Topic Wiki

Trip Reports:
PBaruch: https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=60568.0
Aurora, Storms, and Snowpants: An Icelandic Saga by Something Fishy, whYME, and ChAiM'l
@Yehuda
BrachaB
Ponash123

Airlines that fly to Iceland direct from NY:
1. Iceland Air
2. Delta
3. Wow Air
4. United (May 23 - Oct 4)

Hotels in the Reykjavik Area:
1. 101 Hotel (supposedly one of the best spas in Iceland)
2. Ion (set on a lava field and one of Iceland's newest luxury hotels)
3. Hotel Ranga
4. Blue Lagoon Clinic Hotel (provides exclusive access to a private lagoon for hotel guests only)
5. Radisson BLU 1919 (Can use Club carlson points and in the middle of town) Will warm and store food for a nominal fee.

Camper/RV Rentals:
There are several places where you can rent a camper truck or motorhome, including here:  http://www.campericeland.is/

Campgrounds:
The campgrounds in Iceland are large and never feel crowded.  Many offer excellent facilities and amenities.  You can drive in at any time of the day or night and pay the nominal fee whenever the office opens.

Kosher Food:
Kosher food is pretty much non existent in Iceland.  Even many American brands do not have a hechsher.  Some foods that have been found with a hechsher are Cheerios Cereal, Nature Valley Granola Bars, and Powerade.  That being said, several DDF members have been able to bring in kosher food/meat without being checked or stopped.  Just walk through the "nothing to declare" line.

Random tip of the day: if you are in the Reykjavik area and need to heat up a meal but don't have easy access to an oven, the Ikea food court has an oven for guest use. Right side, near the sandwich and pastry checkout.

Tons of great seating as well. (HT: SomethingFishy)

Language
Most of the populace speaks English and children are taught English starting in the sixth grade.  It is rare but you might find some older folks that do not speak English.

Communications:
The Iceland Air Saga shop sells starter Síminn branded sim cards for a nominal amount.  If you order in advance, they will even deliver the sim cards to you on your Icelandair flight (one of the cheapest options to get a starter sim card).  You can also find stores in the airport that sell sim cards.  Vodafone is the other major carrier in Iceland and also sells sim cards.  You can purchase the Saga Shop sim starter here:

http://www.sagashop.net/men/detail/?id=57860-0009

GPS - Navigation
Garmin Nordic Maps includes Iceland and can be purchased here:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BS4Q3I?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

Voltage
Iceland uses 220v.  Most cell phones, cameras and laptops come with a multi switching power supply (verify by looking at power supply) so you will only need to buy a cheap adapter such as this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0058EG0KC?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01

Currency/Credit Cards
Credit cards are almost universally accepted in Iceland.  As a result, you may find no need to exchange currency for the Icelandic Kroner (ISK).  If you use a credit card that does not charge foreign transaction fees, you should be set.  If you do decide to exchange currency, there are ATM machines in the airport right outside customs.

Activities:
1.  The Golden Circle Tour is very popular and takes you to Geysir (lame compared to Yellowstone), Gulfoss Waterfalls, and Thingvellir (where the continental drift between the North American and Eurasian Plates can be clearly seen in the cracks or faults which traverse the region.  You can dive in a lake and touch both plates). 

2.  Inside the volcano tour to Thrihnukagigur Volcano.  In this tour, you either hike ( a few kilometers) or take a helicopter charter from the Reykjavik airport to the volcano.  Once there, you are lowered by a construction type lift into the magma chamber.  The least expensive way to get a semi private tour of the magma chamber is with the helicopter, which takes you there in between the regularly scheduled tours.

3.  There are various Super Jeep Tours (vans and SUV's with tractor tires), including a tour to Langjokull Glacier, where you drive onto the glacier.  Private tours can be arranged.

4. Jokulsarlon - a large glacial lake in southeast Iceland, on the edge of Vatnajokull National Park.  Here, you can take a duck boat tour or a zodiac boat tour of the lake where you will see icebergs, seals, and various birds.  Across the road from Jokulsarlon is a black sand beach where you can see icebergs on the beach.

5. The Blue Lagoon - the public lagoon gets very crowded and if you go it is recommended to get there when they open.  If you can manage a stay at the Blue Lagoon Clinic Hotel (currently 15 rooms but they are expanding to 30 rooms) you will get exclusive access to the private lagoon for hotel guests only.  Since there are only 15 rooms at present, the private lagoon rarely has more than a handful of people in it at any time. Most people do not make a full day out of the Blue Lagoon and instead go on your arrival into Iceland or upon departure before the airport. All the Bus lines have stops to and from the airport. 3-4 hours is ample time.

