants were also either closed or fully reserved so there was no place to eat even if you were willing to pay.
We ended up with an expensive convenience store meal. Epic New Year’s Eve dinner man. Thankfully we had wine from duty-free. :P
Spent the next two days exploring the capital. For us city dwellers, Reykjavik feels more like a hip town rather than a metropolis, which makes it very pleasant to walk around.
Bird’s eye view of downtown Reykjavik from Hallgrímskirkja Church.
Night view of Hallgrímskirkja Church. Our Airbnb apartment was just beside the church, which was very convenient.
Lake Tjörnin in downtown Reykjavik. Most of the lake was frozen so the animals all had to gather at one spot!
The iconic Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre. Check out their website for event listings. This reminds me of the Esplanade back home in Singapore.
At a small park near Harpa. It was super nice chilling here. Parents were bringing their kids here for a little snow sledding from the top of the hill. If only it wasn’t so cold!
The super talked about hotdog stand in Reykjavik! You have no idea how good this is during winter in Iceland. The fresh and fried onions at the bottom are the best. Not to mention that this is probably the cheapest thing you can eat in Reykjavik.
Couldn’t help not trying potatoes in a foreign country. :P
We eventually got our rented car and headed to the Blue Lagoon before starting our road trip. Do buy your tickets online early to get the best slot and discount. We couldn’t get the day slots and had to settle for the evening ones. They have recently expanded so it should be nicer too!
Blue Lagoon is really close to the airport, so you can easily do it when you first land or leave as well. That said, Blue Lagoon is pretty overpriced and touristy. If this isn’t your cup of tea, there are plenty of other more rustic hot springs throughout Iceland. Will be talking about them later.
Activities:
– Blue Lagoon Entrance, €40
– Hallgrímskirkja Lookout point entrance, €5
Food:
– Groceries, ISK1,883
– Famous Hotdog, ISK400
– Random Kebab Restaurant, ISK2,240
– Reykjavik Fries, ISK750
– Waffles near Hallgrimskirkja Church, ISK890
– Random Fish of the day near the pier, ISK 3,000
Accommodation:
– Sandra’s Airbnb Apartment, [S$232(2 nights) + S$116(additional 1 night)] / 2pax = S$174
Other recommendations can be found on the downloadable generic pdf itinerary at the end
Transport:
– Flybus airport shuttle from airport to downtown Reykjavik, ISK2,200
– Refer to section on self-drive below for vehicle rental and petrol cost.
D4-6: Vik and around
Kind of spent the first day rescuing our vehicle. We somehow got ourselves stuck in the snow despite being on a 4WD and having spikes on our tires. Thankfully after an hour of shovelling and the help of a farm tractor, the car was pulled out!
Pro-tip: Don’t go off road unless you are really experienced and know what you are doing. Be smart, don’t be like us!
Well at least the view was good. Actually the entire Iceland is beautiful.
Farmer to the rescue!
A large number of attractions along the South Coast can be found along this area. The best part is that they are all free and just off the main Ring Road (Highway 1), which makes it very easy to visit on a road trip. There is free parking near the attractions as well.
While most people can usually complete all these in 1.5 days, we took much longer cause we wanted to travel slower. Actually we had no choice because other than the accident, our bodies moved really slowly in cold weather. Like seriously. It’s like your mind and body both decided to go on strike.
If you’re not cold resistant, I’ll suggest setting aside more time for exploring. You never know when bad weather might hit as well.
Selandjafoss waterfall. There’s a path that leads you to the back of the waterfall that’s pretty cool. Imagine how epic it would be in summer with more light and rainbows.
Horse riding at Skalakot. We wanted to do a full day tour, but unfortunately it was too icy for the horses. Icelandic horses have a very unique way of gaiting that prevents the rider from bouncing up and down. Ask about it if you’re trying!
You can easily spot them while driving cause Icelandic horses stay outside during winter! Hardy fellas.
The iconic plane wreck. Abandoned since the 1970s, this US navy plane crash landed on the black sand beaches of Sólheimasandur. It’s a little out of the way, and you’ll need to drive on black sand, but the photo opportunities make it well worth it. It’s easier to find now, but here’s the GPS Coordinates (63.459523,-19.364618) in case.
UPDATES (submitted by user Timothy): The C3 plane wreck is located on private property and has been fenced up/closed to prevent access by vehicle since a couple of months ago – as there were too many visitors who did all kinds of things at the crash site, like setting fireworks and generally making a mess . You can still access it by parking around 2.5 km away at the side of the Ring Road and walking all the way inside but it may not be advisable in winter in bad weather.
A less common view of Skogafoss.
Lookout point at the top of Skogafoss.
Dyrhólaey near the town of Vik. It’s very beautiful spot, but also insanely windy.
The basalt columns and cave of Reynisdrangar. Surrounded by the black sand beach, this is one of the most unique non tropical beaches you’ll ever see. Great views of Dyrhólaey from here too.
The skies were clear when we were here, but unfortunately we didn’t get to see the auroras on this occasion. At least we got some nice night shots while hunting for them!
At a spot near the church in Vik. f/2.8, ISO800, 20s exposure.
Along the black sand beaches of Vik. f/2.8, ISO800, 30s exposure.
Activities:
– 1hr+ Horse riding at Skalakot, ISK6,000
– Everything else was free to visit!
Food:
– Lamb/Fish Cheap Restaurant Dinner, ISK2,325
– Groceries, ISK 3,558
Accommodation:
– Vik HI Hostel Private Double Room ISK12,800 per night x 2 nights / 2pax = ISK12,800
– Vagnsstaðir HI Hostel Private Double Room ISK12,700 per night / 2pax = ISK6,350
D7-8: Vagnsstaðir & Höfn
Continued driving along the South Coast of Iceland towards the East.
Our main stop here was Jökulsárlón Iceberg Lagoon, which was pretty cool. Parts of the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier break off and head towards the sea here, letting you get up close to the icebergs. Batman begins, and a couple of James Bond movies were filmed here too! Sadly, global warming has caused the glaciers to recede a lot in the last few years.
Very cool place (pun intended).
Fooling around on the mini icebergs from Jökulsárlón Lagoon that got washed ashore. This beach is just on the other side of the main lookout point and carpark!
Night view from outside our hostel before the storm hit. f/2.8, ISO1000, 30s exposure.
Originally we had planned to drive further towards the eastern fjords, but unfortunately a storm prevented us from doing so. The winds were so strong that we turned back halfway and took shelter indoors instead. Better safe than sorry.
We did however get to Höfn, which was famous for their lobsters. Funny thing was that half the restaurant we were at was filled with Singaporeans. And we hardly met any before this point! Evidence that Singaporeans really love to eat.
Food:
– Langoustine/Lobster Pasta & Burger at Restaurant in Höfn, ISK4,725
– Groceries, ISK2,808
Accommodation:
– Höfn HI Hostel Private Double Room ISK12,500 per night / 2pax = ISK6,250
– Vagnsstaðir HI Hostel Private Double Room ISK12,700 per night / 2pax = ISK6,350
D9: Vatnajökull Ice Caving
Weather finally cleared and we were able to go on an Ice Cave tour! Ice caves form naturally over summer and are best visited in winter when the walls are sturdier. It was a 50min easy glacier hike to the cave, which was surprisingly very enjoyable.
Hiking in snow checked.
The routes were well maintained and there were 2 guides making sure everything was ok.
View of the entrance to the cave. A little climbing involved which was fun.
Simply awed. They do however look better in photos though.
Ice cave photos credit: PeterAmberTravel
Drove for the rest of the day towards Reykjavik and ended up at Selfoss, which was near The Golden Circle.
