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EuropeNatureNorthern LightsAdventure

Iceland

Volcanoes, glaciers and Northern Lights — Europe's most dramatic landscape on one island.

Northern Europe
🌌 Aurora Borealis🌋 Volcanoes♨️ Hot Springs🐋 Whale Watching

Backpacking Iceland

Iceland is expensive but it earns every penny. Nowhere else on earth can you stand between two tectonic plates, swim in a hot spring, watch the Northern Lights and hike on a glacier in the same 48 hours. The Ring Road (Route 1) is one of the world's great road trips.

£80–£130/day avg daily budget
Key Info
Króna (ISK)Icelandic (English universal)Type FDrive Right
Not customary — Iceland prices include service
Weather
Best: Jun–Aug (summer), Nov–Feb (Northern Lights)
Midnight Sun (Jun–Jul) — 24-hour daylight, all attractions open
Summer for waterfalls, hikes and puffins. Winter for aurora, ice caves and frozen landscapes.
Health
Tap water is some of the world's best — straight from glaciers
No vaccines required
Transport
Car hireStrætó busCampervan
✈️ KEF Keflavík (45 min bus to Reykjavík)
Car hire is essential outside Reykjavík. Campervans popular May–September.
Emergency
👮 Police112
🚑 Ambulance112
🔥 Fire112
The Highlights

8 Things to Do in Iceland

01
Drive the Ring Road (Route 1) — 1,332km full circuit takes 7–10 days
02
See the Northern Lights — best October–March, away from Reykjavík's light pollution
03
Bathe in the Secret Lagoon rather than the Blue Lagoon — same experience at a quarter of the price
04
Hike on a glacier with a guide — Sólheimajökull is accessible and extraordinary
05
Golden Circle day trip — Geysir, Gullfoss waterfall and Þingvellir national park
06
Whale watching from Húsavík — the best whale watching in Europe, humpbacks guaranteed
07
Ice cave tour in Vatnajökull glacier — blue ice caves only accessible October–March
08
Eat a hot dog from Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur in Reykjavík — Iceland's most famous street food
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Insider Knowledge

What Most Guides Don't Tell You About Iceland