Iceland (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Fran Parnell [283]
Summer is by far the best time to hitch a ride and you’ll find that both locals and tourists are up for helping hitchers out. You’ll get picked up in the winter out of pity – but there aren’t too many people driving around at that time of year.
If the idea of hitching makes you uncomfortable, check out www.semferda.net, a handy car-sharing site.
Return to beginning of chapter
LOCAL TRANSPORT
Bicycle
You can hire bicycles for local riding from some tourist offices, hotels, hostels and guest houses. The standard daily charge is about Ikr2000 to Ikr2500 per day, plus a deposit (a credit-card imprint will usually suffice). Helmets are a legal requirement for all children aged under 15.
Bus
Reykjavík has an extensive network of local buses connecting all the suburbs, and running all the way to Akranes, Borgarnes, Hveragerði, Selfoss and Hvalfjarðarsveit. www.straeto.is for information on timetables, schedules and routes.
Free local bus networks operate in Akureyri ( 462 4020) and Ísafjörður ( 893 1058), and the Reykjanesbær area (www.sbk.is) has a municipal service as well.
Taxi
There are around 600 taxis in Iceland, of which almost 500 operate in the Reykjavík area. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a taxi driver in Reykjavík or Akureyri that doesn’t speak English. Cabbies offer sightseeing tours of the city and nearby attractions. See the destination chapters for more information.
Taxis are metered and – like all other transport in Iceland – they can be quite pricey. Tipping is not expected.
Return to beginning of chapter
TOURS
Although joining a bunch of other travellers on an organised tour may not be your idea of an independent holiday, Iceland’s rugged terrain and high costs can make it an appealing option. Tours can save you time and money and can get you into some stunning but isolated locations where your hire car will never go. Many tours are by bus, others by 4WD or super-Jeep, and some by snowmobile or light aircraft. Most tours give you the option of tacking on adventure activities such as white-water rafting, kayaking, snowmobiling, horse riding and ice trekking.
There are usually substantial discounts for children and for making bookings online, so shop around before making any decisions. The following is a list of some of the best companies around; you’ll find other specific tours and tour operators covered in the destination chapters.
Activity Group ( 580 9900; www.activity.is) This group of adventure-tour companies offers activities all over Iceland, including snowmobile tours, white-water rafting, dog sledding and quad-bike (ATV) rides. It has a base at the Húsafell recreation centre in west Iceland.
Air Iceland ( 570 3030; www.airiceland.is; Reykjavík Domestic Airport, IS-101 Reykjavík) Iceland’s largest domestic airline runs a wide range of combination air, bus, hiking, rafting, horse-riding, whale-watching and glacier day tours around Iceland from Reykjavík and Akureyri. It also runs day tours to Greenland and the Faeroes from Reykjavík.
Dick Phillips ( 01434-381440; www.icelandic-travel.com; Whitehall House, Nenthead, Alston, Cumbria, CA9 3PS, UK) British-based Dick Phillips runs a specialist Icelandic travel service, and has decades of experience leading wild hiking, cycling and skiing trips.
Explore Adventures ( 562 7000; Laugavegur 11, IS-101 Reykjavík) Adventure-tour company offering glacial hiking, snorkelling, kayaking, caving, canyoning, ice climbing, climbing, hiking and cycling day tours from Reykjavík.
Ferðafélag Íslands (Icelandic Touring Association; Map; 568 2533; www.fi.is; Mörkin 6, IS-108 Reykjavík) Leads summer hikes in Hornstrandir, Landmannalaugar and Þórsmörk, and also runs some bus tours and cross-country skiing trips.
Guðmundur Jónasson Travel (Map; 511 1515; www.gjtravel.is; Borgartún 34, IS-105 Reykjavík) This ever-popular company offers multiday bus tours with