Discussion
Got a Kia Sportage from http://www.bluecarrental.is/. Decent prices and nice bunch of people. Surprisingly capable car too.
Don't waste money on the pick up/drop off option, it's just opposite the terminal building!
Don't waste money on the pick up/drop off option, it's just opposite the terminal building!
Ciaran said:
Change of plan, I had booked 3 nights in Reykjavik but I'm now thinking of staying around the Golden Circle. Is that a better idea?
No, there's nothing there, it's great for a day visit, or if you were staying in Iceland for longer. With only 3 days to play with you really need to stay in Reykjavik and take tours out to see the various places. If you were staying for longer then touring the countryside is a great idea and we've spent weeks driving and camping round the country. It really is a beautiful place, but Reykjavik is amazing too and I think you'd miss much of what Iceland is about by not basing yourself in Reykjavik. You can still see all the countryside and visit some of the best places it has to offer, but still getting the buzz of Reykjavik. Check the local What's On guides as it's a very artistic place - lots of music festivals, concerts, exhibitions, gigs etc.I disagree with some of the comments made earlier in this thread. Some of the best meals I've had have been in Reykjavik and the standard of food is excellent. The Blue Lagoon is fantastic and a real experience - it can get quite touristy, but Iceland is predominantly a tourist destination now. The Blue Lagoon is best in deepest winter when it's dark and snowing. There are other more provincial lagoons you can bathe in which are just as good, but they're around 10hrs drive from Reykjavik.
Ciaran said:
Change of plan, I had booked 3 nights in Reykjavik but I'm now thinking of staying around the Golden Circle. Is that a better idea?
We were in Iceland beginning of April, https://www.dropbox.com/sh/1rfeo3kbjnldvk1/AADHuxZ...ME & the wife stayed in Selfoss, well about 12 miles outside in Grimsnes. The log cabin was massive and cost 75,000kr for 4 days.
We used Bluecarrental.is and had a very nice KIA Sportage and we found a few F roads to check it out on.
I didn't like Reykjavik to me it was like any other capital but then again me and the wife prefer to be out in the sticks.
Food is easy if you want to self cater as we did and like others have said booze is expensive and the off licence shuts at 4pm on a Saturday.
If you smoke you can only buy them in Petrol stations as far as I could work out.
We drove over 1000 miles in 4 days and it was absolutely stunning and fun. On most of the routes I took it was a game of spot another car
JQ said:
With only 3 days to play with you really need to stay in Reykjavik and take tours out to see the various places. If you were staying for longer then touring the countryside is a great idea and we've spent weeks driving and camping round the country. It really is a beautiful place, but Reykjavik is amazing too and I think you'd miss much of what Iceland is about by not basing yourself in Reykjavik. You can still see all the countryside and visit some of the best places it has to offer, but still getting the buzz of Reykjavik. Check the local What's On guides as it's a very artistic place - lots of music festivals, concerts, exhibitions, gigs etc.
Sorry but I disagree completely. If you want to see concerts, museums and other arty stuff there's plenty of other places to visit. The unique thing about Iceland is the landscape and natural beauty and 3 days is enough to drive to Jokulsarlon and back. It's not like it's a boring road trip either, there's plenty of interesting stops along the south coast.OP - I don't really get why you would need to "base" yourself anywhere either, you have a rental car so just take all your luggage with you and stay at different hotels on your planned route.
I guess I want to see as much as possible so driving back to Reykjavik at the end of each day seems to be a waste of time.
Day 1 spend in Reykjavik, stay the night
Day 2 get up early to collect car and drive around the golden circle, stay in a hotel in the area
Day 3 Vatnajokull National Park - Jokulsarlon Lagoon
Day 4 do the blue lagoon then flight home
Day 1 spend in Reykjavik, stay the night
Day 2 get up early to collect car and drive around the golden circle, stay in a hotel in the area
Day 3 Vatnajokull National Park - Jokulsarlon Lagoon
Day 4 do the blue lagoon then flight home
Edited by Ciaran on Thursday 10th July 15:09
Gullfoss and Geysir are the only places worth going to in the Golden Circle IMO, Thingvellir is a bit of a waste of time unless you're into Icelandic history.
