Renting and Driving a Car in Iceland
Snaefellsness Penninsula
What Type of Car to Get
We traveled to Iceland in May 2022 when gas prices were being squeezed by global conditions, so prices were phenomenally high. For that reason, we opted for a smaller, more fuel efficient sedan and stayed away from SUVs. We got even luckier when we picked up our car - BlueCar upgraded us to a Kia Seed, which is sort of like a wagon or Subaru, but this one was a hybrid. So we were able to drive clear across the country before needing to fill up.
Finding Your Car Rental Agency
In general, I always recommend getting a car close to the airport. I've rented from agencies further from airports before, and while cheaper, it really is a pain to add in more logistics of taking shuttles to and from when trying to get to your plane. There are a handful of rental car agencies in the Reykjavik airport terminal, all the familiar American brands were there. BlueCar, our Icelandic car company, is located at the airport but is a very easy, 2 block walk outside the terminal. When we first landed, we didn't realize how easy that walk would be, so we opted for the airport shuttle. But the shuttle is not the best way to get there, at all. It runs every 15min and the pickup/dropoff locations aren't clearly labeled. When you exit the terminal there will be the other rental car agencies to your left and a small market to your right (we recommend stocking up at that market, snag some water, snacks, etc). The airport shuttle picks up right outside the exit on your left - you don't need to walk to any other lots or really walk anywhere. The bus will eventually show. There are 4 stops on the route so depending on where you're renting from, it's really easier to walk if the weather is ok. We took the shuttle to BlueCar which was the first stop. In hindsight, we would have just walked - much easier and faster.
Insurance Options and Add Ons
Additional Car Insurance: We got it. We confirmed that our car insurance here in the states would NOT cover damages, neither would our credit card (this is sometimes an option). So for that reason, went with the coverage. This could definitely be debated, so just do your research and check with your insurance company and credit card first.
Wifi add on: Pass on this! We have TMobile which is known for having pretty good international coverage. We also made sure to download Iceland maps from Google ahead of time so our phones wound't need the data to navigate. But while I had service, even full LTE, my phone was VERY sluggish, so this is where I recommend purchasing the upgraded data speeds when you land. It's $5/day and much cheaper than the wifi-add on option, and you have it wherever you go, not just in the car. Be sure to price compare your carrier first.
Gravel insurance - YUP! - We opted for insurance coverage through the rental company AND gravel/sand storm coverage...because Iceland. It made checkout a breeze - the guy didn't even bother checking the car. That said, this really is optional. I would bet for most people, for most locations, you won't even see a gravel road. We drove on them 3-4 times max, and not for long distances. Once to visit the Gerðuberg Cliffs, once to visit a lighthouse in Snaefellsness, once while driving to our Airbnb on a farm in Holt. In all of those cases, the gravel is large and doesn't really fly around too much. But there was one road, going to the cliffs, where the car in front of us was kicking up gravel a lot, you need to keep your distance in those cases. So for us, it was worth not having to worry about damage.
Buying Gas
You MUST have a chip and a pin on your debit or credit card to buy gas in Iceland - but in our experience, this was the only time you needed the chip/pin in Iceland. Otherwise Apple Pay worked literally everywhere, or you could use your credit card and just sign a receipt like usual. No gas stations anywhere accepted Apple/Google pay. Thankfully my husband remembered to bring his debit card, which has the chip/pin combo. But I highly recommend reaching out to your credit card company and having a pin added to your card. BUT you need to reach out 2-3 weeks ahead of time! They will likely need to mail you a document with the pin, it takes forever. Fill up your car when in doubt b/c stations can be few and far between. Know that you'll get a fee each time you use a debit/credit card that doesn't support international purchases.
Driving in Iceland
Max speed is 90km/hr which is about 55miles an hour on highways outside of the city. Speeds varied and speed limit signs weren't everywhere, so drive carefully. Lanes are narrow, lots of one land bridges, and tons of roundabouts. Almost no stop signs, they use a yield sign instead. There are speed cameras in rural areas, sometimes you'll see a sign warning you of the camera but not always. Seems like locals usually went 10km over the limit, but easier to just let them pass then risk a ticket there.
