Okay so I have an obsession with looking for cheap flights. I look every single day; checking Skyscanner, Kayak, and any other low airfare website I can find. When I find a good deal, I've learned that I have to act fast or the steal will be gone sometimes as soon as the next day. The problem with this skill is that I usually have less than 24 hours to convince someone else to not only spend the money, but to go to a place they may have never thought about going before.
When I found a non-stop flight from Chicago to Reykjavik, Iceland for less than $500, I knew I had to act fast! Luckily I can peer-pressure my mom into doing almost anything(legal). We bought our tickets in February, and our trip was in September. This time allowed us to research and prepare. Each month leading up to the trip, we would purchase pieces of our trip, like tours, supplies, and even booked our campervan. For those on a budget (like me), this is a perfect way to squeeze in all the fun things you want to do.
We spent 7 days on the Ring Road in a campervan in Iceland, and it was like no other trip I've ever been on. Iceland is like visiting another planet, and the Ring Road road-trip is a journey of stunning landscapes, changing temperatures, and miles of landmark after landmark. Though pictures cannot begin to do this remarkably beautiful country justice, here is a peek into my 7 day Icelandic camping trip with my mom:
IcelandAir: We flew straight from Chicago to Reykjavik. The flight is a little less than 6 hours, and we arrived around 6 a.m. in Reykjavik.
**They give you a little bottle of Icelandic glacier water which gives you mixed emotions--on the one hand how fancy, and on the other its surely destroying the planet. I drank it all.
My mom is adorable.
Grayline transfer: Once we arrived at the Keflavik Airport, we headed out to the bus terminal area to wait for our bus transfer to the Blue Lagoon. The bus turned out to be a small van, and it was about 15 minutes late. We were a little panicked we had missed it since we weren't sure what we were looking for, but it all turned out okay. **The bus that picked us up from the Blue Lagoon was a huge legit bus and it was much easier to find.
Blue Lagoon: The Blue Lagoon was just as amazing as everyone says. The warm blue-grey water was super relaxing after just having gotten off the plane, and it was the perfect way to start a long day of traveling. We each had a glass of champagne which my mom promptly dropped into the cloudy waters.
Picking up the campervan: We looked into a lot of different campervan companies, and there are many great ones to choose from. We decided to use KuKu Campers simply because it was the cheapest. Each van has a unique piece of art on the side, and as you can see ours was Skeletor, much to the delight of my mother. haha. Each van has a bed, kitchen supplies, and storage for camping luggage and food. We loved our week, but we both decided that for our next trip we want to upgrade to the 5 person van for a little more room.
Bonus Grocery: Our first stop with the van was Iceland's biggest grocery store, Bonus. There aren't always places to stop and eat along the ring road, so it's really important to have some food and especially water. We usually kept enough for at least 2 days. My mom wanted to try Iceland's famous yogurt, Skyr. She took one bite and asked me to try. It tasted like sour cream...everything was written in Icelandic so we'll never know what we were eating...there's just no way to know.
Geysir: With enough ramen noodles and sandwich supplies to feed us for a week, we made our way to the Golden Circle. The Golden Circle has 3 main stops: Thingvellir National Park, Geysir, and Gullfoss Waterfall. The geyser was a little spooky, but a must see!
Gullfoss: We arrived at our first waterfall of the trip, and it did not disappoint! Gullfoss is spectacular, and you can actually get very close to the edge of the water.
***SPOILER ALERT: If you're anti-waterfall, you should stop reading now because that's kinda one of Iceland's main gigs.
Secret Lagoon: We made it to the Secret Lagoon just as it was closing. We were able to use the facilities there, and we camped for the night in their parking lot. This is a must for our next trip to Iceland.
Friday morning, feeling much more rested after a great night's sleep in the Skeletor van, we made our way to our first quick stop: Urridafoss. This is a gorgeous waterfall in the middle of an Icelandic farmer's land.
Seljalandsfoss: This is probably the most beautiful waterfall in Iceland, if not the most unique. You can walk behind the waterfall, and the views are spectacular.
Seljavallalaug Pool: This amazing pool is located just a short hike into the mountains. The pictures don't even compare to how wonderful the experience of swimming in this beautiful heated pool literally in the middle of freezing nowhere really was. This was also our first bath of the trip, and it was lovely.
After such a busy morning, it was so nice to sit down in an actual restaurant and have a hot meal. At Heimamenn café, we had Plokkfiskur, which is a gratined fish potato stew.
Skogafoss: Not only is this a spectacular waterfall, but a seriously awesome camping spot as well. I would definitely recommend staying here, and I wish we had.
