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Author Topic: Interior Iceland  (Read 1282 times)

Two23

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Interior Iceland
« on: January 11, 2019, 12:01:30 am »

OK, so no one has been to the Faroe Islands.  I admit I'm surprised!  How about the interior of Iceland?  I'm thinking of renting a 4WD camper thingy in Keflavik and heading north.  I'm an experienced off road driver and very comfortable in desolate places.  Is there much to see in the middle of Iceland?  I really want to avoid the crowds of the southeast.  I want to go where tour buses tremble. :D  Also considering the peninsulas on the northwest corner of the island.  What's a good month--late July perhaps?


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« Last Edit: January 11, 2019, 12:06:48 am by Two23 »
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Aram Hăvărneanu

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Re: Interior Iceland
« Reply #1 on: January 11, 2019, 07:13:24 am »

I haven't been to the interior yet, I'd love to go there one day, so far I've only been to Iceland once, but please note that there is no off road driving in Iceland (though you need a 4WD to drive to the interior).

I don't think it's too difficult to beat the crowds though. Just don't go where the crowds are.
« Last Edit: January 11, 2019, 07:17:18 am by Aram Hăvărneanu »
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Eric Myrvaagnes

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Re: Interior Iceland
« Reply #2 on: January 11, 2019, 09:58:30 am »

You need a 4WD vehicle and a knowledgeable local guide to get to anywhere in the interior (and back safely).
On my one visit in June of 1974 there were still hardly any tourists. We were on a hiking club tour, and one of our last destinations was Mount Hekla (in between eruptions.)

Our tour guide was very familiar with the "track" leading to the base of Hekla, but the "track" was virtually invisible to me. We traveled through wild and desolate lava fields, almost getting stuck at times. We were in a bus, followed by a food and gear truck. Both were 4WD and equipped with shovels and tow ropes for emergencies. We needed both.

First photo is of a dormant crater lake on the track to Hekla. The second is from the summit of Mount Hekla.
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Two23

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Re: Interior Iceland
« Reply #3 on: January 11, 2019, 10:17:24 am »

I've been to Iceland three times now and am somewhat familiar.  As for driving, yes intend to stay on established roads.  I'm pretty brave on remote roads--driving them has sort of been my hobby for the past 40 years. :D  From what I've seen in Iceland, the roads in the Dakotas are a lot more sketchy.  As I've gained experience I now stop and look things over and am not afraid to say, "Nope.  Not doing that again!" when I come to something treacherous.   :)  As for guides, my wife and I are pretty adventurous on our own.  I do wish I could rent something more like Jeep Wrangler with more clearance there.  I looked into bringing my Subaru Forester over--it's proving to be a very capable vehicle.  I quickly concluded the costs involved would be prohibitive.  There is no ferry service from here, unlike Europe.

I'm still surprised that no here has been to the Faroe Islands.  That's making them increasingly attractive to me!


Kent in SD
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Aram Hăvărneanu

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Re: Interior Iceland
« Reply #4 on: January 11, 2019, 10:46:03 am »

I also looked into bringing my own car into Iceland for diving to the interior. In fact, the prices in Iceland are so crazy that I came to the conclusion that for a two week tour, it would be far cheaper to 1) buy a car in Europe, 2) bring it to Iceland, 3) bring it back to Europe, 4) resell it; than it would be to rent a proper vehicle (when I looked it was over 500 EUR/day for a proper Land Rover Defender or similar).

Crazy.
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John Hollenberg

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Re: Interior Iceland
« Reply #5 on: January 11, 2019, 11:29:49 am »

OK, so no one has been to the Faroe Islands.  I admit I'm surprised!  How about the interior of Iceland?  I'm thinking of renting a 4WD camper thingy in Keflavik and heading north.  I'm an experienced off road driver and very comfortable in desolate places.  Is there much to see in the middle of Iceland?  I really want to avoid the crowds of the southeast.  I want to go where tour buses tremble. :D  Also considering the peninsulas on the northwest corner of the island.  What's a good month--late July perhaps?

I went for a 2 week trip at the end of June, 2018.  It isn't difficult to get to the interior with a capable 4WD vehicle.  We had Toyota Landcruiser and Landrover Defender both with snorkels.  The snorkels were overkill for what we did, but if water levels had been higher might have made a difference.  Some of the roads had just opened in late June (and some still weren't open) so going a bit later will allow you to go further inland.  I would not get a Landrover Defender unless you are going in winter.  They are noisy and a pain to drive compared to the Landcruiser. By going on the F-roads you will decrease the number of tourists by about 95%.  However, note that buses can definitely go through water that we wouldn't dare touch.  See details of my trip here: https://forum.luminous-landscape.com/index.php?topic=125740.0

We went on our own without a guide.  Here are the two best resources we found for planning our trip:

Photographers map of Iceland:  https://international-photographer.com/en/ (note that there is a map of Faroe Islands there also!)

Landscape Photographers Guide to Iceland (ebook): https://www.naturephotoguides.com/e-books/iceland
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Aram Hăvărneanu

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Re: Interior Iceland
« Reply #6 on: January 11, 2019, 11:33:24 am »

Your vehicle was cheaper that I could find, "only" 5131 EUR for 14 days in July. Yep, far cheaper to ship vehicle than to rent (but of course, far more PITA).
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