Greetings all!
A friend and myself will be visiting Iceland in June for a week and have nothing planned apart from renting a car and driving the ring road.
I would love any personal recommendations and must do's along the way other than the usual touristy stuff, we have a reasonable budget for Iceland so we are hoping to sample some nightlife and find areas where people hang out in major cities but don't know where our best chances for that would be this time of year.
Any other suggestions are greatly welcomed thanks!
and by touristy stuff I really meant to say things I could have researched online, I've done quite a bit of looking into what I might want to do but was hoping to hear some stories of hidden gems and things not a lot of tourist get to see/do
>>970453
Go bug CCP at their offices.
You sure you've allotted enough time for the Ring Road? 7 days seems just about the minimum.
www.insidethevolcano.com seems interesting. costs an arm and a leg like everything else though
>>970482
is there anything to do there besides bug them
>>970453
We're doing the same thing in August in 11 days and would also appreciate any tips for traveling in Iceland along the ring road.
I am going in a week for 6 days.
Not driving the full ring road, just the golden circle and the south coast to Hofn and back.
Just don't say that elves aren't real and you will be fine.
>>970453
>we are hoping to sample some nightlife and find areas where people hang out in major cities
Uhh, Reykjavik...is the only thing resembling "a city". And 90% of the population lives there. Forget this plan of clubbing your way around the island. Bedtime is exciting because it's daylight still.
I also agree 7 days is the bare minimum to get around the circumference. 10 is more manageable if that is your plan. And, without that? You have to go out a distance, and backtrack to Reykjavik. The 7 day itinerary would be to go explore South like as far as the big glacier, and then head back, then out to the golden circle stuff, maybe a night at Laugervaten, and back and maybe West for a bit, snaefellsnes peninsula loop, and back. Maybe head inward to Reykolt for falls and lava tube stuff nearby.
>>971600
would 8 days solo camping out of a car around the Ring be manageable?
i recommend the penis museum and blue lagoon
>>971655
I'm sorry kid, you need to either do 10, or backtrack. You could find this out for yourself though, if you made an itinerary. Sit down, plot out the sites, driving distance between them, and see how long you'll have at each one, breaks for meals, etc. Everything in iceland is on the internet. Information is out there. I personally wouldn't circle it with less than 10 days.
>>971748
actually I'm the 7 days is too few guy. I've seen conflicting info - some say two weeks is minimum, others say a week is sufficient. Seems like it's a bit too subjective to really pin down.
>>971762
>seems
>subjective
>conflicting info
Oh, just stop. Do your itinerary. You decide if you find it awesome or not for the things you want to do.
>>970453
We're contemplating tickets for the Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon boat ride. Will it be worth our time/money?
>>971762
totally depends on how much time you want to spend sightseeing, driving, sleeping and so on...
i'll do the ring road with my girlfriend in july during 5 days, we have limited amount of time due to the high cost of the trip but it is doable. We'll miss a lot of stuff that involves hiking, or a 4x4 car and the whole of westfjords, and probably not be able to spend much time walking around but you can do it (we have some examples of friends that did it in even 4 days, but you have to drive over 600km per day)
>>972200
OP here, this is the attitude I'm taking with this trip. Mostly going to be doing a lot of driving and stoping along the way at the must do's and perfect spots but don't intend to hike or explore every place we find interesting on the side of the road like most people do.
Is Iceland as expensive as they say?
>>972193
>We're contemplating tickets for the Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon boat ride. Will it be worth our time/money?
Yea, not even in Alaska can you do that up close glacier thing. It's pretty unique in the world. I would say it's worth it. Also, expensive to locals to do that for you and with you, so you'll notice most tours are pricey, but they have amazing rescue phones, gear and can get you out of a pinch in ways a tourist can't w/o SAT phone, and helicopter and such. I'd also say a lava tube tour might be fun for you with a guide of course!
Hi everybody, I've just bought plane tickets for Iceland, I'll stay 2 weeks but I'm really confused about the do and don't there. My goal is to find focal points, where we could stay 2 or 3 nights, and from where we could hike/boat/drive to interesting locations. We will obviously stay for 2 nights in Reykjavik at the beginning, and another night right before leaving. So I have10 nights to split between north and south (we'll rent a car) : any advice ?
>>972405
i'd advise you renting a van, specially if it's a 4x4 vehicle, which would leave you with the option to sleep in the car (basically anywhere other than private properties) and go to the highlands by car (4x4 is obligatory)
this will save you A LOT on hotels and such... if you plan to hike and stuff, i'd recommend go with paid tours unless you are experienced in doing them (even being experienced is kinda dangerous there though, but in the summer things are better anyway and you have no night so...)
also, with two weeks to spare, don't miss westfjords please
>>972472
Thank you very much ! Man, Iceland looks AMAZING.
>>972213
Depends on what you have heard them say, and what you are comparing to.
I'm form the SE USA, and when I was there with my wife we splurged a bit, so e were not spending money comparably to what we would at home anyway -- but lunches were perhaps similar and seemed to run maybe half again as much as what we would spend at home.
