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Basics

Best Iceland Itinerary

Last updated: January 17, 2023 by Canberk Koksal

  • Take-aways:

These itineraries are oriented towards providing you with the best experience you can have in Iceland. 

They offer an optimal balance between seeing as much of Iceland as possible and being able to enjoy the sightings without rushing it. 

They're curated carefully, by taking every aspect you can think of into account. Two trips to Iceland and months of planning take place behind the engineering of these itineraries. 

This is why I'd be careful if I were to modify them. 

4 Full Days in Fall/Spring
  • Itinerary

AttractionsExpendability
Day 1: Reykjavik DowntownMid
Day 1: Hallgrimskirkja (Church)Mid
Day 1: Solfar (Ship sculpture)High
Day 1: Fagradalsfjall VolcanoLow
Day 1: Blue LagoonVery low
Stay at Reykjavik
Day 2: Thingvellir ParkMid
Day 2: Bruarfoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 2: GeysersVery low
Day 2: Gullfoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 2: Kerid CraterVery low
Stay at Reykjavik
Day 3: Seljalandsfoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 3: Gljufrafoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 3: Skogafoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 3: Kvernufoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 3: Reynisfjara BeachVery low
Day 3: Dyrholaey BeachMid
Day 3: Eldhraun (Viewpoint)Mid
Day 3: Fjadrargljufur CanyonLow
Stay at Hof
Day 4: Skaftafell: Glacier Hike & Ice Cave TourVery low
Day 4: Svartifoss (Waterfall)Low
Day 4: Jokulsarlon Glacier LagoonVery low
Day 4: Diamond BeachLow
Stay at Hof

I'd recommend you to use the Expandability column in case something comes up (e.g unexpected weather, car malfunction, your SO falls asleep), and you find yourself having to sacrifice some attractions. 

Obviously, "Very low" signifies the least and "High" signifies the most expendable attractions. 

  • Itinerary on Google Maps
  • Where to stay

My hotel recommendations: 

  • In Reykjavik: booking.com/hotel/is/apotek
  • In Hof: booking.com/hotel/is/fosshotel-glacier-lagoon

These hotels are certainly not the most luxurious or expensive, but they're the best IMHO. 

  • Image by image walkthrough of all the attractions
  • Packing

Click here to see the packing checklist. 

  • Expenses items for 2


If you're flying from the EU and not from the US/CA, then cut ticket prices by half. 

As you see, essential gear (warm, waterproof clothing and hiking footwear) isn't included. If you don't own them and hence you'll buy them, then add from 500 to 1,500 USD per person - depending on the gear quality. 

If, however, you live in a warm climate back home (like Florida), then consider renting them (from christysports.com, for example), instead of buying them. 

Click here jump to the expense report to see the gear we brought to Iceland.

  • Car rental
    • Check out Northbound.is before other car rental giants. 
5 Full Days in Fall/Spring
  • Itinerary

AttractionsExpendability
Day 1: Gerduberg CliffsHigh
Day 1: Budakirkja (Church)High
Day 1: Raudfeldsgja RavineMid
Day 1: Arnarstapi (Village)Mid
Day 1: Londrangar CliffsLow
Day 1: Djupalonssandur BeachHigh
Day 1: Saxholl CraterHigh
Day 1: Kirkjufell (Mountain & Waterfall)Low
Stay at Reykjavik
Day 2: Reykjavik DowntownMid
Day 2: Hallgrimskirkja (Church)Mid
Day 2: Solfar (Ship sculpture)High
Day 2: Fagradalsfjall VolcanoLow
Day 2: Blue LagoonVery low
Stay at Reykjavik
Day 3: Thingvellir ParkMid
Day 3: Bruarfoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 3: GeysersVery low
Day 3: Gullfoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 3: Kerid CraterVery low
Stay at Reykjavik
Day 4: Seljalandsfoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 4: Gljufrafoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 4: Skogafoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 4: Kvernufoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 4: Reynisfjara BeachVery low
Day 4: Dyrholaey BeachMid
Day 4: Eldhraun (Viewpoint)Mid
Day 4: Fjadrargljufur CanyonLow
Stay at Hof
Day 5: Skaftafell: Glacier Hike & Ice Cave TourVery low
Day 5: Svartifoss (Waterfall)Low
Day 5: Jokulsarlon Glacier LagoonVery low
Day 5: Diamond BeachLow
Stay at Hof

I'd recommend you to use the Expandability column in case something comes up (e.g unexpected weather, car malfunction, your SO falls asleep), and you find yourself having to sacrifice some attractions. 

Obviously, "Very low" signifies the least and "High" signifies the most expendable attractions. 

  • Itinerary on Google Maps
  • Where to stay

My hotel recommendations: 

  • In Reykjavik: booking.com/hotel/is/apotek
  • In Hof: booking.com/hotel/is/fosshotel-glacier-lagoon

These hotels are certainly not the most luxurious or expensive, but they're the best. 

  • Image by image walkthrough of all the attractions
  • Packing

Click here to see the packing checklist. 

  • Expense items for 2


If you're flying from the EU and not from the US/CA, then cut ticket prices by half. 

As you see, essential gear (warm, waterproof clothing and hiking footwear) isn't included. If you don't own them and hence you'll buy them, then add from 500 to 1,500 USD per person - depending on the gear quality. 

If, however, you live in a warm climate back home (like Florida), then consider renting them (from christysports.com, for example), instead of buying them. 

Click here jump to the expense report to see the gear we brought to Iceland.

  • Car rental

Check out Northbound.is before other car rental giants. 

6 Full Days in Fall/Spring
  • Itinerary

AttractionsExpendability
Day 1: Gerduberg CliffsHigh
Day 1: Budakirkja (Church)High
Day 1: Raudfeldsgja RavineMid
Day 1: Arnarstapi (Village)Mid
Day 1: Londrangar CliffsLow
Day 1: Djupalonssandur BeachHigh
Day 1: Saxholl CraterHigh
Day 1: Kirkjufell (Mountain & Waterfall)Low
Stay at Reykjavik
Day 2: Reykjavik DowntownMid
Day 2: Hallgrimskirkja (Church)Mid
Day 2: Solfar (Ship sculpture)High
Day 2: Fagradalsfjall VolcanoLow
Day 2: Blue LagoonVery low
Stay at Reykjavik
Day 3: Thingvellir ParkMid
Day 3: Bruarfoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 3: GeysersVery low
Day 3: Gullfoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 3: Kerid CraterVery low
Stay at Reykjavik
Day 4: Seljalandsfoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 4: Gljufrafoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 4: Skogafoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 4: Kvernufoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 4: Reynisfjara BeachVery low
Day 4: Dyrholaey BeachMid
Day 4: Eldhraun (Viewpoint)Mid
Day 4: Fjadrargljufur CanyonLow
Stay at Hof
Day 5: Stokksnes Beach & Vestahorn MountainMid
Day 5: Diamond BeachLow
Day 5: Jokulsarlon Glacier LagoonVery low
Day 5: Jokulsarlon Ice Cave TourVery low
Day 5: Svinafellsjokull (Glacier)Mid
Stay at Hof
Day 6: Skaftafell Glacier Hike TourVery low
Day 6: Svartifoss (Waterfall)Low
Day 6: Skaftafellsjokull (Glacier)Mid
Stay at Hof

I'd recommend you to use the Expandability column in case something comes up (e.g unexpected weather, car malfunction, your SO falls asleep), and you find yourself having to sacrifice some attractions. 

Obviously, "Very low" signifies the least and "High" signifies the most expendable attractions. 

  • Itinerary on Google Maps
  • Where to stay

My hotel recommendations: 

  • In Reykjavik: booking.com/hotel/is/apotek
  • In Hof: booking.com/hotel/is/fosshotel-glacier-lagoon

These hotels are certainly not the most luxurious or expensive, but they're the best IMHO. 

  • Image by image walkthrough of all the attractions
  • Packing

Click here to see the packing checklist. 

  • Expense items for 2


If you're flying from the EU and not from the US/CA, then cut ticket prices by half. 

As you see, essential gear (warm, waterproof clothing and hiking footwear) isn't included. If you don't own them and hence you'll buy them, then add from 500 to 1,500 USD per person - depending on the gear quality. 

If, however, you live in a warm climate back home (like Florida), then consider renting them (from christysports.com, for example), instead of buying them. 

Click here jump to the expense report to see the gear we brought to Iceland.

  • Car rental

Check out Northbound.is before other car rental giants. 

4 Full Days in Summer
  • Itinerary

AttractionsExpendability
Day 1: Reykjavik DowntownMid
Day 1: Hallgrimskirkja (Church)Mid
Day 1: Solfar (Ship sculpture)High
Day 1: Fagradalsfjall VolcanoLow
Day 1: Blue LagoonVery low
Stay at Reykjavik
Day 2: Thingvellir ParkMid
Day 2: Bruarfoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 2: GeysersVery low
Day 2: Gullfoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 2: Kerid CraterVery low
Stay at Reykjavik
Day 3: Seljalandsfoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 3: Gljufrafoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 3: Skogafoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 3: Kvernufoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 3: LandmannalaugarLow
Day 3: Reynisfjara BeachVery low
Day 3: Dyrholaey BeachMid
Stay at Vik
Day 4: Eldhraun (Viewpoint)Mid
Day 4: Fjadrargljufur CanyonLow
Day 4: Diamond BeachLow
Day 4: Jokulsarlon Glacier LagoonVery low
Day 4: Svartifoss (Waterfall)Low
Day 4: Skaftafellsjokull (Glacier)Mid
Stay at Vik

I'd recommend you to use the Expandability column in case something comes up (e.g unexpected weather, car malfunction, your SO falls asleep), and you find yourself having to sacrifice some attractions. 

Obviously, "Very low" signifies the least and "High" signifies the most expendable attractions. 

  • Itinerary on Google Maps
  • Where to stay

My hotel recommendations: 

  • In Reykjavik: booking.com/hotel/is/apotek
  • In Vik: booking.com/hotel/is/kria

These hotels are certainly not the most luxurious or expensive, but they're the best IMHO. 

  • Packing

Click here to see the packing checklist. 

  • Expense items for 2


If you're flying from the EU and not from the US/CA, then cut ticket prices by half. 

As you see, essential gear (warm, waterproof clothing and hiking footwear) isn't included. If you don't own them and hence you'll buy them, then add from 500 to 1,500 USD per person - depending on the gear quality. 

If, however, you live in a warm climate back home (like Florida), then consider renting them (from christysports.com, for example), instead of buying them. 

Click here jump to the expense report to see the gear we brought to Iceland.

  • Car rental

Check out Northbound.is before other car rental giants. 

5 Full Days in Summer
  • Itinerary

AttractionsExpendability
Day 1: Gerduberg CliffsHigh
Day 1: Budakirkja (Church)High
Day 1: Raudfeldsgja RavineMid
Day 1: Arnarstapi (Village)Mid
Day 1: Londrangar CliffsLow
Day 1: Djupalonssandur BeachHigh
Day 1: Saxholl CraterHigh
Day 1: Kirkjufell (Mountain & Waterfall)Low
Stay at Reykjavik
Day 2: Reykjavik DowntownMid
Day 2: Hallgrimskirkja (Church)Mid
Day 2: Solfar (Ship sculpture)High
Day 2: Fagradalsfjall VolcanoLow
Day 2: Blue LagoonVery low
Stay at Reykjavik
Day 3: Thingvellir ParkMid
Day 3: Bruarfoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 3: GeysersVery low
Day 3: Gullfoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 3: Kerid CraterVery low
Stay at Reykjavik
Day 4: Seljalandsfoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 4: Gljufrafoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 4: Skogafoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 4: Kvernufoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 4: LandmannalaugarLow
Day 4: Reynisfjara BeachVery low
Day 4: Dyrholaey BeachMid
Stay at Vik
Day 5: Eldhraun (Viewpoint)Mid
Day 5: Fjadrargljufur CanyonLow
Day 5: Diamond BeachLow
Day 5: Jokulsarlon Glacier LagoonVery low
Day 5: Svartifoss (Waterfall)Low
Day 5: Skaftafellsjokull (Glacier)Mid
Stay at Vik

I'd recommend you to use the Expandability column in case something comes up (e.g unexpected weather, car malfunction, your SO falls asleep), and you find yourself having to sacrifice some attractions. 

Obviously, "Very low" signifies the least and "High" signifies the most expendable attractions. 

  • Itinerary on Google Maps
  • Where to stay

My hotel recommendations: 

  • In Reykjavik: booking.com/hotel/is/apotek
  • In Vik: booking.com/hotel/is/kria

These hotels are certainly not the most luxurious or expensive, but they're the best IMHO. 

