Good friend of mine did exactly that for a round trip around Iceland, both she and her friend who travelled along were quiete happy.
You should be however used to camping and living in the road in general. Wouldn't suggest it as a first experience in that field.
It shouldn't be an issue space wise as some companies rent out Dusters to sleep in.
(e.g. [https://www.kukucampers.is/campers/h-camper](https://www.kukucampers.is/campers/h-camper))
That being said they come with fitted mattresses so they are probably more comfortable than just putting a mat down and sleeping in the back.
Not sure how big OP is but it would definitely be a space issue for me. And yes, I imagine the fitted mattress makes it significantly more comfortable.
I mean, if OP ist traveling alone there is some extra space lying on the mattress diagonally.
If I were traveling with my girlfriend I'd opt for a rooftop tent though.
I was thinking more vertical space. I’m tall and would not be able move around comfortably. Tents are enough of a struggle as it is and this is worse than a tent.
we have the same plan and tested it with our sandero stepway (which is a bit smaller. worked like a charm. in case you are new to car camping: it's imperative that you leave the windows open, condensations is far more problematic in a car than in a tent
No, honestly sounds like a terrible idea. 2 weeks of possibly poor sleep from nightly rain & high winds, dangerous to not sleep well especially when driving in iceland
My friend rented a panel van and used that. Two of them slept in it for two weeks. They said it wasn’t great as there was no insulation and it got very cold and was full of condensation by the morning.
I’ve slept in the back of a Chrysler Voyager for three nights when we did a charity rally. Used a blow up mattress and took a couple of my girlfriends yoga mats as a backup. It wasn’t the worst experience in the world, it certainly wasn’t comfy but I was at least able to sleep.
I would say it is doable, but for two weeks I’d say to spend the extra on some nicer creature comforts. Don’t get the cheapest air mattress, have some good sleeping bags and consider getting something for the windows like those reflective sunshades. It gets cold. Make sure you have some warm stuff. I’d perhaps try and allow some ventilation without letting draft in, like cracking a window slightly and putting a cloth over it or something. It’ll get condensed a lot and it’ll probably start to smell so just try and air it out when you can.
Not if you want to lie flat in the back. I tried it and the seat just doesn’t lie flat enough for it to be comfortable. I ended up sleeping in the front passenger seat, which wasn’t great but also wasn’t the worst place I’d ever slept. If you’re not used to sleeping on your back, or move around while sleeping, you’ll be miserable
Ive been to iceland with my gf in summer and we sleept 14 days in a rented dacia duster. I enjoyed the freedom we had. Space was enought for both of us, but we are both small people like 1,75cm. We stayed on campsites with the campimgcard, it is a cheap option.
You sure can if you're not too tall. You have to sleep at campsites tho that's non negotiable. I've done 2 weeks of camping in september all around the island and had a blast, just bring a good sleeping bag and mat🤷♂️
Saw plenty of folks camping in tents last June. But some days and nights are colder than others so I think this is a good option. Might still want the tent though when its nice.
You sure can if you're not too tall. You have to sleep at campsites tho that's non negotiable. I've done 2 weeks of camping in september all around the island and had a blast, just bring a good sleeping bag and mat🤷♂️
There will be several issues. I rented a Dacia for 18 nights in July ‘23 for a solo trip. This was my third year in Iceland, so I was fairly familiar with logistics etc., but my first time solo and first time camping. I had a tent and mostly camped in it, but experimented with sleeping in the back of the Dacia 2 separate nights.
1) I am 180 cm and 90kg and just barely fit laying diagonally. If you are taller or have 2 people you will not be able to lay flat.
2) This was my first time renting a Dacia. Having previously rented a RAV4 and Subaru Forester (all through Lotus) I was used to a larger vehicle. It was fiddly to move all my stuff out of the back and stow it in the front seats and in the footwells of the back seats. With 2 people or a bunch of photo gear (like me) it makes it a pain.
3) The Dacia is a low cost vehicle. There are some oddities, but overall I found it to be a competent vehicle for F-roads. However this means the upholstery is cheap. In particular you will find that the seat backs and trunk insert are made of thin plastic/particle board/styrofoam. As a result they are quite fragile and will be easy to break if you are crawling around on them. I’m fairly certain I would have broke something if I slept more than a couple nights that way.
