Iceland

[JohnM]

I also used HI hostels.

 

[get me outta here]

Another option that two of my friends used was to hire a campervan.

 

[pauly7]

Amazing photos - totally inspired to visit - thank you

 

[bPeteb]

Love the photos Kaiser. Iceland was finally ticked off in August for us, followed up by an expedition to East Greenland. I've never put a trip up here as I post one on Travelpod. If anyone's interested here's the link with photos from the whole five weeks.

Travel Blog: Is Iceland icy and Greenland green?

We'll definitely go back to Iceland but in early spring next time so we get to see it much more white and for a bit longer than five nights.

 

[Mattg]

I've always thought it would be "cool" to visit Iceland, but your trip report was just enough to convince me that I really should book a trip.

 

[Cool Cat Phil]

I've always thought it would be "cool" to visit Iceland, but your trip report was just enough to convince me that I really should book a trip.

Airberlin, has some good fares to KEF and from a number of their hub airports too.
It's high up on my bucket list to return to as a destination.

 

[smit0847]

Airberlin, has some good fares to KEF and from a number of their hub airports too.
It's high up on my bucket list to return to as a destination.

I took AB KEF-TXL. A true red eye flight.

Never again.

(Loved iceland though).

 

[Cool Cat Phil]

I took AB KEF-TXL. A true red eye flight.

Never again.

(Loved iceland though).

That's true most if not all of AB's flights are Red Eye's unfortunately.

 

[Dawn1004]

Oh my... this thread came at the perfect time. Am currently planning/researching our trip to Iceland - also to drive the Ring Road (we have set aside 10 days for the ring road and a day pre/post in Reyj.

Have wanted to go to Iceland and Norway for so long, and have decided for my 50th we're going. Still uumming and arrhhhhing do we stay in accommodation and just hire a car, or go all out and hire a camper instead. A lot of the campers that we have seen so far in our research are 1) manual - I prefer auto hubby don't care either way and 2) limited mileage - really want unlimited (I think the ones from memory I looked at the limited mileage worked out to less than 200 or 240 per day which wasn't enough.

The dog sledding looks really good, we did that on Taku Glacier in Juneau, Alaska and it was the best - can I ask where and which company you did yours with in Iceland.

Also in the more remote areas on the ring road - should we take some thing a chiller bag and we can place milk, waters, some cheese, cold meats - you know nibbly foodstuffs at the beginning of the trip from a larger store as some of the smaller stores foodstuffs might be a little harder to come by? Or do you feel there was always something available?

And what words/sentences do you think we should learn to get us by (apart from Help I'm lost!!!).

Any hidden snags anywhere along the way.

Did you feel safe - I believe that Iceland is one of the safest places around.

Loved your photos, magnificent indeed - love the geyser in action one.

NB - we will also be in the UK, cruising the British Isles and Norway, then our self drive around Iceland, and a stopover in Dubai for up to 96 hours... Whilst 50 isn't something I'm in a hurry for - this trip I can't wait for.

 

[get me outta here]

It is on my list too. But next year will be Norway, Iceland is a separate trip.

Dawn, you may find TA Iceland helpful too Iceland Forum, Travel Discussion for Iceland - TripAdvisor

 

[bPeteb]

Oh my... this thread came at the perfect time. Am currently planning/researching our trip to Iceland - also to drive the Ring Road (we have set aside 10 days for the ring road and a day pre/post in Reyj.

And what words/sentences do you think we should learn to get us by (apart from Help I'm lost!!!).

Did you feel safe - I believe that Iceland is one of the safest places around.

Loved your photos, magnificent indeed - love the geyser in action one.

NB - we will also be in the UK, cruising the British Isles and Norway, then our self drive around Iceland, and a stopover in Dubai for up to 96 hours... Whilst 50 isn't something I'm in a hurry for - this trip I can't wait for.

We did not meet a soul who's English wasn't great. No safer than in most places we've been to. Take the gravel insurance, at the very least. Listen to them when they say hang on to your car/van door when you open them. Stop and take pictures - don't think the same view will be around the corner. Be prepared to be get so sick of saying "wow" and "amazing" that you'll never want to say those two words again

 

[Alanslegal]

Awesome photos! Best I have seen on AFF in a very long time. Thanks for sharing!!

