How to plan an unforgettable trip to Iceland (time, itinerary, transport…)

Let’s start planning your trip to Iceland. All I want is for you to have an unforgettable experience!
With all the incredible landscapes to discover in Iceland, some planning is really necessary to make the most of your time. So here is my guide to help answer all your planning questions such as where to go, how to get around, where to say, what to do….

Before my tips + photos, here are my favorites for Iceland:

My favorite platform to rent a car in Iceland: DiscoverCars

The unmissable boat tour: Whale Watching

Fun activity: Swimming in Silfra Fissure

My favorite places to stay:

• Reykjavik: see best rated hotels – e.g. Vintage Boutique Hotel
• Lake Myvatn: see best rated hotels – e.g. Hotel Laxa
• Vik area: see best rated hotels – e.g. Hotel Vik i Myrdal

Content

Planning a trip to Iceland – The Guide

Where? Best destinations in Iceland

When? Best time to visit Iceland

How long should you plan a trip to Iceland ?

Transportation – How to travel around Iceland?

What to see in Iceland? Planning an Iceland Trip Itinerary…

Accommodations – Where to stay in Iceland?

Get travel insurance

Language – The basics

Things to know to prepare your trip to Iceland

What to pack for Iceland

Good to know before leaving

Navigate back to the complete Iceland Travel Guide

Planning a trip to Iceland – The Guide

As you will see, I have written many articles in my travel guide to help you plan an UNFORGETTABLE trip to Iceland.
This post below is a summary to help you find the answers to all of your questions and show the related articles that can help you plan everything.

There are many options to discover the land of Fire and Ice, and I want to help you decide the best approach for you.

So let’s get started with the 8 essential questions…

Where? Best destinations in Iceland

Let’s start by a general overview of the main regions of Iceland and the things you can expect to see in each of them. Note that all the tourist board websites in Iceland are organized by such regions.

Here is a quick map of Iceland with its regions:

And below is a quick overview of all the region to see what type of scenery your prefer:

SOUTH ICELAND

It has some the country’s most visited tourist attractions with waterfalls, glaciers, icebergs and the drive along this South Coast is a constant amazement

You can see the top things to do in the region here

SNAEFELLSNES PENINSULA

Also known as the ‘small Iceland’; its geological diversity will give you taste of what there is to see in Iceland: volcano, glacier, waterfall, fjords…

You can see the top things to do in the region here

SOUTH WEST ICELAND

The Iceland Tourist board includes 2 other regions: Reykjavik and the Reykjanes peninsula. Personally I will gather them with other attractions into a region ‘Around Reykjavik’ with geothermal wonders, lighthouses, geysers and impressive waterfalls

You can see the top things to do in the region here

NORTH ICELAND

Valleys, fjords, geothermal area, ‘post-apocalyptic’ lava fields… contrasts, colors and a deep connection with Earth. This was my favorite region

You can see the top things to do in the region here

WEST FJORDS

Stunning fjords and lagoons, wildlife… This is a very isolated region with relatively unspoiled wilderness

EAST FJORDS

Forest, lush farmlands, small fjords and islands…

CENTRAL HIGHLANDS

Wild mountains and glacier which can be explored during summer with 4WD or hiking

You can see the top things to do in the region here

And now that you know where you would like to go, let’s start planning your trip to Iceland !!!

When? Best time to visit Iceland

Iceland is beautiful and magical all year around and the best time to visit really depends on you and what you want to see.

FULL ARTICLE  ==> I have written a detailed guide on the Best time to visit Iceland including conditions and things to see.

Here is a very short summary:

June-August

• Long daylight hours, green scenery, lupine fields (June-July)
• BUT Peak season: higher prices, more tourists; no aurora borealis

May & September-beginning October

• Still enough daylight hours, Chances at aurora borealis, autumn colors, road still in good conditions
• BUT Less accommodations are opened, colder weather

Winter

• Not many tourists, winter wonders such as the blue caves, stunning landscapes with snow, less tourists, interesting low light for photography, good prices
• BUT Difficult driving conditions, many roads closed, not many hours of light
• It is a great time to see the Northern lights in Iceland
• Find out your options on my article about visiting Iceland in Winter and Iceland Winter Tours
• Have a look this great post by Dreaming and Wandering about 10 reasons you should visit Iceland in Winter

How long should you plan a trip to Iceland ?

