The 10 Best Iceland Travel Tips
If you are looking for the best Iceland travel tips, you are in the right place! Iceland is an incredible country that can be expensive and hard to travel around if you do not know these tips beforehand.
There are plenty of ways to save money and learn how to get around Iceland, and this guide will dive into the best Iceland tips that helped me when I was planning a trip to Iceland. This guide has the best Iceland travel tips, including money-saving tips.
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Iceland Travel Tips #1: Rent a 4x4 Vehicle
We are starting with the Iceland travel tip that changed my entire trip through Iceland! This tip is, in my opinion, the most important tip. Rent a 4x4 vehicle. Although many of the must-see attractions are on the Ring Road, there are beautiful hidden gems that require driving on an F road.
F roads are unmaintained mountain roads that can have small potholes, large boulders, and river crossings. There are many signs near F roads that state 4x4 vehicles are recommended because regular cars may not be able to handle the roads.
You can even rent a 4x4 campervan! Many local campervan rental companies have 4x4 campervans, allowing you to have your accommodation and transportation in one place.
Because we rented a 4x4 vehicle, we followed F roads on a beach, up a mountain, to a glacier, and up to many hidden waterfalls. We wouldn’t have been able to see half the things we saw if we didn’t have a 4x4 vehicle.
If you aren’t convinced to rent a 4x4 vehicle for your trip to Iceland, I recommend researching the places you could visit if you had one, like Landmannalaugar, Háifoss, and Þórsmörk. I recommend considering renting a 4x4 vehicle, so you are not limited to where you can go on your Iceland road trip!
Iceland Travel Tips #2: Buy Rental Insurance
No matter what type of vehicle you rent in Iceland, I highly recommend buying all of the rental insurance. Trust me when I say you will not regret paying extra for this. Iceland’s weather is unpredictable, and your car may feel its effects.
If you rent a 4x4 vehicle and drive on crazy F roads, it’s good to have insurance to cover anything that may happen. Some car insurance will even cover under car damage and water damage. Most, however, don’t cover wind damage, so make sure to hold onto those doors when opening them! You’ll even see notes on the rental car doors saying to hold onto the doors tight when opening them because high winds can rip them off. And no, I’m not exaggerating. The winds can be that crazy!
Regardless of what type of vehicle you rent, you will not regret getting rental insurance for your road trip through Iceland!
Iceland Travel Tips #3: Get a Gas Discount Card
Although doing a self-drive tour around Iceland is the least expensive way to explore the country, it may not feel inexpensive when you see the gas prices. Gas is expensive in Iceland, so I highly recommend getting a discount gas card! And most rental car companies will provide one to you.
You can also get an Olís Discount Card if the rental company does not give you a discount card. Olís is one of the largest gas stations, and you can find them spread out across the country. All you have to do is visit one of their gas stations and ask for a discount gas card!
Iceland Travel Tips #4: Research the Sunlight
The sunlight varies greatly throughout the year in Iceland, so it is crucial to research the sunlight for when you are visiting. In June and July, Iceland has about 21 hours of sunlight, but it only has about five hours of sunlight in December and January.
As you can imagine, winter brings less tourism because of the sunlight and cold weather, which means attractions will be less crowded, but winters in Iceland are harsh. On the flip side, summer has high tourism, so many must-see attractions will have crowds, but the weather is much better.
The summer also has the Midnight Sun, when the sun sets around midnight. This time of year is beautiful because the golden light at night is incredible! And you can switch your sleep schedule to stay up for the Midnight Sun and avoid most crowds.
Iceland Travel Tips #5: Cook Your Food
If you are looking for another Iceland travel tip that helps you save money, this is for you! Food is expensive in Iceland. Going out to eat can cost you an arm and a leg, so I recommend buying and cooking food. Food prices, in general, are expensive because Iceland is an island and has many things imported, but it is cheaper to cook your food than to go out to eat every night. If you have it in your budget to eat out at least once, I highly recommend that, too! The small restaurants in Iceland have delicious food!
I also recommend buying most of your food in large cities like Reykjavík. Once you leave Reykjavík, the only civilization you will see for miles is sheep and horses, so it is crucial to buy most of your food in Reykjavík. There are grocery stores in the smaller towns, but the cheapest and largest are in Reykjavík.
