Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Driving in Iceland during winter time

Iceland is a relative small country. Most of the principal attractions are 1 day reacheable from Reykjavik by car, even during winter.
The alternative option is doing all the popular sightseeings by tour. The cons are the obvious ones (rigid time table, big groups, etc). They are also expensive and you've to add the fact that most of  them depart from Reykjavic, so you'll always spend the night in the same place.
If you're thinking about doing Iceland by yourself keep reading.

Is it safe to drive in Iceland during Winter?
I've read tons of opinions about driving in Iceland during winter time and now I have my own experience. To put it in context, I'm an experienced driver but always in non winter conditions. I live in Buenos Aires, so I've never drove in snow, ice, snowblizzards and windgust (and all this stuff happened during my trip). 
To sum up: Driving in Iceland during winter is definetely possible. But you have to take in mind that weather conditions can get really harsh in matter of minutes. Nontheless, if you are a carefull driver and have common sense I'll guarantee you that you'll experience the most beatifull roadtrip of your lifetime. (In this post a talk about my roadtrip in a Campervan with road condition pics included).
If you still want drive in Iceland by yourself keep reading.

Is a 4WD a must?
Before getting to Iceland I read lots and lots of  debates between 4wd fundamentalist and the 2wd liberal drivers.
In my case I was travelling on a tight budget, so getting a Campervan was nearly a must (food, accomodation and transport, all in one).
But is a Campervan/2WD an option during winter conditions?
It depends on what you want to do. If  you're going to get attached just to the main roads (Golden Circle, N1 route, etc) I think a 2WD is enough. Just forget to do the F roads.
A lot of people argue saying that a Campervan is insecure and that it's not possible to use it during winter. I believe that if you use common sense and know the roads conditions before travelling, using a 2WD is a valid alternative. I saw big 4WD and campervans get stuck when the weather hits all the same.
If you decided you'll drive in Iceland there are a few MUSTS. Keep reading.

Things you'll need to drive in Iceland:
- Check the road conditions EVERY TIME you hit the road. Weather can change in matter of minutes.
There's a website that has almost real time information of all the roads of the country.
www.road.is
In case there's a major event (sandstorm, closed roads, etc) it'll appear in the home page.
It's very usefull to have data in your cellphone. You can download the road condition app here:
Android / iOs

- Write down this number: 112. It's the national phone number for emergencies. Just in case.
There's also an 112 App with geolocation.
Android / iOs 

- You'll need patience and flexibility. Keep in mind that there're going to be external variables that will make you to rethink your original plan. Do not follow a strict itinerary, it doesn't work like that during winter time. Common sense is what is going to make your trip safe, not bigger wheels.


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