  • Packing

Click here to see the packing checklist. 

  • Expense items for 2


If you're flying from the EU and not from the US/CA, then cut ticket prices by half. 

As you see, essential gear (warm, waterproof clothing and hiking footwear) isn't included. If you don't own them and hence you'll buy them, then add from 500 to 1,500 USD per person - depending on the gear quality. 

If, however, you live in a warm climate back home (like Florida), then consider renting them (from christysports.com, for example), instead of buying them. 

Click here jump to the expense report to see the gear we brought to Iceland.

  • Car rental

Check out Northbound.is before other car rental giants. 

6 Full Days in Summer
  • Itinerary

AttractionsExpendability
Day 1: Gerduberg CliffsHigh
Day 1: Budakirkja (Church)High
Day 1: Raudfeldsgja RavineMid
Day 1: Arnarstapi (Village)Mid
Day 1: Londrangar CliffsLow
Day 1: Djupalonssandur BeachHigh
Day 1: Saxholl CraterHigh
Day 1: Kirkjufell (Mountain & Waterfall)Low
Stay at Reykjavik
Day 2: Reykjavik DowntownMid
Day 2: Hallgrimskirkja (Church)Mid
Day 2: Solfar (Ship sculpture)High
Day 2: Fagradalsfjall VolcanoLow
Day 2: Blue LagoonVery low
Stay at Reykjavik
Day 3: Thingvellir ParkMid
Day 3: Bruarfoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 3: GeysersVery low
Day 3: Gullfoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 3: Kerid CraterVery low
Stay at Reykjavik
Day 4: Seljalandsfoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 4: Gljufrafoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 4: Skogafoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 4: Kvernufoss (Waterfall)Mid
Day 4: LandmannalaugarLow
Stay at Vik
Day 5: Reynisfjara BeachVery low
Day 5: Dyrholaey BeachMid
Day 5: Eldhraun (Viewpoint)Mid
Day 5: Fjadrargljufur CanyonLow
Day 5: Diamond BeachLow
Day 5: Jokulsarlon Glacier LagoonVery low
Stay at Hof
Day 6: Skaftafell Glacier Hike TourVery low
Day 6: Svartifoss (Waterfall)Low
Day 6: Skaftafellsjokull (Glacier)Mid
Stay at Hof

I'd recommend you to use the Expandability column in case something comes up (e.g unexpected weather, car malfunction, your SO falls asleep), and you find yourself having to sacrifice some attractions. 

Obviously, "Very low" signifies the least and "High" signifies the most expendable attractions. 

  • Itinerary on Google Maps
  • Where to stay

My hotel recommendations: 

  • In Reykjavik: booking.com/hotel/is/apotek
  • In Vik: booking.com/hotel/is/kria

These hotels are certainly not the most luxurious or expensive, but they're the best IMHO. 

  • Packing

Click here to see the packing checklist. 

  • Expense items for 2


If you're flying from the EU and not from the US/CA, then cut ticket prices by half. 

As you see, essential gear (warm, waterproof clothing and hiking footwear) isn't included. If you don't own them and hence you'll buy them, then add from 500 to 1,500 USD per person - depending on the gear quality. 

If, however, you live in a warm climate back home (like Florida), then consider renting them (from christysports.com, for example), instead of buying them. 

Click here jump to the expense report to see the gear we brought to Iceland. 

  • Car rental

Check out Northbound.is before other car rental giants. 

  • Spring: Mar, Apr, May
  • Summer: Jun, Jul, Aug
  • Fall: Sep, Oct

Fall, summer and spring are all great seasons to visit Iceland. And I don't completely agree with the idea of summer being the best. As long as you're not visiting during the winter, which I'd pretty much never recommend, you're good. 

Also, recommended is a 6 full days. 

Ring Road should only become a viable option if you have over 10 full days - though even in that case, I could still recommend these itineraries over the Ring Road. 

  • Intensity

All the itineraries above are centered around optimal intensity: 

  • Steps per day
    • Average: 15,000
    • Max: 25,000
    • Min: 10,000
  • Driving per day
    • Average: 3 hours
    • Max: 6 hours
    • Min: 1 hour

Applies to all the itineraries above. 

  • List of all recommended hotels 
  • In Reykjavik: booking.com/hotel/is/apotek
  • In Vik: booking.com/hotel/is/kria
  • In Hof: booking.com/hotel/is/fosshotel-glacier-lagoon
  • List of all recommended tours 

Find the list of tours & the itineraries they're a part of: 

  • Blue Lagoon 
    • All itineraries
  • Glacier Hike Tour 
    • Summer 6 Days
    • Fall/Spring 6 Days
  • Ice Cave Tour 
    • Fall/Spring 6 Days
  • Glacier Hike & Ice Cave Tour 
    • Fall/Spring 4 Days
    • Fall/Spring 5 Days

This is part of the reason why 6 full days is recommended for Iceland. 

Unfortunately, Ice Cave Tours aren't available during the summer. 

  • Renting your car 

Renting a 4WD over a 2WD is highly recommended since most roads in Iceland are paved and/or occupied with wide and deep pits.

In some roads, 2WD's aren't even allowed. And even when they are, a 4WD is still going to save you lots of time, energy and safety. You'll be able to park your car much closer to the attractions. 

Lastly, do make sure to check out Iceland specific rental companies such as Northbound.is.

We rented our 4WD Suzuki Jimny for around 20% off on Northbound.is compared to other car rental giants. Not sure if that kind of discount is always the case, but it's definitely worth a shot. 

  • How busy is this itinerary?

Not so busy. You should be able to enjoy it a lot without rushing it. 

You can pull over at will, pour yourself a cup of tea, and admire the view at leisure without worrying about falling behind the plan. 

But if you'd like to spend a few extra hours at an attraction you liked, then you're probably going to have to sacrifice some other spots (in which case you can use the expendability table above) or some sleep. 

  • Will this itinerary take me to ALL of the attractions in Iceland? 

No. 

This might not be the case for other countries, but Iceland has way too many hidden gems for one to discover even in a few months of time, let alone just a couple days/weeks (which is why planning a trip to Iceland is usually more difficult). 

So, regardless of the itinerary you follow, you will miss out on some sightings. 

Whoever claims otherwise is lying to you. 

That said, these itineraries, I'd say, are quite solid for their time frames. You'll get to experience plenty of Iceland. 

  • Would the hikes and activities be too tough for someone untrained? 

Not at all. 

If you have the capability of walking for a few hours, then you have everything it takes to do this. However; you will, of course, be tired by the end of the day. 

  • Apps to download

I used them all by myself: 

  • Vedur: Highest accuracy Iceland specific weather app. 
  • EasyPark: Parking payment app. 
    • There are some caveats I'd like you to know about this app, so I'd recommend you to jump to the apps section of this article to read more about it. 
  • Google Maps: Download Iceland to your phone so that you can use it offline (there's no signal in a fair amount of Iceland). 

Jump to the apps and links section of this article to read more about all these. 

  • Where to eat in Reykjavik Downtown

I've tried all these out by myself. 

  • Lunch: Traditional hotdog stand: Baejarins Beztu Pylsur ($). 
    • Extremely popular spot. Just ask for the most traditional hotdog like we did. 
  • Lunch: Traditional & quick: 101 Reykjavik Street Food ($$). See menu. 
    • Recommended: Icelandic meat soup, fish stew. 
  • Dinner: Traditional & down to earth: Thrir Frakkar ($$$). See menu. 
    • Recommended: Raw whale sashimi, grilled lamb. 
  • Dinner: Traditional & classy: Apotek Kitchen ($$$$). See menu. 
    • Recommended: Duck & waffle, lobster tails & tiger shrimp, rib eye danish crown. 

Even Clinton ate in BBP...

Me in 101 Reykjavik Street Food.

Starters in Thrir Frakkar. Whale was by far the best in here (I also tried puffins and horses).

Our starters in Apotek Kitchen.

Disclaimer: I'm not an "Iceland travel expert". Take my advice with a grain of salt.

I visited West & South Iceland late March 2022 with my girlfriend İlay (:Eli). 

Turns out that we were lucky having started planning the entire thing early on. 

Because, in contrast to what we initially had thought, apparently, literally NOT A SINGLE SOUL ON THE INTERNET did the work and put together a complete guide to West & South Iceland in a decent format whatsoever. 

In the end, the planning step ended up being more difficult than we thought it would be, but on the bright side, we also ended up learning a lot. 

As a result, I decided to take the initiative and create the very guide I was looking for by myself. 

Having said that, I didn't base this itinerary and guide solely on my own, subjective experiences (although they helped immensely - I've been to Iceland twice). Tons of research has been made and many others' opinions are asked in addition. 

In case the breathtaking Iceland is in your bucket list, with the help of this write up, hopefully the planning step won't be as difficult for you as it did for us.

  • Planning a solid itinerary carefully is a must when visiting Iceland

This is non-negotiable. Thank me later. 

This article involves not only the most convenient 6 day self drive West & South Iceland itinerary that I could come up with; but also other must have sets of information, checklist, videos, guides, links, apps, maps and more. 

If you're going to follow this, I wouldn't bother taking notes if I were you. Instead I'd just print out the web page entirely. 

Without further ado, let's get to it. 

West & South Iceland in Fall/Spring: 6 Days Itinerary
Day 1: Snaefellsnes Peninsula
Gerduberg Cliffs
Budakirkja (Church)
Raudfeldsgja Ravine
Arnarstapi (Village)
Londrangar Cliffs
Djupalonssandur Beach
Saxholl Crater
Kirkjufell Mountain & Waterfall
Day 2: Reykjavik Downtown & Reykjanes
Reykjavik Downtown
Fagradalsfjall Volcano
Blue Lagoon
Day 3: Golden Circle
Thingvellir Park
Bruarfoss (Waterfall)
Geysers
Gullfoss (Waterfall)
Kerid Crater
Day 4: Southwest
Seljalandsfoss (Waterfall)
Gljufrafoss (Waterfall)
Skogafoss (Waterfall)
Kvernufoss (Waterfall)
Reynisfjara Beach
Dyrholaey Beach
Eldhraun (Viewpoint)
Fjadrargljufur Canyon
Day 5: Southeast
Stokksnes Beach & Vestrahorn Mountain
Diamond Beach
Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
Jokulsarlon Ice Cave Tour
Svinafellsjokull (Glacier)
Day 6: Vatnajokull
Skaftafell Glacier Hike Tour
Svartifoss (Waterfall)
Skaftafellsjokull (Glacier)
Supporting data and information
Expense report
Packing checklist
Helpful links
Helpful apps
Fueling up your vehicle in Iceland
Driving in Iceland
Markets in Iceland
Chances of seeing Northern Lights
Whale watching
Do Icelanders speak English?
Power outlets

I wouldn't label this routine aggressive.

When traveling, I don't want to take things too slowly because I'd like to visit and see as much as I can. 

But on the flip side, I also don't like rushing things to the point that the trip starts feeling more like running errands and less like a fun, enjoyable activity that it's intended to be. 

When we were on this trip, we still had the chance to stay at an attraction we loved a little more than the time we allocated for it, to pull over occasionally & admire the view at leisure and to have a little longer breakfast and dinner conversations (not very long though). 

However, you certainly won't have plenty of idle time. If you'd like to spend a few extra hours on an attraction you liked without the fear of falling behind of your itinerary... 

...then you might be cutting yourself too thin with this kind of routine. 

In that case, I'd either subtract some spots and/or up the days. I'm unable to direct you in this regard because things become even more subjective than they already are. 

  • Icelandic weather conditions are incredibly unpredictable

And I wouldn't worry about this. 

Because, strange enough, some of these sightings can be even more beautiful under foul weather. 

Sometimes the fog, the snow, the clouds, the rain, the sun etc assemble in such a divine harmony in Iceland that you get to experience something extraordinary and unique. 

This is why I always recommend you to visit the destinations no matter what. It's one of those things that make your Iceland experience unique and special. I'm glad the weather wasn't any better when I was in Londrangar, for example. It changed the experience for the better. 

There is, however, one exception to this - and it's when everything is completely submerged in snow. Most attractions will definitely still be worthy of a visit even under snow, but they'll mostly be less impressive. 

The daily trips would last anywhere from 7 to 10 hours each (including prolonged road trips), depending on how much you end up staying in each location as well as on other things (e.g the road conditions due to the weather). 