Before you can start planning a trip to Iceland, you first have to decide how long to stay (if you have the luxury to be flexible with your time).

Here are some facts to help you:

• Route 1 a.k.a. the Ring Road (Icelandic: Þjóðvegur 1 or Hringvegur) runs around the island (see on the map above). The total length of the road is 1,332 kilometers (828 miles).
• Speed limit on the best paved roads is 90 km/hour but unpaved sections are at 80km 
• You will want to stop every 5 minutes to look at the changing scenery or take a photo – this is inevitable

Therefore, I would not recommend attempting the all around Ring Road in 7 days, you would have to rush all the time. But if you are ok with getting just a snapshot of each region then go for it (one of my favorite blogger Liz from Young Adventuress did it with her Iceland challenge and really loved it).

From my experience and discussion with local tour guides, I think to really enjoy it you need:

• Reykjavik – Golden circle: 2 days
• Snaefellnes: 2/3 days
• South Iceland: 3 days
• West Fjords: 2 – 3 days
• East Iceland: 2 days
• North Iceland: 5 days (including 3 around Myvatn)
• Central Highlands – at least one day for Landmannalaugar with 4 WD but there is so much more to see!

Transportation – How to travel around Iceland?

When you are planning a trip to Iceland, you can consider the following options to get around the island:

OPTION 1  – Self-Drive Iceland – own planning

Considering the distance and the limits of bus travel, especially outside the summer months, doing and Iceland Road Trip is the number one solution. And I totally agree. Because me, the person who hates driving, I ended up enjoying my self-drive experience in Iceland!!! The lack of traffic and the amazing scenery everywhere made my trip very easy. It was a miracle according to my mother 🙂

FULL ARTICLE  ==> Anyway I have gathered for you all I learnt about driving on a road trip in Iceland and a step-by-step guide to renting a car in Iceland

And I recommend the rental car company I used: Route 1 car rental. Their service was excellent, and the car was is perfect condition. 

IF THIS IS YOUR CHOICE, you can jump to the next section about planning your Iceland itinerary.

OPTION 2  – Self-Drive Iceland – Iceland Trip Package

If you don’t want to plan everything yourself but are happy to drive around based on indication provided, you can book an Iceland Self drive package with car rental, hotels and recommendations.

Here are suggested packages of all lengths:

• Summer Self drive tours
• Winter Self drive tours
• And if your budget is limited, they also gathered in one page all their budget Self drive tour options

Or you can head to my article about how to choose your Iceland Self drive tour package.

OPTION 3 – Organized tours with base in Reykjavik

Many companies are offering single day tours departing from Reykjavik to see many of the best attractions in the South of the island.
If you have only a few days it can be a good option to stay in the same hotel, and get a snapshot of several areas.

FULL ARTICLE  ==> To see the best options of activities and tours check out my suggested best day trips from Reykjavik

OPTION 4 – Multi-day Iceland Circuits

Another option if you don’t want to drive (especially in Winter) is to book a circuit over several days. This way you get to see a lot more than with day trips. And you can just sit, relax and admire the scenery.

For example:

• a Summer 7 day Guided Ring Road Tour – check out program and price
• A Summer 10 day Iceland Circle in Minibus – check out program and price
• a Winter 7 day Vacation with Northern lights – a mic of day trips and multi day ones – check out program and price
• An 8 day Winter complete tourPackage  – check out program and price

OPTION 5 – Super Jeep Private Tours

If you have the budget, you can also hire a super jeep and expert drive. This will allow you to discover off the beaten track regions and magnificent landscapes.
And I did splurge and offered myself a private 2 Day Super Jeep tour to discover part of the central highlands. I used Discover Iceland and was extremely satisfied. 

