What you'll do
This awesome 8 day Vanlife Itinerary is the best combination of relaxation and adventure. The best months for this adventure is April - September while the days are still long.
You’ll explore the entire Ring Road. Included in this itinerary are visits to natural hot springs, glacier hiking, waterfalls, and black sand beaches.
I have included campsite and where to stay, where and when to grocery shop and all kinds of useful tips for each day. Iceland is super underrated for food, so I have also included some great places for lunch stops around the ring road.
You can check the weather in Iceland on vedur.is (this changes many times a day and it's good to be aware of the weather in Iceland, it is different in every region)
Even though it's summer, I still recommend to pack lots of layers, hats and gloves because you just never know in Iceland, and the wind can be brutal :) If you forget anything then Icewear has great affordable outdoor clothing.
Van life hack: pack two towels per person, sandals, and some clips to close food bags.
I also recommend to buy any alcohol in duty free at the airport right before baggage claim, after you see the "Exit to Iceland" sign. The liquor stores in Iceland are few and far inbetween and they have odd hours and are extremely expensive. You can save a lot of money buy picking some drink up at the airport if you plan to drink on your trip. The alcohol stores are called Vinbuðin in Iceland.
I'm sure you can rent a wifi card from your campervan company but I like to use an app called Truphone when I travel and it lets you get an eSIM in any country. This is great for having affordable data without crushing cell phone bill.
I hope you enjoy your time in Iceland :)
Day 1
Today you'll pick up your camper van near the airport and I recommend to grab some groceries at any Kronan or Bonus (More discount, however I personally prefer Kronan). You'll probably want to grab food for the next two days. Tomorrow afternoon you'll also hit a grocery store and sometimes room for food in the vans are limited so just be aware.
You'll start with a hike to a hot spring river, if you crave a coffee and snack before or after there is a cafe at the bottom of the hike that you can stop into. Or grab lunch at the local food hall called Greenhouse (i really like this place, if you don't want to make food in the van just yet)
Then you explore some waterfalls and you'll want to keep your rain gear handy because you'll be sure to get soaked at these stops.
Tonight you'll sleep at the mighty skogafoss. I recommend parking as close to the waterfall in the grass as possible and pulling a picnic table near your van! The lady from the campsite will walk around in the evening to collect the fee.
Happy Campers
прокат_автомобилей
Trusted Campervans in Iceland
Happy Campers is a great company for renting a campervan in Iceland. Located near the airport with a shuttle service for easy pick up and drop off. They have vans of all sizes, so if you're looking to travel solo or with friends and family, there's a perfect van for you! They will even hold your luggage at their HQ if you need more room in the van
Their vans are super family friendly and have everything you need for the ultimate camping trip in Iceland. Great customer Service and reliable vans!
Use code KYANASUE for 10% off your campervan
Reykjadalur
Горячий источник
Hot river hike
This is completely in nature but SUPER COOL. Located about 45 minutes from Reykjavik, this hike is 1 hour each way. The way there is completely uphill but the views are rewarding. You'll be walking along a geothermal river the entire time, but it is most warm at the top. Once you reach the swimming area, where it is as hot as a hot tub, there are changing nooks but no real facilities. This is completely in nature but SUPER COOL. Where else can you swim in a hot river?
The Greenhouse Food Hall
ресторан
Great Food Hall Stop
Great Food Hall with lots of options. One of my favorite places to eat is Hipstur and I always order the special of the day or Punk, and the royal wrap.
Gljúfrabúi waterfall
Водопад
Breathtaking waterfall located inside a cave
You'll need to walk across some rocks in a river to get to this one, but it is well worth it! This waterfall is a short five minute walk from Seljalandsfoss. It is breathtaking, located inside a cave. You will definitely get soaked so put on all your rain gear for this one!
Seljalandfoss waterfall
Водопад
A very photogenic waterfall
One of the most visited waterfalls in Iceland, the 60m high waterfall is wonderful to visit all year round. My favorite part about it is that you are able to walk behind the waterfall. This is one that is sure to get you wet!
You need to pay a small fee to park, there are machines to pay that accept card, apple pay and cash.
Skógafoss waterfall
Водопад
A waterfall from Game of Thrones
This iconic waterfall is one of the most popular and amazing waterfalls in Iceland. You can recognize it from Game of Thrones.
There is a staircase to the top of the waterfall but in my opinion the view is not worth it, I would skip the stairs, especially if the weather is not perfect.
An amazing hiking trail is on top of the stairs and the goes 16 miles into Thorsmork. If you have lots of time and want to go for a hike, I would recommend walking anywhere from 30-60 minutes one way and turn around. There are amazing views on the trail, and you pass SO MANY waterfalls. This is NOT a hike you can do RT in one day no matter how in shape you are
If you are looking for a lunch stop, the Bistro at the beginning of the parking lot is a great spot!
Skogafoss Camping
кемпинг
Campsite with a waterfall
One of my favorite camping spots on the south coast. Try to park as close to the waterfall on the grass as possible for the best views :) An alternative would be to stay at Hamragarður next to Gljúfrabúi waterfall