Parking
When you're driving around in the country, parking is pretty much wherever you stop your car. 99% of sites you visit will have dedicated lots and 99% of those will be free (some places charge for parking). In Reykjavic, we had no trouble finding street parking. You may need to do some loops around the block, but you will find a spot. Parking can be free in many instances but if it's not, be sure to download the Parka app - it's like ParkMobile in the U.S. You enter your car info, connect your credit card, and can pay by the hour. In many instances, parking is free over weekends and on holidays so it may not be needed.
Iceland - Day Six
Snaefellsness Penninsula
Whale Watching Tour from Oflasvik - Street Art in Hellisandur - Skarðsvík Golden Beach - Svörtuloft Lighthouse - Budir Church and Dunes - Bjarnarfoss Waterfall - Kirkjufellsfoss
Whale Watching Tour from Oflasvik
Whale watching is a very popular tourist activity in Iceland as it’s a hub for many species of whale throughout the year. We had booked this tour out of Olafsvik hoping to see orcas, but were pleasantly surprised to have gotten incredible views of sperm whales. At that time of year, it's not rare to see sperm whales, or even groups of them, but Iceland is one of the only places in the world where you can see them gather like this, and we saw several. It was an incredible experience.
Parking and restrooms: The take off point is in the Olafsvik harbor and there is plenty of parking available. There are on-site restrooms as well as on the boat itself. Though I highly recommend using facilities before getting on the boat. The full-zip suits you wear to keep warm are difficult to navigate.
Tour company: LÁKI TOURS
Total tour time: About 3 hrs
Street Art in Hellisandur
After the whale watching tour, we popped back into a local gas station for lunch for delicious Icelandic hot dogs and then explored the nearby town of Hellisandur to check out the street art. It was a fun little stop and gave us the chance to walk around. There isn’t a ton there, so it’s a quick visit.
Parking and restrooms: Plenty of parking throughout the village. Navigate to the Murals of Hellissandur and explore from there.
Time spent: 20min
Skarðsvík Golden Beach
Coming from the U.S. and the beaches of the east coast which are exclusively golden, you absolutely do not need to make this stop. While a pretty spot, Skarðsvík Golden Beach would likely be more impressive to local Icelanders whose beaches are almost exclusively black.
Parking and restrooms: There is a small parking lot but no restrooms.
Time spent: 5-10min, this can be skipped.
Svörtuloft Lighthouse
We are lighthouse people and Iceland is full of brightly colored, adorable lighthouses. There are many lighthouses on Snaefellsness but this was along our route and we decided to visit the larger of the two orange lighthouses in the area. The views of the cliffs are also stunning and we loved the bird watching.
Parking and restrooms: Very limited parking, about 6-8 spots. It was tight but people move in and out quickly.
As with most places in Iceland and especially Snaefellsness, there's no restrooms.
Time spent: 30-45min to include bird watching.
Budir Church and Dunes
Admittedly, we didn't have much interest at all in visiting the very Insta-famous Budir church. The church was right along our route and we had the time, so we made the stop. I underestimated how beautiful the backdrops are against the black church in real life, they're stunning. The church was absolutely crawling with tourist, second only to Black Sand Beach. Even more than the church, the dunes of the surrounding area are beautiful and right along the coast. We wandered through for 30+min and really enjoyed it.
Parking and restrooms: Parking, yes, and a fair amount of it. Restrooms - nope. There is a hotel there, but not sure how welcoming they are to tourists, we didn't go in.
Bjarnarfoss Waterfall
Nearly across the street from Budir church is Bjarnarfoss Waterfall. It’s a moderately steep hike up the side of a mountain but you have great views of the river that flows from the waterfall and excellent photo opportunities. It paired well with the visit to the church.
Parking: Parking was easy, this isn’t a busy spot.
Restrooms: No
Time spent: 45min
Kirkjufellsfoss Waterfall
This is a must-do while in Snaefellsness. Kirkjufellsfoss Waterfall is effortlessly picturesque and so quintessentially Iceland. There’s numerous view points for photos and we recommend taking your time. Our AirBnb was extremely close to the falls so we decided to visit later at night, around 9pm when the light was softer and more ideal for long exposure photos.
Parking: The town had been overrun by tourists visiting the falls who were parking dangerously, causing traffic jams, accidents, and damage to the landscape. There is now a paid parking lot available at the waterfall.
Restrooms: No restrooms that I can recall.
