Iceland is a camp-enthusiast’s dream come true! 

It’s unbelievably beautiful. You can camp (nearly) anywhere. The water is so pure you can drink straight from rivers and streams. And in the summer months when it’s warmest (June, July, and August), the sun doesn’t set until midnight, which means you can travel all day and don’t have to find a place to pitch your tent until late in the evening.

With many tourists and Icelanders opting to spend their vacations in the great outdoors, there are a few options for where and how to camp. In this post I’ll outline the three options for camping in Iceland (Backcountry or “Wild” Camping, tent or RV camping at a registered Campsite, and renting a Campervan) as well as the rules for where you can and can’t pitch your tent.

Related Posts:

• What to Pack for a Camping Trip to Iceland
• Our 9-Day Trip Itinerary Around Iceland’s Ring Road
• Renting a Car in Iceland: What You Need to Know
• All other Iceland-related posts

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1. Backcountry / Wild Camping

For those looking for a true camping experience, backcountry or “wild” camping is possible so long as you follow a few rules (outlined below). We opted for backcountry camping on our 9-day trip around the Ring Road; instead of camping every night, we decided to mix camping with a few nights at Airbnbs. This was a great way to save money but also one of the most memorable aspects of our first trip to Iceland.

There are a few rules for where you can and can’t pitch your tent when backcountry camping, including:

• You may stay at a particular site for one night only
• There can’t be a campsite in the immediate vicinity
• The land must be “uncultivated,” meaning you can’t pitch a tent on or near someone’s farm

Click here for a full list of the rules and regulations for backcountry camping in Iceland.

As is always the case with backcountry camping, your goal should be to minimize your impact in any way possible — avoid setting up your tent on lava fields, use biodegradable soaps, and keep the clean Icelandic water as you found it, clean!

2. Registered Campsites

For those that like the experience of sleeping in a tent but still want access to facilities, camping at one of Iceland’s many campsites is a great option.

There are approximately 200 registered campsites around Iceland, most of which are open from early June to late August. The benefit of staying at a an official campsite is access to amenities, such as toilets, showers, kitchens, and washing facilities (amenities vary by site). In order to stay the night, you will need to pay a fee based on whether you have a tent, camper, etc.

RV camping is also possible at many of these campsites with some spots having access to electricity for an up-charge.

Click here to search for campgrounds by region and for more info on amenities and type of spots available (tent vs RV).

3. Campervans

If you’re interesting in traveling light or simply don’t own much of your own camping gear, then renting a camper van for your trip may be a good option. Camper vans aren’t cheap and need to be booked way in advance, but they are certainly a convenient and fun way to explore the country.

Camper vans have a large space in the back that is converted into a bed for two. The vans can be parked in any public parking lot for the night. Most companies include all of the essential camping gear with the rental, including sleeping bags/bed linens, stove, cookware, and chairs. You’ll need to rent a car regardless, so it’s worth weighing the cost of a camper van with a standard rental car (plus the cost of any camping gear you’d need to purchase or rent).

There are lots of companies that specialize in camper van rentals. A few of the big ones are Happy Campers, Campervan Iceland, and CampEasy.

Note: Be aware of the rules of where you can and can’t park your camper van overnight. As of November 2015, it is now illegal to spend the night outside organized campsites or urban areas without the land owner’s permission. There are still many other places where it’s permitted — small parking lots dot the side of the Ring Road and many people opt to park there overnight.

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Have any questions about camping in Iceland? Leave a comment below or send me a message!