Iceland - questions answered

After browsing through the excellent Copenhagen thread I thought about starting one for Iceland as well:

 

 

 

I'm a regular cruiser that lives in Reykjavik, Iceland and not affiliated with any tour companies. So if you have any questions about the Icelandic ports of call and surrounding attractions feel free to ask.

 

 

 

Main port: Reykjavik (Capital).

 

Secondary ports: Akureyri (largest town in the north of Iceland), Seydisfjordur (a small town on the east coast) and Isafjordur (a town in the rugged northwestern part of Iceland).

Hello,

We will be in port this August with 2 days in Reykjavik (8/28-29)and 2 days in Akureyri (8/30-31). We would love to see the northern lights while we are there. Knowing it is early in the season, do we have a chance of success if we book a night tour? Are our chances greater if we book the tour out of Akureyri? Do you know of a reputable tour company?

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Northern Lights tours in Iceland don't start until well into September due to the lack of dark skies at night.

see this link: https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/iceland/reykjavik?month=8&year=2017

It just never gets dark enough in August for you to be able to see Northern Lights in Iceland.

The most you will get is astronomical twilight the end of August, not full dark. Full dark doesn't start until several days into September and begins at 1:00am, ending at 2:00am approximately. I don't think there is much (any?) chance of northern lights.

Hello,

We will be in port this August with 2 days in Reykjavik (8/28-29)and 2 days in Akureyri (8/30-31). We would love to see the northern lights while we are there. Knowing it is early in the season, do we have a chance of success if we book a night tour? Are our chances greater if we book the tour out of Akureyri? Do you know of a reputable tour company?

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Sorry, but you won't be able to see the northern lights until late fall and winter. Summer is basically 24 hour daylight where it doesn't get much darker than twilight. I'd suggest checking out Trip Advisor for more info about tours and Iceland in general. Lots of helpful info from locals on their boards. :)

Hi, I'm a first time cruiser and will be in Reykjavik for 1.5 days (arrives in port 8am 17/9 and leaves port 4pm 18/9) and in Akureyri for approximately 7hours. The cruise excursions are super expensive and one excursion each (party of 2) for each day will cost roughly 600euro, so I'm trying to plan days out on our own. How feasible is it to see the key points on our own? I was thinking of renting a car in Reykjavic and doing the Golden Circle trip on one of the days, not sure what to do on the other day and in Akureyri, though. Any tips?

Sorry if this has been asked before, I'm kind of sneaking around at work and don't have time to go through 35 pages of questions :P

Thank you :)

With that much time you could feasibly rent a car and drive the south coast, see the glacier lagoon, spend the night along the south coast, then drive back. The south is much less crowded than the GC.

If you don't want to go so far afield, just google Iceland tours. You'll find plenty that will fill up that first day for you. ExtremeIceland, Goecco are two that come to mind. Many people like the Blue Lagoon. It's touristy, but I enjoyed it.

Hi, I'm a first time cruiser and will be in Reykjavik for 1.5 days (arrives in port 8am 17/9 and leaves port 4pm 18/9) and in Akureyri for approximately 7hours. The cruise excursions are super expensive and one excursion each (party of 2) for each day will cost roughly 600euro, so I'm trying to plan days out on our own. How feasible is it to see the key points on our own? I was thinking of renting a car in Reykjavic and doing the Golden Circle trip on one of the days, not sure what to do on the other day and in Akureyri, though. Any tips?

 

Thank you :)

Hi Aimee192,

It is very feasible. We have always rented a car and done independent touring in Iceland. We've had two stops in Akureyri where we did this, and two in Reykjavik.

I agree that the South is less crowded (from Reykjavik). The landscape is cool too. But the Golden Circle is iconic and if it's your first time it's hard to recommend something else. Just be prepared for crowds, and expect to see busloads of your fellow cruise passengers at all of the sites.

For Akureyri, we've had two pretty successful day trips. One shorter, one longer. The short one was Goðafoss, Myvatn, Dimmuborgir, then a few geothermal features (Viti, Hverarond). We didn't have enough time for everything on our list and we were a little disappointed.

The second trip was longer (we sailed at 11PM) so we had time to go further afield from Akureyri. We went to Husavik, then drove the north coast to see Oxarfjordur Bay and the Tjornes Peninsula. We then went south to Jökulsárgljúfur National Park, first stopping at Ásbyrgi canyon, then continuing on to the waterfalls Dettifoss, Selfoss, and Hafragilsfoss. After the falls we hiked Leirhnjúkur Crater in the Krafla Region, stopped for a very late lunch near Myvatn, and then hiked Hverfjall, a cool volcanic cone with a nice view of Lake Myvatn and Dimmuborgir. We were so efficient on that trip that we got back to Akureyri with time to spare, and had time for the Botanical Gardens before returning the rental car.

