Iceland is the most beautiful place in the world, that's a fact. There’s nowhere else I’ve been that even comes close to holding a candle to that statement. To experience Iceland’s sheer spectacular surroundings and connect with nature- you need to pitch a tent and camp while you’re here. I recently traveled to Iceland for a couple weeks during the off-season in the end of October into early November. For 13 days I drove around the entire country exploring this country’s ultra-impressive collection of natural ‘wow’ spots in an effort to connect more with nature. On the way, I stopped at many small fishing villages that dot the Fjords, developed towns and two of Iceland’s biggest cities- Reykjavik and Akureyri.
I like to travel on a budget, a tight one, saving as much as I can in accommodation so I can put it towards gas, the rental car and a few delicious meals or a cup of coffee. Plus this dirtbag-ish way is loads more enjoyable. There’s not this pressing time constraint binding you- you can come and go whenever, not have to worry about checking-in or out, cook your own food, get up in the middle of the night to watch the Northern Lights dance in the sky above and you meet some crazy-inspiring, awesome people traveling around with your exact same mindset. That makes for stove-top meals together and laughing with beers in hand under each other's headlamps under the stars. So obviously, camping is always the way to go. Especially in Iceland.
What the vibe is like.
True fact- you can pretty much camp anywhere in Iceland for free as long as it’s not on someone’s private land or marked with signage prohibiting it (you’ll see red and yellow signs saying "No Overnight Camping"). This could change, as the waves of tourists flock to Iceland. Do your research ahead of time to confirm. Most established campsites have hot water showers, spotless clean bathrooms, and even WiFi. More developed, larger ones will have a common kitchen area or lounge along with electrical hook-ups for campervans and RVs. Speaking of the prior, renting campervans is an exploding trend right now and a clever way to explore the sprawling island. Places like GoIceland Car-Rental, Kuku Campers, CampEasy and Happy Campers rent campervans that sleep two and sometimes up to six. Some even have kitchen sinks in them while most have a pull-out stove, WiFi and heaters that keep your living area warm when the car is off.
I was so happy to see tons of other people my age in their 20s and 30s, camping out in tents, the backseat of their cars and rented campervans at nearly every campground. Even in late October and November. It’s way more fun of an environment than any 5-star hotel. When the sun goes down and it goes down very early, meet other travelers who love the camping ways. I met a lot of inspiring people in Iceland trekking around with their best friends or solo like myself. We all told stories, tried to solve the world’s problems over beer, ate dinner together and what’s the best….is you get to hear everyone’s suggestions and secret tips on where to explore. Let’s just say I got a lot of recommendations from fellow campers that weren’t otherwise listed in my guidebook. What was also cool was getting to see some of the same, familiar friends at the next region or town’s campsite again.
How much to budget for.
Iceland isn’t cheap, but it’s not at all as expensive as what people may exaggerate, especially during the off-season months. I found prices fairly comparable (apart from gas, which when converted equaled out to like $6 per gallon) to what I paid for during a somewhat normal week of travel in the United States. All the campgrounds and campsites accept credit cards, but bring coins ISK coins for shower and laundry at some facilities. Prices listed below are for one person per night. Some campsites only charge you by the night whereas others may charge per person camping. If you arrive after-hours at a paid campground and the office is closed or there’s not someone around to take your payment, be honest and pay in the morning- your dollars are what keep these campgrounds (and Iceland's national parks) afloat and maintained. Note, however, that some campgrounds may have literally zero way to pay for a night’s stay due to the possibility of it being closed for the winter off-season. This likely means key services like water, toilets, showers, could very well be shut-off as well. All-in-all I think I spent less than $100 on accommodations over the course of 13 days, including the hostel I stayed at my final night in the capital city of Reykjavik.
[Disclaimer: At the time of this post, written in November 2016, 1000 ISK = $9 USD. Obviously, prices listed below may change depending on when you visit. Some prices below also include a 100 ISK guest accommodation tax and some places may be closed or services shut-off in off-season.]
How much to budget for.
