CORRECTION: Iceland is not a member of the EU, however, they are a member of the Schengen Agreement, which follows similar EU travel regulations. I apologize for misspeaking. If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to ask. Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed the Iceland mini series! Come say hello on Instagram - instagram.com/tourist2townie/
This whole thing is a matter of jack of all trades; master of none. If you are traveling somewhere are you going to take the advice of a fly-by-night narcissist who went there once for a week? Or an insider or a regional specialist? Its perfectly absurd.
Thanks for the video. - This particular point about EU/Schengen hardly even warrants a correction since it makes no difference for practical purposes, so pay no attention to negative comments above. - As an Icelander, I'd say that your video is overall a fair and very useful and informative account. Well done!
Gareth Leonard I´m planning on going to Iceland in the spring. Are there hostels that we can go and make a reservation at on the same day or do all places require you to reserve in advance?
I'm Icelandic and I have travelled all around iceland. I did it with my family to visit relatives and sleep there and it took 2 weeks. And it was amazing seeing beautiful destinations all around iceland in mine and my family 2 week trip
I wish I lived there. I wish I could visit but I can’t health wise. I love the cold and ice n snow storms n wood stoves and I’d give almost anything to see the northern lights in person. One can wish right!
I have T-mobile’s international plan and went to Iceland last year. They piggy back off of local carriers so we had ZERO issues. In fact, my signal was better than it is in the US. I was amazed that I had 4G full bar service in the middle of nowhere. We only drove from Keflavik Airport to Reykjavik and to Skogafoss from there but had full and consistent service the entire time.
Ásbyrgi is one of my favorite places in Iceland. Went there every summer as a kid. A bit of lore, Ásbyrgi is meant to have been created as Odin's eight legged horse Sleipnir stepped down on Midgard on one of his trips. This is why it's horseshoe shaped.
One thing you must keep in mind if you're traveling in Iceland, specially the highlands the weather can change quickly and it can become extremely bad in a short amount of time.
I used to take these advices very serious until I kept finding out for myself that most of the time people are either weak/delicate about weather or just plain exaggerated b3cause all the places I have visited the weather hasn't been really that extreme, only one place I went to yes it was crazy.
wow... thats totally new to me. that's a rare suggestion. I mean anywhere else, people avoid shopping in airport. so thank you ill keep that in mind. (y)
@@gubjorggisladottir3525 Icelandic Customs allows people who enter the country to have in their possession only one litre of strong alcohol and two litres of wine, even if it is bought at Keflavík's Duty Free Shop. This is the limit of alcohol that may be brought into the country, regardless of where it is bought.
I love this no BS guide. Everything I need to know in a compact video with full disclosure and visuals to boot. 10/10 will be referring to your channel for all new countries I visit.
Gareth, if you like vibes like Iceland you should definitely go to Kyrgyzstan. Incredible views, nature, mountains, no tourists, safe, great food, lots of culture and I think there is no visa for Americans and most of Europeans.
Yes! Love Kyrgyzstan! My 10 year old son and I went hiking and horse riding, stayed in the mountains in a yurt with shepherds - so awesome! And Bishkek was great!
I was in Iceland this past March on the south coast for 8 days. After watching your series, I want to go back and see the rest of the island. Very nicely done, my friend.
I love the guide. Very informative. 10/10. What I can add from myself - Blue Lagoon was nice 15 years ago, now its a tourist trap full of Chinese tourists. Also everybody in Iceland speaks English, even kids however it would be in good manner to at least learn how to say "thank you, sorry, excuse me, cheers" etc..
I'm from Iceland and I have lived here all of my life.🇮🇸 It's so fun being in Iceland in the summer because of heat. But not in the winter because of cold weather and storms and lightning
I had a long layover in kevlavik coming back to the states from eu...Got a rental car and slept overnight in the parking lot of the blue lagoon. Did a lot of driving around ... such a beautiful country.
Thank you for such a wonderful video Gareth. I am going to Iceland with a friend and wanted a real perspective. Out of all the video research, your is definitely the most informative, real and visually appealing. Thank you
Thanks to your tips i made an awesome trip to Iceland in august/september 2019. 31 days throughout Iceland and a lot of drone videos i made! Thanks a lot!
