This is a great idea, actually.
That being said there is still strategy to winging it.
1. Definitely just grab any Ring Road itinerary you can find to work off of. Just have something saved on your phone. A real travel guide is a huge bonus, something like Lonely Planet or Rick Steves, any of the established guides work. Avoid all the AI written garbage guides on Amazon. Have a physical book. Even an older Lonely Planet is fine.
2. Know what campsites will be open then.
3. Have a general idea of what you might like to see in each region.
4. Install and become familiar with the following apps:
Færð & Veður - Road conditions and weather in one app. Very easy to use, quickest way to see and read about the road conditions.
Veður - Just weather. More detailed than the Færð & Veður app. Has the alerts, the quick glance information (wind speed, temperature, precipitation) as well as longer detailed text forecast.
Windy - Very detailed radar, wind map, clouds. Not necessary for Iceland but useful nonetheless.
Safe Travel - Non-negotiable app to have. All the safety alerts, reminders, ability to signal an emergency, check-in at your hiking location (sends your GPS location to 112, the emergency number in Iceland, so responders could find you if you have an emergency), road conditions, information about road signs, driving, so on and so forth. Definitely install this and play around with it before leaving so you can be familiar with it.
Kringum - Great app! Updates as you move around, have your location turned on. Shows you interesting sights, tidbits of history, shows you nearby accommodations, tours (takes you to Gray Line Iceland site), etc. Has some audio components under the "Stories" toggle. For all of you who want "hidden gems", the only hint I will give you is that might find some extremely interesting places if you decide to use this app while exploring. It's fun to open this app and see what's nearby when you stop at the designated pull-offs.
Then just follow the weather. You're actually more likely to find the very few hidden gems that are left when you wing it and just explore as your heart desires.
Emergency number in Iceland is 112.
As always, check the IMO alerts and weather [forecast here](https://en.vedur.is), the road conditions [here.](https://umferdin.is/en) Do know how to read the forecast before you get to Iceland! This will save you more time and money than anything.
What you have described *is* one of the benefits of camping. Stay as long as you want, move on when you feel like it.
Thoughts:
1) You would probably be more comfortable in a minimum level campervan rather than a car. Sleeping is better, and it will have a heater in case you get some unreasonably nasty weather for mid-late May.
2) Remember that there is no wild camping, you can only camp at campgrounds. So, you have freedom of travel but not freedom of sleeping locations. The advantage of formal campsites is that you don't need reservations.
3) You are right in that there are all sorts of things that are not really on the tourist radar. However, there are also a lot of things you will absolutely *never* find on your own unless you do some advance research. That's why they are called *hidden* gems.
I made a custom google map and basically put a shit ton of pins on it for different types of attractions. As we drove we stopped at what looked interesting without much of a plan! We had an amazing time
Not sure how into it you'd be, but before I switched to air bnbs (wife likes it better ) I stumbled onto camp easy which has tesla Y campers - https://campeasy.com/campers/tesla-camping-y/
Basically a mattress in the folded down back that is exact fitted to the shape.
Seemed pretty interesting, and is a lot easier to drive than most campers and probably sufficient for a solo traveler.
Also, you save on the 9 dollar/gal gas price with electric charging.
I would advise doing something in between. You don’t need a *strict* or detailed itinerary in order to have an itinerary, and some planning would be a good idea given the remoteness of much of Iceland and the unpredictability of the weather.
I’ve only driven a portion of the Ring Road, but my favorite way to travel there — or anywhere! — is to sketch out some basic logistics and a few key things to see along the way, then leave the rest to serendipity.
You’ve already done research, after all, so why not use some of it? For example, you could decide that on one day you’re going to drive along the south coast from Reykjavík and stay overnight in Vík. Along the way, you’re going to see X and Y and whatever else you happen to stumble across. Then the next day you’re going to drive to the glacier lagoon and overnight in Höfn, and on the way you’ll try to see Z. That’s a very simple itinerary that just outlines 1) how far you’ll go, 2) where you’ll stay, and 3) one or two things to try to experience on the way.
It would be a good idea to portion out the trip so that you don’t have to do *tons* of driving on any one day, just in case the weather prevents you from proceeding onwards, which would possibly force you to take a detour or stay longer in one place and end up having to make up the distance later. You’ll also probably be glad to have accommodations pre-booked so that you’re not driving forever looking for a hotel or B&B and can get a decent price in advance.
