In the case of planning a visit to Iceland, a lot of the questions, recommendation, and advised itineraries focus on Iceland’s Ring Street. This highway – additionally known as Þjóðvegur 1 or just Route 1 – circles the whole nation of Iceland in 821.5 miles (about 1322 kilometers).
Driving the Ring Road (usually in a campervan) has turn out to be the accepted, quintessential method to see Iceland. It is what most individuals assume you “have” to do within the Land of Fireplace and Ice.
However do you actually HAVE to drive the Ring Street in Iceland to totally expertise or recognize the nation? No, completely not!
In reality, it wasn’t till my FOURTH journey to Iceland that I did a Ring Street journey of my very own. On my first 3 journeys to Iceland, I largely based mostly myself in Reykjavik, taking day journeys and brief (guided) in a single day journeys to locations just like the Golden Circle, inland glaciers, South Coast, Snaefellsnes Peninsula, and Blue Lagoon.
And whereas I did certainly LOVE my Iceland road trip, I beloved these different journeys, too. I firmly imagine you possibly can see a few of the greatest issues in Iceland with out ever needing to get behind the wheel of a automotive your self.
Causes to NOT Drive the Ring Street
Listed below are a couple of the reason why driving the Ring Street may NOT be an excellent match for you in Iceland!
1. You do not have a driver’s license
The obvious motive to not drive the Ring Street is that if you do not have a driver’s license in your house nation!
Iceland doesn’t require a global driver’s license to lease a automotive or drive there, however you do have to have a sound driver’s license from your own home nation will full driving privileges (that means permits will not work).
You additionally should be not less than 21 to lease a automotive in Iceland, which is necessary to know!
2. You do not imagine in rental automotive insurance coverage
Hear, I get it. I (knock on wooden) have by no means been in a severe automotive accident at house, and usually contemplate myself to be a protected driver. I’ve positively skipped costly rental automotive insurance coverage previously (particularly after I received a journey bank card that gives me rental automotive safety overseas).
However in Iceland, fundamental minimal automotive insurance coverage is required to lease a automotive. You may’t NOT pay for it (and no, it is not low-cost).
Iceland can also be in contrast to anyplace else you’ve got pushed. The weather are usually not merely *climate* in Iceland. The wind can gust so fiercely that it may actually rip off a automotive door or blow out a windshield. You even have to fret about injury from whipping sand, tires popping on tough roads, sheep site visitors jams, and extra. Lots of this stuff are usually not coated underneath fundamental minimal automotive insurance coverage in Iceland (tires and windshields notoriously value additional), and a few rental firms will both require or very firmly recommend further protection.
If you happen to’re not prepared to pay for the additional protection, it may also be greatest should you do not drive in Iceland.
3. You are not comfy driving in distant areas
Within the west and south of Iceland, you are prone to see loads of different vacationers on the highway and at pure websites and sights. However if you head up north and into East Iceland, chances are you’ll drive for miles with out seeing a constructing or one other automotive.
Iceland is not an enormous nation, however it is sparsely populated outdoors of Reykjavik. Iceland is an extremely SAFE nation, so you do not have to fret about issues like violent crime in secluded areas. However issues like flat tires, dangerous climate, and errant sheep can crop up at any time.
If being by yourself in distant areas makes you anxious, then you definately may need to suppose twice about driving the whole Ring Street.
RELATED: 15 Things You Need to Know Before an Iceland Road Trip
4. You solely need to see the well-known spots
If you happen to’re primarily going to Iceland to see issues like geysers, glaciers, the Blue Lagoon, waterfalls you’ve got seen on Instagram, and perhaps the Northern Lights, you need not enterprise across the total Ring Street in any respect.
Nearly all of “well-known” sights in Iceland are concentrated within the west of Iceland (round Reykjavik), and along the South Coast. You do not have to drive across the total nation to see them. In reality, you do not even should drive in any respect should you do not need to!
From Reykjavik, you possibly can simply guide day journeys to see the Golden Circle, benefit from the Blue Lagoon, or chase Northern Lights. And you may guide lengthy day journeys or fast in a single day journeys that can take you to all the most important sights across the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and South Coast.
Or you possibly can plan a self-drive journey that focuses simply on the west and south of Iceland.
5. You are visiting Iceland in winter
I will be actually sincere with you right here: driving in Iceland in winter might be scary. Even should you come from a spot the place snow and ice are the norm in winter, you’ll doubtless be stunned by simply how intense winter climate in Iceland might be.
