14th February 2025, 10:54
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| BHPian  Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Coimbatore
Posts: 101
Thanked: 462 Times
| Better Late Than Never | Our Iceland Ring Road Camping Adventure  Better late than never! Finally sharing the details of our unforgettable Iceland Ring Road trip from August to September 2023. We had initially planned to explore Scandinavia, but life had other plans, and Iceland became our dream destination instead. With busy work schedules, we only managed to book the essentials like tickets, car rental, and visas well in advance. The itinerary? That came together just a week before departure. We watched a few YouTube videos and read some articles at the last moment and decided to explore the rest after reaching there. We just had a rough plan and a few things to do. The Plan Our goal was to complete Iceland’s famous Ring Road, starting west, heading south, moving east, and finally up north in a counterclockwise direction. Late summer (Aug-Sep) seemed ideal for fewer crowds and relatively mild weather. Packing two big trolleys of warm clothes, Indian masalas, and ready-to-eat MTR packs, we set off. We opted for Lufthansa premium economy, extra legroom, minimum layover time, and the same operator for both flights; it was worth the splurge. Car Booking - The Sad Story Even though I was excited about exploring the beautiful landscapes of Iceland, I was even more excited about driving in that terrain; so picking the right car was key for me. Since Iceland is a friendly country for camping, we decided not to book hotels separately and started exploring the camper van options to begin with. The most common ones are two-seaters with a bed instead of rear seats, like Renault Kangoo, Dacia Dokker, etc. These are available both in automatic and manual transmissions. However, they are only front-wheel drive (FWD), except a few VW and only one Pajero, which have beds in the rear and also 4X4. I wasn’t too keen on driving those small vans and wanted to try out some 4X4. The VW was more like a Van and missed the Pajero only by a day. Since it was the end of summer, we got some exciting offers for GLE, Defender, and Land Cruisers from Hertz, but without rooftop tents well within my budget. We found out that there are a lot of options to rent the camping gear separately, like beds, and I wanted to check if it’s possible to fold the rear seats and make a flatbed in these cars. I was quite sure it would be convenient, but I still wanted to check if Hertz would allow me to camp inside the car. So, I wrote an email. Their reply was, “It’s ok with us, however, some campsites will have rules against sleeping inside the car” which we later realized wasn’t true, at least not in Iceland. Disappointed after seeing the reply, I started exploring more options with rooftop tents and found the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV on www.carrentaliceland.com. It’s a plug-in hybrid vehicle with a pure electric range of 40 km, twin-motor 4WD system with Super-All Wheel Control (S-AWC). It comes with a 2.0 Ltr 4-Cylinder engine with 2 electric motors, one at each axle. It also has heated seats and steering, which are very useful in Icelandic weather conditions. A super easy, no-nonsense car to live with, it gave no trouble throughout the trip. I was recommended to use 95 octane fuel, but not to worry, every fuel station in Iceland only has 95 octane gas. Fuel prices were approximately 180-190 INR per litre. The Travel We picked our flight from Chennai to Reykjavík via Frankfurt. Our preferred carrier for domestic was, as always, Indigo (mostly on time). We traveled from Coimbatore to Chennai, made sure we had a backup flight in case of any cancellation, so we reached Chennai airport well in advance. We went out and had dinner at Murugan Idli Shop.  Day 1: 29/8/23 Grindavik – The Start Upon arrival, the car rental guy picked us up at the Reykjavík Airport in a Mercedes Vito Tourer, their office very close to the Airport. We got our Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV equipped with a pop-up tent, sleeping bags, a foldable table, chairs, a stove, an ice cooler, utensils, and Wi-Fi. He was so friendly and we started making a good conversation, that’s when I realized there is no such rule not to sleep inside the car. He rightly pointed out that all the small campers are typically offering the same. I was cursing my luck for missing out on driving a Defender, which is one of my dream SUVs to own. After a safety briefing (and a heads-up about upcoming rain and wind alerts), he also introduced us to the website vedur.is to keep an eye on the weather, especially wind. He warned us about a windy day ahead next week and asked us not to take any chances using the rooftop tent. He suggested we either sleep inside the car (by folding the second row) or book a hotel room. We grabbed a quick lunch at a burger joint, stocked up on groceries, and reached Grindavik for our first camp night. The place lived up to its great reviews, a lively spot where travelers exchange tips and even leave behind extra supplies.    