Rental cars in Akureyri are easy, now. When we were there in 2008, Hertz had to deliver the car from their airport office, but now (at least as of 2014) Europcar has a new "office" at the port. I say "office" because it's a shipping crate with a desk, but the cars are right there and you can pick up and drop off right at the dock. Reserve online, and they will have it ready for you when you arrive. If the office is closed up, go to the information center and the folks there will call Europcar to remind them.

In Reykjavik we did the Golden Circle (Thingvallar, Geysir, Gullfoss) on our first trip, and had some time left over for the view from the Perlan afterwards.

We did the Southern Coast on our second stop - spent time in Hafnarfjordur, went out to Gardskagi (lighthouses, near Keflavik), saw birds at the Hafnaberg Cliffs, stopped at the touristy "Bridge between two continents" for a photo op, saw the blowhole at Brumketil, stopped at the Blue Lagoon for photos (didn't go in; that was for a future trip), and then went further south for geothermal stuff (Seltun geologic region) where they have cool features like a green lake. We ended the day on the shores of a beautiful lake called Kleifarvatn. Lots of nice stuff to see in this area.

There were no car rental agencies convenient to the port in Reykjavik when we were there. In 2008, Hertz agreed to meet us at the port with our car. The second time in 2009, nobody would, so we walked into town and took a bus to Europcar. They did drive us back to the port when we brought the car back, however, so that helped. We probably could have taken buses into town but we wanted to walk the coast in the early morning to see the Viking ship statue along the way.

We have also ended a cruise in Reykjavik with a 4 day post-cruise stay in Iceland, but that time we went way north; too far for a day trip IMO. We have also visited Reykjavik in January, so we've seen a lot of the surrounding area. I think (obviously) that independent touring is the way to go in Iceland, if you are comfortable with that. The driving is easy and everything is well-marked. Have fun!

Any other questions, just ask.

There are two rental car agencies now directly at the cruise terminal (Skarfabakki) in Reykjavik now. I think one was Europcar but you can easily find out more by checking out the bis companies. As everything renting a car is not cheap in Iceland but neither are the shore excursions offered by Icelandic tour operators ( especially those in the North and West like Akureyri or Isafjordur) as well as meals and snacks . For the latter try to evade the huge tourist centers....

The cheapest meals and snacks are at the gas stations. Many of the N1 stations have full-fledged cafeterias with decent food, at (relativy) reasonable prices. That is, the prices will only make you raise an eyebrow...instead of making your head spin. We ate plenty of lunches there and saved a few ISK.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Forums mobile app

Stop and get a hot dog! Love them. They are unique to Iceland.

Wow, thank you all so much for the feedback! Wasn't expecting such a detailed and helpful response. I'm definitely convinced to go for it alone :) and I'm looking forward to it more than ever!

I posted this information in another thread but it's something that is probably useful for cruise passengers visiting Reykjavik:

 

--

 

I'd highly recommend walking from the port to the downtown area if you are fit enough. It is a designated walking path, not a pavement and should take about 20-30 minutes. You'll walk past several sites that you might otherwise miss: Hofdi, The Sun Voyager and Harpa.

 

When you get to Harpa (take a look inside it is a stunning building, especially the view on main stairway) just continue walking on the path on the harbour itself where you'll probably walk past the Icelandic "navy", some fishing boats, Hotel Marina, the dry dock and continue all the way to the best Icecream shop in Iceland, Valdis.

 

To return walk towards Kristkirkja and then towards Hallgrimskirkja through the downtown area. I'd recommend walking up Skolavordustigur for the best view of Hallgrimskirkja.

 

Then just get lost for a few hours, wander about and notice Reykjavik's main distinction from other capitals (apart from its small size): No two houses look the same.

Great tips, thanks!

For those who don't want to or can't walk that far, is there a shuttle service from the port to the downtown area and who operates it? Any costs involved?

We will be arriving on the Vision of the Sea at the end of August..can you tell me if there will be tours available as we get off the ship? Thanks in Advance Pam

If there's a tour you want to take, book it in advance. Most companies will pick you up at the pier. If you wait until arrival you won't be able to get anything special, you'll get one of the general siteseeing tours, which are spectacular, but may not be as cool as something else would be for you.

Hi. This thread is great - I've read quite a few pages, but not all of it. We are going to arrive by ship next August. We can disembark around 1pm and we leave around 3pm the following day. So we sort of have 2 days, but not 2 full days and I notice that many of the tours won't work with our schedule. I'd really appreciate any advice on the following:

1) How is the snorkeling at Silfra? We found tours that will combine that with the Golden Circle, but sadly they leave in the morning and don't arrive back until late afternoon or early evening. It's looking like we could either snorkel OR tour the Golden Circle (which we are leaning towards if we have to choose one or the other). Anyone have any specific GC tours they would recommend? Are some better than others? I found one that leaves in the afternoon, so we are leaning towards that one at this point, but still have lots of time to research.

2) Blue Lagoon - we are thinking of doing this on our 2nd day. Any specific tour operators that are better than others? Or should we just go by pricing/convenience?