Gas seems to be running 3-4 times what it is here, by the time you factor in the actual exchange rate you are getting.
>>972317
Jokulsarlion Lagoon is spectacular -- when I was there it was too early in the Spring for the boats to be running, but even just walking on the shore was great.
Make sure to get out on the beach across the road as well, (pic related)
Thx much! We'll make the stop.
Where can you get weed in Reykjavik?
>>972562
Oh, it's readily available. I'd recommend making up a sign saying "Cash for Marijuana" and simply waving it around on a street corner. That'll get you some attention.
>>972562
I also would like to know for anthropological reasons
>>972678
My advice would be to leave your buzz at home and enjoy Iceland with 100% of your brain function. In regards to your anthropological interest, I’m sure you’ll be able to find other pot heads to rub elbows with at the local head shop in Reykjavik.
Hey guys, I'm going to Iceland for the sole purpose of seeing a glacier. I'm running on goddamn tight time-schedule as the trip is officially intended to go trough museums and shit with my uni-group. I'm most likely able to spend a day on the purpose, which means I'm in real hurry.
What is the fastest way to get to a glacier from the capital? Does even any transportation there exist?
I'm not looking for some sort of high-cost turist-adventure ready-made packages, just something I can pull of alone and without unreasonable costs. If anyone would have ANYTHING I can use, much obliged.
>>972883
i guess the nearest glacier from reykjavik would be Snæfellsjökull, easy to access on the summer but reaching the glacier itself requires some ice climbing experience...
without packages, the easiest one would be in Jökulsárlón, which can easily be acessed from Ring Road, there are some boat tours on the glacier lake and maybe some to walk on the glacier itself, not sure if you can "go solo" on that
either way, you need at least a car if you need to avoid guided tours
(i'm no expert on Iceland but i hope this can give you a light till someone answer it better)
>>972962
Thanks man. I've been doing some research and it seems a car is a must. I'd be going relatively soon, and the buses don't go very often on winter schedule. If I want to go solo I'd need to sleep on the location, which seems quite impossible.
It sort of makes me sad, but it seems that without paying for a guided trip with transportation included a glacier-trip on one day seems quite impossible without a car. A car could easily cost the same amount as the guided trip too. I'm sort of loss at what to do, as sleeping on a glacier doesn't sound like a very entertaining experience.
>>971764
good point, ty.
here's my preliminary route plan for 8 days. Too ambitious?
Day 1: Reykjavik - Vik
Day 2: Vik - Jokusarlon
Day 3: Jokusarlon - Neskaupstadur or thereabouts
Day 4: Neskaupstadur - Akureyi (want to see Hverfjall and Dettifoss, may be too rushed)
Day 5: Akureyi - Snaefellsjokull (a long trip for sure, but it doesn't seem like there's too much inbetween)
Day 6: Snaesfellsjokull - Reykjavik
That gives me two days I can still add to wherever I wanna spend more time, or get a taste of the highlands or Westfjords.
I'll be going in early June and the F roads may not be open yet so I don't wanna rent a 4x4 for nothing. Just gonna do a lap of the Ring to get a better idea of Iceland as a whole this time.
>>972969
as I said to OP, a car is great as it allows you to sleep anywhere without spending on hostels and such, and you can stock up on food for the trip... but I feel you, a friend of mine said that the whole "glacier experience" was amazing and said that the guided tour is a must, as it's pretty dangerous to walk around it...
>>972999
I think you're spending too much time on the south, unless you wanna go to Vestmannaeyjar.
My schedule has the same long trip from Akureyri to Snaesfellsjokull, but its cool since I'll not ride into the Westfjords (which would take both your days if you plan to drive all the way to Isafjordur imo) If you don't want a 4x4, I suggest you leave the Highlands behind and just throw the remaining days in the Westfjords
>>973182
Vestmannaejar doesn't really pique my interest, especially since I'm planning to stop by the Faroes beforhand - arguably a more unique collection of rocks.
I think I'll save the highland exploring if/when I can take a longer trip and drag someone along to split the 4x4 costs.
Is there a good alternative to the Blue Lagoon for a hot water experience? Something a little more Icelandic and less touristy.
>>973229
this might help you: http://www.mydestination.com/reykjavik/travel-articles/723018/10-iceland-hot-springs-that-arent-the-blue-lagoon
>>973240
Excellent, thank you for the link.
>>972476
Where is the best place to enjoy desolate glaciered landscape?
>>972474
Why do you have a wife?
I love volcanic/geologic land features and very much look forward to seeing them up close on an upcoming trip to Iceland. However, my little bride of 40+ years reacts quite badly to exposure to hydrogen sulfide gas, difficulty breathing. With that in mind, are there any safe must see places that I can take her to or any places I should definitely avoid taking her.
>>973515
that goes out of my league, but, I think (and your bride should research on) that a mask could take her to any non-active volcanic site, and most of them are in non-accessible places for tourists without a 4x4 or tours... I think that in general you two could see a lot without going into any risks :)