OPTION 6 – Bus / hitchhiking

• Except from the very well organized FlyBus that takes you from the airport to Reykjavik, I have not tested the bus system. However note that you will be quite limited if traveling off the main summer months. The public transport system is run by Straeto.
• Many people hitch hike in Iceland as it is a very safe place to do so. However you have to be extremely patient as the flow of cars can be very small. In that case you cannot do much to plan a trip to Iceland.

Note -on Internal Flights in Iceland

If you want to shortcut your tour, or just cover one area of island, you can take internal flights from the Reykjavik domestic airport. Reykjavik to Akyreyri takes 40 minutes.
Air Iceland runs many internal flights and they were cheaper than I expected especially if you book them in advance. Plus if you are lucky like me and the weather is clear you get to see part of Iceland from the sky for a lot cheaper than a special flight. I flew over fjords and glaciers and I even saw the cloud from the eruption far away!

What to see in Iceland? Planning an Iceland Trip Itinerary…

Now, if you have opted for a self-drive, it is time to start listing all the locations you do not want to miss. The problem is that there are so many, it is difficult to gather them and make a choice to create your itinerary !

I have made my selection and you can find all my favorite places in the following:

You can surf my website with 65 posts dedicated to Iceland.
Most are dedicated to one location at a time with many photos and some videos: Golden Circle, Blue Lagoon, Jokulsarlon, Dimmuborgir, Dettifoss and so much more!

It includes  some suggested itineraries depending on how long you have!

Check out the main eBook: a practical road trip travel guide for Iceland I compiled for you. It contains:

• 8 exclusive maps
• 100+ locations with precise planning tips
• GPS coordinates
• More than 100 original pictures

All you need to plan your trip to Iceland!

If you just want to drive around the ring road, check out my other eBook, the practical Ring Road guide I compiled for you. It contains:

• 30 stops within 10km of the Ring Road
• 10 detours under a day
• GPS coordinates
• More than 70 original pictures
• Map with all locations
• All 2WD accessible

Accommodations – Where to stay in Iceland?

As one of my taxi drivers mentioned, with the boom of tourism in Iceland, accommodations are appearing everywhere, especially guesthouses. The options are as usual: camping, minivan/motorhome, hostels, guesthouses, hotels, farm stay.

FULL ARTICLE  ==> For information about where to stay in Iceland and for suggestions, check out my Iceland Accommodations Article.

A few points to keep in mind:

• During peak season, accommodations fill in quickly especially those well located
• Off peak season, many are closed so it can also be hard to find accommodation if you look at the last minute (I looked at it 6 weeks before and options were limited for the Myvatn area)
• A lot of rooms in Guesthouses have share bathrooms – I have seen many reviews by people who were surprised. So when you book, check the details!
• Renting a campervan or camping is also a great option to save money, stay closer to nature. But know that it is cold at night, so be mindful of how you are willing to travel. In September I still saw a lot of campers. Layers Layers Layers! – Check out some Mini-camper and van options

Get travel insurance

I really recommend you purchase travel insurance prior to departure. Compared to the budget of such a trip, it is reasonable and, in case of problems, you won’t regret having one.
I personally always use World Nomads. Get a quote online here.

Language – The basics

To make your acquaintance smiles

Almost everyone speaks English. So it is very easy to get around.

However be ready that they will have fun when you try pronouncing the names of places such as Fjadrárgljúfur, especially when talking about the volcano that erupted in 2010: Eyjafjallajökull. 

Of course like in any country, it is always appreciated when you try a few words in their language (which is called Icelandic by the way).

• Hello – Halló
• Thanks – Takk or Takk fyrir
• Cheers! – Skál!
• Yes – Já.
• No – Nei

For more, check out the wikitravel phrasebook page

To understand the name of places

Also there are a few words that are useful to be recognized so that when you see a sign you can realize what type of scenery it will be and you can decide if you want to explore:

• Jökull – Glacier
• Kirkja – Church
• Sarlon – Lagoon
• Fell – Mountain
• Foss/Fossar – Waterfall
• Hraun – Lava

Things to know to prepare your trip to Iceland

MONEY – currency, tipping…

• Currency: Icelandic Kronur
• Tipping: It’s not customary to tip in Iceland
• Paying: You can pay even very small amount by credit card. but to minimize the fees you might want to take out cash then plan in advance because there are not that many towns
• Managing cash: Exchange your leftover cash at the airport before leaving. You won’t be able to change it back once outside of Iceland.

