Driving in Iceland is something I was decently intimidated by. However, after trips to Iceland in both the summer and the winter, driving in both, I wanted to share some of the tips I wished I had known. Driving in Iceland isn’t something to be afraid of, but there are a few things to know.
GENERAL TIPS FOR DRIVING IN ICELAND
⋙DRIVE ON THE RIGHT – Driving in Iceland was easy on us since we’re from the US and we drive on the right and very good to know.
⋙FUEL UP WHEN YOU CAN – While we never came close to running out of gas, we were in an extremely fuel efficient vehicle and fueled up anytime we passed a town and had below half a tank of gas. (Unless, we knew we were very close to the next town.) It’s just a better-safe-than sorry situation.
⋙DOWNLOAD A MAP OF ICELAND – We downloaded a map of the entire country on Google Maps. It was incredibly helpful because although I had cell service, having it downloaded meant we could have access to routes and destinations no matter what!
⋙HOLD YOUR DOOR WHEN OPENING/CLOSING THEM – This is super important for your pocketbook. Wind gusts can reach such insane speeds that doors are known to be blown backward. Truly. We were told to keep one hand on the door at all times.
⋙DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO PLACES – Although Iceland is only around 250 miles wide, if you actually drive the ring road it’s 830 miles, and that’s just staying on Route 1! You’ll get off there to check out beautiful sites off that route.
⋙DON’T STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD FOR PHOTOS – Iceland is a stunner. Just about everywhere you turn you’ll want to stop to take a photo. However, the thing with roads in Iceland are that there are limited shoulders, making pulling over difficult. It can be incredibly tempting to stop in the middle of the road to photograph something. Don’t do that. Instead, pull into a driveway, one of those elusive shoulders or a parking area to stop and get those beautiful photographs. Don’t put others, or yourself, at harm for a pic.
DRIVING IN ICELAND IN WINTER
⋙BE PREPARED FOR ANY CONDITIONS – When we visited Iceland in the winter, in a span of driving one hour the weather went from foggy to sunny to rainy to sleet! Just be sure that you’re ready for any conditions. Also, only drive in conditions you’re comfortable in. Many of the roads in Iceland are windy and have drop offs, so just be smart.
⋙KEEP YOUR LIGHTS ON – Because of the wet/icy conditions and significant bouts of darkness, you better keep those lights on!
⋙ONLY GO AT A SPEED YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH – Luckily, the population in Iceland isn’t insane, so you won’t have to deal with traffic jams and people in Iceland seemed exceptionally chill about me driving sometimes up to 15 km/h under the speed limit. I was quite nervous driving on roads without guardrails on cliffs and everyone was very understanding.
⋙SOME ROADS AND ROUTE WILL BE CLOSED – ESPECIALLY UP NORTH – If you dream of driving the Highlands, the fjords or even Route 1, be aware that depending on weather, certain roads will be closed because of unsafe driving conditions.
DRIVING IN ICELAND IN SUMMER
⋙KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR SHEEP – The biggest obstacle you’ll find in the summertime is the sheep. It’s the time for little babies to be born and every-so-often those little cuties waddle their way on the road. So, be sure to keep an eye out for their fluffy little butts.
⋙DON’T FORGET THAT THE SUN SETS LATE, DON’T FORGET TO REST – It can be easy to keep driving because the sun is out. We had insane insomnia in Iceland last summer, so we found ourselves out and about after midnight taking hikes. That said, don’t let that excessive daylight trick you. You do still need sleep.
TIPS FOR RENTING A CAR IN ICELAND
⋙KNOW IF YOU NEED TO RENT AN F-ROAD SAFE VEHICLE – Look at what you’re wanting out of your road trip in Iceland. If your bucket list includes getting off the beaten path to some of those spots, you need a vehicle approved to go there. DO NOT take a non-approved car on F-roads. You’ll end up paying for that in damages or fees if they find out or you get stuck.
⋙TAKE PHOTOS OF YOUR CAR BEFORE HITTING THE ROAD – I highly recommend this for renting a vehicle in any country. Before you leave the parking lot take a photo (or video) around the car and make note of any damage. It could potentially save you loads of money when you return it.
⋙ASK ABOUT THE OLÍS GAS STATION DISCOUNT CARD – Our car rental place gave us this super nifty discount card for Olís Gas Station. With that card you can get several perks: 3 ISK off every liter of gas, free coffee + wifi at their stations and 10% off of their restaurant food! It’s a great deal! Even though that doesn’t sound like a big discount it works out to about $0.10/gallon after all the conversions.
I hope this list makes you feel more at ease about driving in Iceland. Many of these tips are all about being prepared and planning out your adventure. Now, all that’s left to do is map out a road trip itinerary (like this Ring Road Itinerary), book your ticket and start your own Icelandic adventure!
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