#Car Rental Akureyri International Airport

[hertziceland]

Car Rental in Akureyri Your Gateway to Northern Iceland

Explore the charming town of Akureyri with ease by choosing Hertz Iceland for your car rental needs. Offering a range of vehicles, from compact cars to SUVs, Hertz ensures a comfortable and convenient journey through Iceland's scenic landscapes. Book your car rental in Akureyri today and enjoy competitive prices, exceptional service, and the freedom to travel at your own pace.

[withabackpackandcamera]

June 26th, 2021

Day 1: A Race To See Geldingadalir and Iceland’s West Side

The flight from Denver to Iceland was long but luckily, it wasn’t nearly as long as advertised on our purchased tickets. After a relatively smooth but sleepless flight that included aisle seats for all three of us (Cynthia, Minh, and me) and a viewing of Harry Potter 2, we made an early landing at Keflavik International Airport, arriving more than an hour ahead of schedule. To get to the exit, we ended up having to wait in multiple lines, from the passport control line to the PCR swab line. In between those lines, we made a quick pit stop at the store in front of baggage claim to pick up some beers as well as our Nova SIM card for the trip. 

The line to get our PCR swabs was quite long and it took somewhere between 45 minutes to an hour to get to the point where we presented our vaccination certificates and got our swab kits. After receiving our kits, we walked to a station outside where some techs seemingly swabbed not only our noses but our brains before we were allowed to pass through the airport exit completely. 

Our next task was to pick up our rental car from Blue Car Rental, a local Icelandic car rental company that rented out cars at a much better rate than its international competitors. It took a bit for us and some other folks to figure out where to catch the shuttle to get to the rental car area but after a short wait, we spotted the shuttle that would take us to our destination. Once there, we picked up our brand new red 2021 Kia Sportage 4WD and then drove off to grab some groceries for the road from Kronan and Bonus, both located relatively close to the airport in a neighboring town. 

While Cynthia and Minh picked up some ingredients to make sandwiches for lunch, I briefly flipped through the car manual to make sure I knew how to use the car’s 4WD mechanism. Luckily, it was mostly automatic! Sweet. Once they were done at Kronan, we all sat in the car and took a little time to rest our eyes before hitting up Bonus for a couple more items for the trip. By the time we were done, our parents had arrived and gotten through the now extremely long PCR swab/exit line and were awaiting our pick-up from the airport. And surprisingly enough, the whole process of connecting with them and picking them up at the airport went as smoothly as it could have gone. Exactly as planned. And with the whole crew finally assembled in one place, we were off to start our family adventure in Iceland! 

The first and much anticipated stop of the trip was Geldingadalsgos, the world’s newest volcanic eruption, located about a 30 minutes drive away from the airport. We drove through the town of Grindavik to get to the volcano area. By the time we reached the parking area for the hike, the roadside parking lots were packed. Really packed. But luckily, there was enough space for us to find a parking spot, though it was located almost a kilometer away from the unmarked trailhead for the volcano hike. 

Once we were parked, packed, and dressed for the hike, which was around 11:30am or so, we made our way to the trailhead located on the other side of the road. With mom having a bum knee and Cynthia not being a fast hiker, my brother, dad, and I left them to each other’s company as we went on ahead. As we hiked and made our way closer to the lava field in the valley, we finally located hiking Path C as it ran up the side of a mountain ridge to our right. This was the volcano-viewing trail that I was instructed to take by Jeroen, the photographer, when I messaged with him on Instagram. So we did just that. And as we hiked toward the mountain ridge we were about to climb, I noticed just how nice, sunny, and clear the skies were today and how lucky we were to have great hiking conditions for our first day in Iceland. 

But those pleasant-weathered thoughts quickly soured as we made our way up the heavily-graveled, unofficially paved footpath up the mountainside. What were just light winds on a sunny day quickly became 50+ mph continuous gusts of wind blowing across the lava field and up the mountain ridge. And this made for a much more difficult and treacherous hike than what was already a difficult hike with the steep, gravel-y path and all. 

Due to the wind, dust, gravel, and lack of sleep, it took us a lot longer than anticipated to climb up to the top of the ridge and to the cell tower I was instructed to hike to to get the best views of the volcano. All in all, it took me and my heavy camera bag a little less than 1.5 hours to get to the cell tower. But luckily, even before reaching the tower, I caught my first glimpse of the Geldingadalsgos from afar! And as I hiked closer, I could see and hear the volcano erupting and throwing lava into the air! SO FREAKIN’ COOL! The thing I’d been looking forward to the most since coming up with the idea to fly to Iceland! And I finally got to see it in person! And check it off my life bucket list!

Because I had gone ahead of Minh and my dad, I had extra time to look around the area and scout out the best views of Geldingadalsgos from the eastern ridge. After roaming around on the windy ridge, I finally committed to a viewpoint and stayed there for some photography while waiting for Minh and my dad to catch up. Even though the volcano wasn’t nearly as crazy as I wished it was (especially given how far we were standing and how big the volcano base had grown), it was still pretty spectacular to see in person. 

