Iceland - Ring Road 2023

Iceland - The Country of Ice and Fire

Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon 

I recently returned from a seven-day trip to Iceland (Jul 16-22). Hopefully, this blog would ease your preparation a little bit :)

The moment our rental car left the city of Reykjavik, I felt like my car had accidentally entered an uninhabited but enchanting planet complete with the newly erupted volcano we had seen from the airplane. The vibrant, pristine fields of lupines flush with life were arrayed on both sides of the road. The geothermal vents emitted ethereal smoke (which led to the name Reykjavik, or “smoky bay” in Icelandic). One also cannot forget the countless awe-inspiring waterfalls strewn across the country, openly inviting you to come visit. 

That said, the cost of living there hit me hard. Everything is double or triple of what I normally pay in Vancouver (which in itself is the third most expensive place to live in North America).

So here is some updated info and tips that you may find helpful and possibly even save you from breaking your bank if you visit Iceland. 

ARRIVAL
A normal 45-minute coach ride (Flybus) from the Keflavík airport to Reykjavik normally costs around $40 CAD per person. Tickets can be purchased at the airport or online here. Flybus departs in accordance with plane arrivals

After arriving at the Reykjavik BSI bus terminal, the 10-minute taxi we took had Icelandic Krona 4,000 (or $40 CAD) on the meter. My rental company arranged the Flybus ticket from the airport and also covered the taxi cost so we did not have to pay these transport cost. That saved us around $60/person. 

BSI Bus Terminal is the biggest public transit exchange in Iceland. They provide free brochures which I highly recommend you to grab some. These brochures have the latest updates about Iceland and sometimes you are not able to find them on Google. 

A 20-minute walk from BSI, at a tourist center called "What's on" in the city center, you can get some free guidebooks and brochures for the national parks in Iceland. Again, take them as they contain many useful resources for your trip.  

Stock food at Krónan or Bonus before setting out. 

If you choose to rent a car upon arrival, there are quite a few rental companies available right at the arrival terminal exit area including Eurocar, Hetz, Bluecar, etc.

CASH

They accept credit cards everywhere if you don't fancy cash. 

Use a credit card with no foreign transaction fee to save yourself up to 2.5 or 3%. My TD credit card charged me 3% for this fee so I used a Home Trust visa throughout the trip. It does not have a monthly fee nor a foreign transaction fee, but neither it does not cover your vehicle rental insurance like many other credit card do. Therefore, it may be a better idea to use a regularcredit card when renting a vehicle.

Tip: If the exchange rate is good, exchange some cash at home first. For example, before leaving, the rate between the Canadian dollar to the Icelandic Krona was 1 CAD = 108 Icelandic Krona. 

I ordered an amount from the bank. When I was in Iceland, the rate dropped down to 1 CAD = 98 Krona So with $500 CAD, I saved around $55 when using cash.

Caution: Certain apps or websites may require a verification code to be sent to your phone (see the parking section). Therefore, it is suggested that you have a specific card that does has two-factor identification removed before you leave the country. Ask your bank or credit card agency for further guidance.

CAMPERVAN

We rented the cheapest model called Budget Campervan.

It had the following features: 

• Tablet: It had unlimited data and acted as our wifi hotspot for the entire trip which was wonderful. The GPS also had handy tourist locations and campsites saved. Finally, it had a bunch of useful apps installed including Park4Night which let us plan ahead which campsites had the best facilities.
• Mini fridge: We managed to store a 1-liter bottle of juice, 3 boxes of precooked meals, 1 small bag of precut broccoli, 6 eggs and several slices of cheese. It also works on a separate battery so no worry about your car battery dying.
• A small sink with big container of water connected to it. Easy to refill at any tourist location or campsite.
• 1 portable gas stove + 1 canister included.
• Bowls, plates, fork, pots, etc. for 2 persons. 
• Charging ports for all your electronic devices (the video tutorials are clear on this but just a reminder not to charge your electronic devices in the front of the car or else risk draining your most important battery).
• Pillows and blankets that were more than warm enough for the (chilly) nights. Furthermore, these were supplemented by one of our favourite features…
• A heater that would heat up our mattresses from below! It kept us cozy throughout the long, cold nights.

Do not charge your electronic devices in in the front car or you risk your car not to start the following morning).

Inside the camper van - Cozy Camper - Budget Model

Budget campervan vehicles tend to be over than 5 years old and are prone to issues more than the standard option. That is why it's cheaper. Also, on the website, the fine print stated that no refund is issued if the vehicle experiences issues.

Our vehicle did not start for 4 times during the first 3 days of our trip. On the fourth day, they sent us to a nearby shop, and replaced the battery at no cost for us. They later refunded us half day for the issue even though they were not supposed to.

It was kinda caused us some stress but the support service was great so no complaints.

PICKING UP THE RENTAL VEHICLE

• Before leaving, check your vehicle thoroughly for dents, scratches or existing damages. Take photos and videos of them with the background of the rental place. This will serve as the proof of where these footage were taken. 

• Check if your rental office has free food corner. Normally, these are unused items such as soy sauce, sugar, pasta, etc. left there by the previous campers. They could save you quite a few bucks from grocery. 

• Make sure you know how to contact your rental places in case of emergency online (Whatsapp, etc), if you don’t have a phone plan there. 

At Cozy Camper - The free food shelf where we took a package of eggs, sauces and noodles

 FOOD

- Bring backpacking meals with you. For Iceland, they become tastier and more valuable.

