Tips for a Summer itinerary in Iceland please!

[Coffeeclair]

My partner and I and his teenage daughter would like to go to Iceland in the summer. Possibly take a campervan around for some/all of it. Over 8 or so days. Self-drive if not a campervan - but we don't want to spend days and days driving.

We want to see the great things but not be overrun with people.

Could kind mumsnetters please share their trip gems and thoughts on the best trip!

And it would also be great to have an idea of what this would cost as we have no idea.

We spent a fortune on accommodation, so I should imagine that a campervan is the most cost effective way of doing it.
Quite a few sights can be done using Reykjavik as a base. E.g. the golden circle, Blue Lagoon and parts of the south coast. There are several tour companies which can take you on a coach, if you wanted to have a break from driving.
Definitely don’t skip the opportunity to go whale watching. It was very expensive but so worth it.

Everything is very expensive but it is amazing. We loved the Snæfellsnes Peninsula and the sights of the golden circle. Reykjavik - not so much but it could be a base. Don’t miss swimming in the hot swimming pools but it doesn’t have to be the blue lagoon - there is also the secret lagoon and lots of others. Geyser is the most unmissable place.

We were in Iceland this summer just gone, agree it is all very expensive. Plus you have to pay £5 every time you park somewhere - it adds up if you are going to 5 or 6 sights a day. We really felt rinsed when there as they are fleecing tourists everywhere you turn. Water was free everywhere though, that was good!

Unfortunately if you do not want to be overrun with people, Iceland is NOT your place to go. We were there in July, every single sight was OVERRUN with American tourists. I mean totally packed. We'd be driving for an hour and see two cars and then arrive at a waterfall / volcano and in the parking lot there would be 50 buses and 250 cars, and a queue along the walkway to the sight, pushing and shoving to get a pic, and a queue for the toilet etc.

Iceland Air has expanded their direct flights to and from many US cities, hence the increase in tourists. Good for them I guess. But if you are imagining yourself in a remote waterfall feeling at one with nature, this is not the place for you. This is true for the north and the south.

Everything there is amazing though and in spite of the above we had a great holiday!! I'd try to go outside of summer maybe?

ps: There is an Iceland Travel Reddit that is very active for itinerary tips

I did an amazing Iceland trip and it didn't feel at all overrun with people. It was about 10 years ago so things may have changed. We were camping. You'll need a proper off road type car if you want to go into the highlands.

Started in Reykjavik, spent a night at Thingvellir (spellings approximate!) which was amazing. Drove up to Landmannalaugar in the highlands where the mountains are striped different colours and went hiking. Sat in a natural hot spring. It will depend on when you are there and when the roads open.

Then back to the southern coast road, stopped near Kirkjubæjarklaustur where there's a cool ravine to explore. Visited the black sand beach at Vik, and the area around Skaftefell glacier. Then a trip out on a zodiac boat at a lagoon full of icebergs, Jökulsárlón. Then drove back to Reykjavik, spent time in the massive spa there (not the blue lagoon).

One of my best trips ever, I'd really like to go back and do the whole ring road around the country. You could probably do that if you don't go into the highlands. Aside from the 'golden circle' sights near Reykjavik it was mostly very quiet.

Iceland is expensive generally.

geyser is lovely.

second landmannalaugur but you will need a good car to get there as you have to ford a river.

Yes true I forgot that! There was supposed to be a bridge of some kind to the campsite I think but it hadn't been reinstated yet because the roads had just opened.

Iceland is spectacular. But so, so expensive. Expect to pay £100 for every meal, even lunch at a basic cafe. This is my self-drive itinerary from the summer:

Day 1: Perlan, walk around Reykjavik.
Day 2: Seltun geothermal area, recent eruption sites near Grindavik, Grindavik lighthouse, Brimketill, Gunnhuver hot springs, bridge between continents.
Day 3: Reykjadalur Hot Spring Thermal River
Reykjadalur
Day 4: Midgard tour to Fjallabak (we also stayed at Midgard base camp for 3 nights and recommend it).
Day 5: Seljalandsfoss waterfall, Sólheimajökull glacier hike, Vik lava show, horse riding on Vik beach
Day 6: Lava centre in Hvolsvollur, Secret Lagoon, white water rafting, Gullfoss waterfall, Geysir
Day 7: snorkeling the Sifra crack in Thingvellir

If I were to plan it over again, I'd skip the snorkeling. It was beautiful but I didn't realise how uncomfortable a dry suit it and the water was so cold it was painful and I couldn't wait to get out. Thingvellir was gorgeous though and I'd go back for the ridgeline view. Horse riding in Vik was for horse-mad DD's benefit. I'd happily skip it.

My must-dos:

• Reykjanes peninsula. Stunning and unearthly. The weeks-old lava fields were still hot to the touch and even the ones that were 15 years old were steaming after rainfall.
• Fjallabak. Stunning again! It's a bit off the beaten track so quiet, unspoiled beauty. And I definitely recommend a tour. The roads need specialist vehicles and you can only get so far without a river crossing, which needs specific training and a good local knowledge of the rivers.
• Secret Lagoon. We went to three hot springs and this was our favourite. Loads cheaper than the Blue Lagoon, which the locals really seem to hate anyway.