Once all three of us were at the top, we stayed for a little while longer before heading down the ridge on an unpaved, alternative back path. The path down the back side of the ridge was definitely less steep and dangerous than the one we took coming up but it was still a pretty long route. So it took us a while to hike all the way back out to our parked car. And unfortunately, along the way, my heavy tripod opened up one of my camera bag pockets, which led to the spillage of my stuff onto the ground which I didn’t know about. Only after a bit did I notice that the zipper was open and that I was missing my beanie and sunglasses. Fudge. But luckily, after running backwards and retracing my steps, I ran into some hikers who had found my belongings along their path and had placed them on a nearby rock, where I eventually found the beanie and sunglasses. Thank goodness.

By the time we had hiked all the way back to the car to meet up with Cynthia and my mom, who’d gone back first, I was exhausted. From a combination of lack of sleep, lack of a proper meal, and lack of water. But luckily, the rest of the day was just driving (a very long drive) with some short pit stops along the way to the eastern Westfjords, where we would be spending the evening.

Once we were on the road again, it didn’t take long for me to switch out of the driver’s seat to get some rest because I could feel my eyes getting heavier and heavier as we drove on and on. So Minh took over and drove us the rest of the way to and through the Snaefellsnes Peninsula to Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellsfoss. Once we had arrived after a very pleasant drive, the family and I checked out the mountain and waterfall and took some photos as the clouds started to roll in. The conditions were pretty harsh for any portfolio-worthy photos but I did the best that I could. This was actually my third time visiting Kirkjufellsfoss and every time I swing by, what I see is always slightly different than what I saw the time before, which is a good thing. Not only do I see a different photo-worthy scene each time, but I see a different landscape surrounding the area as well. For example, the area definitely got an upgrade (with a new parking lot and handicap accessible walkways to the waterfall) since my last visit in the winter of 2017. How tourism can drive change… 

With the day slowly winding down and a ton of distance left to make up before we got to our guesthouse, I took over the wheel and drove us to our last pit stop of the day at Gudrunarlaug Hot Spring, located sort of on the way to the Westfjords. The drive there was much rougher than expected since the entire road there was gravel and dirt road, which significantly affected our driving speed. But because we took the gravel road instead of driving back the way we originally came from to get onto the main road leading up to the Westfjords, we still ended up (probably) saving a little bit of time. After a while, we finally reached the hot spring. Unfortunately, given our time constraints and the fact that there were locals already soaking in the hot tub who we didn’t want to intrude upon, we quickly took a peek at the area and left for the Malarhorn Guesthouse in Drangsnes, a little village just north of Holmavik. 

The drive was long (thankfully Minh picked up this driving shift) but we eventually made it there around 11:00pm with the skies still relatively bright despite what time of day it was. After quickly preparing some instant ramen for dinner for the crew, I finally washed up and called it a night. What a ridiculous and jam-packed first day back in Iceland!

In store for tomorrow: a huge waterfall located in the middle of nowhere and a super long drive to Akureyri. 

5 Things I Learned/Observed Today:

1. The Keflavik airport swabbers are definitely trained to make sure they get the best, highest-yield swab samples from international travelers in order to keep their country’s numbers almost nonexistent. So yeah, get ready to get your brain swabbed. But luckily, the process is (sort of) quick and (sort of) painless. And surprisingly enough, it took only about 6-7 hours for the health department to notify us of our negative PCR results! 

2. Geldingadalsgos is definitely the most visited and highest-trafficked tourist site in all of Iceland this summer. Hands down. 

3. Given the pandemic, travel numbers to Iceland aren’t nearly as high compared to the numbers pre-COVID. But with the recent downscaling of travel restrictions, more travelers have made their way over to Iceland with the hopes of seeing cool things while being relatively socially distanced from one another. And not surprisingly, because of the rules set in place by the Icelandic government for incoming travelers and because of the availability of vaccines in the U.S., most tourists in Iceland are Americans. 

4. If you’re driving east along the northern side of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, don’t expect much paved road a little past Kirkjufellsfoss. The roads here are pretty much all gravel and dirt until you make your way all the way back out to the main highway.. 

5. When you look at a map, Drangsnes looks pretty close to Holmavik. Don’t be deceived! Once you’re driving through fjordlands, nothing is as close as it seems. The windy roads running along the water and the mountain bases of the fjords makes any trip you drive much longer than anticipated.

[tamerkoseli-blog]

Best Places To Visit During Your Trip to Iceland

Iceland is a Nordic country located in the North Atlantic region. It has a population of about 350,000 inhabitants and covers an area of about 103,000 square kilometres. Reykjavik is the capital of Iceland and is also the largest city in Iceland in terms of area. It has also become a popular tourist attraction in recent years. Although Iceland was not a major tourist attraction in the past, and tourism did not contribute much income to the economy of the country, yet in the last ten or fifteen years tourism has increased considerably, with approximately 4 million people from foreign countries visiting Iceland as tourists, according to a report released by the Icelandic Tourist Board in 2014. Many foreign tourists who visit Reykjavik use car rental companies, to explore the various historical sites, buildings and other attractions that the city has to offer by hiring cars and vehicles because it makes it easy to explore the city by travelling in a car. One such car rental company is Geysir in Reykjavik.