You are correct, I apologize for misspeaking. Although they are a member of the Schengen Agreement, which follows similar EU regulations, they are not a member. I will be sure to add a note about that. Thank you for pointing that out!
Gareth Leonard first video I have seen of yours and I can see that you’re a man who owns up to his mistakes and actively go out of your way to correct them. Well done.
You might want to mention how difficult the roads can be to traverse in fall and winter. Temps dip to below freezing at night and the highs in the low 40s are not exactly comfortable. If you don't have winter driving or camping experience, you might want to rethink driving or camping the 1. Camper vans with their high center of gravity are really a no-go at that time. They've had ones blown off the road and torn apart on the south coast, both in May and November and even late July. Winds can get up to 35 m/s if not more. A storm this February got up to 63 m/s. That's above hurricane-force. Rental cars have literally been sandblasted. They tell you to park your car with it's back trunk facing the wind so when the windshield blows out you won't be catching glass to the face, but don't open the doors because they can be bent backwards or torn off. Pay attention to the local forecast and turn back if recommended. And for chrissakes, buy the sand and gravel insurance unless your credit card has a huge limit and Mastercard or Visa is covering your car. Not trying to scare anyone, but you really need to be prepared, flexible, and very realistic when traveling around the country outside the summer months.
This is the first comment i read about very important thing... I watched a lot of videos and was little worried about the driving through fog, winds and no lights...but then I do wish to see northern lights..
Thanks for quality content! I think this are the types of guide people need more than a footage of a guy talking to the camera while walking through the City Center.
Wow, you nailed it! We went in September 2017. We missed out on the interior, north and the west above Kirkjufell. I wish I had done more research on rental cars and gone with a 4x4. We ordered a regular car from Budget at the airport - quoted $40/day for the car and $15/day for insurance but insurance ended up costing $60/day...yup a total of $100/day for a regular car. We loaded up on food at Bonus and Costco to cook our meals and stayed in a few AirBNBs in Reykjavik and Holsvollur. We had a big storm blow in so we stopped at a couple museums that were not originally on our list but were really well done. I loved finding the less popular spots on side roads. There are gorgeous places everywhere. Iceland...the land of waterfalls, rainbows, horses and sheep.
Love your enthusiasm! Clearly you guys had a great time visiting those lovely places. I don't mind hiking in the rain or fog if the surroundings are as amazing as your video showed. Off season is often the best season to visit places at least in my experience.
Great video, I watched a couple of your others as well. Looking to take a single mom trip, first real overseas trip, with my son next March and planning has been so fun. Thanks for all the tips and reviews of places. Of all the videos I've watched yours was my favorite. Thanks for telling it like it is and showing what it can be like. You all look like you had a great time.
Awesome video and insight Gareth. Thank you for sharing your experiences. Iceland is on my bucket list and I'm from the Caribbean, so definately have to dress warm if i wanna see the northern lights.
My fiancee wants to take me here for our honeymoon. I don't really know anything about iceland other than the black sand beach so now i'm really looking forward to seeing so much more.
Great set of videos man easily one of the best vlogs iv seen on Iceland. Definitely going to be checking back for a few of those accommodation locations.
Great video, beautiful everywhere. Sounds like a place I need to come back to as a retired Geologist. I haven't been there since 1985 and most of it was in an airplane.
@@October_Thechange Hi! Thanks for asking. It was amazing. Thankful I was able to go before lockdown occurred. Highlight of 2020. Hope all is well with you!
Finally someone that is good at explaining Iceland a lot of people annoying don't want too many but this one is really good yeah I got a year so many good good not say goodnight
About offroad: Offroad driving in "virgin areas" is prohibited, you can find local news about people having to pay huge fines (300k isk) for causing "Náttúruspjöll" roughly translated Land-sabotage, possibly even harassed by locals as a result. it can take the icelandic nature a loong time to fix some type of damage like to moss unlike vegitation in a hot wet tropical forest environment which grows very fast. Also the general state of the roadsystem for the past years has been getting worse, and everybody locally knows that, but the recent governments have been dragging their feet to allocate the necessary funding to fix the problem.
Going there next week but on a really tight budget. Hopefully will be able to go back there soon *fingers crossed*. Since we could not afford to rent a car, we will be booking tours and we're trying to decide what to book. Struggling between the Golden Circle and the Southern Coast. What would you pick?