You're probably better off staying around Skaftafell on the second night because there is quite a lot of stuff to do there (walking on glaciers, hiking to Svartifoss, etc.)
Also you might want to pick up the car from the airport since lots of the rental companies are there anyway.
You're probably better off staying around Skaftafell on the second night because there is quite a lot of stuff to do there (walking on glaciers, hiking to Svartifoss, etc.)
Also you might want to pick up the car from the airport since lots of the rental companies are there anyway.
matt3001 said:
I wouldn't even spend a night in Rey - waste of time. Just like every other Nordic city.
Pick up the car and have a couple of nights along the south coast - should easily get to Vik and back in 3 days (inc. BL and Golden circle). Maybe even as far as Jökulsárlón (of bond film fame).
I've never been to a Nordic city Pick up the car and have a couple of nights along the south coast - should easily get to Vik and back in 3 days (inc. BL and Golden circle). Maybe even as far as Jökulsárlón (of bond film fame).
Well if you do decide to spend a night in Reykjavik go here for dinner
Ciaran said:
I guess I want to see as much as possible so driving back to Reykjavik at the end of each day seems to be a waste of time.
Day 1 spend in Reykjavik, stay the night
Day 2 get up early to collect car and drive around the golden circle, stay in a hotel in the area
Day 3 Vatnajokull National Park?
Day 4 do the blue lagoon then flight home
Your day 3 is a 10 hour round trip, assuming you don't want stop anywhere on the way.Day 1 spend in Reykjavik, stay the night
Day 2 get up early to collect car and drive around the golden circle, stay in a hotel in the area
Day 3 Vatnajokull National Park?
Day 4 do the blue lagoon then flight home
Personally I'd not go to Vatnajokull, or if you do, that will be your whole trip driving their and back and you'd miss out on lots of other stuff. If you really do just want to get out and drive then I'd probably :
Drive inland to Landmannalaugar which allows you take in the Golden Circle (Gulfoss , Geyser and Thingvellir), and Hekla - then drop south to the coast (Road One) which then takes in Myrdalsjokull (Katla volcano and glacier) via Vik and Skogafoss and back on Road One via Selfoss. You'll need a decent 4x4 to go from Landmannalaugar to the coast as there are several shallow river crossings, but it is an amazing drive through some of the most colourful landscape you'll ever experience and the driving is awesome, proper mountain roads. Not to be done in a Jimny, we have a Trooper for such occasions.
I'd probably try and stay somewhere round Landmannalaugar. There's lots of camping at the actual site and a bunkhouse I believe, plus plenty of farms will have rooms.
Please do try to take in some of the culture whilst in Reykjavik, the Icelanders are fiercely proud of their cultural heritage and there are some great museums and cultural exhibitions. It all forms part of the experience.
Grillmarkadurinn is well worth a visit in reykjavik for dinner. It's not cheap but the food is amazing.
If you're driving down to jokulsarlon I know there is a hotel at the bottom of svinafellsjokull to the south east of vatnajokull. It's been 7 years since I was there but a bottle of duty free and a stroll up to the morraines at svinafellsjokull to see the northern lights in complete silence with no light pollution was magical.
If you're driving down to jokulsarlon I know there is a hotel at the bottom of svinafellsjokull to the south east of vatnajokull. It's been 7 years since I was there but a bottle of duty free and a stroll up to the morraines at svinafellsjokull to see the northern lights in complete silence with no light pollution was magical.
I was there in March for 4 days. Hired a car from europcar, we got a Ford Kuga Titanium hatefull thing with a knackered offside rear disc.
We stayed in holiday apartments in Rek which were pretty good, even had parking.
Avoid the coach tours they are very busy. You can also beat them to the tourist spots. We were the first at Gulfoss and it was covered in snow there was also barriers saying don't go further but we just climbed over them. What is the worst they can do? Deport us?
