Blog Post
Road Tripping Iceland With Europcar
Clare Fisher • 1 October 2019
Hiring A Car, Our Itinerary And Driving Around The Land Of Fire And Ice
In our opinion, there is only one way to travel around Iceland, and that's by hiring a car with a trusted company like Europcar. A lot of sightseeing is done from the car window, as you're driving through the epic landscape. This really was one of the highlights for us, we have never seen anything like it! Every corner we turned we were presented with another dramatic waterfall or geological wonder. The roads are so peaceful and quiet in Iceland. Sometimes you won't see a car pass for miles, it can feel like you're out then on your own. It beats any of the road trips we've ever done, including Australia and New Zealand which were pretty incredible!
There is no public railway system in Iceland. There is a shrinking network of long-distance bus routes and I wouldn't fancy taking a camper van around for a number of reasons, but mainly the weather. Especially on the Golden Circle route, you're likely to see a lot of large tour coaches. I would say this is the one other main way we saw people getting around in Iceland, but you just can't put a price on the freedom you get with a car in a country like this! You will pass things that you had never planned to stop at, or might want to visit something nearby you didn't realize was there. You can stop at places when you want, for as long as you want, and you won't have to share the experience with the hordes of other tourists that have just piled off the bus! Hiring a car and setting your own schedule, is the best way to make the most of your time in Iceland, giving you the opportunity to plan stops in several locations through the country, covering long distances if you want to visit places in the North, South, East and West,
The Weather
In Iceland, even in the summer months, it is not uncommon to experience all four seasons in one day. Our trip was for six nights in mid September, and we had everything from gale force winds with freezing rain and temperatures, to sunny skies and highs of 15, in that order! Please don't let the weather put you off. When it's good, it's glorious, but even when the weather isn't brilliant, it doesn't take away from the experience and sometimes add to it! Just watch that weather report and listen to the warnings, especially for wind. On some roads, cars have been blown straight off the road. Back in the UK, we are used to unpredictable and crazy weather at all times of the year to, but everything is just a bit more intense in Iceland! Couple this with the types of outdoor sightseeing and activities here, you're going to appreciate a car! If you're not used to driving in these conditions, don't let it put you off, just drive carefully. If you get soaked while you're out and about hiking, or even doing something simple like visiting a waterfall, like we did at Skógafoss, you're going to want to go back to a nice warm hotel to have a hot shower, and you're going to want to get there with as much warmth and comfort as possible, especially with kids! I can't explain how nice it is to get back into the car after being out in some of the weather, even if just for a few minutes.
Remember to visit Iceland with appropriate clothing. It might feel comfortable, toasty and dry inside your Europcar, but even in the summer months, you need lots of layers with a waterproof outer layer and appropriate footwear with high thick socks. It is always good to throw an extra set of clothes in the boot for everyone. If you're really lucky and have warm and dry weather, it's better to have the layers just incase, as the weather forecast can change from one day to the next.
Hiring A Car
Hiring a car for your Iceland trip is super simple! Book your car as far in advance as you can for the best price, but we were pleasantly surprised by the costs for car hire, especially considering a lot of things in Iceland are not cheap! First you need to head to the Europcar website
for Iceland
and choose which car you would like. I would recommend a 4x4, especially if you are traveling in winter, but it's not absolutely necessary, if you're sticking to the touristy sights around the Golden Circle. There are some roads off limits to passenger and 2WD in Iceland, so if you think you might want to access some of these roads, have a bit more freedom with your route, cross any unbridged rivers etc, you will need a 4x4. Please remember though, it is ILLEGAL to drive off-road in Iceland. When choosing insurance for your vehicle, carefully consider which option is best for you by checking what IS AND IS NOT INCLUDED.
When you have completed the simple online process of booking your vehicle, remember you still need to present your driver's license and a credit card at your pick up location, before you can drive off in your car. The credit card should have enough available balance to cover the excess, should something happen on your trip.
One thing to bare in mind when you're traveling into Iceland, is that the International Airport you will be flying into, is located in Keflavík, which is about a 43 minutes drive from Reykajavík and the Domestic Airport, so don't get these mixed up. This means if you've planned to stay in Reykajavík for the first night, you will also have about a 40 minute drive to get there, another reason why it's essential to have a car in our opinion, and perfect to arrange your Europcar pick-up, for when you arrive at Keflavík. The Europcar desk at the airport is open until 2am.
Our Europcar pick up and drop off, was the smoothest experience we've ever had hiring a car. It took minutes to get us on the road! When you arrive, you will be handed a fantastic Europcar booklet. It includes all the information you need about driving your Europcar in Iceland, and includes a lot of other useful information, including sightseeing info and maps. The Europcar staff will give you some quick advice though, if you're looking to get straight on the road and read this in more detail at a later time.
The car was pulled outside the entrance for us, which is amazing if you've got kids, it's raining outside and you have a late arrival and delay before leaving the UK like we did. All we had to do was pop the car seats in that we had reserved, and we were on our way.
Get your own car hire quote here.