FOOD & BEVERAGES – what to expect

Food

• If you like Fish and Seafood, welcome to paradise! I had fish or langoustine at almost evey diner. Delicious!
• In terms of meat, you will see the usual. They serve a lot of Lamb. The Americans on my photo tours were surprised by how tender and good the lamb was (apparently very different from the US version).
• A typical quick bite in Iceland is the hot dog. They mix many sauces in it but it has nothing original.
• Snacks include dry fish… I have not tried, just the smell was repulsive to me. Let me know what younthink if you try it

Beverage

• Cold tap water in Iceland is fantastic. It comes from the glacier and is delicious
• Alcohol is on the expensive end of the travel spectrum

Shopping

• Icelandic Supermarkets are not big but you will find a good selection of options for snack and light meals – check out Victoria’s great article with the 5 things to know about the Icelandic Grocery Stores

Weather

The Icelandic weather is UNPREDICTABLE and can change every 10 minutes.

So do not watch the weather forecast before leaving. It is going to depress you. Iceland is beautiful in any weather. And you are not going there to lie on the beach so who cares? Just watch once you are there to maybe decide where to go each day if not preplanned.

What to pack for Iceland

Clothes – what to wear in Iceland

Layers, Layers, Layers. This is the golden rules. For Wind, Rain, Sun, Cold

The weather is unpredictable and you need to cover and uncover as it changes. But let’s face it, mostly you need warm clothes. Here is what I had:

• Good waterproof shoes
• Warm hat (I bought one in Iceland which is very comfortable and warm)
• Gloves; personally I took some with a touch screen finger to be able to take pictures with my iPhone without removing them
• Your new best friend, the rain overpant
• Rain jacket but not too warm because I use layers for that, and a waterproof over pant
• Thermal underwear
• Wind shell jacket
• Warm socks
• something to cover your neck
• swimsuit for nature baths and springs

And if you go outside during the night to chase northern lights, make sure to add layers to those you were wearing during the day. It gets cold, especially when it is windy.

Want a more detailed list with product suggestions?

Check out my complete article with detailed suggestions and tips on what to wear and pack for Iceland

Photography and other equipment

Iceland is magical. You can’t help but take hundreds of pictures of the same things. It is THAT beautiful. So here are major things not to forget

• Your CAMERA 
• Extra battery
• Extra memory cards – I had already many and bought one more in Iceland – After 16 days I came back with 8000 pictures (well, I did bracketing, so original pictures might be 6000) and 400 short videos. Don’t judge me!
• Rain protection – plastic bac or more evolved options this is mandatory. You will have rain and mist from the waterfalls.
• If you are a little bit more advances, ND filters for the waterfalls will be really helpful
• If you are even more advanced, then you do not need my help…
• Tripod to photograph aurora borealis

I also recommend bringing binoculars to admire the glacier tongues from the distance or to spot puffins. Check out my complete guide to help you find the right binoculars for you.

Good to know before leaving

• SHOWER – Hot water can smell like sulfur. But do not worry it is just due to the way it is heated (with geothermal power). No danger there.
• VISA – Don’t forget to check if you need a visa
• WIFI –  Wifi is widely available, often for free, at gas stations around the country. There are not many Internet café (well, there are not many towns so…) but all places I stayed had wifi had least in the common areas.
• COMMUNICATIONS – Cell phone service is also reliable in many places around the Ring Road
• FITNESS – Before going I was worried I would miss a lot because I am not fit. But there is so much beauty everywhere that it was really not a problem. Of course, you have activities for all fitness level (e.g. 4 day hike through Thormosk and Landmannalaugar), but most Icelandic highlights are very accessible and your knee problems will just prevent you from seeing them from other viewpoints where you need to climb a little. You will still get to see them.

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