Time spent: 45+min
Iceland - Day Five
Reykjavik to Snaefellsness
Drive to Snaefellsness - Gerðuberg Basalt Cliffs - Arnarstapi Cliffs Walk - Bjargarsteinn Mathús Restaurant - Airbnb in Grundarfjordur
Gerðuberg Basalt Cliffs
The basalt cliff formations are most famous at the Black Sand Beach but we found an impressive example of these rock formations on Snaefellsness Peninsula. The Gerduberg cliffs are massive and you have the ability to climb to the top of them for incredible views. It makes for a quick but very fun stop.
Parking and restrooms: There is plenty of parking, but you will drive down heavily graveled roads to get there. Our hatchback handled it just fine. There aren’t any restrooms - you're in the wild on this one.
Time spent: We spent about 20-30min exploring, climbing to the top, taking pictures.
Arnarstapi Cliffs Walk
Arnarstapi was a great stop. Easily walkable paths, beautiful views, and there’s a couple of cafes and a tiny gas station to refuel. Our friends actually got engaged at this very location! Highly recommend the stop.
Parking and restrooms: Plenty of parking but bathrooms are only available at the cafes where you’re required to make a purchase.
Time spent: We were at the Cliffs and trails for closer to 2.5-3hrs. The wildlife, especially birding, (birds was fantastic. We saw razorbills, harlequin ducks, and much more.
Bjargarsteinn Mathús Restaurant
After our friends got engaged at Arnarstapi, we knew we needed to go somewhere special and Bjargarsteinn Mathús is everything you'd want and expect from fine dining, with some fun Icelandic twists, if you dare. The food is beautifully plated with a menu that changes daily depending on what is pulled from the sea that day. The staff hand-sketch each dish onto menus. We loved every bite. We indulged in dried fish skin with neighboring tables ordering other Icelandic delicacies like horse and puffin. We weren't feeling that brave so stuck with fresh scallops, fish and lamb, and were not disappointed. The restaurant is extremely quaint with incredible views of Kirkjufell mountain. This would definitely be some of the best dining you can find in the region.
Reservation needed: Yes - we called ahead as we were leaving Arnarstapi (20ish min drive) to secure a table and glad we did, as they got very busy. They open for dinner and start accepting call ahead reservations in the late afternoon - you can check their website and Facebook for the most up to date info.
Staying in Grundarfjordur
While in Snaefellness, a few advantages to staying in the town of Grundarfjordur. There are a few restaurants and a grocery store, essentials for travelers. The town is centrally located on Snaefellness so all locations were easy drives. And finally, the view of Kirkjufell is unmatched. AirBnbs on Snaefellsness are a little limited, but we found one with absolutely insane views of the mountain. I can't say I'd fully recommend this particular AirBnb, as we had a little trouble at check in and the condition of the home was just a little older than the photos made it out to be. It was lovely enough though and had the without a doubt has the best view of the mountain.
Where to Eat:
Bjargarsteinn Mathús Restaurant: As seen above, we loved this place. Fine dining, pricier, but great for a special occasion.
Kaffi 59: Casual fare like fried chicken sandwiches, French fries, pizza. The food was pretty darn good. But they were limited on staff when we visited so you need to be patient or be ok checking in.
Harbour Cafe: Small coffee shop, limited options. They had a continental breakfast for their corresponding hotel, but it was very pricey and not much to offer. But they did have a cappuccino machine and we took full advantage.
Grocery stores/gas stations: Our timing must have been unlucky, but every time we were back in town, neither the gas station convenience store or grocery store was open, so we never visited, which made things pretty tricky. We ended up going to a gas station a town over on the way to a whale watching tour to grab breakfast.
Iceland - Day Four
Holt to Reykjavik
Seljalandsfoss & Glufrabui Waterfalls - Exploring Reykjavik
Seljalandsfoss & Glufrabui Waterfalls
These two waterfalls were an absolutely fantastic stop and a very popular one for all tourists. You can really experience these waterfalls in the same way you can Kvernufoss in that you can walk behind and into the waterfalls. It's incredible! But you really need waterproof shoes and jackets for these visits, you will get wet!
You can find Seljalandsfoss & Glufrabui Waterfalls on the map here
Parking and restrooms: Ample parking and restrooms available as well as a cafe with coffee and food. Parking is paid, and there are easy to use machines.