You can, by the way, customize this plan to adapt everything to correspond to your own schedule. I'd be careful with this, though. Because, as you know, customizing usually tends to backfire. And itineraries are no exception. 

Let's get to it. 

Day 1: Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Under heavy snow, this peninsula can be less impressive - though it's still intriguing. 

  • Quick recap: Icelandic prefix and suffix list
  • -Fjall:  Mountain
  • -Foss: Waterfall 
  • -Jökull: Glacier 
  • -Fell: Cliff
  • -Fjörður: Fjord
  • -Kirkja: Church
  • Vik: Village (Let me know if you know whether there's a connection between this word and the word "Vikings") 

Gerduberg Cliffs

Gerduberg Cliffs. 

What makes this cliff special is its geometrical structure. 

This very same profile, however, is also observed in many other spots in Iceland - such as Svartifoss (waterfall - visited later on in this trip) and the cliffs by the Reynisfjara Beach (black sand beach - visited later on in this trip). 

And I think they're more impressive than Gerduberg since it's more stunning to see these hexagon basalt columns when they're combined with other special scenes like waterfalls and black sands. 

Lastly, as you can guess, this place is not as beautiful when it's almost completely submerged in snow - as you can also see in the image. You can barely observe the structure. 

Budakirkja (Church)

Budakirkja. 

This small, eerie church is in the middle of nowhere. 

There's also a cemetery in the backyard (see image), where you can simply walk into. 

If you'd like to shoot an indie horror movie, take a note of this place. 

I think it makes a decent job in delivering the somehow "abandoned" ambiance of Iceland. 

Other than that, not that special of a spot in our opinion. 

Raudfeldsgja Ravine

This ravine, too, is not as beautiful when covered in snow. 

Caution: Watch out for your step if there's snow when you're in here. Path to the ravine is slippery and a little steep. 

A tiny, uphill path takes you to a small canyon you can get into. A calm water flow takes place inside right in the middle. It's a nice, peaceful environment. 

You might be indecisive around taking your daypack with you or not in here. I'd recommend not taking it. 

We tried hiking as further as possible into the crack, but it wasn't that long before we couldn't do so because of the interior rock formations. 

A restaurant in Arnarstapi. A good example of traditional Icelandic turf house architecture. 

Arnarstapi (Village)

Cute little town. 

You get to see the traditional Icelandic turf houses in here. You can even be able to have lunch in one of them. 

We saw plenty of pretty looking restaurants - though we didn't enter. 

You can also have a sight of beautiful cliffs by the sea. 

Don't spend too much time observing those cliffs though, because the best is yet to come right now... 

Londrangar Cliffs

Best spot in Snaefellsnes in our opinion. 

We loved how untouched and vivid this place was. One of the few places I've felt in the wilderness this much.

The cliffs by the sea here make a stunning companion to birds and waves. It's like you're inside a documentary. 

Take a look at the video we captured. It better describes what I'm trying to say. 

I suppose this sums it up. 

Djupalonssandur Beach. 

Djupalonssandur Beach

In my opinion, Reynisfjara Beach, which is another black sand beach and going to be visited on the upcoming days, is much more impressive than here. 

This place is still nice, though. Wreckage of a British fishing ship takes place in here, from March 13, 1948. 

Apparently, only five men lived that day and fourteen men lost their lives - and the ruins are left there as a memorial. 

Saxholl Crater. 

Saxholl Crater

Compared to Kerid Crater, which is going to be visited on Day #3, this crater is, in our humble opinion, less impressive. 

Don't get me wrong. It's still pretty damn good. After all, how many of us get to have a sight of craters during our daily lives? 

We took the 396 steps near the parking spot to reach the top of Saxholl Crater, and the view makes it worthwhile. 

You get a 360 degree view on top. It's pretty nice.

Kerid Crater, by the way, has got a small lake at the top inside the pit. As if the crater wasn't enough by itself, there's also a lake! It's crazy. 

Kirkjufell Mountain & Waterfall

Everything is covered in snow. 

Apparently, this is the most photographed mountain in Iceland. 

The mountain and waterfall, all in one frame is pretty neat. That said, the entire place was covered in snow when we were visiting. As a result, it was much less impressive than we thought. 

But, it's almost always impossible to predict Iceland's incredibly dynamic weather. So this is inevitable. We didn't mind that much! 

Fun fact: Remember the Arrowhead Mountain from Game of Thrones?

Yeah, you're looking at it. In fact, it turns out that roughly 10% of GoT was Iceland. 

Day 2: Reykjavik Downtown & Reykjanes

Reykjavik Downtown

Reykjavik Downtown is alright. But it's tiny. There's nothing much to see or do. The architecture doesn't offer something that special either. 

I recommend you to start out with wandering in Reykjavik, and then moving on to Solfar (open all day) and Hallgrimskirkja (open between 11 AM - 4 PM). 

Hallgrimskirkja.

Hallgrimskirkja interior.

Hallgrimskirkja view.

Solfar.

As you see, Solfar (Sun Voyager) is a ship sculpture (open all day). Nothing really special in here, but the road that takes you there is by the sea, and it only takes around 15 minutes from the downtown, so it's nice. But it's totally optional and skippable, in my opinion. 

If you do decide walking to Solfar, then I'd recommend you to get your coffee from Reykjavik Roasters. Their coffee was pretty nice. We've had heard it from another blog in Turkey. I liked how smooth the coffee was. I even bought the beans they prepared my coffee with (which is called Dona Nenem). 

When it's 11 AM, I'd recommend heading on to Hallgrimskirkja.

The unique, geometrical design of this church was inspired by the hexagon basalt columns of Svartifoss - which is a waterfall going to be visited on the last day of this itinerary. This makes the visit there even cooler and more interesting! 

You get a nice view of Reykjavik from the top of the church, but the elevator that takes you there is pricey (1200 ISK per person). 

On this day, I'd have two recommendations on where to have lunch at: 

  • 101 Reykjavik Street Food: Icelandic Meat Soup (traditional Icelandic dish) here was rich, delicious and warming. Probably my favorite Icelandic dish. Another dish I'd recommend in here would be the fish stew. 
  • Baejarins Beztu Pylsur: A popular spot. Small chain of hotdog stands. This too is delicious, although we liked the former for better. 

You could then move on to rambling the downtown, again. We visited some of the stores here and there, and did some shopping. Fortunately, the most traditional things in Iceland are the cheapest - contrary to other staggering price tags you come across in here. 

Let's have a quick look at them: 

  • Wool felted soap: Apparently, wrapping a soap in wool helps further exfoliating your skin. That said, the important thing here to me isn't the returns but the Icelandic traditions. Turns out that Vikings have been using this. 
  • Salts: Iceland is famous for its salt. In most stores you'll see options like volcanic salt, lava salt, sea salt and snow salt. 
  • Salted chocolate: This is a thing not only in Iceland but around the entire Scandinavian countries. I like Marabou (Swedish) the most, but Om Nom (Icelandic) wasn't bad either. 

Wool felted soap.

Icelandic salty chocolate.

Icelandic salt pack.

Coffee I bought.

So yeah, the level of amusement here is limited, but it's nice. A few hours should cut it. 

If you still have some extra energy left, then checking out the following activities and attractions can be a good idea: 

  • Perlan Museum: https://www.perlan.is/en-gb. This is the place most people consider visiting the most. 
  • Hafnarhus Art Gallery: https://listasafnreykjavikur.is/en/hafnarhus
  • Pools: https://reykjavik.is/en/swimming-pools
  • Coffee & books with free WI-FI: https://visitreykjavik.is/service/ida-zimsen
  • Some other museums: 
    • Maritime Museum: https://reykjavikcitymuseum.is/reykjavik-maritime-museum
    • National Museum of Iceland: https://www.thjodminjasafn.is/
    • Saga Museum: https://www.sagamuseum.is/
    • Icelandic Phallological Museum: https://phallus.is/en/. A huge collection of penises. More than 280 penises and penile parts. Are we excited for this place, everyone? 

Do consider getting a Reykjavik city card accordingly. 

  • Special thanks to Reddit user _ilovethefall for these recommendations. 

Fagradalsfjall Volcano

When we got to Fagradalsfjall on late March 2022, it had been 6 months since the volcano stopped erupting. You could, however, still see the smoke coming out under the hardened, blackened lava that you could walk on. 

You could even feel the temperature leaning your hand on top of the smoke. It's fascinating. 

There's also a hiking route right next to the dried lava, and we did hike there for around 2.5 hours (round-trip). I do recommend it because it provides a beautiful view of the entire volcanic activity, including the volcano itself, and the path of the lava flow. 

The ocean sits right next to the lava. It's beautiful. 

We wanted to go as far as we could - preferably to the metal box that was placed on top of the hill. However, the wind was getting to a point where we would call the hiking an extreme sport, so we decided to back out. 

The path does, by the way, go around the volcano and make a full circle. So it's an option assuming the wind isn't extreme. 

Hmm, turns out that this might not be correct, after all. Check out the 360 deg aerial view of Fagradalsfjall. 

As you can guess; the volcano, the lava, the smoke were all extraordinary to us (as it is to most other visitors). Even when considering the volcano was inactive. 

I'm sure we wouldn't be just as impressed with this place if there was no hardened lava or smoke. 

I took one of these blackened lava rocks with me back home. Makes a great decoration. 

Rock texture.

The rock I took home with me.

A helpful map. I've got this from a stranger walking by us.

Fagradalsfjall on September 2021.

Now we're going to the Blue Lagoon! 

Blue Lagoon

The ticketing system does make you book the time you're going to be there in advance. They're pretty flexible around this, though. 

We did arrive to the lagoon in time, but by the time we were inside the pool, we were HALF AN HOUR in (hello @ilay, how are you?). 

And no one forced us to leave the lagoon. I hiiiiiiighly doubt they ever do this. Didn't have that impression. 

Sure, do arrive in time, but don't worry if you end up wasting too much time in changing rooms. You can compensate this later on (if you want to). 

Considering the itinerary, the earliest I'd recommend you to book this would be around 17:00 (which is what we did). 

I wouldn't recommend the Premium pack unless you decide dining at Lava restaurant - which I wouldn't recommend either (more on this later). 

Because (1) we found the bathrobe to be almost completely unnecessary, and (2) even if you purchase the two additional masks later on, comfort pack is still cheaper!

If you're going to apply more than one mask, the front desk worker recommends doing them in particular order, step by step. First the Silica, then the Lava Scrub, and lastly, Algae or Mineral (you do get to have a say in this step and pick one of them (we picked the Algae mask - see image). 

Mask prices inside the lagoon:

  • Silica Mud Mask: Complimentary
  • Lava Scrub Mask: ISK 900
  • Algae Mask: ISK 1200
  • Mineral Mask: ISK 900

You've probably seen the photos of people eating at Lava Restaurant with their bathrobes on. This sounds like a cool and unique idea in the beginning, and we, too, were excited about this.

But, upon entering the restaurant after the lagoon, we changed our minds. 

There were two main reasons for this. 

  • The first reason is because the restaurant doesn't offer anything from the traditional Icelandic kitchen. This might actually be a pro instead of a con for some of you, but we I wanted to try out the local stuff, so this wasn't really a good fit for me. 
  • Second, we felt like the restaurant was being marketed as if it offers its unique experience, having dinner around the view of this unique lagoon. However, to us, the reality was different. The view offers much less than what we have already had seen being inside the lagoon just a few minutes prior. Having just left the lagoon, this didn't really excite us all that much. 

If you, on the other hand, do decide eating there with your bathrobe, then don't forget to book a table in advance and absolutely bring a second swimsuit! 

It's easy to have this little detail to slip up your mind, but it's so important. The one you used inside the lagoon is obviously going to be wet. 

In case you forget bringing one more, the store does sell swimsuits. You can even RENT them (for 800 ISK if I'm not mistaken), as far as I know. Renting swimsuits. Crazy, right? 

Girls (and boys), don't dip your hair into the water. Seriously. I did this when I had long hair the first time I was in Iceland (when I was Erasmus in Czechia 7 years ago - see image), and my hair didn't recover from this quickly. Maybe it never did, I'll never know, because I decided to cut it off just a few months later anyway. 

You probably have heard of the famous Skyr Smoothies of the lagoon. Well we did, and we asked for two, but it seems like they're discontinued for over a year now. Supposedly due to covid (doesn't make sense to me because they still offer other refreshments and drinks). Just saying. 

If you want to take pictures with your phone, then you'll need a transparent phone cover. The water in the lagoon is extremely salty, so I think it can damage your phone - even if it's waterproof. I don't know the science behind this, but I personally prefer not risking it. Not worth it IMO. 

