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.

If you go in the summer it gives you lots more scope to get out of the south west where everyone is doing the same south coast and golden circle highlights.

Not that these things aren't worth seeing, but it's quite a big country and you can spread out a bit more in the summer. For example here's Háifoss a few summers ago, we were the only people at the top and you can just see one little person in a red jacket at the bottom (if you look carefully - it is a very tall waterfall).

Generally go to places you need to hike to. If you can see it right by the big car park within a day trip from Reykjavík then yes it will be busy. But there are other options.

@Puffinshop The op has said 8 days though. That’s not enough to be very adventurous and the driving would cut out more detailed exploring. It’s a difficult balance.

I think we stayed 2 nights away from the capital that trip. It was only a little trip.

You can see loads of amazing things in 8 days. That waterfall is only 2 hours from Reykjavík anyway, but it's just an example - you can't get there in the winter so my point was rather that in the summer the whole country is your oyster.

Thanks to everyone for all your input - HUGELY appreciated. We have actually changed our minds - for various reasons.

We are now going for 5 days in Easter - beginning of April. I realise that will means the country is less avialable to us for weather reasons, but we can get a taster.

@Coffeeclair Just do trips from Reykjavik then. Or 2 centres. West coat and Golden circle make sense.

We're going to drive along the South Coast actually

Take one of your days to go on the ferry to the Vestmannaeyjar, you won't regret it.

@Coffeeclair Why?

Because friends had gone to the South (Vik, all the stops around there, Selfoss, Golden Circle) and said the landscape was incredible.

Ooh, thank you. I'm praying for good weather. But I'm also resigned to what will be will be

@Coffeeclair I didn’t class golden circle as South Coast. I think you will find it’s inland.

Apologies! my knowledge of iceland is pretty tiny as you can tell 😅

@Coffeeclair We always find that buying a Lonely planet guide, even secondhand, gives a really good introduction to “must sees” in a country and you can plan around that. When we went the first time, I was amazed how much we enjoyed the super jeep trip. Off-roading and they let us drive. Loved it!

Do not underestimate the weirdness of nearly 24 hours daylight OP - it threw our (then) young children and mucked up sleep etc (hotel had thin curtains) which impacted the holiday!

We went in mid May and it was very quiet. Reykjavik was a ghost town - they said at the hotel that April and May are off-season so hardly any tourists.

Even in May, the weather was more like January weather here - around freezing with snow showers. That was obviously that particular time.

Insist on blackout curtains. They are widely provided there.