Car hire in Iceland
Discussion
If it decides to snow heavily, then a complete white out isn't unusual.
If you're doing the Golden Circle and Northern Lights hunting, I really would stick to the tours.
Weather was a bit iffy with us once and they turned up in a Unimog / troop carrier thing. Had a complete white out and we didn't move for an hour.
If you're doing the Golden Circle and Northern Lights hunting, I really would stick to the tours.
Weather was a bit iffy with us once and they turned up in a Unimog / troop carrier thing. Had a complete white out and we didn't move for an hour.
We did it for wife's 50's in March.
Really lucky to see Northern Lights on the first night, but then nothing for the rest of the trip.
We used discover the world who custom built a package for me and we had a a skoda Octavia 4x4 which was perfect on main, gravel and the hill climb by the black sands beach.
V.
Really lucky to see Northern Lights on the first night, but then nothing for the rest of the trip.
We used discover the world who custom built a package for me and we had a a skoda Octavia 4x4 which was perfect on main, gravel and the hill climb by the black sands beach.
V.
TheAngryDog said:
Hmmmm, I think I need to look at our options. We want to visit the Blue Lagoon as well so may have to look at tours for that. Annoyingly the Flybus doesnt leave Reykjavik very late, and as we have a late flight on our last day I don't want to be sat in an airport all day...
For tourshttps://www.extremeiceland.is/en/?gclid=Cj0KEQjwhM...
Blue Lagoon Transfers last bus is 5pm
https://grayline.is/tours/keflavik-airport/blue-la...
We used Hertz for a week last October (second week of the month) and booked an Octavia 4x4. We got a free upgrade to a Superb (and it was!) - no issues with it, though we had extreme rain rather than snow.
Beware of the huge range of extra insurance offered. There is a far cheaper way to cover it by using a third party excess protection policy. We used insurance4carhire.com - £39.99 for the year.
Beware of the huge range of extra insurance offered. There is a far cheaper way to cover it by using a third party excess protection policy. We used insurance4carhire.com - £39.99 for the year.
It does depend on the weather. We went in January and all 'normal' roads within a few hours of Reykjavik were apparently passable. It could have been a lot snowier though which, if severe enough and you've a bit of sense in you, might mean you're not going to get everywhere you might want to.
The locals just get on with things though so there's probably something in that.
The locals just get on with things though so there's probably something in that.
Iceland might be called Iceland but it's more rainy than snowy most of the time. That's not suggesting you should go unprepared but we drove the golden circle after a few inches of snow had fallen in a VW Golf, it was absolutely fine. The road between the airport and Blue Lagoon and onto Reykjavik is kept clear. Consider that most of the tours in Iceland are carried out on minibuses and coaches not superjeeps and that'll give you an idea of how concerned the locals are with really adverse weather. If you want peace of mind rent a 4x4 but the main tourist routes are fine the majority of the time, if you have some flexibility in your schedule that certainly helps.
you'll be fine.
I had a tiny hyundi, got lost, followed the satnav, was 45km along a road until it turned to gravel, and I had another 60km on a crap unfinished road, nearly turned around when it became clear heavy construction was going on still. Ended up at the top of a gravel covered hill bricking it, because there was a huge drop off to the side and I reckoned I could skid really easily!
apart from that it was all fine, and to be honest, even that was ok
I had a tiny hyundi, got lost, followed the satnav, was 45km along a road until it turned to gravel, and I had another 60km on a crap unfinished road, nearly turned around when it became clear heavy construction was going on still. Ended up at the top of a gravel covered hill bricking it, because there was a huge drop off to the side and I reckoned I could skid really easily!
apart from that it was all fine, and to be honest, even that was ok
With regard to the Blue Lagoon, personally I'd give it a miss and go to the Secret Lagoon in Fludir. Far less touristy and an actual geothermal spring rather than a power station run-off.
http://secretlagoon.is/
http://secretlagoon.is/
I naively hired an Opel Corsa when we visited in December a few years back - we did ok, but the winds were high and it was quite snowy. We drove out to the Blue Lagoon and various remote parts to see the aurora borealis, it was a bit sketchy at times! The car had stickers on it saying not to take it on gravel tracks and guess what, one of the guesthouses we were staying in was seemingly down a gravel track! We drove down this C shaped road slowly in pitch black darkness, made it to our destination without f
king the car up 
In the morning when it was light, we saw that the road was part asphalt and part gravel, had we gone the other way down this C shaped road we'd have been on tarmac!
So, my advise is to get a 4x4 or something with a bit of weight to it as the winds can get high and properly plan ahead! It's a bit different to driving around the UK or southern Europe.
king the car up In the morning when it was light, we saw that the road was part asphalt and part gravel, had we gone the other way down this C shaped road we'd have been on tarmac!So, my advise is to get a 4x4 or something with a bit of weight to it as the winds can get high and properly plan ahead! It's a bit different to driving around the UK or southern Europe.
Dog sledding is a laugh (if a bit smelly), skidoos are good fun too, as are the super jeeps.
The Blue Lagoon is fine for something to do on the way back to the airport. The tour operators are pretty savvy and know they can drop you there and get you to the airport in good time.
Worth going down to the harbour for fish and chips too
Personally, I really like the place - but they are all a little bit mental
The Blue Lagoon is fine for something to do on the way back to the airport. The tour operators are pretty savvy and know they can drop you there and get you to the airport in good time.
Worth going down to the harbour for fish and chips too
Personally, I really like the place - but they are all a little bit mental
Podie said:
Dog sledding is a laugh (if a bit smelly), skidoos are good fun too, as are the super jeeps.
The Blue Lagoon is fine for something to do on the way back to the airport. The tour operators are pretty savvy and know they can drop you there and get you to the airport in good time.
Worth going down to the harbour for fish and chips too
Personally, I really like the place - but they are all a little bit mental
That was our plan tbh. We were going to spend a few days in Reykjavik and then drive around the Golden Circle, but unsure as much now.The Blue Lagoon is fine for something to do on the way back to the airport. The tour operators are pretty savvy and know they can drop you there and get you to the airport in good time.
Worth going down to the harbour for fish and chips too
Personally, I really like the place - but they are all a little bit mental
TheAngryDog said:
Re the insurance, I was going to get a policy from Icarhire.co.uk that covers the excess. Any others like this?
Pretty sure that's who I used as well. The problem with the golden circle coach tours is you don't seem to get very long at each stop. We drove and stayed overnight somewhere near Geysir so we had plenty of time, and several coach tours would come and go at each location int he time we were there. It also meant we had plenty of time to stop and look at other things of interest on route.
Who's saying don't hire a car? The golden circle is all on decent roads.
They do a good job of keeping the gravel roads clear too
Edited by RizzoTheRat on Thursday 29th June 23:21
Edited by RizzoTheRat on Thursday 29th June 23:24
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