You are always smarter once you travelled to a place and understand how things work. Let me give you some Iceland travel tips that can save you money during your travels.
Iceland Travel Tips
1. Campsites Leftovers
The first Iceland travel tip is in regards to campsites. Don’t buy all the things you need in masses at the beginning or panic when you run out of things. Usually, at the campsites, you will find things like food, clothes and other items people leave there because they don’t need it anymore, or their trip ended already. This way, we got ourselves lots of toilet paper, coffee, pasta, salad dressing gas for our cooker and much more.
2. Camping Card
When you plan on staying longer in Iceland, for example, 10+ days, it is recommendable to buy a Camping card since wild camping is prohibited. With one Camping Card, 2 adults and 4 children can camp on different campsites throughout Iceland. Read more about how the Camping Card in Iceland works, where to get it and how to find campsites.
3. Visit Sights in the Evening
When travelling in summer go to some sights in the evening, as first of all you will still have daylight then, and not so many people will be there. Another thing is that during the day, you often get asked for money at certain sights that should be free, e.g. hot springs. It could be that parts of the land where the hot spring is located belongs to certain people and that’s why they ask for money. However, if you go in the later evening, like around 9-10 pm you should be fine since the people are not there anymore. At least in our case!
Check out my video to get impressions about our road trip through Iceland.
4. Drink Water from the Streams
Another Iceland travel tip is in regards to drinking water. Don’t bother trying to find or buy still water in Iceland. You will not be able to find it, only sparkling water, and usually with a taste like lemon. The best is to get some empty bottles and fill them with fresh water from the streams. That’s how we did and it saved us money, but also was super cold and freshwater – we couldn’t have asked for more!
5. Travel in Summer
Advantages of travelling in summer are that it is almost always daylight, so you can drive for hours and take your time. Also, most roads will be open and not blocked or covered in snow, so you can explore lots of parts of Iceland.
You will be able to use the Camping Card which is only valid until Mid September of each year. If you travel in winter, you won’t be able to make use of it. Finally, you should be luckier with the weather and not be freezing to death in summer.
6. Buy Food in Local Supermarkets
Another Iceland travel tip is in regards to food. Don’t eat out in Iceland all the time, but prepare your own food. The best deals, you can get in local supermarkets like Bonus, Krona and Netto. You will that it is slightly more expensive, but not as super expensive as everyone says. Basics like Pasta, rice and fruits are alright, but for some reasons honey, certain fruits & vegetables are rather expensive. Just buy cautiously and calculate the price in your head before putting it in the shopping cart.
7. Buy Alcoholic Beverages at the Airport
If you want to enjoy alcoholic beverages in Iceland, you better buy them at the airport in the duty-free shop or bring yourself, as prices and taxes on alcohol is very high.
8. Blue Lagoon
If you plan on visiting the Blue Lagoon, it is recommended to do the following:
- Go in the evening as often entrance prices are cheaper. We got a ticket for under 50€ including a drink and facial mask.
- Book your ticket very much in advance if you want a good deal. We booked ours 2 weeks in advance.
- Visit the Blue Lagoon at the end of your trip as it is located very close to the airport.
- Put in conditioner very thick in your hair before you enter. Conditioner is provided in the facilities there.
9. Packing Necessities
Three things you must have in your suitcase/backpack are flip flops, fleece jackets and thick socks. Flip flops for when you are taking a shower or just want to quickly walk all over the campsites, and don’t always want to put on closed shoes. Fleece jackets for cold days/evenings or sleeping, depending on if you have a heater in your van or sleep in a tent. The same goes for thick socks. Overnight it is always nice to keep warm feet.
Alright! Those were all my Iceland travel tips and I hope they were useful. Do you have any more that you would like to share?
