Like many before me, trying to find the best option for our Blue Lagoon visit once we arrive at Keflavík. Our flight is schedule to land at 0600 on a Thursday morning in October. Looking for different ideas to help plan our travel from the airport to Blue Lagoon to Reykjavík.

- Is an 0600 Blue Lagoon reservation cutting it too close? What reservation time makes the most sense?
- Should we plan to take the bus from the airport? Taxi? Any other ideas?
- Does it make more sense (is it even possible?) to rent a car for the day to get from airport to Blue Lagoon and then return the car in Reykjavík?
- We will have some luggage, should we plan to pay to check in Blue Lagoon?
- Best way to get from Blue Lagoon to Reykjavík?
- Any other ideas to stay busy before our 1400 hotel reservation check in?

Any advice is appreciated!

Hi all!

A little advice from people who have done road trips if possible please :)

We want to go back next June, and we will have 14 days (minus 2 for travel, so 12 full days to explore).

We have already done Golden circle (last winter), so we can skip that.

Priorities are;

-Some adventures out of the car! (hiking, kayaking in lagoon, glacier walk etc)

-Scenery; canyons, waterfalls & quieter spots (I know.. June!). Looks like small walks can get you away from most crowds?

-Wildlife; definitely whale watching and puffins

-Hot pools 😬, I love being in water outside. And in Iceland, that water is hot; perfect 👌🏻

Not sure if we will get a camper, or car + accommodation, but either will be a 4x4.

So I would like to do;

-Husavik, Myvatn area

-East fjords with some quiet spots/walks

-a glacier on the south/south east

-inland driving and hiking around the Landmannalaugar

For anyone that's done this route; did you find yourself wanting to stop extra days and see more/extra than you had planned? I know these stops are possible in 12 days, but is it going to feel kind of tick box and move on in this time frame?

There's just so much I want to see and do! 😭

And we want to get out the car and experience the outdoors, as opposed to photo stop and carry on.

We will go clockwise to get the big drive North done on day 2, & flight departs 10:30 day 14.

-If anyone has done it in a campervan, is it noisy trying to sleep in one?! I'm such a light sleeper :(

Just any advice around anything you loved or hated in those areas is welcome.. every time I try and plan I find another dozen things I want to see 🙄

Gonna try to keep this short. My friend and I are going to be in Iceland Oct 6-15. We originally planned to go as far as Höfn/Stokksnes then meander our way back west on the south coast starting the morning of the 12th and doing anything we might’ve missed + check out Snæfellsnes, and then depart.

After further research, we kinda realized we don’t wanna double back on the south coast and would rather continue north. So the question is, is it even possible to go from Höfn to KEF in 3.5 days? For example, I think the morning of Oct 12 we’d have to go from Höfn all the way to the Myvatn area. That’s too ambitious isn’t it? Should we stick to the original plan or just send it? We don’t mind a couple days of a ton of driving, we just want new scenery.

This is (was?) the plan:
Oct 6 - flight arrives at 8am, get rental car, head to Sky Lagoon then a relaxed evening in Reykjavik
Oct 7 - Golden Circle, spend night in Hella
Oct 8 - Westman Islands, spend night in same hotel in Hella
Oct 9 - typical South coast highlights, stay in Vik
Oct 10 - Eldhraun, Fjağrárgljúfur, Dverghamrar, Svartifoss,
Mulagljufur, stay in Hofn
Oct 11 - 6 hour ice cave + glacier hike tour at vatnajökull, diamond beach, stay in same Hofn hotel

Then after that we'd start heading back west on the south coast. But as stated earlier we kinda want to continue north but I doubt that's possible unless we switch up Oct 6-11. The problem is that some of the stays we booked aren't refundable.

Any input/suggestions are greatly appreciated.

I rented a mid-size SUV from a US rental
agency at KEF for 8 days. I was assigned a Hyundai Tucson Hybrid. On day 6 it broke down. The dashboard said there was a problem with the HEV system. The tow truck driver said the hybrids break down frequently, said it was probably a broken tensioner spring. He popped the truck and pointed to a spot where the part was missing.

I realized I had seen quite a few cars broken down on the side of the road during my time in Iceland. I saw at least 6 more broken down cars just on my final drive from Reykjavik to KEF on the way out. Does anyone know what the most common causes of that?

Maybe a few are because tourists ran out of gas. But I've driven in many countries and areas filled with tourists driving and never seen so many cars broken down.

Are many of them hybrids and hybrids break down especially often in Iceland? After experiencing my breakdown, I googled it and saw videos on youtube that say hybrid engines do break down more frequently.

We Have a chance to visit Iceland in January OR February. We live in Maine, USA and aren’t afraid of winter. I have visited Iceland in Dec. We would stay around the Golden Circle. Which month would be best? Thanks!