The prices of these covers are extravagant inside the lagoon (3500 ISK!). So bringing yours is a better idea. If you don't have one, then this much cheaper one on Amazon can be a good fit. 

Also, boys, don't shave before the Blue Lagoon. No need to have the masks and salty water burn you. 

Lastly, including everything, I'd recommend allocating around 2.5 - 3 hours for Blue Lagoon if you're getting there from Fagradalsfjall. The ride and changing your clothes cost you big time. 

Day 3: Golden Circle

Oxararfoss in Thingvellir. 

Geysers and Kerid Crater were the two climaxes of this day.

Thingvellir Park

Thingvellir doesn't seem to be the highlight of anyone's Iceland adventure. 

Considering how extraordinary the rest is, this isn't surprising. 

Because, when it comes to what Thingvellir has to offer; the hikes, the clean air and the Oxararfoss waterfall are all nice, but that's about it. Nothing really special. 

The cafeteria nearby is also solid and hence can be a good checkpoint. 

Compared to other spots in Iceland, we weren't all that impressed by it, either. BUT, it's important to note that we still do like the place and that we would go there again given the chance. 

Because, yes, it might not have a lot to offer. But the peaceful ambiance shuts down your brain (a pro if you're an overthinker like we are), makes you feel good about yourself and the entire place. I can even safely say that I loved this place! 

Bruarfoss. 

Check out some other activities you can participate in Thingvellir: https://www.thingvellir.is/en/plan-your-visit/

Bruarfoss (Waterfall)

You might have already come across this waterfall by chance - but I decided to add it anyway.

Bruarfoss is famous for the harmony of its colors. Turquoise water combined with dark rocks gives it a fresh and slick look. 

Feel like you remember this very color palette from somewhere? Yeah, it was Blue Lagoon. 

Geysers


Geysers were GREAT. 

Strokkur, which can hurl boiling water for up to 40 meters high every 15 minutes or so, isn't even the biggest geyser in Iceland! 

Eruptions of the biggest geyser, Geysir, can reach up to 70 meters high. But at times, it's inactive. And when we were there, it had been inactive for 1.5 years if I remember correctly. So we didn't have the chance to see it. 

Still, Strokkur was fascinating. We spent around an hour there. There were times where Strokkur was active for every few minutes! 

If you're lucky, you might even come across consecutive eruptions without giving any breaks in between. From what I've heard it's not uncommon to witness this (although we didn't). 

Lastly, it's easy to get carried away watching this monster hurl water up top on and on and on. Always keep an eye on the time. 

Gullfoss. 

We spent more than an hour there without even realizing, lol. 

Gullfoss (Waterfall)

Gullfoss (Golden Falls) is HUGE.

And loud. 

Its noise makes a good job in reflecting its power. You also get to view it on top, which is rarely the case with waterfalls. 

Observing this place was nice but we didn't stay there for too long. 

Kerid Crater. 

Kerid Crater

Of all the places we've been to in the Golden Circle, we pretty much liked the Kerid Crater the most. 

Apparently, scientists originally believed that this crater was formed after a volcanic explosion.

However, such evidence cannot be found. Scientists now believe that Kerid was once a cone-shaped volcano.

And that after it ran out of magma, the roof has collapsed inside itself due to its heavy weight and the vacancy inside. 

The entrance is 400 ISK. 

Someone painted "BİTLİS" on the ice of the frozen lake. This is so absurd it's hilarious. Bitlis is a small city in Turkey. Didn't expect seeing this in here. Maybe it means something else in Icelandic? 

We loved it so much that one round-hike (takes around half an hour) didn't cut it. 

We had to do a second one. And we were thisclose to a third round. But it was getting dark so we called it a day and ended it there. 

The mere idea of craters is already fascinating in itself. On top of that, a LAKE taking place on top of the crater is one of the wonders of the nature we definitely don't get to witness ordinarily. 

The variety of the colors makes the entire thing look like a painting. Our jaws dropped the first time we laid our eyes on this freak of nature. 

The stairs nearby get you down, next to the lake. When we were there, the lake was frozen, as you see. This made the crater even more extraordinary.

If you'd like a liquid lake (liquid lake? what?), you'd better visit after mid April. This obviously isn't ALWAYS going to be the case, but it's a good rule of thumb. 

Day 4: Southwest

Seljalandsfoss (Waterfall)

Seljalandsfoss. 

Seljalandsfoss pretty neat, and would definitely recommend you to visit this place. 

What makes this special is that you can get behind the waterfall into the cave. 

Also, a portion of the Seljalands River is apparently originated from the recently active volcano Eyjafjallajökull. 

Lastly, this is one of the many places in Iceland you'll thank God for bringing a rain coat with you. 

Gljufrafoss (Waterfall)

This is a waterfall hidden inside a canyon. It's very close to Seljalandsfoss (around 500 meters of easy trail), so it doesn't cost you anything in terms of time and energy. 

It's definitely worth a visit. Favorite waterfall of many visitors. 

Skogafoss (Waterfall)

25 meters of width and 60 meters of height make Skogafoss one of the largest and most powerful waterfalls in Iceland. 

Skogafoss.

It's also highly likely to see a rainbow on sunny days in here. This is one of the main attractions of Skogafoss. 

You can, by the way, walk behind the Skogafoss, too. 

  • No one: 
    • Guide: "OK so we're going to visit the waterfalls you can walk behind today" 

But only do it if there are no icicles. Otherwise it's dangerous because they might fall down. 

Apparently, some scenes of the movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty was shot in here. 

Kvernufoss (Waterfall)

Another amazing waterfall. It's just nearby the Skogafoss. Walking distance.

The short hike you take inside the gorge, to the waterfall provides a surprise solitary here. I don't know why this waterfall isn't any more popular. 

Man the variety in Iceland is CRRRAAAZZYYYYY. This is probably the main thing I love about Iceland. It's like you're visiting multiple countries. No wait, not multiple countries. Multiple PLANETS. 

Reynisfjara Beach

Take Reynisfjara Beach, for example. This place is out of this world. 

If you visit on a foggy day, when it's just getting dark, I guarantee you you're going to feel like you're another planet. Like Mars. Did you know they've shot the scenes with Matt Demon on the Martian in here? No? Well of course not, because I just made it up. 

The eerie ambiance of this place made us feel like we were inside a movie like Lighthouse. There indeed was, by the way, a lighthouse far away to the right hand side of the beach, over the rocks. Heavy fog was preventing the light it was shedding from escaping the island, giving the place even a more of a characteristic soul. It was unforgettable. 

Do not make the mistake of listening to my techno playlist in this place. I mean, unless you want to get depressed. You have been warned. 

We just didn't want to leave this place. I hope I get the chance to visit this beach again. Maybe after another 7 years... Who knows. If I do, I might allocate an entire day for this place. 

Do not get too close to the ocean, by the way. It's pretty dangerous. Sneaker waves are no joke. If they catch you, they have the potential to drag you underwater and drown you: 

There has been several deaths in the past in here. 

  • Update 26th June: Officials to install alarm system at Reynisfjara: https://grapevine.is/news/2022/06/23/officials-to-install-alarm-system-at-reynisfjara/

Day 4: Dyrholaey Beach

Dyrholaey Beach

This black sand beach, to me, is definitely less impressive than Reynisfjara - but it's still pretty nice. 

There's a hike route towards the top and it takes you to a lighthouse. 

Also, if you're visiting in summer (although this itinerary isn't specifically made for summer and rather than made for fall & spring)...

...then the odds of seeing the puffins in here are also pretty high. 

Also, there's a coffee shop inside a yellow school bus in Vik. They're called Skool Beans. You can get your coffee there. The interior is pretty nice too. 

Moving on to the next stop. 

Eldhraun (Viewpoint)

We liked Eldhraun a lot. Just for the record, though, I wouldn't say that it's a major destination (not that it matters). It's literally on the main route, just at the right hand side of the road. 

Green moss as far as your eyes can see. 

We didn't plan visiting stopping by this place, because we haven't even heard of it before. We saw plenty of parked cars and pulled over just out of curiosity. 

Cool viewpoint if you ask me. Pretty much sums up the Icelandic flora. I'd definitely recommend you to stop by in here. 

Fjadrargljufur Canyon

Fjadrargljufur Canyon. 

Fjadrargljufur Canyon is stunning! Definitely one of the highlights of the entire trip. 

We couldn't take our eyes off of those gorgeous large rocks. 

It was very fun to observe the water flow, birds, and the overall ambiance. 

Things I'd give just to walk on the terrain right near by the water flow in the middle...

This place is extremely peaceful. Photos can't describe it well enough. You just have to be there. 

Can't even imagine being able to camp down there. Even looking at it was giving us the chills. 

Day 5: Southeast

Stokksnes Beach & Vestrahorn Mountain

Vestrahorn Mountain from Stokksnes Beach. 

This black beach, along with the grandiose mountain, is an amazing hidden gem in Iceland. 

The road that takes you here has been under maintenance in September 2021, because most tourists were getting a flat tire. 

This was especially weird because this is one of the few roads in Iceland you pay for. 

Speaking of which, this is a private land - meaning that you have to pay to the Viking Cafe (900 ISK per person). 

The road that takes you there a bit tough, so a 4WD would definitely be better, but you'd do just fine with a 2WD, too. 

If the air is clear, I'd say definitely see this spot. If not, it won't be as nice, but I'd still take the time to visit it. 

Diamond Beach

Diamond Beach. 

Blocks of ice around the black beach is the thing in here - which is obviously why they call it Diamond Beach.

These two being together at the same place isn't that common on our planet. 

You probably won't end up spending too much time in here but we definitely liked this place. 

Do not forget to make the joke "Hey let's take one of these blocks of ice home with us, it'd make a cool decoration". Can't guarantee the laughs though. Proceed at your own risk. 

Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon

Jokulsarlon. 

Just 2-3 mins of drive from the Diamond Beach and you're here. 

Glaciers in here aren't just sitting still. Instead, they're floating. You can even notice their movement. 

The water flow takes the smallest of the glaciers to a tiny waterfall (maybe it isn't even called a waterfall). They then fall down to the ocean. It's pretty distinct. 

Another dazzling thing here to us was the seals. 

Jokulsarlon. 

Observing these adorable animals was such a pleasure. Funnier than watching whales, in my opinion. They turned out to be a lot more playful and social than I thought! They were going under the water in a silly way, goofing around with each other. Yeah, definitely see them.

They reminded me of cats. On top of that, considering the fact that they are lazy, eat fish, and have whiskers; I even did some research upon coming home, but didn't come across any real source to back this up... But wait, I'm getting ahead of myself. 

Jokulsarlon Ice Cave Tour

Unfortunately, due to the weather conditions, we couldn't do the Ice Cave Tour, but I trust in my research around this and would recommend you to do it. 

A super jeep takes you there (last departure is at 14:30, and I think this is the ideal hour considering this itinerary, but still, do check it out for yourself), which in itself is quite an experience. 

Not to even mention the ice cave itself. Just look at the pictures and you'll see what I mean. Most people say that it was on of the highlights of their entire lives, let alone of the Iceland trip. 

The availability is between September and May. The tickets tend to sell out early, so I'd recommend you to book in advance. 

Svinafellsjokull (Glacier)

Svinafellsjokull. 

Svinafellsjokull is one of the outlets of the Europe's biggest, and the world's second biggest glacier Vatnajokull (also the name of the related national park). 

The glacier hike tour on the next day of this itinerary takes place on another outlet of Vatnajokull - which is called Skaftafellsjokull. 

Anyways, back to Svinafellsjokull. 

First, yes, you can't get as close to them as you'd like. Or get a top view as you'd like. You get a mere side view of them, and the angle seems to be far from ideal. 

But the view is still nice. The texture of the glaciers are pretty impressive. For whatever reason, I always imagined glaciers like clean cut. But it turns out that the reality is different. They're somewhat patterned. 

The road that takes you there is also cool and fun to walk. It's a wide, long road. Imposing mountains, clouds and moss as far as your eyes can see make you a good companion. The air is so clean that it's refreshing. Makes you feel good about yourself and the entire thing. 

The planet Matt Damon was in on the movie Interstellar was shot in here. 

Day 6: Vatnajokull

Skaftafell Glacier Hike Tour

Glacier hike. 

Starts at 10:30 AM. 

It takes around 5 hours, and getting to / returning from the glacier takes around 1.5 - 2 hours. You don't need to have your crampons with you beforehand because you can rent them inside the tour's office. 