I luckily had a cold so couldn't smell much but I could smell the stench in the shower and at Geysir. Other people I saw including my travel partner were all looking on the verge of vomiting all the time from the smell.
The blue lagoon, again we beat the buses there and walked about. Looked inside and it wasn't our thing and was silly money.
I do highly trecomend the trip to Viday (we went on the last day of the peace light thing being on) and the whale tours. Sadly we had to get a coach to the boat for the whale trip. And the other passengers were puking everywhere so the decks were getting washed down constantly by the staff with buckets of water.
They (whale tours, tourist board etc etc) ask you not to eat whale but tbh its delicious. As is the horse.
If you hire a car watch out for Americans. They are easy to spot as they just turn right on red so keep an eye out.
The famous hotdog stand was decidedly average at best, think Ikea hot dog.
The view from the ugly concrete church are very good, basically the highest bit of the old town. The ball thing restaurant that is a lighthouse type thingy was pretty poor tbh.
Fuel was surprisingly cheap.
There is actually a lot to do for free. We don't drink either so that wasn't an issue. TBH as I have found on all my travels the UK is actually the dearest place to live.
The plebian mass at the airport were all complaining about how dear it was and that they had spent £500 on booze and had no money for food etc, idiots.
I think we have 50K Krona left in a drawer somewhere from the trip.
Also dress warm it was snowing when I was there and out on the open sea wearing trainers, jeans, a t shirt and a fleece was a poor choice.
We stayed in holiday apartments in Rek which were pretty good, even had parking.
Avoid the coach tours they are very busy. You can also beat them to the tourist spots. We were the first at Gulfoss and it was covered in snow there was also barriers saying don't go further but we just climbed over them. What is the worst they can do? Deport us?
I luckily had a cold so couldn't smell much but I could smell the stench in the shower and at Geysir. Other people I saw including my travel partner were all looking on the verge of vomiting all the time from the smell.
The blue lagoon, again we beat the buses there and walked about. Looked inside and it wasn't our thing and was silly money.
I do highly trecomend the trip to Viday (we went on the last day of the peace light thing being on) and the whale tours. Sadly we had to get a coach to the boat for the whale trip. And the other passengers were puking everywhere so the decks were getting washed down constantly by the staff with buckets of water.
They (whale tours, tourist board etc etc) ask you not to eat whale but tbh its delicious. As is the horse.
If you hire a car watch out for Americans. They are easy to spot as they just turn right on red so keep an eye out.
The famous hotdog stand was decidedly average at best, think Ikea hot dog.
The view from the ugly concrete church are very good, basically the highest bit of the old town. The ball thing restaurant that is a lighthouse type thingy was pretty poor tbh.
Fuel was surprisingly cheap.
There is actually a lot to do for free. We don't drink either so that wasn't an issue. TBH as I have found on all my travels the UK is actually the dearest place to live.
The plebian mass at the airport were all complaining about how dear it was and that they had spent £500 on booze and had no money for food etc, idiots.
I think we have 50K Krona left in a drawer somewhere from the trip.
Also dress warm it was snowing when I was there and out on the open sea wearing trainers, jeans, a t shirt and a fleece was a poor choice.
There are a lot of people who go to Iceland who assume that because it costs £100 with easyjet/wow air that it's going to be a cheap holiday. I don't think Iceland is expensive, it's not cheap either but drinking is about the only thing a bit more expensive than here.
I couldn't disagree more about the coach tours. Most of the tours we did were on smaller minibuses and we met lots of nice people. Having an expert guide is also good, most of them being Icelanders were raconteurs and had a great sense of humour, it helps pass the time as the landscape in places is quite bleak and seemingly endless
I couldn't disagree more about the coach tours. Most of the tours we did were on smaller minibuses and we met lots of nice people. Having an expert guide is also good, most of them being Icelanders were raconteurs and had a great sense of humour, it helps pass the time as the landscape in places is quite bleak and seemingly endless
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