Ultimate Guide to Winter Campsites on Iceland’s Ring Road
You are planning the dream Iceland Ring Road trip in winter, and suddenly realise that most campsites are actually closed in winter.
No need to panic, as I traveled along the same route, and am going to share all the campsites we stayed at.
I even realised that it is much better to have this experience in winter, as there is not stress of getting to campsite early or stressing over not having a place to stay.
Table of Content
Things to know beforehand
Before diving into our route, there are few generic things to know about campsites in Iceland based on our experience:
Payment – we could pay everything with card, although to use certain amenities like washing machines, coins can be handy. Sometimes you pay to a reception, and sometimes it is self-service.
Cost – you usually pay per person, although some campsites can charge for the van only. Campsites cost around €15-€25 per person per night.
Reservation – we did not reserve any of our campsites, as we want to go with he flow and be flexible due to the weather conditions.
Finding a spot – we never rushed to get to the campsite early to get a spot. Since it was not high season (we visited Iceland in February), there were more than enough space for everyone.
Winter campsites – next to the campsites we stayed at, I also researched other campsites open in winter. I still highly recommend checking their opening days before your trip.
Campsites in winter
Traveling in Iceland in a campervan, spotting the northern lights, enjoying the white landscape, and chasing the magnificent waterfalls is a dream. We were lucky enough to experience Icelandic winter with all of its beauty. It was our first campervan experience, and we learned a lot from it.
Traveling to Iceland in winter is exciting, and you might have heard that many campsites are closed in winter. Although options are limited, you will for sure find a place to sleep every night.
We spent each night at a different campsite, and I want to share my experience with each of them.
Disclaimer: some of the links are affiliate links, meaning that if you use them to book your hotel or purchase a product or service, I will receive a small commission with no effect on your cost.
Night 1 – Thingvellir National Park
On the first day, we got our van, drove to Bonus to get food for the week, visited Blue Lagoon in the evening, and spent a few hours there until it was closed. Our plan for the next day was to drive along the Iconic Golden Circle, so we wanted to wake up as close as possible.
We drove nearly two hours to Thingvellir National Park. The main campsite is closed in the winter. On their website, it was advised to park and camp in front of the National Park Service Centre. You can find toilet facilities there. We were so shocked by the cold, and I remember how happy we were inside the warm WC. There are also showers and washing machines. There is a sink outside to wash dishes, and it was so cold to wash dishes after we had dinner in our van. You can pay for the night in the morning at the reception. It was around €28 for two.
It was our first night, and the location was great, just a few minutes’ drive from the Thingvellir National Park entrance. I would definitely advise this small campsite.
Night 2 – Selfoss Campsite
After a beautiful day driving around the Golden Circle, we decided to spend the second night at Selfoss Campsite. In the evening, we went on a light hunt, and I got this picture, saw that there was no activity, and we came back. Only a few days later, I realized that there was actually an aurora in the sky, and we could see a beautiful show if we stayed longer.
Since Selfoss Campsite was bigger, it was busier, and I found the facilities a little bit dirtier. It has a large kitchen and sitting area, where you can make your food, meet people, and play games. We made breakfast in our van and washed dishes before hitting the road again. Selfoss Campsite was around €34 for two.
Night 3 – Skaftafell Campsite
We had an amazing day chasing the most beautiful waterfalls on the island. Our last stop was Skogafoss, the famous Game of Thrones location.
It is possible to camp here and wake up with this amazing view. However, the facilities were not that good or clean. I don’t think there was even a shower there. But we made sure to have dinner with that fantastic view.
We drove for more than 2 hours to the Skaftafell Campsite. It was the cleanest campsite we stayed in during our one-week trip around the island. We took a shower, washed dishes, filled the water tank, and hit the road for adventurous day 4. Similar to others, this campsites cost around €34. We paid through the parking app (parka.is). Our next stop was Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon in the morning. And if you stay at Skaftafell, you get a 50% discount at the parking lot of Jökulsárlón. Instead of €7, we paid €3,5.
Night 4 – Egilsstadir Campsite
Due to the winter conditions, our fourth day was shorter. We mainly visited Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach.
The southern part of the island is very popular, and in winter, many people choose to stay and discover that part. There is so much to do and see, and with limited daylight, spending a few days there can be a fit for many. But not for us. We were committed to doing the whole ring road and drove around four hours to the west of the island.
We stayed at Egilsstadir Campsite. There were only two other campers next to us. The instructions on how to pay were very clear. You could pay it online, pay by card or drop cash in the dedicated box.
We paid €31 for two adults. It had a very cozy and spacious sitting area, filled with information on things to do around the area.
The majority of the campsites also have a charging station for electric vehicles, and it costs around €10 per night.
Night 5 – Hamrar Campsite
The next day, we explored the west. Before ending the day, we went to Myvatn Nature Baths. It is not as popular as Blue Lagoon, but we enjoyed it more!
During our trip, we usually took a shower after visiting various lagoons and hot springs, and did not rely on the campsite. It is warmer there, and you can use the hair dryer. Some campsites can be too busy with a line to the bathroom or not warm enough.
In the evening, we camped at Camping Hamrar, near Akureyri. It was relatively busy, and the parking area was not well-maintained. The pavement around the facilities was icy (yes, we fell..).
Hamrar Campsite cost €34, and we could pay by card.
We didn’t spend much time in the north. In the morning, we left immediately to visit the Western part of the island.
Night 6 – Snorrastadir Farm Holiday
On our 6th night, we drove to Snorrastadir Farm Holiday to camp. When we opened the door to leave the van, we saw the northern lights. We drove a bit away from the campsite to enjoy it even more. It was not the strongest aurora, and the show we saw in Lapland was more magnificent, but it was still beautiful to see them and feel the magic.
The campsite was clean and not very busy. Here we paid per vehicle and not per person. The price was still around cost €34
Night 7 – Reykjavik campsite.
We LOVED East Iceland. I wish we had planned more time to spend there. It was a perfect last day. After an amazing day, we stayed at the Reykjavik Eco-Campsite. Before parking there for the night, we visited the Sky Lagoon to experience the seven-step spa ritual and enjoy the hot spring experience one more time.
You should book Reykjavik Eco-Campsite beforehand and pay online. After that, you will receive a pin code to open the barrier to drive in.
I will be honest. The Reykjavik campsite was the worst one we stayed at. The sinks were outside with no warm water, and the toilet cabins were not heated. It was not that clean, and it was the most expensive one, and we paid €50.
There is a nearby hostel, where you can walk to get warm drinks and access facilities. It was so cold that we didn’t want to leave our campervan. Maybe, if we rested there, we would have liked the campsite more.
Night 8 – Aurora Hotel
On our last day, we woke up early, had breakfast at Grai Kottirun, aka Gray Cat cafe, and drove to CampEasy to return our campervan. You need to return the van by noon. And our flight was the next day, very early in the morning.
We filled the gas tank full and returned the van easily. They offer a free airport shuttle. We asked them to drop us off at the Aurora Hotel at the airport, which is a few minutes walk away from the Keflavik airport.
On our last day, we rested, ordered dinner, watched movies, and slept early for our morning flight.
I might have planned differently if I had known that the van had fixed return timeslots. Of course, we knew this when we booked. However, I already had the flight tickets.
We had the best time in Iceland, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as we did. Happy travels!