Im Icelandic and take my word for it. We have the best shark in the world. Eat it! Addition, very nice guide still valid for the most part, except, dollar is 125 isk now. Thats 26% cheaper than when this video was made. Final edit, adding as I watch. The DC-3 wreck in Soleimasandur is a relic since cold war and the surrounding landscape is phenomenal. Dont visit it after sunset unless you want to take pictures of stars or northern lights.
CORRECTION: Iceland is not a member of the EU, however, they are a member of the Schengen Agreement, which follows similar EU travel regulations. I apologize for misspeaking. If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to ask. Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed the Iceland mini series! Come say hello on Instagram - instagram.com/tourist2townie/
I want to no more about Iceland
This whole thing is a matter of jack of all trades; master of none. If you are traveling somewhere are you going to take the advice of a fly-by-night narcissist who went there once for a week? Or an insider or a regional specialist? Its perfectly absurd.
Also, not only those countries can go to Iceland without a visa. I'm from Costa Rica and I don't need a visa to visit Iceland
Thanks for the video. - This particular point about EU/Schengen hardly even warrants a correction since it makes no difference for practical purposes, so pay no attention to negative comments above. - As an Icelander, I'd say that your video is overall a fair and very useful and informative account. Well done!
Gareth Leonard I´m planning on going to Iceland in the spring. Are there hostels that we can go and make a reservation at on the same day or do all places require you to reserve in advance?
Iceland was the best place with the nicest people I have ever met. I'd love to go back one day.
I'm Icelandic and I have travelled all around iceland. I did it with my family to visit relatives and sleep there and it took 2 weeks. And it was amazing seeing beautiful destinations all around iceland in mine and my family 2 week trip
I'm planning to stay there for 30days.Is it possible for you to list me 100 best places I can visit there?
I live here. My advice would be: don't skip anything if you come here, everything is equally beautiful in it's own way.
bruh adopt me😭
I wish I lived there. I wish I could visit but I can’t health wise. I love the cold and ice n snow storms n wood stoves and I’d give almost anything to see the northern lights in person. One can wish right!
Hi, may I know where r u in Iceland ? I ll visit Iceland 2021 new year after corona virus end
@@alumansibarani7622 We live in Olafsfjordur : ruclips.net/video/3smVyNsK4hc/видео.html
Lol be my Airbnb for $20 a night
I have T-mobile’s international plan and went to Iceland last year. They piggy back off of local carriers so we had ZERO issues. In fact, my signal was better than it is in the US. I was amazed that I had 4G full bar service in the middle of nowhere. We only drove from Keflavik Airport to Reykjavik and to Skogafoss from there but had full and consistent service the entire time.
So nice to see someone giving a no BS relaxed without the hype review of a travel trip. Excellent.
Ásbyrgi is one of my favorite places in Iceland. Went there every summer as a kid. A bit of lore, Ásbyrgi is meant to have been created as Odin's eight legged horse Sleipnir stepped down on Midgard on one of his trips. This is why it's horseshoe shaped.
One thing you must keep in mind if you're traveling in Iceland, specially the highlands the weather can change quickly and it can become extremely bad in a short amount of time.
I used to take these advices very serious until I kept finding out for myself that most of the time people are either weak/delicate about weather or just plain exaggerated b3cause all the places I have visited the weather hasn't been really that extreme, only one place I went to yes it was crazy.
LOCAL TIP: Buy the alcohol at the Duty Free store at the airport when you land in Iceland, it's soooo much cheaper!
wow... thats totally new to me. that's a rare suggestion. I mean anywhere else, people avoid shopping in airport. so thank you ill keep that in mind. (y)
Even cheaper is to just buy the allowed alcohol at your home, and put it in your suitcase. That is actually what I do when I leave the country.
Thank you for the tip! I’m going next week so I’ll definitely make a stop.
@@gubjorggisladottir3525 Icelandic Customs allows people who enter the country to have in their possession only one litre of strong alcohol and two litres of wine, even if it is bought at Keflavík's Duty Free Shop. This is the limit of alcohol that may be brought into the country, regardless of where it is bought.