Solheimasandur Plane Wreck: We almost felt guilty that we didn't hike to the top of Skogafoss until we arrived at Solheimasandur. This very cool plane wreckage is located on a private farmer's land, and he no longer allows cars on his land. Instead, you have to walk the almost 3 miles to get to the site. Well worth the walk, but we were exhausted by the end.
This US Navy Plane in 1973. The pilot survived, and the plane has been there ever since.
Vik Black Sand Beach: This beach feels straight out of a movie. The water, black sand, and caves make this a must-see spot in Southern Iceland.
We made our way to Vik, where we would camp for the night. Iceland is so beautiful, you will want to pull over constantly to take pictures.
View of Black Sand Beach from the restaurant in Vik.
Warm lamb goulash after a long day of sightseeing and hiking.
After a much needed good night's rest, we started off our 3rd day by stumbling upon a Sheep sale. Not only were sheep being sold, but this almost seemed like a social event for many Icelandic sheep farmers.
Whenever we stopped for gas, I picked up this lamb and egg sandwich. It was pretty good!
Not too far down the road, we found Kirkjubaejarklaustur where they have a small waterfall and awesome turf house.
Day 3 without a real shower. I recommend dry shampoo..the only reason my hair looked even halfway decent.
Our next stop was Skaftafell Glacier National Park. Stunning glaciers around every corner.
The list of absolute must see sites in Iceland is already long, but the gorgeous random things you see along the Ring Road have you stopping constantly.
As we were driving to Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, we discovered a smaller stunning Fjallsarlon Glacial Lagoon.
At Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, we bought a glacier tour. We read a lot of reviews about whether or not the tour was worth it..in the end we both said this is a must! It was so much fun, and you learn much more about the glaciers. http://icelagoon.is/amphibian-boat-tours/
Not far from Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, we drove past the most beautiful Icelandic horses.
Just before arriving in Hofn, we stopped at one of the most picturesque hot pots Iceland has to offer. It was so nice to relax after a busy day, and we made friends with two couples from Paris!
With clean hair, we stopped at Hofn's best restaurant, Pakkhus. They serve langoustine, which is like a small lobster. This was easily one of the best meals I've ever had in my life, and a must do if you are ever in Hofn. http://www.pakkhus.is/
We ended the night at one of the creepiest spots on earth right outside of Hofn, Stokknes. It looked to be an abandoned Campsite with working facilities and a suspicious truck. We truly thought we might be murdered, but the idea of being able to use a working toilet in the morning was too good to leave. We woke up Sunday morning to find our van camped right next to a stack of whale bones.
Not only was this a very long day of driving from the South of Iceland all the way to the north to Husavik, but it was also my birthday. There aren't many well known sites during this stretch of road, but it might have been the most beautiful landscape of the entire trip.
Our first big stop of the day was Dettifoss, an absolutely gorgeous waterfall down a short hike into a canyon. We drove for 3 hours without seeing another car, but somehow there were tons of people there. So mysterious.
The bathroom at Dettifoss gave really specific instructions on how to use their toilets. I've never tried this method, but it looks super inefficient.
Asbyrgi Canyon is an enormous canyon. Pictures don't do it much justice, but it is a really cool site.
After driving all day long, we finally made it to Husavik, where we visited a lesser known hotpot called, Ostakarid. Not only is it very relaxing, but we met 3 young Icelandic girls who told us about Husavik and even sang Happy Birthday to me. 
Maybe because it was my birthday, but Iceland finally showed us the Northern Lights. It was so exciting to see these colors bouncing in the night sky.
We were so excited to go Whale watching in Husavik, so we were a little worried when we woke up Monday morning to rain and heavy winds. When we arrived to the boat, the owners immediately offered us drammamine--not a good sign. We braved the treacherous waters for about 45 minutes before the captian mercifully headed back to shore. He told us that because of the weather, the whales were further offshore than normal. No whale sightings, but we were thankful to get off the boat. Even with two layers of waterproof coveralls, we were drenched and freezing. I would definitely recommend going because it was very exciting, but be prepared!
https://www.gentlegiants.is/ Gentle Giants even gave everyone a refund since we had to turn back early.
Though we didn't see any actual whales, the Husavik Whale Museum gives a wonderful history of Iceland's complicated history with whales. Beautiful art, skeleton's and interactive exhibits make this museum a must see when in Husavik.
We were pressed for time driving back West toward Reykjavik, so we were not able to visit the Myvatn Nature Baths. We stopped for a look, and I will definitely go back. It looked absolutely devine.
