I am an Icelander and I really appreciate this video; especially the safety part of it. It is extremely important. It is so sad when our visitors come to harm. Be prepared and please be careful.
Someone told me the Icelandic language is the most complex and difficult language HANDS DOWN., I also heard about a man who is called a Savante - kinda like Rain Man. He was challenged to go to Iceland by the local university and show how fast he could learn it. This is unbelivable but apparently true: He learned to speak Icelandic fluently in TWO WEEKS. I need to know if this is true!!!
Iceland does not need to be expensive. Guesthouses are reasonable. lunch at a bakery. All you can eat soup and bread is 11 dollars. Dinner is a sandwich and a side. Breakfast is at your guesthouse. My wife and I will be going to Iceland for our 7 th trip. Do get a 4 wheel drive car even if you do not go on any f roads. A lot of roads in Iceland not paved. I will be in Iceland 10 weeks and my wife 4 and then my brother. Group travel is more fun. My plan is that if there is a road and you do not know where it goes take it. Be surprised. It is often worth the extra time. Get away for the capital area. I can go for 20 or 30 minuets without seeing another car away from the city. A lot of bridges and tunnels are one lane. Be polite as others in Iceland are. If you can get out of the car and hike. My longest hike lasted 12 hours and it was a tour. And is was the most difficult hike that I ever took. But it was worth every second. Enjoy. Ben
I just went ahead and looked at their online menus for restaurants. I'd say most restaurants are about 1.5x the price of my location. Good ball park estimate. Also as in most European countries tipping isn't really expected but a compliment unlike the US where it's expected, so that changes the overall price, too.
hi, Ben, you reccomend 4x4 at all times? My plan is to visit Dettifoss from Reykyavik, and then vik and Hekla and also those peninsular she mentioned in the vide- do i really need a 4x4? i am only going to saty on the main roads :)
I am leaving for my first trip to Iceland on Monday and so I have been watching your videos all day today to prepare! Thanks for making your videos so fun and informative. Much appreciation coming from Seattle!
I leave for my trip September 16th. We will be there for 8 days. We are still trying to figure out how we want to spend our time. Thanks for all the videos!
Jeannie, I just returned from an eight-day stay in Iceland and cannot tell you how vital your videos were in helping me plan and ultimately enjoy my stay. Thank you for your good work here! I had a blast (though I would definitely not recommend the Blue Lagoon unless you are of a certain age--old--heh heh).
I just found your channel by chance and am totally a fan now! Your passion is so inspiring. Thank you for loving what you love and for sharing that with the world.
Can you rent a camper van and then if one day you want to experience a hotel or specific guest house, also do it ? Like drive up to the accomodation in your camper and stay over night? Also what is better a camper or a motorhome???
Of course! Sometimes a girl just needs to sleep in a real bed! Parking your campervan at a hotel/guesthouse should be NO problem. Regarding a campervan or a motorhome... it depends on your preference and experience with both. A campervan is easier to drive because it is generally smaller and narrower but it's also less equipped with comfort stuff.
@@IcelandwithaView Can you drive up to Reykjavik and explore the city with a campervan? Like, for example, let's say it is my first day in Iceland i pick up my camper and I head over to the city to explore it. Can I park my van at the local city parking lot to explore the shops without getting a ticket or even visit the blue lagoon and park it at the parking lot while I am i finish my blue lagoon visit? Also, I searched happy campers for our time there and most campers are all booked, is there another local company that is comparable to happy campers that you would recommend and use yourself? Do you recommend buying the camper card site ahead of time or just paying right there and then when you get to the campsite? Also, I am traveling the very last week of April into the first week of May, do you think I should rent a 4x4 camper or a FWD would be just fine? I ask because you said in some of your videos that the weather can be unpredictable and that we could experience ice and snow, in that case wouldn`t it be safer to get a 4x4 camper ? I appreciate your experience and responses !!! Thanks in advance!!!