JnRgaragejams how was it!!! I’m going there this Friday!! Can’t wait 😊
I love this no BS guide. Everything I need to know in a compact video with full disclosure and visuals to boot. 10/10 will be referring to your channel for all new countries I visit.
Thanks!
Gareth, if you like vibes like Iceland you should definitely go to Kyrgyzstan. Incredible views, nature, mountains, no tourists, safe, great food, lots of culture and I think there is no visa for Americans and most of Europeans.
Yes! Love Kyrgyzstan! My 10 year old son and I went hiking and horse riding, stayed in the mountains in a yurt with shepherds - so awesome! And Bishkek was great!
I was in Iceland this past March on the south coast for 8 days. After watching your series, I want to go back and see the rest of the island. Very nicely done, my friend.
I love the guide. Very informative. 10/10. What I can add from myself - Blue Lagoon was nice 15 years ago, now its a tourist trap full of Chinese tourists. Also everybody in Iceland speaks English, even kids however it would be in good manner to at least learn how to say "thank you, sorry, excuse me, cheers" etc..
Slashplite Sadly they ruin everything. It’s like that here in Canada. Downtown Ottawa they’re obnoxious and open boat windows along the canal
I'm from Iceland and I have lived here all of my life.🇮🇸
It's so fun being in Iceland in the summer because of heat. But not in the winter because of cold weather and storms and lightning
Then go to Athens (Greece) during the summer. The temperature is amount 30 - 40+° Celsius.
So much for heat.
👍
Would recommend a visit to Fjörukráin, a viking-themed restaurant. Good food and a pretty cool building
If u knew this is Icelandic see fjörukráin
The drone footage are breath taking!!!
Wow, wow, wow. Stunning scenery.
Thanks for making this video. I appreciate sharing your experiences. Very kind of you.
Super informative!! You and Steve are funny
This is a really good video. I went to Iceland last year and everything mentioned was pretty accurate
Thanks. ✌🏻👊
Iceland is a lovely place!! Amazing video
Best place in the world. Can't wait to go back
We’re all set to leave for Iceland in a couple of weeks and I found your video really helpful to understand the place. Loved it!
Amazing videos of Iceland ! Thanks a million for sharing
Really good video about my country. Thank you
Thanks for watching, I appreciate the kind words. 🙏
Not sure why you don’t have more subscribers...always great videos!
Great review ! Very useful and your footage is incredible ❤️
great video. i have been to iceland in 2017 and going in two weeks again. done most of the things you recommend. even the shark. thx for this video
I had a long layover in kevlavik coming back to the states from eu...Got a rental car and slept overnight in the parking lot of the blue lagoon. Did a lot of driving around ... such a beautiful country.
Love your straight forward honest approach
Glad you enjoy and travel as I do. been to Iceland many times and heading back there in a few days. The highlands are not to be missed.
Best photography on Iceland. Video well presented *
You are my go to guy for Iceland...loved your commentary!!!!
Wonderful. I'm from Iceland and live here. I'm a tourguide. Thanks for this beautiful video.
Thank you for such a wonderful video Gareth. I am going to Iceland with a friend and wanted a real perspective. Out of all the video research, your is definitely the most informative, real and visually appealing. Thank you
Excellent job Gareth! Can't wait to go see some of your recommendations. I leave this Saturday for a 4 day stopover.
Thanks to your tips i made an awesome trip to Iceland in august/september 2019. 31 days throughout Iceland and a lot of drone videos i made! Thanks a lot!
what month?
Gareth, Iceland is NOT a part of the EU. However, it is part of the Schengen Agreement so that traveling there is a lot easier ;)
True, important distinction. The EU, Schengen zone and eurozone (for the currency) are all different. A little confusing.
You are correct, I apologize for misspeaking. Although they are a member of the Schengen Agreement, which follows similar EU regulations, they are not a member. I will be sure to add a note about that. Thank you for pointing that out!
@@GarethLeonard iceland is gei
Gareth Leonard first video I have seen of yours and I can see that you’re a man who owns up to his mistakes and actively go out of your way to correct them. Well done.
Awesome video. Thank you for the information. We are heading that way soon.
This was an amazing video as I am deciding where to do my first solo trip in July. Much appreciated!
