As many of you know, we recently traveled to Iceland in hopes of driving around the entire country in a mere 10 days. We know others who had done this, so our first step was to sit down with them, both in person and virtually. THANK YOU IF YOU HELPED OUR PLANNING! The majority of travelers told us one of two things: all of Iceland could not be done in 10 days AND Iceland is very expensive. Both are true, but tap water is potable (drinkable) throughout the country and with the right campervan, we stayed below our budget no problem!
Joey did a ton of planning (as he always does) and found that the most cost-effective and enjoyable mode of travel around Iceland’s “Ring Road” is renting a campervan. Now I know “enjoyable” is a subjective term, but if you’re the type of traveler that does not like to deal with tour groups (for a multitude of reasons…mainly cost and timing) or cannot handle the cost of hotels/cabins for 8+ nights, then you HAVE to read about our Happy Campers planning and experience and check them out here.
After comparing the daily cost of regular car+cabin with that of the campervan, we determined that the cost of a nightly cabin would not be worth the money for how we would be using the accommodation (we often just shower/sleep and rarely lounge around to use the amenities).
We found a handful of campervan companies online that operate in Iceland. We had no idea what to expect when we started our research, as this was a new experience for the both of us. After a week or two of researching, we found that there were a lot of similarities between companies and a few key differences. Below you will find some of the key differences, and also our reasoning for choosing “Happy Campers” as our Iceland campervan.
- Most campervan companies charge on a per-day basis and have differing costs-per-day based on the time of year. High season is often from May-September and low season is often from October-April. Some companies even break this pricing down further into high-, medium-, and low- season brackets. Everything everywhere was more expensive during the summer, so once we realized everyone does this system it was easier to notice other key differences.
- The majority of vehicles in Iceland, campervans included, have a manual transmission (“stick shift”). If you do not know how to drive with a manual transmission, some rental companies will facilitate a little intro, while others will probably laugh at you. Joey knows how to drive with a manual transmission, but it’s worth noting that Happy Campers was patient and reassured it was ok if we ask for help.
- Most campervans offer airport or hotel pickup using a company shuttle. Some will charge and some will not. Some are close to the airport and some are not. The majority of campervan rentals (Kuku Campers, Camp Iceland, Cozy Campers, etc.) are located in or near the capital city of Reykjavík and they all seemed to ask customers to pay for airport pick-up and drop-off. Happy Campers was one of the only campervan rental companies that is near the Keflavík Airport and offers free airport shuttle pick-up and drop-off, which was incredibly convenient in terms of cost and time spent waiting around to start our adventure.
- Most campervan companies have very different interior layouts. For example, Kuku Campers have a fixed platform bed, whereas Happy Campers have a futon-style couch that can convert into a bed. This might seem arbitrary, but having a couch to hang out on and cook from during a downpour was beyond convenient…you can even convert the couch to a bed without leaving the vehicle, or even opening a door!
- Not all campervans have additional tools and devices. Some may not have an additional electricity source for running an axillary heater, additional lighting, or a real refrigerator, but Happy Campers has an additional battery with rooftop solar panel to power all three!
Besides the proactive research and planning, our experience with Happy Campers was one to remember and both of us have already told each other if we come to Iceland again, we’d do the same thing. The pick-up/drop-off at the airport was on time, the rental logistics were seamless, and being the meticulous planners we are, it was reassuring to have them as allies during our trip. We were given a general contact number/email and an emergency contact in case of a roadside emergency. They also fit all of their vehicles with GPS in order to best support their renters at any given time or location. They prepare you like professionals, from up-to-date weather forecasting and road conditions to vehicle overview and maintenance, to the point where we truly felt prepared to take on the Ring Road!
From all their model options, we opted for the cost-friendly “Happy Camper 1 Ex.” The Happy Camper 1 model is perfect for 2 travelers, and the differences between the Happy Camper 1 and Happy Camper 1 Ex were minimal to us. Though it is an entirely different make and model car (“Ford Transit Connect or similar” vs. “Nissan NV200 or similar”), we found our Ford Transit Connect to have everything we needed. By the end of our trip we actually wanted to see the Nissan just to answer our question of, “How could this camper be any better?”
The campervan and logistics were impeccable, but to us, the most amazing part of this company can’t be found in the office or even in the car itself. To us, the most amazing part of this company is the community they have built and fostered in and around them. Their social media channels are wonderful and totally user-driven (no pun intended). Every single time we encountered another Happy Camper along our route, whether it was during an adventure or just passing along the Ring Road, we were always greeted with a smile and a wave. We even became eager to find the next Happy Camper during our travels. This inherently created a connection amongst fellow travelers that may not have happened without our Happy Camper.
After all is said and done, Happy Campers helped us to experience Iceland in a way that we will remember for a lifetime, and though it sounds cliché, Iceland wouldn’t have been the same without them.
We couldn’t recommend Happy Campers enough. When (not if…) we visit Iceland again, we definitely plan on using them. Make sure to check them out here for your next Iceland road trip!