Doing van life in Iceland is the best!! Particularly in the Southern part where you don’t need an off-road vehicle. Although some companies do rent 4×4 vans.

After researching different van companies, we went with Happy Campers and could not have been, well, happier!!

Below is the route we took, what we saw and things we did. We went in September when the sun goes down and when temperatures aren’t generally at freezing point. There was only one night when they were and it got a bit cold sleeping in the van. By morning, it was okay. Check out a list of essential items to pack here.

Before we get started, here are a few words you might like to know…

fjall = mountain
fjoll = mountains
foss = waterfall
gata = street
gljufur = canyon
jokull = glacier
vegur = road

If you are contemplating whether to go to Iceland or not, go!!! The land is still untouched and pristine. It is vast and there are more sheep than people 🙂 And most of the people who travel there are from Europe so it’s quiet and peaceful. The only thing is that everything is super expensive. You won’t pay under $100 for a dinner for two. The food is delicious. Some say better than anywhere they’ve ever eaten.

Below are the specifics from each of the 8 days we traveled by van.

The bullet points are from reviews on Google Maps or from a blogger. Unless somewhere it says “aMw,” in which case that’s me and those are my impressions.

The reviews should come in handy. At least they did for us. They took me days & days to compile so enjoy.

Happy Travels!!

Day 1 & 2 Van Life in Iceland

• Happy Campers @ Stapabraut 21, 260 Reykjanesbær, Iceland

• Kronan supermarket (10 min drive from Happy Campers). Here are some things you should get there if you don’t have them already:
  • Wash-machine detergent (if you didn’t pack the travel size packets)
  • Paper towels, trash bags, TP
  • Noodles, rice & bread
  • Bouillon cubes for soup
  • Cereal (bring your own granola, theirs isn’t good)
  • Carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, green veggies & fruit (which is surprisingly good for a country that doesn’t grow their own fruits & veggies)
  • Cheese & crackers
  • Lunch meat & hamburgers (we decided not to get chicken for food handling/safety reasons)
  • Chocolate (go for a European brand – Icelandic chocolate is not tasty)
  • Butter (they sell really small packs) & oil
  • Cleaner for counter tops
  • Oven mit to pick up hot pans, sponge
  • For the van: Little squeegee, hooks, net (so things don’t fly all over the place)
• Note: The van check-in process, shopping and stopping at a place to eat lunch took 4 hours! We didn’t expect it to take this long. Plan accordingly.

After we got food, we drove 42 min to Thingvellir National Park. It takes a couple hours to walk around the park to see everything.

