Solo trip - Car/camper rental in Iceland 8 days
Dec 19, 2018, 5:54 am
#16
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 975
Well, the OP is traveling in May and in Iceland May is no longer considered winter. Some F-Roads are already open by that time.
Please cross post on Trip Advisor's Iceland forum where there are several very experienced Icelanders who share their local knowledge. Internet listings of campsite opening times cannot always be relied upon - weather dependent and also how regularly the site is updated with information provided by the campsite owners.
Dec 19, 2018, 10:04 am
#17
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Strangeville
Posts: 29
I beg to differ about May being no longer considered 'winter'. In some years it may be far from wintry and in other years, plenty of snow, ice and closed roads ... not to mention the strong WINDS. No guarantees.
Please cross post on Trip Advisor's Iceland forum where there are several very experienced Icelanders who share their local knowledge. Internet listings of campsite opening times cannot always be relied upon - weather dependent and also how regularly the site is updated with information provided by the campsite owners.
Please cross post on Trip Advisor's Iceland forum where there are several very experienced Icelanders who share their local knowledge. Internet listings of campsite opening times cannot always be relied upon - weather dependent and also how regularly the site is updated with information provided by the campsite owners.
Strong winds can happen in Iceland all year long and as you rightly said, nothing is guaranteed -ever- regardless of the season.
But in May, as an average, there is more light, less rain, and less wind compared to what is indeed considered winter.
I'm not a Meteo guy but weather statistics can be easily checked on Vedur and those are indeed a fact.
We all know that weather in Iceland can be pretty unpredictable but it doesn't mean that there aren't differences between each season and we can just call anything "winter".
Dec 20, 2018, 4:25 am
#18
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Formerly Box 350, Boston Mass, Oh two one three four. Now near Beverly Hills 90210
Programs: Loyal Order of Water Buffalos
Posts: 3,934
In prior years there have been MUCH incorrect info. Many folks have been left with no place to go when they find places that are listed as open locked up tight. Contact each place you want to go in advance to be certain of availability
Jan 1, 2019, 5:31 pm
#19
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 17
Hey guys!
Taking a look at my reservation, I realized that the insurance excess is quite high, which of course scares me in case something happens and I see myself paying that huge self-risk!
Do any of you know about a company with a smaller self-risk? Or even better, no excess at all?
@Korealover Did you book yet? If so, what are your rental conditions?
Thank you in advance!
Taking a look at my reservation, I realized that the insurance excess is quite high, which of course scares me in case something happens and I see myself paying that huge self-risk!
Do any of you know about a company with a smaller self-risk? Or even better, no excess at all?
@Korealover Did you book yet? If so, what are your rental conditions?
Thank you in advance!
Jan 2, 2019, 1:22 am
#20
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Strangeville
Posts: 29
Hey guys!
Taking a look at my reservation, I realized that the insurance excess is quite high, which of course scares me in case something happens and I see myself paying that huge self-risk!
Do any of you know about a company with a smaller self-risk? Or even better, no excess at all?
@Korealover Did you book yet? If so, what are your rental conditions?
Thank you in advance!
Taking a look at my reservation, I realized that the insurance excess is quite high, which of course scares me in case something happens and I see myself paying that huge self-risk!
Do any of you know about a company with a smaller self-risk? Or even better, no excess at all?
@Korealover Did you book yet? If so, what are your rental conditions?
Thank you in advance!
Did you book a car or a camper?
Recently most local companies added a Platinum add-on to lower the excess down to 0 ISK but I think it is for cars. Ask your company if they have any complement to get rid of self-risks
Maybe someone else can help in case you booked a camper
Jan 2, 2019, 10:18 am
#21
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Worldwide
Posts: 2
Hallooo!
Did you book a car or a camper?
Recently most local companies added a Platinum add-on to lower the excess down to 0 ISK but I think it is for cars. Ask your company if they have any complement to get rid of self-risks
Maybe someone else can help in case you booked a camper
Did you book a car or a camper?
Recently most local companies added a Platinum add-on to lower the excess down to 0 ISK but I think it is for cars. Ask your company if they have any complement to get rid of self-risks
Maybe someone else can help in case you booked a camper
Hello!! Well I have booked a camper for my solo trip to Iceland in July. After countless hours of reading stuff for my trip online, I found a great website called Campervan Reykjavik that has several models to choose from but the best thing of all is that they include all the insurance + zero excess in the price just when you book a car. Simply click on the insurance tab and you will see that all insurance is included. That was such a relief because I want to be fully covered for my trip!!!. This is my first solo trip and I want it to be smooth
Jan 3, 2019, 1:38 am
#22
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 3
Hey guys!
Taking a look at my reservation, I realized that the insurance excess is quite high, which of course scares me in case something happens and I see myself paying that huge self-risk!
Do any of you know about a company with a smaller self-risk? Or even better, no excess at all?
@Korealover Did you book yet? If so, what are your rental conditions?
Thank you in advance!
Taking a look at my reservation, I realized that the insurance excess is quite high, which of course scares me in case something happens and I see myself paying that huge self-risk!
Do any of you know about a company with a smaller self-risk? Or even better, no excess at all?
@Korealover Did you book yet? If so, what are your rental conditions?
Thank you in advance!
Jan 3, 2019, 4:21 am
#23
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Formerly Box 350, Boston Mass, Oh two one three four. Now near Beverly Hills 90210
Programs: Loyal Order of Water Buffalos
Posts: 3,934
Wow! What are the odds that two first time posters will show up and post in this thread just out of randomness?
