one week
ICeland
It is no secret that Iceland is one of the most popular destinations right now, and I completely understand why! We felt like we were on another planet, it was so incredibly beautiful. In order to see as much as possible, we decided to rent an RV camper van. The van was infinitely better than we expected and saved us a good amount of money, because we did not have to pay for a car and lodging. We parked our van at different campsites around the island; all of the campsites had bathrooms, showers, and cooking stations. Our van also came with a hot plate and pots/pans, so we didn't have to worry about buying cooking supplies. We packed A LOT of food- I'm sure you've read this before, but Iceland is expensive. We packed food like macaroni and cheese, Mexican rice and canned vegetables for burrito bowls, tortillas (we bought cheese in Iceland so we could make quesadillas), and plenty of snacks- we bought some produce in Iceland.
Day One: Reykjavik
We stayed in a hostel during our first night so we could get a good night's rest before starting our journey. However, there is a campsite very close to Reykjavik so you could start with the van if you would prefer. There is a shuttle bus at the airport that will take you to your hostel, you can buy your tickets right at the counter. After we checked into our hostel, we walked around downtown.
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You can go to the top for a great view of the city ($9.00 USD/ 900 ISK)
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The Old Harbour: Kolaportid Market
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Open on the weekends ( we didn't go because we were in Reykjavik during the week days)
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Stroll through the city
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The nightlife in Reykjavík centers around the main shopping street; Laugavegur
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None of the bars charge entrance fees
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From Sundays to Thursdays all the bars will close at 01:00
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List of Happy Hours
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Drive to the blue lagoon
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our hostel rented out a van for customers so we were able to drive ourselves, which was great! However, there is also a shuttle bus that runs from town or you can go straight to the blue lagoon from the airport.
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You need to reserve your spot at the blue lagoon in advance! Later times are cheaper
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you can reserve your spot using the link above. There are different packages but we just bought the basic package: one complimentary drink, towel, locker, facial
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The locker rooms are VERY hectic so only bring the necessities. You will also probably have your towel stolen, just go to the counter and ask for another.
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Try to avoid getting your hair wet while in the blue lagoon- the sulfur is very bad for your hair
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Walk around the city- enjoy the day light at night!
Day two:
Shaefellsness Peninsula
We grabbed lunch in town, hit up the grocery store and picked up our RV Van before hitting the road. Throughout the trip we didn't have to worry about driving in the dark because it stayed light most of the night.
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Drive 2 hours 37 minutes to the peninsula
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If you ever see a bunch of cars parked on the side of the road, stop! odds are they're looking at a great view. The best part about Iceland, there are a million pulls offs so stop a lot and enjoy the views.
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Stops along the way:
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Rauofeldsgja Gorge
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Londranger
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Vatnshellir Cave
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You have to book a tour so we decided not to go to the cave, but it still looks cool!
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Djupalonssandur & Dritvik Beaches
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Drive 51 minutes to Kirkjufell
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Drive 2 hours and 30 minutes to Thingvellir National Park
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Sleep at campsite: At Leirar ( by information center) or Vatnskot $12 USD/ person
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Day three:Silfra snorkeling & The golden circle
We drove to Thingvellir National Park the night before so we could sleep in a little later before our snorkeling adventure.
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Silfra Snorkeling between tectonic plates
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Tour: 4-6 hours
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$145 USD; 14,900 ISK
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This tour is a must do! the sights were beautiful, the water is freezing but the dry suit keeps you decently warm (minus your face and hands which will go numb)
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We went back to our campsite to enjoy a hot shower and a hot lunch
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Drive to the Golden Circle
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DRIVE 40m Faxi Waterfall
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DRIVE 10 MINS - Haukadalur Geysers
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one erupts every 10 mins
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DRIVE 11m Gullfoss Waterfall
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Optional: Drive 32 minutes to Secret Lagoon
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$40 USD/ 4302.00 ISD
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we did not end up doing this
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Drive 1 hr 6m to Seljalandsfoss
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Sleep at Campsite: Hamragardar
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Gljúfrabúi waterfall is on the campsite and Gullfoss can be seen from the campsite- absolutely beautiful location! The showers cost money and were only open during the day
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Day Four: South coast
In the morning we walked into the cave to see Gljúfrabúi waterfall (shown in the picture above. The blue van was our camper). You will get VERY wet if you go inside of the cave.
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The only way to get into the cave is by wading through the river. There are rocks for you to step on if you want to try to avoid getting your shoes too wet; the water is about ankle deep
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Drive to Skogafoss waterfall
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If you go up the stairs next to the waterfall, it will lead you to a beautiful hike.
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If you have time, it would be a good idea to see this waterfall at night. We switched our schedule around so we stayed up later. This helped us see some of the waterfalls without all of the crowds. However, some of your photos might be a little dark (like our photos at seljalandsfoss (shown above)
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Drive 1 hour and 20 minutes to Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon
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Drive 1 hour to Skaftafell National Park
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There are some great hikes in this park!
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Drive 40 minutes to Jokulsarlon lagoon
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We stayed at the campsite in Skaftafell National Park
Day Five: vik
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Drive 1 hour and 40 minutes to Vik. Most of the sights are near by. Today was a more relaxed day
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Plane DC 3 Sólheimasandur Iceland
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The abandoned plane is about 2 miles from the parking lot. The walk is complete flat but VERY windy so dress warm.
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Hjörleifshöfði- Cave on a black sand beach
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There are also some hikes around this area
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Reynisfjara Beach
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We actually went to this beach twice, once in the morning and once later in the day- when we went back, around 5 or 6 it was WAY less crowded than in the morning.
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Reynisdrangar- cave on the black sand beach (also a filming location for game of thrones!)
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Sleep at the Vik campsite
Day Six: Vik to Reyjavik
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We made our way back to Vik, with a few pit stops along the way!
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Svartifoss (Black Waterfall)
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You have to hike a bit to get to this waterfall but it was way less crowded than any of the other waterfalls that we went to
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Drive to Kerid (Crater Lake)
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Drive back to Reyjavik.
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Once we made it back to Reyjavik, we bar/ restaurant hopped.
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we stayed at the campsite in Reyjavik, just a short walk from downtown
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