• Thingvellir
  • aMw: One day or at least a half of a day needed to see everything.
  • No reservations needed for camping in any campsite at Thingvellir National Park.
  • Better be at the sites very early (say 8-9) to enjoy the views alone. After that – maybe afternoon. As from 9 there are big tourist buses, as park is first stop in the Golden Circle. (aMw: It wasn’t crowded when we went in the early evening.)
  • There are other nice hiking trails in the area. The Skogarkotsvegur and Gonguvegur Trail is a 7.6-km/4.7 mi loop around Hveragerdi that features a nice lake along its path.
  • Another short trail worth checking out is the Þingvallakirkja (Thingvellir Church) Trail. It’s an easy 2.1 km/1.3 mi trail that leads you across the Oxarar River towards a small chapel, Thingvellir Church, which sits along Oxarar’s riverbank.
  • They offer free guided tours from the visitor center.
  • The place where representatives of all the tribes of Iceland began meeting once a year beginning around 930. The yearly assembly continued to 1798. In 1944, the nation gathered at Thingvellir to celebrate Iceland’s independence from Denmark. 
  • “Thingvellir is the spiritual and symbolic heart of Iceland,” says Hilmar. “When you’re there, you can feel that it’s a place of power.”
• Öxarárfoss
  • Don’t miss the somewhat hidden Oxararfoss waterfall, per fullsuitcase.com.
  • The basalt rock formations in Thingvellir National Park create this spectacular waterfall.
  • Oxararfoss Waterfall is famed for being a film location in The Game of Thrones.
    • The waterfall is extremely stunning and would be sad to miss. Öxarárfoss e. Axe River Waterfall is located in Almannagjá ravine so it’s hard to miss when roaming around the designated walking paths.
  • Oxararfoss is a human-made waterfall created to redirect water into a ravine. 
  • Oxararfoss’ ravine water was used by members of Iceland’s first parliament, Althingi, during the 10th century.
  • Oxararfoss translates to “Waterfall of the Ax River” in English. Legend has it that Oxararfoss turns into wine at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve.
• Almannagja gorge
  • The Almannagja gorge is another attraction near Logberg. Here you can see both the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.
  • This eight-kilometer-long gorge is geologically known to be a part of the North Atlantic rift system. It stretches all the way up to the south pole in the Atlantic ocean.
  • The tectonic plates are gradually drifting away and have resulted in the formation of Almannagjá. Geological studies conducted here indicate that the North American tectonic plates pulled west, and after a lot of pressure, the edge broke free of the continent in an earthquake.
  • Almannagjá gorge is eight kilometers long, and you could enjoy a scenic hiking challenge with a rewarding view of the Öxarárfoss waterfall within. Almannagjá hike.
  • The gorge and Thingvellir National Park have been an integral part of Icelandic history and the judicial system. Thingvellir National Park, where the Almannagja gorge is located, was the venue for the world’s longest-running assembly/parliament. It is believed that the lawmakers would read out the laws to the people of Iceland on the rock above the Almannagjá gorge.
  • Almannagjá – The ravine/gorge at Thingvellir where you can walk with high lava walls on both sides and see some stunning views in the meantime. A real must-walk!
• Drekkingarhylur
  • As punishment for women who committed adultery, the lawmakers would drown them in the Drowning Deep Pool, Drekkingarhylur.
  • It’s where they used to drown women who had babies out of wedlock. 
• Lögberg
  • It will take you less than an hour to complete the trail and is probably one of the easiest.
  • The Icelandic Commonwealth period ran from 930 till 1262. At that time, Lögberg, was the hub of the Alþing meeting. The Law Speaker, who proclaimed the laws of the Commonwealth out loud, had a special place there.
  • At Þingvellir – literally “Assembly Plains” – the Alþing general assembly was established around 930 and continued to convene there until 1798. Major events in the history of Iceland have taken place at Þingvellir and therefore the place is held in high esteem by all Icelanders.
  • Around the year 1000 AD the great Law Speaker, Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði Þorkelsson, declared Iceland’s peaceful conversion to Christianity right here at Þingvellir. A unique compromise was arrived at which made Christianity the official religion of Iceland.
  • Pagans were still permitted to worship the Norse Gods in private and the disaster of what could have been a violent civil conflict was mostly avoided.
  • A flag marks Lögberg e. the Law Rock where the Law Speaker or Chief Goði stood to proclaim the law in the olden days. You will be able to stand in the spot where history was made – what a magical photo opportunity!
  • e. The Law Rock – The exact location of the Lögberg is unknown, because of the changing geography of the rift valley over 1000 years but most believe it to be in Almannagjá.
• Þingvellir Church
  • The traditional wooden church at Þingvellir is open between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm from mid-May to early September. (aMw: It wasn’t open when we were there in mid-September.)
• Thingvellir Lake
  • Þingvallavatn – the Thingvellir Lake – is beautiful to look at and is also a popular angling location.
• Activity Silfra Snorkeling Pond 5 min from Campground 10 min from Visitor Center ** Make Reservations
  • dive.is
• 1.3A Þingvellir – Nyrðri Leirar Campground (Across the road from Öxarárfoss) 
  • aMw: Nice. We stayed there two nights. They have a cafe where you can get soup, chocolate muffins, cakes, tea and even warm gloves. 
  • This is a good place to see Northern Light since there is less light pollution around the area.
  • There are two showers with very hot water and showers are included in the camping fee. The showers are very clean. There is plenty of space to leave your clothes and other things when taking shower which is very convenient. There are also four toilets, very clean. In each of the four toilet there is also a sink with a mirror. There is an electrical outlet in each toilet so it is quite easy to charge electrical devices. A great advantage is a very large drying room with a washing machine where you can hang up wet clothes and towels. There are four dishwashing sinks with hot water and there is a washing sponge and dishwashing liquid. The dishwashing space is roofed but in the open air. Truly recommend this place.
  • Great campsite! Clean bathrooms and nice, hot showers. You can pay at the tourist information center next door during business hours. They accept credit cards.
  • Wonderful location, one of the favorites in Iceland. Sometimes the large lawn is blocked off and then it becomes very crowded, when the lawn is open there is plenty of space! 4 individual toilets (no stall) and 2 hot showers. If the campsite is full, it unfortunately seems that the hot water runs out, sometimes even the cold water.
  • Minus 1 star for no kitchen no cooking facility. Minus another star for just 2 shower rooms and 2 washroom, mixed for both female & male can use.
• Thingvellir National Park Campgrounds:
  • Leirar is the bigger one, divided into 4 camping grounds: Fagrabrekka, Syðri- Leirar, Hvannabrekka and Nyrðri-Leirar. 
  • Vatnskot is the second one located at an abandoned farm by lake Thingvallavatn.

