10 things to know before travelling to Iceland

Yes I am back..From one of the most iconic trips of my life. I mean a place as spectacular as Iceland. Grumbling glaciers with snow capped mountains mixed with active volcanoes and a landscape that takes you back to Jurassic era.....My brain is still trying to catch up with my eyes to process the beauty of this island. While we had tried planning everything (or we thought we did), there were still many twists and turns.

And as there is so much to share I thought it would be best to kick off the series on Iceland by starting off with a list of things that will help you plan your travel to Iceland. Oh trust me if you are thinking, "Who goes to Iceland? I am never going there." You will change your mind after reading this post. Here are the 10 things to know before travelling to Iceland.

1. Unpredictable weather and Crazy windy

If you want to be certain about one thing about Iceland, that would be Iceland's weather is very very very unpredictable. No matter which time of the year you go you must have waterproof, wind proof as well as warm clothes. From blue skies to pouring rains, the temperature drops really fast so definitely layering is the way to go . Add wind to this equation for which you must have ear and head protection. Iceland is beautiful and you must be adequately equipped to keep up with changing weather conditions in order to enjoy the landscape.

Quick Tip : Layer up yourself to keep pace with changing weather. Waterproof jackets and gloves are a complete must for a trip to Iceland.

2. Car rental and gas are expensive

Driving is the way to enjoy this island. There is nothing as just one scenic drive, the whole island is so beautiful that you will want to drive and stop on every turn. There are many car rental companies at airport itself. However, I will advice to pre-book the car and depending on your points of interests, do check with the rental companies if your car is fit to go on F- roads. Also, in Iceland automatic cars are expensive than manual ones , so pick wisely. Gas indeed is very expensive in Iceland around $2 per liter. But there is nothing you can do about it but adjust your trip budget accordingly.

Quick Tip : Do not compromise on car insurance. The kind of stories I have heard about Iceland a good insurance will always help..

3. Do not forget to bring GPS 

It is very tough to understand Icelandic road signs and hence next to impossible to navigate on your own. You must bring GPS with you or be ready to spend more money while renting a car with GPS. It costs around 8$ per day for renting a GPS and in my experience their GPS are quite useless.

Quick Tip : If you use a smart-phone, buy an Icelandic mobile sim card to access Iceland’s 3G network which is extremely helpful since it works even in the most remote areas. For all my American readers, I have never been more happy to switch to T mobile as it gives unlimited data and text for free in Iceland. 

4. Use Credit card almost everywhere

Almost all the shops and restaurants in Iceland have credit card machines, so  do not fret about having to exchange your money for Krónas. Even in remotest of areas , paying by card is not an issue. It will still not harm to carry 10 -20 $ worth of Kronas  as you might need them for some parking meters or vending machines.

Quick Tip: In Iceland, they use a chip on the credit card with 4 digit pin number. if you are going to be driving in the country side the self service gas stations will require a pin number so do check with your credit card company at home. 

5. Iceland's water stinks

The water in Iceland is heated by geothermal energy and hence the hot water coming from the faucets smells like sulfur.  And when i say smell I really mean it stinks. Regardless, the water is completely clean and actually good for skin. I could not pass through the smell, so ended up buying drinking water from store, but if you can ignore the smell, its completely safe to drink tap water.

Quick Tip: "Bonus" is the best budget store chain in Iceland .I will advise to buy and stock up water from these budget stores.  For more information on food shopping in Iceland use this link 

6. Days are very long in Summer

For me atleast, I was very fascinated that it never got pitch dark at night in Iceland(in month of May). As good it was for our prolonged outings . it was very misleading too since before you could realize the time , most of the restaurants would be closed already. In fact many stores close at around 6 pm even on weekdays. So unless you have backup for dinner like stocking up from local stores, I will advise to always keep an eye on time.

Quick Tip :Most of the restaurants close by 9 pm so plan your outings accordingly. 

7. Free attractions no fees

Almost all the attractions in Iceland are free,(ofcourse minus blue lagoon , the guided tours etc..). Entry to geysers, national parks , glaciers etc.. everything is free. There would be some places where you might need to pay parking fees but that is very rare.

Quick Tip : If you plan to do any tours , do book in advance.  

8. Visa Requirements

Iceland is one of Shengen states so if you have Shengen visa .. you are good to go.. For all my American readers, you do not need visitor's visa with US passport. For my fellow Indians in US, getting Iceland visa is a bit tricky as you get it from Denmark Embassy. Denmark has made bio-metrics compulsory so you need to go physically  for fingerprinting.  You can find more information on visa here.

9. Your safety is in your hands

Unlike many other countries which completely mark the boundaries of attractions, most of Icelandic attractions are unguarded without any rails. Its really your judgement call as to how close you can get to some waterfalls or cliff edges. Also do not pull over or stop by at just any point to take pictures. The roads are narrow and off-roading is illegal in Iceland. Specially because the landscape is fragile, and can take decades to recover from the ruts made by a tire.

10. No need for tipping

"TO Tip" is not Icelandic culture. Most of the times it will be included in your bill. Neither do you need to tip in restaurants nor in cabs as its always included in the total.

I hope these tips and tricks help you to plan your trip to Iceland. My series on Iceland will continue with itinerary details, major attractions and some hidden jewels that I found on my trip. If you missed seeing some of my pictures that I shared on Instagram from Iceland, you can find them using #SayHeloIceland. Stay tuned to see best of the locations from Iceland in my upcoming posts. Thank you for stopping by.