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Some low season advice and map of all year campsites.

Reduced prices

There are many good reasons to plan your minicamper journey in Iceland  during the off-peak season. First off all, we at Iceland Mini Campers offer reduced prices on our campers after September 1st. Second, the fall season often has relatively mild temperatures (in any case, our campers come equipped with electrical heaters and blankets to keep you nice and warm). Last but not least, even though it doesn’t have any tall forests, Iceland has some really beautiful fall foliage.

All year

For the fall mini camper traveller, there are some things to keep in mind. There is an increasing number of services that are open well into winter, and even all year round. . Here is a list of campsites that are open beyond the summer season http://tjalda.is/en/winter-opening/ and map of selected open all year places.

 

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These sites have different facilities but in most cases they provide at least electricity, bathrooms and showers at a modest price. We recommend that all of our customers plan their mini camper trips around those campsites, both for comforts sake and especially since camping without permission has been made illegal in Iceland (see more info here: http://www.ferdamalastofa.is/en/moya/news/may-i-camp-anywhere). For those who want to camp at other places, all that the landowners want is to be asked permission beforehand.

Swimming pools, service stations and restaurants around the country are in most cases open all year but it is sensible to plan ahead. That said, the weather can be fickle at any time during the year so we would advise visitors to keep an eye out for weather forecasts (see here: http://en.vedur.is/), bring lots of warm clothes, and dress in layers.

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Mini camper in the fog.

Drive safely and have fun!

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Þjórsárdalur and the nicest picnic spot in the universe.

Þjórsárdalur and the nicest picnic spot in the universe

Like in the previous posts, we at Iceland Mini Campers will continue describing our favorite destinations in Iceland so that you can start planning your visit. And as usual we will place an emphasis on areas that are both accessible and well suited for a mini camper visit. We are also interested in sharing some of Iceland’s well-kept secrets with you since it is a fact that Iceland has literally hundreds of destinations that are at least as worthy of a visit as Gullfoss, Geysir and the Blue Lagoon.

Today we will talk about the beautiful Þjórsárdalur area, which has a reconstructed Viking farm, some of Iceland’s most attractive waterfalls and, in our humble opinion, the nicest picnic spot there is. Also, to make things even more exciting, Þjórsárdalur is quite close to one very picturesque volcano, Hekla, which might erupt at literally any minute now. The whole Þjórsárdalur area contains a wide array of hiking trails, scenic views and interesting spots but this time we will limit ourselves to three of them. For other suggestions please refer to the Þjórsá visitor center at Árnes (see here).

Hekla

Hekla

The Þjórsárdalur area is quite close to Reykjavík at a distance of around 130 kilometers, which amounts to a solid 90-minute drive. Most places in the area are fairly easily accessible by mini camper but once you reach the area itself there are some gravel roads so we would advise you to consider getting some extended insurance coverage if you are renting one of our motorhomes and perhaps a GPS navigator as well. The area can be reached from the ring road (highway 1) as well as via Þingvellir-Laugarvatn-Flúðir if you want to combine a visit to Þjórsárdalur with a Golden Circle Tour. Since some of the Þjórsárdalur area is quite far inland it is also advisable to plan ahead and look into the condition of roads before setting off, for instance by talking to a tourist info center or checking with The Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration at http://www.road.is/.

Hjálparfoss

Hjálparfoss waterfall.

Once you find yourself on route 32, the Þjórsárdalsvegur, you will come across a sign that points to Hjálparfoss. Hjálparfoss is in fact two waterfalls that combine into one, and for added effect it is framed by some very peculiar rock formations called trap-rock. The name Hjálparfoss means waterfall of help (help is hjálp and waterfall is foss in Icelandic). Apparently the waterfall was given this name since it was a welcome stop for those traveling across the country on horseback since Hjálparfoss has clear spring water, as opposed to the foul smelling brown glacial rivers that are predominant in the area, and a nice clearing with plenty of grass for horses.

Þjóðveldisbærinn Stöng

Þjóðveldisbærinn Stöng

Close by Hjálparfoss on route 32, you can find route 327, Stangarvegur, which leads to the Viking farm Stöng. Stöng is a turf farm built on the excavated foundations of an older farm that was buried in lava in the year 1104, in one of Hekla’s heftiest eruptions. The Stöng farm offers guided tours and an exhibition of arts, crafts and the history of Gaukur Trandilsson, the former inhabitant of Stöng, about whom an Icelandic saga was written (but sadly is now lost). More information can be found here: http://www.thjodveldisbaer.is/en.

