A holiday for me has always meant warm weather, beach days, and activities with some lazying by the pool mixed in, so when my husband suggested going to Iceland for our October holidays, it was taking me right out of my comfort zone. Iceland had been Johnny's dream destination for many years, and a part of that dream was discovering it by camper (again, right out of my comfort zone). We finally compromised on alternating the nights in the campervan with the nights at the hotel. It was our first holiday spent without Ricardo - he is at the university now, and doesn't have school holidays like before.
As there are no direct flights from Nice to Iceland, I was trying to find the best way to maximize our time there. I finally got a really good deal with SAS, even though it meant spending a night in Oslo. We flew out from Nice in the afternoon, and arrived at Oslo pretty late, considering that we had a stop of an hour and a half in Stockholm. We stayed at Radisson Oslo airport hotel for the night, the hotel being only a short walk from the airport terminal. The next morning we had an early flight from Oslo to Reykjvik - our flight left at 9.35, arriving at Reykjavik at 10.25 (time change included - it was a 2h 50 min flight). As our SAS Plus tickets included lounge access, we had a nice breakfast at Oslo SAS lounge before taking off towards Reykjavik.
Our campervan company, Northbound, offered a free shuttle from the airport to their office (and also back to the airport at the end of the rental). We had reserved a Renault Trafic 3 modified van for our Iceland adventure and were excited to pick it up to start our trip. The van had a seating area at the back, which could be modified to a sleeping area for three people (they also provided pillows, linen and sleeping bags), a small fridge, and a heating system. They also had a box with cutlery, plates, mugs, a pot and a pan, and a gas-powered small cooker at the back of the van (we never used the cooker, the kitchens at the campsites were equipped with everything). We did have some problems with getting the heating system to work (we ended up using the small blower for our camping nights), but we finally got a reimboursement from Notrhbound of one day for our troubles, so I would say their service was still really good. Before the trip, Northbound sent us a link to a video, to show how everything works in the van, so we could come already prepared, but they also gave us a small briefing before we took off.
Our camper van
First of all, we headed to the supermarket to get some grocery supplies for the trip. Although Iceland is an expensive country, we found that the prices at Bonus supermarket were not that bad, and they also had a good range of vegan products available. We had also brought some cereal bars, biscuits and a selection of our favourite teas from France. Shopping done, our adventure could finally start! It was our first trip where we did not exchange any local currency, as card payments are accepted everywhere in Iceland (during our visit 1 euro was worth around 140 ISK).
We headed straight to the the Golden Circle, aiming to see a part of it on the first day. Once we had passed Reykjavik, where the roads were pretty busy, we got our first glimpse of Icelandic landscapes and mainly empty roads. The temperature was about 5 degrees C, it did drizzle a bit, but overall not too bad weather for the end of October. Our first stop was Thingvellir National Park, 43 km, or 45 minutes' drive from Reykjavik. All the main sights in Iceland have big parking lots colse by, often with a visitor center and toilets. The parking is not free, it costs around 7 euros per car, and every parking lot entrance has a camera that captures all cars that enter and exit.
This park has a symbolic importance to Icelanders, and they are very
attached to it. Quite simply, this is the most important place in the
history of the Icelandic nation - this naturally-formed arena, an amphitheatre even, was the birthplace of the Alþing, considered to be the oldest parliamentary structure in Europe, dated 930.
Thingvellir Park also has fascinating geothermal features. Located right
on the line between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates,
there is significant seismic activity here, as evidenced by the faults
and cracks present throughout the site. Fortunately for us, we did not experience any earthquakes there, but the views were amazing.
Thingvellir National Park
Our next destination was one of the most famous stops of the Golden Circle - the Geysir Hot Springs area, about 40 minutes' drive from Thingvellir. It was a shortish walk from the parking lot and visitor center to the hot springs area, and was
interesting to see the steam raising from the ground in several places
while we walked. The most active geyser in the area is called Strokkur. It
sprouts
hot water as high as 30 metres into the air every few minutes. We
watched Stokkur at first, then did the main tour, admiring the smaller
hot springs, before returning to wait for the next Stokkur sprout again.
Suddenly the sky turned really dark and it started to rain a heavy, icy
rain. We ran to the visitor center, but still managed to get pretty wet
on the way. There is a saying about Icelandic weather, "If you don't like the weather, just wait 5 minutes and it will change", and we experienced exactly that several times during our trip.
Geysir Hot Springs Area
The Stokkur
We still had another stop planned for the day before heading to the campsite. A short drive from the Geysir area is one of the most impressive waterfalls in Iceland (in our opinion) - Gulfoss Waterfall.
We stopped quite briefly, although the waterfall was really impressive, as it was getting dark and the icy rain had returned. It was time to call it a day and start the drive towards the campsite to get our first experience of sleeping in the campervan. End of October is the time when several campsites are already closed for the winter season. I had searched online for several sites that still seemed to be open, but always pinned at least two sites for the night, in case the first one we go to happens to be closed. That was exactly what happened to us that night - we got to the first campsite, but it was closed and there was no one around. We started driving towards the second site, but just to make sure, I gave them a call when we were on our way, and they assured me that they were open - the campsite was called Reykholt Campsite.