An important point is that during the glacier walk, after 1 kilometer of walking distance is covered, if any one of the tour members would like to go back for any reason, then the entire tour would have to go back because the guide needs to keep an eye on and protect the entire team. 

Something to think about. 

Lastly, the availability is year round. 

Again, tickets usually sell out early, so I'd recommend you to book in advance. 

Svartifoss (Waterfall)

Best waterfall in Iceland in my opinion. 

You'll have burnt out on waterfalls by this day. Still, Svartifoss does live up to its name. In my opinion, this is the best waterfall in Iceland. 

We took a low/mid level difficulty, 30 mins of uphill hike to the waterfall. 

The hexagon basalt columns are brilliant and make the entire hike more than worth it. It's mind blowing how these columns aren't carved by hand and just formed completely on its own. 

Along with Reynisfjara Beach, I think Svartifoss is the best spot to observe this columnar structure in Iceland. 

Svartifoss is another place that you'll appreciate having waterproof clothing the most. Even if it's not raining (which it usually does as far as I know), the combination of powerful wind and strong waterfall still gets you wet. 

If you don't have and don't plan getting a waterproof shell jacket - which, in my opinion, this isn't even negotiable, you MUST have one, but in case you'd like to know the alternatives for any reason - then you can also consider investing in a portable rain poncho like this one on REI.

Mind you though, you sacrifice using your hand pockets and a shitload of breathability by putting this on. If you're like me and tend to sweat more than average, then this might not be a really good option for you. 

Skaftafellsjokull (Glacier)

Skaftafellsjokull. 

Skaftafellsjokull is accessed thorough a curvy, narrow road.

It leads you to a plateau-like terrain, covered with dark rocks, dark water, and dark beach. 

You can also see several tiny waterfalls by the cliffs. Definitely a unique spot. 

That said, you can't get as close to the glaciers as you'd like.

This is another reason why I recommend the glacier hike tour (the main reason is because it's pretty neat). 

If you find yourself having to sacrifice one of the activities on this day, then this spot would be the one I'd recommend you to give up on. 

Supporting data and information

Expense report

Visit the summary of this article at the top to reveal expense items. 

A few words on gear:

Main gear would involve baselayers, insulated jackets, shell jackets, waterproof pants, gloves, waterproof hiking footwear and insulated socks. 

Side gear would involve fleeces, backpacks and insulated bottles & mugs. 

If you're planning to purchase gear, then I'd recommend upping the expenses by anywhere from 500 to 1,500 USD per person - depending on the gear quality. 

List of certain gear we brought: 

  • Arc'teryx Nuclei FL (Men's - Women's - read my review),
    • Nuclei FL absolutely isn't the best fit for Iceland. Unless you're like me and run very warm (I'd doubt you do). I'd probably recommend Atom AR (Men's - Women's - read my review) if you're like most people.
    • Check out my Temperature Ratings of Insulated Jackets article for more information about insulated jackets. 
    • If you're a big Arc'teryx fan like me, then check out my Best Arc'teryx Jackets article to see what to get for Iceland. 
  • Arc'teryx Thorium AR (Men's - Women's - read my review),
  • Patagonia Fitz Roy (Men's - Women's),
  • The North Face Diablo Pants (Men's - Women's),
  • Columbia Back Up Heat Pants,
  • Columbia Fire Side II Sherpa,
  • Columbia Midweight Stretch Omni-Heat Long Sleeve Baselayer,
  • Columbia Midweight Stretch Omni-Heat Baselayer Pants,
  • Columbia Rugged Ridge Sherpa,
  • Salomon Outline Prism MID GTX Hiking Boots,
  • Salomon Predict Hike MID GTX Hiking Boots,
  • Samsonite HI-FI Spinner (81 cm - 32") Hardshell Luggage,
  • Osprey Farpoint 40 (Men's - Women's - read my review),
  • Yeti Rambler 26 oz,
  • GSI Outdoors Doppio Mug.

Jackets, baselayers and waterproof hiking boots are absolutely non-negotiable in our humble opinion. Regardless of whether it's summer or winter. 

If you won't get them, maybe (definitely?) reconsider visiting Iceland. 

Others can be optional, depending on your own preferences. 

Back to the expenses. 

There is no denying that Iceland is one of the most expensive countries. 

Having said that, most of that expense are the essentials: Flights, accommodation, car rental and gas. 

Which means that once you are in Iceland, then the best things you can and will do there are going to cost much lower. 

You can also see this in the expense chart above. 

On top of that, we certainly didn't avoid any expenses. This indeed was a lavish trip. Well, at least as lavish as Iceland can get after you're already in Iceland, like I said. 

So the remaining expenses might cost you much less if you're on a budget.

All in all... Iceland is definitely expensive. But it's also definitely more than worth it. 

Packing checklist

Here's the checklist I've prepared [PDF Document]. 

Important: This checklist is still helpful for those who are going to be car camping instead of staying in hotels - but definitely won't cut it all by itself. 

Helpful links

These are pretty useful: 

  • Road conditions and live web cameras: https://www.road.is/. A godsend, really.
    • Alternative: https://vegasja.vegagerdin.is/eng/. Another godsend. 
  • Landmannalaugar hiking trails: https://www.fi.is/en/hiking-trails/trails
  • Additional information about Southern Iceland: https://www.south.is/
  • Ring Road map: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?ll=64.82521008094454%2C-18.031648309518328&z=7&mid=13tiCvchTcY2zgAKZMhV_ZgAuHwE 

Helpful apps

In my opinion, none of them are negotiable except the last one: 

  • Vedur: An Iceland specific weather app.
    • Weather in Iceland is incredibly unpredictable. There's an old Icelandic saying that goes "If you don't like the weather, just wait for 5 minutes".
    • If you're visiting Iceland in a high solar activity season, then this app would also help you with your Northern Lights hunt (because you'd want close to zero fog). 
  • EasyPark: A parking payment app. You can make the payments without using an app (using the black boxes nearby parking zones), but I'd absolutely recommend using it. Some crucial information: 
    • You don't have to mark the exact location of your vehicle to use it. Instead, you just specify the zone that your car is parked at. Then, set the timer to point out your expected departure, and you're good. Your card is going to be charged once the end time arrives. 
    • Except Sundays (which is when it's completely free), you must always pay for parking in specified zones (which you can see in the app) between 09:00 - 18:00. 
    • I recommended EasyPark over the alternative app Parka because EasyPark allows you to star the timer for the next day in advance. With the Parka app, on the other hand, you'd have to wait until it's 09:00 and you can only then start the timer. 
  • Google Maps Offline: Make sure to download the entire Iceland in your phone so that you can use it offline when the connection goes off on the go. 
  • Netflix Offline: Make sure to download Breaking Bad to your device so that the best show of all time is readily available at your disposal during your lengthy flights. 

Fueling up your vehicle in Iceland

In some cases, there will be no facilitates around the gas stations. That's why you might not have someone to ask about this, and hence it's good to be prepared. 

Steps: 

  1. Insert your card into the POS machine. 
  2. Enter your PIN. 
  3. Select an amount. 
    1. As you see, you select the amount BEFORE you start filling. This is where people get confused. 
    2. Here's how it works: Your card gets on hold just as much as the amount you picked. If your tank ends up taking on less fuel than you paid for, then your card gets refunded for the remaining amount. Otherwise, you will have paid the amount you already filled up. 
    3. This is important because if your card doesn't have THAT much of limit according to Iceland prices (which are staggering), this might hinder your future purchases. Don't let this happen to you. 
  4. Pump is ready. Fill your tank up, until the pump stops by itself. If fueling up by yourself isn't a thing from where you live, then ask someone to handle it for you or just fill it by yourself. There are so much safety mechanisms that it's hard to mess it up. 

That's it. You're good to go. 

Important: Never skip gas stations if your tank is below 60%. It's not unusual that you'll have to go a few hundreds of kilometers without coming across any gas stations. Take this seriously and always be prepared. 

Driving in Iceland

Traveling in a car has its own place when it comes to experiencing Iceland. Its unique landscape covered with dark rocks and green moss offers some of the most scenic views you'll ever see in your lifetime. 

Important things to note here: 

  • Be careful when opening the car doors. Strong wind has the potential to rip it off. 
  • I'd recommend a 4WD over a 2WD since most roads in Iceland are paved and/or occupied with wide and deep pits. A 4WD can and will save you lots of time and energy in these places. 
  • Always bring snacks with you, because there will be times where you don't come across any markets for hours. 
  • You'll come across plenty of one lane bridges in South Shore. If two vehicles come towards this bridge from opposite directions, then it is the one that is closer to the bridge that gets the priority to pass the bridge. The other vehicle must hold on until the bridge is empty again. 

Markets in Iceland

The most widespread (and cheapest) markets can be listed as Bonus, Kronan and CostCo. 

Also, never pay for water. Iceland has one of the purest tap waters you're likely to find anywhere in the entire world. 

Chances of seeing Northern Lights

Iceland is below the arctic circle, meaning that it isn't a perfect location to see the Northern Lights. If Northern Lights is your main expectation from your journey, then maybe reconsider visiting Iceland. 

That said, it is possible to see them in Iceland. When it comes to seeing the Northern Lights, it boils down to these 3 components: 

  • High solar activity (peaks during Sep 21 and Mar 21), 
  • Clear sky, 
  • Close to zero light.

You only have control over the last one. So it's difficult to pinpoint the likelihood, considering the constantly changing weather in Iceland. 

They say that if you: 

  • Visit Iceland during a high solar activity season (October & March), 
  • Spend at least 5 nights outside, where there are almost no lights (easy), 

Then the odds of seeing the Northern Lights in Iceland are over 50%. Though unfortunately I for one was on this side of this gamble and didn't see any (due to overcast). 

Do keep an eye on the more detailed graphs of Vedur app when hunting for them. 

Whale watching

  • After giving it more thought, I decided to exclude it from the itinerary. 
    • I'd recommend this only if you have an exclusive interest in observing wild animals, and particularly whales (duh). Because otherwise, the activity will have very little to nothing to offer for you. 

Whale Watching might not be that impressive if you don't have an interest in them. Contrary to what you might have seen in the internet, you most likely won't come across outstanding moments like the whales jumping out the water, or putting out a whole show raising their heads above the water. We didn't. 

That said, growing up, me and my dad would always watch animal documentaries every Sunday morning. Even the mere idea of seeing a wild animal live is enough to thrill me. 

The hunchback whale we saw popped out the water just a couple times, and we had a limited vision (boats are cautious getting too close to them in order to not scare them off). On top of that, it lasted pretty short (maybe 10 minutes). 

But observing her splashing water out was enough to fascinate me. If anything, I'd only wish the trip to last shorter (it takes 3 - 3.5 hours round trip). 

We did, by the way, make a mistake by not opting for RIB boats. They're not only faster (round trip lasts around 2 hours instead of 3), they're also able to get much closer to the whales (I've seen the footage of tourists kissing them). Additionally, they also board smaller groups of people (another advantage). 

So, in case you're going to do this, I'd highly recommend you to go whale watching on RIB boats instead of regular boats (like we did). 

Here's the availability for one of the decent tours: 

İlay, however, who isn't nearly as into wild animals as I am, wasn't all that impressed. She says that given a second chance, she wouldn't take it and go again. 

In terms of the service providers, there are two big players when it comes to whale watching in Reykjavik: Special Tours (specialtours.is) and Elding (elding.is). They both offer classic whale watching tours, departing from the Reykjavik Harbor (a few minutes walking distance from the downtown). 

  • #Note: Husavik, which is a town located at far north east, is also pretty popular for whale watching. Check out northsailing.is and/or gentlegiants.is if you're interested in checking out the biggest competitors there. 

We did that of the Special Tours. I'm pretty sure they're 99% the same though. The boat of Elding rode right next to us. If anything, I felt like the fliers of Special Tours were more corporate (lol). But, even if they were so, it was by a very small margin. 

Most of these tours also give you a free ticket in case you don't see any whales on your own trip. Special Tours did provide this opportunity (though we didn't need to use it). Still, do check it out for yourself because things might change over time. 

When we arrived to the harbor for departure, we also realized the office of Special Tours is the largest of them all (HAH! I told you they were more corporate! Money well spent). 

I wish my cat Zoe was with us when we were watching the whales. Although she would smack the shit out of them (95% serious here), she would probably also enjoy it. 

Both of them offered two departure times: 09:00 and 13:00. Over the course of a year, the also occasionally offer an additional one at 17:00.

If you're going to be going whale watching AND going to be sticking with this itinerary, then you must pick the one at 09:00 and you don't have any other choice. 

