There’s something special about Iceland; its landscape, the Northern Lights, and geothermal energy, and it’s quite possible to explore this beautifully barren land on a budget if you plan correctly.
Most of the island is uninhabited wilderness, with the principle sites in the countryside rather than the city, so you’ll need to rent a car to appreciate the best bits of this Artic land. There’s no backpacker trail or dirt-cheap youth hostels, camping is the way to go.
Fortunately the Icelandic Krona gives a better exchange rate nowadays to the dollar, euro or pound and affordable campervan rental means to get do your own self-drive tour of the country, stopping where it suits you and camping in campsites or even public land.
From $160 a day you can rent a camper that is fully equipped for tenting it, or you can upgrade to a proper campervan if it’s likely to be rainy. This works for most of the summer, from April through to October.
Of course this is only feasible if you travel as a couple or in a group, but becomes very affordable if four enthusiastic and ‘happy’ campers share a Pajero kitted out for pitching tents and cooking. Supermarkets are found in each town as you loop around the island.
While Iceland has a reputation as being expensive, this isn’t entirely true. With some forward planning and a willingness to rough-it in nature, you’ll get to appreciate the best of it without exposing yourself to expensive hospitality, for example by renting a camper with CampEasy here: www.campeasy.com
Contact:
CampEasy
Smiðjuvegur 72, 200 Kópavogur, ICELAND
campeasy@campeasy.is