Iceland

We spent four days in Iceland in February 2020, driving the south coast in a Campeasy campervan from Keflavík. It was a short trip with a lot of driving, and it gave us sunrise under Vestrahorn, icebergs on Diamond Beach and an ice cave.

What we did

Day one was the longest drive, from the airport to the campsite at Skaftafell after a stop at Bonus to stock the van. On day two we were up at 5:30 for sunrise under Vestrahorn at Stokksnes, then drove to Hoffell Glacial Lake and on to Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach. Day three started with a glacier hike into an ice cave, then Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon and the black sand at Reynisfjara. On the last day we saw sunrise at Skógafoss, then Seljalandsfoss and Gljúfrabúi, before a storm made us rush Strokkur and Gullfoss and head for Reykjavík.

Going in winter

February meant short days and weather that could turn quickly, and a storm cut our last day short. If you go in winter, keep plans flexible and check the road and weather sites every morning. Summer brings long days and easier driving, and more people.

Getting around

A campervan worked well for us: no hotel check-ins, and we could set off before dawn to catch the sunrise. The wind is the thing to respect. It's strong enough to rip a van door out of your hand, so we'd always take full insurance. Four days only really covers the south coast as far as Jökulsárlón and back, and it means a lot of driving.

For the practical details and what we packed, use the buttons below.