They say you must be in the harbor 30 mins earlier, which I think is more of a cautionary and less mandatory. Still, they're correct, you never know what to expect on your way there and you wouldn't want to miss the boat. 

Lastly, summer season outshines winter in terms of the average success of sightings (97% vs 60%). Something to consider. 

For additional information, you can check out this informative article I came across when researching: http://icelandwithkids.com/2016/08/20/whale-watching-in-iceland-tips-and-tricks-for-families/

Do Icelanders speak English?

Yes, perfectly. Language barrier shouldn't be a concern at all. 

Power outlets

They're EU outlets, not UK or US. You can read more about this in here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schuko 

Filed Under: Basics Tagged With: iceland, travel

Solo Camping – What You Need to Know

Last updated: August 11, 2022 by Canberk Koksal

Camping is typically thought of as an activity that is done with friends or family. While this is certainly enjoyable, there are valid reasons to go camping by yourself as well.

If you’re looking to go on a camping trip alone, you’ll want to make sure that you’re prepared for solo wilderness survival. Let’s dive in and explore some of the areas of solo camping that you’ll need to be aware of before you set off. 

Let People Know Where You’re Going 

You never want to go on a trip thinking that it’s going to turn into a dangerous situation that you might need help out of. In fact, most of us hope that any trip we go on will end up going as smoothly as we dreamed it would. On the other hand, it’s extremely naive to assume that it couldn’t possibly turn into a serious situation.

While it might not be something that you want to think too much about, there’s always the possibility of a crisis happening. For instance, you want to be prepared in the case that you fall and twist your ankle and get stuck. While you’ll ideally be able to call for help yourself or even administer temporary first aid on your own until you get back, it’s always better to have a backup plan just in case. It’s always best to be prepared for the worst just to make sure that you’re ready for anything. 

Choose a couple of friends or family members who you can inform of your trip. Let them know where you plan to hike and camp, as well as when you expect to return. If you fail to contact them at a predetermined time or fail to return home on time, they can alert authorities of your absence and tell them where you said you’d be. This can prevent you from being stuck in the woods without help waiting for someone to pass by and help you. 

Have Enough Provisions

When calculating how much food and water you should bring for your trip, make sure you account for potential emergencies and bring extra. There are a number of situations in which you’re stores of food and water may be affected, including spoiling and wild animals at your campsite. Remember, it’s a good idea to bring more water for warmer climates or when more strenuous activities are planned but it’s even better to have a way to safely purify water while you’re camping.

You’ll want to be prepared to hunt if other food becomes unavailable. Bring a powerful rifle and a suppressor, if possible, so that your sounds do not scare away game. Focus on keeping it low so that game animals may wander past you without even noticing you’re there.

Pick a Familiar Location 

A solo camping trip is not the time to go camping in a new location unless you’re an experienced camper. Your first solo camping trip is better spent in a location that you’ve frequented, whether you’ve camped or hiked there before. This way, you don’t have to worry as much about complications like getting lost.

Defense is Important 

You aren’t going to have anyone to give you a hand if you end up in an encounter with a wild animal. If you’re camping in an area where bears, mountain lions, or other predators are common, you’ll want to be prepared for a potential encounter with one. 

If you’re an experienced shooter, bring along a firearm that packs enough punch to save you in an animal attack. You may want to do some research on how to survive attacks from any of the predators in the area. Like we said before, it’s a good idea to have a way to hunt for food if you need to which covers this category as well. 

Practice Your Skills

You’ll want to make sure that your camping skills are up to snuff before you set off for the wilderness. These skills include pitching a tent, navigating, forecasting weather, and general first-aid. You’ll need to be able to accomplish these tasks proficiently so that you don’t end up without your basic needs. 

There are countless tools on the market now that make camping easier than ever for solo campers. Despite this, it’s ill-advised to rely on these tools entirely. These tools may be helpful, but they can fail at any time. If the tool fails and you don’t have adequate skills to perform the task yourself, you’ll be in a bad situation. 

Pack Light 

Your solo camping trip is going to be a lot less fun if you spend it struggling to carry all of your gear. This doesn’t mean that you should skimp on gear you need, it just means that you shouldn’t opt for unnecessary gear. For instance, when you’re camping on your own, you probably don’t need to bring the five-person tent you use for family camping trips. 

Don’t Forget About Entertainment

You won’t have anyone to talk to during your trip, so it’s important to bring entertainment to keep your mind occupied. Do you want to listen to music by the campfire while you make your dinner? Would some light reading help you relax at the end of the night? 

This is a much more important part of camping on your own than you might think. Of course, a huge part of camping is the chance to enjoy nature but with a whole weekend between yourself and nature, you’re going to want to take some time to relax and stay entertained compared to the hiking, hunting, or fishing you might have gone on your camping trip to do. 


Taking a camping trip on your own can be just as if not more rewarding than camping in a large party. However, you have to be prepared to camp on your own to enjoy the experience. Keep tips like these in mind as you get ready to set off of your own. 

Filed Under: Basics

Backpacking Alcohol: Things to Consider & Your Best Options

Last updated: August 20, 2022 by Canberk Koksal

Packing for a backpacking trip involves the careful balance of selecting the necessities and letting go of luxuries. You want to make sure that you have all the gear and food you need to be comfortable and safe BUT you want your pack to be as light as possible. So what do you sacrifice? Some people choose to eat only dehydrated food, others go without a stove, while a few go ultralight and bring only minimal gear.

Whisky around the campfire or a post-dinner cocktail may seem like excess but I would like to argue that they are backpacking essentials (OK - not ESSENTIAL, but they are really nice additions to any trip). When I arrive at camp after miles on the trail, I always look forward to a special drink to celebrate my hard day’s hike.

Table of Contents
Whiskey
Backpacking Wine Container
Beer
Liquor and Cocktails
Everclear
A few final reminders about alcohol in the backcountry

I asked my friends to share some of their favorite backcountry drink hacks and scoured the internet for ideas to taste test the next time I’m on the trail. Remember though, it is REALLY important to stay hydrated when you’re hiking. If you choose to drink alcohol on the trail, make sure you consume enough water. One more safety note: hiking in the backcountry requires awareness and good judgment. Never hit the trail intoxicated (a sprained ankle can spell disaster) and always ensure you are SAFE and AWARE of your surroundings. 


Whiskey

Hands down, whisky is my go-to drink for the backcountry. The weight to alcohol ratio makes this an easy choice for multi-day trips. Whisky is best enjoyed room temperature, so you don’t have to worry about trying to find a way to keep it cool. One drink only weighs 1.5oz so you can bring enough for a few days (or a few people) without adding excess weight.

Some of my favorite summer memories include sitting around the campfire sipping whisky under the stars. For a special occasion, I like to kick things up a notch and bring some good Single Malt Scotch but really, anything is delicious when you’re exhausted. My favourite these days is a 12 year old Highland Park, it is delightfully smoky but not overwhelming.

If you don’t like to drink straight whisky, pack a few tea bags and some brown sugar - this is a delicious drink enjoyed hot or cold (I skip the brown sugar and use Good Earth Sweet + Spicy tea). You can also pre-mix a whisky cocktail directly in your flask. Check out this article for ideas and some things to consider before packing a flask cocktail.

Speaking of flasks, I usually travel with my Stanley Flask, which carries enough whisky to share or to last for a few nights. Another lightweight option is to fill up some disposable flasks (you can re-use these a few times to reduce waste). On my gear wishlist this year is the 10oz VSSL Utility Flask, which comes with a built in flashlight, compass, and shot glasses - perfect for surviving a rough night on the trail!


Backpacking Wine Container

After whisky, I’m most likely to enjoy wine on the trail. Red wine is an excellent choice since it doesn’t require refrigeration and can turn a bland camp dinner into a rich dining experience. Of course, I always drink red wine in moderation, as I find it tends to dehydrate me more quickly than other alcohol.

  • If you're camping with a group of friends

The easiest way to transport wine is in a bag. Forget heavy bottles - buy a box of wine and leave the box at home. When you have drank all the wine, you can blow up the empty bag to use as a pillow (thanks to friends at Reddit for that camping hack!). If 4L of wine is too much, you can make a smaller bagged wine by filling a bladder or collapsible water bottle (choose one that you no longer use for water because I find that it’s hard to remove the taste of wine). The PlatyPreserve was specially formulated by MSR to be leakproof and prevents wine from picking up a plastic taste.

I always drank wine out of my coffee cup - until someone gifted me these Silicone Wine Glasses. They are lightweight, unbreakable, and classy. Another great option, if you prefer stemware, is the GSI Nesting Wine Glass - the stem unscrews and tucks conveniently into the cup.

 

Beer

Strapping a six-pack to your backpack isn’t a great idea, although I have definitely seen it done (and may have even done it myself a time or two). Honestly, after hiking on a hot day, there's nothing I crave more than taking off my sweaty hiking boots and cracking a beer. There is no denying it though - beer is heavy. My compromise is that I pack a tall can for my first night in camp and then sip whisky for the rest of the hike.

  • I don’t love warm beer so...

I only pack beer when we're camping near water. When we get to camp, we place our beers in a mesh bag with a long drawstring and add some rocks to weight them down. We submerge this makeshift cooler in the lake, tying the string to a rock or tree on shore. By the time camp is set up and dinner is ready, our beers are cool enough to drink. It is even better if you have access to running water or some glacier run-off to cool things down quickly. 

Another great beer option, if you’re camping with a group, is the Hydro Flask growler. Get it filled at your favorite local craft brewery and it will stay carbonated and cold for up to 24 hours. Concentrated backcountry beer is something I have always wanted to try! I heard good things about Pat’s Backcountry Beverages, but they are no longer in business. If anyone knows of a new concentrated beer product that is available, please let me know in the comments below. 

  • Do read the comparison for insulated bottles tho!

They'd work perfectly fine for alcoholic drinks as well: Hydro Flask vs Yeti.

One friend I hike with INSISTS on carrying a beer for the summit. Even if they have to carry the beer for a few days, up steep terrain, they claim that they cannot enjoy their accomplishment without having a beer to toast the sky. Personally, I prefer to leave a cooler full of ice and beer in the truck, so that I can celebrate the end of the trail with a cold one (but don’t have to carry it in my pack for miles).

If you do bring beer on the trail - NEVER BRING GLASS BOTTLES. In addition to the weight, the potential for breakage and debris on the trail is too risky. Always remember to leave no trace. Pack out your empty cans (and store them in your food barrel or bear bag overnight - not near the tent, lest you attract bears). 


Liquor and Cocktails

For a real treat, pack yourself a camp cocktail! BarCountry Pocket Cocktails are an easy and lightweight way to enjoy a fancy drink on the trail. These dehydrated cocktail mixes come in Margarita, Bloody Mary, Old-Fashioned, and Moscow Mule - just add water and liquor.

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Pocket Shots are a great option for packable liquor. They are individually packed in 1.7oz pouches - you can get Vodka, Spiced Rum, Cinnamon Schnapps, and more. A friend of mine packs her spirits in these HydraPak soft flasks, which come in a variety of sizes (she brings the 150ml ones). KRU82 also sells “adventure worthy vodka” in a stainless steel bottle that you can clip to the outside of your pack (and then use for water when the vodka is gone).

I'm excited to try out this idea from Reddit for my next short summer hike (I think the extra weight will be worth the reward!) A couple of days before the hike, freeze a package of Margarita mix in a ziploc (with Tequila added). Keep it in a cooler on ice until you hit the trail then put it in the top of your pack (you can also use it to keep food cool for the first day of the hike). By the time you arrive at camp, it’ll be just slushy enough to make the perfect Margaritas!

Check out these lightweight DIY cocktail ideas - perfect for multi-day or solo hikes:

  • Vodka + Raspberry Crystal Light + fresh raspberries (optional - if you find some on the trail)
  • Tequila + Lime Gatorade Powder + pinch salt
  • Dark Rum + Orange Kool Aid
  • Kahlua + Starbucks VIA + Dark Rum (or substitute Bailey’s)
  • White Rum + Tropical Coconut Crystal Light + Coconut Milk Powder

The options are endless really! Be creative and let me know about your cocktail ideas in the comments below (I am always looking for inspiration!) If you are winter camping - use snow in place of ice!

 

Everclear

Another practical reason to bring alcohol to the backcountry is for an alcohol stove. Ultralight backpackers sing the praises of this lightweight, affordable cooking option. Normally, denatured alcohol (methylated spirits) is used as fuel but sometimes people bring Everclear.

