remphish1

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?



Thanks!

YVR Cockroach

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.

priapism

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.

Alsacienne

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.

priapism

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?

maarit

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.

remphish1

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

tyn

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

ravisurdhar

Arriving in KEF 12:25 on Aug 8 (Monday), leaving 07:10 on Aug 13 (Saturday). I'm trying to plan my trip, and I'm wishing I had 5 weeks instead of 5 days! There's just so much to do! I'm thinking I'd like to see Reykjavik and the West Fjords, and possible take the ferry up to Grimsey to cross the Arctic Circle. I don't know if I can do all that in 5 days though!

So far, I'm thinking this:

Monday: Reykjavik, museums, etc.
Tuesday: Golden Circle
Wednesday: Drive (bus? fly?) to Isafjordur, short hiking
Thursday: Hiking all day? Drive (fly?) to Akureyri?
Friday: Akureyri/Grimsey, fly to Reykjavik in the evening (or drive/bus overnight?)
Saturday: Depart.

I feel like that's too much traveling around and not enough sightseeing/hiking...suggestions? Thanks!

nomadic.relief

I would plan to do the Blue Lagoon as a part of your transfer into Reykjavik or back to the airport (nice way to start or end the trip and it's a ways in the wrong direction from the city).

Golden Circle, definitely a must - hopefully your weather is better than the driving rain I got!

When in Reykjavik doing the museum run I definitely recommend the national museum (near-ish to the city center airport) and Exhibit 942 (I think that's what's it called, downtown) - the national museum has lots of pretty cool history and the Exhibit is underground, the actual stonewalls etc from a settlement from the first people of Reykjavik.

Enjoy your time, I went for 4 days in April 2010 (to see the airspace closing volcano... which was AWESOME ... helps that I got out 2 days before everything was shut down in Europe) and that was not nearly enough!

tyn

Blue Lagoon is a must do.

Isafjordur is worth the hop but I don't think you can do it in one day by driving, you'll need to fly. Consider doing the boat trip from Isafjordur to Vigur Island (takes about 30 minutes) and doing your hiking there, you will be literally surrounded by puffins

ravisurdhar

The blue lagoon just seems like a $40 pool with blue water. What's so special? Aren't there free natural hot springs all over the country?

I'll take a look into the boat, thanks!

Would I want to drive to the West Fjords, just for the convenience of having the rental car? Can you rent one there? Or are the buses convenient enough that you don't need one?

tyn

Yes, there are free hot springs in lots of places, lots of them however are muddy just a tiny bit bigger than your bathtub back home but crammed with lots more people than I guess you invite into your home bathtub

Blue Lagoon is massive in size and as a result you have a lot more changes in water temperature. It can go to barely warm to melt your bones hote. Trust me, it's a great experience. I was skeptical myself before trying it. Did it as a sort of stopover on my way to Keflavik on departure from Iceland and the sense of wellbeing lasted through the many hours of flight back home.

Driving across the Western Fjords takes quite a bit of time. You have to go up and down and up and down if you want to see some scenery. I thought it worth (still dreaming of Dinjandi falls) but I had considerably more time than five days and was also able to do Landmannalaugar and one of the internal tracks where the astronauts trained before their moon walk

SFOSpiff

Since you're going in summer, when the sun never really sets, I would set aside Friday night for an all-night pub crawl, if that's your thing. It's a Reykjavik tradition.

It really is all night - I left for the airport at 5 am and the streets were still full of people.

philwupdx

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.