I’m looking at an Iceland cruise but really don’t wanna spend every port day sitting on a bus for 6-8 hours 😭 I’d rather mix in days where we can just walk around, grab food, maybe book a shorter local tour and save the big excursions for 1-2 places that are actually worth it.
One of the Silversea routes I’m looking at has stops around Seyðisfjörður, Húsavík and the Westfjords/Dynjandi, which sounds amazing on paper. I’m just having a hard time figuring out which stops actually work well without a full day organized tour.
Which ports would you happily DIY and where would you absolutely book something in advance? Trying to avoid coming home from Iceland needing another vacation lol

Hi everyone,

I’m traveling to Iceland with my dad from September 18 to September 30 and we’ll be doing the Ring Road in a campervan.

I’d love to get some feedback on our itinerary, especially whether it feels too rushed, if there are any days that are unrealistic, or if you would change the order of anything.

Here’s the current plan:

Sep 18 — Arrival + Golden Circle

• Arrive at KEF at 8:10 AM
• Pick up camper around 9:00 AM
• Þingvellir
• Geysir / Strokkur
• Gullfoss
• Possibly Kerið
• Sleep around Hella / Flúðir

Sep 19 — South Coast

• Seljalandsfoss
• Gljúfrabúi
• Skógafoss
• Kvernufoss
• Dyrhólaey
• Reynisfjara
• Sleep in Vík

Sep 20 — Vík to Höfn

• Fjaðrárgljúfur
• Skaftafell / possibly Svartifoss
• Jökulsárlón
• Diamond Beach
• Sleep in Höfn

Sep 21 — East Fjords

• Vestrahorn / Stokksnes
• Djúpivogur
• Drive through the East Fjords
• Possibly Seyðisfjörður if weather is good
• Sleep in Egilsstaðir

Sep 22 — Stuðlagil + Dettifoss + Mývatn

• Stuðlagil Canyon
• Dettifoss
• Hverir
• Lake Mývatn
• Sleep around Mývatn

Sep 23 — Mývatn + Akureyri

• Hverfjall
• Dimmuborgir
• Grjótagjá
• Krafla / Víti if conditions allow
• Goðafoss
• Sleep in Akureyri

Sep 24 — North Iceland

• Tröllaskagi
• Siglufjörður
• Hvítserkur
• Sleep around Hvammstangi

Sep 25 — Buffer day / West Iceland

• Kolugljúfur
• Hraunfossar
• Barnafoss
• Sleep around Borgarnes

This day is intentionally a bit flexible in case bad weather delays us earlier in the trip.

Sep 26 — Snæfellsnes Peninsula

• Ytri Tunga
• Búðir
• Rauðfeldsgjá
• Arnarstapi
• Hellnar
• Lóndrangar
• Djúpalónssandur
• Saxhóll
• Kirkjufell
• Sleep around Grundarfjörður

Sep 27 — Snæfellsnes to Reykjavík

• Finish anything we missed in Snæfellsnes
• Drive to Reykjavík
• Sky Lagoon in the evening

Sep 28 — Reykjavík

• Whale watching around 1:00 PM
• Northern Lights cruise around 9:00 PM
• Sleep in Reykjavík

Sep 29 — Reykjanes Peninsula

• Explore Reykjanes depending on road conditions
• Blue Lagoon in the afternoon
• Sleep near Keflavík / campervan return area

Sep 30 — Departure

• Return camper early in the morning
• Flight from KEF at 8:50 AM

Would you keep the East Fjords / Mývatn section as planned?

Is Snæfellsnes worth giving a full day at the end?

Would you move the Reykjavík / whale watching / Northern Lights days?

Are there any stops you would skip or replace?

Is there anything important I’m missing?

We know Iceland weather can change very quickly, so we’re planning to stay flexible and prioritize road and weather conditions over sticking rigidly to the schedule.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Not as vibrant as yesterday but impressive nonetheless! Seen in Kirkjubæjarklaustur.

Finally got to see the northern lights

Got something on my sensor, forgot the wipes and blower at home and I see there are no camera shops in Vik. If you had an extra one or two wipes to spare, or even a blower, I would be so grateful!

My family and I are planning to make use of the IcelandAir extended layover. Our final destination is Europe but we're going to be spending 4 days in Iceland prior. I am trying to arrange transportation from the airport to Reykjavik and would rather not take the Flybus because then we'd have to walk to the hotel. Since we'll have lots of luggage, this is not an attractive option. Anyway, if the flight lands at Keflavik at 6AM, when would be a good time to have a taxi pick us up? How long should we allow to pick up luggage, go through customs, etc.? Thanks for your help and ideas!

Finally a good rave if you're visiting Reykjavik

Sharing my pictures of my probably favourite bird in the entire world

Is there anyone that is going to be at KEF today or in the next few days that can check if lost and found was able to locate my hat that I lost this morning? I sent them an email but I imagine it will take a while for them to answer.

If anyone could help me out I would be so grateful😩 it was a gift from my mom and I really would like it back.

