I've been researching Iceland for a few days now. I joined Facebook groups and pages, bought books about Iceland, etc. So far what I've learned isn't much, but is enough that I know better what I'm facing.
Things are expensive in Iceland. Not just "this bag of chips is $2 more than it would be back home" expensive, but "holy shit everything is so expensive" expensive! Food, lodging, GAS. I just learned that gas is over $9 a gallon! Yes, you read that right. $9 a gallon. Considering I'm planning to rent a vehicle and drive the Ring Road (827 miles) for most of my trip, that's something that's definitely important to know. Lodging can get very expensive, also. Even hostels can be pricey depending on the location. Camping is the cheapest option, but most campgrounds close in mid-September (my planned arrival). Pulling over on the side of the road and sleeping is illegal. With the huge boom in tourism that Iceland has seen over the past decade, people were doing this to save money, but imagine thousands of people just pulling over on the side of the road. It became such a problem that they had to make it illegal.
In one of the Facebook groups I joined, I learned that in the Summer months drones are everywhere and a huge nuisance. I can imagine that would get a tad annoying to have these things buzzing overhead when you're trying to experience the beauty and tranquility of Iceland. I had considered bringing a drone, but I'm still on the fence about this. I would never use it around other people so it's still a possibility to get some amazing shots in remote areas. Not to mention a drone can go places I physically can't like the beach, etc, so it may be beneficial to me to bring one just in case so I can get a bigger experience of the landscapes. It's not that difficult to have some common human decency and not have my drone buzzing around other travelers who are trying to enjoy their vacation so it just might be worth bringing along.
There are guided tours you can purchase, including one that allows you the freedom of renting a vehicle, but even there you are at the mercy of their choices in hotels and your itinerary. I am such an independent person that I don't see myself enjoying that. I want the freedom to explore how I want. It's cheaper to go with the tour option, but allows less freedom. If I'm going somewhere I've never been, I want to experience it my way.
There's so much to see that I no doubt will want to return over and over to see things I know I will miss. There are festivals aplenty that I am certain I would enjoy. Ten days seems like a long time until you're packing every single day with as much as you can possibly do. I have a tendency to get homesick, however, so ten days will be way more than enough for my first trip.
I definitely am going to want to cut costs as much as humanly possible. I am already adjusting my diet to not only lose weight and get in good shape for the trip, but this will help with costs as well. I plan to choose lodging that has breakfast included as often as I can which will also help. A fuel efficient vehicle is now my top priority after learning about the extremely high cost of gas. I had wanted an SUV, but I can live without seeing certain areas if it means saving money on gas. I won't be there in winter when the roads can get bad, and off-roading is just another thing that's illegal in Iceland as it disrupts the beauty of the landscape and is harmful to the natural eco-system. As nice as an SUV would be, I'd prefer to have more money to spend on interacting with people and enjoying other areas of my trip.
Lodging doesn't matter much to me. I love camping and will not be adverse to that option, but since most campsites close around mid-September, the next cheapest option is hostels which I am also not adverse to. There's no better way to mingle with other travelers than to stay in a hostel. From what I've seen most hostels are very handicapped accessible and the large shared bathrooms will make things much easier for me. Some of the hotels I researched looked rather small and cramped. There are also hostels that offer sleeping "pods". This is exactly as it sounds, They are a space age type pod made solely for sleeping but offer TV, AC, and a quiet, cozy environment for sleeping among other people. I have to experience this at least once. I am hoping this turns out to be a great option as hostels are a wonderful money saving option. Camping cabins are another appealing option for me. These are small wood cabins with just a sleeping and sitting area. There are shared outdoor bathrooms which kind of sucks for me, but I am going to research bringing along a folding portable potty that might work. If not, I will just have to restrict fluids and brave the night. I will be traveling in a foreign land, I'm willing to do just about anything necessary to have the most amazing experience I can!
Moral of the story and what I've learned so far? There are a lot of ways you can save money while traveling in Iceland, but if any of them are a huge concern, stay home.
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