3 Day Iceland Road Trip

When the idea had been made into a reality and our campervan was booked, I couldn’t wait! I’ve always been one to explore places in my own way instead of doing some sort of tour. Don’t get me wrong, some tours can be great and well worth the money, but I just felt as though for somewhere like Iceland, what better way to see this beautiful country than by campervan!? Continue the read and I’ll reveal to you the ideal 3-day road trip along with some tips and trick of how to make yours as successful as possible!

The Camper:

Firstly you need a campervan. Yes, you can get a car but then this means having to splash out the cost of accommodation on your way so why not just have it all in one? We had the pleasure of cruising through the south of Iceland in a GoCamper. They provided us with a free shuttle service to and from their office, which meant no confusion, no cost of public transport, and we were so impressed with what we got!

Our little Renault van was spacious (back and front) and tackled all weather conditions that the heavens threw at us (snow, hail, VERY strong winds). It was very fuel-efficient; we drove a total of around 1,000km and must have only put in about £80-£90 worth of petrol.

The sleeping arrangement was easy and quick to set up and the heating system for the nighttime worked a treat, so much so we even had to turn it off!

All in all a perfect camper, so if you are ever lucky enough to explore this stunning country, the below link takes you directly to their website!

The Route!

Next, you need your route. When planning, it can get very confusing, especially in a country that has so many amazing things to see. Due to the time of year and the weather we were advised to stick to the South of the country, and we were fine with this as this is a route that many people do all year round. Below is the route we took (which was an awesome one) however if you’re looking at planning your own, my suggestion would be to pick your top 5 things you want to see and work it around those.

Day 1

Day one took us around the Golden Circle from Reykavic and finishing in Hveragerði. We stayed the night here as we were recommended by a local of a natural hot spring which is fairly secret, we planned to get up early the next morning for the little hike, however, the weather wasn’t too kind so stopped us doing that.

Day 2

The next day saw us drive slightly further all the way along the South coast, to Höfn. Stopping off at some stunning waterfalls, the iceberg lagoon and the lovely town on Vik on the way, it barely seemed like we had driven 40km, let alone the actual 400km!

Day 3

Our final day in the camper was an early start and a short drive to Vestrahorn. After hiking a little off-piste and to take in the morning sun with not a single person in sight, we then had the slightly mammoth 450km drive back to Reykjavik. We had planned a few stops on the way though to break up the journey nicely.

The best thing about this route was that not once did we feel rushed, and even with the longer driving stints, the constant beautiful scenery just takes your mind off the drive ahead and it really does fly by!

My Highlight:

Although a tricky one, my highlight would have to be Vestrahorn. We weren’t originally going to venture that far East however I’m so glad we did! The contrast of the mountains

rising up next to the black sand beach was like something I’d never seen before and it made the extra hour or so drive from the Iceberg lagoon at Jökulsárlón so worth it. Would highly recommend! Stay tuned for a future blog post of my top spots to visit in Iceland.

Camper Tips!

• Always carry a little cash... We were very much cashless when we were travelling around, paying for near enough everything with a card. However, I would recommend carrying a couple of thousand Króna around with you. For example, if you rock up late to a campsite, they tend to have an honesty box for you to pay with, meaning no cards.

• Get a camper with a heater... Might be a simple one but just double check when you’re booking. The heater in our GoCamper was awesome, used very little fuel and could run for up to 8 hours before having to charge whilst driving. It kept us nice and toasty too!

• Buy your own food... Again another simple one but one that some may not take advantage of. We did a shop for a total of about £20 each which sorted us for two dinners and two breakfasts – who said Iceland was expensive?!

• If there is something you really want to see, get there early... Although not overrun by tourists, there are still a fair few! Too many people being around can ruin some experiences, which was the case for us at the Solheimasandur Plane Wreck. Far too many people trying to take photos etc so you could hardly appreciate what was in front of you. So set that alarm and beat those crowds!

• Hold on to your doors... You may be thinking what the heck am I on about but believe me when I say, it gets extremely windy, and if your door gets caught in one of those gusts, bye bye door!

• DON’T overtake a snowplough… We made this mistake whilst it was clearing the inside lane of the highway onto ours, and trust me when I say it was one of the scariest experiences of my life; just don’t do it!

• Keep an eye on the weather warnings... road.is is a great website for keeping an eye on road conditions and closures.

• I may be wrong but as far as I am aware camping on a random spot on the side of the road is illegal and can mean a hefty fine. But whether you’re parking up somewhere for lunch or in a campsite overnight, make sure you clear up the mess you may have left!

• Have fun... You’ve got a funky little camper in one of the most amazing countries, so don’t stress, and enjoy!

I can’t wait to go back and visit/explore more of what Iceland has to offer however in the meantime I’d just like to thank GoCampers once more for their service and top class camper!