{"id":40589,"date":"2017-10-24T22:17:23","date_gmt":"2017-10-24T14:17:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/?p=40589"},"modified":"2019-05-24T08:18:57","modified_gmt":"2019-05-24T00:18:57","slug":"iceland-self-drive-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/2017\/10\/iceland-self-drive-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"DIY Iceland: Self-Drive Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cShould we self-drive in Iceland? Or should we just follow a tour?\u201d<\/em>
\n \u201cHow is the drive like? <\/em>Is it dangerous?\u201d<\/em>
\n \u201cWhat car should I drive?\u201d<\/em>
\n“Was it easy to self-drive in Iceland?”<\/em>
\n “Which car rental company did you rent from?”<\/em><\/p>\n

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We’ve been receiving these queries (both on FB as well as through IG) from our readers since we shared our Iceland itinerary<\/strong><\/a> so I reckon it warrants a post.<\/p>\n

Brief Background:<\/strong> I\u2019m a driver with a good safety record. I\u2019ve been driving for almost 30 years and I love driving. At times, I drive long distance \u2013 max of 5-6 hours but most times, it\u2019s negotiating the busy traffic of the urban jungle in Singapore, KL, Penang and Melbourne. Note also that most times I drive on the left side of the road (as with most Commonwealth countries). In those many years, I\u2019ve had two most memorable driving experiences. One was in Dec. 2016 where I drove in Hokkaido in its heaviest snowfall in 50 years<\/a>. The other memorable one\u2026yes, Iceland.<\/p>\n

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Don\u2019t get me wrong, Iceland is a fantastically beautiful country and a self-drive holiday granted us the liberty to truly take in the stupendous scenery at leisure. However, driving in Iceland does pose some risks, particularly for predominantly urban drivers like myself visiting the country for the first time.<\/p>\n

Here are the conditions which I was driving under:<\/p>\n

Weather, Road and Seasonal Conditions:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Month travelled<\/strong>: Mid-June, 2017<\/p>\n

Season:<\/strong> Summer<\/p>\n

Weather:<\/strong> Generally sunny but very windy with light drizzle<\/p>\n

Temperature:<\/strong> Average high of 6-8C daily though the temperature drops dramatically when the wind blows.<\/p>\n

Road conditions:<\/strong> Roads in towns are basically deserted (not jam-packed with cars). This includes the capital Reykjavik though at certain parts the roads in the capital can be narrow. There are moderate amount of pedestrians and cyclists but not as much as that in, say Copenhagen or Bergen (Norway) where the population is far denser.<\/p>\n

Highway:<\/strong> Out of its capital Reykjavik, the highways are mainly well-paved, single lane but not very well-lit at night except at major junctions and small towns.<\/p>\n

Night Driving:<\/strong> Road dividers are generally visible. Certain stretches of the highways may not have roadside barriers. Some of these stretches include hillsides and mountain sides (no, we did not deliberately wander off-road). These warrant extreme care if driving in the dark and when there are ice\/snow on the roads (i.e. during winter).<\/p>\n

Tunnels:<\/strong> Do expect to be travelling into single-lane tunnels, yes, single-lanes, where one has to negotiate, pull to one side to give way to oncoming traffic.<\/p>\n

Toll:<\/strong> We did not encounter any tolls along the way (and hope they keep it that way!)<\/p>\n

Animals:<\/strong> None. All farm \/ barn animals are well-kept within perimeter fencing. You may choose to stop at a convenient point to photograph them up close but do not trespass.<\/p>\n

Daylight Hours:<\/strong> Summer poses a good time to drive as the sun is up virtually all day and night (it only grows dark for an hour between 2:30am-3:30am). The daylight will shorten considerably as winter approaches.<\/p>\n

Road Conditions:<\/strong> While the highway roads are well-paved, there were certain stretches that were under repair. I remembered one stretch was for about nearly 10kms of gravel, small rocks and sand. In such situations, you can expect lots of sand to hit your windscreen if you\u2019re driving at close distance to the car in front.<\/p>\n

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Give the conditions above, how did we survive a self-drive as a family with 2 young kids during our 10D9N trip?<\/p>\n

1. Recommended Car Rental Company:<\/strong><\/p>\n

As the places in Iceland can be remote, renting our car from a reputable car rental company is critical. For us, after much research on travel forums, we rented our 4WDs from a reliable family-owned business, Lagoon Car Renta<\/strong>l<\/strong><\/a> which has a good track-record and rave online reviews.  Booking our car from theLagoon Car Renta<\/strong><\/a>l website was a breeze. We received an instant quote and confirmation within the hour. We included a GPS and booster seat for our toddler in the car rental and everything was prepared for us in advance of our arrival. Whenever we emailed them to clarify some queries, the emails were always promptly replied within 24 hours. This gave us great assurance.<\/p>\n

