Renting a Campervan in Iceland? Right here Are 30 MUST READ Ideas

Renting a camper van in Iceland is a nature lover’s dream trip. In spite of everything, one doesn’t go to Iceland to spend all their time in a lodge room, however most don’t need to courageous the chilly nights in a tent.

The Ring Road, or Route 1, is the highway that circles all the island nation of Iceland. We’ve talked about this improbable journey earlier than, however its reputation means we get numerous requests for extra insights to travel in Iceland.

Exploring Iceland in a campervan is among the greatest methods to sort out the Ring Street. There isn’t a different strategy to do it as a consequence of your freedom in a campervan. Nonetheless, there are some issues I discovered after renting a camper van in Iceland that can assist you in your Iceland journey!

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Ideas for Renting a Camper van in Iceland!

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1. Have a Common Iceland Itinerary

When taking our campervan round Iceland, our objective was to drive the Ring Street. The identify of the Ring Street must be fairly self-explanatory. It’s a highway that covers round 1,300 kilometers and circumnavigates the entire nation of Iceland – like a hoop! The entire route ought to take about 16 hours for those who drive continuous – however who needs to do this?

It’s inconceivable to nail the proper Ring Street itinerary. Our greatest suggestion is to journey at your personal tempo, it doesn’t matter for those who go quick or gradual or miss some sights alongside the way in which.

So long as you’re completely happy touring on the tempo you’re going. In the event you’re on the lookout for a great period of time, we’d recommend someplace between one to 2 weeks. We went for ten days, and it felt like an excellent period of time. It left us wanting extra however by no means bored with the journey.

When planning your itinerary, map out all of your stops. There might be loads of unplanned stops, and it’s greatest to not really feel rushed. We strive our greatest to keep away from setting our days to a strict timetable as a result of we all know we are going to by no means be completely happy if we try this. Right here’s our actual route beginning in Reykjavik and shifting clockwise. You can read all about the destinations here.

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2. Select a Respected Iceland Campervan Firm

One of many first steps in planning your Iceland campervan journey is figuring out your rental firm. We drove across the Ring Street in a Happy Campers van and cherished it.

Happy Campers is a household run by native Icelanders, and you’ll find the entire household concerned. We had been checked out by the Sverrir or the “Glad Boss.” Whereas his son was accountable for organising our reserving, one other picked us up from the airport. They’re a household enterprise wanting to indicate guests the most effective of the nation, and one thing we respect.

The van comes with all you may want for a camping trip in Iceland. It has superior options akin to a heater for chilly nights, a working water sink, and a fridge/freezer. If you wish to study extra, learn our Happy Campers review.  Alternatively, one other native firm known as Lava Car Rental gives camper leases on your journey to Iceland

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3. Selecting Your Campervan

Handbook vs. Computerized

You need to be ready to drive a handbook campervan in Iceland. As with the remainder of the world (in addition to the US), most campervans in Iceland are handbook, however there are a number of computerized autos. In the event you require an computerized car, ensure to e book nicely prematurely and count on to pay a premium.

Measurement of Your Campervan

Think about the dimensions of your campervan earlier than you e book. Just a few completely different measurement choices are perfect for one, two, three, and as much as 5 folks.  We went with a Glad 2 for the 2 of us. The van was spacious and comfy for 2 folks.

Nonetheless, with a bigger campervan comes decreased gasoline financial system so that you’ll be paying extra for that bigger car in additional methods than one. Fuel is de facto costly in Iceland, nearly $8 a gallon. Think twice in regards to the campervan mannequin you select.

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4. When to Guide Your Campervan

In the event you’re planning on renting a campervan in Iceland through the summer season, you need to begin planning and e book your journey a minimum of six months out. They do promote out quick, particularly between the months of June-October.

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5. What’s Included within the Glad Campers Campervan?

Our Happy Camper was outfitted with every little thing we might presumably want for 10 days on the highway. That included issues like:

• Fuel Range with Fuel
• Cooler
• Privateness Curtains
• Pots and Pans
• Plastic plates, cutlery, and drinkware
• Knife and reducing board
• Dustpan
• 2 pillows
• 2 blankets
• Mattress
• You may pay additional for an inverter, chairs, a desk, a BBQ grill, and a WiFi hotspot.

