Exploring Iceland via campervan is truly the ultimate road trip experience & is on every wanderluster’s travel bucket list. It is exhilarating to travel freely around the Ring Road (aka Route 1) & discover all the spectacular sights with your self-converted motorhome & trusty map in hand. What’s more, you can have your accommodation & transportation all in one! Imagine waking up to a gorgeous sunrise parked right next to a sparkling glacier lagoon or a famous Game of Thrones waterfall!

My husband & I planned our Iceland honeymoon for the tail end of winter, in early April 2018. Besides our preference for cold destinations, we chose this time of the year for the snow activities as well as our greater chances of capturing the Northern Lights. In addition, fares tend to be cheaper during this low season & we hoped to visit the Land of Fire & Ice when there were less crowds. Initially we had planned to spend two full weeks in Iceland, but later decided to take advantage of the rates flying over to Paris. However, as soon as we landed at the Charles de Gaulle Airport, we quickly regretted our decision & yearned to go back!

Below is our 7 day Iceland road trip itinerary including all the main attractions via Google Maps. Click on the icon in the upper left hand corner to view my list of notable stopping points. Feel free to use this as a guide when planning your own Iceland adventure!

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Why Travel Iceland by Campervan?

Theoretically, you can drive around the entire country (approximately 800 miles RT) in only 12-13 hours. But of course no one would want to just bypass all the awe-inspiring sights of this beautiful island. There are several reasons to experience Iceland independently as opposed to an expensive guided tour. You will be able to travel on your own schedule with no other tourists to wait on. Along with that freedom, you can spend as much time as you wish at each destination. We were able to adjust our itinerary on the go & even backtracked a couple times to revisit some of our favorite areas.

Food in Iceland is not cheap & with less options available the further east we ventured, most of our meals were prepared conveniently inside our camper. Ramen noodles never tasted as good while admiring Icelandic horses graze in front of a mountain backdrop & the surround sound of waterfalls on full bass! It is an incredible sensory experience one would never forget!

Because self-driving in Iceland has become so popular, there are many rental companies to choose from. All of the vehicles are well maintained to drive safely through various landscapes & weather conditions. We did a lot of research & watched several YouTube videos beforehand. Ultimately, we decided on CampEasy campervans for their ease of accessibility & the special promotion they were having at the time of our booking. They also provided free pick-up service to & from our hotel in Reykjavík. Check out their website here for more info & pricings.

First Things First

It is not a requirement to hold an international drivers license to be able to drive a vehicle in Iceland. You can use your license from your home country as long as it is valid, unexpired, has a license number, & a current photograph.

Most vehicles in Europe have manual transmission so check with the rental company before reserving a van. Driving on the Ring Road requires a constant flow of traffic & the last thing you want to do is stall in the middle of the road. Expect to pay a little more for an automatic transmission.

The rental company should provide you with information on what areas to avoid & where to expect possible road closures. Another great resource to have on hand is the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration website, ROAD.IS, which gives real-time road conditions. This is especially helpful since weather in Iceland can change at any moment. Be sure to also familiarize yourself with the foreign road signs, as they are slightly different from the US.

Assure Yourself With Insurance

CampEasy camper rentals come with CDW (Collision Damage Waiver) & TPL (Third-Party Liability), which have a deductible of 300,000 ISK ($2,500). For added protection, you can also include Gravel Protection (highly recommend in the winter), Theft Insurance (not necessary), &/or Premium Insurance packages. It is important to review the company policies as certain types of damages may not be covered including climbing on to the roof, flat tires, & driving into rivers or uneven terrain.

Stay Connected With Wi-Fi & Tracking

All of the CampEasy campervans have Wi-Fi capability & can be purchased for 700 ISK ($5.70) per day. This covers unlimited data access for five different devices. But keep in mind, reception around the country can still be spotty at times as it only runs on 3G & 4G networks. We chose to opt out of Wi-Fi since our cellular phone carrier already offered an International TravelPass with 4G LTE for only $10 per day.

For safety reasons, Iceland campers have tracking systems installed. If a search & rescue has to be conducted, it is crucial to be able to track your location since certain parts of Iceland are very remote. CampEasy also offers a 24/7 help line for breakdown services. But in worser case scenarios, just remember the emergency number in Iceland is 112.

Home Sweet Campervan

We rented the Easy Fun camper from CampEasy, which is a mid-size van with a dining table that quickly converts into a three person bed. There is plenty of built in storage for easy organization so you are not frantically searching for things in such a compact space.

CampEasy conducted a thorough walk-through of the camper, reviewing its features & equipment. Basic household necessities were available free of charge so that we could cook, eat, clean, & sleep in our camper comfortably:

• Blankets & pillows
• Cooler/refrigerator
• Sink with running water
• Portable gas stove & butane canisters
• Dishware, utensils, pots & pans
• Dish soap, sponges & towels

Additional non-essential items can be rented from CampEasy including a coffee press, flashlight, hiking gear, outdoor furniture, & even a guitar! Their main office also has a donation drop-off area where fellow campers can leave behind any leftover food & drinks so nothing goes to waste. We were simply grateful to find some unopened butter crackers & a jar of strawberry jam!

