Exploring Iceland on a Budget

Setting Off on Our Icelandic Adventure

We decided to start our year long travels in the beautiful Land of Fire and Ice. We opted to rent a camper van to freely immerse ourselves in the wild beauty of the island while sticking to our budget. We decided to purchase our camper van from Happy Camper as they were a economic solution with some pretty nice perks. The van fit the two of us just fine with a kitchenette, a free wifi hotspot included, as well as the option to get some money back by doing a "Happy Camper Challenge". This challenge was to go to as many of the 20 locations around the country that they laid out and depending on the number of sites documented, you could get up to 30% off of your rental.

Planning and Preparation

We decided to plan each day the night before. Looking at points of interest and recommendations that were in a 4-5 hour radius of our location, and finding a campsite that matched our camping discount card, led us to plan our route for the next day.

We utilized the kitchenette in the camper van and/or campsites to make a majority of our meals from scratch and keeping our costs low. While also making the most of our camping discount card for discounted/"free" stays.

Our Stops:

We began our journey by exploring the western coast first on the flip of a coin (West coast or South coast first). The first day was full of fighting jet lag and we were not able to see to many places. The following days, after we got some sleep, we made our way up to the West Fjords while stopping at numerous waterfalls and traveling some bumpier roads on the side of cliffs.

You can highlight the spots on the map and check our notes and details about the locations. A list of our favorites though:

15- Látrabjarg

27- GeoSea

36- Dettifoss/Selfoss (West Side)

45- Fardagafoss

49- Stuðlagil Canyon

51- Fláajökull Trail Head @ Haukafell

67- Brúarfoss

72- Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur

Full list of our stops can be found here.

Show me the Money-breakdown

For the 14 days in Iceland, we spent $1,724.93 excluding the camper van rental itself. Our categorical expenses were as follows:

Gas: $657.70

Lodging: $253.20

Food: $213.02

Groceries: $154.68

Drinks: $139.61

Flights: $128.00

Activities: $97.90

Other (Parking): $80.82

Final Thoughts

Traveling around Iceland in a camper van was an incredible adventure that proved you don't need a massive budget to experience the island’s natural beauty. With careful planning and a spirit for adventure, we created unforgettable memories. If you’re thinking about embarking on this journey, a camper van is a fantastic way to explore Iceland without breaking the bank.