Nordic Countries - Iceland itinerary recommendations?

Was thinking of heading to Iceland for 5 nights in October...few questions...

Is 5 nights enough to drive around the whole island to expierence it?
What cities would you spend the night in on a drive around the island?
How many nights in Reykjavik would you recommend?
Can you see Aurora Borealis in October?
Do I need more time?

:confused:

Thanks! :)

You can drive around it in that time, but all depends on how you want to experience it. There is a lot of nothing but nature and only an odd scattering of human-made attractions around.

I can attest that you can drive from AEY (the airport) to KEF (the airport) in 5-6 hours of easy driving.

May be a bit harder to drive the western fjords in that time.

Reykjavik (only sizable city in the country) can e done in 1/2 day. You could tour it after you arrive in the morning and move on. Very few sizable towns outside the vicinity except for Akureyri which would be considered a small town in the U.S.

I'll be going for the first time in mid July. I booked 6 nights there and I get the impression that's a bit overkill owing to the size of the place! We're trying to find a private apartment for rent but no dice so far. And you're not kidding, cars are expensive! We'll be going without for the first few days, then renting something a 4x4 and heading into the interior.

Remember that you cannot drive fast in Iceland even on the ring road ... and there are certain country-specific rules about single file on bridges or approaching the crest of a hill.

I think 5 nights is far too little to really see and experience Iceland and the days will be getting shorter in October so you will be more limited in driving time. You may have problems depending on the weather - certainly the F26 will be closed and you should check about the Kjoldur route. You should spend at least 2 days in Reykjavik - one day for the city and another for the Reyjkanes peninsular and the Blue Lagoon.

Car hire is pricey. So is accommodation. You DEFINITELY need more time.

Consider using a local company for your tour. I spent an excellent 7 days with Iceland on Track (www.icelandontrack.is) - excellent driving in a superlatively-equipped vehicle, a knowledgable and friendly guide, good food and clean comfy lodging. Let someone else worry about covering the distance, finding fuel and where the 'best' sights are, and give your whole trip over to seeing, doing and enjoying.

Any recommendations for a travel n00b? I haven't been to europe since I was on a cultural exchange in high school 20 years ago. Things I should know? I hear you can just get local currency out of an ATM, is that true? Is AmEx going to charge me extra for every transaction I make out there?

We're trying to find a private apartment for rent but no dice so far.

I'm going in September and found an apartment through airbnb. 75 dollars for a night, not too bad considering the state of the dollar.

Thanks for the replys. My schedule is still a work in progress!

Consider using a local company for your tour.

I second that. I don't remember the name of the local operator I used, it was a few years ago, but I would never have seen so much or such off the beaten track spots had I been on my own and driving myself. Especially around the gorgeous Landmannalaugar area or up north in the Isafjordur peninsula

Was thinking of heading to Iceland for 5 nights in October...few questions...

Is 5 nights enough to drive around the whole island to expierence it?
What cities would you spend the night in on a drive around the island?
How many nights in Reykjavik would you recommend?
Can you see Aurora Borealis in October?
Do I need more time?

:confused:

Thanks! :)

My partner and I will be in Iceland for ten days beginning September 7. We're already wondering about cooler temperatures, but at least the days will still be relatively long.

Our itinerary from Portland, OR will go something like this:

Day one-two: Arrive early in the morning in Reykjavik and spend an overnight in the city.

Day two-five: Avis car rental from Reykjavik at $456.00 (taxes included) for six days. Leave for Ísafjörður in the West Fjords for hiking and outdoor activities.

Day five-eight: Ísafjörður to Stykkishólmur by way of the Baldur Ferry

Day eight-ten: Stykkishólmur back to Reykjavik early in the day. Return car rental once back in Reykjavik. Plan to meet a new friend and Reykjavik resident (for the first time) to celebrate mutual birthdays at some iconic Reykjavik restaurant. Also plan to have lots of Icelandic hot dogs!

Day ten: Late in the day begin return trip to Portland via Boston and an overnight at Logan International.

