(For the adventurous souls trying to make the trip somewhat affordable)
Bottom line, it’s not going to be. Other than the cheap flight. Iceland is EXPENSIVE, and you definitely don’t get what you pay for foodwise. By that I mean $20 for a basic sandwich or $11 on fruit. You go to experience nature. Northern Lights (if you’re lucky), frozen waterfalls, geothermal baths and glaciers if the world doesn’t continue to be a total a**hole with global warming.
(credit: Omeed Moghadam)
Flight if you’re flying WOW Air
Bring your own food and water (and travel size adult beverages). The airline does not provide any of that complimentary (not even water). They do sell a good variety of foods and drinks but key word...sell. No TVs either.
*Note: you also don’t get a complimentary carry-on or so they say...
What to wear
Layer layer layer. I threw out “looking cute” as quickly as I stepped out of the airport. But if you are a queen (which you are **yaaasss** there’s no shame in you’re fabulous queenie-ness) get some cute sunnies and scarves to dress outfits up. But first, BASICS! You need under thermal garments (both top, bottoms and socks). Thick gloves and beanies. Not just cotton, but water/wind resistant too. Winter pants and jackets (again, wind resistant is key). Ski masks saved our lives. It got so cold in some areas that any part of our bodies touching the air stung. Don’t let this deter you though. It’s part of the adventure. Plus what good is this trip if you can’t part with the car heater and play our parts of Disney’s Frozen when you want to??
Phones/electronics
Call you your provider to set up a per day data travel plan. For AT&T at least signal was pretty good and if you’re driving around yourself, definitely a must-have for directions.
You’ll need a power converter. Make sure to bring mobile battery banks too and maybe a car charger if you plan to rent a car. Weather this cold completely depletes your phone battery. You’ll go out to take photos for 15 minutes and find your charge down to 30% or lower. Be prepared! Gotta do it for the gram!
Rent a car/tour?
We rented a car and drove around ourselves and loved it. Lots more independence and flexibility for spontaneity. With that, more research is needed, especially weather and road condition-wise. Here are resources.
Road conditions: www.safetravel.is
Weather conditions: vedur.is
Keep in mind there are single-lane bridges in Iceland. It’s courteous to treat it like a stop sign.
If this is a bit stressful, there are plenty of tours.
Food
You’ll quickly find eating out all the time will drain your bank and leave you unsatisfied. (I’m also a bottomless pit mind you)
So unless you’re rolling in dough or allergic to money, grocery stores are your friend. The main franchise there is called Bonus. Gas stations actually have a good selection of to-go grub too. That sounds weird because US gas station food usually sucks, but in Iceland, it’s totally okay to order a sandwich, grab some yogurt, etc. Cheapest option is a grocery store though. No fridge? Just leave it outside! Jk, don’t. Mice.
Stay
Airbnbs are expensive in the city. We opted for a hotel room the first night. The capitol Reykjavik is worth maayybbee 1-2 days. After that get out of there in my opinion.
Outside of urban areas, Airbnbs are awesome especially if you’re in a group. Ours had room for 8 people (even a separate guest room) full kitchen and a hot tub to thaw our frozen bones and booties.
Our itinerary for a guideline
Omeed did such a great job! We were in Iceland for only a few days but did so much more than expected exploring the southern region. An area known for a lot of iconic sites. Sure, one day we (by we, I mean he) drove for 8+ hours. It was looong but the destination was a glacier. I mean, who does that??! These crazy pants, that’s who. If you have more time though, it’ll be easier on your body for sure to stay the night, etc. Yolo fasho. (That’s what the kids are saying right? Or is it like soooo 2015?)
Omeed’s masterpiece:
Friday
4:10 am – Arrive to KEF
Reykjavik – 1 Night
Morning – Go to Hallgrimskirkja/iconic church
(credit: Omeed Moghadam)
Afternoon evening – Go to Blue Lagoon (this was a highlight for sure! People will tell you it’s touristy. It is but who cares. It’s amazing!!)
Restaurant here is expensive but really good.
Saturday
Morning to Afternoon:
Pingvellir National Park/Geysir
(credit: Omeed Moghadam)
Gullfoss Waterfalls
4:00pm – check in at Airbnb -Langholtsvegur, Flúðir, Iceland – 2 Nights
Sunday
Morning:
Skogafoss waterfall
Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach (Game of Thrones filmed here)
(credit: Omeed Moghadam)
Svartifoss waterfall
Jokulsarlon/Glacier Lagoon (4 hr 11 min away from Airbnb)
(credit: Omeed Moghadam)
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