Thanks!

2) Blue Lagoon - we are thinking of doing this on our 2nd day. Any specific tour operators that are better than others? Or should we just go by pricing/convenience?

I don’t think the tour operator matters since the Blue Lagoon charges a set price for admission, food, massages, etc. Find a tour company that looks good to you and go for it. However, I would definitely recommend getting an in-water massage (the only kind offered there). It was unlike any kind of massage I’ve ever had and I get deep tissue massages regularly. It was probably the best massage of my life. My sister also regularly gets massages at home and she thought it was the best ever. The massages sell out so you will definitely have to book a massage way ahead of time. Your tour operator, whomever you pick, can do that. We booked “Travelling Iceland: Blue Lagoon and Reykjanes moon like landscapes” thru http://www.mustsee.is in order to see both Reykjanes and the Blue Lagoon during an 8-hour tour.

Anyone have any specific GC tours they would recommend? Are some better than others? I found one that leaves in the afternoon, so we are leaning towards that one at this point, but still have lots of time to research

It is very easy to drive yourself in Iceland, and with the odd time constraints you have with the cruise, I would recommend renting a car and driving the GC yourself. That way you can go at your own pace and stay as long (or as little) as you'd like at each stop. It'll also give you the flexibility to take some detours along the way as well.

Agree that car rental and self-drive is the way to go. We've done it every time we've stopped there (3x).

Haven't dived in Silfra myself, but my siblings did it this past April, and really enjoyed it.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Forums mobile app

Self driving is easy, but we learned SO much about Iceland and the sites when we did our GC trip in a minivan. Much more than we possibly could have learned by reading the signs and websites.

We've got almost a month of self-driving in Iceland under our belts now, but that first visit with a good guide of the Golden Circle is what made us fall in love with the country and the people.

Thanks for all the great information! We are planning a trip to Iceland for about a week in late March, probably 6 to 8 nights. We’re thinking that isn’t enough time to do the ring road and so are thinking of renting a car and driving in the south and west. If we can get my 19 year old as an authorized driver we will be willing to drive more each day. We are trying to avoid group tours for cost reasons for 4 people, unless there’s something we really couldn’t do on our own or something unique.Unlike some visitors, we live in the American West and have traveled extensively here, so I’m looking to avoid things that will duplicate say Yellowstone. We would love to add some sites/experiences on history and culture. We love seeing wildlife. We enjoy thermal baths. We’re all game for short hikes to get somewhere but are trying to avoid scheduling half or full day hikes. With all that in mind, are there any places in the south and west that we should definitely include or exclude?

I will definitely research more on Tripadvisor but really enjoy the forums here.

Driving in Iceland in winter requires special skills. Skills that I found out I did not have after 30+ years of driving every day in New England winter weather. The winter winds they get there are ridiculous, and there are no guardrails, curbs, or trees or anything at the side of the road if you start to slide. And you will slide if you hit a storm.

We loved Iceland in the winter but will never ever plan a self drive there again between October and April.

Wow, that's really sobering. But of course appreciate the honesty. Sounds like you liked being there at that time of year, just not the driving?

I'm struggling because this is a dream trip for my husband and older son and they are sort of locked in to doing this trip then. But when I start to price tours it is just cost prohibitive for four, at least compared to trip our last summer in the Med.

I'll keep reflecting but thanks for your thoughts, Nitemare, and appreciate more from you or others.

Maybe we got lucky with the weather, but we drove around for 4 days in January 2011 without any issues. No guarantees, obviously, but we found the weather and the roads much more pleasant than back home. YMMV.

Definitely not discounting nitemare's advice or experience. Something I'll keep in mind as well, if we go back off season.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Forums mobile app

Check the Winter Driving threads on TripAdvisor. You'll find all the local Icelanders on that board recommending against self driving in the winter.

We had 4 good days out of 5, but that 5th day (actually the 4th of our 5 days) was brutal.

Multi day tours out of Reykjavik (2 day or 3 day) initially look very expensive, but they include lodging, breakfast, and Northern Lights searching at night in the price. It ends up working out to a relatively reasonable price, for Iceland. (Iceland is VERY expensive for everything except flights!)

Check the Winter Driving threads on TripAdvisor. You'll find all the local Icelanders on that board recommending against self driving in the winter.

 

We had 4 good days out of 5, but that 5th day (actually the 4th of our 5 days) was brutal.

 

Multi day tours out of Reykjavik (2 day or 3 day) initially look very expensive, but they include lodging, breakfast, and Northern Lights searching at night in the price. It ends up working out to a relatively reasonable price, for Iceland. (Iceland is VERY expensive for everything except flights!)

Thanks. I really do appreciate the candor. I may look into those tours, but when I read these messages to my husband, it confirmed what he had as a concern. I think we have decided to hope that we can go this year or next in late June, which is the other time that our schedules connect. We would like to go for a long weekend in winter sometime too, but I'm not sure that's this trip.