I love the Iceland series! Watching your videos feels like I’m watching natgeo but more personal
thank you - great video! I'm headed there in two weeks for only 3 days, but we plan on seeing as much of Iceland as we can pack in!
You might want to mention how difficult the roads can be to traverse in fall and winter. Temps dip to below freezing at night and the highs in the low 40s are not exactly comfortable. If you don't have winter driving or camping experience, you might want to rethink driving or camping the 1. Camper vans with their high center of gravity are really a no-go at that time. They've had ones blown off the road and torn apart on the south coast, both in May and November and even late July. Winds can get up to 35 m/s if not more. A storm this February got up to 63 m/s. That's above hurricane-force. Rental cars have literally been sandblasted. They tell you to park your car with it's back trunk facing the wind so when the windshield blows out you won't be catching glass to the face, but don't open the doors because they can be bent backwards or torn off. Pay attention to the local forecast and turn back if recommended. And for chrissakes, buy the sand and gravel insurance unless your credit card has a huge limit and Mastercard or Visa is covering your car. Not trying to scare anyone, but you really need to be prepared, flexible, and very realistic when traveling around the country outside the summer months.
This is the first comment i read about very important thing... I watched a lot of videos and was little worried about the driving through fog, winds and no lights...but then I do wish to see northern lights..
That´s just common sense here lol
This is just amazing and so honest and useful. Thanks so much for this. Saludos !
One of the best videos on RUclips period.
Thanks for quality content! I think this are the types of guide people need more than a footage of a guy talking to the camera while walking through the City Center.
I went in September for a week & it only rained on one day just in the morning. We lucked out on the weather so much!
Great content. You deserve more subs!
Wow, you nailed it! We went in September 2017. We missed out on the interior, north and the west above Kirkjufell. I wish I had done more research on rental cars and gone with a 4x4. We ordered a regular car from Budget at the airport - quoted $40/day for the car and $15/day for insurance but insurance ended up costing $60/day...yup a total of $100/day for a regular car. We loaded up on food at Bonus and Costco to cook our meals and stayed in a few AirBNBs in Reykjavik and Holsvollur. We had a big storm blow in so we stopped at a couple museums that were not originally on our list but were really well done. I loved finding the less popular spots on side roads. There are gorgeous places everywhere. Iceland...the land of waterfalls, rainbows, horses and sheep.
Thank you, I am planning my trip in September and your video is very helpful.
This is incredibly informative!
Great video! We really want to go to Iceland now!
Love your enthusiasm! Clearly you guys had a great time visiting those lovely places. I don't mind hiking in the rain or fog if the surroundings are as amazing as your video showed. Off season is often the best season to visit places at least in my experience.
I’ve always wanted to visit Iceland!
My name is Johan Schmelzer in Tx USA
Thanks for all the great Tips! Took notes for our trip in September.
Such a great video! We're hoping to go to Iceland too and will definitely use his tips!
Thank you for mentioning the credit/debit part. Was curious about that.
Great video, I watched a couple of your others as well. Looking to take a single mom trip, first real overseas trip, with my son next March and planning has been so fun. Thanks for all the tips and reviews of places. Of all the videos I've watched yours was my favorite. Thanks for telling it like it is and showing what it can be like. You all look like you had a great time.
We go tomorrow!! Woo hoo! 🌈❄️💨
hope you are having a great time!!
Going in April can’t wait
I just wanna finally decide whether to study in Iceland considering the other factors.
Awesome video and insight Gareth. Thank you for sharing your experiences. Iceland is on my bucket list and I'm from the Caribbean, so definately have to dress warm if i wanna see the northern lights.
Haha, absolutely dress warm Antonio! Thanks for watching, and I hope you have the opportunity to experience Iceland as well! Cheers!!
I'm going this September for 2 weeks ...than you so much .Made my trip so much easier to plan...thx again.
Wilderness Drifter dont lisen to him hes a travelin pig. in iceland we hate pepole like him
I am traveling to Iceland this Dec. Going with a set up tour so I am hoping we do some of the things you described sound great
Love to hear that! Enjoy your trip Romaine! 😃
Million thanks Mr.Gareth for beautiful with lot of information about Iceland...be blessed
My fiancee wants to take me here for our honeymoon. I don't really know anything about iceland other than the black sand beach so now i'm really looking forward to seeing so much more.