Dinner was a comforting Muttai Kolambu (egg curry - with our own masala, which really lit up a lot of fellow campers). A friendly couple from the Netherlands couldn’t resist the smell, tasted our curry, and fell in love with it. Afterward, we started working on a detailed itinerary, keeping an eye on the weather using vedur, and decided to revise our travel plan due to the weather alerts. Instead of going counterclockwise, we pivoted to clockwise to experience the north before the heavy rain hit. Campsite image from Google:  Popup Tent - How to close - Please watch it in 3X speed: Day 2: 30/8/23 West Iceland Highlights Búðakirkja: A quaint black church surrounded by lava fields.  Gatklettur: A stunning rock arch by the sea.  Svörtuloft Lighthouse and Ingjaldshólskirkja: Picturesque spots perfect for photography.         We ended the day at the Grundarfjörður camp, conveniently located near a swimming pool. Note, however, that there is no kitchen or good shower room here. Total Distance Covered - 448 Kms Time Behind the Wheels - 8:30 hours |
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14th February 2025, 11:30
| #2 |
| BHPian Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Coimbatore
Posts: 101
Thanked: 462 Times
| Re: Better Late Than Never: Our September 2023 Iceland Ring Road Camping Adventure Trust me, even after spending so many hours behind the wheel, I didn’t feel any tiredness, thanks to the scenic locations, the roads, and the car itself.      That's too many cars on road as per Iceland standard - Heavy Traffic  Day 3: 31/8/23 Hidden Gems of North Iceland Hvitserkur: A volcanic rock formation best seen in the evening.  Grettir’s Pool: A remote thermal pool we had all to ourselves—totally worth the drive!   Grafarkirkja: Iceland’s oldest church, where we met a lovely Canadian couple who suggested we visit a turf house on F-road 907.      We camped in Dalvik, a small town. A well-equipped campsite with kitchen and free hot showers (note - not all campsites will give you a free hot shower, you may have to pay extra at certain campsites). Grafarkirkja to Dalvik: An experience to remember - We picked a short-route!  We picked a short route as per the map, which would normally be closed during winter (saw a big signboard when we entered, but we still decided to explore). This road taught me a lot as a driver. It’s a complete rural road (gravel, with no fencing even for big valleys) with nothing for about 50+ km stretch. In fact, we only saw one car in the whole stretch, An European couple had stopped at a valley to take pictures, none before or after them. Just a few kilometers in, we saw thick clouds so close, and my wife started taking some pictures. Even while she was taking them, we realized we were heading straight into those clouds. Visibility was almost zero. We could hardly see what was in front of us. Terrific scenes that my wife, who is normally a thrill-seeker, described as the most thrilling part of the whole trip. She even admitted that her palms started sweating (which I didn’t openly admit) only after crossing that stretch.  Normally, along with mandatory speed limit signs, you often see advisory speed limits on blue boards with white lettering—especially on rural roads. We saw an advisory warning of speed 20 km/h (not normal there) followed by a blind crest. Since I was already afraid, I suddenly reduced the speed to well below 20 km/h. A steep ascent with a blind bend ahead, and the moment we finished climbing, we had to take a very sharp left. There was no fencing, and you won’t believe how deep the valley was there. I had driven on a few F-roads (even lost traction while braking and was about to crash once) but this was the most dangerous drive of the whole trip. Not sure how it’s not qualified as an F-road in their dictionary. Definitely not for the faint-hearted or beginners behind the wheel. Total Kms covered - 350 kms Thrill unlimited.  Day 4: 01/9/23 Exploring Myvatn Stops included: Goðafoss: The majestic "Waterfall of the Gods."   