Day 3 Van Life in Iceland

• Brúarfoss (40 min from Þingvellir)
  • 2 hr hike RT
  • aMw: My favorite hike of the trip!!
  • Located along the Golden Circle – bright blue water & lava rock. Have to hike to it — 1 hr one way. One of the most underrated stops on the Golden Circle! 
  • Access is best via “Bruara Trail Parking” on road 37, because the 3.1km/1.9 mi long path leads past several other waterfalls (muddy in winter or rain) — Although a new parking exists, we suggest to skip it as the 45 min hike is very fun and you get to see 2 additional waterfalls. Waters get very blue if the sun is out! (aMw: This is a great recommendation. Listen to ’em.)
  • Worth the stop here! There was a hike from the Brúará Trail Parking site that we did. It wasn’t difficult and allowed you to see three waterfalls. I recommend this route!
  • This was my favorite waterfall in Iceland. Out of dozens of amazing waterfalls, that’s saying something! The color is just unreal.
  • It is a 2-hour round trip trek to reach this waterfall, but the views here are incredible. With a small ravine separating the waterfall. It almost appears as if the river is parted with the waterfall falling into the center.
  • It doesn’t have much incline shifts, but be prepared for LOTS of mud if you decide to go after a rainy day… Which is practically all the time. Be sure to bring boots!
  • You have two options to access. It is paid on a QR code website.
    • 1. Park on the east side of the river just off the main road and hike along the river all the way to the top (not recommended)
    • 2. Follow sign for Bruarfoss parking on the west side of the river up the dirt track. (Recommended as much quicker)

• Strokkur (16 min from Brúarfoss)
  • One of the main attractions of the Golden Circle.
  • Strokkur is the most active geyser in Iceland. It is located in the Geysir Geothermal Area. The access is very easy, you can leave your car in a free parking lot in the area. The park is open to everyone for free. Marked paths lead through active geysers.
  • Behind the geyser there is a path to the viewpoint. The view from the top is really amazing on Strokkur and on the other side of the hill.
  • One of the most crowded spots in Iceland, still it’s very emotional! There are several geysers, Strokkur is the most active, which erupts every 4 to 7 minutes. 

• Reykholt Campsite/Tjaldsvæði Reykholti
  • aMw: Alberto told me they are going to renovate the campground in the late fall. It was nice the way it is. Sounds like it is going to be much nicer. It was quiet when we went. Not many people, which was nice.
  • Campsite says: “No. We don’t take online reservations. If you want to use our campsite, please come, find a place and pay upon arrival.”
  • Lovely and clean camping site. The toilets and bath were clean and warm. A common place to clean the dishes is present. Great shared kitchen with all utensils, dishes and electric hob, a dining table with chairs. Highly recommend this place.
  • I usually don’t recommend things on Google, but I really think that this campsite deserves at least a 5 Star review. In Iceland it is quite hard to find comfortable campsites, but this one has all the amenities needed for a pleasant stay. Their staff is awesome, especially Alberto who was always available and kind with us! 
• aMw: Went to Fludir for gas and groceries. The store here is not big and didn’t have a lot of items. So make sure you have stocked up on food before coming here.
• aMw: Ask for a discount coupon for Secret Lagoon. You will get 20% off.