This may not be enough time in Reykjavik itself, but we can always return for more! We would consider returning to Iceland in the winter for the Northern Lights.

Yes, you can get the local currency out of the ATM.

Reykjavik is the smallest of the Scandinavian capitals (the whole country has only 320,000 people), and yes, a city tour of about 1/2 day is enough to see all the sights. Otherwise, it feels kind of like a resort town.

The attraction is in the scenery and natural phenomena (volcanoes, hot springs, glaciers) outside of the city.

Got two days in Iceland in June. Staying in Reykjavik, definitely spending time at the Blue Lagoon, and am aware of the "Golden Circle Tour".

Is this something we should book through our hotel and do on a bus, or is there a way to find a quality private guide and do it that way instead, for not a ton more money?

There are several tour companies that all provide pretty much the same tours and activities. I had 2.5 days there, and I took the city tour plus the abbreviated Golden Circle on the first day, the South Coast tour with the glacial lagoon on the second day, and a Blue Lagoon stop on the way to Keflavik for the flight home.

You can also sign up for outdoor activities such as whale watching, horseback riding, glacier treks, and cave exploration.

Apparently there's also an option to circle the island by intercity bus, with the tour company arranging your lodging, but on the whole, tourist lodgings and restaurants are few and far apart.

For example, on the South Coast tour, we stopped at a motel plus restaurant that was the only such facility for miles around. It looked as if it had been built out of old shipping containers, but the food--soup, salads, and bread--was fine.

You can google Iceland tours and see what some of the options are.

Thanks.

I'm pretty comfortable on what we need to see, and have a list of the tour companies if I want to go in a bus. I'm hoping someone knows a private guide so I can price out doing it that way and seeing if it's worth the extra cash.

We had a good experience 3 years ago with a company called TourIs. They arrange various types of travel, and might be able to provide what you need. For example

http://www.tour.is/tours/private_tours.php

We had a different type of trip than yours - 2 weeks, and we did our own driving - but TourIs seemed quite flexible. They arranged everything for us, and it all went smoothly. YMMV.

Good luck. I hope you have a great trip. We really enjoyed our time there.

Nice! That looks really good, especially compared to some options I've seen for private tours. 220 Euros per person here, over 100,000 ISK at other places (which is about $1000/person).

Thanks very much!

And we're back!

Ended up using Iceland Horizons for our Golden Circle tour. Picked them as they use 16 passenger vans for their tours, so less waiting for everyone to come back and file in/out of the bus, and shorter "rest stops". Worked with David (the owner) for booking the trip, and he was the driver!

Excellent tour for our 8,000 ISK (about $65). Full 8 hours of touring, saw everything we hoped to see and more (the horses are adorable!).

Hope to go back sometime when it actually gets dark at night (who knew that when we asked the hotel "are there good drapes on the windows?" and they said "yes" that we should have also asked about the skylights!), and see some of the wilder parts of the country.

So now we're looking at going back for a week in late July, renting a car, and doing a lap of the country. Anyone here already done this and have a sample itinerary we can start with?

Google Iceland Ring Road. You can't go wrong with this one.

Google Iceland Ring Road. You can't go wrong with this one.

That's where I started. I know it can be done, the question is does anyone have an itinerary that shows where you should stop each night and what to see along the way.

I've got a guidebook, I'm hoping my internet friends can fill in the blanks!

In May 2010, I went by booking this package: http://www.icelandair.us/offers-and-bookings/book-packages/package/item199803/iceland_complete/. It was also possible to stay up to 2 extra nights in Reykjavik, which I chose to.

If I hadn't done the trip alone, I'd have done it with a rental car, but I don't regret having had the chance to see it from a bus and receiving all the information from the guide.

The hotels listed are those we stayed at, except in Vik because the village had just been covered by ash from Eyjafjallajökull and Reykjavik as it was Icelandair Hotel Loftleiðir, and I can definitely recommend them (also, see how Iceland is not very populated, the areas are those where one has to stop to sleep/eat). Food was also excellent.