Iceland isn’t cheap, but it’s not at all as expensive as what people may exaggerate, especially during the off-season months. I found prices fairly comparable (apart from gas, which when converted equaled out to like $6 per gallon) to what I paid for during a somewhat normal week of travel in the United States. All the campgrounds and campsites accept credit cards, but bring coins ISK coins for shower and laundry at some facilities. Prices listed below are for one person per night. Some campsites only charge you by the night whereas others may charge per person camping. If you arrive after-hours at a paid campground and the office is closed or there’s not someone around to take your payment, be honest and pay in the morning- your dollars are what keep these campgrounds (and Iceland's national parks) afloat and maintained. Note, however, that some campgrounds may have literally zero way to pay for a night’s stay due to the possibility of it being closed for the winter off-season. This likely means key services like water, toilets, showers, could very well be shut-off as well. All-in-all I think I spent less than $100 on accommodations over the course of 13 days, including the hostel I stayed at my final night in the capital city of Reykjavik.
[Disclaimer: At the time of this post, written in November 2016, 1000 ISK = $9 USD. Obviously, prices listed below may change depending on when you visit. Some prices below also include a 100 ISK guest accommodation tax and some places may be closed or services shut-off in off-season.]
Tenting it or dirtbaging it.
Well, you can, but you have to, must have a reliable, all-weather tent. In some places of the country like along the southeast coast and near the western Snæfellsnes Peninsula- it can get seriously, aggressively windy, causing damage to a tent with not the strongest poles or fabric. I've got a solid three-season, Eureka Taron2 backpacking tent that fought the wind hard but it kept me dry and warm. Just make sure your tent is staked down well or weighted with nearby rocks and prepare for a gusty night. But wait there's more....it can also downpour heavily or snow at any time, so make sure your tent can fend off those elements as well. Iceland's weather can be vicious, rough and unexpected...changing completely within a few seconds. Do your homework, bring the right gear and study the weather. Don't have a tent? Places like Iceland Camping Equipment Rental rent tents (along with other gear too). Remember you can always try it and sleep in the back of your rental car if things become dicey. I rented an older red Suzuki Jimny, essentially Japan’s version of the Jeep Wrangler, for two-weeks at total cost a little under $600. This was with unlimited mileage, a manual transmission, and a proper four-wheel-drive setup off-road wandering which happened every day. When I couldn’t pitch a tent due to hurricane-strong winds or pouring rain, I tumbled the back seat, folded flat the passenger seat, then set my blow-up sleeping pad and 0-degree down sleeping bag on top. Boom, bed on-the-go. I’m 6’2 and had a surprising amount of room on frigid nights. The Jimny was both warm and comfortable mini RV that I could easily bomb down Iceland’s notorious F-Roads and any rocky detour endeavors off the Ring Road.
You could also splurge for a traditional camper van, which is glorious, but my budget hindered that aspiration. Common week-long camper van rentals ranged from about $700-$1,000 USD. An important downside, however, is that many of these campervans don’t have 4x4 capability. That would restrict you to any F-Roads, travels to The Highlands region of the country, or some of the tracks that carve deep into some of the national park’s interior.
Sourcing water, food, and cooking gas.
I brought a Nalgene bottle and three collapsible Sawyer water bags for filling. Almost all entrances to the natural attractions and national parks along with most gas stations, but not all (despite what you read) will have a water fill-up. Don’t be afraid to ask. The water that comes out of the tap in Iceland may smell a bit funky but it’s the cleanest, most-pure water you’ll ever drink. Leave all your filters at home and don’t be a goof who buys bottle water in Iceland. Sustainability folks! One last tip- bring a small cup or keep one handy, like reuse the free cup of coffee you get from Olis gas stations when you fill up. Some sinks in the gas station bathrooms aren’t nearly deep or wide enough to fill-up a tall Nalgene bottle or soft water bag.