Activities:
– Vatnajökull Ice Cave Tour, ISK19,500
Food:
– Lunch at Restaurant, ISK1,850
– Groceries, ISK3,114
Accommodation:
– Gesthus Cabin that sleeps 3 at Selfoss, ISK9,500 per night / 2pax = ISK4,750
D10: Golden Circle
No trip to Iceland will be complete without visiting these. The Golden Circle is an imaginary tourist route to the most iconic sights in Iceland. The 3 main ones are Gullfoss Falls, Thingvellir National Park, and Strokkur Geysir. It’s pretty close to Reykjavik, so many people go there on day trips. As with the rest of Iceland, it’s super easy to do this yourself.
Gullfoss or better known as The Golden Waterfalls. There are two big drops, and this is the view of the second one down a narrow ravine.
Strokkur the geyser erupting. There’s an epic slow mo video on Instagram
Thingvellir National Park. I suggest getting here earlier though. We arrived just as the skies were getting dark and could not hike around much.
Partially frozen Öxarárfoss. Never knew waterfalls can freeze!
Accommodation this night was a real treat. We literally slept under the stars in a bubble away in the woods. No light pollution, and no people nearby. Called the Aurora Bubble, it’s like camping but with a super comfortable bed, in an insulated bubble that keeps you away from the elements. The Aurora Bubble is really new, and we were literally the first people to sleep under the stars there.
A 5 Million Star Hotel.
Imagine going to bed with a view like that.
(Review & more pictures: The Aurora Bubble Iceland – A 5 Million Star Hotel)
This was also the night we saw the aurora borealis. While it didn’t happen above our Bubble, it was a relief to finally catch them after hunting for them the entire trip!
I honestly didn’t expect it to evade us on so many nights! Learn from our mistakes and experiences in our guide to spotting auroras in Iceland.
The lights danced and we watched. My camera happened to be taking a time-lapse in the right direction so I didn’t have to do anything. :)
Second viewing of the night. The camera captured it way better than our eyes on this occasion. It was only a faint green glow but still awesome.
Food:
– Pork Ribs at American Restaurant, ISK3,900
Accommodation:
– Aurora Bubble ISK24,900 per night / 2pax = ISK12,450
D11-12: Fludir to Reykjavik
Started the day with a good soak at The Secret Lagoon hot spring in Fludir. It’s very close to The Aurora Bubble, so perfect for the morning. Those finding the Blue Lagoon too touristy will enjoy this a lot more. We were soaking/chilling for about 2hrs (no time limit on entrance), and the number of people in the hot spring ranged from just the 2 of us, to maybe about 20 at one point. This is loads better than the crowds at Blue Lagoon.
We prefer The Secret Lagoon cause you kind of have your own space.
There was also a free small hot pool along the South Coast called Seljavallalaug that we didn’t get a chance to check out due to time constraints. It’s supposedly really local and surrounded by beautiful nature. Most people don’t make it there in winter because it’s a 15-20min walk along a trail from the car park to the pool (this is why it’s cooler). Ping me if you get there! I’ve marked it in the map above too.
It was then basically heading back to Reykjavik to return the car before preparing for our flight the next day. For our final meal, we treated ourselves to the Icelandic Gourmet Feast at Tapas Barinn in downtown Reykjavik! It’s pretty pricey, but it gives you a taste of the popular Icelandic dishes.
From left to right, top to bottom: Smoked Puffin, Icelandic Sea Trout, Lobster Tails, Blue Ling, Minke Whale, Icelandic Lamb. There was a shot of Brennivin and a Skyr based dessert as well.
Activities:
Secret Lagoon Entrance, ISK2,500
Food:
– Icelandic Gourmet Feast + Main at Tapas Barinn, ISK13,400 / 2pax = ISK6,700
– Famous Hot Dog, ISK400
Accommodation:
– Sandra’s Airbnb Apartment, S$116 per night / 2pax = S$58
Iceland Budget Tips
Self drive vs Tours:
Most of the sights in Iceland are free and easily accessible on a self drive. Unless it is an activity tour like ice caving or horse riding, there is no real reason to spending extra on a tour.
A typical basic Golden Circle Tour cost €75 (ISK10,500/S$114) per pax, which is about the average price of renting a car for a day. If you have a group to share costs (we were two), having a car makes so much more sense even if you include petrol.
Going on a road trip is also really fun. It’s flexible, you can go hunting for auroras at night, and you travel at your own pace. We easily spent 2hrs at each spot, which would have been impossible on a tour.
The only con I can think of is that you will miss out on all those interesting things that the guide will share on the bus.
We got our car through Europcars, and paid €791.88 (ISK112,212/S$1,223.09) for a Suzuki Jimny 1.2, Manual 4WD, inclusive of maximum car insurance for 8days. We were lucky and got upgraded to an Automatic Mitsubishi Outlander due to availability though!
This isn’t the cheapest option (SADcars is), but after an unfortunate incident in Turkey previously, we decided to go for a more reputable company instead.
Pro-tip: Car GPS is not necessary unless you plan to go off road and into the mountains. Google Maps is more than enough!
Overall petrol cost = €216 8 Days
Car Rental cost = €791.88
Total cost per pax = 1007.88/2 = €503.94 (ISK71,409.80/S$782.05)
It’ll be even cheaper if you have more people sharing the car! Do note that in summer, vehicle rental prices can be 2-3times more.
Eating in vs Eating out:
A simple cafe meal easily cost between €15-20 (ISK2-3000/S$20-30), so eating out is pretty expensive.
To keep costs low, we cooked as often as we can. We will make breakfast and dinner, while packing food for lunch on the go. Day light is short during winter (around 5-6hrs in Jan), so we wanted to maximise time and ate in the car while driving instead. It was also pretty fun getting creative with our meals.
Guacamole Ham & Egg Sandwich for breakfast.
Classic backpacker pasta with egg and awesome Skyr yogurt.
Chinese style meals
Salmon spinach baked rice with spinach soup. Yes we had too much spinach.
Pro-tip: The supermarket Bónus is the cheapest for food supplies! The logo is the one with the pig.
We did indulge every now and then though. The thing about Iceland is that the good restaurants cost only slightly more than the average restaurants.
Accommodation:
Hostels and Airbnb will be your best bet for affordable accommodation. It’s usually just a place to crash so most of us don’t need all the extra frills that comes with the hotels. Most hostels and Airbnb apartments also comes with a kitchen, which means you can save money making your own meals.
Flights:
Start searching early. I usually book flights last minute, but it pays to search for flights in advance for Singapore to Iceland. Flights easily cost €1k (S$1.5k) and above, but we got ours for €862 (S$1331). If you’re more prudent, I heard you can get flights for €776 (S$1.2k)!
I used Skyscanner, which has a “Cheapest Month” option that shows the most affordable flights. The “Price Alert” feature also makes monitoring easier as fluctuations in prices gets sent directly to my inbox.
Budget Summary (Per Pax)
Total for Activities: €45 + ISK28,000
Total for Food: ISK38,543
Total for Accommodation: S$232 + ISK48,950
Total for Transport: €503.94 (ISK71,409.80/S$782.05) + ISK2,200
Total for Flights: €862 (S$1331) TOTAL COST: €2,346 (SGD3,640)
Note: Euro to SGD exchange rate taken at 1Euro to 1.55SGD. We stayed in our friend’s house for 2 out of the 11 nights, but I added the cost of what it would have been if we had stayed in a single room hostel/Airbnb instead. Rest assured that the cost is still an accurate reference.
Other useful information
– Visas are not required for Singaporeans (and many other countries) for up to 90 days.
– Iceland time is GMT, which is 8 hours behind Singapore (same as London).
– The main language is Icelandic but English is very widely spoken. That includes the older folks!
– Credit cards can be used almost everywhere. Like seriously everywhere. Do set up your credit card pin if you plan to withdraw money though.
– There are only 323,000 Icelanders and most live in Reykjavik. That’s a lot of land for very few people.
