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10 tips for traveling to Iceland safely and responsibly
Iceland is a land of wild nature, one of those places that seem straight out of another planet. Its glaciers, volcanoes, endless waterfalls, and black sand beaches make it one of the most spectacular destinations in the world. But its beauty isn't eternal if we don't know how to preserve it.
That's why we have prepared this guide with 10 essential tips for traveling to Iceland safely and responsiblyA small gesture from each visitor can make a difference.car The difference lies in preserving this unique country. I invite you to read them carefully before your trip: they will help you move around more easily and enjoy Iceland in a more mindful way.
- Tips for traveling and respecting Iceland
- 1. Respect the flora
- 2. Respect the fauna
- 3. Find out well about each place
- 4. Check the weather forecast
- 5. Check the condition of the carreteras
- 6. Don't stop in the middle of the carretera
- 7. Wear the right clothes
- 8. Use plastic bags to store trash
- 9. Respect private property
- 10. Don't buy souvenirs of animal origin
Tips to travel and respect Iceland
Keep these landscapes intact and enjoy them safely It depends largely on us, travelers. Iceland has extreme weather conditions, delicate ecosystems, and regulations that are important to know and respect.
1. Respect the flora
Icelandic vegetation, especially moss, is very fragile Therefore, you must avoid stepping on it at all costs and always use the marked paths. A few steps, however innocent they may seem, can cause...car his death. Icelandic moss takes approximately 100 years to regenerate.
This is one of the most important tips for traveling to Iceland safely and responsibly. It is a country that more and more people visit, so if we do not follow these basic rules in a few years the landscape will be destroyed.
Guide North Iceland, Dettifoss and much more!
2. Respect the fauna
Especially in summer there are many birds so It is important to stay on designated paths to avoid stepping on nests. Especially if you travel with your drone, try to fly it with a lot of head and awareness, away from nesting areas.
Respecting fauna also implies maintain safe distancesFor example, during seal watching carThe TVs will tell you how much you can get.carIt depends on the time of year. Needless to say, you should not feed any type of animal.
3. Find out well about each place
Read the carnews programs, they are all in English, even if you don't speak the language, come and look at the signs or use immediate translation apps like Google Translate. Many times it has to do with how to behave in that place, what precautions to take, where to step or general safety measures.
If you are one of the lucky ones who can visit an active volcano be sure to follow all safety recommendations and use the paths enabled by local authorities.
In Iceland the force of nature is no joke!
4. Check the weather forecast
Knowing what the weather is going to be like in Iceland is super important. As you can imagine, part of its spectacular landscape has been formed by hurricane-force winds, torrential rains and snow storms. On more than one occasion, the weather forces travelers to change their plans.giving up on visiting certain places or even getting stuck in one place because of carcut ridges.
Keeping track of your time will help you try to adapt your route to the weather conditions and, above all, to travel more safely. The most reliable source is the Icelandic weather website vedur.
5. Check the condition of the carreteras
If you travel to Iceland in winter, the website road.is It has to be among your most visited. There you will find the status of all the carcountry's retaliations and even real-time webcams.
If you travel in summer and plan to visit the highlands (the interior of the country) and its famous F-roads, the website will also be very helpful to you.
And it will even be useful for the carmain road closures during the summer in case of any storm warnings, sometimes carRoads are closed due to high wind warnings.
You can also consult real-time information of this type at a more general level than just the carreteras on the page of safetravel.is
6. Don't stop in the middle of the carretera
It makes you want to, really want to, do it in the beautiful carIcelandic burglars. But don't just wait or park, wait a few meters for there to be a space available. or at least a wide shoulder. Every year there are quite a few accidents because a tourist stops their car in the middle of the road. carHe's stopped to admire a spontaneous waterfall; the person behind him doesn't see him or can't stop because the carThe retera is frozen and boom, a disappointment.
And since we talked about carDon't run in them either. The speed limit in Iceland is a maximum of 90km/h And speeding fines are very high. Drive carefully because it's very common for speeding, even in summer, to cause accidents. carEven if the roads are in perfect condition, a sheep might cross your path and you might have to slam on the brakes. In Iceland, there are more than twice as many sheep as people!
It is not so common but on a couple of occasions arctic foxes also came across us, if you are lucky and pay attention you may see some.
7. Wear the right clothes
Bring warm, waterproof clothing and good footwear. This statement applies to both July and February. In Iceland it is always cold, sometimes more and sometimes less, but you always need to have warm clothes on hand. Besides, with the air and the drizzle the thermal sensation plummets.
To give you an idea, from May to September we only had 5 or 6 days of more than 20 degrees. And many nights of 2-3 degrees, or even lower.
Waterproof clothing is super necessary So that the rain doesn't stop you, it allows you to docarIt leads to waterfalls and also acts as a windbreak.car Depending on the fabric, drying it overnight can be quite a hassle, especially if you're traveling in a van or tent, although keep in mind that many campsites have pay-to-use dryers.
In relation to footwear, try to wear one waterproof with a good sole since it can save you from more than one slip in wet areas or when the country starts to freeze. Although if you travel in winter No sole is enough, add some crampons to your luggage no matter what.
We also recommend traveling to Iceland with travel insurance. We've written an article to explain what's covered and what you'll need.carwould you have to pay in case of an accident, if you are only traveling with the European sanitary card.
8. Use plastic bags to store trash
Take some small plastic bags from home or buy some small plastic garbage bags on your first visit to the supermarket. I know it sounds strange from such an ecological country, but In Iceland there are very few litter bins.
The reason is that the wind would easily carry away the trash or even the voles.carIt's also important to consider that it's a country with very few urban centers, so nobody is going to go to that spot in the middle of nowhere to take away the garbage every day.
So The best solution is for you to take some bags to fill them during the day and throw them away later. in the containers of the campsites or hotels where you stay.
9. Respect private property
In the land of fire and ice, it's common for natural spaces like rivers, waterfalls, roads, and mountains to have private owners. If, for example, you want to visit a waterfall near the carretera but All the surroundings are fenced and there is no marked access. Do not enter, it is private property..
Fortunately, most of the most famous natural attractions have free access for tourists despite being privately owned.
10. Don't buy souvenirs of animal origin
The vast majority of The country follows a very rural lifestyle and in some towns you can find very diverse traditional souvenirs of animal origin. The most common are stuffed animals, bones, fur and feathers that come from reindeer, seals, whales, migratory birds and arctic foxes.
I suggest you not collaborate in this type of business although not all objects necessarily imply the death of the animal.
I hope these 10 tips help you travel more ethically and safely to Iceland. To read more about Iceland here you can read others articles or see our featured stories instagram.
