Iceland - 5 things to know before you go

Iceland, known as the land of fire and ice, is a bucket list destination for many reasons - the people are friendly, the nightlife is lively, and, of course, the scenery is breathtaking. Before planning your ideal Icelandic adventure, there are several things to keep in mind. Here is a list of the top 5 things I wish I would have known before my trip:

Our (very dirty) Subaru Forester parked near the shore of Raudisandur Beach

1. Transportation in Iceland can be difficult

For the first seven days of our trip we rented a car through KuKu Campers. After returning our rental car, we planned to spend our last day in Iceland exploring the capital city of Reykjavík. However, we did not plan for transportation between the city and our guesthouse for the night, which was all the way back in Keflavík - a 45 minute drive. Although most of Europe is known for having ample, affordable public transportation, that is not the case in Iceland. There are some bus lines that run throughout the island, but taxis are extremely expensive and transportation apps like Uber and Lyft are not available. Luckily, we were able to figure out a bus transfer from Keflavík to Reykjavík and back through Reykjavík Excursions on their FlyBus. With that said, before you take off on your trip, make sure to plan ALL of your transportation between sightseeing spots and excursions. We highly recommend renting a car through many of the available vendors.

2. Be prepared for inclement weather at sightseeing spots in Iceland

This goes without saying, but the weather in Iceland can be very unpredictable no matter what time of year you decide to visit. We visited the island in mid-July, which is known as one of the best times of year to visit weather-wise. Still, we ran into rain and clouds while exploring several of the sightseeing spots on our list. Unfortunately, this meant that there were a few times on our trip that we did not get to see the view from a lookout point or catch that same Instagram-quality shot we had seen online. Know that this is normal and is just part of the adventure when traveling in a country so close to the Arctic Circle. No matter what Iceland WILL take your breath away, even if you miss a few photo ops.

3. Bathrooms along Ring Road can be hard to find

While traveling throughout the United States it is pretty easy to find a bathroom whenever you need it - this is not always the case in Iceland. Once you head out of populated areas, there are not many rest stops (we saw one designated rest stop on our entire Ring Road trip) and, especially in more rural areas like the Highlands and the West Fjords, gas stations and towns can be few and far between. Depending on what you plan to see in Iceland, dealing with scarce bathrooms may be unavoidable, so be prepared. Also know that some bathrooms may require payment (usually about 250 - 400 Króna, about $1.50 - $3.00 USD). On the flip side, in populated areas, at tourist stops, and at campgrounds, bathrooms were very easy to access.

4. Bring binoculars to get the most of your Ring Road experience!

This might seem like a random tip, but there is SO much to see in Iceland…and some of it is far away. We went to Glacier Bay where there were dozens of seals floating around, hiked up the cliffs at Látrabjarg to see the puffins, and watched for whales on our excursion with Elding. At each of these spots I saw several people with binoculars and kicked myself for not bringing some - I will be better prepared next time!

5. Money, money, money - Iceland is expensive

Iceland is an expensive country, so budget ahead of time. Like many European countries, most restaurants, gas stations, and stores accept major credit cards like Visa and Mastercard, so you will not likely need much in the way of cash. However, I recommend taking out a couple thousand Króna ($15 - $30 USD) right when you arrive. Some bathroom facilities accept cash and many laundry sites are cash only (which you may want to plan to use because you, and your clothes, will be wet throughout your travels). Remember to also contact your bank before traveling so you don’t run into any holds on your cards.

Standing beside the powerful Dettifoss

Most importantly, remember to enjoy yourself and get to know the beautiful country of Iceland! As a bonus tip, I want to remind you to take some time to soak in all of the breathtaking sites - don’t just walk up to a beautiful waterfall like Dettifoss, take a picture, and walk away - stand there for a while, feel the force of the waterfall, watch intently as the water flows, look for rainbows in the spray, and connect with the nature you have surrounded yourself with. The land of fire and ice will not disappoint - when do you plan to visit?