Buy groceries at a local joint like Bonus, they’re in almost every medium to bigger town or city and their prices are cheap. Not to mention, healthy, not processed food is a big plus when you’re camping. Don’t be shy about gas station food. Almost all full-service gas stations have a kitchen where they cook up soups, sandwiches and of course Iceland’s famous hotdogs. For the love of god, you have to eat one or several. Load up on onions (underneath the hotdog like Icelanders do). I spent about $60 for two-weeks’ worth of food. Living off PB&J (the peanut butter here is SO good), fresh produce, dehydrated cups of beefy noodles, cookies, tea and cereal every morning. Plus since it’s cold like all the time, you don’t need to refrigerate any of the milk or juice you buy. Grab a cardboard box from the grocery store and make it your cupboard for your trip. But! With all the money you’re saving on accommodation by camping and buying your own food, treat yourself to a few local meals. Half the fun of traveling to a new country is trying their food. Iceland has some bomb lobster caught right off the shore by the way…. and a few legendary craft beers.
You could also splurge for a traditional camper van, which is glorious, but my budget hindered that aspiration. Common week-long camper van rentals ranged from about $700-$1,000 USD. An important downside, however, is that many of these campervans don’t have 4x4 capability. That would restrict you to any F-Roads, travels to The Highlands region of the country, or some of the tracks that carve deep into some of the national park’s interior.
Sourcing water, food, and cooking gas.
I brought a Nalgene bottle and three collapsible Sawyer water bags for filling. Almost all entrances to the natural attractions and national parks along with most gas stations, but not all (despite what you read) will have a water fill-up. Don’t be afraid to ask. The water that comes out of the tap in Iceland may smell a bit funky but it’s the cleanest, most-pure water you’ll ever drink. Leave all your filters at home and don’t be a goof who buys bottle water in Iceland. Sustainability folks! One last tip- bring a small cup or keep one handy, like reuse the free cup of coffee you get from Olis gas stations when you fill up. Some sinks in the gas station bathrooms aren’t nearly deep or wide enough to fill-up a tall Nalgene bottle or soft water bag.
Buy groceries at a local joint like Bonus, they’re in almost every medium to bigger town or city and their prices are cheap. Not to mention, healthy, not processed food is a big plus when you’re camping. Don’t be shy about gas station food. Almost all full-service gas stations have a kitchen where they cook up soups, sandwiches and of course Iceland’s famous hotdogs. For the love of god, you have to eat one or several. Load up on onions (underneath the hotdog like Icelanders do). I spent about $60 for two-weeks’ worth of food. Living off PB&J (the peanut butter here is SO good), fresh produce, dehydrated cups of beefy noodles, cookies, tea and cereal every morning. Plus since it’s cold like all the time, you don’t need to refrigerate any of the milk or juice you buy. Grab a cardboard box from the grocery store and make it your cupboard for your trip. But! With all the money you’re saving on accommodation by camping and buying your own food, treat yourself to a few local meals. Half the fun of traveling to a new country is trying their food. Iceland has some bomb lobster caught right off the shore by the way…. and a few legendary craft beers.
So I wrote in an earlier post and it still stands true, it’s illegal to bring a canister of cooking gas on a plane. Even in checked baggage. Fear not, every gas station I went to sold them. There are three main types of camping fuel canisters you can buy. The traditional screw-on ones that thread into your camping stove (like my Primus), the taller green Coleman ones that hook-up to a larger camping stove and these blue click-on canisters that only work with its accompanying stove. Know the difference so you don’t accidentally buy the wrong-fitting canister. And open-fires are a big no-no in Iceland.
Where to camp.
Public campsites in Skógar
So with that, please, get over to Iceland and admire this surreal land. Respect the fragile outdoors you’ll eagerly explore and have a blast.
Cheers,
Robby
Where to camp.
Public campsites in Skógar
- 1000 ISK per night.
- No WiFi but water and paid hot showers.
- Pay at the window nea rthe bathroom when open.
- Right at the base of the mesmerizingly-cool Skógafoss waterfall, which you'll hear at night.
- Close to the Solheimajokull glacier and Solheimasandur plane crash wreckage.
- 1400 ISK per night.
- There's WiFI, water, paid hot shower and laundry.