We made a quick stop at Hverir. Let me prepare you: this place stunk...terribly. The bubbling sulfur pools were spooky, but we only stayed 5 minutes because the smell was so strong.
Next we hiked up Hverfjall to see the massive crater. This is a pretty tough hike, but we were determined. When we finally made it to the top, the crater was filled with fog. haha. The view was still pretty spectacular.
Godafoss: Beautiful little waterfall (Icelandic standards) for a quick stop. 
As we drove through Akureyi, a stunning town in Northern Iceland, our only plan was to stop for ice cream at Brynja. It was delicious and the girl working there told us that Iceland only had two 70 degree days last summer. :O
We stopped for the night a little West of Akureryi at a nice campground with showers and toilets. (Luxury) I would recommend finding one of these spots every night...my hair thanked me.
On our last full day in Iceland, we were scheduled to be close to Reykjavik by early afternoon, so our stops were limited. However, we knew we had to stop at Hvitserkur. Legend has it that this is a petrified troll. I think it looks more like a rhino, but either way this was the coldest spot we experienced.
Closer to Reykjavik, we came across these Elf houses. Icelanders are very serious about their Elves, called the Hidden People. Luckily for my sanity they stayed hidden. The houses are adorable though.
We made it just in time (actually we were about 15 minutes late) to our snorkeling tour of Silfra. This is the area where the tectonic plates of North America and Eurasia collide. This was one of the coolest experiences of my life thus far. The water was just above freezing, but my double layer scuba suit kept me dry and afloat. The view was stunning. 
Back in Reykjavik, we had a delicious dinner at 3 Frakkar where we had Whale Sashimi and more Langoustine. I felt kind of guilty about eating Whale after vising the museum, but rest assured, this was a type of whale that is nowhere near the endangered list. (That's how I sleep at night) 
We did not want to leave Iceland, but we wanted to make the best of our last day. Reykjavik is a really neat little city filled with interesting art, cozy streets, and charming stores.
This was one of the best if not the best trip I've ever taken in my life. Life on the road for a week with my mother in Iceland was like a dream. If you're looking to visit one of the most magical places on earth, look no further than Iceland.
This is the 7 day itinerary we used on our trip. We weren't able to visit every place/restaurant simply because there was just not enough time. I would loved to have had 3 more days in order to go at a more relaxed pace and to see everything.
Thursday:
- Icelandair
- Blue Lagoon
- Pick up Camper from Kuku Campers
- Bonus grocery
- Geysir
- Gullfoss
- Fridheimer Farm (didn't go)
- Secret Lagoon
Friday:
- Urridafoss
- Seljalandsfoss
- Seljavallalaug Pool
- Lunch-Heimamenn-Plokkfiskur
- Skogafoss
- Soleheimasandur Plane Wreck
- Dyrholaey Arch (Didn't have time to go)
- Vik Black Sand Beach
- Dinner-Lamb Goulash
- Vik
Saturday:
- Fjadrargljufur-Sheep
- Kirkjubaejarklaustur
- Skaftafell Glacier
- Svartifoss
- Hofskirkja
- Hvannadalshnukur (didn't go)
- Fjallsarlon Glacial Lagoon
- Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
- Icelandic Horses
- Hoffell Hot Pot
- Hofn-Pakkus House
- Sleep at Stokknes-creepy
Sunday: Birthday
- Long Drive to Husavik
- Hrossaborg
- Dettifoss
- Asbyrgi Canyon
- Husavik Hot Pot
- Northern Lights around Husavik likely
Monday:
- Whale watching
- Myvatn Nature Baths
- Hverir
- Hverfjall
- Godafoss
- Brynja-ice cream
- Akureyi
Tuesday:
- Hvitserkur
- Geitafell Restaurant (Didn't have time)
- Elf houses
- Snorkling Silfra
- Prir Frakkar Restaurant
Wednesday: Reykjavik
- Hallgrimskirkja
- Harpa Concert Hall
- Shopping
- Street Art
TIPS FOR CAMPING IN ICELAND:
1. Raincoat and layers
2. Hotpots-Set aside enough time to visit as many as possible
3. Have enough water for at least 2 days if you're camping. There aren't always grocery stores.
Looks like so much fun! I can't wait to be able to go to Iceland with Brandon and Addie!
ReplyDeleteLooks like so much fun! I can't wait to be able to go to Iceland with Brandon and Addie!
ReplyDeleteYou should go, and take me with you!! Let's get a huge motorhome.
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