Solo Campervan-ing in Iceland
Beautiful and awe inspiring Iceland, you will always have a special place in my memories forever. This trip was my first solo international trip and probably my favorite. I went against my planner mentality and decided to wing it via campervan with the idea of being more flexible while traveling alone. This allowed me to make decisions as I drove around the island without being set to an agenda or hotel for the night. My only plan was to pick up the campervan once I landed at the airport, load up on groceries and hit the open road.
I figured that Jökulsárlón (the beautiful glacier lagoon featured above) was the furthest I should gamble driving to. With three nights to return to Reykavik, it allowed me enough time to hit most of the attractions on the southeast section of the island. I’ve been to New Zealand, Australia and plenty of national parks but none of them have Iceland beat!
Going without a plan in a campervan seems a bit scary but I truly believe this was the best way to explore Iceland. It allows you the best flexibility of your time while still providing safety on your journey. One day I will go back to tour the entire island. I hope you enjoy the visual journey below. Please let me know if you have any questions or additional tips!
Couple of tips:
No need to exchange money. Every store and restaurant took credit card.
Pack versatile and warm clothes. In the span of a day, I drove from high sun to wind to rain to hail.
Drink the tap water! It’s clean and delicious. Bring a water bottle.
Groceries and restaurants are a little pricey. Imagine Whole Food pricing for regular grocery items and $20 USD for a basic average cheeseburger. I recommend going to a grocery store in Reykavik to pick up the essentials for packed lunches and dinners before hitting the road.
Buy beer & liquor at the airport! It’s much cheaper than the grocery stores. I bought too much and just gave it away to new friends I met at a campground at the end of my journey.
Call your credit card company for your PIN number before going. Use a credit card without international fees.
Jökulsárlón Ice Beach (Diamond Beach) right across the road from Jökulsárlón. The black sand here is INSANE.
Skaftafell National Park with volcanoes, glaciers, & campsites, plus adventure hiking trails for all levels. This hike I took was the easiest and shortest one. There’s a hike that allows you to get to the very top to overlook the glacier but I got into camp too close to sunset to hike up alone.
Reynisdrangar are the besalt sea stacks I’m standing on. These geometric pillars are formed naturally! The black sand beach that frames this Reynisfjall mountain is beautiful and offers incredible views.
The Gullfoss Waterfall is insanely huge and a wonder to see. You can hike into the platform and get soaked in a light mist from the waterfall. It’s super touristy but super beautiful so I definitely recommend going. There are a lot of other waterfalls I saw on my journey but this was my favorite.
The Great Geysir Hot Spring Area. It smells like rotten eggs here but the hot springs are beautiful and the shooting geyser is pretty cool. This is on the route of the Golden Circle – the easiest tourist route from Reykavik and includes this hot spring area, the Gulfoss Waterfall, and Þingvellir National Park. There are a ton of tourists and tour buses here.
The infamous Blue Lagoon. It was a cool experience to do once but much more of a touristy Disneyland scene than a relaxing hot springs lagoon. There’s a restaurant here and also bars in the hot springs to order from. It’s on the pricier end but I did really enjoy sitting in the lagoon while it was raining and seeing the rainbow appear after the rain. There are also buses that take you here and back from the airport!
My trusty and warm campervan Milly. The back seats of the van folded down into a bed that came with a sleeping bag and pillows. It was also equipped with a mini fridge, table/chairs for dining, portable stove/kitchen supplies, and a secondary heater system to keep warm at night while the engine is off. There were also magnetic removable window shades for privacy at night!
Jökulsárlón – probably the most Instagram-ed place in Iceland but it is so for valid reasons. It really is awe inspiring and you can take hiking tours here! You actually get to hike onto the glaciers. Boat tours are offered here too.
Fjallsárlón - short drive from Jökulsárlón and definitely worth the stop. It’s a little less known than Jökulsárlón so there are less tourists here.
Skeiðarársandur, great place to stop for a rest and for an amazing view. Also, if you haven’t slid down a slide in a while, this could be your chance.
Camping in Skaftafell National Park. There are plenty of camping sites throughout Iceland. I saw plenty of campers with tents on the campgrounds. It’s a bit cold but if you have a warm enough sleeping bag, you get to sleep outside with beautiful views. I still prefer the warm campervan.
Outdoor dinner with local organic lamb steaks, grilled zucchini, Icelandic beer, and gorgeous views after a beautiful hike. Sometimes life is just perfect.
Mt Lómagnúpur. The contrast of the black mountain against the vivid greenery is a sight to see. I pulled over on the road to grab this picture as did other cars. There are plenty of vista points to stop at on the road. Just be careful and cautious of where you park your car.
Laufskálavarða – ROCK PARTY! Travelers crossing the desert of Mýrdalssandur for the first time pile stones up to make a cairn, which is supposed to bring them good luck on their journey. I looked this up after… so I didn’t know to put a stone on the piles haha.
Inside of the Epal Harpa. Harpa is a concert hall and conference centre in Reykjavík. It’s beautiful inside and I really want to catch a concert here someday.