Day 4 Van Life in Iceland

• Secret Lagoon
  • aMw: If you stay at Reykholt Campsite, you will get 20% off.
  • aMw: It’s well worth a trip to come here! We loved it.
  • Oldest Lagoon. Geo-thermal bath. Less crowded.
  • We arrived and after watching a short safety video, we changed, and we’re in the lagoon. The water was quite warm with some spots being pretty hot. The weather was sunny and nice, so we had to take breaks. There is a nice, short walking path behind the lagoon where the hot springs are located.
  • Secret Lagoon is the geothermal swimming pool in Iceland and absolutely worth a visit for any hot pool lovers. The water is pleasantly warm, near the springs even hot. There are lockers and showers available for all visitors, but no saunas etc. There is one pool for the bathers to be used.
  • For less than half the price, you get unlimited time in the pool and a more authentic feel for the nature bath with amazing views from the pool. The lagoon and shower rooms are well maintained with a cafe on site.

• Seljalandsfoss 
  • aMw: We put on our rain gear and went for it. It was soo much fun walking behind the flowing waterfall!!
  • The only Icelandic waterfall where you can walk behind the falling water. In the winter, the waterfall is partially frozen and the whole area around it looks like an ice skating rink, so the walk is usually closed. Prepare to get wet if you walk behind it.
  • You will be wet from head to toe, so waterproof jacket and pants are recommended.
  • Don’t miss the hidden Fljfrabui waterfall located inside the gorge just a short walk from Seljalandsfoss. 
    • It takes just a few minutes to visit – follow the path to the left from Seljalandsfoss and you’ll see informational panels on the right side.
  • Beautiful waterfall that you can get up close and personal to. It is located just a bit off the highway and has a good amount of parking. If you park in the lot there’s a small parking fee. Then you take a short hike to the falls. It can get slightly crowded on the path that goes around and behind the falls because it is fairly narrow. It is also very slippery in spots, and I saw one person fall down on the rocks. — Near the falls there is also a walking path that goes along the base of the cliffs that is nice. My kids explored some small caves.

• Gljufrabui (3 min from Seljalandsfoss) – on the same trail
  • Hidden gem, a secret waterfall tucked away in a mystical cavern, per OntarioCamping.
  • Probably one of the coolest stops on my Iceland trip! It feels magical to be able to walk in a cave and see such a stunning sight. Pictures don’t do it justice.
  • This was definitely one of my favourite waterfalls in all of Iceland, and we saw a LOT in our 2 weeks. 
    • To visit this one you walk the path that is left from Seljalandsfoss (when facing it go left, if coming out from behind it, then right). 
    • It’s about 10 minutes down the path. 
    • To see it, you need to walk across some stones tucked up against the wall, to enter the cavern. It’s absolutely beautiful. 
    • You are likely to get wet, so good shoes and a waterproof jacket are recommended. The only frustrating thing was that everyone before us wanted the same photo standing in this big rock in the middle, which made it hard to take a photograph without others in it. Had to be very patient. But worth the wait and experience for sure!
  • This is the only waterfall that I’ve seen that is inside of a cave. You can see it from the outside, but if you’re nimble and brave you can go into the cave. You will get wet. The view is worth it.
  • My favorite waterfall in all of Iceland. Incredible to experience. You will get VERY wet so make sure you are ready and clothed for that, but it was stunning and totally worth getting soaked.