Advocates of Everclear note that its 95% alcohol is useful for wound cleaning, fire starting, fuel, and entertainment. The high alcohol concentration in Everclear does mean that a little bit goes a long way (so you can lighten your pack load by bringing a small amount of alcohol). If you do bring Everclear to drink, be VERY CAREFUL to monitor your alcohol consumption to avoid alcohol poisoning in the backcountry.


A few final reminders about alcohol in the backcountry

  • Drink lots of water! Regardless of how much you drink, dehydration is always a concern. Be careful to drink enough water while you hike - especially if you’re consuming alcohol. 
  • Alcohol and altitude don’t mix. Consuming alcohol can inhibit your ability to adapt to elevation changes.
  • Don’t drink and hike. Wait until you get to camp before partaking. On the trail, you need to be alert and aware in order to avoid dangerous situations. 
  • Don’t store alcohol in your tent (even empties). Regardless of whether your beer is in cans or your whisky is in a flask - store it with your food in a barrel or food hang in order to prevent bears/wildlife at your campsite.
  • Leave no trace! Pack out whatever you bring in - flatten beer cans or rinse out disposable flasks and carry them back to civilizations. Always leave the trail and your campsite better than you found it!

Turn your phone sideways for a much better table display!

Filed Under: Basics Tagged With: camping kitchen, CookwareFoodsDrinks

Camping Foods: No Cooking, No Refrigeration

Last updated: April 19, 2022 by Canberk Koksal

Now, technically, 2 main things should be considered when choosing what foods to bring:

  1. High calorie/weight ratio to leverage more energy per unit weight carried
  2. High protein and fat content as they're digested slower compared to carbs and hence keep you more satiated [1] AND fats provide more calories per gram (9 kcal/g compared to 4 kcal/g of protein and carbs)

Micro-nutrients (vitamins and minerals) are also very important in the long term, but when we're talking about being on the trail for up to a week, I'd pay them less attention.

  • If you want to know the calorie densities of different trail foods...

Check out Grayson Cobb's spreadsheet [2] of his favorite backpacking foods and their kcal/g rating. It's GOOOLD.

But again, be mindful, he focuses on calorie dense foods that keep you from under performing [3], which he notes is the MOST important purpose of a backpacker’s diet.

Table of Contents
Pros of going no-stove
Lightweight
Less Hassle
Saves time
But how do I go with water purification?
Cheese
Meat
Trail Mix & Dried Fruit
Protein Bars
Peanut Butter
Hummus / Beans
Some carbs considerations
Very little cookware
3 Day No Cook No Refrigerator Sample Menu
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Last notes

Everyone I’ve encountered on the trail has their own preference when it comes to meal planning and gear packing. There's no “right way” to pack but there are factors, like those mentioned above, that should be considered. 

After researching camping foods that require neither refrigeration or stove, in this post I'll lay out the most important information and facts I've found, while also linking to some good packaged foods you can order here and there.


Pros of going no-stove

In some cases, you can say that hiking with a stove is a luxury - not a necessity. Here are some advantages going without cookware:

Lightweight

  • No cookware: While there are many lightweight stoves available, you can't beat the weight you save by opting to hike without carrying a stove and fuel
  • Foods are dehydrated and hence lighter: Yes, in most cases their more "precise" packaging also adds extra weight - but it doesn't add up even for long trips. You're still carrying lighter 
  • Your pack gets lighter with each meal you eat, while carrying a stove adds weight that sticks with you for the duration of your hike

Less Hassle

  • You don’t have to worry about your stove malfunctioning
  • You don’t have to carry or worry about dispose of butane canisters [4] neither gas leakage
  • You can eat inside your tent - no need to suffer preparing food in the rain
  • Rain/foul weather can't stop you

Saves time

  • You don’t have to stop on the trail to heat water and you can eat immediately when you arrive at camp. I know most of you are famished by the time the tent is set up. Being able to eat right away, rather than worrying about cooking a big meal is a big advantage in most cases
  • If you're trying to cover a good distance, you can hike for longer and eat as you go. As an added bonus: You can sleep in a little bit later in the morning

But how do I go with water purification?

Water purification tabs are a safe, easy and effective way to clean water without requiring a pot/stove to boil water [5].


Find foods that you actually want to eat, but here are some of the most popular no cook, no cooler backpacking foods with hiking enthusiasts (including me) I've collected through research.


Cheese

One common misconception about cheese is that it requires refrigeration. While soft cheeses does tend to get oily when at room temperature and do turn a lot quicker, that isn't the case for hard cheeses. 

Store your hard cheese in a parchment paper or a paper bag, which absorbs the oil and allows the cheese to breathe. The best cheeses to take backpacking are hard AND dry.

  • "I want to read more about this!"

Check out my ultimate guide to cheeses for backpacking [6].

Here's a list of some cheeses you can take with you:

  • Cheddar
  • Parmesan
  • Parmigiano Reggiano
  • Gouda cheese
  • Cojita
  • Gruyère cheese
  • Pecorino Romano
  • Colby
  • Colby-Jack
  • Manchego
  • Monterey Jack
  • Edam
  • Emmental
  • Comté cheese

Unless they're just about to turn, it should be OK to pack them in most cases. I'd also keep them in the refrigerator until hitting the trail, because in most (not all) conditions they'll still last longer in the fridge.

In the end, my choice would be Cheddar. It's your most versatile choice as you can snack on it for lunch or grate it into dinners. This waxed cheese on Amazon can be a good choice for most. However, do not pre-shred cheddar as the extra surface area can invite mold and bacteria and hence faster turning.

 

Meat

In addition to cheese, I always bring meat on the trail. The easiest and longest lasting meat for backpacking is Beef Jerky - but some dehydrated white meat would also work just fine.

You can make your own or buy one of the many options. Unless you're going to be camping alone only for 1 night, I'd recommend this Beef & Turkey Jerky combo on Amazon - it's quite simple and the serving size is OK.

  • "I want to read more about this!"

Check out my ultimate guide to backpacking meats [7].

Summer Sausage and Prosciutto are two other popular types of meat that don’t require refrigeration and provide high fat and protein for long days on the trail. Pair prosciutto with some dates or have some summer sausage with cheddar and crackers for a quick lunch. I expand more on the best shelf-stable meats for backpacking in this article.

Tuna, in cans or pouches, also makes a great no-cook trail food. But I wouldn't eat tuna more than once a week, because, as some of you might already know, it's rich content in mercury can start being dangerous [8].

  • But what if it's light?

Light canned tuna, on the other hand, is in the "Best Choices" category and fine to eat 2 to 3 servings per week according to FDA [9]. Indeed, they tend to have less mercury content [10].

I'd simply eat one can of tuna a week - and less (maybe even none?) if I'm big on mercury intake through the other foods of my diet. You can calculate your so-called "maximum limit" by introducing your weight here [11].


Trail Mix & Dried Fruit

Trail mix is high in fat, protein (and carbs if you add chocolate). It's a heavier option, but its calorie density and easy-snacking make it an ideal trail food. Some prefer making their own by buying individual bulk ingredients, but there are also many delicious ready-mixed options.

Dried fruit is another great snack. While dried fruit does not have as many nutrients as fresh fruit, it still provides energy and vitamins while hiking. Add some to your oatmeal or keep on hand for snacking. Apricots, dried mango, and raisins are popular go-to choices - but I hate... I HATE raisins. Pls don't buy them.

Truffles are high in sugar, but I'd pack and eat one of these Trail Truffles a day to diversify my diet. No cook makes already difficult on-the-trail-diversifying even more so anyway.


Protein Bars

Most "no-stovers" end up eating a lot of protein and meal bars while on the trail. Most health and outdoor stores have an overwhelming selection so try a few different kinds to find the one you like best.

This is pretty subjective, but the classic Clif Bar (White Chocolate Macademia Nut, for example) is a very popular option with camping enthusiasts. If you want to choose a less-processed, less-sugary snack, it’s easy to make your own nutritious power bars.

This DIY no bake peanut butter [12]  bar is packed with protein (I add chocolate chips to this recipe) and these DIY fruit and nut bars [13] will be as good as any bar if not even better.

 

Peanut Butter

Speaking of which... LET'S GET SCHWIFTY...

If you read my other articles, you know I LOVE peanut butter and explained why it's pretty much the ultimate no cook no refrigeration hiking food [14]. On average, peanut butter offers a concentrated source of energy with 190 calories and 16 grams of fat per serving - which offers a sky high energy/weight ratio. Perfect.

  • One thing to consider...

Opt for single serve packets rather than a jar - it won't only be lighter but also eating more often will be less of a hassle.

You can eat it plain, have it on a wrap, or squeeze it into your oats. Single serve packets, like this Jif on-the-go peanut butter pack of 12, are easy to carry on the trail or you can make your own by scooping peanut butter into small Ziploc bags. 

If you want to go ultra-light, powdered peanut butter is a good option (this PB pack of 7 now comes in different options) but be aware that it has less fat and calories than regular peanut butter. You can also opt to eat plain old peanuts, which are calorie dense and have less messy packaging.

BONUS: If you haven't tried yet, almond butter is also an effective and delicious food choice for you if you love peanut butter.


Hummus / Beans

Hummus is a regular item on almost any backpacking menu. If you have a dehydrator, you can make your own and dehydrate it into a powder (e.g. this recipe for Greek Red Pepper Dip [15], it has instructions for re-hydration as well). 

Pack these in individual Ziplocs, add some cold water in the morning, and by lunch it has re-hydrated into a tasty spread.

You can also buy individual packs of powdered hummus, such as Harmony Valley.

For short hikes, bring a pouch of re-fried beans (you can get them at most Latin American food stores) and for multi-day trips, dehydrate and then re-hydrate on the trail (same method as the hummus). 


Some carbs considerations

Now besides "essentials" list, these are also good especially for carbs:

  • Instant oats with milk or yogurt (for making overnight oats - they re-hydrate without heat)
  • Starbucks VIA instant coffee (I don’t know if you tried it with cold milk - but it tastes like a coffee milkshake)
  • Some kind of starch - wraps, pitas, crackers (to eat with peanut butter, hummus and/or tuna)
  • Carrot sticks (these aren’t light - but I eat them the first day or two for something fresh)
  • Seaweed snacks (I take them out of packaging - they are salty, green, and lightweight)
  • Couscous (it re-hydrates without heat in about 15 minutes)

Coffee might be an outlier here, but coffee feels heavenly after breakfast in the wild. I'd stop the rush [16] and enjoy it.


Very little cookware

No-cook backpacking doesn't require much gear - the goal here is to simplify:

  • Plastic "spork"
  • Fair share mug (this is essential if you'll re-hydrate)
  • A knife to cut up cheese and meat
  • A pocket knife sharpener [17]

That’s about it.

 

3 Day No Cook No Refrigerator Sample Menu

Here is a sample no-cook menu for a 3 day hike:

Day 1

Breakfast

  • Bacon 
  • Alpen Cereal
  • Starbucks Via Coffee

Lunch

  • Chicken Caesar Wrap

At lunch, add water to re-hydrate the beans in your mug for dinner

Dinner

  • Beans
  • Crushed up Fritos Corn Chips with shredded Cheddar cheese

Snacks

  • Beef Jerky
  • Protein Bars
  • Trail Mix

Before bed, add water to reconstitute the following recipe for next morning's breakfast:

Pre-mixed ziploc of oats, cranberries, powdered peanut butter, shredded coconut and dry milk powder (for instant and regular dry milk, add 1 to 5 and 3 water, respectively [18] )

Day 2

Breakfast

  • Meal prepared last night
  • Starbucks Via Coffee

Lunch 

  • Summer Sausage
  • Sliced Cheddar 
  • Dates

Dinner

  • Spicy Thai Chili Tuna with crushed Salt
  • Vinegar Chips and Pita

Snacks

  • Clif Bar 
  • Turkey Jerky

Day 3

Breakfast

  • Muesli and with Milk 
  • Handful Dried Apricots
  • Starbucks Via Coffee

Lunch

Peanut Butter Wrap with Raisins

Dinner 

  • Protein Bar
  • Hummus 
  • Crackers

If you're off the trail during dinner time, you can also eat this during lunch.

Snacks 

  • Truffles


Last notes

One really important thing to remember: DRINK LOTS OF WATER. When you're eating dried or dehydrated foods, like nuts and jerky, your body requires water to digest them - and even more so because your protein intake is higher [19].