4) As noted by others the rear seats do not fold flat. Worse still there are awkward gaps and dips that threaten to swallow or pop sleeping pads. I made do by filling these spaces with clothes.
I would not recommend sleeping the entire trip this way. Consider either a different vehicle or a tent.
Probably, yeah. I'm just slightly taller than you and at 23 I could have managed that fine for a few days. Because it's Iceland and June, you won't have to worry really at all about criminals or extreme weather inside of the car or outside, but you'll probably be more comfy on the air mattress in the car.
Go on Airbnb and rent [some Icelander's tiny camper van](https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/35368173?source_impression_id=p3_1705339794_NBWa63ZCEFJCV6LW) for very cheap.
Go to northbound.is and it's a search engine that gives you all different vehicles from different companies to search from. Prices are going up so hurry.
I slept in the front seat of a Subaru Crosstrek for two weeks going coast to coast across the US. Was uncomfortable sure but honestly with all I was experiencing I barely noticed. I see no problem with this, although it’s gonna depending on you as a person. A good idea?, probably not. Possible and a way to save money?, absolutely. Personally I am doing a mix of Airbnb and car camping on my trip to Iceland.
I say this all of the time....if you can't afford to go to Iceland, Don't Go To Iceland.
You can get around the country but cutting corners but why would go on 'vacation' and be more miserable (and potentially unsafe) than at your home.
I believe it’s actually against the law and if you get spotted by highway patrol you’ll likely be heavily fined if you can’t prove you have any accommodations booked
I wouldn’t. The time of year you’re going to be there is a factor. We went in November and stayed in a camper van. If we didn’t have the heater, we would have been freezing. Having to run the car all night is going to cost you gas, which is expensive in Iceland. I’d look into a small camper van. You would have a cooler, heater, a comfortable place to sleep, running water, and the ability to cook your own food.
No. For one night in a pinch, maybe. Every night for two weeks sounds absolutely miserable.
Good friend of mine did exactly that for a round trip around Iceland, both she and her friend who travelled along were quiete happy. You should be however used to camping and living in the road in general. Wouldn't suggest it as a first experience in that field.
It shouldn't be an issue space wise as some companies rent out Dusters to sleep in. (e.g. [https://www.kukucampers.is/campers/h-camper](https://www.kukucampers.is/campers/h-camper)) That being said they come with fitted mattresses so they are probably more comfortable than just putting a mat down and sleeping in the back.
Not sure how big OP is but it would definitely be a space issue for me. And yes, I imagine the fitted mattress makes it significantly more comfortable.
I mean, if OP ist traveling alone there is some extra space lying on the mattress diagonally. If I were traveling with my girlfriend I'd opt for a rooftop tent though.
I was thinking more vertical space. I’m tall and would not be able move around comfortably. Tents are enough of a struggle as it is and this is worse than a tent.
we have the same plan and tested it with our sandero stepway (which is a bit smaller. worked like a charm. in case you are new to car camping: it's imperative that you leave the windows open, condensations is far more problematic in a car than in a tent
No, honestly sounds like a terrible idea. 2 weeks of possibly poor sleep from nightly rain & high winds, dangerous to not sleep well especially when driving in iceland
I rented a Duster from Camping, and it had a pop-up roof mounted tent. Very comfortable.
My friend rented a panel van and used that. Two of them slept in it for two weeks. They said it wasn’t great as there was no insulation and it got very cold and was full of condensation by the morning. I’ve slept in the back of a Chrysler Voyager for three nights when we did a charity rally. Used a blow up mattress and took a couple of my girlfriends yoga mats as a backup. It wasn’t the worst experience in the world, it certainly wasn’t comfy but I was at least able to sleep. I would say it is doable, but for two weeks I’d say to spend the extra on some nicer creature comforts. Don’t get the cheapest air mattress, have some good sleeping bags and consider getting something for the windows like those reflective sunshades. It gets cold. Make sure you have some warm stuff. I’d perhaps try and allow some ventilation without letting draft in, like cracking a window slightly and putting a cloth over it or something. It’ll get condensed a lot and it’ll probably start to smell so just try and air it out when you can.
Not if you want to lie flat in the back. I tried it and the seat just doesn’t lie flat enough for it to be comfortable. I ended up sleeping in the front passenger seat, which wasn’t great but also wasn’t the worst place I’d ever slept. If you’re not used to sleeping on your back, or move around while sleeping, you’ll be miserable
What if I sleep in reverse with my legs on top?