– Iceland is cold though it’s the winds that are the real mischief makers. Make sure you have a very good wind proof jacket on top of your down jackets!
– Many Icelanders believe in elves and other magical creatures even if they may not admit it directly. We found out that instead of Santa Claus, they have 13 naughty trolls (Yule Lads) for Christmas instead! Ok this isn’t exactly useful information but it’s interesting.
Useful Resources
Iceland Aurora Forecast – http://en.vedur.is/weather/forecasts/aurora/
Driving Conditions in Iceland – http://www.road.is/travel-info/road-conditions-and-weather/
Iceland things to do – http://www.visiticeland.com/
Here’s also a handy pdf reference itinerary of our trip that @cheriesyw made. It’s not exact, but generally there!
Hope you found this post useful. If you want to increase your chances of spotting the northern lights, check out my how to spot auroras in Iceland guide too.
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Piking at Skogafoss. 📷: @cheriesyw #TheTravelIntern #IcelandSecret #SkyscannerSG A photo posted by Hendric Tay (@pohtecktoes) on
Hi, would u recommend self-drive if we have no experience driving in winter conditions? Have been doing quite abit of reading on Iceland lately, and it seems like the weather there can be pretty unpredictable. Would love to do a self-drive trip there this winter but am not sure if we can handle the frozen roads and etc..
Hey Min,
Hope you find this post useful! Anyway it’s really up to your own comfort level. It was our first time driving too and other than getting the car stuck because of a silly mistake, everything was ok.
We kept checking the weather report at road.is and used common sense while driving. For example, there was one day when we wanted to drive further east but the storm hit and it was simply too windy. We tried driving for 10mins but turned back after that.
Hey Hendric,
Thanks for getting back. Yes, ur post is definitely helpful and the photos are stunning! Can’t wait to experience all of that myself, especially the aurora bubble!
Hey Min
I drove in Iceland during Xmas time in 2009. Had no prior experience driving in snow at all. It wasn’t snowing heavily back then. But I noticed that most of the roads in Iceland somehow were “snow-resistant”. Maybe there was something in the road that diffused the snow. Anyway, if you stick to well-paved roads, I reckon you’ll be fine.
There will be trucks clearing the snow every now and then too along Ring Road (Highway 1)!
Hi, My friends and I will be heading to Iceland during end of Dec to Jan so I was wondering how many layering did u wore? Any recommendations of good and ultra light down jacket from your experience? Thank you!
Hello.
I had a north face thermal base layer, a Uniqlo heattech sweater, a normal face fleece layer, and an unknown brand down Jacket. The down jacket is important!
Hi Hendric,
Like your Iceland trip & planning to go in coming December. Mind if I check with you what did you wear for your bottom when you went for the ice cave tour? Appreciate your reply!
Regards,
Edward
Hello! I was wearing my waterproof track pants from north face but you can rent from the operator too. My partner rented.
Hi
Thanks for the very detaile post on iceland.is it possible if I could have a detailed time schedule copy if the itinerary if you have it?
Hi Kenny,
The most detailed one we have is found in the link at the bottom of the post under “Useful Resources”! :)
Hi,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience!
May i know which flight you took? Also do we need to get the international licence to drive there? Or Singapore driving licence will do?
– Dennis
Hey Dennis!
We took a Finair flight. Singapore driving license works perfectly!
thanks for the heads up! will be leaving to iceland in 2 weeks time :) just a question, do you pay by credit card most of the time or did you exchange to their currency? if so, what so you spend it for? most people say it’s unnecessary to change currency, I’m bringing 150 euros, do you think it’s enough for 3 pax for 10 days? I’m prepared to maximise the use of credit card :) thanks in advance!
Yup credit card can be used almost everywhere! I personally just prefer to carry cash cause I’m old school and find it easier to track my expenses. Exchange rate moving too fast these days. Lol
Hi hi! Can i ask is there any difference driving a 4WD and the normal 2WD car in Singapore? many thanks!
Hello Jieru,
Generally 2WDs are not recommended for off roads. If you plan to drive off the main roads, there might be some roads that only allow 4WDs as a 2WD might not have enough power.
If you are mainly sticking to the ring road, 2WDs are enough!
hi! Thanks for the info. Im keen to go during winter time, like you! to catch the aurora etc. But just worried that it may operate differently from a 2WD, since you can control 4 wheels instead of 2?
Btw, awesome post with good info! =D
Hi Hendric,
Great blog post!
If we self drive in the first week of Jan will a 2WD be ok to access the tourist sites along the coast? or do you need a 4WD to detour off to see the attractions?
Cheers!
Hi Simon, I think the car rental company will be able to advice you better depending on the weather conditions then. Quite hard to predict now!
Which credit card did you use for petrol kiosk that are self-manning? Did you sign with the card or requested for pin?
Hi Minn,
For petrol kiosk you’ll need to setup a pin for your card for overseas use. That’s all!
Hi,
Nice blog you have with loads of information. thank you very much. I would like to know if you booked the accommodation, car rental, ice caves and horse riding tour in advance or when you were in Iceland?
Thank you :)
Hi Eileen,
I booked everything when I was there actually because I prefer flexibility and am open to changing plans. But I suggest booking ice caves in advance because we almost couldn’t get a spot. Literally walked in on a tour hoping people didn’t turn up after booking. If you are there during the peak season in Summer, accommodation and vehicle rental might be scarce so I’ll suggest booking early too.
Hi Hendric,
Your itinerary is awesome !! in fact we are planning a trip to Iceland in December and are looking out for air tickets now. But, i dint seems to be able to find fin air tickets (maybe its way to early and the other airlines have yet to launch the flights) so am curious how many months advance did you book your tickets?
Cheers!
Shay
Yo Shay,
Thanks! We booked 5mths in advance. Which is the earliest I’ve ever booked a flight. Hahah.
What are you using to book your flights?
Hello from the other side !
We usually uses Kayak to search for flights :) and typically we bought air ticket at least 6 months ahead of our trips lol -_-|||. This time round we are abit too kiasu! Thanks for the infor we shall stick to buying 5-6 months ahead instead.
Hi Hendric,
I would like to check our with you how was you going to book your flight ticket disembarked from Singapore to Iceland? Could you recommended us how to get the lowest budget cost for the ticket? eg. travel agency or online service website? We would be probably go in the month of December or January.
I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Best Regards,
Ken Wong
Hi Ken,
I used Skyscanner to look for suitable flights!
Hi , to reach the crashed plane location mentioned in your itinerary, does it need a 4W or 2W is suffice to do the job for traveling in Nov – Dec? Thanks
We went in a 4WD but I saw some others there in 2WD as well! It must have been super bumpy for them. lol.
Hi Hendric,
Thanks for sharing your itinerary! The best we have found online so far! My wife and I are planning a trip there in Mid Dec till Early Jan. Just a few questions hoping you could share.
1) Is the short daylight an issue? Would that mean you guys can only get to visit one/two places a day due to the short daylight?
2) Honestly, how was the experience of self-drive on the frozen roads? Was is stressful and dangerous? What should you do when you hit a storm mid way or other harsh weather conditions? Where can you check the weather report and road closures etc?
Clem
Hi Clement!
1) Yup! We have to plan our day around the light. Basically start driving before it gets bright then arrive just nice at the first destination when there’s light. We also pack lunch so we save time and do not have to go to a restaurant. It’s cheaper this way too.
2) On the main highway (ring road 1), which is probably the main road you will use, the situation is alright because there will be trucks clearing the ice. However if there are strong winds, I’d suggest you just seek shelter or stop driving for awhile. The weather and road conditions can be found on the links i provided at the bottom of this post!
Honestly there’s not much to worry though. The icelanders have been living there for hundreds of years and have coped fine. Just need to exercise some caution and check the weather and road conditions every 3 hrs!