As for the time in Reykjavik, I read someone up who suggested 1/2 day while I spent a bit of a busy 3 days, so it's all up to your interests, besides I'm a self-confessed anti-tourist nerd - in Reykjavik, I arranged a tour of the parliament and I also spend quite a long time checking out the cemetry where many of Iceland's historical figures are buried.

I'm at your disposal if you need more help planning :)

Thanks, that's a good starting place for the tour.

My partner and I are going to be in Iceland for 6 days next month. So, here's my two cents coming from my post-research, pre-arrival stance:

Car hire is pricey.

It really is if you're visiting during the winter or want to drive into icy areas (e.g. glaciers). I rented a 4x4 for two days through SADCards and they gave me the cheapest quote of $83.50/day. But! I'm the do-your-own tour type, so I took the plunge and mapped out the specific geological wonders I'm interested in.

Also, I heard the Blue Lagoon is pretty nasty if you look into the water (think thousands of tourists and their body hairs coalescing in water all day...). Many locals suggest visitors to stop by one of the many local thermal pools all around Iceland or a hot spring. This (http://www.swimminginiceland.com/reykjavik-and-capital-area) is an awesome link that lists all the swimming holes in Iceland.

I'm prepping for a full itinerary on my blog, but it's not quite ready. If you want to get some inspiration for destinations, I have mostly completed a Google map (https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=214709273121414967309.0004d4fe02875dc1978a d&msa=0)that has most points of interests I want to hit when I'm personally there.

I'm spending 5 nights there in early March. We ruled out hiring a car because of the ice and snow (being from Australia I don't have experience driving in those conditions)

Going with a local tour company to explore the South Coast, hopefully see the Northern Lights on the drive home.

Going with a cheaper company to do the ring road and (the highlight) some snorkeling in a glacial lake! I should pack some duty free whiskey for post snorkel warming.

Brrrrrrrrr

I should make a trip report post trip.

I heard the Blue Lagoon is pretty nasty if you look into the water (think thousands of tourists and their body hairs coalescing in water all day...)

When I looked in it (the water in the Blue Lagoon), there was nothing sinister, and the silica gel did WONDERS for my poor psoriasis. Definitely worth doing ... I went to a swimming pool in Reykjavik and the Myvatn baths, but whilst the water was nice, it was in no way as therapeutic for my skin!! And the views were less breathtaking, but that shouldn't be a deal breaker I suppose! ENJOY ... but don't forget that many places have communal changing areas (ladies and gents ARE separated) but you are expected to shower in your birthday suit.

When I looked in it (the water in the Blue Lagoon), there was nothing sinister, and the silica gel did WONDERS for my poor psoriasis. Definitely worth doing ... I went to a swimming pool in Reykjavik and the Myvatn baths, but whilst the water was nice, it was in no way as therapeutic for my skin!! And the views were less breathtaking, but that shouldn't be a deal breaker I suppose! ENJOY ... but don't forget that many places have communal changing areas (ladies and gents ARE separated) but you are expected to shower in your birthday suit.

I've been to the Blue Lagoon a few times. There is nothing nasty about it at all. Also 100% of the lagoon is refreshed with new water every 48 hours. In my mind it is the cleanest pool on the planet.

Also, I heard the Blue Lagoon is pretty nasty if you look into the water (think thousands of tourists and their body hairs coalescing in water all day...). Many locals suggest visitors to stop by one of the many local thermal pools all around Iceland or a hot spring. This (http://www.swimminginiceland.com/reykjavik-and-capital-area) is an awesome link that lists all the swimming holes in Iceland.


Those thousands of tourists and locals are required to shower and scrub themselves well before they are allowed into the lagoon. The showers are communal (separated for women and men) and you shower naked under the eagle eye of lagoon staff.
Personally I found the water clean and the lagoon divine, felt so good I though my bones had melted.

Some of the thermal bathing holes around the island are really holes, i.e. largish or not so largish holes in the ground with a thermal spring. They can be cramped (and crowded being free) and muddy.