Hi there! Yes! Check out my website where you can browse all sorts of video topics, blogs, packing lists, and I've also got guidebooks+digital maps, pre-written itineraries, and custom itinerary planning services ~ icelandwithaview.com/ ~ Start here with my video about how to plan a trip to Iceland with kids: icelandwithaview.com/iceland-kids/
We are planning a 7 days trip to Iceland at the end of May beginning of June and will be covering the south of Reijavik. We rented a car and booked the hotels, except of for one day that we are still undecided if we should go to the Islands or the highlands or to the west. Questions : 1) what would be best to do on that extra day: west. Highlands or the Islands, 2) do we need to make reservations to go the touristic attractions ? 3) Alhough we feel comfortable driving ourselves ( a private tour was way too expensive) , we would like to hire a tour guide when visit the attractions to learn about each place. Is it possible to hire a tour guide even when we do not need the transportation? and if so how do we do it?
Hi Daisy! I'll try to be concise in answering all of your questions but you may find A LOT of helpful information (and more!) on my website ~ icelandwithaview.com ~ 1) My recommendation is West Iceland: Hraunfossar, Barnafossar, Into the Glacier, Krauma Spa // 2) You do not need reservations for many of the tourist attractions, however, you will need reservations for certain restaurants/dining experiences, lagoons, and tours/excursions (like glacier hiking, ice caving, horse riding) // 3) I am not aware of any tour guides that will meet you on site for general sight seeing, however, you can book a walking tour of Reykjavik with a guide, and you'll have a guide for excursions (like glacier hiking, ice caving, horse riding). Guides for places like the Golden Circle and the South Coast are usually only provided when you book a day trip with pick-up in Reykjavik // You can browse and book tours here: icelandwithaview.tourdesk.is/Tour
I love your videos. Sometimes they are more entertaining than regular TV. I may be watching too much though. I'm a Physical Therapist and I've been noticing that more and more when I start someone's treatment I'm saying "Let's get into it".
I so wish I'd seen this video before going to Iceland last week--great tips! My biggest complaint of my whole experience is that there was NO SIGNAGE that we saw warning travelers that that downed WWII aircraft was nearly two miles away from the parking lot. And I realize this is a very minor complaint. I loved Iceland! But such a long hike in such a freezing cold and windy remote landscape could be very dangerous.
There is probably no signage since you were trespassing on somebodies land and every now and again there are news about the landowner trying to close of the area for trespassers (tourists) and it is always ripped down again.
I was recently there and the lot and gate are definitely deliberate. I also remember seeing one or two signs indicating distance/walking time, but they were easy to miss. From the reading I did, I learned that the road used to go all the way to the wreck, but in an attempt to help preserve the landscape the landowner setup the lot by the road and turned the old road into a walking path. Inconvenient, but preservation often is.
We are going at the end of July. We have 3 nights in Reykjavik. One day is at the volcanic spa. What else would you suggest? Thank you for your videos!
This was very informative, not really understanding the criticism. I visited Iceland this past May. We did it on a budget, rented a reasonable priced airbnb. Cooked all of our meals, brought groceries in a carry on bag to save in cost. We packed sandwiches everywhere we went. (People take your garbage with you and dispose of it properly! ) I could not afford to rent a 4 wheel drive, a tiny little car took us around the Golden Circle, no problem at all. They tried to sell is sand and ash insurance in May, not needed. Do your research. With regards to safety, we drove quite a bit to visit a black sand beach that was closed 😕 we then looked up some videos on RU-vid. My goodness, some of those beaches can be dangerous!
I am in the process of planning our first trip to Iceland in March 2020. I have used your fun videos to educate myself and my whole family. I would like to celebrate your subscriber accomplishment by receiving an ebook! By the way, tomorrow is my birthday soooo your ebook would be a wonderful present. Just a suggestion
Re: the difficulty of language, I'll take no issue with you BUT, have you taken the time to learn any songs? (Just a dozen or so. Learned by cold muscle memory, even before you know what they mean.) The right choices (ask a local) can probably give you tons of recombinable sentences with all the grammar built in already. Once you know 'em, you can mix-n-match them with any new vocabulary you learn. And, of course, if you get them right off records -- and use your ears more than your eyes -- you'll get close to all the odd sounds without converting from what you [think you] know already. It might not work for everyone, but every opera singer I know (and I know a few) can manage in Italy, Germany and often France or Russia, since they've usually done a whole show or two in one of those languages. It worked for me as a kid, too. I'd love to take a ukulele to a bar where there's a band playing, and ask the members to teach me a lullabye. It might even have a recognizable melody, since it's west European, and melodies travel fast and easily. Good substrate to lay your words over. If you never tried it, give it a shot and let us know how it went. On the money front: is there any talk of Bitcoin there?
