Whether you’re a first-time visitor to Iceland or you are a local there we have collected the most important tips for you to make your roadtrip in Iceland for once safe but also unforgettable. Apart from the country’s natural wonders, there are some important things to keep in mind when planning your road trip. As locals we want to share our best advice for navigating Iceland’s most popular roads and attractions safely and comfortably. We will introduce you to the websites you should have on speed dial throughout your trip so let’s get planning.

Use road.is to check the state of the roads

If you want to know the state of the roads, road.is has all that information for you. It’s a website that shows road conditions in Iceland, so you can use it to get an overview of how things are before setting out on your journey. Especially in the wintertime or with a storm you should check on this website at least once a day. You can also use their map to search for specific roads if you want more detailed information on those areas. You can also find web cameras in many spots pointing at the road so you can get a good impression even before having set foot on the island. If a road is closed you should never drive on it and rather call their number 1777 if you are unsure or need further information.

Many F-roads are not suitable for rental cars but for trips into the highlands like Þórsmörk you can take buses that are equipped for deep river crossings. This way you will get to explore one of the areas that not many tourists are getting to in a safe way.

To protect the very fragile nature in the northern climate in Iceland, offroading is strictly forbidden under any circumstance and comes with heavy fines. 

Check in with safetravel.is

If you want to be sure you’re safe while traveling in Iceland, consider checking out safetravel.is. This website provides information about safely travelling in Iceland and can help you plan your trip accordingly. Right at the top you will get warnings for different areas in Iceland. For example about the dangerous sneaker waves at Reynisfjara. Did you know you can spot Puffins at the famous black sand beach in the summertime?!

If you’re planning on doing remote hikes or other activities that require some planning ahead, we recommend submitting your travel plan on this website so that in case of an emergency you can be found easily. 

Safetravel also has an overview of road conditions and great tips for driving in Iceland. The website is available in multiple languages and you can sign up to get the notifications right to your phone.

All visitors in Iceland are asked to travel with respect for nature and the local people who live there.

Look up vedur.is for a detailed weather forecast

Vedur.is is the Icelandic Meteorological Office website and it’s the best source of weather forecasts. It has a detailed forecast for every part of Iceland, so you can see what kind of conditions you’re going to encounter in each part of your trip.

The website also has a lot of information about Iceland’s geography. The weather can change quickly and is difficult to predict so we recommend checking the forecast for a day in advance only. It is good to update the forecast each morning especially in the winter season. Other weather apps do tend to not be very accurate and there is no reason to get upset about the weather. We can’t change the weather anyways so here in Iceland we say if you don’t like the weather you wait 5 minutes. Sometimes the weather just a few kilometers away can be much better.

Vedur.is also has a great section for northern light forecasts. We recommend staying in an area of little light pollution outside the capital area to have higher chances of seeing the lights dance over the night sky. Öræfi is one of those areas that has no cities so as long as there are no clouds you can admire the millions of stars and be patiently waiting for the lights to appear. The area is not shy of mesmerising views during the day either with adventurous glacier hikes on Falljökull. Another great point of view is the easy hike behind Hotel Skaftafell where you will have a beautiful view of the glacier outlet Svínafellsjökull, which has been starred in many movies like James Bond or Game of Thrones.

Plan more time than you think you need

If you’re driving in Iceland, you’ll want to take your time. The roads can be narrow and windy or long straight stretches, exposed to all the weather without any shelter. Taking your time will also give you more opportunities to enjoy the scenery and stop at some of Iceland’s best attractions along the way!

You should always plan more time for the drive than your navigation system tells you. With driving too fast you take unnecessary risks especially in conditions like rain or snowfall. You never want to be rushing to make your way to an ice cave tour you booked. It makes much more sense to get up a little earlier and arrive at your meeting location at Jökulsárlón before most others. You can take a nice walk along the shore of the glacier lagoon, take in the view of the massive icebergs floating around the lake and be washed out to see where they end up as sparkling small pieces on the black sand beach, known as diamond beach. You can then sit back in a super jeep that will bring you closer to the glacier and your vacation is a lot more relaxed.

Should I be scared of driving in Iceland?

If you’re planning on driving in Iceland, it’s important to be prepared. The weather can change quickly so it’s important to know what the forecast is and plan accordingly. You’ll also want to check the road information before heading out on your road trip in case there are any closures or delays along your route. Make sure that you check road conditions at least once per day and be flexible.

If you are unsure about the traffic rules in Iceland check out these entertaining little videos (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3prAqz9YEX4_cQHt7HTUoSGDs9W5e1Mo) named Driving with Elfis. If you are not used to driving in winter conditions you might want to check a winter driving training in your home country. If you don‘t want to drive at all you can also consider a guided tour in small group like glacier hike or ice cave tour with Hidden Iceland.

Iceland is a very safe country to be road tripping and it is a great way to get to see a lot of the country. Many people stick to the south coast due to the easily accessible destinations but Iceland is not as small as one might think and the likelihood is pretty big that you would want to come back for another roadtrip in Iceland!