Welcome to Iceland, the land of fire and ice! After landing in Iceland, it is an easy and relatively quick process to clear Customs, Immigration, and baggage claim. When renting a car, it is helpful to understand that the rental car facilities are adjacent to but not on the airport property. There is a shuttle that will take you around to the company you have rented from. My suggestion is to rent with Blue Car Rental and complete the online check-in process. Multiple drivers can be added and the license information entered in during the booking process. The Blue Car Rental facility is a short 5 minute walk from the airport so I suggest one person wait at the airport the second person walks to pick up keys. Another benefit of completing the online check-in process is that you are provided a code for the key box so you can literally grab your keys and go. There is no stopping by the desk or exit gate although a thorough inspection of your rental before leaving the rental facility is always strongly encouraged. The process is fast and super easy!

Leaving Reykjavik driving along the southeast portion of Route 1, also known as the Ring Road, is a pleasant drive. The two-lane highway is well maintained and the scenery is a nice introduction to the island. I recommend adding in a couple stops before your final destination to help break up the drive and enjoy Iceland. Our first stop was Seljalandsfoss. There is a medium size parking lot (pay to park), toilets, a small hot food and beverage stand, a gift shop, and, the star of the show, the Seljalandsfoss waterfall. There is a path to hike / walk behind the waterfall (more on that in another post) and it is a good introduction to Icelandic waterfalls. 

Continuing east along the Ring Road, Vik is the next area with a concentration of sites and facilities. The first site you’ll come to along the Ring Road is a few minutes outside Vik at Dyrholaey Promontory. Plan to spend roughly half an hour here for a good opportunity to take a quick walk and to take in the first glimpse of a black sand beach. The lighthouse and cliffs are worth spending a few minutes appreciating. There isn’t much signage but the beauty of nature speaks for itself. It’s worth noting that having layers (coat, hat, gloves, etc.) within reach before exiting the car is smart. Also, hold onto the car door when opening because the wind gusts here are no laughing matter. This is a common theme for stops in Iceland: 1) layers for warmth and water protection and 2) hold onto the car door when opening. 

Back on the Ring Road driving east, a lovely white church with a red roof on the left is the first indication that you are entering Vik and is a memorable photo stop. Follow the signs for Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach to get an up close view of the famed black sand beaches. The road to access the beach is riddled with pot holes so be very careful and conservative when driving to the carpark. Most rental cars will manage just fine with a slow, steady pace but beware of dragging the bottom on larger potholes. The beach itself is a short three minute walk from the car park; again wear layers and hold the car door when opening. Reynisfjara Beach is worth spending at least half an hour just to appreciate the beauty. The black sand is formed from cooled lava breaking down over centuries and is a stark contrast to much more common yellow sand. The waves crashing along the bottom of the cliffs and rolling over the sand create amazing shades of black along the sand. 

The village of Vik offers lodging, restaurants, a grocery store, and some shopping options. Bonus is a good place to stock up on snacks and drinks to keep in the car and to have for hotel rooms. Bonus also has a selection of fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, etc., if your plan includes more cooking than snacking. If you are looking for something in between snack and a full meal, grab some bread, cheese, and lunch meat. Food in Iceland is a little more expensive, particularly for fresh foods that can’t be easily raised or grown on the island. 

Kirkjubaejarklaustur is roughly an hour and 15 minute drive further east along the Ring Road from Vik, has a fuel station, and is a good place to spend the night. It can also be a good base to spend a few nights and make day trips to the surrounding areas without packing everything up every morning. I recommend Fosshotel Nupar as a good base lodging.  

Fosshotel is a hotel chain in Iceland and is comparable to something like a Courtyard by Marriott or Hilton Garden Inn in the US. Fosshotel Nupar in Kirkjubaejarklaustur is a clean, comfortable hotel with an onsite bar, restaurant, and buffet-style breakfast offering. Each room has a small patio area where you can enjoy the sunrise, sunset, and, if you are lucky, you can glimpse the Northern Lights from your room. The convenience and quality of food in the restaurant is excellent and prices are reasonable. The one downside to staying at Fosshotel Nupar, and in Kirkjubaejarklaustur, is that once you are at the hotel, you likely won’t want to venture back out anywhere else. The upside to calling an early evening is that it’s still possible to get a solid nap in before waking up to see the Northern Lights! 

We were lucky and the Lights made an appearance on our first night in the country! They were soft but visible!