6. Waterfalls abound including Skogafoss and Seljalandsfoss.

7. Dog sledding in Skallafell.

8. Icelandic Horses - Horse back riding is extremely popular in Iceland. Most residents actually own a horse. Iceland is the only place in the world where you will find the Icelandic horse. It has 5 Gaits oppose to the 3 that most other horses have. They are gentle animals and very comfortable to ride.
« Last edited by yelped on June 21, 2021, 11:36:59 AM »

Author Topic: Iceland Master Thread  (Read 220516 times)

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Iceland Master Thread
« Reply #280 on: October 11, 2015, 08:48:57 PM »
There is nowhere to go for Shabbos in Iceland right?

?

Pbaruch was there over Shabbos... What makes you say that? Or do you mean minyan-wise?
Check out my site for epic kosher adventures: Kosher Horizons

Offline Jm1248

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Re: Iceland Master Thread
« Reply #281 on: October 11, 2015, 09:15:09 PM »
?

Pbaruch was there over Shabbos... What makes you say that? Or do you mean minyan-wise?
That

Offline PBaruch

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Re: Iceland Master Thread
« Reply #282 on: October 11, 2015, 09:28:41 PM »
That

Got a pretty good laugh out of that one.   :)  Iceland is a wasteland from a yiddeshkeit perspective.  If you had a chance to look at my trip report you'd know there is pretty much no kosher food either.
What do you do after your dreams come true?

Offline Jm1248

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Re: Iceland Master Thread
« Reply #283 on: October 11, 2015, 09:35:35 PM »
Got a pretty good laugh out of that one.   :)  Iceland is a wasteland from a yiddeshkeit perspective.  If you had a chance to look at my trip report you'd know there is pretty much no kosher food either.
Still making my way through the thread. What did you do the entire Shabbos there?
ETA: if it's in your tr I'll get to it over the next few days

Offline PBaruch

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Re: Iceland Master Thread
« Reply #284 on: October 11, 2015, 09:43:54 PM »
Still making my way through the thread. What did you do the entire Shabbos there?
ETA: if it's in your tr I'll get to it over the next few days

We spent Shabbos at the Blue Lagoon Hotel which I very highly recommend you stay at (for reasons discussed in the Wiki and in my trip report).  There was literally nothing to do and we were all going a bit stir crazy since Shabbos is over so late in the summer.  We spent a lot of time sleeping as we were all pretty exhausted from the prior weeks worth of running around and lack of sleep.  Also, the hotel did have a game room with a few board games and books so I took the kids there to hang out for a bit.  In addition, I shmoozed with some of the staff.

I do not regret staying at the Blue Lagoon Hotel for Shabbos and I'd do it again. 
What do you do after your dreams come true?

Offline Jm1248

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Re: Iceland Master Thread
« Reply #285 on: October 11, 2015, 10:30:51 PM »
We spent Shabbos at the Blue Lagoon Hotel which I very highly recommend you stay at (for reasons discussed in the Wiki and in my trip report).  There was literally nothing to do and we were all going a bit stir crazy since Shabbos is over so late in the summer.  We spent a lot of time sleeping as we were all pretty exhausted from the prior weeks worth of running around and lack of sleep.  Also, the hotel did have a game room with a few board games and books so I took the kids there to hang out for a bit.  In addition, I shmoozed with some of the staff.

I do not regret staying at the Blue Lagoon Hotel for Shabbos and I'd do it again.
Over the past few weeks I was thinking about heading to Iceland on Thursday Nov 26 until Tuesday night Dec 1. However, flights are not cheap (just over $700 rt) and I am not thrilled with the idea of being there for Shabbos. Would it be worth it for me (price-wise and time-wise) to fly somewhere closer to Iceland on Thursday morning and then head over to Iceland from there on Saturday night? And if so where would be a good option?

Offline whYME

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Re: Iceland Master Thread
« Reply #286 on: October 11, 2015, 10:36:22 PM »
Over the past few weeks I was thinking about heading to Iceland on Thursday Nov 26 until Tuesday night Dec 1. However, flights are not cheap (just over $700 rt) and I am not thrilled with the idea of being there for Shabbos. Would it be worth it for me (price-wise and time-wise) to fly somewhere closer to Iceland on Thursday morning and then head over to Iceland from there on Saturday night? And if so where would be a good option?
I don't know the answer to your question, but you might find some useful information here. http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=54461.msg1254209#msg1254209

Offline PBaruch

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Re: Iceland Master Thread
« Reply #287 on: October 11, 2015, 10:41:00 PM »
Over the past few weeks I was thinking about heading to Iceland on Thursday Nov 26 until Tuesday night Dec 1. However, flights are not cheap (just over $700 rt) and I am not thrilled with the idea of being there for Shabbos. Would it be worth it for me (price-wise and time-wise) to fly somewhere closer to Iceland on Thursday morning and then head over to Iceland from there on Saturday night? And if so where would be a good option?