Time spent: 30-40min. You can walk behind Seljalandsfoss (where you'll get pretty wet), then walk about 5-10min to Glufrabui on a gravel path where you walk up in to the waterfall, and get soaked. We loved this stop and it's absolutely worth walking into both of them. I'd recommend leaving cameras in the car and just using waterproof cell phones for photos. Waterproof boots are recommended.
Exploring Reykjavik
We have to admit that we did not do any planning for Reykjavik. Truly, zero. We knew the big sites to see, got recommendations from our AirBnb host, and let the day take us. Here's what we did:
Parking in Reykjavik: Download the Parka app to pay for parking if you need to pay, parking is often free. Check the hours on parking signs and check if there's a holiday while you're there.
Where to stay: We got an AirBnb apartment right on Laugavegur road in the heart of Reykjavik and for a first time visitor, this location was fantastic. Laugavegur is pedestrian-friendly, safe, has tons of restaurants and shops, and is only a couple of blocks from the famous Hallgrímskirkja Church. It is a very touristy area, but not kitschy or corny.
Bastard Brew and Food: Bastard was recommended by our AirBnb host for lunch and boasted outstanding cocktails, tacos, and small bites.
Rúblan bókakaffi: This incredible coffee shop is also a massive bookstore that feels like a library. We stopped here after lunch, sipped on lattes, and enjoyed the scene. It's a very cute spot.
Rainbow road: Skólavörðustígur road is a brightly painted, pedestrian only road that leads right up to the Hallgrímskirkja Church.
Hallgrímskirkja Church: This is the "Reykjavik church". It was walking distance from our AirBnb, right up the Rainbow road, and is a real, functioning church. Because of this, they hold services regularly which means tours aren’t always available. Tickets to go to the top of the church were a bit pricey, but walking in and around sufficed for us.
Sun Voyager: The shiny, metal, "whale bone" sculpture right along the water near downtown is cool if you’re a short walk away, but it doesn’t need to be destination point, though the views of the harbor are beautiful.
Harpa Music Hall: This wasn't on our list, we just stumbled on it, but the Harpa Music Hall is extremely cool. It’s a hell of a walk from the main strip, so may only be worth a visit if you're going for a show or in the area, but we enjoyed exploring the building.
Dragon Dim Sum: Found via a quick Google search, we were craving Asian and Dragon Dim Sum has great reviews that lived up to the hype. Must gets are the chicken baozi (chicken and cashew dumplings) and the pork satay (we went back for seconds, it's that good). They're a very small shop with minimal staff running everything, so be patient. It’s worth it!
Sandholt: Another spot on recommendation from our AirBnb host, Sandholt is an adorable bakery/restaurant on Laugavegur. Sandholt is wildly popular early in the morning and we waited for a table for 30min, but by 10am it had started to clear out. We loved the shakshuka (eggs in a tomato sauce with home made bread) and danishes.
Street Art: There are murals and art everywhere in Reykjavik. Take a look down any alley or the face of any building and you'll find something.
Loo Koo Mas: Greek style donuts in Iceland. Who knew. But these were a highlight and always on our list of recommendations for travelers in Reykjavik. The lemon filled donuts are top-notch.
Other places/restaurants recommended to us:
Free, guided walking tours of Reykjavik
Reykjavik Roasters Coffee
Reykjavik Art Museum
Braud and Co.
We did visit the "Grand Harbor District", but it wasn't as lively or as cute as we thought it would be, so could be skipped.
Iceland
7 Day Driving Tour of Iceland
7 Day Driving Tour of Iceland - Start to Finish
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TRAVEL TIPS
13 Essential Travel Tips to Visit Iceland
Renting and Driving a Car in Iceland
What We Skipped in Iceland and Why
Our Favorite Restaurants in Iceland
General Travel Tips
ITINERARY
DAY ONE - Keflavik to Vik
DAY TWO - Vik to Höfn
DAY THREE - Höfn to Holt
DAY FOUR - Holt to Reykjavik
DAY FIVE - Reykjavik to Snaefellsness
DAY SIX - Day Two in Snaefellsness
DAY SEVEN - Snaefellsness to Reykjavik and Home!
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Iceland - Day One
Keflavik to Vik
Pick up the car from Keflavik airport - Rutshellir Caves - Skogafoss and Kvunerfoss - Check in to Black Beach Suites - Drive to Black Sand Beach
PICK UP THE CAR
Click here to read our post on renting/driving a car in Iceland.
