What to take on a road trip to Iceland?

During the auto tour the group travels around Iceland in cars or minibuses and spends the night in equipped campsites. Living conditions on such a tour are more comfortable than on a hiking trip, but the climate in Iceland is very specific and therefore special attention should be paid to the choice of clothing and equipment. Well, or take a lot of money with you so that, if necessary, you can buy the missing jackets and sweaters here. Fortunately, there will be shops on our route regularly.

On the other hand, do not forget that space in the trunk of a car/minibus is limited. Usually we fill the trunk with things right up to the roof and we have to take something else under our feet. Therefore, you should not gain too much.

Equipment

Tent

Iceland is famous for its winds. When combined with rain, they can do a lot. Therefore, a tent for a trip to Iceland must be windproof and waterproof. The wind here is so strong that it can easily break the plastic arches. A tent with metal poles has a much better chance, but even in this case you can’t relax. Before the trip, be sure to check the presence of guy lines and pegs. Here you will need ALL the guys and ALL the pegs, even if you have never used them on other trips. But whether your tent has a “snow skirt” or “four-season capability” doesn’t really matter.

Sleeping bag

The minimum temperature you will encounter at night will be around +5 degrees. To feel normal and sleep peacefully, you will need a sleeping bag with a comfort temperature of about 0 degrees for men and about -5 for women. In short, take a winter sleeping bag - it won't be too hot.

Rug

In summer, the ground is not cold and there are no special requirements for rugs. Both inflatable and regular mattresses are suitable.

Backpack or suitcase

On a self-driving tour, you won’t have to move your luggage long distances - at most you will have to walk 50 meters from the parking lot to the tent. Therefore, it is not necessary to use a large hiking backpack. It is quite possible to fly to Iceland with a suitcase or sports bag. Just don’t take suitcases that are too monstrous in size on your trip. But a small city backpack (10-15 liters) can be useful on sightseeing trips. You can put a bottle of water, a raincoat, and a camera there.

Dishes

You definitely need: a spoon, a mug, a plate (deep bowl). In addition, you can take a knife and a thermos. There is no need to take pots and burners - the instructor handles them.

Cloth

Sneakers or boots

There will be no big tracks on the tour. We rarely move more than 2 kilometers from the car. As your main footwear, you can take boots (they are comfortable for walking in the rain) and sneakers (they are more comfortable for sitting in the car). Of course, waterproof trekking shoes with a membrane would be the most logical option. But even if you only have wet running sneakers with mesh, this won’t be a big problem, as it’s easy to dry them in the car. In any case, a change of socks would be a good idea :)

Shower slippers

Any flip-flops, flip-flops or Crocs will do. In addition to going to the shower, they can be used for relaxing in the evening at the campsite.

Waterproof jacket

When you're out of the car in Iceland, you'll spend 80% of your time wearing a jacket. It should protect from both wind and rain. The ideal option is a membrane jacket (Goretex, Precip, etc.) without much insulation. This jacket is easier to dry. But if you take a ski jacket with a warm lining, then there will be nothing wrong with that either. In any case, it's much better than a denim jacket or a leather jacket :)

Raincoat

Sometimes the rains here are so nasty that you want some extra protection (besides a waterproof jacket). This could be a plastic raincoat, a waterproof poncho, or even an umbrella (be careful in the wind).

Waterproof pants

You can do without them, but if you have them, be sure to take them. Waterproof pants make long walks in the rain much easier. The ideal option is self-release pants with zippers along the entire length. They can be quickly put on over regular trousers without taking off your shoes.

Thermal underwear

Any will do. You can sleep, walk and drive in it. If you don’t have thermal underwear yet, buy some average universal set (do not strive for extremely warm sets).

Fleece or sweater

Although you will not encounter frosts in Iceland and the temperature will be relatively constant (+10), this does not mean that you will not freeze. The hurricane-force wind very effectively cools even fully clothed tourists. Therefore, it would be wise not to limit yourself to one fleece, but to take something else for insulation: a warm vest, a light down jacket, etc.

Warm hat and gloves

Necessarily! You are going to the land of ice. Don't think about the flames yet :)

Swimming trunks/swimsuit and towel

Almost all campsites have hot showers. In addition, do not forget about hot springs and all sorts of baths like the Blue Lagoon. Instead of a regular terry towel, it is better to take a sports towel - made of microfiber. It will be much easier to dry it in the difficult Icelandic climate.

Electronics

Powerbank

Not all campsites have publicly accessible electrical outlets. And it’s scary to leave expensive equipment on such an outlet. It will be much safer to charge the power bank once every few days and use it to power phones and other small equipment.

Car charging (cigarette lighter)

The instructor always takes one such charge to power the navigator. But modern cars usually have 1-2 more sockets for the cigarette lighter, and if you have an adapter, you can completely use them to recharge your equipment.

Sim card with internet

Good Wi-Fi is only available in Reykjavik campsites. If the Internet is important to you, then stock up on a SIM card with an inexpensive tariff in advance (I use TravelSim)

Hairdryer

Sometimes girls take a hairdryer with them to Iceland. It is difficult for me to judge how justified this is. The fact is that finding a free outlet to connect a hair dryer may take longer than drying your hair naturally. But it's up to you.

The most important thing

good friend

Don't forget to invite your friends to Iceland. You will need their help to cope with the unbearable beauty and shocking hospitality of Iceland.

Payment card

Cash is not needed in Iceland. All services and purchases can and should be paid by credit card. It doesn't matter in what currency your card is opened. Just in case (you lose your card), you can take a second card or several hundred cash dollars/euros with you. In general, prices in Iceland are very high and therefore it is better to take money with a large reserve.

International passport

To cross the border, in addition to your passport, you may need a travel plan in English. We can send it to you. But in our case there cannot be any hotel reservations - campsites are basically impossible to book.

Driver license

If you have a license (regular plastic), then take it with you just in case. An instructor sits behind the wheel 90% of the time, but sometimes it is more convenient if there are several drivers in the group. Then it will be possible to independently go to the store, the baths, or to watch the sunrise.

Moisturizer

For unknown reasons, many tourists in Iceland experience dramatic drying and cracking of the skin on their hands. Therefore, a moisturizing and healing cream is more relevant here than sunscreen or mosquito repellent (they are not here)

Products

Breakfast and dinner are included in the tour price, and for lunch we usually buy from supermarkets. But if you wish, you can take with you several packs of freeze-dried camp food (instant soups and cereals in zip bags) and fill it with boiling water from a thermos at lunch.

Unnecessary

In my opinion, on this trip you will not need: trekking poles, gaiters, a bowler hat, a fishing rod, Icelandic crowns, T-shirts.

Kirill Yasko, July 26, 2018