Grjótagjá Cave: A hot spring cave straight out of “Game of Thrones” Hverfjall Volcano and Krafla Viti Crater: Incredible volcanic landscapes. Hverir - Geothermal With weather alerts high (windy) as per the car rental guy and vedur.is, we didn’t want to take any chances and opted for a cozy stay at Elda Guest House. Here again, our Muttai Kolambu made two Chinese guys come to us asking about the recipe, and we allowed them to taste as well. We thought it would be the windiest day of our trip, but then Icelandic weather never stops surprising you. The following 3 days were the toughest. It tested my driving skills to the core. With heavy gusts and a rooftop tent on an SUV, it was a bad combination. I couldn’t drive beyond 30 km/h, the wind was pulling the car in both directions and making me lose traction with the road. I had to hold the steering wheel so tight, my forearm started paining so bad. Only hatchbacks found it easy to drive. Otherwise, every SUV on the road was driven with hazard lamps on. I forgot to mention: You will only see the normal tourist crowd in the southern part of Iceland. As you move towards the north and east, you will hardly see any tourists (tough to spot any Indians, to be precise). As you move south, you'll see a lot of tourists, especially Chinese and Indians who live in the EU, USA, and Canada. Total Kms covered - 140 kms |
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14th February 2025, 11:56
| #3 |
| BHPian Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Coimbatore
Posts: 101
Thanked: 462 Times
| Re: Better Late Than Never | Our Iceland Ring Road Camping Adventure Day 5: 2/9/23 Majestic East Iceland  Dettifoss: Known as Iceland’s Niagara.   Sænautasel Turf House Museum: A quaint stop where we enjoyed pancakes and hot chocolate. Stuðlagil Canyon: Stunning basalt formations in a hidden canyon. (Through Desert F-Road F907 – this is where I lost traction while driving at around 70 km/h, somehow managed to hold on to the steering wheel and controlled it in the end.) Vök Thermal Baths: A relaxing end to the day before camping in Egilsstadir. It’s a bit expensive but definitely worth the experience. Located right beside Lake Urriðavatn, the setting is stunning. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can dive in the cold water (Urriðavatn lake) and return to the hot pool. A few daring people did that, but we could barely touch the cold water with our hands! (Google image for reference - To show how it's built right next to the lake)  Total Kms covered - Around 350 kms    With the wind becoming severe, we couldn’t open the rooftop tent. Normally, the hotel tariffs are high, especially if you try to book at the last moment. We found no hotels for less than 35K per night, and that’s when we found the cheat code. There is a small trick in folding the second-row seats to make it a flatbed on the Outlander, which I had studied before my trip. I stacked all our bags in the front seats, pulled out the bed from the tent, spread it, and used the sleeping bags that came with the car (we had carried our own sleeping bags, but used the ones that came with the car to make the bed more comfortable and warm). To be honest, it was even more comfortable than sleeping in the tent. The only pain was moving the bags and other stuff to the front seats every time.  Day 6: 03/9/23 Scenic Fjords Gufu Waterfall: A small but picturesque waterfall. Seyðisfjörður Rainbow Road Church: A colorful and charming village & Nordic restaurant.     Skútafoss Falls: A hidden gem. Vestrahorn: Though the winds and low tide prevented us from seeing its famous reflections, it was still worth the visit. We camped near Vestrahorn under the stars. Again, heavy winds, so we continued with our cheat code for camping. Total Kms covered - Around 300 kms Day 7: 04/9/23 Glaciers and Icebergs Diamond Beach: A surreal landscape dotted with icebergs.   Fjallsárlón Glacier Lagoon: Boat tour to icebergs.   Svínafellsjökull Glacier: A must-see for its dramatic beauty.  Fagrifoss: A small waterfall by the road, just a few kms before the campsite. We camped in Kirkjubæjarklaustur, one of the most scenic campsites of our trip. There was a hot shower available at an extra cost. Total Kms covered - Around 200 kms. To be continued..... |
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14th February 2025, 12:24
| #4 |
| BHPian Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Coimbatore
Posts: 101
Thanked: 462 Times