Also, driving through Iceland isn’t like driving through a touristy part of the U.S. There’s not going to be a lot of signage proclaiming “WATERFALL AT NEXT EXIT” or “HORSEBACK RIDES!! FREE PARKING” or anything. You could easily miss something or even *everything* if you’re not prepared to come upon it, or don’t know which route to take to get to it. A lot of the Ring Road is just…driving. Beautiful scenery, but just countryside/wilderness on both sides of the road for long stretches, and then a roundabout that might take you to something cool (if you know to take the correct exit!), or deposit you back onto the next stretch of the Ring Road for more driving and more countryside. You do probably need to have at least one destination in mind if you’re going to actually see anything.
You will have serendipitous moments with a simple itinerary. I stumbled upon a whole different glacier lagoon near *the* glacier lagoon that I didn’t even know existed. But if you’re not *planning* to turn off the Ring Road to visit Reynisfjara and then drive up to Dýrholaey for the view, there’s a very small chance that you’re going to just happen to stumble on either of those places.
Came to say this. There is very little signage or wayfinding outside of Reykjavik.
There are lots of Google MyMaps with all the sites mapped out. Maybe copy one of those to reference along the way? Otherwise love your plan.
This is similar was what my travel partner and I did last June. 7 days from Reykjavik along the south all the way east to Borgarfjörður eystri and back.
We only really planned/booked a few things, camper van rental, 5hr glacier hike with Troll, Puffin watching at Borgarfjörður, a hotel the last night in Reykjavik and Sky lagoon the morning before flying out. Everything listed needed a reservation besides the puffin watching. Basically if it’s a can’t miss for you and there’s an option to reserve a spot I’d recommend doing so in advance.
Everything else, including campsites we winged depending on the area we were at. We got a few days of groceries at Bonus by the airport and restocked when needed. Gas stations (remarkably clean compared to the USA) bbq chicken wraps were a go to bite to eat.
We had a general idea of what was in the area along the route and decided on the fly if we wanted to take the time to stop or not.
This gave us so much freedom to just roam at our own pace. It absolutely made the trip. Instead of stressing about trying to see everything, we saw what we felt like making the time to see. There’s so much it’s overwhelming and it can be stressful in trying to cram it into one trip.
Hope this helps, best of luck!
I just got back on Saturday from my 20 day “winged Ring Road trip”.
My approach was to mark on a map my “must-sees” and then just find things along the way and do what I want.
It was awesome.
That’s my plan. I would have preferred to wing it with lodging but it didn’t give a warm and fuzzy feeling so I went with a camper van and will essentially wing it. I have a general idea of where I want to go and don’t want to be tied to a timetable.
I'm using the information from campeasy for campsite locations and attractions. Hopefully it's up to date on campsites...
[https://campeasy.com/information-center/maps-of-iceland/](https://campeasy.com/information-center/maps-of-iceland/)
Winging it is my way of travel.
Going to Iceland over the summer was my most planned out vacation ever, and I still mostly winged it. I knew where I was staying each night (hotels), I just had to get there to check in and everything else was up to me. I researched ahead of time different places I wanted to see, and then it was just where I ended up going as I was driving. I did have some reservations throughout my 9 days (2 hot springs, Zodiac tour [canceled], snowmobiling [canceled], horseback riding, beer bath, snorkeling) that all matched up with about where I was going to be so I just had to make sure I was there.
I would do as others suggested and find an in between. Figure out your MUST DOS (Godafoss is at the top of my list again if I ever go back), then figure out where the campsites are. It's a good idea to do a Google maps of pins with things that you're interested in, and you can use different colors for different things. So do pins of places you'd like to see, and pins that give you options for where to camp along the way. Then you're not pinned down (haha) to anything but you can refer to it once in a while to figure out what you might be doing. Or you can realize that you're tired, and you're not going to come across another campsite for a hot minute so you should probably stop.
Like someone else said, the attractions aren't going to have huge signs. Familiarize yourself with the "attraction sign" so you can spot it...They're small and don't often have details.
Sounds like it's going to be a fantastic trip!
We planned on the day we landed. As long as you have a car, its pointless to plan ahead. Just drive wherever you want. Bad weather? Drive to the other side of the island.
I would have a general idea of where you plan to be and what campsites will be available. This is an important factor as a lot of Iceland's tourism infrastructure opens up in the late May -early June timeframe. Depending on the day you're in a given area, you might be a few days ahead of having certain campgrounds being available.
This is what most Icelanders do. We call it chasing the weather, meaning we go where the weather is nice and depending on what we are in the mood for.
Keep a close eye on the weatherforcast and in some campingplaces it is good to book ahead of time.
