The moment I met our Happy Campers van in Njarðvík I knew we were in for the journey of a lifetime. Jetlagged beyond belief, we were given a tour of what would become our beloved van. I excitedly opened the back doors of the van and could see everything from the benches that surrounded the kitchen table, to the kitchen, to the front seat. Let’s go vanlife Iceland!
A Glimpse Inside Our Home
Before we could get on the road, Happy Campers invited us inside to grab the rest of everything we needed for the week. A “Free Zone” area caught my eye where previous campers leave unused items for you to take with you. I grabbed hot chocolate, soup, and extra blankets for the road. It was finally time to make the magic happen!
Quick Note About Packing
Before our trip, we watched TikToks, which showed how much space was inside our van. While my friends knew me as the high-maintenance packer—I decided to leave the curling iron at home for this trip. I packed everything in a 40L duffel, weighing only 28lbs. Duffels are ideal for vanlife Iceland since you can pull everything out of your bag and stuff in the van’s compartments.
Under each bench inside the van was an area to put our belongings, so we left our clothes in packing cubes to keep everything organized. On the other bench, we kept pantry items, meaning that the remainder of the bench and trunk space was just enough for our bedding, jackets, and a place to fold our duffels for the rest of the trip.
Freedom for Miles
There’s something exciting about driving on the open road that sets your mind free. The further down the Ring Road I drove with my two friends, the more the reality of everyday life slipped away. For these nine days in Iceland, I could be anyone I wanted. I could sing, I could dance, I could hike—I could see the Northern Lights—or so I thought.
The Roadtrip Begins
The van was easy to drive; it had an automatic transmission, an iPad for GPS, and Bluetooth for music. It wasn’t too different than driving my SUV at home other than the fact it was a larger vehicle to park. As we blasted our Iceland playlist, we drove through an underground tunnel to reach Kirkjufell Mountain. The only issue? Where’s the nearest bathroom, I thought.
I didn’t realize Iceland didn’t have many bathrooms or trash cans on certain stretches of roadway. In fact—it felt like most of the terrain was this way. Upon sharing this observation with a descendant of a Viking we met he told me what most locals knew to be true. This was the quote he shared with me, which will forever stay in my mind.
Iceland is a loo with a view.
—Guy with Viking Hair Who Drives a 4×4
First Night in the Camper Van
Between the stunning views at our first stop at Kirkjufell with the iconic hilly backdrop amidst the lively waterfalls, it was almost sunset. We drove to our campsite called Grundarfjörður nearby. There were bathrooms and showers, although the showers weren’t working then. After familiarizing ourselves with the campsite and noticing our neighbors, it was dinnertime.
If you’ve ever used a propane camping stove, you know you might be waiting a while before things heat up. While Suchi and Lauren prepared the cod outside the van, I poured wine for the group, and Kelsey and Rachael cooked the rice. Each kitchen also had a mini-sink, a cooler, counter space, and a pantry filled with cutlery, dishes, and coffee mugs.
It was easy to spread out and finish preparing everything so we weren’t getting in each other’s way, some inside the van, and some outside the van. At last, dinner was served! For our first meal, each group sat in their prospective vans and waved at the other. It was comforting to be eating at our kitchen table in what was our home for the next week—such is vanlife Iceland.
You Snooze, You Win
That first night, everyone was too thrilled to sleep, or maybe it was the fact we were in tight quarters when it came time to rest. We were six girls in two vans with three girls in each. While the Happy 2 – 3pax Camper van we rented comfortably sleeps 3, I do recommend upgrading and getting the Happy 3 if you want some extra leg and standing room.
Northern Light Nights
One of the best parts about nighttime is checking the aurora radar on the Happy App to see if the Northern Lights will make their debut. One night on my way to a real bathroom I spotted this in the sky. It was the closest thing to seeing the Northern Lights I’d ever had in my life. Too bad I didn’t have my glasses on but I left the experience with this photo.
The Hot Thermal River
The next morning, we stopped at Valeria Karribrennsla to get a proper caffeine boost while driving to Reykjadalur Thermal River. We saw some incredible sights along the way, like Stone Bridge, a naturally formed stone arch along the coastline. Just the sheer pleasure of seeing amazing things out of our van windows was enough to inspire us to make unexpected stops.
