I am curious, would it be doable to land in Iceland, rent a car, and just start driving to the locations of interest? Is there any risk of not seeing a point of interest or paying more than a tour rate. Is there any suggestions about what to see and do in Iceland around March 2020? Thank you in advance.
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
7990 posts
Our trip in 2015 included a private guided tour which included a glacier/crevasse expedition, but returning to Reykjavik we rented a car and just drove northwest, plus the Golden Circle drive. This was in April, and much of the interior is closed off until warmer weather, but we were able to cover a lot of ground. We rented an all-wheel-drive Chevy, but witnessed a fatal rollover car crash due to black ice that formed in the late afternoon, as warm temperatures dropped below freezing. Take extra care on the roads, which are well maintained but still in a variable environment. Also beware of strong crosswinds that can affect road handling.
Posted by
Los Angeles, CA
64 posts
No suggestions but do hope you have a great time.
Posted by
681 posts
If you are going in March. I would definitely check the previous winters and dress warmly. I think it would all depend on the weather...Good, clear weather then the road conditions should be good. You may not get to see somethings but a lot the waterfalls etc are close to the road (especially south) which would be amazing in the winter to see. I am not sure that Glacier Lagoon would be open (amazing) but you could check that out now. Watching the northern lights could be well worth it but that is all luck. Fickle weather would have a lot to do with a great trip vs. ok one.
Posted by
Long Beach, California, USA
3398 posts
We were there the first week of April in 2018. The weather was absolutely freezing but as long as you are dressed properly you can see a lot. We rented a car and did it ourselves...probably one of the easiest places to see things if you are a DIY traveler! The country is small, the roads are uncomplicated and well-marked. All of the natural sights have clear signs pointing to them. You absolutely do not need a tour in Iceland unless you just don't want to drive.
That said, that time of year the weather is dicey. We had two days of snow and three completely clear blue-sky days. The road along the south coast was covered in ice in places and the wind was absolutely fierce. Around waterfalls, the mist freezes into a glassy sheet and we were glad we had grippy shoes - even then we had to proceed carefully. Saw plenty of people falling and getting hurt. We simply pressed on and did what we wanted to do. The other thing to account for is lack of sun that time of year...we had to take advantage of what daylight there was as the sun rises late and sets early - we still managed to do pretty much everything we want, we just planned accordingly. We managed to pack quite a bit in.
Some of the places we really enjoyed were...
The Harpa concert building in Reykjavik
The viking museum
Gulfoss waterfall
Geysir
Frodheimer tomato soup restaurant...look it up...very unique! Reservations required.
Skogafoss and Seljalandfoss waterfalls
Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach (one of the best places I've been in the world)
Blue Lagoon
Fjallsarlon glacier lagoon
The last thing to know is that the estimated driving times you'll get on most map apps are inaccurate...add 30% to the time they give to account for weather, slow traffic, and waiting for one-way bridges along the south road.
Plenty of people go to Iceland this time of year so I wouldn't hesitate to go. It's one of the more amazing places to see in the world.
Posted by
681 posts
We went in mid-May and dressed very warmly. I think it would depend on the weather as everything else does. Iceland is beautiful and you might even see the northern lights. Just keep an eye on the weather and the forecast.
Posted by
291 posts
We were there in September last year so can’t comment on March but we really enjoyed exploring the South Coast (several waterfalls and Reynisfjara black sand beach near Vik) and the Southeast (along the ring road beyond Vik) especially Fjadrargljufur Canyon (gorgeous) and the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach. We saw a beautiful old turf church at Hofskirkja. We also enjoyed the time we spent in Reykjavik itself. I would probably go back there just to have another caramel roll from Braud &Co. bakery in Reykjavik! It’s a beautiful country, and most of the attractions are free but worth doing a little research before you go.