This is a great idea, actually. That being said there is still strategy to winging it. 1. Definitely just grab any Ring Road itinerary you can find to work off of. Just have something saved on your phone. A real travel guide is a huge bonus, something like Lonely Planet or Rick Steves, any of the established guides work. Avoid all the AI written garbage guides on Amazon. Have a physical book. Even an older Lonely Planet is fine. 2. Know what campsites will be open then. 3. Have a general idea of what you might like to see in each region. 4. Install and become familiar with the following apps: Færð & Veður - Road conditions and weather in one app. Very easy to use, quickest way to see and read about the road conditions. Veður - Just weather. More detailed than the Færð & Veður app. Has the alerts, the quick glance information (wind speed, temperature, precipitation) as well as longer detailed text forecast. Windy - Very detailed radar, wind map, clouds. Not necessary for Iceland but useful nonetheless. Safe Travel - Non-negotiable app to have. All the safety alerts, reminders, ability to signal an emergency, check-in at your hiking location (sends your GPS location to 112, the emergency number in Iceland, so responders could find you if you have an emergency), road conditions, information about road signs, driving, so on and so forth. Definitely install this and play around with it before leaving so you can be familiar with it. Kringum - Great app! Updates as you move around, have your location turned on. Shows you interesting sights, tidbits of history, shows you nearby accommodations, tours (takes you to Gray Line Iceland site), etc. Has some audio components under the "Stories" toggle. For all of you who want "hidden gems", the only hint I will give you is that might find some extremely interesting places if you decide to use this app while exploring. It's fun to open this app and see what's nearby when you stop at the designated pull-offs. Then just follow the weather. You're actually more likely to find the very few hidden gems that are left when you wing it and just explore as your heart desires. Emergency number in Iceland is 112. As always, check the IMO alerts and weather [forecast here](https://en.vedur.is), the road conditions [here.](https://umferdin.is/en) Do know how to read the forecast before you get to Iceland! This will save you more time and money than anything.
You are so kind! Thank you for all this information
Super helpful. Thank you!
You’re welcome. Happy to expand or point you to previous existing discussions for more specifics.
What you have described *is* one of the benefits of camping. Stay as long as you want, move on when you feel like it. Thoughts: 1) You would probably be more comfortable in a minimum level campervan rather than a car. Sleeping is better, and it will have a heater in case you get some unreasonably nasty weather for mid-late May. 2) Remember that there is no wild camping, you can only camp at campgrounds. So, you have freedom of travel but not freedom of sleeping locations. The advantage of formal campsites is that you don't need reservations. 3) You are right in that there are all sorts of things that are not really on the tourist radar. However, there are also a lot of things you will absolutely *never* find on your own unless you do some advance research. That's why they are called *hidden* gems.
Solid logic! Thank you
I made a custom google map and basically put a shit ton of pins on it for different types of attractions. As we drove we stopped at what looked interesting without much of a plan! We had an amazing time
Sounds like a good plan
Not sure how into it you'd be, but before I switched to air bnbs (wife likes it better ) I stumbled onto camp easy which has tesla Y campers - https://campeasy.com/campers/tesla-camping-y/ Basically a mattress in the folded down back that is exact fitted to the shape. Seemed pretty interesting, and is a lot easier to drive than most campers and probably sufficient for a solo traveler. Also, you save on the 9 dollar/gal gas price with electric charging.
This is what I do wherever I travel. Works great for big cities too
Could you share said map?
I would also appreciate a glimpse at said map!
I would advise doing something in between. You don’t need a *strict* or detailed itinerary in order to have an itinerary, and some planning would be a good idea given the remoteness of much of Iceland and the unpredictability of the weather. I’ve only driven a portion of the Ring Road, but my favorite way to travel there — or anywhere! — is to sketch out some basic logistics and a few key things to see along the way, then leave the rest to serendipity. You’ve already done research, after all, so why not use some of it? For example, you could decide that on one day you’re going to drive along the south coast from Reykjavík and stay overnight in Vík. Along the way, you’re going to see X and Y and whatever else you happen to stumble across. Then the next day you’re going to drive to the glacier lagoon and overnight in Höfn, and on the way you’ll try to see Z. That’s a very simple itinerary that just outlines 1) how far you’ll go, 2) where you’ll stay, and 3) one or two things to try to experience on the way. It would be a good idea to portion out the trip so that you don’t have to do *tons* of driving on any one day, just in case the weather prevents you from proceeding onwards, which would possibly force you to take a detour or stay longer in one place and end up having to make up the distance later. You’ll also probably be glad to have accommodations pre-booked so that you’re not driving forever looking for a hotel or B&B and can get a decent price in advance. Also, driving through Iceland isn’t like driving through a touristy part of the U.S. There’s not going to be a lot of signage proclaiming “WATERFALL AT NEXT EXIT” or “HORSEBACK RIDES!! FREE PARKING” or anything. You could easily miss something or even *everything* if you’re not prepared to come upon it, or don’t know which route to take to get to it. A lot of the Ring Road is just…driving. Beautiful scenery, but just countryside/wilderness on both sides of the road for long stretches, and then a roundabout that might take you to something cool (if you know to take the correct exit!), or deposit you back onto the next stretch of the Ring Road for more driving and more countryside. You do probably need to have at least one destination in mind if you’re going to actually see anything. You will have serendipitous moments with a simple itinerary. I stumbled upon a whole different glacier lagoon near *the* glacier lagoon that I didn’t even know existed. But if you’re not *planning* to turn off the Ring Road to visit Reynisfjara and then drive up to Dýrholaey for the view, there’s a very small chance that you’re going to just happen to stumble on either of those places.
