napobo3

Hello,
I need advice on Iceland trip.
We're planning to go to Iceland on 1st of July.
We have 12 days and the plan is:
1.Reykjavik-Dingvellir Nat.park area
2.to go North via Kjolur or Spengisandur Route
3.Akureyri area
4.Egilsstadir area
5.Hofn area
6.Myrdalsjokull area
7.back to Reykjavik

Questions:
- is it a real plan for 12 days?
- is the clock-wise direction ok or there is some benefit in
anti-clock-wise direction?
- which of routes is better: Kjolur or Spengisandur? we prefer to rent
a 2WD car

Thanks a lot,
-- Leon

sigvald

[email protected] wrote:
    > Hello,
    > I need advice on Iceland trip.
    > We're planning to go to Iceland on 1st of July.
    > We have 12 days and the plan is:
    > 1.Reykjavik-Dingvellir Nat.park area
    > 2.to go North via Kjolur or Spengisandur Route
    > 3.Akureyri area
    > 4.Egilsstadir area
    > 5.Hofn area
    > 6.Myrdalsjokull area
    > 7.back to Reykjavik
    > Questions:
    > - is it a real plan for 12 days?

Yes. You might check out Húsavík, Ásbyrgi and Dettifoss on your way
from Akureyri to Egilsstaðir and after Egilsstaðir I reccommend the
Hallormsstaður forest (just to prove that trees do grow in Iceland)

    > - is the clock-wise direction ok or there is some benefit in
    > anti-clock-wise direction?
    > - which of routes is better: Kjolur or Spengisandur? we prefer to rent
    > a 2WD car

The Kjölur route is the only sensible route as there are some
unbridged rivers on the northern part of the Sprengisandur road that
are impassable for a 2WD car.
Note, a lot of people may tell you to hire a 4wd car. Ignore them, the
2wd is cheaper, much safer (every year we hear of tourists having
accidents because they lose control of the huge vehicle that someone
has advised them to hire.)
and a lot easier to drive and handle.

    > Thanks a lot,
    > -- Leon

George

Leon wrote:
Questions:
- is it a real plan for 12 days?
- is the clock-wise direction ok or there is some benefit in
anti-clock-wise direction?

I traveled the ring road by bus in a one week time period seeing sights
along the way, so your 12 days sounds more than reasonable.

I think that I would prefer the anti-clockwise direction because I
enjoyed the SE of Iceland most, and then you would be seeing it early
in your trip and would have adequate time to enjoy it. Then if you
have extra time you could explore the NW peninsula near the end of your
trip, instead of having by-passed it at the beginning going the other
direction. Otherwise, if you have extra time, you could also take a
flight for the day from the Reykjavik city airport to the island of
Heimaey.

If possible, ride an Icelandic horse. Their unusual fifth gait makes
riding a pure pleasure.

George

napobo3

Thank you for your info.
BTW I tried to write you @binet.is but this domain doesn' exist :(
could you send me e-mail to n a p o b o 3 at gmail dot com , please

napobo3

Thanks, George!

-- napo...

Sawfish

On 4 Jun 2005 11:13:05 -0700, [email protected] wrote:

    >Hello,
    >I need advice on Iceland trip.
    >We're planning to go to Iceland on 1st of July.
    >We have 12 days and the plan is:
    >1.Reykjavik-Dingvellir Nat.park area
    >2.to go North via Kjolur or Spengisandur Route
    >3.Akureyri area
    >4.Egilsstadir area
    >5.Hofn area
    >6.Myrdalsjokull area
    >7.back to Reykjavik
    >Questions:
    >- is it a real plan for 12 days?
    >- is the clock-wise direction ok or there is some benefit in
    >anti-clock-wise direction?
    >- which of routes is better: Kjolur or Spengisandur? we prefer to rent
    >a 2WD car
    >Thanks a lot,
    >-- Leon

I think you've received some good advice. I just wanted to add a few
possible things to see.

- The Kjölur route is fine for a 2WD vehicle.
- Dettifoss is worth the side trip. We took the F862 from the ring
road - this is a pretty rough road and it will be slow going. We had a
small SUV. I don't know if a 2WD would be ok along this road. I heard
the 864 road is in better shape and ok for cars. Maybe someone has
additional advice.
- The road from Egilsstaðir to Seyðisfjörður is beautiful and worth
the side trip.
- There's a bus that can take you from Höfn or Stafafell into
Lónsöræfi to see some beautiful rhyolite mountains. It's an all day
trip.
- Jökulsárlón is worth a stop
- A day hiking the loop up into Skaftafell is well worth the time.
- When you stop at Skógafoss, hike up the mountain behind the falls.
It's a steep climb at first, but you'll be rewarded with a whole
series of more waterfalls.
- Þórsmörk is well worth going to, but you'll need to take a bus due
to the stream crossings. (Someone can correct me if I'm wrong.) If
you get there, hike up to the top of Valahnukur for a stunning view.

Just a few thoughts.
- Joe