Hello. Ever since I heard about the famous Aurora Borealis, I was then 15 years old. I really wanted to visit Iceland! Even just a day. It's the most expensive country, but still hoping for a future in Iceland!
Someone told me the Icelandic language is the most complex and difficult language HANDS DOWN., I also heard about a man who is called a Savante - kinda like Rain Man. He was challenged to go to Iceland by the local university and show how fast he could learn it. This is unbelivable but apparently true: He learned to speak Icelandic fluently in TWO WEEKS. I need to know if this is true!!!
Hoping to come to Iceland this November (first holiday abroad :) ) how is everything at the moment with covid? Also is there somewhere to hire a car in Reykjavik City Airport? Thank you from North Wales xx
Fantastic and helpful stuff! I am planning to cycle in Iceland starting at the end of May and for one month. My question is about camping. I will be bringing my own tent but to be honest I am reluctant about booking a camping spot ahead of time in case I cannot cycle to the intended campground. Can you tell me whether campgrounds typically have space for cyclists there without reservations?
I plan to come but my plans may be greatly affected by the fact I'm almost certainly gonna be on my own and have a visual impairment. Then it's trying to pick the right time to go and do what I want to see and see the northern lights.
The number 1 thing you need to know is that the prices are nuts for some things...most things and good for others. I was sorta left wondering what sort of salaries Icelanders take home cause it must be pretty nice given the cost of living.
Hello! My husband and I are planning on camping around Iceland in September. Do you have any camping tips or apps you could share with us? This is our first time traveling to Iceland.
Im planning to take the ferry and bring my own car for an iceland roadtrip! Are most cars suitable for Iceland? Or does it require some specific things
Just got back on Tuesday. My friend and I went to the store, and got breads, cheeses, some fruit, skyr, and chocolate. We used this to eat lunch and snacks, and once dinner. By the time we got back, I spent about $600 for food (a couple meals for two, and a few meals also for one), souvenirs (I easily spent about $150 for small gifts for the family), and entrance for two into Blue Lagoon (@ 7pm- comfort package)...this was for about a week. We did try to stay at places that included breakfast. I was pretty surprised I didn't spend more, but we spent most of our time hiking and not near a lot of restaurants.
Not sure where you’re getting your sources on: Icelandic being in the top 5 hardest languages and Reykjavík being the most expensive city - but you should provide sources for this kind of info.
Good Information. Thanks I’m going to Iceland for the first for Mother’s Day weekend from Thursday-Thursday. I’m trying to figure out what type of clothes to take with me. I’m meeting my sister who’s from San Diego and I’m traveling from Memphis TN.
Hi Jeannie! I don't know Icelandic language, but to explain the double L, do you remember Sid the Sloth in the animated movie Ice Age? Shid the Shlothsh. That's what the double L reminds me of. :) Hope that helps some people!
Hi, I am planning a trip to Iceland right after Christmas '18. Realistically, how far can you drive in a few hours during the winter? I have a basic itinerary planned, and the distances do not seem that far apart (1-2 hours) , and what services are open on new years eve, New Years Day and so on?
Hey, I have got a question: I am going to travel iceland for 3 weeks without a car, only my backpack and I. So I am dependent from public bus trafic. Is it possible to do the ring road by public bus transport and hopping from station to station? Thanks a lot, your videos really helped me. :)
Hi I'm travelling to iceland for the first time in December (14th for 3 nights) I've been watching your videos and they are amazing and so helpful. My question is given that there is only 4 hours of daylight at the time I'm visiting what tours would you recommend. So far I've got northern lights and golden circle tour and south beach (vik) and like the idea of visiting an ice cave. Would there be any point in visiting the ice caves when it's dark? (During the daytime) due to the long periods of darkness? If you could recommend anything else that would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Jeannie, Is there any coach service in Iceland. In UK we have National express which is a coach service runing between the "big" cities. Is this something I can find in Iceland, please?