So you'd spend 2-3 days in Iceland?  In my opinion that is grossly inadequate.  I felt that a week was not enough. 
What do you do after your dreams come true?

Offline Jm1248

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Re: Iceland Master Thread
« Reply #288 on: October 11, 2015, 10:43:01 PM »
I don't know the answer to your question, but you might find some useful information here. http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=54461.msg1254209#msg1254209
Thanks I'll look into that. That tr (or whatever you want to call it so far  ;) ) is part of what finally pushed me into trying to go now.

Offline Jm1248

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Re: Iceland Master Thread
« Reply #289 on: October 11, 2015, 10:44:03 PM »
So you'd spend 2-3 days in Iceland?  In my opinion that is grossly inadequate.  I felt that a week was not enough.
Would it not be worth it? I figured it may not be enough time but I don't know when I will have a chance to go again after this

Offline PBaruch

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Re: Iceland Master Thread
« Reply #290 on: October 11, 2015, 10:46:39 PM »
Would it not be worth it? I figured it may not be enough time but I don't know when I will have a chance to go again after this

I don't think anyone can answer that question for you.  Some people go to Iceland as a stop over to somewhere else and spend only a few days there and seem content.  Others, such as myself, wouldn't be content with this option. 
What do you do after your dreams come true?

Offline whYME

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Re: Iceland Master Thread
« Reply #291 on: October 11, 2015, 10:48:39 PM »
Would it not be worth it? I figured it may not be enough time but I don't know when I will have a chance to go again after this
Even with our crazy schedule we barely scratched the surface. I would very highly recommend going for longer if it's at all possible.

Offline Jm1248

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Re: Iceland Master Thread
« Reply #292 on: October 11, 2015, 10:53:50 PM »
I don't think anyone can answer that question for you.  Some people go to Iceland as a stop over to somewhere else and spend only a few days there and seem content.  Others, such as myself, wouldn't be content with this option.
Even with our crazy schedule we barely scratched the surface. I would very highly recommend going for longer if it's at all possible.
Then it probably is not a good idea for me to go right now. I like to feel that I managed to at least see all the main attractions in each place I visit. It doesn't seem like I will have enough time.

Offline Thingywingy

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Re: Iceland Master Thread
« Reply #293 on: January 19, 2016, 09:08:57 PM »
I'm flying Sunday 1/24 afternoon from Baltimore. Anyone gonna be there next week?
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Iceland Master Thread
« Reply #294 on: January 19, 2016, 11:14:28 PM »
I'm flying Sunday 1/24 afternoon from Baltimore. Anyone gonna be there next week?

What are your plans?
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Offline Thingywingy

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Re: Iceland Master Thread
« Reply #295 on: January 20, 2016, 12:30:20 AM »
Where still planning. We will only be there from early Monday morning till Thursday afternoon. Were debating doing the entire loop...What say you?
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Iceland Master Thread
« Reply #296 on: January 20, 2016, 12:41:58 AM »
Where still planning. We will only be there from early Monday morning till Thursday afternoon. Were debating doing the entire loop...What say you?

Crazy :P

That's the time frame I was there. Not nearly enough time to drive, and definitely not if you're planning on stopping and seeing or doing things. Not to mention that one spot of bad weather (and there will be many!) could have you stranded in the middle of nowhere with a plane to catch.

Do the south coast thoroughly (Golden Circle through the Laekjavik Coast); if you still have time consider heading out to the Snćfellsnes Peninsula and Kirkjufell.
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Offline whYME

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Re: Iceland Master Thread
« Reply #297 on: January 20, 2016, 02:37:21 AM »
That's the time frame I was there.
Um, didn't we leave Wednesday?

Regardless,
Not nearly enough time to drive, and definitely not if you're planning on stopping and seeing or doing things.

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Iceland Master Thread
« Reply #298 on: January 20, 2016, 07:54:52 AM »
Um, didn't we leave Wednesday?

Regardless,

Oops, you're right.

My points still stand though. He could try to do the loop and see nothing, and possibly get stuck, or choose a region and do it properly.
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Offline foseph

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Re: Iceland Master Thread
« Reply #299 on: February 01, 2016, 08:28:04 PM »
thinking of going to iceland in may for 4 days of actual touring... is this enough? I'm ok hitting the highlights in the wiki....