Iceland

Author
Discussion

rufmeister

1,333 posts

122 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
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What could we do in 3 days in January?

I'd love to see Iceland!

djc206

12,353 posts

125 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
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3 days is enough to see the highlights close to reykjavik but in January there's little more than 4-5 hours daylight so you'd have to time it all well. Golden circle is doable in a day. Whale watching if it's the season, not sure on that. Reykjavik city centre is tiny so you can see that in a few hours before sampling the delightful food and mediocre lager! Jokulsarlon is a long way out for such a short trip. Blue lagoon is on the way to/from the airport.

rufmeister

1,333 posts

122 months

Monday 22nd December 2014
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Booked, can't wait!

Only a very short trip, but really excited! Just need to get itinerary sorted.

AWG

855 posts

156 months

Monday 5th January 2015
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Awesome thread, we've booked for end of June and am researching like anything for b&b's along the '1' road that we can stay at over our ten days around the island.

matt3001

1,991 posts

197 months

Wednesday 7th January 2015
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AWG said:
Awesome thread, we've booked for end of June and am researching like anything for b&b's along the '1' road that we can stay at over our ten days around the island.
Make sure you have at least 1 night at Hotel Ranga.

ben5732

763 posts

156 months

Wednesday 7th January 2015
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https://airbnb.com/rooms/1455060?s=26

My other half an I stayed here to break up our ring road trip in a camper back in October. They rent a room out in their family home on a farm make you dinner etc. We absolutely loved it some of the nicest people we've ever met. It's in the north east of Iceland which in my opinion is the greatest area I'd highly recommend it.

rufmeister

1,333 posts

122 months

Wednesday 7th January 2015
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Just back from our 3 nights in Rejkyavik, and have to say a massive thanks to all the contributors to this thread.

What an amazing place.

Will certainly go back and spend more time there.

Loved it.

AWG

855 posts

156 months

Tuesday 13th January 2015
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matt3001 said:
Make sure you have at least 1 night at Hotel Ranga.
Just looked it up, looks absolutely awesome yet expensive!

DaveOrange

882 posts

209 months

Tuesday 13th January 2015
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If your funds can stretch to it try this http://www.natureexplorer.is/private-tours/south-i...

The picture in my profile was taken last year with these guys. It was a fantastic trip that included driving to the top of the volcano that caused all the problems in 2010,being treated to a spectacular Northern Lights display, blasting a snowmobile over a glacier and spending a morning at one the most beautiful places on this planet - Jokkulsarlon.

T

Ciaran

Original Poster:

1,442 posts

202 months

Monday 2nd February 2015
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Not long to go now, 18 days to be exact - can't wait!

Staying in Reykjavik for a night, driving the Golden Circle then staying in Hella for 2 nights.

Booked a restaurant called Laekjarbrekka for our first night.

Just need to work out how to take night time pictures in case I see the Northern Lights!

Ciaran

Original Poster:

1,442 posts

202 months

Monday 2nd February 2015
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AWG said:
Just looked it up, looks absolutely awesome yet expensive!
It was booked out unfortunately.

AWG

855 posts

156 months

Monday 2nd February 2015
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We want loads of photos!

matt3001

1,991 posts

197 months

Monday 2nd February 2015
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Ciaran said:
Not long to go now, 18 days to be exact - can't wait!

Staying in Reykjavik for a night, driving the Golden Circle then staying in Hella for 2 nights.

Booked a restaurant called Laekjarbrekka for our first night.

Just need to work out how to take night time pictures in case I see the Northern Lights!
Tripod / Roof of our hire car (my improvisation) and a camera that allows for manual long exposures.

Panasonic TZ20 of mine with its small sensor captured it with a 60 second exposure. Maybe worth a spare battery, a few of those at -10 outside and the battery will be gone very quickly.

Also be careful with quick temp changes and your camera as that will kill it too.

Ciaran

Original Poster:

1,442 posts

202 months

Monday 2nd February 2015
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matt3001 said:
Tripod / Roof of our hire car (my improvisation) and a camera that allows for manual long exposures.

Panasonic TZ20 of mine with its small sensor captured it with a 60 second exposure. Maybe worth a spare battery, a few of those at -10 outside and the battery will be gone very quickly.

Also be careful with quick temp changes and your camera as that will kill it too.
Cheers

I bought my wife a Nikon D something or other last year so going to use that - providing I can find the instructions!

Norfolkit

2,394 posts

190 months

Monday 2nd February 2015
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Ciaran said:
We are away for 3 nights, a bit uncertain about road conditions so will do some reading up before I book the car.
We had a long weekend in Iceland in January this year.
As to the roads, they're good but the weather can get in the way.
On the last day we were there we did the afternoon Golden Circle tour it's a bit shorter time wise (lasts from 13.00 until 19.00 (more later) but still includes all major sites Gullfoss, Þingvellir, and geysirs etc.

Fascinating day out with some unforgettable sights.

By the time we were ready to leave our last stop at Gullfoss for the 2 hour drive back to Reykjavic the weather had deteriorated badly, really heavy snow, gale force winds and a wind chill that had to be felt to be believed. The snow was drifting all over the place.
About an hour into the journey the road over the mountain that we needed to use had been closed by police/officials. Apparently it was chaos up there with cars off the road and bad drifting. Tour guide got us into a hotel in a place called Hveragerdi where we could at least eat, drink and stay warm. We ended up being stuck there for 8 hours waiting for the road to reopen, got back to our hotel in Reykjavík at 4 am and had to leave for the airport at 5 am.

Having said all that we absolutely loved Iceland (we did have a great display of the Northern Lights while we were there). It's a fantastic place