We rented through BlueCar Iceland, a local company and they were great! We also got lucky and were upgraded to a larger, hybrid hatchback which was awesome. If you have the ability to upgrade or to get a hybrid, it's really worth it to avoid the pump!
RUTSHELLIR CAVES
Rutshellir Caves (View the map location here) - Though we were in Iceland for 7 days, we didn't see a ton of Viking-themed tourist attractions or history. Granted, we didn't look that hard, but I think in our heads there would be viking ships, viking museums, viking flags, and viking reenactments everywhere. In hindsight, that's total nonsense. But what we did find are tons of these little houses built into the sides of mountains. Rutshellir Caves was the first one we encountered on our drive from Keflavik to Vik and it was worth the stop. It is said to be the largest, man-made cave in all of Iceland and while I can neither confirm nor deny it's old enough to even house vikings, it certainly housed some very, very, very, very, very old Icelandic people of some kind and that's pretty cool.
So what's the lesson here - the little road-side stops in Iceland, and probably any driving tour in any country, are worth it. There's almost always a parking lot (there was a small gravel lot here), they make for quick stops, and they're always a lot of fun. At Rutshellir, you can walk IN to the cave, which is massive. BONUS: We visited Iceland at the end of May which means one thing: LAMBS! They were everywhere, so cute, and all over the fields at Rutshellir. It was a fun little stop and we recommend it!
Parking and restrooms: There is a small gravel lot for parking, but no restrooms
Time spent: 15-30 min is plenty
SKOGAFOSS WATERFALL
Skogafoss is on every blog, every Instagram post, every anything because its quintessential Iceland and of course, it’s worth the stop. It will always be crowded, but there’s plenty to take in. There is a steep and very precarious stairwell that takes you to the top of the waterfall, also worth a visit if you’ve got the fitness for it. I do not recommend the climb for those with mobility or health issues. The most important part of visiting Skogafoss is to make sure you visit Kvernufoss waterfall right next door.
If I were to go back to Skogafoss, and during the spring, I’d go at later hours when there’s fewer tourists but still great light.
Parking and Restrooms: Both are available. You’re supposed to pay for restrooms somewhere, but it’s a free for all. There was also a restaurant on site. Parking was crowded but easily achievable.
Time spent: We were taking a ton of photos and walked to the top and spent about an 1hr.
KVERNUFOSS WATERFALL
Kvernufoss ended up being one of our favorite stops of the whole trip - I'm not sure how I missed it in my research, but if it wasn't for our awesome AirBnb host, we wouldn't have visited. He messaged us on check in day and said it was a must see, he was right!
Parking and restrooms: I don't believe there were restrooms, but parking was ample and easy in the gravel lot.
Time spent: We spent about 45min walking to the falls, taking pictures, and walking back to the car
When visiting Skogafoss, you'll follow signs and take a left turn in to a parking lot. Instead of turning left, keep going straight and look for a parking lot and buildings on the right (watch out for sheep!) - that's the lot for Kvernufoss. You'll see a blue sign next to a well kept path - that's the walking trail to the waterfall. It's a very easy, quick walk, maybe 5-7 minutes.
We didn't bring our cameras with us because wanted to really enjoy the surroundings. So all the photos you see below are from our phones. But this was the first opportunity (in our lives) that we'd been able to walk BEHIND a waterfall - it was incredible. Of course Seljalandsfoss is the other well known waterfall in Iceland you can walk behind, but Kvernufoss was quiet, peaceful, and felt much more intimate, like you really got to experience the waterfall. We absolutely loved it.
You will get fairly wet walking up to and hind the falls. We had waterproof shoes but....that was it. Not a total catastrophe, it's not like you're getting dumped on, but a waterproof jacket would have gone a long way.
End of the day - this is an absolute must experience when visiting Iceland and an incredibly easy one to achieve since you'll very likely be at Skogafoss anyways. Definitely stop by!
STAYING IN VIK
Check in to hotel Black Sand Suites - Extremely nice rooms but you'll need book ahead of time, and be sure you don't accidentally book their hostel which is on the same property. They also have smaller rooms but if you can swing it, the suites are beautiful with great views and lots of room to spread out. We could have easily stayed there multiple nights if not for all of our driving. The food at the hotel is only ok - mostly re-heated bar food like mozzarella sticks and pizza, but it's serviceable.
