Traveling to Iceland and wondering what are the main highlights of Iceland, how much time you need to visit this beautiful country, and what’s the best itinerary to follow? Are there any fuel stations along the ring road? What are the cheap grocery places? I am sharing our experience-based suggestions and itinerary ideas for ten days in this post. Here is a 10-day road trip itinerary along ring road
There is a saying in Iceland, “If you don’t like the weather, just wait 5 minutes”. That is so true; it could be sunny one moment and raining on the other. But basically, the weather is cold, cloudy and windy, for most of the year. To put it simply, there is no single best time. Each period has its advantages and shortcomings, so deciding when to go is entirely up to you. However, I consider that summer would be a strong contender for the best time to visit Iceland as it is the warmest time of year. Of course, with promised long days and the fabled midnight sun ideal for hiking, sightseeing, or road tripping, but with not without hordes of crowds.
Here’s an overview of the weather in Iceland:
July-Aug are certainly the best months to go to Iceland in terms of temperatures and daylight hours, although prices will be premium, as will the crowds. During summers, the average temperatures range between 50-55s (10-13 degrees Celsius) in the southern part and a bit lower in northern Iceland. If you are visiting Iceland for the first time, I would unquestionably recommend doing it in the summers.
Spring and Fall are also good times to visit Iceland. Crowds have gone, temperatures are not that cold, and prices are dramatically lower for airfares, accommodation, and car rentals. And, also, you have Northern Lights. What else could you ask for better than the dancing lights in the sky with a picturesque backdrop? Iceland’s peak season for the Northern Lights is between September and March. But the months of February to March and September to October – particularly around the equinoxes – are the best months to see Aurora Borealis. The Northern Lights are best viewed during a Solar Maximum. So, the Solar maximum is the peak of periodic 11-year Solar cycle(Sun’s activity - radiations, flares, and spots). The last peak was in 2013, and the next won’t occur again until about 2024. But that doesn’t mean you can’t see the lights during a low. The northern lights appear at every stage of the Solar cycle. It’s just the low intensity and visibility, and the probability of seeing lights is narrow during Solar Minimum. Approximately the duration of one cycle is 11 years, although it can be anything up to 14 or 15 years. So plan accordingly! September is undoubtedly a great time to visit this Nordic fairyland.
Although this is arguably the most challenging time of year to visit, winter in Iceland produces captivating sceneries. Everything is covered in snow, and having all vistas and space almost entirely to yourself. January is the coldest and darkest month of the year. If visiting in January and February, make sure you wrap up warm, particularly if you’re heading in search of the Northern Lights. Expect cold temperatures, snow flurries, low visibility, and road closures.
Iceland is a member of the Schengen Visa Agreement, all persons requiring visas not holding a valid Schengen visa in their travel document must apply for a visa at the applicable embassy/consulate before traveling to Iceland.
In case you are applying from the United States, check out the detailed procedure of how to apply for Iceland Visa from the United States
There’s not really a wrong way to drive the ring road; either way is gorgeous. There is no one correct answer.
All the sights will remain where they are, whether you go clockwise or counterclockwise. Therefore it hardly matters which way you choose. But definitely, some parts, like - the first glimpse of the town of Akureyri, are unbeatable when you are driving in the counterclockwise direction. While the views of Vatnajökull (it is visible from far away, in fact, we could see its four termini together) are best seen when traveling clockwise. So there will always be some sections that would be better in one direction while the rest in the other.
It also depends on where you manage to get accommodation, that could help you decide the direction.
It’s easy to pull over or stop at all the scenic points in Iceland, unlike other places. For example, if you are doing California 1, you would always want to do it from North to South rather than the other way around since all the scenic overlooks are on the right side of the road. And mainly being a single-lane highway, with lots of blind turns, pulling over the left side of the road would be complicated. We were bound to choose the north to south direction. But there is no such problem in Iceland. So, you are free to pick any direction.