As for staying warm, majority of campers have a heating system that runs for up to two hours, even after the engine has turned off. To recharge, you just need to start up the van again. CampEasy campers guarantee eight hours of heat that charge from their dual batteries installed in the rear cabin. The campers also have great insulation to prevent air from escaping out.

Fuel Up Early & Often

Much like everything else in Iceland, gas is expensive. As of April 2018, fuel prices are around 200 ISK per liter which converts to about $7.50 per gallon. But before you mull over the high cost of gas, consider how much you would save by having your sleeping accommodation already in your camper.

There are several gas stations located all over Iceland & majority of them accept the common Visa/Eurocard credit or debit cards. One of the most common gas stations in Iceland is N1. CampEasy will provide you with an N1 discount card that can be used at any station that has full service & not just a self-service pump. Be sure to confirm with the rental company on what type of gas your camper requires. Unlike US gas stations, diesel pumps are black while regular gas pumps are green.

When driving through remote areas, watch your gas meter so that it doesn’t drop below a third of the tank. Also keep this in mind when parking for the night as the camper’s heating system may use up a lot of fuel.

Parking & Camping Your Iceland Camper

Short term parking on the Ring Road is acceptable as long as it is a legal stop off. As with the regular rules of the road, be cognizant of where you park your camper & don’t create a hazard for other motorists.

Camping overnight is only allowed in designated areas or on land where owners permit it. Some sites are free while others can charge anywhere between 1000-2000 ISK ($8.00-$16.00) per person, per night. Majority of campgrounds have toilets, showers, & even small communal kitchens for your convenience. Just remember to follow the Leave No Trace principles when utilizing these public lands, as outdoor conservation guidelines apply internationally as well. Clean up after yourselves & leave the campgrounds the way you found them.

There are several campgrounds available in the popular summer season (mid-May to mid-September) & a few limited ones in the winter months. Due to the overabundance of snowfall during our visit, a lot of the campgrounds were already closed off. Fortunately, there are several hotels located all across the country & we had no issues booking a room last minute, mainly near the bigger cities of Reykjavík, Akureyri, & Vik. But be advised that this may not be the case in the peak seasons & it would be best to make your reservations ahead of time.

Unpredictable Weather

The weather in Iceland can be very unpredictable & change significantly at any moments notice. Clear sunny skies can turn into a heavy snowstorm within minutes (check out my time lapse video below as proof)! In order to stay current, you should recheck your resources every morning. Surprisingly, temperatures range between 50-60°F in the summer & only gets down to the 20’s in the winter. Despite its name, Iceland never gets extremely cold to a point that is intolerable.

When determining whether to drive clockwise or counter-clockwise, consider the weather forecast & the time of the year. North & East Iceland tend to be much colder than the south. Because conditions were looking favorable for the first half of our trip, we traveled in a clockwise direction. Our goal was to reach the north as quickly as possible so we could enjoy our snow excursions before the clouds began to roll in.

Most Iceland travelers come unprepared for the high wind factor which can get dangerous all year round. Sometimes wind gusts become so powerful, they are categorized as hurricane-force! Be especially mindful of this when parking your camper. Always point the vehicle upwind to prevent sudden winds from blowing the doors wide open & off their hinges!

Navigating F-Roads

F-roads are the rugged mountainous roads that are located further inland. Because they are less traveled, these highland roads are poorly maintained & are not as easily accessible, even when they are open to the public. The F-roads have a lot of large rocks & loose debris. Combined with steep hills, road conditions are often slick from mud & snow, even in the summertime. If you plan on traveling on these roads, you need to reserve a camper specifically geared for this type of terrain or hire an experienced guide to drive for you.

Additionally, do not confuse driving on F-roads with off-roading. Straying off of marked roads is illegal in Iceland as it threatens the fragile landscapes & sensitive vegetation. Iceland is still a fairly young country & the government highly discourages any type of activity that could damage its vulnerable lands. Consider yourself warned, as a lot of tourists have received hefty fines for their off-roading joy rides!

Angella’s Travel Tips

• Reserve your Iceland campervan months in advance! The country has become a popular travel destination & rentals can book out quickly. Keep in mind, the closer you get to your travel date, the more expensive it can be.
• A CampEasy technician will perform a detailed inspection & all necessary safety checks of every vehicle before it is rented out. It is recommended that you still inspect the camper yourself & take pictures of any existing damages. Also, make sure there is a spare tire available.
• Bring your own multi-port USB car charger as well extra batteries & a power bank charger. Although most campers have Bluetooth, USB, & AUX input, you may have to pay extra for an inverter. We brought along our own power inverter which came in handy & saved us on battery life during our long journey.
• Before you take off from Reykjavík, save some money by stocking up on groceries. There are several budget supermarkets such as Bonus, Kronan, & Netto that will fulfill your basic needs. Don’t forget to grab a handful of toilet paper & baby wipes!
• Take caution when driving through the remote backcountry of north & east Iceland. Yield to fast, oncoming vehicles & avoid pulling off to the side ditch. Also watch out for the suicidal sheep that like to wander blindly onto the roads! I kid you not!