Brewery in Vik, SMIÐJAN BRUGGHÚS - We would have loved to have visited this brewery, but they were closed for a staff retreat. A local Icelander recommended them and they distribute all over the south, so even if closed you can find their beer in a lot of places. Cute place though!
Skool Beans - This little coffee shop IN a school bus was an absolute JOY to visit. The owner and employees are quite possibly the happiest people I've ever encountered in my life. While juggling coffee orders, the owner went fishing for knock-knock or "dad" jokes from everyone on the bus and several people happily obliged! The jokes were absolutely terrible and we loved every minute of it. Be sure to keep an eye out for Jeffrey, the resident cat. I'll be honest, I'm not sure he ACTUALLY exists. But he sure does make a great marketing ploy, because I couldn't walk out without buying a mug with his name sake. The coffee is great, the people are wonderful, we had a blast. Pop in to Skool Beans on your way out of Vik and enjoy the ride.
BLACK SAND BEACH (REYNISFJARA)
The extremely famous Black Sand Beach of Iceland - technically, it seems like almost all of the beaches are black sand because of all of the volcanic activity in the country, but because of the basalt rock formations and caves, this has become a popular stop. And it was VERY popular - tourists were crawling all over the rocks, to the point where I didn't really both photographing it. This is another stop that would be beautiful at 11:30pm at night or later - when the light is beautiful and no one is around.
Parking and restrooms: Parking was easy, a gravel lot. It was busy but there are still plenty of spots. There's also a restaurant on the beach but it has average reviews, so we didn't stop in. I don't believe there were public restrooms.
Time spent: About 45 min
Make sure you go to the correct Black Sand Beach - Google has two for some reason. You want the one labeled "Reynisfjara" - the other beach, "Black Sand Beach Vik" is also a black sand beach, but not the one you're likely thinking of.
Look for puffins! We visited at the end of May, so if you're in Iceland in the late spring or summer, look for puffins out in the water, flying to and from the cliffs, or nesting. This was where we saw them for the first time - but bring binoculars! They don't get very close to people here.
Day Two in Iceland
Iceland - Day Two
Vik to Vestrahorn
Skool Beans Bus Cafe - Scenic Green Lava Walk - Fjadrargljufur Canyon - Fossálar Waterfall - Jökulsárlón Lagoon - Vestrahorn
Skool Beans Bus Cafe
Skool Beans is a delightful, offbeat cafe located in Vik. Made out of an old school bus, it’s tiny and only seats a handful of people, but it’s worth the wait. Officially named, “Skool Beans micro roaster… and sometimes a cat!” in honor of Jeffrey, the resident feline who almost never makes and appearance, the staff are engaging, quirky, and a ton of fun - and the coffee is great too.
You can find Skool Beans on the map here
Parking and Restrooms: Very small, crowded parking lot and may need to wait for a spot inside - but it’s worth it.
Time spent: About 30 min to grab a seat, check things out, order, and eat.
Scenic Green Lava Walk
One of the important things to remember on any trip is to leave time and openness to explore, unplanned. If you see something cool on the side of the road - check it out! The Scenic Green Lava walk is a quick roadside stop that’s worth a look. It ended up being our only opportunity to experience the moss covered rocks that are iconic to the Iclenad. The moss is protected and sacred - do NOT walk on it. At this location, there is a small walking loop that allows visitors to explore safely.
Parking and restrooms: There is a small parking lot, no restrooms, no trash cans.
Time spent: 15 min is plenty to take in the views and walk the loop - quick, easy stop.
The walking path through the rocks is clearly marked with ropes but it's not a smooth path and I wouldn't recommend for anyone who isn't confident on their feet. But there is a great lookout post that is easily accessible.
Fjadrargljufur Canyon
Fjadrargljufur Canyon is easily among the most breathtaking landscapes we’ve ever seen in any of our travels. This moss-covered canyon is absolute must-visit and a total show stopper. Visiting was tricky, requires a bit of a hike, but is absolutely worth the time.
Parking & Restrooms: As of of May 2022, the parking lot, access road, and public restrooms were not accessible. We followed the gravel road past the entrance and parked along the side of the road behind the dozens of other cars, then walked quite a ways to get to the top of the canyon.
Time spent: All in all, we spent about an hour at the canyon which included parking, walking to the overlooks, taking pictures, and walking back.