Hi Clement
Would you mind sharing your itinerary and experience for the self-drive trip to Iceland?
We are planning to travel to Iceland this mid December and as what some other has comment, tripadvisors had lots of discouraging feedback about self-drive in Iceland in winter.
Thanks.
Hi Matt,
The full itinerary can be downloaded at the end of the post!
Hi
As you have taken finnair, are you able to exit to visit Helsinki since there was about 8 hours of transit time? Thanks
Wan
Hello Wan. Yup we exited too! There’s a train to town from the airport. :) not much to do though.
Missed out…. How does the puffin tastes?
Since it was not in season, is there anywhere we can visit to see puffins in Nov \ Dec? This
Wan
The texture is a little like liver/whale in my opinion!
I didn’t do research about puffins so not too sure. Do share if you know!
Hi Hendric, what a nice write about your Iceland trip :)
For the same itinerary like yours (south Iceland+Rek) but cut it down to 5 or 6 nights, do you it can be done around SGD2600 per pax?
The main cost would be the flights and car! Possible but tough!
Hi Hendric
For the Ice caving tour, noted you took the picture from Peter Amber Blog.
Did the tour you join visited that awesome huge blue cave taken by Peter Amber?
Will like to visit that and hope check which tour to take .
Thanks
Rgds
Wan
Hi Wan,
We were actually on the same tour and Peter took that picture for us. :)
Thank you for your itinerary. It is fabulous. Helped us alot. My husband and I followed your itinerary closely for our honeymoon in March.
We stayed at the aurora bubble but we did not see a single star. The sky was orange at night. Probably from the lights from the distance?
For all travellers planning to go to Iceland, beware of melting ice while walking. I slipped on ice and fractured my arm at the national park.
You’re welcome! But oh no I hope your arm is alright. I slipped many times but only got brusies. Hope you’re feeling better :).
Thanks for the great guide to Iceland!! I am currently planning my first trip there this year end however would you recommend that accommodation be booked as we go along on the trip or pre-booked would be much advised?
Hi Wee Yon,
Awesome! If you are heading there close to the holiday season I highly recommend that you book your accommodation in Reykjavik. We had trouble finding a place during NY Eve a week before our trip!
Outside Reykjavik we didn’t have problems during Jan period. But if you are thinking of booking the Aurora Bubble (http://pohtecktoes.com/aurora-bubble-iceland/), I’ll also recommend that you book it early. Do say hi to Robert for me if you book it though!
Thanks for the advice! Will definitely say hi to Robert if i confirm the trip and book the Aurora bubble!
Hi there! Your blog is very very useful as I am Asian too, Filipina to be exact :) Thank you!
Anyway, what month did you go? I’m hoping for less snow. We’ll be arriving there November 1.
Also, is it possible to go to the Secret Lagoon anytime while we are booked at the Bubble? I read that it’s near the Bubble. I booked just now because of your post :)
Hoping to hear from you!
Thanks!
Czarina
Hello! We were there in end Dec Jan. Yup Secret Lagoon should be open all year round. Just check their website for latest updates! You never know if they might suddenly have a few days of renovation. :)
Hello! I’m super thankful for your well-written guide to Iceland! I really wouldn’t know how to start about planning my trip without it! So here’s a million thanks for writing this up to save our time.
Here’s a tough question: I’m aware that this guide was written for a 12day stay. I’m wondering if everything can be squeezed and done within 9 days? If impossible, what do you think can be omitted (although i know none of them should)?
Thanks!
Hey Bev! Glad it helped. I think it’s definitely possible. My friend did the entire iceland around the ring road in 10days!
Really? But i’ll prolly just tour the Southern part for now.
By the way, may i know what there is to do at Selfoss besides aurora hunting?
Not much but it’s a good stopover place with lots of Accom
Hi, we are planning to travel to Iceland next Feb..
Found your blog very useful for us..
Some queries,
1) Are the Roads at Jökulsárlón Lagoon, Vik, Hofn, difficult to drive? Or it is just follow 1 path, the Ring Road?
2) When you had some accident on the road, is it easily to ask for help?
3) Is petrol station very far apart?
4) Is it difficult to drive at night there?
5) Is the Bubble Aurora difficult to locate?
Hi YH,
Glad it helped. To answer your questions…
1) Yes its just along the Ring Road for the places you mentioned. Just remember to check the website road.is for the latest road conditions every 3hrs. Usually should be ok!
2) It wasn’t to be honest because we were not on the Ring Road. We were lucky because we had a friend staying nearby who came to the rescue! That said, getting stuck in snow seems to be pretty common. Most of my friends who drove there got stuck in varying degrees. All came back fine. Haha. Just be careful and don’t be too ambitious or complacent like us! I would think that it will be quite easy to get help if it was along the Ring Road though.
3) Closer to Reykjavik it is quite close. But from Selfoss to Vik to Hofn the petrol stations are a little far apart so you have to watch your tank. When you rent your car, they should come with a map that shows you where the petrol kiosks are. Just note that some of them are just a small self-service kiosk by the road. We didn’t know at first and had to reverse to find it.
4) Not to us at least! Just don’t drive too fast because there are no lights on many parts of the Ring Road. But they have reflective markers that reflects light off your headlights very well.
5) Nope! Just make sure Robert (owner) gets back to you with the directions. He can get quite busy! Also help me say Hi if you book the aurora bubble!
Hi Hendric,
Thank you for your reply and answers.
We are abit worried of driving in Iceland.
Saw that you went to the Secret lagoon too.
Reading from online, people say that it’s not easy to go Golden circle, cuz the road there are very narrow. Since Secret lagoon is near Golden circle, is it difficult to go there? As in the roads, is it narrow?
I personally found it fine! In Iceland most of the roads are just 1 lane in each direction. Even on the Ring Road.
Oh… Thank you for your reply.
Ok.. we will follow your tips and itinerary here closely.. :)
Hello..I had pleasure reading your blog! :)
I am planning to travel to Iceland in November, would you be able to advice on the coldness eg what to wear + shoes and layering tips? As Singapore is really HOT! TQ!
Hello! Apologies for the late reply.
Layering always starts with a thermal layer, followed by your normal clothes (or a sweater), then an inner fleece layer, before topping it up with a rain jacket or down jacket.
I will definitely recommended buying or borrowing a down jacket though. It’s no fun exploring if you are feeling too cold. Better to be more prepared than under prepared.
Shoes wise try to get something with grip! My Dr.Martens performed terribly on the ice and I kept slipping. Any bottom that isn’t too slippery on water. Also get good warm socks!
Hi there,
Self-drive definitely gives you so much freedom to see the sights…gutted that I can’t drive! Just wondering what are your thoughts or suggestions/advice about getting around Iceland and still having as much fun without driving?
Thank you!
Hello! I think you can take tourist busses and tours around as well. It isn’t as economical but if you don’t like road trips it will still be fun!
Hi Hendric,
Noted that in iceland is driving on the right side of the road, i am worried that we can’t adapt it if self-drive. How long do you get yourself adjusted?
I guess that differs from person to person but we took maybe a couple of hours?
HI Hendrick,
Thanks for the informative sharing. Just 2 short questions:
1. Is it recommended to bring young children (3-7yo) to Iceland?
2. Are the resturants in Iceland vegetarian-friendly?
Thank you in advance.
Hi Lixian,
It depends on what you’re willing to do really. We met a Singaporean couple who were there with their 5mth old twins! But they had to take turns for certain activities. Do check out my interview with them (http://pohtecktoes.com/iceland-with-kids/)
As for restaurants, if you are not very particular, I think th staff will gladly oblige to remove the meat options in the meals. I don’t recall seeing many vegetarian restaurants but there will definitely be options available.