Day 5 Van Life in Iceland

• Skógafoss (26 min from Gljufrabui)
  • 1/2 day
  • Can camp at base. Camped right under the waterfall at Skogafoss Campground or Guesthouse Skógafoss Vík tjaldsvæði (no reservations) – Sep 12. Amazing per OntarioCamping.
  • Top 5 waterfalls. 
  • 26 waterfalls behind Skógafoss. Takes a long time and is challenging. 432 or 462 steps.
  • aMw: Well worth it to go up the stairs and see what’s behind the main attraction.
  • However you should go there in early morning because it’s too much touristy. aMw: True it is touristy at the main waterfall but not after hiking the steps. 
  • Highly recommending to take off a half a day here to do a hike for at least a couple of hours. The trail leads behind the falls and into a network of other hikes.
  • Skogafoss is a really majestic waterfall. It’s so photogenic that if you ever see pictures of a waterfall in Iceland, it is most likely to be Skogafoss. You can also climb the stairs all the way to the top of the waterfall for some great views of the area. Per fullsuitcase

• Kvernufoss (5 min from Skogafoss)
  • Minutes away from Skogafoss (instead of turning right to the main road, turn left towards the museum and drive right past it to the car park). Car park costs 750kr, but it’s worth it.
  • Take a peaceful hike to the secluded Kvernufoss, where you’ll be rewarded with a tranquil waterfall hidden amidst serene valleys per OntarioCamping. 
  • Literally my favorite one I’ve ever found! It’s 1/2 mile, an easy trek following the stream to the fall. Way less busy than the big waterfall that everyone visits, though it can’t really be seen from route 1. You do have to pay a small fee for parking. ~ you can even go behind it and take cool photos. Note that you’ll get wet.
  • Great waterfall that you can walk behind. Significantly less visited than the other waterfall on the other side of the village. You can park for free if you park a little farther away at the city museum.
  • It’s a short, gentle walk to the falls but through winter I would recommend crampons if you have them.
  • The parking lot costs 750ISK which is paid via app. Alternatively, it might be an option to remain parking at the museum where it says nothing about parking fees. The waterfall itself is a 15 minute walk away from the parking and easy to reach. It is beautiful and you can go behind the water curtain.

• Dyrhólaey
  • Dramatic cliffs of Dyrhólaey, offering panoramic views of the North Atlantic Ocean by OntarioCamping.
  • Beautiful cliff near the Black Sand Beach with puffins and a lighthouse and free parking, but few spots. You can get very close to puffins to take pictures and even closer if they land near. Aside from puffins you can take very scenic pictures of the beach, mountains and other cliffs. (aMw: We didn’t see any puffins.)
  • Amazing experience. The cave-like structures and the rocks that looked like basalt columns are real wonders. We tried climbing the rocks which was fun. It’s a black sand beach. A real good spot for hiking. A must visit place. Car parking is pretty close by and free.
  • There are restrooms (for a fee, payable by card, very clean) at the eastern side parking lot. (aMw: The restrooms are very beautiful. They cost 200kr.)
  • Amazing place! Stunning views to the Black Beach, cliffs and the glacier. It is a must. Be prepared for strong winds. Paved road leads to the top of a hill with a lighthouse. There is a free parking lot. There are walking paths all around the place. They lead to the lower parking, which has toilets and where you can look for puffins.
  • Headland and rock arch views are nice, but the highlight for me by far was the puffins. Very good viewing at the upper parking area (from up above the birds), and limited but even better (viewing angle) at the lower parking area. Worth the stop at both jf you’re a puffin fan, May to Sept (we came Aug 14th and there were tons). (NB: There were also puffins at Reynisfjara black beach, but puffins at both Dyrholaey stops were much closer.)
  • Practical info: Free entry. Large free parking lots at both (that are still busy bc popular).  Toilets for a fee at the lower lot.