Jan 8, 2019, 5:16 pm
#24
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 17
Hallooo!
Did you book a car or a camper?
Recently most local companies added a Platinum add-on to lower the excess down to 0 ISK but I think it is for cars. Ask your company if they have any complement to get rid of self-risks
Maybe someone else can help in case you booked a camper
Did you book a car or a camper?
Recently most local companies added a Platinum add-on to lower the excess down to 0 ISK but I think it is for cars. Ask your company if they have any complement to get rid of self-risks
Maybe someone else can help in case you booked a camper
Sorry about the late reply and thank you for your answer
!Yes, I booked a Camper! That is okay
I will email them and see what happens!Happy new year!
Jan 8, 2019, 5:19 pm
#25
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 17
Hello Evittie, try to send an email to your company. In my case, when making the reservation I had the lowest insurance that comes included and later on, checking on the rental site, I saw they had a better one reducing excess to half of it. I contacted them and they added that better insurance for me
Ohhh that is amazing, you were lucky! I hope my company has reduced or even better, no excess lol.
I will email them! Thank you for the advice!
Happy new year!
Apr 23, 2019, 12:01 pm
#26
Join Date: May 2015
Programs: IHG Platinum, HHonors Gold, DL Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 76
Hi there!
I am thinking about doing my second solo trip, this time the chosen destination would be the land of ice and fire
I am a bit nervous because I've had my license for a while but I do not drive that much (I did not rent a car in my first trip) but now I feel that it's time to go for it, specially considering how and where the Icelandic cities are located.
Is the country safe for a female solo traveler? I would love to hear your firsthand experience if you've had them.
On the other hand, I've been checking some rental companies for both cars and campers. I am a nature lover and I feel like going for the camper but I want to consider all the options first, as I am still on the first stage of planing this trip. Is it hard to drive a camper? I have never driven one. My car is a Mazda 3 but a camper has nothing to do with it
Thank you!!
I am thinking about doing my second solo trip, this time the chosen destination would be the land of ice and fire
I am a bit nervous because I've had my license for a while but I do not drive that much (I did not rent a car in my first trip) but now I feel that it's time to go for it, specially considering how and where the Icelandic cities are located.
Is the country safe for a female solo traveler? I would love to hear your firsthand experience if you've had them.
On the other hand, I've been checking some rental companies for both cars and campers. I am a nature lover and I feel like going for the camper but I want to consider all the options first, as I am still on the first stage of planing this trip. Is it hard to drive a camper? I have never driven one. My car is a Mazda 3 but a camper has nothing to do with it
Thank you!!
There is a huge difference between driving a camper and a Mazda3, especially for a relatively inexperienced driver. The primary issue is going to be wind. A camper has a higher profile, so you'll feel the wind more than with an automobile. And it really does get windy! And unexpectedly windy! And the roads don't, generally, have guardrails or shoulders. As a person who doesn't drive much, you might be prone to overcorrecting in windy conditions and that's dangerous anywhere. Everything you read at the TripAdvisor forum about the roads and weather is true. If you possibly can, try renting and driving a similarly-sized vehicle before you leave home.
A 10-ft moving truck would probably work, as it would also give you experience working from side mirrors alone.
Regarding personal safety, Iceland has a low crime rate (as has been stated). Merely take the same precautions you would in other places (lock the car, don't leave valuables in plain sight, let someone know where you are) and you should be fine!
Photo from my phone, because there was no place to pull over, but this gives you an idea of the roads and also the sudden appearance of a storm (please ignore lack of composition on this one, it's more to tell a story). I'm open to suggestions on how to make this photo post smaller, btw.
Good luck and hope both posters have a fantastic trip!
Apr 29, 2019, 8:41 pm
#27
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,546
Is that photo from the southeast? Like somewhere between Djúpivogur and Jökulsárlón (and you were traveling clockwise)? I remember seeing some big cloud formations over the top of the mountains in that area. And it concerned me a storm might be coming. Maybe it's a common local weather phenomenon.
May 23, 2019, 8:04 am
#28
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 8
Thank you so much for all this useful info! Yes, I am trying to train myself driving these days by driving a van one of my relatives have
I really hope I can handle the wind issue well, I will make sure that I grab the steering wheel correctly and will not be distracted.
It is good to know about another female solo traveller, btw the landscape is incredibly beautiful, even with such threatening storm coming over.
I will leave a post with my experience as soon as I come back!
I really hope I can handle the wind issue well, I will make sure that I grab the steering wheel correctly and will not be distracted.
It is good to know about another female solo traveller, btw the landscape is incredibly beautiful, even with such threatening storm coming over.
I will leave a post with my experience as soon as I come back!
Jun 3, 2019, 11:37 am
#29
Join Date: May 2015
Programs: IHG Platinum, HHonors Gold, DL Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 76
Is that photo from the southeast? Like somewhere between Djúpivogur and Jökulsárlón (and you were traveling clockwise)? I remember seeing some big cloud formations over the top of the mountains in that area. And it concerned me a storm might be coming. Maybe it's a common local weather phenomenon.
Apologies for the delayed reply, _kurt. Haven't been on FT (or much of anywhere else, forum-wise) in about a month. Dealing with work and family issues. Anyway, you totally pegged the location: traveling clockwise on the Ring Road in Southeastern Iceland.