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6. Insurance coverage on the Campervan

When trying out a camper van in Iceland, you have got many choices for selecting insurance coverage. Glad Campers consists of CDW as it’s necessary in Iceland. In the event you go along with the usual insurance coverage, your legal responsibility restrict is €2500. Additionally they supply packages that scale back the waiver, akin to sand and gravel harm.

We went with the gravel insurance coverage, however I discovered it a waste, because the roads had been nice in Iceland throughout October. Had we traveled through the winter and windier months, I imagine it might have been extra helpful.  Additionally, look into what your bank card covers for auto insurance coverage.

Most American bank cards supply auto rental insurance coverage as a profit, and I like to recommend calling your bank card firm beforehand to double-check what they cowl. In the event you don’t have a bank card, it’s time to get one, because it’s an important part of travel banking.

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7. Examine Your Iceland Campervan

In the event you run right into a guardrail together with your campervan rental you’re going to be charged for damages. If another person ran right into a guardrail earlier than you and also you don’t notice it if you decide up the rental automobile you is also charged for damages. All the time, at all times, at all times, examine each single rental automobile you get with nice element – in and out.

Observe any damages with the corporate and take photographs simply in case. Cam and I are meticulous with rental automobile dings, scratches, windshield cracks, and cigarette burns.  By no means assume {that a} scratch or ding is unimportant or large enough to notice. If you return your rental, be sure you get a slip signing off that every one was okay on the automobile, in order that they don’t come again and attempt to cost you later.

We’ve been blamed a number of occasions for issues like “excessive sand on the floor in Mozambique,” random items of low-cost plastic falling off in Mexico, and we had been even charged for a small scratch on the hubcap in South Africa. Take photographs and put up a combat for those who assume you’re in the proper.

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8. Get the Proper Credit score Card

Bringing me to my subsequent level – bank cards with main rental insurance coverage. The Chase Sapphire Reserve is my favourite journey bank card for a lot of causes, however the main rental insurance coverage is certainly one of its greatest perks (together with Precedence Cross membership).

If you put your rental campervan in your Chase Sapphire Reserve card you get main protection worldwide for as much as $75,000.

That works out nice since we’re nomadic and don’t have a automobile or residence. Automotive rental firms in Iceland and worldwide like to scare prospects and upsell all their insurance coverage packages. You want to ensure for those who want it or not earlier than falling sufferer to their entice. Name your bank card firm and at all times discover out earlier than you get to Iceland

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9. Campervan Choose Up and Drop Off

After all of the paperwork is sorted with the rental firm, you’ll be requested if you wish to be proven across the car. We at all times really feel somewhat silly agreeing to this, however it’s at all times value it!

Until your rental car is exactly the identical as your automobile at residence, a number of methods are more likely to be completely different. In the event you resolve to go along with a rental automobile, you 100% must be proven round. There are a lot of aspects to a campervan!

When the agent reveals you round, ask them to indicate you the way all of the important methods operate. You need to be fully proud of utilizing your Iceland van rental if you depart – keep in mind, you’re legally accountable for it. So, be sure you know the right way to function the headlights, indicator lights, hazard lights, and windscreen wipers. Additionally, make sure to perceive the right way to have interaction reverse gear.

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10. Count on a Maintain Cost for Your Iceland Campervan

Each single certainly one of our forty or so rental automobiles has put a maintain on our bank card for the rental interval. Holds can vary anyplace from a number of hundred bucks to $1000+ in some nations. The “extra cost,” as it’s known as, is often acknowledged in your reservation particulars, however it’s simple to overlook.

We’re conscious that they need to put this maintain on our card, however it may be a large shocker if you’re unsuspecting and find yourself over your credit score restrict in your bank card. These extra expenses are for situations the place you disappear with the automobile and are by no means seen once more, or get in a crash and refuse to pay.

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11. Lease Your Campervan From Keflavik Airport (KEF)

If you plan to rent a campervan to get round, ensure to choose it up and drop it off on the airport. It might find yourself saving you a buck. There isn’t a public transport, and the Reykjavik Categorical, one of many solely buses from Reykjavik metropolis to Keflavik airport, is 2400 Icelandic Kroner a technique.

That’s a $24 airport switch on a bus! I might advocate selecting up and dropping off your automobile on the airport to avoid wasting on this charge.

If you wish to lease a camper, Happy Campers has a location on the airport. We had an pleasant expertise with them, and they’ll give you a free switch to their places of work as soon as your flight lands.

