Iceland (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Fran Parnell [265]
Camping
Tjaldsvæði (organised campsites) are found in almost every town, at farmhouses in rural areas and along major hiking trails. The best sites have washing machines, cooking facilities and hot showers, but others just have a cold-water tap and a toilet block.
Wild camping is possible in some areas but in practice it is often discouraged. In national parks and nature reserves you must camp in marked campsites, and you need to get permission before camping on fenced land in all other places. Icelandic weather is notoriously fickle, though, and if you intend to camp it’s wise to invest in a good-quality tent.
When camping the usual rules apply: leave sites as you find them, use biodegradable soaps, carry out your rubbish and bury your toilet waste away from water sources. Campfires are not allowed, so bring a stove. Butane cartridges and petroleum fuels are available in petrol stations and hardware shops. Blue Campingaz cartridges are not readily found in Iceland; the grey Coleman cartridges are more common. You can often pick up partly used canisters left behind by departing campers at the campsites in Reykjavík and Keflavík.
Camping with a tent or campervan/caravan usually costs between Ikr800 and Ikr1000 per person, with most campsites open from June to August or early September only. The free directory Tjaldsvæði Íslands (available from tourist offices) lists many of Iceland’s campsites.
Emergency Huts
ICE-SAR (Icelandic Association for Search & Rescue; 570 5900; www.icesar.is) and Félag ĺslenskra Bifeiðaeigenda (Icelandic Automobile Association; 562 9999; www.fib.is) maintain bright-orange survival huts on high mountain passes and along remote coastlines. The huts are stocked with food, fuel and blankets and should only be used in an emergency. Users should sign the hut guest book and state which items they have used, so they may be replaced for future users.
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PRACTICALITIES
Iceland uses the metric system – distances are in kilometres and weights are in kilograms.
The electrical current is 220V AC 50Hz (cycles); North American electrical devices will require voltage converters.
Most electrical plugs are of the European two-pin type.
Iceland uses the PAL video system, like Britain and Germany, and falls within DVD zone 2.
The daily paper Morgunblaðið is in Icelandic but features cinema listings in English.
For tourist-oriented articles about Iceland in English, check out the glossy quarterly magazine Iceland Review (www.icelandreview.is).
Iceland’s two TV stations show Icelandic programs during the day and American imports in the evening.
Radio station RUV (Icelandic National Broadcasting Service; FM 92.4/93.5) has news in English at 7.30am Monday to Friday from June to August.
Most hostels and hotels have satellite TV featuring other European channels.
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BOOK YOUR STAY ONLINE
For more accommodation reviews and recommendations by Lonely Planet authors, check out the online booking service at www.lonelyplanet.com/hotels. You’ll find the true, insider low-down on the best places to stay. Reviews are thorough and independent. Best of all, you can book online.
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Farmhouses
Throughout Iceland accommodation is available in rural farmhouses, many of which offer camping and sleeping-bag spaces as well as made-up beds and summer cabins. Most either provide meals or have a guest kitchen, some have outdoor hot pots (hot tubs) or a geothermal swimming pool, and many provide horse riding. Roadside signs signal which farmhouses provide accommodation and what facilities they offer. Rates are similar to guest houses in towns, with sleeping-bag accommodation costing Ikr2500