Iceland, a land of unique sceneries and untouched nature… a magical place that will make you feel lucky to be alive on this wonderful planet. Traveling and exploring this country in a campervan is, without a doubt, one of the most popular and the best ways to get a full experience (especially on a budget). The 170 campsites are proof how campervan friendly the country really is. Most of them have great facilities, and are super affordable.
Why Campervan Travel?
Travelling with a campervan is such a great experience as you can literally take your “home” wherever you’re headed. In a country that has so many exciting sceneries you can explore, being always on the go is (in our opinion) the only way to do it. You’ll always want to move forward towards the next destination, and not having to return to a hotel / airbnb every night will save you a lot of time and money! Speaking of money, a campervan will turn out to be way less expensive and much more comfortable than shared accommodation.
Now that we settled you’re going to travel with a campervan, what are the essential things you need to know?
Make a Budget in Advance
Iceland has a reputation for being quite pricey due to a previous economic crisis. However, fear not, travelling on a budget is totally doable if you pay attention to how you spend your money!
FACT: The currency of Iceland is the Icelandic Krona. The current 2020 conversion rate is 1 Euro to 158.02 Icelandic Króna / 1$ to 135.59 Icelandic Króna.
Plan your route ahead of time
In order not to waste money on expensive gas for nothing, make sure to put all the destinations you desire to visit on Google Maps and decide which is the most efficient route you can take. This thing alone can save you a lot of time and money!
Let us know in the comments section if you would be interested in us sharing our map!
Renting
There are many rental agencies out there, all with different offers. As we were on a budget on this trip, we chose the best value for money option we could find at that particular moment, which was provided by Rent.IS. We had a great experience with them. When we arrived at the airport, someone was there to pick us up and drive us to their headquarters. The campervan was fully equipped with everything we might need (from a water tank, to kitchen supplies, a car charger) and… a very comfortable bed.
1. Insurance
Rent.is includes the Collision Damage Waiver insurance, a mandatory insurance in Iceland (so you should have it regardless of the rental agency). However, there are many other types of insurance out there, and if you don’t do your research beforehand, it might get overwhelming. We recommend getting the gravel protection as it’s impossible to avoid gravel roads during your road trip. This could eventually cause cosmetic blemishes or even a need to replace the car’s windshields. Paying for the insurance will definitely save you from a greater fine!
2. Check your car before you leave
Before you hit the road, make sure to take some time to look for any damages (i.e scratches) the car might have. Write them down, and take some pictures. This will assure you that you won’t be held accountable for anything you didn’t do in the first place!
3. Check all the car supplies
In order to have a smooth experience, it’s good to double check if the campervan has everything you might need (and that your rental agency promises). Look for things like kitchen essentials, lighter, gas stove, blankets, sleeping bags, blinders, everything of such sorts. This way, you’ll be sure not to miss something exactly when you need it most!
5. Gas Stations
When you’re headed to a gas station beware of the “Full Tank” option and avoid it at any cost !
The “Full Tank” option will freeze 25.000 Icelandic crowns off your card for the next 48/72 hours should you fail to put any amount of gas for whichever reason (pump out of fuel or out of order). This amount is retained as a “deposit of guarantee” that will only be refunded when N1 (or other Gas Station) doesn’t claim the payment. This might take a few days and it’s definitely not worth the burden. The best way to assure a risk free journey is to buy prepaid gas cards (they come in 3.000, 5.000 and 10.000 Icelandic Crowns).
TIP: Ask your rental company for a gas station token (most of them have these) as they come with discounts! Trust us, given how expensive gas is, every bit counts!
IMPORTANT: Take the car back with a full tank!
Depending on your rental agency, if you fail to do so, you might have to pay the overpriced fuel at the rental agency.
Camping in Iceland
1. Campsites
The country is definitely filled with campsites, some with breathtaking views (I mean, who wouldn’t like to wake up next to a waterfall?). Most of them have great facilities, such as a hot shower, bathroom, common kitchen, WiFi and a charging space where you can load your devices with a full battery. We liked to call a few hours in advance to announce our arrival and check out the campsite’s tariffs. The average price for spending the night is 1500 ISK (~ 9 £ / $14) per person. Some might include all facilities, while others will have a separate fee for the shower. The campsites are really easy to find on Google Maps. Here’s a map with most of them (keep this close to you)!
