Iceland was one of the countries I was most impressed with in all my years of travel. The nature is mind-blowing, and the geographical landforms seem to be from another planet. But as much as I loved Iceland, there are a few things to consider before traveling here: Iceland’s weather is extremely temperamental, and Iceland is quite expensive.
How do you prepare for these challenges? Here are 10 things I wish I knew before traveling to Iceland to help you have the best (and most prepared) trip to this AMAZING country.
10 things I wish I knew before traveling to Iceland
1. Bring waterproof pants.
I saw people wearing JEANS to waterfall hikes. It was pouring rain and 60 mph winds, and people are hiking in jeans?? I was shook. Bring waterproof everything, but especially pants.
Iceland’s weather is more temperamental than a teenager — even if it’s sunny when you begin, it’s best to be prepared for when it randomly rains 15 minutes later.
2. There are not a lot of public bathrooms / trash cans.
Random, but plan accordingly for no public bathrooms or trash cans while road tripping the coast. Take advantage of gas stations for bathrooms and bring toilet paper in case you have to go in nature. As for trash cans, keep a bag in your car for all the snacks you will devour during your long hikes.
3. Go to the western peninsula Snæfellsnes for less crowds.
The western peninsula, ~2 hours from the airport, was so quiet and less touristy than other parts of Iceland. We would go for miles being the only car on the road. If you like this type of vibe then you must take a few days to circumvent the western coast! We started our road trip here and it was the best decision.
Where to Stay:
Tiny towns near the peninsula have quiet & cozy stays—I 100% recommend Berg Horse Farm for ~$200 / night. This place has such a peaceful setting and beautiful Icelandic horses right on the property !!!
4. Both Airbnbs & hotels are good for different regions.
For the western peninsula Snæfellsnes, you’re best bet is Airbnbs since it’s pretty sparse farmland and mountains out there. For the southern coast and Reykjavik, I’d recommend homestays / hotels. Here are some of my favorites from the trip that I wholeheartadely recommend:
Berg Horse Farm (Airbnb) for ~$200 / night for triple room
The Garage Homestay (Homestay) for ~$245 / night for triple room
Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon (Hotel) for ~250 / night for triple room
Alda Hotel Reykjavik (Hotel) for $275 / night for triple room
Use my 7 day Iceland road trip itinerary to help plan out your hotels & road trip route!
5. Bring a good camera & binoculars.
The Icelandic landscapes are heaven for photographers and bird watchers. I myself have a Canon EOS R50 specifically for travel, and I had a blast photographing the nature. There’s just something about good quality photos rather than iPhone photos — it makes the memory more special, and allows me to be more creative.
As for the binoculars, my friend Anna brought her grandpa’s and we were able to scope out puffins through the lens of her binoculars!! We weren’t sure if we were going to see puffins since it was early in the season (early May) but we did and I’m so grateful to have had binoculars to see them. Plus they were great for examining the glaciers up close, too.
6. If there’s bad weather, wait 10 minutes and it may clear.
Classic Iceland weather: we showed up to this waterfall called Ægissíðufoss Waterfall. It was snowing / sleeting / raining. We said nah, let’s wait 10 minutes and see if it clears. We were the only ones there and BAM it became sunny. We raced out and went on to frolic by the gorgeous waterfall by ourselves.
Bottom line: be patient with Mother Nature and she will reward you!
7. Gas is expensive, so try going with a friend or two.
Oof, this one hurt. It cost ~$70 to fill up a tank of gas, and when you’re driving as much as we did that $ adds up quick! Try to road trip with a friend or two to cut down costs on gas because although I adore solo travel, you’d definitely break the bank if you road tripped Iceland by yourself.
Tip: Look for cute souvenirs at the gas stations scattered around the coast. They are much cheaper than in Reykjavik and it’s a fun pit stop between hikes. I got an adorable puffin t-shirt and beautiful wool mittens at gas stations — my two most prized souvenirs from Iceland!
8. If visiting close to summertime, go to crowded spots at 11pm and you’ll be the only ones there.
Ah, the iconic Seljalandsfoss story. We visited Iceland in early May, just as the days are becoming longer and the sun never seems to set. We visited the beautiful drop dead gorgeous Seljalandsfoss waterfall at 10:30pm one night, and were the ONLY ONES THERE.
We walked behind the massive thundering waters and I felt like I transported myself to another time, another dimension, another planet. I cannot describe the euphoria of this moment, and it stands as one of the highlights of my entire Iceland trip.
Go to crowded spots late at night and you’ll be amazed at how different it feels without the crowds!
9. Go thrifting in Reykjavik.
I was pleasantly surprised at how amazing Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is for thrifting. The Scandinavian style rules here, and the street style is full of cool kids experimenting with fashion. My favorite thrift store was called Verzlanahöllin second hand shop. Trust me on this one, I could have stayed here all day.
I ended up snagging 3 amazing pieces, all under $10. This was one of the only affordable shops I saw in all of Reykjavik. Go here!!
10. Fermented shark is disgusting so don’t try it.
This last one is a joke (kind of). Fermented shark is considered a delicacy in Iceland, and one of the only safe ways to eat shark. When we were on the western peninsula there was a strange man who owned a restaurant we were dining at. He had this whole spiel about fermented shark and how we must try it to be a true Viking. We politely declined but he kept pushing, so we conceded and almost threw up with how it tasted.
So now I may be a true Viking, but it wasn’t worth the taste that lingered, lol. If you have a weak stomach like me, avoid the fermented shark!
To conclude: 10 things I wish I knew before visiting Iceland
Thank you for reading about all the things I wish I knew before visiting Iceland! I hope this allows you to be more prepared for your trip so you can have the most relaxed, best time in this epic, extraordinary, beautiful place. Can you tell I really love Iceland?
xx Gracie
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7 day Iceland road trip itinerary