  • IMPORTANT THING ABOUT EGGS:

Some of you may be thinking also eggs would make a good backpacking food, and you couldn't be more correct. But, if you're going with no stove, no cooler - DON'T PACK EGGS, because:

  • Raw eggs, powdered (aka "dehydrated" or "dried") eggs or egg mix require cooking
  • Pre-hard boiled eggs require refrigeration

Read my ultimate guide to backpacking eggs [20] for more information. But the point here is that eggs aren't a good idea if you won't cook or refrigerate.

Filed Under: Basics Tagged With: camping, camping kitchen, CookwareFoodsDrinks, food, hiking

Backpacking Eggs: Most Suitable Types, Carry and Shelf Lives

Last updated: April 19, 2022 by Canberk Koksal

As I always say in the beginning of backpacking food posts, there are 3 things to consider when looking for a hiking food:

  1. High calorie/weight ratio to leverage more energy per unit weight carried,
  2. High protein and fat content as they're almost always digested slower compared to carbs and hence keep you more satiated [1] AND fats provide more calories per gram (9 kcal/g compared to 4 kcal/g of protein and carbs),
  3. And lastly, no need for refrigeration

If you also care about extra space... Don't forget about high calorie/volume ratio. 

As eggs check all these 4 boxes, they're a great hiking food for most of us. However, there are different types (raw, hard boiled, powdered etc) and some information to consider when carrying them. I've gathered the most important things I've found through researching and laid them out here in this article.

As I explained in my other articles, some cheeses, meats and peanut butter also check all these boxes and make perfect backpacking foods. I'd recommend you to consider taking them with you too.

In summary, here's the best practices I've found when going backpacking with eggs:

  • Powdered (dehydrated) eggs is the most effective option for most of us as they're easy to carry, have longer shelf life and some are even tasty
  • Boiling/cooking raw eggs will be the tastiest obviously. Opt for farm fresh eggs that haven't been refrigerated before for max shelf life. Carry them in a wide mouth Nalgene bottle (this one, for example) filled up with dehydrated rice or salt water
  • Since pre-hard boiled eggs are less delicious in most cases and we'd still have to carry them in a plastic egg carrier, it's probably less useful compared to other options

But recommendations given in this article shouldn't be taken as professional advice. I'm not a doctor or an expert by any means - I just laid out the things I've found with hours of research.

Now let's get down to the bolts and nuts. First, raw eggs.

Table of Contents
Raw eggs: How long do they last unrefrigerated?
Fresh eggs shelf life
How to carry eggs safely
Camping egg carrier
Hard plastic egg cartons
More reusable types
Powdered eggs
What are they?!
Shelf life
How to reconstitute dried egg products: 3 easy steps
So, making or buying powdered eggs?
Where to buy powdered eggs
How long do hard boiled eggs last unrefrigerated?
Conclusion

Raw eggs: How long do they last unrefrigerated?

First, the answer you don't like: It DEPENDS. But I'll try to give you more than that although it's almost impossible.

A rule of thumb is that if you buy raw eggs in a supermarket either in the United States, Japan, Australia, Sweden or the Netherlands, they'll last less than 2 hours. In most other countries, they'll last between 1-3 weeks [2].

Strange answer, right?

Well, that's because these countries wash the eggs you buy in the supermarkets [3,4]. And since they're already being refrigerated in supermarkets, they need to stay that way, according to Egg Safety Center [5].

Otherwise, the eggs will begin to sweat, which promotes the growth of dangerous bacteria which enters through the shell. However, even if they weren't being refrigerated, I'd simply stay away from backpacking with them just to be safe.

I was pretty surprised when I learned about this the first time...

So, can you leave eggs out overnight if you're in one of these countries? Well, the obvious answer is no - if the nights are longer than 2 hours... But in most other countries, in most conditions; yes you can.


Fresh eggs shelf life

Mind you, there's some conflict around the term "farm fresh eggs"  [6]. When the term is used in stores, it seems to be virtually meaningless, but what I’ll use it to refer to is eggs fresh from the chicken. Eggs that haven't been refrigerated or otherwise tampered with. These keep for about one month at room temperature before they require refrigeration [7]. 

So, do farm fresh eggs need to be refrigerated? As you can guess by now, there's no short answer to that question either.

It isn't bad to refrigerate your farm fresh eggs, but in most conditions, if you refrigerate them, they need to be kept refrigerated [5].

If you’re one of the few people willing to go through the trouble of keeping the eggs cool while camping, then as a general rule they would last up to nearly six months if refrigerated after being laid - but needless to say, you'd still have to pay attention to the expiration date.

And unless car camping, I wouldn't carry a cooler with me (yes - some people seriously DO this!).


How to carry eggs safely

The next big question about raw eggs is how to carry them. As we'll see, you don’t need to worry about methods of transporting dehydrated (aka "powdered" or "dried") eggs as they come in a container and they will stay in it, sealed, until they’re cooked. More on that later.

I'm going to cross out the pre-cooked hard boiled eggs as well since according to FDA it isn't safe to eat them after they're left two hours in room temperature. More on that later, too.

Another thing to consider if you'll be hiking with raw eggs: I wouldn't pack the metal pot at right side ever again, and would go for a larger and wider pot with an insulated handle (at left and mid).

The question becomes important when considering raw whole eggs that will be staying in your backpack the whole time. Before giving you products made expressly for this purpose, there's a trick I found that is both effective, and probably free for most backpackers, and I can't wait to try it.

Take a wide-mouth Nalgene bottle (this one, for example), stack it full, carefully with eggs, and pour dehydrated rice in until it's full (or water - especially salt water because of higher density). It'll distribute pressure equally around the egg and cushion them against any impact.


Camping egg carrier

If you didn't like my Nalgene bottle advice for some reason, your second option is to carry them using a container.

But let me say this in advance: No carrier can guarantee your eggs won't break. It mostly comes down to your gentle pack use - which is why I'd prefer Nalgene bottle method every time. I don't want to waste time thinking about some cracked eggs leaking inside my pack and items ruin my entire outdoors experience. I want to stop worrying and enjoy my time outdoors.

More, there isn’t a wide range of egg containers that you’d be able to take camping. Cardboard, glass and Styrofoam containers are obviously not practical, so we're left with a couple different kinds of plastic containers as options.

Hard plastic egg cartons

This type of egg container is made to hug the eggs when holding them to make sure they cannot move around enough to break. The plastic is marketed as unbreakable, and the purpose of the container seems to be nothing more than to prevent stored eggs from breaking. It's reusable and top rack is advertised as dishwasher safe.

However, it might not be the best for storing farm fresh eggs, as the shape of the individual egg pockets isn’t conducive to their shape, as opposed to more standardized store-bought sized (smaller) eggs. 

While this may not seem like a major concern, remember that farm fresh (not-previously-refrigerated) eggs are best for camping unless they're refrigerated before. So if this container is in fact bad for farm fresh (and/or large) eggs, it might be bad for camping.

More reusable types

This type of container, on the other hand, is made to accomplish the same purpose, and more. It advertises an airtight and watertight seal, which it goes without saying could easily be much better for camping for longer use. Over time, the seals might lose their ability to keep out water, though.

But the material is FDA approved in the health department, and box carriers like this can be better for longer use as it's harder to break in your backpack.

It's durable and claims its plastic is safe for dishwashers on the top rack. This hard egg carton might be better for farm fresh eggs and as a result, for us campers.


Powdered eggs

All the previous options seemed to me more trouble than necessary while keeping eggs, so I looked into methods of keeping and cooking eggs that don’t involve bringing those breakable things with you in your bag:

And I've found powdered (aka "dehydrated" or "dried") eggs are pretty popular with hiking enthusiasts.

A number of reasons to prefer them over other methods:

  • Easy to eat, 
  • Easy to carry,
  • Have longer shelf lives [8], 
  • You don't have to worry about cracking them (duh... there's no shell),
  • They're absolutely tastier than eating cold pre-hard boiled eggs, and not much less tasty than freshly cooked raw eggs

What are they?!

Well, they're basically eggs without the water content (duh...). You can either buy them, which I'd recommend to most, or dehydrate yourself with the help of a dehydrator, which I'd recommend those who will be using the dehydrator for many other things besides eggs.

Shelf life

Provided that they're cool and dry, you can store them at room temperature as long as you'd like; however, after opening, there are conflicting information provided by different authority sources.

Some say you must store them in the refrigerator even if sealed [9] and some claim storing them in room temperature and consuming within weeks or even months after opening is OK [10] (provided they're in a sealed vacuum bag which prevents air and moisture contact).

I'd personally keep all the powdered eggs inside its vacuum sealed bag after opening, and consume each bag within a few days after opening, but that's just me. You'll also see some product labels saying eating within 60 days after opening is OK.

  • But if you prefer playing it 100% safe with foods on the trail...

Keep in mind when purchasing powdered eggs, you’ll want to buy not just in proportion to how many you’ll need, but in proportion to how often you’ll need them.

Buy the dried egg products with smaller portions stored in SEPARATE sealed bags rather than all the eggs in a single big sealed bag - and finish each portion once opened!

I'd search for this logo on dried egg product packaging to be safe.

Once dehydrated or "purchased", store them in a container to avoid air & moisture contact (to achieve long shelf life), and then reconstitute (cook) them when you're going to eat.

How to reconstitute dried egg products: 3 easy steps

I'm only going to mention reconstitution (in other words, "re-hydration" before eating) by hand, as I'll assume most of you have no access to a mixer unless car camping.

You'll need a bowl, a fork (yes a wire whisk would do better, but you don't need it) and by weight, one part egg mix with two parts water for egg mix, one part water for dried eggs only (this is my personal choice - feel free to adjust this as you'll see different ratios for each product you go for).

  1. Boil all water.
  2. Portion egg mix into a bowl, and pour the half of hot water over eggs.
  3. Whisk until the mixture is thick. Then add the remaining amount of hot water and continue whisking - again until it's thick. 

No matter how safe you store them, once reconstituted, USDA recommends eating them in one hour at most (including preparation and serving time  [11].

As you see, powdered eggs is obviously the best option for most of us.

So, making or buying powdered eggs?

While it's probably easier and more hassle free to buy dehydrated eggs, you can make your own using an egg dehydrator.

While dehydrating eggs yourself is more cost effective, it isn't necessarily by much. The cheapest dehydrated eggs on the market go for about 20 cents per egg, while a dozen Egglands Best eggs from Walmart cost about 22 cents per egg.

These aren't absolute prices, according to my experience: There are some whole eggs that are cheaper than dehydrated eggs, and vice versa. Just know that neither are categorically cheaper.

You can read more about de hydrating eggs for the back country here [12].

I'm on the buyer side of the fence, and would personally go for these OvaEasy dried eggs on Amazon which come in 3 separate sealed bags. Each bag is about 840 kcal and perfect for 2 people for one meal - although it can come too much for some of you. I'm a serious lifter, so I tend to eat more than most people. If you're more than 2 though, I'd absolutely go for this serving size.

Where to buy powdered eggs

IMO easiest and most reasonable way is to order online. You can search easily for the one that suits you the most considering: 

  • Ingredients, 
  • Serving sizes in each sealed bag,
  • The type (mix, white only, yolk only, white and yolk etc.),
  • But most importantly, the packaging. Some online stores like BarryFarm are great - but the packaging is just not for us campers. 

They can also be purchased in markets like Target and Walmart. Make sure checking out the baking section. If the one in your neighborhood doesn't have them, you can also try your chances at:

  • Specialty houses
  • Restaurant supply houses
  • Baking supply houses
  • Camping stores
  • Publix (AFAIK, US east coast only - correct me if I'm wrong please. Can be good if you'll hike the Appalachian)

If you're trying grocery store and they don't have them, ask the manager to order some for you. But, unless you're in Publix, that might not work very well - at least to my knowledge and research.


How long do hard boiled eggs last unrefrigerated?

Boiled eggs are another, at least seemingly easy solution to backpacking food because they don’t require cooking and are ready to eat. According to FDA, boiled eggs last about two hours at room temperature and about a week in the fridge [13]. I know this sounds too soon to rot, but I'd personally play it safe with foods and would doubt you'd find any more reliable source than FDA.

If you don't care about the taste at all, and completely on the "practical food" side of the fence, this might be the most suitable option for you. You don't need to worry about protecting them against cracks, neither cooking them. I'd still go after powdered eggs for the sake of easy carrying.


Conclusion

So in summary, I'd personally rank different egg types as follows considering backpacking with them:

  1. Powdered eggs
  2. Raw eggs
  3. Pre-boiled eggs

Filed Under: Basics Tagged With: camping, camping kitchen, CookwareFoodsDrinks, eggs, food, hiking

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Hey, what's up? Canberk here. I try to approach outdoor gear from a scientific point of view. Here's more about me.

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