ICELAND TRAVEL GUIDE
Things to Know
Iceland is a small country located in the North Atlantic that is full of natural wonders. Iceland is only about 40,000 square miles making it comparable in size to the state of Kentucky. Although it may be a small country, it is packed full of volcanoes, glaciers, waterfalls, geysers, hot springs, and many other natural wonders that have been amazing tourists from around the world for years. The capital of the country is Reykjavik which is in Southwestern Iceland. From here, you have two options to explore the country. The option you choose likely depends on the amount of time you have in this beautiful country. Your two options are the golden circle or traveling the ring road (or both). The Golden circle hits a lot of amazing natural wonders and is easily accomplished in a day from Reykjavik. The ring road goes around the entire island and takes you to all that Iceland has to offer. For a more detailed guide check out “10 Days in Iceland”.
Getting Around
The most popular way to get around Iceland is by renting a campervan. There are several companies to choose from and all provide a variety of different campervan options from cars that turn into tents to luxurious motorhomes. The difference in these options is obviously the price. The higher your budget, the nicer/larger vehicle you can rent. Two other factors that play a role in price are whether the car is a four-wheel drive or two-wheel drive and whether the car is automatic or manual. If you get a two-wheel drive car, there are certain roads known as “F” roads that you will not be allowed to drive. As for Automatic vs Manual transmission, Manuals are more common in Iceland and usually accompany a lower price than renting an automatic. For a detailed guide on all Iceland has to offer, click here.
Currency:
The official currency of Iceland is the Icelandic Króna. The currency code for the Icelandic Króna is ISK and the sign is “kr”. You can find ATMs in the airport and all around the island with no problem. In addition to this, many restaurants, stores, and shops all accept credit and debit card payments making things even easier.
Language:
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. Do not worry if you do not speak Icelandic though as English is taught as a secondary language in Iceland and most Icelanders speak it fluently. This makes communicating even as you are in remote locations around the island straightforward.
Useful Words
Halló
Bless
Vinsamlegast
Fyrirgefðu
Já / Nei
Takk
þú ert velkominn
Hello
Good Bye
Please
Excuse Me
Yes / No
Thank You
You’re Welcome
When To Visit
Choosing a time of year can be difficult as visiting different times of year will bring different benefits and drawbacks. In this Iceland travel guide, I have broken down the different times to visit in hopes of helping you determine the best time for you to plan your visit.
The Peak Season: June to August
The Peak Season in Iceland is from June through August. During these months, you will typically have the best weather and the longest days for exploring. In fact, given how far north Iceland is, the sun only drops below the horizon for a few hours in these months giving you ample time to explore and sightsee. There are some negatives to visiting this time of year though. The beautiful weather and long days bring in the highest number of tourists making it the most crowded time to visit. The higher number of tourists also makes for higher costs on flights, hotels, and rental cars. If you do not mind dealing with crowds and the higher prices, then this is definitely a great time of year to visit.
Shoulder Season: May and September
The shoulder season in Iceland is generally the months of May and September. These months are chillier than the peak season, but the weather is still nice for exploring and there is plenty of daylight in the day to see all Iceland has to offer. If you are trying to avoid the crowds then these months may be a good option for you. If you are lucky, you can even catch the northern lights in September. This is the start of the northern lights season in Iceland. I happened to catch them while camping just outside the Snæfellsjökull National Park northwest of Reykjavik.
The Low Season: October to April
The low season in Iceland is from October to April. During this time of year, the number of tourists is drastically lower than in the peak months. The days are also extremely short providing limited daylight to explore and sightsee. In addition to this, the weather and wind are much stronger this time of year making for more difficult conditions to make the journey around the country. The low season does have a big positive and that is the Northern Lights. The Northern Lights are highly active this time of year providing visitors with an excellent opportunity to catch the northern lights. Christmas in Iceland is magical as well. If you are in Reykjavik during December, make sure to check out all the festivities.
Popular Destinations
Akureyri
Blue Lagoon
Dettifoss
Gulfoss
Jökulsárlón
Mývatn
Reykjavik
Selfoss
Seydisfjordur
Skaftafell
Snæfellsjökull
Thingvellir
Vatnajökull
Vik
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