You may simply e book using this link, however ensure to e book nicely prematurely throughout excessive season. Significantly – they made our journey to Iceland so superb.

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12. Fuel for Your Iceland Camper van

Be ready to shell out some cash if you head to the pump in Iceland. Fuel prices somewhat over $2 USD a liter or nearly $9 a gallon! We additionally discovered that American bank cards don’t work at many pumps.

To pay, be sure you ask an attendant to unlock the pump after which pay afterward inside with a bank card. Or you’ll be able to pay with a debit card that has a pin quantity.

Pay attention to distances between gasoline stations. We discovered them throughout Iceland and by no means ran low on gasoline. For our 10-day itinerary, we spent round $400 on gasoline – YIKES. Be sure that to funds for this one, because it’s simple to neglect.

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13. A 4×4 Iceland Campervan is Not Essential for Exploring

In the event you’re planning to drive Iceland’s iconic Ring Road (Route 1 across the nation) or the Golden Circle, a 4×4 car is pointless. Many of the roads are paved and simple to navigate with a sedan.

If you wish to go down an unpaved or unmarked highway, ensure your automobile can deal with it first! We noticed quite a few small sedans attempting to push their automobile an excessive amount of down bumpy roads and getting caught or tearing out the underside of their rental!

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14. Make Certain You Don’t Have Mileage Limits

It may be widespread for Iceland campervans to have mileage limits. Often, that is one thing like 200 km/day will be pushed. After all, they will’t know which day you’re driving 200km/day and what days you aren’t, so all of it totals as much as the tip.

Say you lease a automobile for six days, and it has a mileage restrict of 200 km/day. Meaning on your complete rental, you have got 1200 km of free driving. In the event you return the automobile having pushed 1300 km, you can be charged for the overage of 100 km. If you would like full freedom when driving round Iceland, select a rental with limitless mileage. (Our Happy Camper had no mileage limits).

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15. Navigation in Iceland

It’s value mentioning that distances and speeds in Iceland are recorded in kilometers fairly than miles. This will make sights appear additional away than they’re, though the winding nation roads you’re more likely to encounter imply journey occasions are somewhat longer than these within the US.

It’s unlikely your rental car could have a built-in GPS navigation system, usually known as SatNav (satellite tv for pc navigation); nevertheless, it’s probably that you can be supplied a separate GPS (at extra price, after all), as a substitute. The excellent news is that if you’re driving the ring highway, it’s a hoop across the nation and simple to observe.

Nonetheless, whether or not you’re touring by yourself or as a bunch, we expect navigation is a should. It takes a lot of the stress out of driving on roads you aren’t used to and counting on highway signage. You is likely to be completely happy utilizing paper maps, however it’s not regular for them to be equipped with a rental automobile, which implies chances are you’ll as nicely go for the GPS as a substitute.

Smartphone apps akin to Google Maps are a superb free various, which provides you the extra benefit of understanding up-to-the-minute site visitors and highway situations. It is best to obtain a map of Iceland to your cellphone from Google Maps when you’re on good WiFi. In the event you neglect to do that, Reykjavik Airpot has free WiFi the place you’ll be able to obtain Google Maps to your cellphone earlier than you hit the highway.

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16. Look ahead to Pace Traps!

Iceland has quite a few digicam velocity traps across the ring highway. So it’s greatest to at all times keep inside the velocity restrict. Fines are extraordinarily costly in Iceland. Between ISK 50,000 and ISK 130,000, it’s greatest to observe the principles.

The excellent news is there’s at all times an indication warning you in regards to the velocity digicam a number of hundred meters earlier than. If you’re rushing in Iceland, now’s the time to decelerate!

You could assume that as a result of you’re a foreigner and leaving the nation, you’ll get away with not paying for a ticket. Nonetheless, the rental automobile firm has a replica of your bank card and is allowed to cost it within the circumstances like this.

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17. Consuming and Driving in Iceland

This could go with out saying, however consuming and driving is a grave offense in Iceland. The edge blood alcohol take a look at (BAT) degree is extraordinarily low. Drivers will be charged with DUI with a BAT as little as .05%, and sure, foreigners will be charged too.

The Icelandic folks take this very significantly, and most don’t drive in the event that they plan on consuming. If you wish to exit for an evening at a bar, be sure you have a accountable approach again to your lodging.

