Iceland is an awe-inspiring destination that should definitely be on your bucket list. However, there are a few things you should know in order to get the most out of your trip (and not break the bank). These are my top tips for an Iceland trip!
Take every chance you get to use a bathroom, there aren’t a lot!
So many tourist stops don’t have public bathrooms, especially in the North. So when there is one, or when you’re stopped for gas, take advantage of it! Also, you may have to pee outside sometimes when there is no other bathroom available – find a rock to go behind, go quickly and don’t leave toilet paper behind!
Pack for all types of weather and dress in layers, you never know when the weather will change.
This is one of the most important tips for an Iceland trip that you’ll hear. You could go to bed after a beautiful, warm, sunshiny day and wake up in a snow storm. You seriously never know with the weather in Iceland, so it is best to be prepared for anything at all times! Layers are perfect for adjusting as you go, especially on hikes.
Cooking and shopping in grocery stores is waaayyyy cheaper than eating out.
Depending where you’re coming from, you’re likely to be shocked when you first walk into an Icelandic restaurant. Coming from Canada the prices are at least twice as much as they are at home. However, in the grocery store, the prices are pretty similar. So getting accommodations with kitchens and doing your own cooking can make a huge difference to your budget.
It’s so worth it to do the whole ring road, the driving is part of the adventure!
Before I went to Iceland with my mom and sister, we debated a lot about if we should do the whole ring road or just focus on once section to avoid so much driving. We decided to go for it and do the whole ring road and I am confident it was the right choice. It’s a fair amount of driving, but the driving is part of the fun! The scenery along the way is incredible and so varied that you definitely won’t get bored.
The south is much busier than other areas, you should book places in advance here if you can.
There are a lot more tourists in the South than anywhere else, and places book up fast. This is because it is close to the airport, with lots to see, and perfect for people who don’t have a lot of time. Be prepared for more crowds here, especially in the summer! Due to the number of people, it would be a good idea to have some places to stay booked in advance here. For that reason, I would recommend starting in the South if you do the ring road and booking the first couple of nights. In my experience anywhere East of Hofn was where it became notably harder to find last minute places to stay.
That said, you need to be flexible and able to go with the flow because the weather is bound to change your plans at some point! Schedule in an extra day or two into your itinerary.
While I recommend booking some places in the south in advance, it is also so nice to have flexibility in your itinerary. Leave part of your itinerary open/flexible and, if you can, add in a few more days than you think you need to see all the things you want to see. Between getting new recommendations along the way, not knowing how you will feel on any given day, and weather changes, flexibility is a must! You never know when you will want, or need, to spend an extra night somewhere.
If you have data (a local sim card, an international plan, or wifi in your rental car) you shouldn’t need any cash, but if not it can come in handy.
Almost everywhere accepts credit cards, so you don’t really need to bother with cash. However, some parking lots and off the beaten path hot pots had QR codes to pay by phone. So if you don’t have access to data having some cash handy to put in the boxes instead can be useful.
The best time to see puffins is in the morning or evening.
Seeing puffins is such a magical experience! And the best times to do it are when they are heading out to fish or coming back in. They spend their nights resting on cliff sides, and their days out fishing in the ocean. So, there is a wave of activity with them in the morning and the evening, when they transition between these two things. This is the perfect time to go looking for them! Ask locals for tips on the best places to look.
Whether you’re a rider or not, ride an Icelandic horse and try their famous tolt gait!
There are so many horses in Iceland, and it’s definitely a cool experience to try riding one. They have a special gate called tolting that is so smooth. It is a great experience for a beginner or an experienced rider.
Take every chance you get to ask the locals for recommendations.
No one has better tips for an Iceland trip than Icelanders. The locals are so friendly and knowledgeable about their country, you should definitely take any recommendations you get from them. Ask the guesthouse owners, people who work at places you do activities, gas station employees, servers in restaurants, etc.
Eat the hotdogs!
When you think of going to a new country and trying their food, hotdogs probably aren’t your first thought. However, the hotdogs in Iceland are famous – and for good reason! You can find them pretty much everywhere, and even the gas station ones are good. Plus they are much cheaper than pretty much any other food you’ll get out. Make sure to try one with “everything”: fried + raw onions, ketchup, mustard, and a special sauce they have that is SO good.
Eat the dairy and the seafood.
Given it’s an island nation you might have guessed the seafood would be phenomenal – and you’re be right. A bit more surprising, the dairy products are also phenomenal. Yogurt, especially the icelandic Skyr, cheese, ice cream, kefir, all amazing. So, definitely eat as much seafood and dairy as you can during your Iceland trip!
Make sure you have good insurance for your rental car – the cost of repairs is very high!
Don’t risk it. The repair costs are so high here and you never know what will happen. While we were driving on the paved highway a car from the other direction shot a rock into the windshield, leaving a small crack. If we didn’t have insurance it would have cost us around $2000 to replace the windshield!
Contrary to what you would expect, the airport is a great place to get a good deal on souvenirs.
Due to the high tax rates in Iceland, duty free shopping is the way to go! There are a few souvenir stores in the airport, with prices comparable to and often better than prices you see outside of the airport. For example, I paid more for this yarn in a store than it cost in the airport!
PS. Check out these 3 Unique Hikes within an Hour of Reykjavik during your Iceland trip.
I hope these tips for an Iceland trip have helped you get ready for your time in Iceland. I am sure it will be amazing! It’s hard not to have a great time in such a beautiful country. To read about some of the most magical moments I’ve had there, click here!
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Thank you for the tips! Iceland is definately on my bucket list!
Iceland is such a beautiful place! I am sure you will enjoy it when you make it there 🙂