It looked like a small site, but we were told later by the kind and talkative guy at the reception, that in summer it could get very busy. We were given a spot near the kitchen block and it took us a bit of time to figure out how to work the electricity connection - not an easy task in the dark with icy rain. The kitchen was small, but functional, and even had condiments for cooking. There were only a couple of other cars at the campsite and we met two really nice couples in the kitchen - a couple from Panama on their honeymoon trip, and a Chinese/American couple. The atmosphere was great, we shared life stories and travel stories - this was the amazing part of Iceland campsites.
The first night of sleeping in the van
The first night sleeping in the van was not that bad, only the air in the van got pretty dry because of the heater blowing all night. We had some coffee and a quick breakfast in the kitchen, said our goodbyes, and were off discovering what more Iceland had to offer.
Our first stop of the day was Secret Lagoon, only a short drive away from the campsite. When we said at the campsite that we were heading to the Secret Lagoon, they gave us discount vouchers for the entry fee. What makes this place special are the rich natural resources of warm water coming from hot springs. The pool water flows continuously, and it takes only 24 hours to its complete replacement, the water temperature staying at 38-40 degrees C all year round. The hardest part of getting in the pool was walking from the changing rooms to the pool in the swimsuit, when the outside temperature was -1 degrees C. Once in the pool, it was wonderful - the water temperature varied a bit in different parts of the pool, making it possible to stay either cooler or hotter.
Secret Lagoon
Our next stop took a bit over an hour to reach - the waterfall of Seljalandsfoss. It meant we left the Golden Circle area and were heading towards the village of Vik, where I had reserved a hotel for the night. Seljalandsfoss is an impressive waterfall with a particularity that the pathway also takes you behind the cascading water (getting wet is guaranteed). We preferred to stay dry and admire the waterfall from one side only.
Seljalandsfoss
As Iceland is a country of numerous waterfalls, our next stop was another waterfall, not too far from Seljalandsfoss. Skógafoss is one of the biggest waterfalls in Iceland, with a drop of some 60 meters and a width of 25 meters. Next to the waterfall there are steps leading up to the observation platform. Although it was quite windy, we still decided to climb the steps and walk some of the pathway next to the Skoga river. We were lucky enough to get a glimpse of sun and see the beautiful rainbow that forms in the drizzle of the waterfall.
Skógafoss
Pathway by the Skoga river
Just a little before arriving to Vik we took another detour to drive up the steep road to Dyrholaey lighthouse viewpoint. The wind was pretty strong and we had to hold on to the railing while walking around the area on top of the cliff, as it really felt like it was going to blow us off the edge. The sun was out and the views of the black coastline, the surrounding landscapes, and the huge black arch of lava reaching out into the sea, were magnificent.
I had booked us into a hotel for this night, so we carried on to the village of Vik, where we were going to spend the night. The hotel was also called Vik and it was in the center of the village, a short walk from the famous black sand beach. We arrived at Vik just at sunset time and were able to experience an amazing (although cold) evening on the beach.
After a dinner at the local pub, we called it an early night and went to take the most of our night at the hotel. Hotel Vik was a great experience - the rooms were modern and spacious, and the beds very comfortable. Although campervan was a wonderful experience, I think all of us slept really well in this hotel. The breakfast the next morning really exceeded our expectations, especially the vegan part of the buffet. There is rarely such a great choice of vegan foods available at the buffet, and Hotel Vik had it all - tofu scramble, veggie patties, soy sausages, several spreads, vegan pesto just to name a few...
It was a frosty morning, but the sky was clear and it was looking like it was going to be another sunny day, so we went for quick walk on the beach, before getting on the road again.
Morning on the beach of Vik
View of the Vik church from the beach
We were travelling eastbound, making stops on the way when we felt like it. It was a truly beautiful day and we were just enjoying the ride and the stunning views.
Our first stop was to check out at the impressive Eldhraun lava field, that covers an area of 565 square km, making it the largest of its kind in the world. The green moss covered lava boulders looked out of this world. The moss is very fragile though, and takes more than a hundred years to grow back, if walked on and damaged, so we only admired it from the side of the road.
We carried on for about half an hour and just stopped by the side of the road to take a look at yet another waterfall and take a short stroll by the side of a little river.
Our next stop was Svinafellsjökull glacier parking lot, from where we took about a kilometer long hike to reach the glacier edge. The landscape was absolutely stunning and it was impressive to see these huge ice formations. We spent a couple of hours there, walking around, taking in the beauty of the nature.
Svinafellsjökull glacier edge
We were still not finished with our day of sightseeing and drove for about 45 minutes more, to reach the furthest point of our Iceland trip - the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. Jökulsárlón is one of Iceland’s most iconic natural wonders - this breathtaking glacial lagoon is renowned for its floating icebergs, calved from Europe’s largest glacier, Vatnajökull. The icebergs in Jökulsárlón are composed of ice that is over a thousand years old. The seals are a common at Jökulsárlón, and we saw quite a few of them swimming around between the icebergs.