- Support Iceland’s stunning national parks!
- Most car campers camp in the parking lot right in front of the visitor center, but there are grass patches for tent camping to the left behind the buildings.
- Close to the trailhead for all hiking trails in Vatnajökull National Park including the trail for the Svartifoss waterfall and Skaftafellsjökull glacier.
- 1200 ISK per night.
- There's paid WiFi, free hot showers, water, plus electrical hookups.
- Less than 10 minutes from the Ring Road.
- Great community lounge and kitchen area.
- Tiny general store in the lobby sells beer, food, and camping supplies.
- Jaw-dropping campsites along the bay make for stellar sunrises.
- Across from an N1 full-service gas station.
- Within walking distance of downtown Höfn and its harbor.
- 1200 ISK per night.
- WiFi, hot shower, water fill-up, kitchen, lounge, laundry ($), electrical hookups.
- Right next to and managed by the Egilsstaðir tourist information center.
- Super friendly and knowledgeable staff, offered me complimentary coffee and WiFi during the off-season.
- I saw the Northern Lights here!
- Nearby grocery stores.
- Crossroads location for continuing on the Ring Road or venturing into the gorgeous East Fjords.
- 1600 ISK per night.
- Hot shower ($), water fill-up, laundry ($), electrical hookups.
- Support Iceland’s stunning National Parks!
- Big campground with many secluded tent and RV/campervan sites.
- Pay at the visitor center or when a park ranger comes makes rounds.
- I saw a sky full of Northern Lights here!
- Close to the trailhead for all hiking trails in Vatnajökull National Park including the trail for the Eyjan outcropping which you can climb to see views of the forested canyon.
- Close to Dettifoss waterfall and northernmost point in Iceland, Hraunhafnartangi.
- 1400 ISK per night.
- WiFi but no running water fill-up, toilets, or showers.
- Tons of options for accommodation from tent camping to cabin rentals.
- All services were winterized/not working. Maybe the campground was closed?
- Close to the Mývatn Lake, Krafla geothermal area, Mývatn Nature Baths.
- Hard to find but uphill from the famous church, on the right.
- 750 ISK (check if payment required when you arrive).
- No running water fill-up, toilets or showers, no electrical hookups.
- All services were winterized/not working in off-season.
- Cool views of the fjord and marshy shoreline in front of the campsite.
- Crossroads location for if you want to continue on Ring Road toward Reykjavík or venture off into the nearby, incredible Snæfellsnes Peninsula.
- Free.
- No running water fill-up, toilets, or showers.
- Not an official campsite, main campground in town was closed for the year in off-season.
- Large grassy area near entrance to a forest preserve.
- Located right across the street from the N1 gas station which has water.
- Nearest bathrooms, water fill-up and food store is at the neighboring gas station.
- Very close to Snæfellsjökull National Park!
- Right next to fun hiking trails right behind the camping area.
- Leave no trace, please respect the fact this is free public land available for us to camp on.
- 1000 ISK per night (possibly free in off-season).
- WiFi but no running water fill-up, toilets, or showers as services were winterized/not working.
- Can get very, very, very windy.
- The campground area and whole town of Stykkishólmur has WiFi.
- Plenty of restaurants, grocery stores, and gas stations just down the road.
- Stykkishólmur is a cool little town to wander around.
- 1400 ISK per night.
- Hot showers, water fill-up, laundry ($).
- Support Iceland’s stunning national parks!
- Pay at the visitor center or when a park ranger comes makes rounds.
- Close to many hiking trails and Almannagjá riff, where the tectonic plates meet.
- Camp either in the campground down the road towards the Oxararfoss waterfall in the front parking lot of the visitor center, or in the grass campground near the bathroom and shower building.
- The visitor center has a café attached to it for a quick bite to eat.
- Located right along the main Golden Circle route.
- Awesome view of the snowy mountains when you wake up.
So with that, please, get over to Iceland and admire this surreal land. Respect the fragile outdoors you’ll eagerly explore and have a blast.
Cheers,
Robby
