Hiring a camper van is a great way to travel around Iceland. You can enjoy all your home comforts and have ample space to spread out as a family. As a parent of teenagers, I know they would hate being squeezed into a small tent as they appreciate their space. This article gives you some suggestions for planning your Iceland camper van adventure. Including where to park up and what to see.

Start Off With The Right Transportation

Planning is essential to get the most out of your holiday, this includes choosing the night mode of transport to cope with the F-roads in Iceland. You will want to visit the highlands for all its natural wonders and using the F-roads is the only way to do it.

Choosing a 4×4 camper van is best so you can travel on any road however bumpy! There are a lot of unkempt gravel roads in Iceland, so you will appreciate having good suspension too.

Once you have chosen your 4×4 camper rental in Iceland, you can start your adventure. It’s worth noting that Cozy Campers even have a raised air intake for safer river crossing. This is another essential for camper van travel in Iceland, because the rivers do not have bridges in the highlands. These crossings can be quite treacherous after lots of rain.

See What Others Do

If your unsure how to navigate through one of the rivers on your Iceland camper van adventure, it can help to watch what others do. The only issue with this is some of the areas you travel will be quite remote and you might be waiting a while for someone else to attempt it. In that case make sure you have your own idea about what is good practice for crossing rivers.

Make sure you always cross at the shallowest part, although it can be hard to make an accurate assessment of the depth. You might have to go into the water to check whilst on your Iceland camper van adventure. When crossing leave windows open in case you need to escape in an emergency. Your camper van insurance will probably not cover water damage from rivers so if in doubt find another route.

Where To Park?

It’s illegal to park wherever you fancy overnight. You need to have written permission from who owns the land. Consequently, its best to plan ahead where you will stay on your Iceland camper van adventure. Although many have chanced it hoping to be tucked out of sight in the more remote and wild areas of Iceland. But is it worth the risk of a large fine?

Campsites are generally open from May to September during the warmer months of the year. Some of the more remote campsites are open even less for just three months between June and August. Outside of these dates the toilets and shower facilities will be locked up.

Some campsites have quite poor reviews so do your research before setting off to make sure the facilities offer what you need and they don’t have dirty bathrooms.

Sights To See On Your Iceland Camper Van Adventure

Below are some of the sights you might like to see when on your Iceland camper van adventure.

Whale Watching

If you want to go whale watching park up in Húsavík when on your Iceland camper van adventure. Then book a trip with Húsavík Adventures so you can catch the RIB speedboat to do a whale safari. They only seat 12 passengers so you get amazing views of the whales. Expect to pay about £120 per person (aged 15 and above). It works out quite expensive for a family, but the memories will last a lifetime. Plus, you will also see puffins, porpoise and dolphins, not just whales during the two hour tour which is a welcome bonus.

Seljalandsfoss

You must see this incredible 200ft waterfall. Pack a change of clothes as you can get quite wet! This natural attraction does get very busy with crowds so aim to arrive early or late at night.

Siglufjörður

This is a small fishing town and very picturesque, so a must visit on any Iceland camper van adventure. Whilst in town make sure you check out the herring museum. According to TripAdvisor you might have expected a museum about herrings to be dull but its “lively, well-designed and very informative”.

If you visit in July, you can also enjoy the Siglufjörður musical festival. But if you cannot make that month, you can still appreciate the Folk Music museum which brings Icelandic folk music to life. You can enjoy the demonstrations of musical instruments you might never have seen before. Plus, entrance is included as part of your visit to the herring museum, so no excuses not to see what it has to offer.

Blue Lagoon

A Iceland camper van adventure would not be complete without visiting Blue Lagoon to enjoy its soothing therapeutic waters. It’s the most well known of all the hot springs in Iceland. The town of Grindavík is ideal to stay overnight before visiting the Blue Lagoon.

Reykjavík

Make sure you also visit Reykjavík whilst you are in the area. It is the capital of Iceland and is a city full of life. Some must see attractions include the beautiful Hallgrimskirkja church which is the largest in Iceland and the Perlan museum which offers an indoor ice cave, a volcano show and lots of interactive displays.

Northern Lights

You will be glad you choose a Cozy Campers highland camper for the sky roof when your on your Iceland camper van adventure. You can lay back and enjoy the Northern Lights warm and comfy in your camper van. March and September are considered the best months to see them. Laugarvatn is an hour drive from Reykjavik and offers some of the best views of the Northern Lights.

Conclusion

A camper van really is a great way to travel the world on a budget and now you have a few ideas for your Iceland camper van adventure. All that is left for me to say is enjoy your trip! If you have any other must see attractions or advice to share, please leave a comment below.