As we came into land at Keflavik airport we could see the breathtaking scenery that we were about to explore. After getting our excitement under control we made our way from Keflavik to Iceland’s capital Reykjavik where we would pick up our VW camper.
The camper was perfect for the two of us; it came equipped with everything necessary to make our dream of travelling around Iceland as fantastic as possible. When we arrived to pick the VW camper up we were greeted very warmly by the staff they were absolutely fantastic. They explained everything to us from what our insurance covered to where the pots and pans were stored.
Obviously we had our doubts about the camper and whether it would meet our needs and I can say that not only did it meet our needs it truly exceeded them. Our biggest question we had prior to picking up the camper was would we be able to keep us warm during the harsh winter nights of Iceland. To answer that question it’s a BIG simple yes the camper was fitted with two batteries one which powered the overnight heater and the ice box to keep all fresh food cold and to keep us both cosy and warm during the nights. Overall the camper was perfect better than we could have imagined we would definitely recommend travelling around Iceland in the camper so much so we want to do it again.
So we had picked up our camper we had stocked up on food and water and now it was time to explore. Our aim was to travel along route one starting in Reykjavik and finishing back in the capital.
We decided to head north first on our journey along Route One, which meant our first stop was Goðafoss waterfall. This was one of the best sights we had ever seen, simply breathtaking. The waterfall was flowing with parts frozen and the rest covered in snow. Goðafoss Waterfall must be one of the top things on your list. The waterfall itself was magnificently huge leaving us speechless and eager to see more.
As we explored during the day and traveled at night it gave us the opportunity of seeing the Northern lights while driving along. We pulled over to the side of the road when we could to get a picture however the picture isn’t the best Northern lights that we saw however, its still amazing and again is something that really has to be on your bucket list even though there is no guarantee of seeing them. Not only were the northern lights mesmerizing so were the stars so even if you don’t see the Northern Lights the sky itself is worth seeing. To maximize your chances you need to search where there is no light pollution and a night when the sky is clear.
Next on our travels along Route one we made a stop at the abandoned United States Navy DC plane. It was nighttime when we reached our destination so we took a 40-minute walk out to the beach where the plane was situated. Once we reached our destination using our phone lights to look around we found the plane, our visibility was somewhat limited due to the darkness however, we all felt that it added to the experience and made it all the more fascinating.
Our only problem was trying to get photos of the plane but we all would recommend doing it in the dark to get a different feeling and a brilliant experience. It really is a must see night or day.
After all our traveling and exploring so far we thought we deserved a spa day, however this wasn’t going to be any old spa day this was an Iceland spa day! Our first taste of the nature baths in Iceland came at the Mývatn Nature Baths. Out of the three baths we visited on our trip we all agreed that this one was our favorite. Mývatn Nature Baths had the most natural feeling including its surroundings and the water its self it truly was a surreal experience. Our bodies were kept cozy and warm by the water and our hair frozen by the cold Icelandic wind, we could have spent hours in here however we had more exploring to do!
Next stop Glacier lagoon, this was one of our top priorities when putting together a list of places we wanted to visit. We arrived in some of the worst weather conditions we had seen however our trusty VW camper van had no troubles and kept us safe and warm.
Before arriving we weren’t too sure what to expect our expectations were very high and when we arrived we were not left disappointed that’s for sure. As we were exploring the glaciers as safety allowed we noticed something in the water, this was our first real site of wildlife in Iceland as its not known for its wildlife! It turned out it was a friendly seal that popped his head up to say hello and give us all another fantastically unforgettable experience. The icebergs themselves were massive and it was a unique experience there aren’t many places in the world you can see such a sight. We would recommend this to anyone who wants to go to Iceland; there was a cozy cabin too, which served hot food and drink.
One of the must do things when visiting Iceland is to see as many of the waterfalls as time allows.
As I mentioned earlier about how breathtaking the Goðafoss waterfall was it didn’t stop at that, we saw many others and we didn’t see all of the ones we wanted to but you can spend your entire trip searching and visiting waterfalls the list is endless. I have attached some of the ones we visited on our trip, my personal favorite if I had to chose was the waterfall in the cave this was like something out of a movie it really was something special and no picture will ever do it justice.
The final waterfall picture was the sight we woke up to one morning, this is when it hit home that we really wanted to do more traveling and that there is truly no better way of visiting Iceland than doing it in a camper.
There are many campsites in Iceland where you can stay for the night they all have good facilities however during the winter months you need to check they are open but there are plenty to chose from again making the experience of staying in the VW camper an even greater experience.
Next on our list was to visit a volcano, and what a fantastic experience this was. We never really knew what to expect and to be honest this was on our list because if you’re visiting Iceland you have to see a volcano.
Well, we were extremely delighted that we had this idea, when we arrived I think we were all left speechless and were all very much taken back by what we saw. The volcano was bigger than we could ever had imagined, not to mention the base of the volcano was frozen over and the snow up the sides of the volcano made it a very picturesque place to visit. If you’re of the same mindset we were then please visit Kerið Crater I promise you now you will not regret it. Last but not least was our visit to probably one of the most famous places in Iceland and that’s the Blue Lagoon. We found that this was a busy tourist attraction however this didn’t take away the special unique feeling you got when arriving at the blue lagoon. Before we went into the baths we had a quick look around the outside where the water was baby
Blue and this too was a magnificent sight itself. We posed for some more unconventional photos before heading into the blue lagoon itself for our swim and face masks. An incredible experience again and complimentary face masks topped it off. It was difficult to get clear photos once in the baths because of the steam rising from the naturally heated water. After our bath we felt so much more relaxed and our skin felt clean and smoother. Even though it was busy we would definitely recommend going however if you were only able to attend more natural baths the personally we would recommend you visit Mývatn not only is this cheaper but you get a more natural experience as mentioned earlier.
The list of photos and experiences could go on we had the best time and really would love to experience it again both in winter and summer. The camper was fantastic, spacious and safe. We would recommend the company too they were very helpful any questions we had they had an answer for us, they explained and helped us with everything even offered us guidance on the route we had decided. If you are still trying to make up your mind about visiting Iceland don’t wait just do it you won’t regret it.
Read more: Camper Van Winter trip to the Golden Circle & southeast Iceland
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