2. Food
Being on the road all the time means you have to be mindful of how much water and food you might need. We recommend stocking up in Reykjavik before you start your adventure. You won’t find a supermarket really often (only in bigger cities), so thinking in advance will assure you’re never left hungry, quite literally, in the middle of nowhere. After a thorough research we found Bonus and Kronan to be the least expensive to offer a wide range of options. Cooking for yourself will save you a lot of money as dining out can be very expensive! Beware, alcohol and meat are among the pricey ones as well.
TIP: Plan meals in advance. We literally made a list of recipes we’d like to cook for each meal of the day. When we went shopping, we knew the exact quantities we needed. We recommend canned goods (such as beans, lentils, chickpeas) as they have a long lifespan and they won’t take up all the space in your tiny fridge. Also make sure to consider snacks (nuts, fruits). They are always welcomed on the road! Check out our article on how to keep a healthy diet while travelling!
3. Water
As for water, skip the expensive supermarket one because Iceland is known for its fresh, drinkable water. Bring a reusable bottle (our favourite one is from Chilly’s Bottles) and fill in at any tap or even waterfall! You’ll most likely have a water tank provided by the rental agency which can be easily refilled in campsites.
Speaking of water, if you’re a coffee person, we recommend packing an AeroPress Go (it’s easy to pack and makes delicious coffee!). However, we have a confession to make. As coffee obsessed as we are (and we really love specialty coffee), we managed to go the entire trip without a sip! (We’ll give credits to the fact that it was light 24/7. The sun kept us going!).
4. Showers and toilets
Most campsites are equipped with great shower and cooking facilities. Make sure to bring the essentials: shampoo, body wash, toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, wet naps as well as some slippers and a towel! (We know it makes sense, but we thought we’d give you a little reminder). If you have enough space in your luggage, we’d recommend a compact blow dryer as not all campsites have this facility.
TIP: Carry only a little cash (as you can pay with a card almost everywhere) as you might need some coins for showers, laundry or campsite tickets.
5. Sleeping
Campervans come with a great heating system that will warm your “home” up without the car running. This means you’ll be able to enjoy a warm, cosy night! If you are sensitive to cold, we recommend a pair of extra socks and a warm jumper.
TIP: Pack some fairy lights, it will give your camper a very cosy, special appeal.
If you are travelling during the summer time (May to July), beware that there’s no night in Iceland (light 24/7, how cool is that?!). Having said that, it’s best to have an eye cover at hand should your camper not have blinds that are thick enough for your liking. Remember that your body is used to dark before getting in the sleeping mode, so dimming the light to get ready for sleep will assure you won’t have a hard time falling asleep.
6. Charging Batteries
Make sure to pack an extra battery for your camera and an external battery power bank (they always comes in handy). Your car will most likely have an inverter so it will be easy to charge your devices on the road. Furthermore, the campsite will have charging areas, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to keep your devices “alive”.
P.S. Don’t charge your devices when the car is not running, it will drain out its battery. It can happen to forget them there while they are plugged in.
7. Internet Connection
Fear not, you’ll have a great internet connection (3G/4G) through most of the country and there’s no need to buy a sim card. Moreover, your campervan should have a WiFi facility, either included or at a small additional cost.
8. Packing
It’s best to pack light when you’re travelling with a campervan as there’s not a lot of space where you can hide your stuff. We managed to sneak in two small suitcases (the one you can take with you in the plane) and a backpack each. We’ll make an article on essential items to pack to Iceland soon, so stay tuned!
9. Prepare a great road trip playlist and download some Podcasts
We don’t know about you, but one of our basic necessities is great music to listen to. Prior to our trip, we pulled together some playlists on Spotify to keep us happy and energetic throughout our road trip. We also love to learn new things with every opportunity, so podcasts are a great idea (some of our favourites: Kwik Brain, The Tim Ferriss Show and The Ikonns among many!).
TIP: We recommend making a playlist with songs you know the lyrics to so you can break into singing from time to time!
Icelandic Laws to be aware of
It is illegal to have a drink and drive, with the legal limit at 0.2%. Have that drink after you park your campervan and you’re settled in the campsite!
It is illegal to go off-roading or to go on “F” roads if you don’t drive a 4X4 car. Also, issues caused by F-roads won’t be covered by your rental insurance. Though, fear not, there’s no need to get that adventurous to get to most iconic destinations!
Let us know if there’s anything else you’d like to know about travelling to Iceland and we’ll make sure to share all our secrets with you!
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