Is that level of tourists at all sights or those on the Golden Circle, for example? Can we get away from the hoards?

I'm surprised you said you had a great time, as it doesn't sound great the way you describe it...!

We did it about 10 years ago on a 5 day stopover on the way to Canada in July. Spent a couple of days in Reykjavik then hired a car and drove around the golden circle and Snaefellnes peninsular which was spectacular and not too full of tourists. Stayed one night at a great place called Guesthouse Hof which had great views especially with the midnight sun. I’d love to do it again with my daughter when she’s a bit older.

Iceland in the summer is peak whale time as loads of them migrate there to feed, so definitely book a whale watching boat trip if you can fit one into your itinerary. We went in July and the number of whales I saw took my breath away.

Yes, I really want to see the whales!

Did you find it overwhelming busy everywhere?

No. Not busy at all, but it was a few years ago when we went.
I wouldn't worry about the experience of one poster on here because they might just have been unlucky. Do your own research - and make sure that you don't time your visit to coincide with the docking of several cruise ships at the same time.
Iceland is amazingly beautiful and so different to anywhere else. It's a holiday that I'll never forget and we'll definitely be going back.

We did a transatlantic stopover in Iceland with Icelandair. We had a day and a half. On our full day, we did the Golden Circle, and then spent a nice evening in Reykjavik. The Golden Circle tour was great - yes, there were other tourists there but enough to validate that these were great places.

The tour guide was a great ambassador for Iceland telling us it was the best for this and best for that. I thought, wait a minute, I am from Scotland and the scenery there is far more varied and spectacular, not to mention the rest of the UK.

I'm glad we went, but would probably not rush to go back.

@Coffeeclair I went last summer - but on a boat. We did go to Geyser and the parliament site and no, not overrun. This was from July 3-13th. In fact not that busy at all! The bad news - hardly any whales at Husavik. We were surprised by this in July so not sure what to advise re whales. They should have been around in good numbers.

With 8 days, you cannot see everything op. So the Golden Circle, South to see Vik and Snaefellness is lovely. That’s about 8 days if you add in Reykjavik.

I am a bit perplexed to come back to this thread to share my itinerary and see the slightly dismissive comments about the experience we had literally a couple of months ago! The OP asked

We want to see the great things but not be overrun with people.

and I replied with my actual recent experience, only to be dismissed and told I could not possibly have had a good time and it is unlikely that my experience was real🤔.

We did indeed have a good time in spite of it - my two sons were home from uni so we had a fun family time, we changed plan and got out very early to sights, we made a game of dodging the crowds when we had to. We also saw whales and puffins and so much of it was totally magical.

Please see this article with pics of some of the sights absolutely overrun https://www.responsibletravel.com/holidays/iceland/travel-guide/overtourism-in-iceland

I wish I had read more about overtourism before we went as I wold have been better prepared and not so shocked about the volume of tourists - of which we were some!

I have also attached three of my own pics from the summer - the first one you need to zoom in to see the mass of people. I was not trying to take pics of the crowds so these are just ones I happen to have. Good luck with your planning.

Oh, I’m so, so sorry! I really didn’t mean to sound dismissive. I should have worded it better. I just meant it sounded like the crowds really tainted your trip, so your final line about having a great time was a surprise.

Thanks for the article. Apologies again

Iceland is a cruise ship destination. One of the coaches in the picture has 9 on it. So 9 x 45 seats tells you this is a cruise ship trip. You can easily avoid this but of course the popular sights will get quite busy. The Icelandic people have a right to make money from tourism as they don’t have loads of other options. No one can expect a private view of anywhere these days.

Hanging around as I really want to revisit Iceland. Sounds like I shouldn't cruise... <sniff>

Partner and I visited a while back (in winter) and it was wonderful. We were lucky with the weather.) 3 night Icelandair deal with hire car. Golden circle. Not overrun with peeps at all. Two warnings:

• when you laugh at the hire vehicle warning stickers about being careful opening doors in the wind, don't. THEY MEAN IT.
• here's a map of Iceland with the the No-Go areas for hire vehicles clearly marked. Basically, stay on the edge of the island.

@CrystalSingerFan We did cruise but only 90 on the ship and many optioned offered including zodiac trips. Expensive but a different product. Obviously huge cruise ships are very different. We visited tiny village ports and did a circumnavigation.

On a previous trip in Sept, we hired a 4x4 and had no restrictions at all. Never saw a map like that and we went on 4x4 dirt roads. Depends what you hire and time of year I think you will find. In the winter, it’s very different!

Thanks! Sounds fab. If you'd recommend it, could you name the company? Plus, how many single travellers were there? I'd not consider a river cruise, for example, as it's very oriented towards couples.

@CrystalSingerFan Noble Caledonia. They get very booked up. We aren’t young though! Most people are 55 plus! There might be alternative small ships - I haven’t looked I’m afraid. They do get quite a few singles and they aren’t left out!

Thanks. I'll definitely investigate.

Just looked them up. Looks great. Sadly the one leaving from Aberdeen next year. is already fully booked. I blame that pesky solar eclipse.

@CrystalSingerFan Others might well be added - they do get booked up though!