Thanks Hendric for your patience in answering my question. Based on personal experience, it was easier to travel with an infant compared with a toddler. That prompted my 2nd question. For now, need to save up first. Thanks once again and have a joyful weekend. :)
Hihi, while in Iceland did you use Euro as cash, or Icelandic Krona?
I read various sites that we are not able to change money to Krona in Singapore, and had to change at KEF airport instead. Can you advise on this?
Hello! I suggest bringing euro or usd to change there!
Hi Hendric! Thank you for your informative post!
We are planning for a trip in winter and I have a few questions.
1) Along the ring road, is it possible to encounter volcanic eruption?
2) I am not familiar with a 4WD, so I would like to know what are the tourist spots that may require us to go off road?
3) Do you think it is possible to complete ring road + golden circle in 7 days, given the short day light in winter?
4) What can we do when there’s no more sunlight? Is it still safe to drive?
Thank you so much!! =)
Hi Olivia,
Glad it helped! Anyway…
(1) If a volcano chooses to erupt I guess? But I don’t think that is common in any part of the world!
(2) most of the popular tourist spots are along the ring road. For us, the only off track driving we did was to visit the abandoned plane at Sólheimasandur.
(3) Possible if you really rush but I would not recommend it especially if you are not comfortable with driving at night. Personally we took 12 days and only travelled to Reykjavik and Southern Iceland.
(4) cook, rest and hunted for auroras ourselves! Check out my other guide on finding auroras in iceland too!
Hi Hendric,
Really happy that i managed to see your post.
I am thinking of driving in Iceland during Winter (March). 10 hours of daylight.
From tripadvisor, i see alot of discouraging feedback to not drive in Iceland during Winter. Is it really that bad and dangerous?
For the trip to Solheimasandur Plane Wreck, did you manage to drive all the way there or did you walk to it from the main road?
I am actually planning for a 11 day trip and wanted to complete the ring road. based on your experience, possible? whats your advice? should we just send the 11 days touring the southern part?
Thanks in advance.
Hello!
I think it’s ok to drive but you have to be really careful and check all the weather forecast and road conditions. As you can tell from one of my posts, we got into a little trouble on the first day of driving.
For the plane wreck we drove all the way there without issues! Just don’t go too fast.
11days is enough to go one round but we personally prefer to travel slowly and hunt for auroras.
Hi,
I plan to go Iceland (City area) in 23 Dec 16 to 02 Jan 17 to see Northern Lights. I will fly from SG by BA & transit at London. ( S$2500 Premium Economy round trip)
i will be staying at Ocean View Guest House (near to airport).
I will go solo free & easy.
I don’t know how to drive at all!
Would you suggest me to take totally public transport there or join tour guide there?
Which one is better?
Thks
andy
Hi Andy,
You can consider taking individual guided tours out of Reykjavik!
Hi Hendric
I will be going solo in Feb.
Is it difficult to drive in iceland during winter?
I drove in other countries before but never in winter. Heard winter can be very windy….
Is ice cleats necessary?
And is the ice cave worth going?
The tour not cheap :P
Thanks!
Hey Jas,
Driving can be a little difficult if we are not used to it but not impossible if you are alert. Do check the weather forecasts and be safe! However if you are really not confident, I’ll recommend against it. In winter, the car rental companies will provide tires with spikes so not to worry. But please do due diligence and check with them incase they forgot.
Personally I enjoyed the ice caves as I like nature, geography, and photography.
Thanks Hendric!
I have been driving in other countries before, italy, oz and nz but never in winter.
Just want to confirm the difficult level…
Understand beside driving in winter, the other alternative can only be joining tours.
Did you buy the ash and sand insurance? is it necessary?
Hi Hendric!
Came upon your site while planning my 10 days trip to Iceland this coming October!
Have a few questions here and hope you would be able to help with!
1) Would it be difficult to drive a bigger car in Iceland cause of small/mountain road? Planning to rent a Dodge Durango 8 Seaters, would be using it for 4 persons + 4 28″ cargo bag. Would be driving around quite a bit and not staying at the same hotel most of the days, hence luggage will need to be with us. Bringing my folks around so would want them to feel comfortable and also being able to enjoy the nice scenic view during the car ride.
2) For car rental, would it be necessary to get all the insurance coverage? I noticed there are some windscreen insurance / Sand & Ash protection and definitely the usual CDW (definitely getting this) from different car rental company.
3) I also understand that you rented your vehicle from Europcar, but would there be any car rental that you would suggest? Base on your research before making your booking with Europcar before your trip. (I’m currently looking at iceland4x4carrental.com)
4) Would you recommend renting a GPS system from the car rental or just by using data(mobile) GPS?
5) Been wondering would it be a wiser choice to rent a WIFI modem from Changi Recommends or to purchase/rent a sim at Iceland Keflavik airport. Hope you would suggest something regarding this too.
Sorry for the many questions that I posted here, would appreciate if you could advise/recommend me on it!
Thank you very much!
Regards,
Joel
Hi Joel,
That’s great! Here are my quick answers to your questions.
(1) Yes it will definitely affect. But most of the sites are actually along the the Ring Road so it shouldn’t be too much of a problem. Always check the specific route and check with the locals.
(2) We didn’t get additional because the car rental company told us it wasn’t necessary in winter. However if you are going off road a lot, I will suggest getting it!
(3) There are other options, but I found Eurocar to be the most reliable. Had an issue using smaller companies in Turkey previously so now I always go with the more reputable agencies.
(4) Mobile Google Maps is fine unless you are going into the mountains. We rented the GPS system but did not use it at all.
(5) Does Changi Recommends cover Iceland? Do check! I understand that they cover Europe generally but some countries might be excluded. Generally it makes more sense to get a wireless router if you are travelling in a big group. There were only two of us so we just bought a sim from Iceland.
Hope this helps!
Hello Joel,
I am visiting Iceland too in October. From my months of research, locals always say to be more wary of the wind than anything else; and bigger vehicles will take on more wind. Then again, before we set off on the roads, we should always check the weather for the day. As for car rental, I’ve booked from blue car rental with all the insurance added in. Better to be safe than sorry :)
Thank you for your review, it was very insightful and I love the pro-tips and advice!
Hendric,
I really like your itinerary for the trip. I am going there by myself for 7 days( besides arrival and departure days) in late September. Since it is going to be my first solo trip, I wonder how you book the hostel on the road, did you book it in advance or you just booked as you went. I am not sure how the weather will be and how my driving will take me. I would appreciate your advice.
Thanks,
Hi Nadia,
Glad it helped! We booked 1-2days in advance when we were there in winter. If you are going in Summer you should definitely book early. Even when we were there in winter, we had problems finding a place to stay in Reykjavik because of the New Year as you might have read.
Hi Hendric,
Very helpful blog. Thank you for sharing your experience. I’m going to Iceland in the same period you went to stay 14 days. The only difference is that I will be travelling in a Camper or Motorhome. Did you see travellers in Motorhomes going around? Do you reckon this is a safe and good way to travel in such extreme conditions? I really don’t know if I should rent a 4WD Camper or a Motorhome. Thank you in advance!
Danilo
Hi Danilo,
I think it depends on whether you are good with the cold! Especially if you are going in winter. I met someone who did that but they have to keep their engines on because it was so cold at night.
I would want to try it though!
Hi Hendric,
Thank you so much for your blog. I enjoy reading your trip to Iceland.
I’m planning to go to Iceland for 5 days in Dec. Can i get your advice on these?
1) I plan to rent a car to the golden circle. Can it be a day trip from Reykjavik? Or is it better if i stay overnight at that area?
2) I wish to take a tour to ice cave. How to book for that tour? Is the road to the cave dangerous & slippery?
3) May I know how do you find the Sandra’s Airbnb Apartment? It is clean & warm? How can i book it?
Thank you !