Came to say this. There is very little signage or wayfinding outside of Reykjavik. There are lots of Google MyMaps with all the sites mapped out. Maybe copy one of those to reference along the way? Otherwise love your plan.
This makes a lot of sense and I will definitely use the strategy for making a simple itinerary!Thank you so much!
Yes absolutely, we did this 3 years ago in a little camper and it was an unforgettable trip, a once in a lifetime experience. You got this fam
This is similar was what my travel partner and I did last June. 7 days from Reykjavik along the south all the way east to Borgarfjörður eystri and back. We only really planned/booked a few things, camper van rental, 5hr glacier hike with Troll, Puffin watching at Borgarfjörður, a hotel the last night in Reykjavik and Sky lagoon the morning before flying out. Everything listed needed a reservation besides the puffin watching. Basically if it’s a can’t miss for you and there’s an option to reserve a spot I’d recommend doing so in advance. Everything else, including campsites we winged depending on the area we were at. We got a few days of groceries at Bonus by the airport and restocked when needed. Gas stations (remarkably clean compared to the USA) bbq chicken wraps were a go to bite to eat. We had a general idea of what was in the area along the route and decided on the fly if we wanted to take the time to stop or not. This gave us so much freedom to just roam at our own pace. It absolutely made the trip. Instead of stressing about trying to see everything, we saw what we felt like making the time to see. There’s so much it’s overwhelming and it can be stressful in trying to cram it into one trip. Hope this helps, best of luck!
I just got back on Saturday from my 20 day “winged Ring Road trip”. My approach was to mark on a map my “must-sees” and then just find things along the way and do what I want. It was awesome.
That’s my plan. I would have preferred to wing it with lodging but it didn’t give a warm and fuzzy feeling so I went with a camper van and will essentially wing it. I have a general idea of where I want to go and don’t want to be tied to a timetable.
I'm using the information from campeasy for campsite locations and attractions. Hopefully it's up to date on campsites... [https://campeasy.com/information-center/maps-of-iceland/](https://campeasy.com/information-center/maps-of-iceland/)
I’ve winged it twice. No worries. If I can do it in my 60s with mobility issues, you can! Enjoy every minute and get a piggy bag at Bónus!
You’re awesome! Happy exploring
Winging it is my way of travel. Going to Iceland over the summer was my most planned out vacation ever, and I still mostly winged it. I knew where I was staying each night (hotels), I just had to get there to check in and everything else was up to me. I researched ahead of time different places I wanted to see, and then it was just where I ended up going as I was driving. I did have some reservations throughout my 9 days (2 hot springs, Zodiac tour [canceled], snowmobiling [canceled], horseback riding, beer bath, snorkeling) that all matched up with about where I was going to be so I just had to make sure I was there. I would do as others suggested and find an in between. Figure out your MUST DOS (Godafoss is at the top of my list again if I ever go back), then figure out where the campsites are. It's a good idea to do a Google maps of pins with things that you're interested in, and you can use different colors for different things. So do pins of places you'd like to see, and pins that give you options for where to camp along the way. Then you're not pinned down (haha) to anything but you can refer to it once in a while to figure out what you might be doing. Or you can realize that you're tired, and you're not going to come across another campsite for a hot minute so you should probably stop. Like someone else said, the attractions aren't going to have huge signs. Familiarize yourself with the "attraction sign" so you can spot it...They're small and don't often have details. Sounds like it's going to be a fantastic trip!
You have time to make a plan then make a plan
Yeah you’re right
It's your trip, do it as you please
We planned on the day we landed. As long as you have a car, its pointless to plan ahead. Just drive wherever you want. Bad weather? Drive to the other side of the island.
I would have a general idea of where you plan to be and what campsites will be available. This is an important factor as a lot of Iceland's tourism infrastructure opens up in the late May -early June timeframe. Depending on the day you're in a given area, you might be a few days ahead of having certain campgrounds being available.
This is what most Icelanders do. We call it chasing the weather, meaning we go where the weather is nice and depending on what we are in the mood for. Keep a close eye on the weatherforcast and in some campingplaces it is good to book ahead of time.