Go to the Perlan museum in Reykjavik it has a cafe at the top of the building overlooking the whole of Reykjavik it's great for photos
THE CRASHED DRONE SHOT IN THE END IS EPIC.
Great Video! I also recommend the south shore adventure tour! Im a traveler myself thats beginning to create vlogs
This was incredibly helpful! Thank you
Great set of videos man easily one of the best vlogs iv seen on Iceland. Definitely going to be checking back for a few of those accommodation locations.
Absolutely fantastic video, I am going next weekend for 3 days. Reykjavik and Vik.
Very entertaining and informative. Thank you.
Brilliant video Gareth, I'm inspired to go back and see much more of Iceland. Epic drone and nature shots.
Cheers Gabriel!
Thank you for your Tipps. We was there in November 2021. It was amazing
Great video, beautiful everywhere. Sounds like a place I need to come back to as a retired Geologist. I haven't been there since 1985 and most of it was in an airplane.
Just booked a flight there. Very excited. This was extremely helpful.
How was your trip?
@@October_Thechange Hi! Thanks for asking. It was amazing. Thankful I was able to go before lockdown occurred. Highlight of 2020. Hope all is well with you!
My highlight on iceland was the puffin colony at Borgarfjarðarhöfn. I was lucky because these birds are only there for some weeks.
I like how positives you are about my country :-D
Super informative video! I’m thrilled to be traveling there soon, excited!
Excellent Iceland series! Well done! 👏👍🇮🇸
So great! all the tips are so useful. Love this video!
week done video, can't wait to go in Feb
Finally someone that is good at explaining Iceland a lot of people annoying don't want too many but this one is really good yeah I got a year so many good good not say goodnight
Dream destinations Iceland, Nepal and Peru.
YES! We really want to go to Iceland and were in Peru in October. Incredible country!!! You have to go to Puno
Nepal is incredibly beautiful
About offroad: Offroad driving in "virgin areas" is prohibited, you can find local news about people having to pay huge fines (300k isk) for causing "Náttúruspjöll" roughly translated Land-sabotage, possibly even harassed by locals as a result. it can take the icelandic nature a loong time to fix some type of damage like to moss unlike vegitation in a hot wet tropical forest environment which grows very fast.
Also the general state of the roadsystem for the past years has been getting worse, and everybody locally knows that, but the recent governments have been dragging their feet to allocate the necessary funding to fix the problem.
They should change it to 14000 kr
There is no offroading in iceland .totally forbiden
booked a trip for September!
glad I watched this before going there in mid JULY. Cant wait!!!
You can
Amazing and beautiful landscapes. Thanks for such a helpful, and honest, video!
going camping here is also cool
Going there next week but on a really tight budget. Hopefully will be able to go back there soon *fingers crossed*. Since we could not afford to rent a car, we will be booking tours and we're trying to decide what to book. Struggling between the Golden Circle and the Southern Coast. What would you pick?
I’m shaking just watching this. I really hope I get to go someday. Also typing this was hard lol.
this is a cool video. love the place too.thank you for sharing, have a woderful day!!!
I wish to travel to Iceland someday, thanks for the video, the country has too many pretty places.
beautiful country bro
Im Icelandic and take my word for it. We have the best shark in the world. Eat it! Addition, very nice guide still valid for the most part, except, dollar is 125 isk now. Thats 26% cheaper than when this video was made. Final edit, adding as I watch. The DC-3 wreck in Soleimasandur is a relic since cold war and the surrounding landscape is phenomenal. Dont visit it after sunset unless you want to take pictures of stars or northern lights.
"you gotta try fermented shark"
"ugh its disgusting"
lol
I don't blame him though. Last time I tried these sharks was when I was in kindergarden. I've never tasted it again. And I'm a local.
i have seen a lot of great videos about iceland.. i look forward to a visit one day
Looks amazing 🤩
We have fermented dryed shark meat cutlets in South Africa. It's very salty, stringy fish cakes. It's pleasant but borderline bitter stuff to eat.
Excellent video. So informative. Keep them coming. Great job!.
Next we go there, you give us isnpiration for this tour. Thank you and best wishes