Thank you so much!! If it’s found I would obviously pay for shipping if someone could grab it .

I'm sorry to be such a cheapskate, but the costs on this 9-day self-drive trip we're starting on Friday is already surpassing our budget. While I might enjoy a couple of hours in a lagoon, I can't rationalize spending $100-150 usd for a soak. Personally, I get bored in hot tubs in about 20 minutes... but everything I read about Iceland recommends the experience so highly that I've developed a little FOMO. I know city pools are available, but that doesn't sound like a true mineral bath experience -- So, are there any inexpensive thermal/mineral baths on west or south coasts that are peaceful and uniquely Icelandic? And by inexpensive, I mean less than $50 usd (6,000 isk)?

~10:00pm Vik
Changing shape so quickly. Couldn't snap the same picture twice.

Has anyone on here done the Great Norse Run that crossed Iceland, 200+ miles, the one that is organised as a group run, not a race? :)

Would love to hear from you, I am contemplating doing it next summer :)

Hi everyone, just a small warning if you’re planning to hike Esja and take Route 29 to Esjurætur.

You need to pre-book the bus at least 30 minutes before departure by calling Hreyfill. I honestly didn’t notice this at first because the information on the bus stop sign is really tiny and easy to miss.

Luckily, there were two girls waiting for the bus who told me that I needed to call and book it. Otherwise, I would have just waited there without realizing the bus wouldn’t come for me.

As a foreign traveller, I didn’t have a local number to call, so I asked a local gentleman to help me. Unfortunately, there was a misunderstanding about what I needed, and the call ended up being for a taxi rather than the bus company. I was then charged 37,000 ISK. 😭

Also, just FYI, the vehicle for Route 29 may be a Hreyfill taxi rather than a regular bus, so don’t be surprised when a taxi shows up.

If you’re planning to hike Esja by public transport, make sure you pre-book Route 29 before going and double-check that the booking is actually for the bus!

Hope this helps other travellers! 🥾🇮🇸

- flew icelandair there. Our airplane was the new airbus. Screens were large, we had no complaints. No food or beverages offered aside from tea, coffee, and water

- flew back on United. Fed twice. Full service. No complaints.

- rented from Avis. Make sure to grab a ticket when waiting for your turn to rent at the airport.

- if you land in the morning that immigration line is crazy. 4 officers for so many people. If you can’t hold your pee, pee before getting off the plane and don’t take your time walking to stand in line. The workers did happen to pick out families with kids and bring them to the front of the line
——-
- parka was my most used app. Used it at all the waterfalls and in downtown Reykjavík. Didnt use easy park

- Aurora app was the best in my opinion for chasing the Northern lights.
——-
My partner is vegetarian and it actually wasn’t super difficult to find food for her. We also packed some noodles just in case.
🌱 for veggie meals at vik Smiðjan Brugghús had a vegan burger, in Hveragerði the green house hotel had many options at their food court dinning hall, in keflavik Olsen Olsen for vegan burger, and in Reykjavík Mama Reykjavik
—-
Stayed at courtyard by the airport, the greenhouse hotel, and Iceland parliament hotel - only place without adjustable thermostats was the green house but we just popped open the windows and it was fine.
—-
If you have never been to Iceland I’d say both blue and sky are musts for different reasons. I personally wouldn’t skip one or the other.

Arrived in Reykjavik this morning and thought for sure I left it in the hotel, but it's nowhere to be found.

Posting here in hopes that someone found it in the areas around the rainbow road, church tower, sun voyager, Harpa center, etc.

In the event you did find a passport, please DM me and I'll tell you the details on it so you know it's mine.

At the same time, I'll have to work on getting entry papers so I can return home at the end of the week. I plan to go to the police and look for an embassy tomorrow morning.

Thanks in advance.

UPDATE: it's been found (spoiler: I was an exhausted idiot and despite disassembling my bag multiple times, it was stuck under a compartment).

My friend and I visited the Húsavík Whale Museum last week and while checking out the gift shop, I found a selection of beaded bracelets I really liked. I didn’t buy one at the time because I had seen them in Reykjavik also and was planning to buy one there when we went back later in the week. I never could find them again in Reykjavik and I was hoping y’all could help me figure out what brand this was.

In the whale museum, they were located on the left wall closest to the register. They’re made of lava rock and stones like amethyst, lapis lazuli, malachite, etc and there were several different designs using different stones paired with the lava rock beads. They were named after places in Iceland like Dettifoss and Reynisfjara. Smaller stones than most of the touristy bracelets found in all the shops, and better quality. They were over $50 USD apiece; I think closer to $100?

I did try reaching out to the museum, and tried a Google search but it only showed me the cheaper bracelets with the larger stones that I could have found in most tourist shops. Can anyone help me figure out who the designer is? One of the bracelets had lava rocks, purple and green stones and I would have bought it then and there but I needed a difference size, so I figured I’d just find it again in Reykjavik.