Iceland is known to many as a land of wild landscapes and remote beauty, and wild and remote are two words that are very apt for describing what one would experience as well as what one would need to prepare for on any trip to the country. After a eleven-and-a-half day road trip around the island last July, here are five things that you should take note when planning for a trip to the land of ice and fire (I'm sorry, I couldn't help it).
1 - Four-wheel Drives and Gravel Roads
As large portions of Iceland are remote locations with little or no signs of civilization, most of the road network around the country is fairly basic. If you are only planning to travel in and around Reykjavik, Keflavík (the international airport) and the key tourist stops around the Golden Circle touring route, a normal car is fine. Beyond these areas however, a vehicle with four-wheel drive capabilities would be recommended.
The one major route that goes around the entirety of Iceland is Route 1, aka the Icelandic Ring Road. Most of the route is paved, so following this route is a fairly simple and easy drive. While there are several tourist destinations close to this main route, many of the scenic locations can require a drive along the many roads that branch off from this route. Any of these roads can turn into a gravel road partway down the line, so it is highly to check the road maps both while planning and while travelling in Iceland.
Routes marked with the prefix 'F'are mountain routes, and are routes that should only be traversed by four-wheel drives. A majority of these routes are completely gravel, and may require river crossings. It is advised (on pretty much every travel forum I've seen) that you do not attempt to cross rivers unless you have prior experience do doing so, as the risk of getting your vehicle stuck can be high.
2 - The Time needed to get from Place to Place
The distances between towns and tourist attractions scattered all over Iceland can be fairly large, and if you want to cover as much as possible within a limited amount of time, careful planning would be required to make sure that you do not end up stranded in the middle of nowhere at night.
There are a few factors to consider when considering the time you need. The first component would be getting a general estimate of the time you need, which can be accomplished by simply putting the route into Google Maps (Do note that some of the smaller routes may not be there). Using that estimate, you would then need to consider if any part of the route is gravel, and add time for that, as travelling on gravel routes can take up to double the time indicated on Google Maps or even your GPS (How much to add would depend on driving skill and the capability of car). Finally, you should also plan some extra time for spontaneous photo stops, as you never know where you might see a view that you really like.
With these factors in consideration, you would be able to come up with a better estimate on how much ground you can cover in a day.
3 - The Weather
Iceland is located fairly far north, and in the middle of the Atlantic, so the weather there can be fairly volatile. The 'best' period weather-wise is supposed to be in the Icelandic summer months, between May to August, but do not be fooled by the word 'Summer', as it can still be very wet and fairly cold.
On my trip, the temperatures ranged from 5 to 12 degrees for most of the days we were there, due to the rainy weather. Adding on a wind chill factor, some days can feel like it's near zero.
If you choose to travel in the colder winter months, being aware and prepared for the colder temperatures would be a given. Additional issues that you may have to note would be gale and blizzard conditions, which may cause road closures, especially during the off-peak season.
Apart from these usual weather conditions, one other thing that you might want to look out for are the possible volcanic eruption warnings, as Iceland is a geologically active island, and volcanic eruptions are a very definite possibility.
4 - The Right Clothes
On a related note to the previous point, having the right clothes for the Icelandic weather is vital. Even in the summer months, winter jackets are recommended, especially if you venture out to the far flung ends of the island, where warm sheltered locations might be harder to come by. Other than that, waterproof jackets, windbreakers and umbrellas would be helpful for protecting against wet weather, though waterproof jackets would be recommended over umbrellas, as the wind and rough terrain may make umbrellas fairly useless.
Good walking shoes or hiking boots are also gear that's recommended for an Icelandic trip. Many of the scenic locations require at least some amount of walking, and if you want to visit some of the less touristy but no less beautiful locales, the distance you'd need to walk will increase. There are also activities such as glacier walks and volcanic cave tours, which may cover fairly rough terrain, and good, comfortable footwear would be very beneficial.
5 - Getting a local SIM card and a good GPS
It does not matter whether you think you'll be using the phone or the internet much while travelling - having a local number can be a matter of safety, due to the large distances and remoteness of many locations in Iceland. You may need to call for assistance (Like we did when our car suffered double punctures), and waiting for the next car to pass by may take some time.
In addition to that, you might need to check the weather and road conditions while you travel, so having mobile internet can be very helpful. Getting a reliable GPS would help with that, as taking the wrong turn may take you off your intended course by hundreds of kilometers. That being said though, you shouldn't trust the GPS 100% of the time, as the GPS may direct you down a shorter route that may not be passable to your type of vehicle. Instead, double check the route that the GPS gives you with the route you have pre-planned, making sure that all the routes are within your travelling parameters (non-gravel/no rivers etc.)
Overall, Iceland is a place that does require a little more careful planning when you want to visit. The five points I've written here are fairly general, and came about from the planning of my own trip, as well as from the hindsight of being on that trip. These pointers are by no means the only things that you have to note when travelling to Iceland. But they are a good place to start, and once all the planning is done, you'll get a truly breathtaking and awesome trip of a lifetime when you visit Iceland.
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Till the next time,
Raylen