Thank you so much for all the info I’m bringing my best friend there in two weeks exactly for vacation for a week and you’ve been very helpful can’t wait to see the beauty and for the culture exposure😄
One day I hope to visit Iceland -- So many natural wonders! I've been reading the Poetic Edda, and am fascinated by Norse Mythology, I hope to find a destination where like-minded people gather to experience the old ways. Listen to story tellers. I would imagine there must be a "Viking mead hall somewhere on the island. On a side note, you're very beautiful :)
Thank you for the information Jeannie!! Me and my best friend are visiting Iceland in October for a week and a half, and we are staying in Hafnarfjörður!! Your videos are definitely going to be helping us!
Good question! I suppose it's matter of perspective, some travelers may find it expensive, some may not. I'm sure it mostly depends on what you are accustomed to.
The volcanoes it's like you know before volcano and it's child in the news then everyone knows and yeah it's like that so you don't need to worry about it but yeah it's true it's really much of a waterfalls and yeah you need to be careful about them but you don't need to worry about the volcanoes but yeah it's true what you're saying but yeah
Thanks for the sweet video! We're heading to Iceland in two days and we're very excited to experience it for the first time. Love the tip about water. My husband is a water snob 😂 It sounds like he's gonna love it there!
I actually disagree with the point to plan ahead. Especially because Iceland is so unpredictable. You never no what's coming up next, whether you will be stuck in a snowstorm or just spent more time at a certain place than you plannend beforehand. So it is good not to plan that much to be flexible. And as far as I experiencend (I am German, lived in Iceland for 1 year and was traveling a lot) it is so easy to find an accomodation in Iceland and get from A to B, because Icelanders don't like to plan as well. They depent more on the weather and nature than any other country I'd say, so you really have to be flexible and spontaneous in Iceland. Of course, you should look a little bit how far you want to travel each day and in which area you want to stay, but it's best to book your accomodation in the morning and just get there in the evening, because you can check the road conditions and weather forecasts in the morning so you can plan a little bit how far you can go. If you plan weeks or months ahead your plan will mostly not work. And now what an Icelander would say: ÞETTA REDDAST (It will work out!)
Thank you for your input! I definitely disagree with you, I have seen accommodations sold out in main tourist areas and others charging 5x the normal amount because they are in such high demand. It has nothing to do with the Icelanders not planning ahead, it has to do with the amount of people traveling to Iceland vs. the availability of places to stay.
OMG, I LOVE your channel! Your unbridled enthusiasm is making ME want to move to Iceland! Got interested bc ex-gf is Icelandic. Ironically, she's never been there, hah! Rock on, mon amie nouveau :)
Ahhahaahah Iceland is one of the safest country in the world, if someone dies in Iceland every body knows and everyone gets shocked and sad, yeah Iceland has some dangerous things in the nature but the people here i mean you can totally trust them .if you are 13 year old you can be outside alone in most places and be outside when it’s night
Silly me. I just started the video again and the lady says that Icelandic is in the top five most complex and difficult languages to learn., From what I have heard the "timber" and correct annunciation of vowels etc. has to be super-correct or you might be telling someone to go to hell in a handbag when you meant to say: Hello, greetings from heaven. I love Iceland.
Is it possible to do the ring road without a 4WD? And we also want to go to „little island“ (kirkjuefell) and this is not the route nr. 1 (I think its nr 54 & nr 56) and I can‘t really find any information. Can we drive this route with a 2WD? thx for al the tips😊
You don´t need 4WD to drive the ring road, only if you are driving off road and driving off road is illegal anyway. Kirkjufell is in the northern part of Snæfellsnes and there is a fine road to there (don´t know what little island is referring to since Kirkjufell means Church mountain in einglish).
Love your blog and already used the discount code to book a Blue Car Rental for the summer trip. Is it possible to fill up water at the gas station? I heard from travellers who've been Iceland that after Vík one should buy bottled water as the gas stations are mostly unmanned from that point onward. Where else can you fill up water apart from before you leave your last accommodation? We won't be doing much hiking as it's only about 3-day trip.
It is true that most fuel stations will be just a pump. Some gas stations will have water to fill up, but there are SO many streams that you will see - so pull completely off the road and fill up in a stream!
It would be very helpful to the nature preservation if you could make a video of the dos and don'ts of icelandic nature for example about off-road driving and the moss. It's always very sad to hear about when people rip out ,,send nudes" in the moss or something along those lines. (To those that don't understand - we treasure our moss and it takes a long time to grow)