- Or cook your own meals and bring reusable stashers to store them during your outings. 

- If neither of the above works, you can buy sandwiches $11/pack or ready made meals at the same price. They have pasta, rice with chicken, mashed potatoes, etc, very limited selection though.

- Otherwise, eat out. That would be $33/meal or more. 

WEATHER

Windy. Windy. and Windy! We arrived mid-July and the weather was nice with lows of 7 and highs of 14. It was sunny or sunbreak most of the time we were there, luckily. However the weather could change in an instant due to wind. It could get as strong as 30km/h very fast which dropped the temperature a few degrees. It felt chilly. Treat summer in Iceland as Falls or early winter in Vancouver. CLOTHES Dress in layers. You will need a base layer, fleece and waterproof pants and jacket. Weather changes quickly from being super warm to pretty cold if the wind picks up. Waterproof yourself from top to bottom if you are planning to walk behind any waterfalls there. These waterfalls will guarantee you a good shower if you don't:)

CAMPSITES

First-come, first-served and rarely full. 

Most main front campsites have everything you need including heated bathrooms, hot shower, laundry and dryer. The cost is around $20 per person; the hot shower costs $3 - $5 per 3 to 5 minutes of shower at some popular campsites such as Vik or Hofn. 

Washing machine costs $5 to $8 and the same amount for dryer at some campsites.

Most campsites are just like a regular parking lot in Vancouver. There is no designated camping spot. When you arrive, just park and voilà! Some staff will stop by and collect the camping fee at 8PM or 10PM. Some campsites can be paid in advance through App Parka.is.

 

We did not use the camping card in Iceland as we did not stay long enough. If you stay longer, it can be an option, but keep in mind that not all campsites accept this card, hence it limits your camping options and flexibility of your stops. 

Vik campground - well-equipped and sparkly clean.

Vik Campground, clean and well-equipped with microwaves, stoves, sinks, kettles, etc. 

Visitors seem to take advantage of the midnight sun, so they don’t show up at the campsites until 9PM. The shared facilities get a lot busier during this time until midnight. 

The major campsites normally have 2 showering rooms for women and another 2 for men. Therefore, waiting time could be long during rush hours.

Tip: Bring some foldable hangers or a rope with you to hang them dry in your car or at your campsite. Arrive before 8PM or after midnight if you prefer it to be less crowded

Make use of the campsite facilities especially their stove. This may save you some money by returning the unused gas bottle (CAD 8 /each). We used 1 bottle for 4 days. 

PARKING

- Download Parka.is on your phone and add your credit card in first. My bank requires a 2-step verification, and my phone could not receive a message, so I could not use this app. The lineup to pay at the machine onsite may not be long, but the waiting time adds up. 

- The cost is normally Iceland Krona 1,000 (CAD 10). 

Some of the sites (Black Sand Beach) did not have a machine there, so we had to drive to the designated spot on their map, across the street to pay for parking. This could be a hassle if the parking lot is busy and you lose your parking spot when you return.

Other than parking, you don't have to pay for anything else at these tourist destinations. :)

DRIVING the entire Ring Road

The most interesting road for us is road 42. It's a volcanic area blended with lush green fields of grass and horses. There is also a geothermal site along the road. Most of the tourist sites are located on the East side, so take as much time as you could from Reykjavik to Hofn. 

After Hofn, the scenery is still nice but there are not many activities and beautiful spots to stop until you reach Egilsstaðir. If you have less than 7 days in Iceland, just explore the South and East sides, skip the rest. 

A small town in the far East we stopped for a pit stop :)

While driving, you cannot stop whenever you like on the road. What that means is both sides of the road are too narrow to make a safe stop. You can only do that at designated stopping areas which sometimes take about an hour between 2 stops. Therefore, plan your washroom breaks accordingly. 

POLICE

We saw police twice while driving. They appeared so suddenly that we did not even know where they came from. :) The speed limit is 90km/h which means driving more than 100km/h is not encouraged or you will be stopped by them. The speeding ticket may not be super costly, but the rental company will charge you an administration fee (around $50 ) if they have to settle this cost for you after you leave Iceland. This may result in more than what you expect and I don't think it's worth the risk. Drive slowly and enjoy the serene landscape that no where else may offer you. 

SKY LAGOON

The cost is around $86 CAD. Tickets can be purchased on site. We were giving a hand ring when purchasing the ticket, which has a chip to unlock the storage locker in the change room. They also connect that ring with your credit card. When you order drinks at the small bar while out in the lagoon, it will be recorded and charged when you check out. The shower is private, has body wash and conditioner. Just bring your slippers. You can grab a clean towel when leaving the lagoon.

Note: If you forget to have a phone waterproof pouch, they also sell it for for $2,300. Alternatively, you can easily get a similar one for $10 on Amazon. 

ATTRACTIONS

The only fee you need to pay is the parking ($1,000). It is very busy between 9AM - 8PM. If you plan to take some good pictures, plan to arrive outside these hours. A lot of “Instagram hot spots” are currently closed. They fence off the trail to protect the fragile ecosystem in that area. If you just target a certain spot you saw on Instagram a few years back for your photos, think twice before going there. Visitors at these attractions did a great job at following the posted signs on the ground, as I observed.  Though, I had seen drone occasionally flew illegally. Sad! 

Skógafoss - we saw a rainbow right at the foot of the waterfall <3

Driving Map: LINK