Let’s dive into the grocery store options in Iceland! Bónus and Krónan will give you the most variety at cheaper prices. Nettó is another great store with some random things a department store may carry. Some are also open 24 hours! There are other grocery stores, but they can be more expensive and carry less.
We did most of our shopping at Krónan since they had a better selection than Bónus. Reykjavík has the best Bónus and Krónan stores, so stock up before leaving! If you stay in Iceland for a longer time, do not fret! There are Bónus and Krónan stores all around the country. They will be smaller than the grocery stores in Reykjavík, but they will still provide a good food selection for your road trip through Iceland!
Iceland Travel Tips #6: Do Not Buy Water
Now, I know you may be thinking I am crazy for telling you not to buy water when you visit Iceland, but I promise it will make sense soon. All of Iceland has drinkable glacier water. Tap water = glacier water. And let me tell you, it is delicious!
All you have to do is bring an empty water bottle and fill it up whenever you can. We packed two big water bottles each and filled them up whenever we left our house rentals and campgrounds. You could also buy a jug of water and keep refilling it. It is another Iceland travel tip to save you money!
Iceland Travel Tips #7: Pack Layers and a Rain Jacket
The weather in Iceland is unpredictable, even in the warmer months, so I highly recommend packing layers and a rain jacket. The weather can vary greatly even within one day, so it is crucial to have layers just in case the weather changes on you.
Iceland also loves to rain at random times during the day, so having a rain jacket is crucial when you are exploring. We visited in September and experienced pretty much every type of weather and were grateful to have packed layers!
Iceland Travel Tips #8: Stay in House Rentals
You may think it is easier to stay in a hotel in Reykjavík and travel each day to your destination. Although that can work, I suggest planning your route out in Iceland and staying in house rentals along the road trip.
It will help you save money while traveling in Iceland (most of the time) because many hotels in Iceland are expensive. And it gives you a chance to feel like you live in Iceland! There are some unique rentals in Iceland and are worth staying in over a hotel, in my opinion.
We planned our road trip through Iceland well enough to stay in five house and hut rentals along our route. All of them were in the countryside away from civilization and had breathtaking views! Staying in house rentals also allowed us to be closer to our travel destinations and decreased our driving time, so we had more time to explore!
Iceland Travel Tips #9: Do Not Exchange Money for Krona
Usually, when you travel internationally, you exchange money for the country’s currency. But when traveling to Iceland, it is not necessary. Krona is Iceland’s currency, but it is rarely used. Of course, it is accepted, so if you exchange your money, you will be able to use it, but most places accept Visa or MasterCard. During our week in Iceland, I did not see anyone use Krona, not even to buy a coffee. And we never felt like we needed it!
Iceland Travel Tips #10: Always Follow the Attraction Signs
This Iceland travel tip will be a gamechanger, especially if you are someone who does not like planning your itinerary too much before arriving at your destination. The attraction sign will be your best friend.
Every time you see the sign, TURN OFF THE ROAD! Is it bringing you onto a paved road? Onto a beach? Onto a crazy F road? Just follow it. We found many hidden waterfalls, caves, and scenic views from following these signs. Most will direct you to incredible things! Even if you have no idea what you are doing or where you are going while in Iceland, these signs will guide you. We found so many incredible places not on our itinerary by following the signs.
Bonus Iceland Tip:
If you see a name with “foss” in it with this attraction sign, it is most likely a waterfall!
If you are looking for the best Iceland travel tips, you came to the right place! This guide has everything you need to know about the best travel tips for Iceland, including how to save money and how to get around the country.
Hey, I’m Nichole
I am the creator behind Nichole the Nomad, the home of my explorations around the world, mountain hikes, and beautiful pictures taken along the way. I have a deep passion for capturing the world in a beautiful light and sharing my experiences.
I created this blog to share my travels, show how beautiful the world is, provide tips and tricks for traveling, and encourage you to explore. Whether you want to travel across the world or explore what’s in your backyard, I hope this blog inspires you to get outside and find your adventure!
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