Welcome to our Iceland travel guide! Here are some of the places we visited and the tips we followed during our trip to Iceland. Of course, this list is far from comprehensive, and we always recommend you do your own research before traveling.
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How To Plan Your Own 10-Day Iceland Road Trip
Back in 2019, my boyfriend, two friends of ours, and I took a road trip around Iceland and had the most amazing time exploring some of what this amazing country has to offer! Based on my own experiences exploring here, I’m sharing our 10-day itinerary, along with some photos, interesting information about each spot, and…
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Our Amazing 10 Day Road Trip Around Iceland
2019 was a special year for me – not only because I was turning 30, but also because I had so many incredible trips planned. My friend, Abby, and I had been looking forward to visiting Iceland for years. And, luckily for me, Abby is an avid planner! She pretty much squared away every last…
BEFORE YOU GO
Passport: It’s recommended that you have a valid passport for six months beyond your planned date of departure; only three months passport validity is actually required. You’ll need two blank passport pages for your entry stamp.
Tourist Visa: Lucky you! You won’t need a tourist visa for stays less than 90 days.
Vaccinations: Historically, there were no required vaccinations to visit Iceland. However, right now travelers must either present a certificate of full vaccination against COVID-19 or a certificate of previous COVID-19 infection. Visitors holding a passport (or valid residency) from EEA/EFTA countries (EU member states plus Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) are welcome to visit Iceland regardless of being vaccinated or previously infected.
Check out the U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs website as a guide for any additional travel advisories, cautions, vaccinations, visa/document requirements, etc. prior to visiting Iceland. Note: there has been a Level 3 travel advisory in place since June 8, 2021 due to COVID-19 related restrictions.
Bring a refillable water bottle; not only is it a great choice for the environment, but purchasing water on your trip can also get expensive. The tap water here is drinkable and some of the cleanest in all of Europe, so it’s a no-brainer.
This HAOZI Universal Travel Adapter works in many countries, including Iceland.
Pack light-weight, comfortable clothes that you can layer throughout the day and on hikes. Iceland’s weather can change drastically throughout the day and from location to location. Also bring a hat, sunglasses, a coat, sunblock, a bathing suit, a towel, and waterproof gear, i.e. a waterproof phone case, a rain jacket, hiking boots – we love these Merrell Women’s Moab 2 Mid Waterproof hiking boots, etc. I really love these pants for getting up close and personal with some of the waterfalls:
I would also consider packing some mosquito repellant. We really like Sawyer Products because their lotion uses a controlled release formula, provides up to 11 hours of protection at a time, and comes in an airline-friendly 3-ounce bottle:
Although the summer months, July and August, typically have the warmest weather and are popular for tourism, Iceland experiences 24 hours of daylight in June, making it a great time to visit. Bring an eye mask to ensure you get a full night’s sleep.
You are likely going to be driving a lot, and service will be spotty. Prepare all of your routes using Google Maps before you travel to Iceland and make them available offline to guide you when you don’t have service.
If you plan to visit the Blue Lagoon, book your tickets in advance; it’s a pretty popular spot and typically fully booked throughout the year.
ON YOUR WAY
Get some sleep on your overnight flight, and wake up feeling refreshed and ready to start your Icelandic adventure!
WHILE YOU’RE THERE
Iceland’s currency is the Icelandic Krona, but everywhere we went took credit card, so we had no need to get local currency out before or during our trip. I usually bring my debit card and around $200 USD with me on all of my trips – just in case!
Although we rented a VW Golf-sized vehicle from SADCARS, we would recommend renting a car with four-wheel drive instead, especially if you’re going to be traversing much of the country like we did. Some of the terrain is pretty rough. Camper vans are also prevalent in Iceland, making accommodation prices quite cheap for those who go with that alternative.
Iceland is pricey, so we avoided dining out during most of our trip. We packed our own snacks from home (protein bars, trail mix, nuts, bread, peanut butter, jelly, dried fruit, etc.). We also visited the Bonus grocery store in Iceland to pick up some additional snacks/meals and other necessities.
Consider sharing rooms, staying in hostels and Airbnbs, etc. during your trip to keep costs even lower. Every place we stayed had WiFi.
Iceland was ranked the “World’s Safest Country for 2019” by Global Finance Magazine, and it’s still ranked as one of the safest countries in the world. We can attest that we had no issues whatsoever meandering around and exploring.
Try a hot dog! Iceland is well known for having the best hot dogs in the world, and it’s recommended that you order them with “the works”, i.e. all the condiments. I’m not a huge hot dog fan, but I will say Nordic countries tend to get these right.
Download a podcast or a good playlist for those longer drives.
Iceland is one of the coolest places we’ve ever been, and we would love to hear your tips for visiting here! Feel free to leave your ideas for us in a comment below.
XOXO Travel A-Broads