• Reynisfjara Beach (21 min from Dyrhólaey) 
  • Black sand, towering basalt columns per OntarioCamping.
  • Be careful on the beach – the waves are unpredictable and it’s very dangerous to walk close to the water. (aMw: There are signs everywhere. The waves weren’t bad when we were there.)
  • This beach became very popular after being one of the places Game Of Thrones was filmed. Basalt columns are very interesting. The contrast between white waves and black sand is amazing, but it was a bit too crowded for me.
  • Went in the morning around 10 AM. There were a good amount of people, but average amount for a beach especially one this cool.
  • There was a restaurant and you have to pay with the parka app due to the machine being down (the app is very helpful if your planning to explore a lot of signature spots). 
  • Basalt columns were phenomenal. The puffins flying are gorgeous flying on and off the cliff overhead. Beware of the sneaker waves and read the warning settings but I would definitely recommend visiting if you are nearby.
• Black Sand Beach 
  • aMw: We didn’t make it here.
  • Was once ranked as one of the 10 most beautiful non-tropical beaches in the world.
  • A beautiful and much less visited black sand beach right in Vik. It has beautiful rock formations and black sand, and a huge colony of puffins. While the more famous black sand beach has the basalt columns, this one lacks any of the tourists or tour buses, which made it our favourite beach in the area. It was so quiet and beautiful. Definitely worth visiting – especially if you enjoy solitude with your beach walks and puffin viewings.
  • Black Sand Beach is beautiful and impressive. Sand that is actually volcanic, never seen something like that before. In this place some scenes of Game of Thrones and Vikings were filmed.
  • The Black Sand Beach in Vik is a powerful place. The blackness of the sand, the big amazing rocks and the rough sea make the place definitely worth a visit. Do respect the traffic light system on the beach and for goodness do not go into the water – the waves and the current are really dangerous. A café serves visitors by the beach daytime. There’s also a toilet, but you need to pay a small fee if you’re not a customer at the café.
  • In the top 3 of must stops for the golden circle. Parking is free. Easy stroll along the beach to get as many photos as you want. If you head to the western side there’s a lot of nice rock formations to take photos with.
  • Beautiful and serene beach in Vik. Vik itself is a beautiful town. Good food and several things as activities. Beach is an additional experience.

• Vik 
  • Vík í Mýrdal is a remote seafront village in south Iceland. It sits in the shadow of Mýrdalsjökull glacier, which covers the Katla volcano. Reyniskirkja is a wooden church dating to 1929. Reynisfjara beach has black pebbles, basalt columns and the Reynisdrangar offshore rock formations. The cliffs of Reynisfjall mountain are home to seabirds such as puffins. Just west, the Dyrhólaey peninsula has a large rock arch
  • aMw: I was surprised when we arrived to this small town. It feels amazing!! I loved exploring here.

• Viks Camping – Camping Klettsvegur 3, 870 Vík, Iceland
  • Will accept all camper Vans regardless of space. Only have about 36 plugs that are first come first serve. Great bathrooms and an indoor building available for cooking and washing.
  • $15 for use of washer and dryer.
  • Need coins to shower.
  • aMw: You can see our yellow van in the photo above 😉 Camping here was peaceful. You could feel the energetic warmth of the hills. We came back and camped another night on our return trip.

Day 6 Van Life in Iceland

• Fjallsjökull
  • Glacier. Glacial lagoon that is smaller than Jaokulsarlon and less tourists. Nearby Stokksnes beach is also well worth a visit.

• Fjallsárlón (12 min from Fjallsjökull) 
  • Beautiful and not touristy, per Anna Goldman. 
  • A popular destination for boat tours, this majestic lagoon offers close-up views of the glacier.
  • Very beautiful glacier lagoon a few kilometers from the famous big sister Jökulsárlón. Less visited; parking and smaller visitor center with café available. Some hiking trails; nice, somewhat longer hike to neighboring Breidarlon Lagoon possible. Fascinating impressions can be captured here!
  • A rough road to reach the parking lot, covered in potholes and rocks, but from the lot, it takes less than 5 minutes to see the beautiful glacier. One can also walk down to touch the water. Compared to the glacier seen at Jökusárlón, it is not as impactful, but it is much less crowded.
  • In my opinion, it’s even more beautiful here than in Jökulsárlón! 😊 But of course, you definitely have to see both of them! In 2022 new path appeared there and you can do really beautiful 20-minutes walk around. Definitely recommend this place!

• Diamond Beach (11 min from Fjallsarlon)
  • Untouched beaches, per inspiredbyiceland. 
  • Striking black-sand beach famed for the huge, glistening iceberg fragments that drift ashore.
  • This was such a beautiful experience. As a result of us visiting in summer, the beach itself was not actually as stunning as in pictures but the lagoon was gorgeous and the floating icebergs were magical.
  • Definitely lives up to its reputation! The ice lumps on the black sand is so clear and refined, it no joke looks like diamonds. The beach itself is huge, but most of the glacial ice lumps are concentrated by the lagoon opening. Very picturesque and mesmerizing to witness and is one of the must see places when visiting Iceland.
  • Iceland is my new favorite place! We stayed 3 days and next time we are staying WEEKS! Such a fun place with SO MUCH to do and see. Black sand and glaciers, what a cool combination!