We pulled up to what we didn’t realize would be the most intense part of the entire week. None of us had any clue what to expect except our friend, Suchi, who helped put together our itinerary. She mumbled things to us like “challenging hike” but we’ll get to swim in a “hot thermal river”. While both of those phrases are accurate, I can only say that I lived to tell the tale!
I’ll have a longer version of this experience written soon, but what I’ll tell you is I felt like we were in military boot camp. Leaving the warmth of our precious van home, we embarked on what felt like miles of winding mountain valleys with steaming geysers and freezing rain—to finally and miraculously end up at the hot thermal river.
A few eccentric tourists from all over the world were also here. Why, I wondered? Why would anyone do this? I miss the van. The worst part was having to change into our swimsuits in these arctic temperatures. In my next article, you’ll see—the rest is history. Practically running back to the vans, we made it in time for a cup of hot chocolate.
As I cranked the van heater up while sipping my cocoa, I thought, I’ll never take this van for granted again.
—Rachael, Van #2 Driver
Living La Vida Lagoons
We entered Sky Lagoon with nothing to lose. Being in a lagoon was a dream after hiking and being on the road all day. When the warm water touches your skin, it’s a moment of zen. Then comes the champagne, and maybe a cold plunge—if you’re brave. We hung around Sky Lagoon for our two-hour time slot, then came the best part.
If it’s not clear by now, the vans didn’t come equipped with showers or bathrooms—meaning, we had to shower at our campsites each night. If you’ve showered at a campsite, you know it isn’t always the most glamorous experience. But showering at the lagoon locations on the other hand, which felt more normal, helped to make vanlife Iceland a little more luxurious.
I’ll take a lagoon spa experience over a campsite shower any day.
—Suchi, Itinerary Master
Lagoon attractions like Blue Lagoon gave us unique all-natural products to bathe with—and even face masks we could rinse off while we were still in the lagoon. I think just the comfort of having access to a blow dryer, sauna, and steam room can make you forget you’re staying in a van. I remember we always slept the best after winding the day down in the lagoons.
Pro Tip: Don’t forget to bring an instant drying towel for the campsites as towels typically aren’t provided here. Sometimes the lagoons offer towels for free—other times they will charge you.
Disclaimer: Gas Isn’t Cheap
While Happy Campers does provide you with fuel discount cards to gas stations like Orkan and ÓB, gas in Iceland is more expensive than say in the United States. In fact, it’s the second-most expensive gas in the world with Hong Kong being #1. It’s $8.91 per gallon, but splitting prices with the friends in your van can make a difference.
Pro Tip: Green pumps in Iceland are for gas, and black for diesel. Don’t be the traveler who loads up with the wrong fuel. 😁
Pay Attention to Parking
We found that parking varied at each stop. Sometimes, you had to pay, like at Kirkjufell Mountain. There were parking machines where we had to enter our license plate, and the machine would charge us per hour. Other stops were easy peasy and free. Many of the waterfalls were this way—plenty of gravel space, making it easy to hang out and have lunch.
A Few Tips for Driving
- Icelandic sheep are amazing, but don’t pull over on the side of the road to see them as #1 They don’t want to see you, and #2 It’s illegal.
- Another note about sheep: be sure to slow down as they can jump in front of the car. 🐑👀
- The roads are two-lane highways and aren’t ideal for passing, so be sure to pass only in designated areas or when it feels safe to do so.
- Trust the gas station hot dogs! In any other country, I’d tell you the opposite, but the locals know how to do it right.
- Happy Campers Vans come with cruise control, so make it easy on yourself and lean into this feature!
- Watch out for the speed traps in Iceland! While cruising through the town of Vík, we noticed cameras that track your speed while entering the town’s limits.
- Do not, I repeat, do not drive on F-Roads unless your vehicle is equipped for off-roading.
Some Things I’ll Miss About Iceland.
So Long, Vanlife Iceland
After such a wonderful trip in our Happy Campers van, I can truly say I recommend this experience to anyone ready for an adventure or who likes camping. Upon returning our vans, there was a sentimental moment where it’s like you’re saying goodbye to your home. Vanlife Iceland is everything and more than I could’ve ever imagined—it was freedom on wheels.