Accessing the canyon: Even if the small lot near the restrooms had been open, it's still a 15min walk uphill to get to the canyon. We enjoyed the walk along the gravel road to the top of the canyon. It wasn't particularly beautiful or fun, but it kept the canyon completely hidden so the the views were a total surprise when we got to the top. Had we been able to park at the lot near the restrooms and take the walking path up, we would have seen the canyon the entire time, which would also be fun, but the surprise at the top literally took our breaths away. So, while it's not a terribly rigorous walk (there's either a gravel road or a path), it was a longer walk. On the gravel path it took us 15-20min. But 100000000% worth it
There are two lookout stations at the top of the canyon, not ideal for those afraid of heights, but worth the push as the views are stunning.
Stay on marked paths - You can tell where people have walked/stood to get photos in previous years, but these areas are roped off because are stupidly dangerous.
Fossálar Waterfall
Parking and restrooms: There is a small gravel, pullover area, no restrooms.
Time spent: 5-10min
Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon
Walk to the water - check out the lagoon from the parking lot by the bridge. It’s a zoo, very busy, but you get up close views of the ice. There’s seals and waterfowl everywhere. Directly across the road is Diamond Beach.
Parking and restrooms: There are numerous, gravel parking lots along the lagoon and if you park in the larger lot by the bridge, there's plenty of restrooms.
Time spent: 30-45min
Vestrahorn
Vestrahorn is show-stopper.
You can view the entrance to Vestrahorn on the map here (The Viking Cafe is the entrance)
Getting to Vestrahorn: Navigate to the Viking Cafe linked above, park in one of their gravel lots, and then head inside to the shop/cafe for entry tickets to the park. They'll give you a card with a QR code that you scan at a lift gate. **You will exit through the SAME GATE. It's on a censor and will open right up for you (no need to scan). We stayed past the hours the Viking Cafe was open and the gate still opened for us without issue.
Parking and restrooms: Both restrooms and parking are available at the Viking Cafe.
Time spent: 45min-1hr+ depending on what you do.
When to visit: We wanted to visit when the mountain would be reflecting on the water below it, which we’d read would be at low tide, but having visited, I'd say that was not entirely correct for capturing the reflection - you need water to be there. When we visited in May, the water was completely gone at low tide, leaving the black sand beach. It was still very cool, but not we hoped for. Ultimately, visit whenever makes the most sense for you - it's a beautiful location no matter the time of day, the tide, etc.
Wildlife: We saw everything driving to, while in, or leaving Vestrahorn. On the way an artic fox, at the parking lot you can hang with some Iceland ponies, and we saw humpback whales while on the beach. Taking a short walk toward the Stokksnes Lighthouse, we saw adult and baby seals and all sorts of birds. While leaving, we got the biggest surprise - a group of reindeer, We saw a male, female and a baby, which was thrilling and a lucky encounter as they aren’t often in that area.
Höfn
The brightest stop of Höfn was Otto Matur & Drykkur Restaurant. We wanted to go somewhere special for our 5 year anniversary and Otto Matur really nailed it. Reservations are highly recommended and we were lucky to get a table without one. The staff are wonderful, the dining room is light, bright, cozy, and well styled. The food is locally sourced, hearty and delicious. Every table starts with homemade sour dough and homemade butter with fresh sea salt. Our favorites dishes were the lobster soup, lamb and anything with scallops in it.
Höfn is a quiet town with few hotels or restaurants. Despite it’s size, we learned a very valuable lesson while visiting. Up until this point, every hotel we’ve ever stayed in had a 24/7 check in desk or process. Every. Single. One.
Our Höfn hotel, Milk Factory, was the exception. After a long day of sight-seeing and a late dinner, we arrived to Milk Factory around 9:45pm. The front doors were locked with notes taped up telling us to call various phone numbers for assistance. Both numbers were disconnected (we had upgraded T-Mobile service, so wasn’t an issue there.). Panicked, we went to the nearest hotel for help, Hotel Höfn, and only found an incredibly rude and unhelpful clerk, and no spare rooms.
We drove to another hotel 20 minutes down the road, Hotel Jokull, where we were greeted by an incredibly kind and helpful front desk manager who managed to get a hold of the Milk Factory manager to get us into the hotel.
It turns out that Milk Factory's policy is to provide your key in a lockbox for after-hours checkin, but they never called, emailed, or notified us of this policy. So while the hotel itself was lovely, I would not recommend Milk Factory because of their poor policy management and advise travelers to be very mindful of check-in deadlines.