The only reason I would do it counterclockwise is because there are so many stops in the south, and you might be too exhausted already to really enjoy them on your way back to Reykjavík. But, again, it entirely depends on your individual preference.
FUEL = EXPENSIVE
Yes, gas is expensive in Iceland. It cost us around 500 USD approximately to do the entire ring road in a campervan. If you are planning to do the ring road or venturing into the F -roads, if you are below half a tank, I would suggest filling up gas whenever you pass a gas station.
The gas stations in Iceland have everything from restaurants, grocery stores, retail stores, and restrooms. We enjoyed several meals at Nesti (I fell in love with their Veggie Burger :) ) by N1 stations. I would strongly advise buying some snacks or coffee or other stuff if you use their restrooms.
Most of the gas stations only accept credit cards with a pin, make sure you know the pin of your credit card or carry a debit card. Alternatively, you can buy a pre-paid gas card at the beginning of your trip. You can also pay at the gas station if they are manned and open(during business hours). So, if you don’t have the pin and the gas stations are closed or unmanned, you won’t be able to fill up gas.
Major gas station companies are N1, Orkan, Olis, etc. Below is an interactive map of significant gas stations in Iceland. Many rental car companies give a discount tag that works at one of these stations. Ask your rental car company about the discount.
Note: Unlike the United States, the diesel pumps in Iceland have black handles while gasoline ones are green.
Below is an interactive map of significant Gas Stations in Iceland. Expand the Legend on the left for all details.
Vegetarian?? Looking for Vegan/Vegetarian food in Iceland? Here are some of my picks
Reykjavik
Vik
For soups the Soup Company has many vegan options
Höfn
Seydisfjordur
Krafla
Akureyri
Just like gas, food is also expensive in Iceland. Reykjavik has a lot of options, but as you step outside would advise stock up in Reykjavik if you are hitting the Ring Road or Highlands or especially camping. Get all the stuff you might need on your trip to Reykjavik, and only buy perishables. That way, you could save some money and make your trip hassle-free from all the time trying to locate a grocery store.
Bónus is the budget supermarket in Iceland, and it is the cheapest of all. They have stores all across Iceland. Refer to the map below for locations. Other popular stores in Iceland are Kronan, Netto, Hagauap, Noatun, Samkaup, and Vidir.
Gas Stations across Iceland also have small grocery stores(sometimes bigger ones as well). So you will always find what you are looking for, don’t worry about the tidbits.
Below is an interactive map of notable Supermarkets in Iceland. Expand the Legend on the left for all details.
The sockets and power plugs are of type F in Iceland or also called Europlug/Schuko-Plug. The outlet’s output 230 volts versus 110 volts in the U.S. So, get your converters/adapters, if necessary. Alternatively, you can buy them at Keflavik Airport or various gas stations across Iceland.
You can buy SIM at Keflavik airport itself, just outside the arrivals.
Síminn has the best coverage.
Reykjavík - Ray-kya-veek
Höfn - hup
Vík - veek
Akureyri - ah-kuh-ray-ree
Þingvellir - Thing-vet-lrr
Snæfell - Snigh-fetl
Landmannalaugar - land-manna-lay-gar
Vatnajökull - vatna-yuhktl
Jökulsárlón - yokul-sarlon
Dyrhólaey - deer-hola-ae (ae as in bae)
Sólheimasandur - soul-hay-ma-sandur
Eyjafjallajökull - ay-ya-fyatla-yuhktl
Seyðisfjörður - say-dis-fyord-ur
Seljalandsfoss - sel-ya-landsfoss
Mývatn - mee - waat - n
Krýsuvík - crews-a-veek
Okay, this is the best one, so Iceland is Ísland in Icelandic and is pronounced as eess-land.
Also, you will find many places ending in Foss; Foss is a waterfall in Icelandic.
Below is an interactive map of major attractions, campgrounds, and gas stations supermarkets in Iceland. Expand the Legend on the left for all details.