Not solely are you able to anticipate rain and snow and icy roads, however the WIND in Iceland is what might be essentially the most terrifying. Wind that can throw that rain and snow sideways throughout roads, and wind that’s sturdy sufficient to blast by means of home windows and rip automotive doorways clear off. (For this reason you are at all times urged to take out additional insurance coverage in your rental automotive!)
And whereas the Ring Street is paved all the best way round Iceland, it is not at all times cleared of snow and ice throughout large storms. Additionally, it is quite common for components of the Ring Street to shut fully throughout very excessive winds, when it is too harmful to drive.
If driving in these unpredictable situations would make you anxious (it positive would make ME anxious, and I am from Ohio!), then you definately’re significantly better off basing your self in Reykjavik and taking excursions from there through the winter months. Let somebody with extra Iceland expertise do the winter driving!
6. You are not permitting any flexibility in your plans
Alongside this identical vein, should you’re planning a visit to Iceland (any time of yr, actually) and have packed your itinerary so full that you simply’re not permitting for any flexibility in your plans, you won’t need to attempt to drive the whole Ring Street.
It is unattainable to foretell dangerous climate, highway closures, or different pure phenomena that may drive you to change your plans on the final minute. (For instance, a volcano began erupting every week earlier than my very own journey to Iceland, however we had been capable of shift our plans to verify we might safely go see it.)
7. Your Iceland journey is lower than every week
You want AT LEAST every week to drive the whole Ring Street with stops. Any journey shorter than that can have you ever driving lengthy distances and never having the ability to cease to see/do a lot alongside the best way. (However I personally advocate not less than 10 days for the Ring Road.)
In case your journey to Iceland is lower than every week, then I might advocate sticking to only one half of Iceland as a substitute. (Once more, there’s nothing incorrect with this, as a lot of the well-known sights are within the west and south anyway.)
You may nonetheless see loads with 5 days in Iceland – however it’s not lengthy sufficient to drive the whole Ring Street.
RELATED: An Epic 10-Day Iceland Ring Road Itinerary
8. You are touring with an enormous household
If you happen to’re touring with greater than 4 individuals, it’ll be powerful to make a Ring Street highway journey work comfortably. You *can* lease a bigger car, however it’ll be expensive. And discovering accommodations or guesthouses in Iceland with rooms that may accommodate greater than 2 individuals may also be tough, particularly in excessive season.
So you will be taking a look at a excessive rental automotive value, AND presumably having to guide two separate resort rooms in all places you keep. Usually, you would be higher off renting a bigger condominium in Reykjavik, and reserving small group excursions (and even non-public excursions) from there.
(And should you’re a household with 2 dad and mom and a pair of youngsters, watch out in the case of campervans! These could seem to be a superb means to avoid wasting cash in Iceland, however I can inform you from expertise that these vans are sometimes smaller in actuality than they seem on-line. I can not think about really sleeping 4 individuals in most of them.)
9. You are anticipating luxurious lodging
Iceland is a Nordic nation, and which means clear and environment friendly structure, and a excessive commonplace (and price) of dwelling. But when you are going to Iceland anticipating 5 star accommodations all through the entire nation, you will be sorely disenchanted.
There are some luxurious accommodations within the Reykjavik space (and on the Blue Lagoon), and some luxurious leases alongside the South Coast. However all through a lot of the nation, the commonest type of lodging is definitely the independently-owned guesthouse. Guesthouses in Iceland are clear and comfortable, however they’re principally price range lodging the place all friends share bogs and customary areas.
I’ve stayed at some pretty guesthouses throughout Iceland – however they positively aren’t fancy!
In a few of the extra distant components of Iceland (within the north and east particularly), there aren’t even a ton of guesthouses to select from. And should you’re touring throughout excessive season (which is summer time), these fundamental lodging choices shall be expensive and guide up far upfront.
10. You are not enthusiastic about driving
If driving the Ring Street does not sound thrilling or interesting to you… then do not do it! Do not let the peer strain of social media persuade you to take journey that is not actually your model.
You do not HAVE to drive the Ring Street as a way to take pleasure in a visit to Iceland. Specializing in a smaller space in Iceland will nonetheless make for a improbable journey with none of the stress that comes together with driving all the best way across the nation.
What do you suppose? Is driving the Ring Street in your bucket listing? Or not likely for you?
Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Harmful Enterprise Journey Weblog. She has traveled to greater than 60 international locations on 6 continents from her house base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and considerate journey by means of the US, Europe, and remainder of the world. Amanda solely shares ideas based mostly on her private experiences and locations she’s really traveled!