| Re: Better Late Than Never | Our Iceland Ring Road Camping Adventure Day 8: 05/9/23 Waterfalls and Beaches Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon: A picturesque canyon that stole our hearts.  Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach & Dyrhólaey (rock arch beach): Iconic for its basalt columns and dramatic waves.          Sólheimasandur: - The famous Wrecked DC-3 Plane   Skógafoss: A towering waterfall with a rainbow surprise. Seljavallalaug Pool: A free, natural thermal pool nestled in a valley. Warning: it's a very long walk from the parking spot, but it’s worth every bit (1:30 hours total walking time).  Our camping spot for the night was the peaceful Hotel Fljótshlíð site. Total Kms covered - Around 200 kms. Day 9: 06/9/23 Golden Circle Wonders Gljúfrabúi and Seljalandsfoss: Hidden and classic waterfalls. At Seljalandsfoss, you can walk behind the cascading water; there’s also a hidden waterfall here. Please carry a raincoat, you’ll likely get wet, but don’t miss it! It’s such a lovely, picturesque place and experience. We can’t forget the hot chocolate with cinnamon rolls sitting in the car facing the falls.       Gullfoss Waterfall: A roaring cascade of icy water. Kerid Crater: A volcanic crater with a vivid blue lake. Thingvellir National Park: A UNESCO World Heritage site known for its tectonic plates, and a place where you can snorkel in Silfra.  Geyser Geo-Thermal (Haukadalur Valley): We got some great videos here, and I still remember the sound. It was such a great sight! Here is one for you: Our plan was to camp at Lava Hostel, but we missed booking the slot and didn’t get a spot. So, we decided to drive up to Grindavik CampSite (from where we started the trip), which was another 45 kms stretch from there. Total Kms covered - Around 350+ kms. Day 10: 07/9/23 Reykjavík and Farewell We wrapped up our adventure with: Reykjavík City tour Whale watching - It was too cold, we couldn't even take our cameras out. We spotted a few whales and a group of dolphins Hallgrimskirkja Church - The largest church in Iceland.  Our last night was spent back in Grindavik, reflecting on a trip tailored to our preferences but leaving plenty to explore on future visits. Total Kms covered - Around 180 kms. One last post to come! |
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14th February 2025, 12:37
| #5 |
| BHPian Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Coimbatore
Posts: 101
Thanked: 462 Times
| Re: Better Late Than Never | Our Iceland Ring Road Camping Adventure Day 11: 08/9/23 IKEA – Yes, you heard it right! We visited IKEA and had one of the most delicious meals at a very reasonable price in their food court. Our car rental guy was kind enough to extend our handover time. We returned the car late in the evening and were dropped off at the airport. Total distance driven was about 3,500+ kms. To sum-up: Iceland was a land of raw beauty, surreal landscapes, and a paradise for road trip lovers. While we stuck to the Ring Road, adrenaline junkies can take it up a notch by exploring the F-roads for an extra thrill with the right vehicle. The best cars for these rugged roads are Toyota Land Cruisers and Land Rover Defenders, and you'll often see them zooming past on the gravel paths. This journey was truly a dream come true, and we can't wait to return, tackle more F-roads, and experience the magic of Iceland during winter.  Things to Keep in Mind: Unpredictable Weather: Icelandic weather can change suddenly, so always stay updated. It’s often windy, and car doors are equipped with extra protection to prevent them from being blown off. Be careful when opening your car door, you won’t know how strong the wind is until you open the door or window. Gravel Roads: Gravel roads are common and well-maintained. If you’re driving an SUV, punctures won’t be a big concern, but be cautious if you're in a hatchback; we saw a few Swifts with punctured tires. You will find sheep everywhere you go in Iceland. Whenever you find the sheep crossing sign, just be careful. You will surely see sheep around the place, and you will never know when they might cross. Also, as you go towards the north, you will find a lot of horses as well.   Must-Try Dishes: Fish and chips, hot dogs, and the amazing hot chocolate are a must-try. Costs: Food and accommodations in Iceland can be expensive, even by European standards, especially near prime tourist spots with great views. However, don’t miss out on these experiences! We cooked our breakfasts and dinners to enjoy lavish, delicious lunches at great places. Some bills were even around 9,000 INR. Early Closures: Except for the main cities in Southern Iceland, most towns close early in the evening. Many restaurants close as early as 8 pm. Google Maps: Google Maps and restaurant suggestions are reliable for finding good spots and routes. You can rely on them completely. For every scenic spot, you will have more than 1 viewing point, to enjoy the scenery in different angles - Always check before and pick the right angles, most of the