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18. Seatbelts and Security in Iceland

It’s a authorized requirement for all passengers to put on a seat belt/security belt when the engine is working.

Likewise, it isn’t permitted to make use of a cellular phone when driving in Iceland to make calls or ship/obtain SMS textual content messages. You need to use your smartphone for navigation functions, however it should be hands-free solely (akin to safely stowed on the windscreen), and you need to not program navigation whereas the car’s engine is working.

I like to recommend getting a cellphone holder on your automobile dashboard on your travels.

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19. How A lot Will an Iceland Campervan Rental Value?

It depends upon the season! In the summertime, your rental automobile will probably be greater than within the low season months from October to February. Glad Campers gives off-season, mid-season, and excessive season charges. So for those who’re objective is to economize, e book a automobile rental within the low season. Listed below are some suggestions for getting a great deal on campervan Iceland:

• The earlier you e book, the higher. Campervans, particularly with the nice firms, promote out.
• Do your analysis and go along with the businesses which have good evaluations. They’re typically those who received’t rip you off for additional expenses.
• Keep away from peak season, which is late June-early September.

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20. Emergency Numbers in Iceland

112 is the only emergency quantity in Iceland. Keep in mind it and retailer it in your cellphone for those who ever want it. You by no means know if you’ll be confronted with a life-threatening state of affairs – however keep in mind, solely use it if you have to. Safetravel.is places up all related alerts and warnings and must be checked commonly when driving in Iceland.

I additionally like to affix related Facebook groups to remain up to date on present journey conditions. Persons are usually fairly useful!

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21. Do You Want an Iceland Van Rental to Have a Good Time?

No! Iceland campervans should not important to your enjoyment in Iceland. Nonetheless, it is going to enormously improve your expertise, particularly if you’re brief on time or need to discover as a lot as potential with countless freedom.

In the event you love the nice outdoor, parking underneath the northern lights or midnight solar, and having fun with home-cooked campervan meals as a substitute of high-priced Iceland restaurant meals, then a campervan is for you.

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How one can Get pleasure from Your Iceland Campervan to the Fullest!

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1. Maintain the Door in your Iceland Campervan

Earlier than our journey to Iceland, we got here from a North Coast 500 road trip in Scotland and a road trip around the Faroe Islands so we knew what to anticipate.

The North Atlantic and Iceland have some significantly excessive winds. If you’re exiting a automobile, maintain firmly to your automobile door – in any other case, it could blow proper off the automobile and isn’t lined by insurance coverage. We’re not kidding!

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2. Get pleasure from Your Sleep

Count on it to be fairly chilly in Iceland. Our Happy Camper had a heater we might run all evening if we needed, and it stored us toasty heat within the brisk Autumn air. Deliver a heat sleeping bag for those who’re renting a van with out a heater or don’t need to run the warmth all evening.

I recommend a down comforter from residence for those who’re on the lookout for consolation. The beds in campervans will be agency, so a tenting pad will make all of the distinction. If you’re able to camp for the evening, park the van on a degree floor until you take pleasure in sleeping together with your ft greater than your head.

The important thing right here is to convey every little thing you’re comfy with to make the van really feel like residence for the following week or few days. 

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3. There’s No Dangerous Climate, Simply Dangerous Garments

Keep in mind that you’re touring round Iceland in a campervan. The smallest fashions don’t depart numerous room for a large checked bag. The apparent factor to pack is heat climate clothes. An incredible possibility is to pack a duffel bag or backpack that has mushy sides and will be stuffed underneath a seat.

After all, at all times pack a down jacket, sweater, wool socks, and a journey towel. The towel is de facto necessary for those who go to sizzling springs and public swimming pools. We’ve a publish on what to pack for Iceland if you would like extra garments suggestions. It also needs to go with out saying that Iceland is significantly photogenic, so that you’ll desire a great camera for travel photography.

Listed below are some issues we’d advocate to make your campervan extra at residence in Iceland.

• Espresso press
• Down comforter
• Spare tenting burner
• Favorite pillow
• Tenting pad
• Leatherman (I carry the Wingman mannequin)
• Tripod ({Photograph} the Northern Lights!)
• Specialty meals merchandise

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4. Keep Organized

It’s essential to maintain your Iceland campervan organized in your Iceland journey. That is necessary in additional methods than one. It received’t take lengthy to determine that free gadgets within the again behavior shifting in all places. We labored onerous to maintain the again of the van organized, so we didn’t lose something.