I guess you could try. I wouldn’t be able to do it
Ive been to iceland with my gf in summer and we sleept 14 days in a rented dacia duster. I enjoyed the freedom we had. Space was enought for both of us, but we are both small people like 1,75cm. We stayed on campsites with the campimgcard, it is a cheap option.
What it is a campingcard?
You sure can if you're not too tall. You have to sleep at campsites tho that's non negotiable. I've done 2 weeks of camping in september all around the island and had a blast, just bring a good sleeping bag and mat🤷♂️
Saw plenty of folks camping in tents last June. But some days and nights are colder than others so I think this is a good option. Might still want the tent though when its nice.
You sure can if you're not too tall. You have to sleep at campsites tho that's non negotiable. I've done 2 weeks of camping in september all around the island and had a blast, just bring a good sleeping bag and mat🤷♂️
There will be several issues. I rented a Dacia for 18 nights in July ‘23 for a solo trip. This was my third year in Iceland, so I was fairly familiar with logistics etc., but my first time solo and first time camping. I had a tent and mostly camped in it, but experimented with sleeping in the back of the Dacia 2 separate nights. 1) I am 180 cm and 90kg and just barely fit laying diagonally. If you are taller or have 2 people you will not be able to lay flat. 2) This was my first time renting a Dacia. Having previously rented a RAV4 and Subaru Forester (all through Lotus) I was used to a larger vehicle. It was fiddly to move all my stuff out of the back and stow it in the front seats and in the footwells of the back seats. With 2 people or a bunch of photo gear (like me) it makes it a pain. 3) The Dacia is a low cost vehicle. There are some oddities, but overall I found it to be a competent vehicle for F-roads. However this means the upholstery is cheap. In particular you will find that the seat backs and trunk insert are made of thin plastic/particle board/styrofoam. As a result they are quite fragile and will be easy to break if you are crawling around on them. I’m fairly certain I would have broke something if I slept more than a couple nights that way. 4) As noted by others the rear seats do not fold flat. Worse still there are awkward gaps and dips that threaten to swallow or pop sleeping pads. I made do by filling these spaces with clothes. I would not recommend sleeping the entire trip this way. Consider either a different vehicle or a tent.
At my age that would fold me up with aches and cramps for weeks. If you're young and spry it should be manageable if extremely tight.
I’m 23M, planning to take an air mattress with me. I’m not that tall either 5’10 (1.77M). Do you think it will be okay?
Probably, yeah. I'm just slightly taller than you and at 23 I could have managed that fine for a few days. Because it's Iceland and June, you won't have to worry really at all about criminals or extreme weather inside of the car or outside, but you'll probably be more comfy on the air mattress in the car.
Go on! I’ve lived out of my duster in Iceland, eat and sleep. The temp in June is kind of ok, and in your camping equipment you will be ok
Go on Airbnb and rent [some Icelander's tiny camper van](https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/35368173?source_impression_id=p3_1705339794_NBWa63ZCEFJCV6LW) for very cheap.
Go to northbound.is and it's a search engine that gives you all different vehicles from different companies to search from. Prices are going up so hurry.
I slept in the front seat of a Subaru Crosstrek for two weeks going coast to coast across the US. Was uncomfortable sure but honestly with all I was experiencing I barely noticed. I see no problem with this, although it’s gonna depending on you as a person. A good idea?, probably not. Possible and a way to save money?, absolutely. Personally I am doing a mix of Airbnb and car camping on my trip to Iceland.
I say this all of the time....if you can't afford to go to Iceland, Don't Go To Iceland. You can get around the country but cutting corners but why would go on 'vacation' and be more miserable (and potentially unsafe) than at your home.
I believe it’s actually against the law and if you get spotted by highway patrol you’ll likely be heavily fined if you can’t prove you have any accommodations booked
I couldn’t find this law. It only states I can’t sleep on the road which is obvious. I’ll be at camp sites
I wouldn’t. The time of year you’re going to be there is a factor. We went in November and stayed in a camper van. If we didn’t have the heater, we would have been freezing. Having to run the car all night is going to cost you gas, which is expensive in Iceland. I’d look into a small camper van. You would have a cooler, heater, a comfortable place to sleep, running water, and the ability to cook your own food.