Gjáin í Þjórsárdal

Gjáin í Þjórsárdal

From Stöng you can drive a short distance to Gjáin, which is quite a remarkable place. The gravel road between Stöng and Gjáin can be a little rough but in that case it is well possible to walk to Gjáin, which should take around 20 minutes. Gjáin is a small valley with green grass, a blue stream, a beautiful waterfall and strange tousled rock formations. Gjáin meets the visitor like an oasis that stands in stark contrast to the barren rocky landscapes that surround it. The calming sounds of trickling water, the scenery and the peaceful air of Gjáin makes it, again in our humble opinion, the best picnic spot in the universe for the travel weary mini camper driver. It should also come in handy that our campers come furnished with a gas heater and all the equipment you need to make hot chocolate, which is the perfect drink for your picnic at Gjáin.

For an overnight stay in the area we recommend the camping grounds at Sandártunga, Árnes or Brautarholt. There are also farms in the area that offer horseback riding and assorted services and activities. The general area also has several bars, café’s, restaurants and, of course, a few swimming pools. So our advice is the same as usual. Drive slowly and safely, make many stops, and enjoy.

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Háifoss – þjórsárdalur

Happy holidays!

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Sorcery, seafood and the world’s smallest Icelandic fishing village.

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Sorcery, seafood and the world’s smallest Icelandic fishing village

While the last post suggested lesser-known sweet spots along the popular Golden Circle route, the following segment will continue in the same vein and introduce some of our favorite locations. 

Iceland is often presented as divided into four regions–the north, the south, the east and the west–and these four regions each have their special landscapes and attractive locations. However, there is also a fifth quarter, a bonus round if you will, which is the Westfjords. Because of its distance from Reykjavík, the Westfjords region is largely overlooked by mainstream tourism. However, it is also secluded, sparsely populated and contains some of the most exciting views and locations Iceland has to offer. Covering everything the Westfjords have to offer could easily take up several hundred pages but for this occasion we at Iceland Mini Campers would like to suggest a trip to the most accessible place in the Westfjords and one that’s perfectly suited for a 2-4 day getaway in a motorhome. (For more general and practical information about the Westfjords see here).

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West Iceland

The best way to get to the Westfjords is to drive straight to Hólmavík. The journey should take a little under three hours of driving but we would of course encourage campervan travelers to take it slow and keep their eyes peeled for interesting stops along the way. Once in Hólmavík there are at least three activities that we must recommend:

First, check out the seafood that is on offer. The local stores often sell locally caught fresh fish, mussels, prawns and other delicacies. These are also usually on offer at the two local restaurator Café Riis and Kaffi Galdur.

Second, visit the local witchcraft and sorcery museum (see here), which has on display a replica of the bone chilling “necropants” which were worn only by the most ruthless sorcerers in the past. The Westfjords and the area around Hólmavík in particular has an interesting history of magic and sorcery. To this day people are advised not to make enemies in this region because of this fact so we suggest that visitors tread lightly and treat the locals with utmost courtesy.

Third, Hólmavík has, in our humble opinion, the thickest, warmest, and prettiest hand knitted woolen sweaters in Iceland. Be sure to visit the town’s little arts and crafts store for a closer look.

Once you have reached Hólmavík the rest of the Westfjords are at your fingertips but for now we would like to suggest share one of our favorite spots in Iceland, the small town of Drangsnes, which is only a 25 minutes drive from Hólmavík. (see here) Drangsnes is the smallest fishing village in Iceland with around 60 inhabitants and has a some really interesting attractions to offer. There is a restaurant there and boat tours that include fishing and sightseeing around the surrounding islands. The area is chock-full of all sorts of life; fish, whale and seabirds, which serves to explain why there has been a town thriving at that remote spot for hundreds of years. Another interesting benefit is the town’s three outside hot pots located at the shoreline. In 1996 the township of Drangsnes tried to drill for cold water but instead stumbled upon a geothermal spring. Because of this Drangsnes has all the hot water it could possibly use and more. Therefore the three hot pots were installed and at a short distance a small house with showers and changing facilities, all free of charge. At night you can soak in the hot pots and watch the locals waddle over in their bathrobes for a late night dip. The town also has a very nice swimming pool and an excellent camping site for the tired but happy campervan traveller.

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Westfjords road.

To conclude, it is worth stressing that if one is to venture further into the Westfjords there are a few practical things to keep in mind. Beyond Hólmavík there are many gravel roads where one must drive extra carefully (and perhaps consider getting extra insurance coverage). It is at least advised to drive considerably slower (no faster that 75 km/h) and try the brakes every now and then to get a feel for the grip of the tires.

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Puffin.

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Westfjords road.

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Sunset in the Westfjords.

Moreover, there are long stretches of road without shops, restaurants and gasoline- or service stations so it is advised to plan ahead. Finally, no matter the season it can get cold up there in the Northwest so the motorhome traveller should come prepared.

Have a safe trip!

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