• Jökulsárlón 4 min from Diamond Beach
  • aMw: Really super beautiful. It’s across the road from Diamond Beach.
  • The glacier lagoon Zodiac rib boat experience was **the** highlight of our week in Iceland. Absolutely stunning to get this up close and personal with the glacier and the icebergs.  Awesome!!!
  • OMG what an amazing place! This is literally the best view and my favourite place after our trip to Iceland. I’m not kidding we spent here a whole 8 hours.lol. My eyes couldn’t believe such an amazing views. We came around noon and there wasn’t too much people, around the afternoon it was too much crowded but in the evening around 6-7 pm it was almost empty. We watched the icebergs all day and saw how in one hand they drifted away to the ocean and on the other hand how they cane back. We saw them melting and crushing into each other which was pretty cool. If you’re lucky you’ll see seals swimming. You need to pay for the parking -1000 ISK. There’s food trucks (the lobster soup was good and the pepperoni crepe). The toilets are free but not so clean and smelly. ~ There’s an option to buy tickets to the boat tour to the lake, and you can taste an iceberg.

• Tjaldsvæðið í Svínafelli (Best Campground – no reservations needed per Leesa Yu on YouTube) – https://svinafell.com/  44min from Jökulsárlón
  • This campground was beautiful! We stayed here the night before hiking at the glacier. Parking area is flat, and the views are breathtaking. There is a large kitchen with lots of tables and free hot showers with clean bathrooms!
  • aMw: The land energies is soft. There are horses in the area (see sweet photo below), free showers and a nice big kitchen. There is no hot water in the back bathrooms.
  • Well organized and clean. Nice kitchen and probably one of the largest public area we seen. 2 toilets & 1 shower each in man and woman’s restroom. 4 more showers in individual. Came here for the glacier hiking tour on the next morning only about 10min drive away.
  • Campsite is situated in a beautiful place. Fee is affordable. Not far from the main highway. A comfortable place to get a warm shower after driving in a cold and rainy day. Bring your own sleeping bag.
  • This was the best campground we have been to in Iceland and we stayed at a lot of campgrounds driving around tripping around iceland. Staff is friendly and great company. Laundry is good. Kitchen is big and spacious lots of room to sit. Toilets and showed are great as well. Lots of space and even better you have 360 views very open. Highly recommended to stay here. 
  • Great spot for northern lights as well as there is no light pollution here

Day 7 Van Life in Iceland

• Reykjadalur
  • A path to a warm natural bath.
  • aMw: This natural geothermal river was such a cool find!! We left the day open and my partner found it. It takes about one hour to walk to it. Be prepared for rain.

• Kerid Crater
  • Formed about 6,500 years ago.
• Skatabudir Ulfjotsvatni Campground
  • aMw: My least favorite campsite. Have to make reservations online. No one is there to help. It is a bit creepy. Don’t fill up your water here. There’s something wrong with the water. It didn’t taste good.

Day 8 Van Life in Iceland

• It was raining really hard this day and it was windy so we decided to hang out in a town close to the campsite.

• Hafnarfjordur
  • aMw: Had a nice breakfast at a cafe. Went to Brikk for a snack. Walked the town in the rain. Went to a hotel for a traditional Icelandic dinner.

• Mosskogar Camping
  • aMw: Such a great campsite! It’s one that people use on the last day before returning the van and leaving for the airport.

Day 9 Van Life in Iceland

• aMw: Before returning our van, we picked up a burger at Hamborgarabulla Tomasar. I ate it the next day on the way home and it was tasty! Not greasy like an American burger. The vibe of the place is totally cool.

Have more suggestions? Please leave them below. Writing this blog article makes me want to go again — soon!!!

Wondering what to pack for your trip to Iceland? Check out a list of essential items to pack.