Iceland - Day Three
Höfn to Holt
Ingólfshöfði Puffin Tour - Jökulsárlón Lagoon - Freysnes Glacier - Dyrhólaey - Gamla Fjosid Restaurant - Kvernufoss - Airbnb in Holt
Ingólfshöfði Puffin Tour
We can’t recommend booking tours enough. While pricey, they open up opportunities and access you wouldn’t ordinarily have. Iceland is home to the largest gatherings of Atlantic Puffins in the world and as avid birders, we wanted to experience that. While you can see puffins at Black Sand Beach and Dyrhólaey, it will be in smaller numbers and from great distances.
The Ingólfshöfði Puffin Tour is a family-owned business, offering tours on their private island to see puffins, tour the island, observe other sea birds, and take in some history of Iceland. While never a guarantee, we knew this would give us the best shot to see puffins up close. Booking this tour ended up being the best decision we made on the entire trip.
For those interested in photography, I brought my Nikon Z7ii and rented a Nikkor 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR Lens for the trip. I rented from LensRentals.com and have used them numerous times.
Trips can be booked through their website - we booked our tour the night before but I believe they can get pretty busy, so book in advance. We chose the “Puffin Tour” instead of the “Photo Tour” but had plenty of time, more than 30min, to just photograph the birds.
Parking and Restrooms: There is a parking lot at the end of a long gravel road as well as an outhouse.
ARRIVE EARLY - The tractor left the parking lot 2min after the tour start time and left behind people who were running late!
Dress in warm layers - The tractor ride out to the island was chilly, but walking up the embankment and walking around the island warms you up.
Can anyone do this tour? - Not anyone, but most people can do this tour with relative ease. If you have any mobility issues at all, it could be challenging. The tractor ride is a bit rough, you walk up a sandy, very steep embankment, and the rest of the walk is a bit rocky.
Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon (Part 2)
We visited one side of the lagoon on our way to Höfn but stopped to visit the other side on the way back. We had only caught a glimpse of this other side in passing and the icebergs immediately caught our eye, so we knew we needed a second visit. This side of the lagoon has a well equipped parking lot and tons of restrooms, so it's a good stop to keep on your map.
Dyrhólaey
Dyrhólaey is a very popular spot for the beautiful views and iconic arched rock formation. It was incredibly busy during our visit and though the parking lot is small, we found a spot. Ultimately, we weren't overwhelmed by the experience as we’d been spoiled by Ingólfshöfði also boasted impressive views but was far less crowded. I think most visitors really need about 30min Dyrhólaey (not including driving and parking). It's definitely worth a visit but you don't need to build your day around it.
You can view Dyrhólaey on the map here
Parking and Restrooms: The drive up the mountain is long and winding and it’s a very busy spot in the afternoons. Unfortunately, there are not restrooms.
Time needed: 45min to drive up, park, and take in views.
Gamla Fjosid Restaurant
Gamla Fjosid merits it’s own shoutout; it was delicious and unexpected. With limited hours and a young staff, it’s best to be patient while you're there, but everyone is extremely kind and the food is outrageously good and hearty. Everything in the restaurant is locally sourced and made on site including the meats, bread, jams and jellies, and cake. We highly recommend the steak sandwich, truly one of the best we’ve ever had.
The restaurant is located 12 min from Skogafoss and Kvernufoss so it's a great stop if you need a bite to eat.
AirBnb Near Skogafoss Waterfall
in Holt Iceland
We aren’t budget travelers but also aren’t luxury travelers. We needed an Airbnb that was centrally located, had views, and had laundry and Wallnatún Cabin fit the bill.
Book Early - We booked our Airbnbs and hotels somewhere around 6 months prior to the trip. You’ll find the best places go quickly.
Choose Airbnb’s with laundry - Packing camera and winter gear meant that there was little room for daily clothes, so laundry access was great.
Bring sleeping masks - Not all Airbnb's have blackout curtains. If you're visiting in the spring and summer, Iceland will not get dark. Having sleeping masks makes a world of difference.
If you drink, snag a twist top bottle of wine or some beer at customs at the airport where it's much cheaper and enjoy a drink at the end of a long day.
Ask your host for recs or check out their guides - our host sent us to what ended up being our favorite waterfall.