This meant we might simply entry something, and it stored the small area from turning right into a pigsty. Ten days in a van with two folks can be simple to let every little thing get out of hand.

Additionally, decide up a number of fundamental cleansing provides like a rag and multi-purpose cleaner. Our van got here with a brush that we used to maintain our flooring clear. With out this, the van would have been a catastrophe zone.

If it’s your first time tenting, we cannot advocate bamboo child wipes sufficient as they make it simple to maintain your self recent. After all, any child wipe will do, however they’re horrible for the atmosphere, so attempt to go for biodegradable ones.

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5. Select a Good Campsite

You cannot camp freely in a motor vehicle in Iceland. It’s required by regulation that you’ve written permission from the landowner, or in different phrases, a receipt. There are a plethora of campsites round Iceland in the summertime, and Happy Campers created this map on their website to help you find one.

Campsites in Iceland are usually respectable, with showers, bathrooms, and generally even WiFi services. The common tenting charge ranges from 1000 ISK ($10US) to 2000 ISK ($20 US) per individual, per evening. Usually, showers should not included on this value and value 300-500ISK for a 3 to five-minute bathe. Because it showers price cash we love getting bare in Iceland’s public swimming pools instead. 

Nonetheless…

The vast majority of campsites shut down for the winter. We drove the Ring Street in October and located most of the campsites to have already closed on September thirtieth.

The supply of campsites will rely on the time of 12 months. Touring in October, we discovered it to be hit and miss. The excellent news is that even when the campsites are closed, they’re nonetheless accessible and also you technically nonetheless park there and camp if want be. This implies you don’t should pay – you simply received’t have entry to services like bathrooms through the offseason. Keep in mind once I talked about child wipes?

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6. Eat Good Meals!

We aren’t any strangers to prepping simple meals, and we’ve gotten higher over time. Campervans don’t present a ton of prep area, so you need to keep on with easy meals. If you wish to find out about meals prices, we have now outlined them in our guide to grocery stores in Iceland. Listed below are the widespread meals we made in our campervan.

• Wraps: These are tremendous easy. Cameron made sizzling wraps by cooking a stir fry in a pan utilizing vegan hoisin duck, frozen veggies, and mushrooms. Dish it out in some wraps and high with vegan cheese. (You need to use the actual stuff too!)
• Rice: It’s a staple, and discovering a strategy to make it your personal will take you for miles. We wish to high our rice with peas, corn, avocado, eggs, and a candy Thai chili sauce. (There are a whole bunch of variations of this!)
• Soup: We like to make soup as a result of it’s scrumptious, requires one pot, and it fills you up. For a simple and wholesome soup, Cameron recommends the next: Saute onions in a pot till translucent, add mushrooms, tomatoes, vegetable inventory (bouillon cubes to avoid wasting area), rice, potatoes, carrots, and season with paprika. In the event you’re a meat-eater, cook dinner it first with the onions. The important thing to a soup is layering flavors and letting it simmer for a very long time.
• Pancakes: Who doesn’t love pancakes? They’re lifeless easy and if you high them with peanut butter, they’ll maintain you going for hours. For tenting, we advise the premade combine from the shop.
• Pasta: Roasted crimson pepper, pesto, avocado, or mushroom stroganoff there are numerous variations of pasta you can also make. We love to combine them with frozen veggies when tenting in Iceland. Recent produce is pricey in Iceland!

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7. BYOB

Iceland is pricey, and alcohol prices are obscene. A bottle of the funds vodka Smirnoff prices $70. You’re permitted to convey a bottle of your personal booze into the nation, so we got here ready with an ideal bottle of gin from the U.Ok.

In the event you’re nervous in regards to the weight of a bottle breaking, your subsequent possibility is to buy alcohol on the Airport duty-free earlier than you enter the nation. Outdoors of duty-free shops on the airport, you’ll be able to solely buy alcohol on the state-run shops known as Vinbudin.

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8. Obtain a Good Journey Playlist

Be ready for some lengthy drives and loads of time on the highway. We’ve bought you lined for those who’re on the lookout for a superb travel playlist or music. Simply be sure you obtain all of your music to your cellphone, as chances are you’ll not at all times have a connection.

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9. Professionals and Cons of Renting a Camper van in Iceland

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Plan Your Epic Campervan Journey to Iceland

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