time it’s quite a distance you need to cover to view from different angles. Get a Dongle: It’s incredibly useful to get a dongle from your car rental for internet access. Change of Clothes: Always carry a change of clothes, you never know when you’ll stumble upon a geothermal pool. Don’t miss the chance to enjoy one! Payments and Network: You can pay with cards everywhere, and there’s good network coverage throughout the country. For fuel, most stations don’t have cash counters, so you can only pay with credit or debit cards. Car scenes in Iceland: Land cruisers and Defenders rule the F Roads - You will see a lot of Vintage Defenders (reference pic - google) still in great condition. It's too expensive to rent one. Common cars seen on the ring road are Jimny, Duster and RAV4. Other than that you will see alot more hatches including Swift ALLGRIP. Sharing some of the pictures here.        Super Jeeps and Monster trucks of Iceland:    If you have plans to visit Iceland in the near future and have any doubts, feel free to reach out to me for support. I’ll be happy to assist! Thanks for reading! |
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14th February 2025, 16:56
| #6 |
| BHPian Join Date: Sep 2022 Location: Bengaluru
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| Re: Better Late Than Never | Our Iceland Ring Road Camping Adventure Fantastic and detailed travelogue with great pics, thanks for the post. Exactly the kind of vacation I want to have, but have not yet had. Saving this page for future reference. Will take up your offer of assistance.  |
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14th February 2025, 18:50
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| BHPian  Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Pune
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15th February 2025, 11:44
| #8 |
| BHPian Join Date: May 2022 Location: KL09 / KA03
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15th February 2025, 13:30
| #9 |
| Newbie Join Date: Aug 2023 Location: Bangalore
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| Re: Better Late Than Never | Our Iceland Ring Road Camping Adventure What a coincidence that I also completed my Iceland Travelogue yesterday and then saw your beautiful Travelogue I am sure just like me , the trip and the places would remain fresh in your mind for a long long time to come ! Nice writeup and beautiful photos ! |
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15th February 2025, 20:21
| #10 |
| BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: cochin
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| Re: Better Late Than Never | Our Iceland Ring Road Camping Adventure Amazing travelogue !!! Awsome pictures. I have been procrastinating writing my travelogue for the trip I did 6 months back . And today I saw 2 travelogues in quick succession including yours of Iceland. This is my sign. Time to pen down my trip report of 12 days of solo campervan all across Iceland. A trip of a lifetime. A trip unlike any other. Magical magical Iceland.  |
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16th February 2025, 01:48
| #11 |
| BHPian | |
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19th February 2025, 09:49
| #12 | ||||||
| BHPian Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Coimbatore
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| Quote:
Reg. Camping - Yes, you are right; we had studied that part before we plan our trip. My question was very clear to Hertz, I asked them if we can sleep inside the car at the Camping sites only; for which they said some of the Camp sites may have policies against that, which confused us. Since it's not the case in Iceland, I wanted the readers to know it, it could be helpful for them when they plan their trip. Now that we know how it works, when we plan our next trip to Iceland we would only pick a Defender Quote:
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 Last edited by Rudra Sen : 20th February 2025 at 12:42. Reason: Back to back posts merged | ||||||
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19th February 2025, 14:43
| #13 | |
| BHPian | Re: Better Late Than Never | Our Iceland Ring Road Camping Adventure Quote:
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20th February 2025, 12:27
| #14 | |
| BHPian Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Coimbatore
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| Re: Better Late Than Never | Our Iceland Ring Road Camping Adventure Quote:
Check this link - https://www.goiceland.com/cars/vw-ca...4x4-automatic/ | |
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