Driving in another country can be daunting, it’s even worse when you’re thinking of heading out into the rural country. Here are a number of things that helped us make the most of the DIY portion of our trip.
The Rental Car Experience
You can rent a car in Iceland for a reasonable amount and your US drivers license is all you need for documentation. There are a few levels of insurance that range from full coverage to you break it, you buy it. The folks at the counter will likely tell you about the gravel roads and all of the dangers, make sure you know what your insurance covers and what you’ll need while you’re there. If you are going outside of the summer months, make sure your tires have the metal studs on them.
Maps and Getting Around
Getting around in Iceland can be tricky in the best of conditions, directions might have road numbers but the sign will have a road name. Make sure you print out turn-by-turn directions with a map for the drive. Downloading an offline maps application is a good idea as well. When the weather starts to turn bad, a road might be closed and you’ll have to find your way around. If you have an internet connection, the site http://www.road.is/ will show you the current status of each major road.
Radio
Radio stations are very hit and miss so if you’re going to spend long periods of time in the car then bring some tunes. Most of the rental cars are somewhat newer so they’ll connect on Bluetooth and they’ll generally have Aux ports.