(1) yes you can but start really early! We managed to do all 3 sights. :)
(2) just google iceland ice cave tour! There are many companies and all have very good reputation. Icelanders are very concerned about safety. They will give you crampons so it won’t be that slippery on the glacier.
(3) yup clean and warm! I did link it previously but I think Sandra removed the listing.
Hi Hendric,
I am going there for 14 days (12 days without arrival and departure).
(1) Based on your experience, is it possible to complete the whole ring road? I plan to do the counter clockwise from Reykjavik. My only worry now is the weather.
(2) From your story also, you did try to push more to the east side, but cancelled it anyway. Was it your original plan to just do the south coast trip or you wanted to do the full ring road but cancelled it halfway through?
Cheers!
Wisa
Hello!
Nope we didn’t intend to do the entire ring road. We prefer to travel slower but I did have a friend who was there at the same time and did the entire ring road in 5-7 days. That’s super rushed though. They had a few drivers and drove a lot in the dark.
Most blogs say you can finish the ring road in 7days if you rush, comfortably in 14days.
Hi Hendric
Reference to use of credit card at petrol kiosk which requires to key in the pin. Is the pin referring to the atm pin issued by bank when the credit card is issued? Thanks
W rgds
Wan
Hi Hendric,
Your blog about Iceland is truly useful for many travelers. I’m planning my trip now and will go in November.
A few questions that I would like to check with you:
1) What’s the hour of day light in November? I’m just afraid we are always stuck in the dark. :p
2) Do you get your ISK currency from the airport? or the town?
3) For tour like Ice caving / Jokulsarloon Lagoon, can we book it after we reach the town (Vagstaddir/Hofn)?
4) For the clothing, I’m still thinking whether to invest extra or not. Things like thermal pants, boots, those gore tex products, tri-climate jacket etc. All these cost a lot… I have traveled in winter before, but not the icy country like Iceland where the photos itself make me feel cold… Haha! What i normally do is long john, long sleeve sweater, then jacket (I have ultra light down jacket from Uniqlo but not sure if that’s sufficient).
That’s a lot of questions from me… Hope to hear from you soon!
Many thanks!
Regards,
CK
Hi CK,
You’re welcome! :)
1) Nov im not too sure. You can try googling. But when we were there in Dec/Jan it was about 5-7hrs
2) Airport rate was better for us. We changed at both places.
3) Ice Caving I suggest you book as early as possible. We almost couldnt get a slot and we were lucky because someone cancelled. We visited the lagoon by ourselves so we didn’t take a tour!
4) Iceland is not as cold as London and New York in winter. I think you need a windproof jacket though. Goretex or not. The winds there can be unforgiving. Again this is dependent on yourself. I was fine layering with thermals, fleece layer, and goretex jacket. My partner did the same but was really cold. Ultra light down might work as a inner later, but definitely not good enough for the winds.
Hi Hendric,
Enjoyed reading your blog and really surprised that your friends got to do the whole ring road trip within that short period. Few questions I have for you:
1) Is Blue Lagoon worth it? It’s kinda expensive and seems like quite a few have commented that it is not worth the price compared to other geothermal baths in Iceland, what do you think?
2) Was it hard/expensive for you to book accommodation on the day you turned back from the strong wind?
3) Did your friends have anything to say about driving the entire ring road? I am thinking of doing the same thing this coming October (winter) and many locals on TripAdvisor have dissuaded me as the northern/eastern part are said to be more vulnerable to strong winds/bad weather.
1) It’s one of those things you have to do while in Iceland though. But if you don’t like that, do try The Secret Lagoon and others I recommended on the post
2) It wasn’t as there wasn’t anyone else in the area. We were literally the only ones in the hostel. haha
3) Not really. They said it was windy so they have to drive slower and be really early. But it was really beautiful. Do look at the useful website list i mentioned in the post too. If the winds go beyond purple, please don’t drive. When we were there, we checked the weather forecast very often. That’s what the locals do too. However, if you’re not comfortable with driving in foreign countries with conditions that are different from your home country, I’ll recommend that you stay on the safer side and only drive when the weather is good. Safety first!
Hi Hendric,
Enjoyed reading your blog on your Iceland trip. My partner and i planning to go to Iceland next year probably around end of September or beginning of Oct. Do you think the weather will be alright for self drive and not that freezing compare to Nov onward? Will there be a chance to see the aurora during the period?
Usually it should be better since it’s before the winter season. There is a chance to see aurora all year, just that chances increase in winter. That one can’t predict! It’s not easy though, we were there for 12days and only managed to catch the auroras on the last day despite hunting for them almost everyday.
HI, can I check if you need to pre book for the horse riding at skalakot horse farm?
Hello. We didn’t but I think it’ll be better if you email them or call when you’re in Iceland!
Hi Hendric,
Husband and myself would like to make a trip to Iceland. In your blog it stated itinerary to download end of the blog. I can’t seem to find it, can you share with us?
Hi Iris,
It’s under the useful resources section. Anyway here it is!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/4x0hdqgpnvn4uik/Iceland%20(South%20Coast)%20-%20Ideal%20Winter%20itinerary.pdf?dl=0
Hi Hendric,
Really enjoy reading your blog on your Iceland Trip. We will be going there in February, would like to know is the supermarket easily be found along your road trip?
They are up to selfoss! But once you go beyond towards Vik, you can only find them in the big towns!
Hi Hendric! Do you know if the roads are well lit from the KEF international airport to Reykjanesbaer? Did you always ensure you check in to your next lodging for the day before sunset?
Hi Zing,
Should be! But we took the bus to Reykjavik from the airport and only rented our car later. Many places around the Ring Road doesn’t have street lamps. Instead they have reflectors on the centre and sides of the roads so as long as you turn on the lights it’s ok.
Hi Hendric,
Enjoy reading your blog, thanks for sharing.
May I know if it makes a diff (in terms of cost of fuel) between renting a car running on petrol and one on diesel?
Hi Keith! Definitely diesel will be cheaper but I think most rental cars run on petrol!
Hi there! Thanks for all the information! May I know the address of name of the lobster restaurant in hofn? TIA!
Hi Felin, unfortunately we didn’t note it down. :(
Hi Hendric,
Thanks a lot for this blog info, this is very useful. I will be travelling (self-drive) to Iceland in Dec 2016 with my family. I have below enquiries:
1) You did mention that “for petrol kiosk you’ll need to setup a pin for your card for overseas use”. Please advise is this referred to credit card ATM 6 digits pin which we have in Singapore. I understand European credit card is required 4 pins instead of signature. Kindly advise which bank credit cards you did use & workable in Iceland as I heard some Singapore credit cards are not workable in Europe.
2) what kind of shoes we should wear in Iceland during winter? Should we buy Hiking shoes and where to buy all these shoes in Singapore.
Thanks in advance.
Hi Jane!
We paid for most of our petrol using a top up card we bought from the petrol station. However we did use our Stan Chart card with a 6 digit pin once. I think to be safe you might want to check with your bank as every bank might be different.
2) This is funny because I wore my Dr Martens and slipped like a million times! There are hiking shoes that reduce slip from brands like Timberland and Caterpiller. Can check out the outdoor shops like Outdoor Life or Campers Life. Can google to see which branch is closest to you! Can check out Velocity at Novena too!
Hi Hendric,
I will be bringing a 6 digit pin OCBC credit card there. I heard that some unmanned petrol stations only accept 4 digit pin card, will that be a problem? Can you remember which bank’s credit card you brought along?
Clement
Hi Clement,
We usually pay for petrol using a top up card we bought from the station. However we did use our Standard Chartered card once. We thought they only accepted 4 digit pins too but the kiosk we were at accepted the 6 digit pin. So we’re also not to certain if it works everywhere.
Hi Hendric,
We are planning for a 9 days trip to Iceland in end of Dec. Could u suggest which are the must-see from your itinerary? and also could u provide me the details itinerary for planning?