Once we touched down at Keflavik Airport, Lagoon Car Renta<\/strong>l<\/strong><\/a>‘s representative was already waiting at the arrival gate for us \u2013 a strapping young man who spoke English very well and welcomed us warmly to Iceland. He was our first encounter with an Icelander and left a very good first impression! After a short transfer (10 mins) from the airport, we arrived at Lagoon\u2019s office where the rows of rental cars were parked outside. The official documentation for the car rental was processed efficiently. In less than 30 minutes, we collected our car and was given a checklist to thoroughly check against any known defects. The staff also very kindly helped us input the first few destinations and waypoints into the GPS before we set off. While all that was happening, the kids helped themselves to the free flow of hot chocolate available (the adults followed soon after!)<\/p>\n

We had opted for 4WDs (4 Wheel Drives) and was assigned a rather new KIA Sportage. Throughout the journey, the KIA Sportage handled the road conditions well. We were blessed that there were no breakdowns, accidents or other mechanical issues at all. In fact, we were pleasantly surprised to discover the interior heating function in the car \u2013the heated steering and warm passenger seats were a welcomed novelty for the kids!<\/p>\n

At the end of our trip, returning the car was again handled professionally, with the same level of friendly and efficient service. Another representative drove us to the airport and dropped us off at the International Departure Terminal. Point to point, the entire car rental process was hassle free and communication precise. We would recommend Lagoon Car Rental<\/strong><\/a> for your car-rental needs in Iceland.<\/p>\n

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Lagoon Car Rental, Iceland<\/strong><\/p>\n

Email: info@lagooncarrental.is<\/p>\n

Website: https:\/\/lagooncarrental.is\/ <\/a><\/p>\n

2. Do I need an International Driving Licence?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The car rental company (i.e.Lagoon Car Rental<\/strong><\/a>) accepted my Singapore driving licence. There was no need for an International driving licence. If in doubt, do check with the respective car rental company before you fly.<\/p>\n

3. How much car insurance should I buy?<\/strong><\/p>\n

We are first time drivers in Iceland hence we bought the full coverage. Even after the drive, we felt it was very necessary as it is difficult to predict the weather and road conditions. Gravel, rocks, branches and even the occasional sheep were aplenty and they may cause multiple dents or scratches. Our extended family who travelled with us in a 2nd car had grazed something along the road bend unknowingly, sustaining a small scratch on the car front bumper and they were billed for damage amounting to 300 Euros (yikes!). Fortunately, the comprehensive car insurance package covered a large chunk of that bill and my uncle\u2019s travel insurance covered the rest. So if you ask us, we always prefer more insurance, to cover for contingencies.<\/p>\n

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4. Is it tough to adjust driving on the right side of the road?<\/strong><\/p>\n

In Singapore, we drive on the left side of the road unlike in Iceland where they follow the US. The only place where I really needed to be more conscious of was in its capital Reykjavik. Apart from that, the inter-town highways were quite easy to get used to.
\nIn a nutshell, you do need to be more focused especially when turning left into another street. Right turn was easy \u2013 just follow the curve of the road but turning left required me to consciously remember to turn into the RIGHT side of the roads.<\/p>\n

5. Do I need a 4WD or any car will do?<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you are just going to be in the capital Reykavyk, you probably won\u2019t need a 4WD. The capital is small and compact enough to walk or cycle around. However, chances are that you\u2019d be venturing out to see the stunning scenery and surreal landscapes outside of the city.<\/p>\n

During our 2200km drive around Iceland, though the roads were largely paved, we did encounter stretches of roads where they were quite steep and laden with gravel, rocks, sand etc\u2026though we didn\u2019t plan to go off-road.<\/p>\n

Our 4WD came in very useful in these road conditions especially since we had a car-full of passengers (3 adults, 2 kids) and luggage (3 big ones and 2 smaller ones). The other tip is to get a 4WD and not an AWD (All-wheel Drive). The former is where I can switch between using 4 or 2 wheels. This helps to save on fuel consumption as fuel is expensive in Iceland \u2013 I was paying for diesel at Singapore\u2019s petrol prices!<\/p>\n

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6. Do I need baby car seats \/ booster seats?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, please get one and abide by internatrional safety standards when travelling with kids. Talk to your car rental company and they\u2019ll be glad to include one approved model for you.<\/p>\n

7. What other factors should I consider when self-driving in Iceland?<\/strong><\/p>\n