BTW what kind of gear are you using? Must be some mid-high end gear there.

 

[Kaiser]

Oh my... this thread came at the perfect time. Am currently planning/researching our trip to Iceland - also to drive the Ring Road (we have set aside 10 days for the ring road and a day pre/post in Reyj.

Have wanted to go to Iceland and Norway for so long, and have decided for my 50th we're going. Still uumming and arrhhhhing do we stay in accommodation and just hire a car, or go all out and hire a camper instead. A lot of the campers that we have seen so far in our research are 1) manual - I prefer auto hubby don't care either way and 2) limited mileage - really want unlimited (I think the ones from memory I looked at the limited mileage worked out to less than 200 or 240 per day which wasn't enough.

Vehicle and accommodation are a personal preference. If getting a camper you will need a way to do laundry and dry wet clothes, also heating to take into account. Definitely take the gravel insurance. There is also volcanic sand/ash insurance - winds can be quite fierce and have a sandblasting effect on your cars paintwork..sooo...try not to drive in areas where this may be the case.

The dog sledding looks really good, we did that on Taku Glacier in Juneau, Alaska and it was the best - can I ask where and which company you did yours with in Iceland.

SUMMER TOURS | Dogsledding Iceland - We did the midnight sun tour.

Also in the more remote areas on the ring road - should we take some thing a chiller bag and we can place milk, waters, some cheese, cold meats - you know nibbly foodstuffs at the beginning of the trip from a larger store as some of the smaller stores foodstuffs might be a little harder to come by? Or do you feel there was always something available?

It was cold enough in spring that we left foodstuff in the boot of the car and they always stayed cool -no coolbag required. Stock up at the supermarket called Bonus (big pink pig logo, hard to miss) - there is one near the car rental places at Keflavik or in most major towns. THe have a good range of groceries and the cheapest prices. Also - try the hotdogs

And what words/sentences do you think we should learn to get us by (apart from Help I'm lost!!!).

English is spoken everywhere.

Any hidden snags anywhere along the way.

Most service stations are unattended outside of business hours and are automatic - that is, you insert your CC, selected an approximate amount of fuel to be pumped and off you go. Be aware that these also take a pre authorisation amount off you card which can take up to 2 weeks to clear and may affect your available balance.
Signage is great along most of Ring Road 1 - both trips I didn't use a GPS but I had a roadmap of the country purhased from the supermarket. Beware that taking a non- 4x4 rental car onto roads prefixed with "F" can result in a fine/fee from the hire company if they find out. Also don't try to fjord any waterways etc etc - common sense stuff really.
Plenty of places to pull over and take pics or go for an impromptu walk. Please don't be like one family I saw who decided it was a good idea to stop their car on a blind bend on the main single lane highway and all get out to take pics:evil:

Did you feel safe - I believe that Iceland is one of the safest places around.

Yep - safe as a house. Iceland hasn't become a nanny state like Australia yet so most cliffs, paths etc are not fenced off so obviously exercise caution and responsibility near sheer cliffs etc.

Loved your photos, magnificent indeed - love the geyser in action one.

Thank you

NB - we will also be in the UK, cruising the British Isles and Norway, then our self drive around Iceland, and a stopover in Dubai for up to 96 hours... Whilst 50 isn't something I'm in a hurry for - this trip I can't wait for.

You won't leave disappointed

 

[Kaiser]

Awesome photos! Best I have seen on AFF in a very long time. Thanks for sharing!!

BTW what kind of gear are you using? Must be some mid-high end gear there.

Thanks. First trip was a Nikon D700 and second downsized to an Olympus OMD EM-1.

 

[lvabarg]

Not sure if this has been mentioned before, but there are a lot of private holiday rentals, like air b&b. we have been twice, and used them. While it was not as cheap as hostels, they were cheaper than the hotels.
Also the Icelandic people are the kindest people i have come across, and i am an experienced traveller. I have been told, that in the smaller towns, they do not lock their doors.

 

[a330j]

About to head there for a couple of weeks. A bucket list item about to be ticked-off. Hopefully my photos will come out half as good as these.

 

[annielee]

awesome pictures !! and I'm already planning for next year (April) trip to Iceland for 5 days (hopefully it will be enough)...