Should I rent a campervan?

Renting a car is absolutely a must to travel around Iceland (unless you are joining a bus tour group). There are a lot of things to consider when deciding on campervan vs. a regular rental car.

GENERAL NOTES

When choosing a rental company and/or van itself, look for a few things:

Regular vs. 4x4. If you are planning to stay on main roads and go to major tourist attractions, a regular camper will get where you need to go. If you are adventurous and plan to go off-road into remote areas, you might want to consider a 4x4. We got a regular campervan, and we were good! If you do not have a 4x4 and see a sign for F-roads, your campervan is not allowed on that road. 

Insurance. We opted for insurance, as you never know what to expect. If you are getting a 4x4 or planning to drive through water, insurance is a must. A note that insurance will not cover water damage or wind damage to doors. 

Camping. Iceland is very strict about overnight stays in designated areas. You are not allowed to pull into a parking lot to stay for the night. As you are traveling, make sure that you find a campsite that will be near you for the night. Campsites are "first-come, first-serve." A reservation is not required. There are two main websites/apps to download for finding campsites.

Materials. When renting a camper, review the “included” list to see what is offered with the van. Some that were a must: pots/pans, stove with with gas, utensils, sleeping bags, space heater (it gets cold at night), electrical cable. Some items we got for an extra fee: wifi hotspot, towels, converter (Iceland’s electrical outlets are different from the US). 

PROS of Renting a Campervan

1. Reliability. Iceland = driving...A LOT. There are so many different regions of Iceland (i.e. Golden Circle, South, Southeast, North). Whatever area you choose to explore, there will be a decent amount of driving involved. In an average day (i.e. that is, if we were staying within a region), we drove approximately 1.5-2 hours. Most roads will be main and paved; however, occasionally, you will run into some gravel roads. In addition, due to Iceland's famously unpredictable weather, there are strong winds that could damage car doors. You want to make sure you have a strong and reliable vehicle that can handle rougher terrain and strong weather, which generally campervans can.

2. Freedom is the biggest advantage of renting a campervan. Without frequent hotel reservations and the ability to just show up at a campsite at any time to book a spot, you have the capacity to explore as much as you want. Just make sure you are near a campsite by the end of your trek!

   

3. Finances. When reviewing your choices of a campervan and campsites versus a rental car and hotel reservations, there is no comparison. Renting a campervan and staying at campsites will significantly reduce the costs on your trip. For example, a campsite in Iceland averages approximately $50-75/night whereas a hotel costs approximately $250-400/night. If you're wanting to save money, campervans are the way to go!

4. Everything is with you. If you're staying along the road, then all of your belongings are with you as well. This is a huge plus whether you encounter drastic changes in weather and need extra clothes or are starving and there are no restaurants around.

   
   

CONS of Renting a Campervan

1. Space. With your bedroom literally in your backseat, it's no secret that space is a little limited. You will have just enough room to sleep and store your belongings, but that's about it. If you are tall, you may hit your head on the roof occasionally. Luckily, I did not have that problem (i.e. short girl advantage).

   
   

2. Sharing. Be prepared to get to know each other...really well. In the campervan, alone time is not common unless you are showering or going to the bathroom. And even then, you are sharing those spaces with strangers.

   
   

3. Weather. As previously mentioned, Iceland is well-known for their unpredictable weather. One moment it is sunny and the next it is pouring rain, and you need another layer of clothing. You can feel these weather changes inside the van: hearing the thunder, being cold, having to go to the bathroom in the rain, etc. If the company you rent from offers a space heater, do it!

   
   

4. Food. If you're choosing to rent a campervan, you are also likely choosing to make your own food. This is great, as it is another way to save money, as eating out in Iceland can be very pricey. However, this does require more planning, and, obviously, you will have to take the time to make the food. When we grocery shopped, we expected to see camping food like dehydrated meals as they are super easy to make, but we didn't see any. Make sure when you shop and eat to eat plenty of protein and plenty of food in general. If your campervan has a cooler, go ahead and buy ice and use it. We chose not to, which we would change in the future, as it would've allowed us more variety of food.

   

After reviewing this list if you think van life is for you for a few days/weeks, go for it! You will not be sorry. It was one of the best decisions we made on our trip.

Purchase the "Guide to Iceland" for $10 to receive more information about van life, camping, and our 13-day itinerary that we followed.