Eunice
Hi Eunice,
Most of the things on the list are all recommended and I think 9 days is enough for most! We just travel very slowly and had bad weather.
The slightly more detailed list can be found at the bottom of the post. There’s a link to a pdf. :)
Hi Hendric,
For the Vagnstaðir hostel you mentioned you booked a double private room, does that comes with toilet in the room?
Hi Angeline. Ours didn’t but I think some do!
Dear Hendric,
Many thanks for your quick reply & info. I will check for the hiking shoes for my family.
I have booked for the Ice Caving Tour. Other than wearing hiking shoes & waterproof jacket/pant with wear in layers, do we need to bring sunglasses? As I heard there would be quite strong sun reflection from the snow, from your photos, I could not see two of you with any sunglasses during your trip (hiking/ice caving etc). Please advise.
Best regards
Hey Hendric!
My boyfriend and I are heading to Iceland in Feb’17 and your guide is the first I’ve came across which featured the Aurora Bubble! Unfortunately it’s fully booked in Feb when I went to check earlier. Just wanted to know how far in advance did you book?
Hello! We booked it a month in advance but that was because it wasn’t open before! We were actually the very first guests to sleep in it and cover it on our blog. Haha.
Hi Hendric,
It was very encouraging to read your blog as everywhere I read, bloggers are generally against winter driving for those with no experience. You are very brave to attempt it in deep winter. How did you manage to get help when your car got stuck? I have read that there may not be a soul for miles and miles.. We are planning a self-drive trip there in end March 2017 and was almost having second thought about self drive till I read your blog. Was the immigration smooth at the Keflavik International Airport? We plan to arrive 1.30pm, pick up rental car and head straight to Vik where we will stay for 2 nights. Was Route 1 icy when you drove in Dec? Google map indicated 3hr drive but I wonder at what speed is this timing based on. We plan to drive up to Jökulsárlón before heading back to hotel near to airport for a 2 night stay as well. Also, are Seljalandsfoss, Reynisfjara Beach, Dyrhólaey Arch,
Svínafellsjökull Glacier in Skaftafell Park, Jökulsárlón; Kirkjubæjarklaustu, Seljalandsfoss, Geyser geothermal field, Gullfoss waterfall, Thingvellir National Park all near the main road or highway? We prefer not to stray off too far to be safe. Thanks for the trip report and help!
Hello! Glad it helped. I’ll recommend that you space out your itinerary as weather is unpredictable and you may have to change your plans! I don’t recommend driving so far on your first day. It’s better to get used to driving under those road conditions first. I highly suggest that you stay closer on the first night.
When we got stuck we called for help! As simple as that. We were also lucky cause an Icelandic friend helped us out by offering shelter for the night while our car was left in the snow.
Airport was fast for us and Route 1 wasn’t icy as there will be trucks clearing snow and ice periodically. That said some areas were a little slippery. Remember to check the weather forecast!
Hi Hendric
My friends and I will be heading to Iceland next month for 12 days during mid of the month. We are doing self drive and understand that the petrol station need 4 PINS password. Would like to check which credit card did you used ?
Noted that you went for ice glacier climbing. Did you book the tour online before the trip or upon arrival at Iceland?
Did you brought the tickets for secret lagoon and blue lagoon online too?
How many layers did your wear during your trip since is pretty cold especially when the wind blow. We are wondering if unqilo heat tech really works. Do you think is necessary to get a waterproof pant for the Iceland trip?
Looking forward your reply.
Cheer,
Mayie
Hi Mayie,
It’s ice caving instead of glacier climbing though. Both are very different. If you are interested in doing ice caving, I’ll recommend booking online. We didn’t and almost didn’t get to do it! Secret Lagoon you can get on the spot. Blue Lagoon it’s better to book online.
1 thermal layer, 1 normal long sleeve, 1 fleece layer, 1 down jacket. Waterproof pants not necessary. Good to have but not necessary. You can rent it for the Ice Cave tour.
Hi Hendric
Understand that during winter the day time will be shorter than night time, would like to find out how early you will start off your journey for the day?
Thank for your information. Would like to find out you book the glacier from which tour agency?
Cheers
Mayie
Hi Mayie,
It depends on where we are going actually. We’ll calculate the time it takes to drive to the location we want to visit and start that amount of time earlier so it’ll be “just nice” bright when we arrive to save time.
Here’s the agency we used! http://glacieradventure.is/
Great! We manage to book the ice cave tour with the agency. Noted that you brought the petrol top up card but we cannot use it at all the petrol station right is depending you purchase the card from which petrol station? I tried to call UOB, Citibank, OCBC and they mentioned they did not have 4 PINs code. Was wondering if our Singapore credit card 6 PINs can really worked there.
Hi Hendric!
We are planning for a self-drive trip there for 9 days trip to Iceland this 20th – 28th December.
Is it recommended to drive up to the north in 9 days?
The plan was to self-drive and depending where we are, is there any possibilities to book the accommodation upon arrival or should we book in advance?
Noted that you went for ice glacier climbing. Did you book the tour online before the trip or upon arrival at Iceland? Is there a cheaper way to do ice glacier? or the price is all fix for ice glacier touring?
Hello!
– It’s ok if you’re only doing the north. I had a friend who did the entire ring road in 7 days but that means you need to travel very fast, drive at night a lot, and risk changing plans when the weather turns bad. Not recommended!
– In winter there is a higher chance but no guarantees. We didn’t book anything ahead of time other than the aurora buuble and almost couldn’t find accommodation in Reykjavik. Outside the city it’s possible though i recommend calling at least 2 days in advance. Book Rekjavik accom now though!
– Actually we did an ice cave tour. Not glacier climbing. We should have booked online but we didn’t. Again was lucky that we even got a slot! There isn’t any cheaper way as it is not possible to do it by yourself.
Hope this helps!
Hi Hendric,
1. The C3 plane wreck is located on private property and has been fenced up/closed to prevent access by vehicle since a couple of months ago – as there were too many visitors who did all kinds of things at the crash site, like setting fireworks and generally making a mess . You can still access it by parking around 2.5 km away at the side of the Ring Road and walking all the way inside but it may not be advisable in winter in bad weather.
2. If you are not doing organized tours (which provide you with equipment), would strongly recommend crampons (with small metal spikes) to be attached to your shoes to prevent slipping on ice/snow outside the city/towns. You can get these online quite cheaply from Lazada/Tabao/Qoo10 etc. You can’t really see melting ice and a fall can be serious.
3. I am curious, how did you end up in the snow ? Did you try going off-road to visit anywhere?
Hi Timothy,
1. Thanks for the info! Will update the post.
3. Not really, we just got complacent while doing a 3 point turn and the car went off the main road into a ditch. It was quite hard to tell cause the snow was thick.
Hello Hendric,
Thanks for sharing such an informative and detailed post about your Iceland trip planning! I have some queries as I am planning a honeymoon trip to Iceland in early Jan 2017, would be very grateful if you could give any advice when you have the time. We tried booking the Aurora Bubble after reading about your amazing experience but alas it is fully booked until Mar 2017. ):
1. Are the long nights boring? As you mentioned that Dec-Jan only has 5-7h of daylight, are there any night activities in Iceland beside chasing the northern lights?
2. Do you think it is possible to wear a gown in January? We are thinking of engaging a photographer to do a couple photoshoot for us haha.
3. How long would you recommend to finish the entire Ring Road in winter? We are okay to wake up early but not drive through the night.
Thank you so much! :)
Hi Lindsey!
Glad ya enjoyed the post.
1) We spend our time cooking, resting, and planning for the next day so our reality was that we didn’t have enough sleep! In Reykjavik and the bigger cities there will be bars and places to go though!
2) If you are super unafraid of the cold why not? But I’ll suggest checking with the photographers or wedding companies in Iceland for this.