Driving In Iceland
Driving in Iceland is like a dream. The roads are simple, quiet and the main roads are in good condition. Unlike other destinations in Europe, we were not presented with any unfamiliar road systems, but in Iceland it is always the outer lanes that give way for inner lanes. Apart from driving on the other side of the road, everything is much like the UK, and if you're used to driving in the rural parts of this Nation, you will probably feel right at home in Iceland. Gravel roads, narrow and single lane roads and bridges are not uncommon, as well as wildlife standing close and sometimes even in the road, so take extra caution in these situations. If you're driving for long distances, especially in the quiet scenic parts, it's good to make sure you've filled up first, or at least don't let the tank run too low. Fuel stations are few and far between in some parts. Driving these parts at night or in the dark can feel a little unsettling at first, as there is absolutely no road or street lighting, even around some hotels and residential areas. Don't panic too much though, there are reflective posts in most places and with your headlights, this is all you need. Just drive with extra caution.
One of the amazing things for tourists in Iceland, is the fact that so many of the popular sights are literally just off the main road! There is always clear car parking, with plenty of room and in a lot of cases, the parking is free. Some of the sites do charge a small fee though, and most only accept cash, so it's always handy to have some on you.
In Iceland your head lights and seat belts should always be on, it's the law, and like many other places, using a phone while driving is illegal. There are traffic cameras throughout the country, even in isolated and scenic places, so be careful as these could rack up by the end of your trip. Speed limits are clearly marked, but we did notice that you don't have much warning to changes, and even noticed cameras immediately following speed changes. So for your safety and your wallet :) drive carefully.
If you have hired yourself a 4x4, remember to only activate the 4 wheel drive options, if and when you need to. Driving around in these constantly, can damage the car. Remember that driving off road in Iceland is ILLEGAL. Whilst traveling around the country, the highest respect for the Icelandic environment must be shown.
CALL 1777 for road information.
CALL 112 for SOS and Emergencies.
Click here
to read Europcar's 'Driving In Iceland' guide. Keep reading for our itinerary.
Our Itinerary
Our itinerary for Iceland was one of the hardest to plan so far, partly because of the limited amount of time we had and partly because there is so much to see in different areas of the country. On the map, you will notice what looks like a road that circles the entire island. Although Iceland is not massive, it will take you around eight hours to drive from the West to the East on this road, passing the North on your way. Although there are some highland roads that cut through the country, they can only be accessed with a 4x4, and it is recommended, that only those experienced in driving these roads access them.
With this in mind, here are the two most popular ways to travel the country. You can either take off from the West and lap Iceland completely, arriving back in the West at the end, OR you can base yourself somewhere like Hótel Rangá, which is in a good position to take day trips to the areas and things you want to see around the Golden Circle. (If you plan to book this hotel, make sure you use the code CAMP-RANGA at the checkout for 20% off their Best Available Rate. We do not receive money when you book, it is simply a discount code for our readers and followers.) Staying somewhere like this will also give you a bit more flexibility to adjust your schedule, according to the ever changing weather reports. There are some activities for example, you may only want to do with low winds and light or no rain. If you commit to lapping the country, you may not have this choice, or may miss out on it altogether if you have to keep moving to stick to a schedule. Which option you choose will depend on what kind of traveler you are, how much flexibility you want, what you want to see and how much time you have.
Due to severely bad weather on some days, we had to move some things around, to make sure that we were hiking on the best days, but this also meant we had to leave some things out altogether. We detailed our original itinerary for you below, with driving distances from where we based ourselves, next to the day number. Logistically, this is a brilliant schedule which allows you to fit a lot of the sights in, but you can always mix it up and adjust for whatever weather you get. Look out for next blog, with more information about what we actually managed to fit in, with our review for the hotel.
DAY 1 - Reykjavík
0 min to Whale watching tour with Special Tours
0 min to Whales Of Iceland
Museum
0 min to Explore Reykjavík City
DAY 2 - Day Trip From Reykjavík
2 hrs 23 min to Kirkjufell
37 min to Búdir Black Church
8 min to Bjarnarfoss
18 min to Arnarstapi Lonely House
2hrs 29 min back to Reykjavík
DAY 3 - Travel From Reykjavík To Hótel Rangá
1 hr 34 min Enjoy the beautiful drive with freedom to stop along the way. Check in and settle into the hotel, enjoy the hot tub, other facilities and an evening meal
DAY 4 - Day Trip From Hótel Rangá
1hr 12min to Reynisfjara Black Beach
26 min to DC3 Plane Wreck (This only takes you to the car park. There is between a 60 and 90 min walk there and back, to reach the wreck)
15 min to Skógafoss Waterfall
26 min to Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
22 min back to Hótel Rangá
DAY 5 - Day Trip From Hótel Rangá
3 hrs 32 min to Jökulsárlón Glacier (Diamond Beach)
48 min to Svartifoss Waterfall
1 hr 7 min to Fjadrargljufur Canyon
1 hr 58 min back to Hótel Rangá
DAY 6 - Day Trip From Hótel Rangá
1 hr 15 min to Gullfoss Waterfall
9 min to Strokkur Geyser
36 min to Kerid Crater
49 min back to Hótel Rangá
You can click here, to visit the Europcar Iceland website, to get your own quote for car hire.
This post is sponsored by Europcar. We do not receive money when you click the links in the blog, or when you hire a car. Europcar gave us one of their cars to test out in Iceland, and paid us to make some kick ass content, that shows you guys how amazing this country is! We hope you enjoy :) If you do, please leave us some love in the comments and let us know if you've done your own road trip!
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