I am looking to plan a trip to Iceland for next summer, 2024. Friend and I are looking to do a self-driving tour of about 10-12 days. Has any of you had this experience in Iceland? Do you have any recommendation as to a tour operator through which we could arrange such a trip. Thanks in advance!
Posted by
San Diego, California
5528 posts
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/iceland
Perhaps the above Search has some useful info.
Safe travels!
Posted by
Bainbridge Island
3272 posts
You can book a self-drive tour package with a number of Icelandic companies like this:
https://iceland.nordicvisitor.com/travel-deals/self-drive-tours/
Icelandic Airlines also offers self-drive packages with flights included.
Posted by
8162 posts
I have been to Iceland twice.
First, for one day on a cruise ship visit.
Second, in Summer of 2021, we did a fantastic 8 day Ring Road Tour around the island. The company is Nordic Visitor. They offer self driving tours.
https://iceland.nordicvisitor.com
One thing to consider, a significant part of the island is covered by glaciers. We were told on our first visit there that a Japanese couple were driving around Iceland on their own and got lost and apparently their vehicle ran out of fuel and they froze to death.
Just a word of caution on self-driving.
Posted by
Snohomish, WA
2602 posts
We have been 4 times so far, with our 5th trip next month. Self driving is super easy and for me, the only way to go. Summer and with 10-12 days is a perfect amount of time to do the ring road. We have always rented from Blue and they are great to work with. The trip we did the ring road, we had 12 days and while we did a lot, we wished for more time. I will say though on every trip we have wished for more time. Even our upcoming trip is 17 days and we still wished for more time. If you can swing 12 days instead of 10, you will not regret it. The biggest piece of advice is if you plan it yourself, to start now. Bookings for lodging start about a year in advance and places truly do sell out. Like for this summer, the entire south coast is sold out and has been for over a month. We use a mix of booking.com and booking direct with hotels and cottages. I prefer cottages so that we can cook dinner ourselves, and many of them have hot tubs which is nice. There are some amazing places to stay, so start researching that now.
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7838 posts
You need to be an American who loves hard work behind the wheel for 3-5 hours a day. Many groomed packed dirt roads. Check car contract for permitted surfaces and extra insurances, doubling the rack rate for the car. We don't enjoy changing rooms every night, and it's a lot of booking work in a high-demand, low supply area. Few guardrails, narrower lanes, one-lane bridges.
The roads are well cared for, better than in tax-averse USA. But the driving experience is more like rural Ireland or France.