10- day Icelandic summer sleeper van road trip
Know before you go:
* This itinerary is written from the perspective of a traveler from the United States. Travelers from the US are not required to have a visa or traveler’s insurance. We chose not invest in traveler’s insurance and were fortunate enough not need it throughout our stay, but it is something others may want to consider. Iceland is very safe but of course weather conditions can become dangerous (e.g volcanic eruptions, wind, highland roads, etc). Another caveat. Iceland is expensive. Plain and simple. But it is still til this day one of the most magical places I have seen in my life. We used a combination of savings, debit, and credit cards for this trip. There isn’t much that we would change about our time in Iceland.
* We chose to buy groceries and eat most of our meals in the van. We typically ate out once a day, either at a restaurant for dinner or picking up food from the gas stations for breakfast or lunch. Gas stations in Iceland are NEXT LEVEL! Don't even get me started about the Skyr. Heaven. I miss it. We did 2 major shopping trips at Bónus (other notable grocery stores are Nétto or Extra24) but we would pick up some smaller items any time we would stop for gas from the gas station for the van too (yogurts, bread, cheese etc).
*We completed the ring road counter clockwise. Feel free to do it clockwise.
*We used debit/ credit cards for purchases such as gasoline or food. It's helpful to have Icelandic Króna (coins) on hand because some of the camps will require you to pay for your timed shower or to pay for your laundry. Showers are often timed (5 to 10 minutes) depending on the shower. Many of the showers were communal. Coming from the United States, I get the stigma around nakedness so we were all a bit apprehensive at first but honestly none of the Icelanders gave us a second glance- they just showered and went about their business. It'll be fine, trust me!
* Cost of campsites varied, some as low as $10 USD others closer to $30/40. Depends on the amenities they have. Prices were fair and not costly.
* A note on wildlife in Iceland while driving around. The sheep in summer are everywhere. The farmers let them roam free to graze in the summer and then catch them again in September. Keep an eye out for them while driving as they will sometimes be near to or cross the road unexpectedly. You will also see them while walking / hiking around the countryside. They are harmless but of course its important to respect them and keep your distance. Additionally, please respect and do not feed the Icelandic horses! We were lucky to see an Arctic fox while out on the road as well, so keep an eye out for them.
