I did loads of research for a thorough road trip around Iceland. This is what I’ve got in text form, but contact me and I’ll happily rave about the place. I’m organizing all my photos for a photo book, but I’ll see how that shapes up for a website post.

Tips for Traveling in Iceland

General: Iceland, a land of raw natural attractions, is quite rural but weirdly tourist-friendly with hotels everywhere. It is always cold but not super cold (20s in winter, low 50s in summer), but Icelandic weather is notoriously fickle.

Seasons: High season is May-Aug., filled with lush greens, sheep, midnight sun, and way too many tourists. Winter has a genuine winter wonderland feel, but days are short, and many roads and trails are closed. You can chase aurora (forecaster: http://en.vedur.is/, but I estimate only 25% chance that clouds and solar conditions favor you) and do wintry tours like snowmobiling, dog-sledding, or ice caves, but pursue commercial tours at your own peril. March/April, when I went, is thawing season, so it’s muddy.

Where to go: Read below but also I MADE A THOROUGH MAP. Reykjavik, the only city, is in the southwest. Visit, in order of priority: the south coast, the nearby Golden Circle loop, the western Snæfellsnes peninsula, the northern Mývatn region, the southern highlands (if summer), the distant northwestern Westfjords, the Eastfjords. Reykjavik itself needs only a day at most. Blue Lagoon? If you like luxury spas, then definitely go. However, wading in mining runoff amongst hundreds of tourists in the least Icelandic attraction for $100 was not for me. Continue reading Iceland Tips →