Our luck with the good weather had run out, as it started pouring rain when we wanted to visit the Diamond beach. As we had quite some road ahead of us (around 120 km) before reaching to the campsite for that night, we decided to start driving back towards Vik. The rain turned into a snowstorm, and at times the gusts of wind were so strong that we felt the van shaking while driving.
The campsite I had chosen for this night was called Tjaldstæðið Kirkjubær II. It was a much larger site than the first one, better organised, with bigger kitchen and toilet and shower block. We had a great evening again, socialising in the kitchen with other travellers, telling stories and sharing experiences.
Ready for the second night in the campervan
The next morning we started driving back towards Reykjavik, making a quick stop at Vik again to stock up on some groceries.
Our first sightseeing stop for the day was Reynisfjara beach, known for its black sands, basalt columns, and sometimes dangerous and unpredictable Atlantic waves.
While driving around, we could spot Icelandic horses sometimes by the side of the road. The Icelandic horse, smaller sized than other breeds, is a breed of horse developed in Iceland and they have an outstanding ability to cross rough terrains.
Our aim for the day was to hike to and swim in the Reykjadalur hot spring thermal river at the Golden Circle area. Once we reached the parking lot of Reykjadalur, it was very windy and it was raining heavily. We decided to wait a little in the van, have some lunch, see if the weather improves. It was a good 45-minutes' hike from the parking lot to the river and we were a bit hesitant doing it in those weather conditions. In a little while, the weather had not improved so we went out to talk to the people who had just returned from the hike. They were all soaked wet, freezing cold, and all of them suggested strongly not to do it in those weather conditions, so we decided against it. In our plan I had marked us two campsites for that evening, in case one of them happens to be closed (although online they were both marked open). Unfortunately both of the sites were actually closed, so I had to find an alternative acommodation for that night. I booked us into Bakki apartments in the nearby seaside village of Eyrarbakki, and what a great find it was! The village itself was like from any Astrid Lindgren book (I know she is from Sweden, but I grew up reading her books and this village looked so much like many places described in her books) - colourful houses lining the main street, well kept little gardens. The studio apartment of Bakki apartments was spacious and modern, and we were really happy for that last minute descision of staying there.
Our studio at Bakki apartments
For the next morning, we had an 11 o'clock booking at the famous Blue Lagoon geothermal spa. As Eyrarbakki was situated around 80 km from the Blue Lagoon, and we were thinking of possibly stopping somewhere on the way, we took off pretty early. It was another beautiful drive this morning, the views were just amazing.
We stopped briefly at the volcano trailhead parking lot, and hiked for about half an hour on the trails, realising that unfortunately we did not have enough time to do the full hike. We were at the Reykjanes peninsula volcanic belt area, the Blue Lagoon is also situated on the same peninsula.
On our way to the Blue Lagoon, we passed the town of Grindavik, close to where a volcano had erupted about a month ago. Some of the streets were still closed due to the lava damage, including the road leading to the Blue Lagoon. Road to Grindavik
The Blue Lagoon, although touristic, was wonderful. We had the Premium tickets, which included the use of the bathrobe, two drinks from the swim up bar, and a three-step face mask. The main pool was actually a lot bigger than we expected, so the people were pretty spread out, and it did not feel crowded at all. There was also a classic sauna and a natural steam sauna, that used the geothermal steam coming up from the ground. Although the outside temperature was only a couple of degrees C, the water in the lagoon was nice and warm, and we really enjoyed the whole experience.
It was our last day in Iceland, so we had planned to visit the capital, Reykjavik for this afternoon. We were all suprised by how cool the city was. Reykjavik had a great vibe, lots of brightly coloured houses, good choice of restaurants, and although quite windy and cold, it was pleasant to walk around.
We decided to have early dinner at a place called Messinn, a mainly seafood restaurant,
specializing in “fish pans,” which combine freshly cooked fish, potatoes and vegetables. The food was delicious and the portions huge, we took two pans to share between the three of us, and were not able to finish all the food.
After the delicious meal, we drove back to the van rental place to return our home on the wheels. We got a lift from the rental place to Konvin Hotel close to the airport, where we were going to spend a night, to take a flight back home the next morning. We had had another long day and had to raise early for the 7.30 am flight. The hotel started serving breakfast from 5 am, so we even managed to have a coffee and a quick bite to eat before taking the shuttle bus to the airport.
Iceland is another place where we wish to return for its unique landscapes and so many things to see and do - there was so much that we didn't have time to discover, our trip was really a bit too short. We would probably like to return in summer, so we could visit the Northern coast, maybe do the whole Ring Road. Although the van was out of my comfort zone (and so was the cold weather), it was actually a great experience, and we really enjoyed the atmosphere at the campsites.
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