3) 2 weeks! But we travel slow. I had a friend who did it in 5days but they drove a lot at night. If you are strictly driving only during the Daylight hours, you might only be able to do 1 thing a day and travel time might be even longer. Iceland is so beautiful because of the crazy weather patterns they have there, so do be prepared that the weather can suddenly change for the worst! That said, it can also suddenly change for the better. There’s this saying in Iceland that if the weather is bad, wait 15mins and look out of the window again. :)
Hi Hendric
Thanks for sharing your experience.
My husband and I intend to travel there in early March 2017 for a 7 days road trip covering the areas similar to yours.
Few questions to ask:
1. Is it advisable to book the accommodation early as accomodation seems to snap out fast?
2. We intend to stay the night at Reykjavik, Vik, Jokulsarlon, Selfoss.
Would you recommend us to stay longer nights at Reykjavik or Selfoss.
3. Which ice cave tour did you take and where is the pick up point?
Thanks
Hi Cindy,
1) Yes especially in Reykjavik. They generally can’t cope with the influx in tourist at the moment. The population of Iceland is only 300k+++!
2) It really depends on what you want to cover! We only stayed a night at Selfoss though.
3) http://glacieradventure.is/ The pick point may change so it’s best to check for the latest updates on the company website
Hi Hendrick,
Do you know where we can change icelandic $$ in singapore?
Hi Ling,
I’m not aware if there’s any in Singapore but my friends who have been to Iceland and myself changed Euros at the airport there.
– Hendric
Thank you Hendric..
Do you meant we can use euro in iceland?
Hi Hendrik!
Thanks so much for your post. My husband and I went to Iceland by campervan last October and your blog was a great reference! :) I blogged about my experience too! Wanna go there again – we didn’t get to see the Northern Lights, sadly :(
Hiya, thanks for sharing your trip, awesome post here!
We are heading Iceland this coming Nov/Dec, and planning to do some self-drive. What speed did you drive at on average? Am also wondering, did you missed any of your accommodation booking due to weather and had to find accommodation at the last minute – was it easy to do so?
Hello!
It ranged from 60-100km/hr! We didn’t have problems booking accommodations 1-2days in advanced other than in the capital Reykjavik! Generally googled and called as early as we have a plan. There were some days we did have to drive around though! If you are thinking of the Aurora Bubble, it’s better to book months in advance as that is very very popular.
Nice itinerary ever!!! it’s bring lot of useful information. has saved it for planning my Iceland trip on next year… Thanks a lot.
Hi Hendric,
Nice write up and a wonderful trip you had!
1. For the petrol top up card, which brand did you bought from? Is it N1?
2. Did you got any problem from the car rental company upon returning your car ? I heard a lot of bad experience where the car rental company trying to ripped tourist of the money when they didn’t buy enough insurance and trying to find any single little damage/scratches to the car.
3. For the sim card, where do you get it and which telco was it from?
Appreciate your time to clear my doubts….
thank you.
Hi Alex,
1. Yup!
2. Nope. We went with the reputable Eurocars and had no problems
3. We got it from the airport. Can’t remb the telco!
Hi Hendric, thanks for the extremely informative blog. Just to check, do you have the name of the restaurant you visited in Hofn for lobsters?
Hi Regina, unfortunately nope as we were literally driving randomly. Hofn is really small and I’m sure if you ask the locals they will direct you.
Hi from next door Malaysia! Well written post with a lot of very useful advice (not much posts out there for Winter!) and this is great! I am planing to go in winter this year and we have 14 days, an additional 2 days from your itinerary which sounds like a great one to adopt. Which part of the trip would you have extended your stay (or reduce) and is there anything outside your itinerary that you would have done (but still within your itinerary route) if you had 2 extra days to play around with? Thanks!
I would try to actually try to do the round trip around iceland with two extra days. Ours had about 1 day wasted cause of weather. So technically you will have 3 days more!
hi there, really awesome and detailed blogpost. I am planning for my honeymoon trip end this year and I would greatly appreciate if you could share the links to the Airbnb that you have stayed at with me :) hope to hear from you soon.
Here’s where we stayed in Reykjavik! There seems to be some changes though. For the other hostels listings you can easily find them by googling! Hope this helps. :)
https://www.airbnb.com.sg/rooms/10196586
Hi Hendric,
great blog and thanks for the sharing:)
just a question do you have missed any accom or tour due to bad weather?
any reschedule allow or burn just like that?
Hi Jerry,
We only managed to do the Ice Cave Tour on our second try as the first one was cancelled due to bad weather. Expect the unexpected in Iceland. The crazy weather is what made Iceland so beautiful.
Hi Hendric
Great blog, I will bring my mom for the trip to Iceland, and was wondering about the ice cave tour, my mom has problem with his knee if walking for more than 2 hours nonstop, is there any rest stop while you do the tour ? any place that she can rest for 10 mins or short breaks in between ?
Thanks
Hi Joe!
I wouldn’t recommend it if your mom has problems walking as it can be quite slippery! Yes there are breaks but no where to sit I believe!
HI Hendric,
just to check with you, do you use credit cards there or you changed to kronas and used cash? If you are using cash, where do you change your kronas at? we will be going this october!
Regards
Serene
Hello! Hope this is not too late. Used kronas in most places and brought about 2k worth of cash. We changed the kronas in the airport and at Reykjavik’s tourist centre.
If you are using your credit card, make sure to get the overseas pin!
Hi Hendric I am hesitating to bring along my two kids (4yo and 9yo) along this Dec for a 10day Netherlands-Iceland trip. One is if they will appreciate the mostly natural scenes (not much of kids running around kind of attraction) and secondly of coz the cost.
Do you know other than the flight ticket will be doubled the cost for sure, how about accommodation and others. If I am to benchmark your S$3.6k per pax does that mean I have to times four for the total? Or the hostel might have the added bed or allow small kids sharing beds?
Hello! So happy that you are thinking of bringing your kids along too. I’m not too sure about the sleeping arrangements with kids as it didn’t apply to us. I think that will depend on individual accommodation though!
Sorry can’t help much here.
Hi, i had been refering your iceland trip and it was great write!
I got a question, may i know u have difficulty to refill fuel with credit card? Like pin code required?
Thanks.
Regards,
jerry
Hi Hendric
Would you recommend solo traveller to Iceland ? As I can’t drive either.
Thanks
Hello you can hope on day tours too!
https://www.klook.com/city/114-iceland/?aid=312
Hi, nice to meet you,
Just would like to ask would you recommend renting Changi portable wifi or purchasing a mobile data plan in Iceland? :)
We got it on the spot!
A very comprehensive guide to visiting Iceland with stunning photographs. It’ll definitely interesting to explore a volcano from the interior instead of from a distance – looking forward to visiting Iceland soon!
Hi Hendric! Can provide the link for Sandra’s airbnb apartment for iceland itinerary? Was afraid i look at the wrong one
Check out the comments above! unsure if she is still active.
Hi Hendric
What are the alternatives if we are not able to join the Ice cave tour and glacier hike as we are travelling with young kids?
Thanks,
Hi Matt,
Think you can perhaps consider taking a Glacier Tour? That seems friendly for families.
http://icelagoon.is/tours/
What an amazing and fascinating place to visit. I really didn’t know much about this but after reading this post I will surely visit one day. Thanks for sharing such an amazing post.
Hi Hendric,
Thank you for your very nice write up on your self-driving experience in Iceland. That’s exactly what we are looking for and really give us a lot of information and sharing experience on driving in Winter particularly. By the way, did you bring any dried food from Singapore to Iceland such as instant noodles or biscuit, etc and is their custom very strict on food bringing in from other countries?
Hi Mindy, nope we didn’t! Don’t really have the habit of bringing such things abroad so i’m not too sure