Travelling In And Exploring Iceland and Reykjavik By Car

Geysir in Reykjavik is one of the many car rental companies that offer a number of deals in car and vehicle rentals to tourists who come to Iceland and Reykjavik. The company, which was started in the 1970s has become a truly international company today. Many people who work in the company are also of foreign origin.

Types of Cars And Vehicles Offered By Geysir in Reykjavik For Hiring By Tourists

Geysir in Reykjavik offers a very wide range of cars and vehicles to cater to the needs and requirements of all types of tourists. The types of cars and vehicles it offers include regular sized cars and vehicles, which are useful for people who want to explore the city or on a limited budget, and larger cars and vehicles for tourists who want to explore in a more comfortable and leisurely way. It also has electric cars and vehicles and motorhomes. The company runs a huge number of cars and vehicles for hire, Also, Geysir in Reykjavik checks everything thoroughly before giving a car to tourists for exploring the city, so that a tourist enjoys his or her visit to the country and the city. It has a well-organised website that people can explore in order to decide the type of vehicle they want to hire to explore Reykjavik and how the company gives cars and vehicles for hire. while taking into consideration the driving conditions in Iceland and Reykjavik, about which there is information on the website. Given below is a list of historical buildings, places and sites in Iceland that can be explored by tourists while travelling around by car.

List Of Historical Places, Buildings And Sites In Reykjavik

The Harpa Concert Hall

Hallgrimskirkja Church

National Museum

Landakotskirkja Church

Imagine Peace Tower

Hofdi House

The Nordic House

Perlan

National Theatre Of Iceland

In addition to the above, given below is a list of some other tourist attractions in Reykjavik

The Culture House

Gimli Tower

Bistro Solon

The City Hall

Reykjavik Cathedral

Alphingishishou

Reykjavik Art Museum

Locations of Geysir in Reykjavik

Geysir in Reykjavik has a number of offices and locations in Iceland which makes it easy for tourists who are visiting the country to book a car or vehicle for hire in order to explore Reykjavik. A brief description of the company's offices is given below for the benefit of tourists who would like to travel by car and explore Reykjavik.

Keflavik International Airport's Geysir Office

At its office located near Keflavik International Airport, Geysir in Reykjavik has a very efficient shuttle bus service that picks up tourists who have just arrived in Iceland, from the airport. This shuttle bus service offers both pick up and drop off services. When tourists arrive, they just leave the arrivals hall of the airport where they will reach the bus stop. The bus will take them to the airport office of Geysir in Reykjavik. Similarly, while returning their car or vehicle, tourists have to bring the hired car back to the airport, where a team member of the company will check the car, after which a tourist can board the shuttle bus which will take him or her to the departure hall and stop in front of the Geysir office.

Geysir Office in Downtown Reykjavik

The Reykjavik Downtown Geysir Office is located in the Harpa Concert Hall. A fee is charged for pick up and drop off service if it is used after working hours. The Harpa office is on the ground floor, and is located in the Geysirland Tourist Information Office and can be accessed by using an escalator. The vehicles are always in the parking lot, which makes the pick up very efficient and easy to deal with. When a tourist is leaving, he or she must return the vehicle by bringing it into the concert hall parking area and give the car to the Reykjavik Downtown office of Geysir in Reykjavik.

Shuttle Service At the Reykjavik Hotel

The Shuttle Service At the Reykjavik Hotel offers to pick up and drop off services to those people who are staying near the Reykjavik Hotel and in the hotel. For pick up, the shuttle bus will pick up the people concerned at the hotel and drop them at the Harpa office of Geysir in Reykjavik, which will then give the tourists the vehicle they hired. Once a person has completed his or her tour of Reykjavik, they, must bring the car to the parking area, and return the vehicle they hired. The shuttle bus will drop them at their hotel once this is done.

Pick Up And Drop Off Service in Akureyri Airport

The Pick up and drop off service of Akureyri Airport works as follows: When a person arrives at Akureyri Airport, they will be given the car they have hired outside the airport by a team member of Geysir in Reykjavik, When a person is leaving, he or she is required to return the car at the parking area of the airport, where a team member of Geysir in Reykjavik will check the car, after which the person can leave.

Geysir in Reykjavik is a well known and international car and vehicle rental company that offers a wide range of cars and vehicles that can be hired by tourists who want to explore Reykjavik and Iceland by travelling in a car. Hiring a car with Geysir in Reykjavik is very easy because all the information related to hiring a car or vehicle is available on the website of the company which it is very well organised as it not only has information on hiring a car or vehicle but also clearly lists the locations and offers price quotes. It is highly recommended to hire a car from this company if one wants to explore Reykjavik or Iceland. The company has offices throughout Iceland, including Reykjavik, as well as in other countries. Fior this reasonIt is highly recommended to hire a car from this company if one wants to explore Reykjavik or Iceland.

[sorayaadventures-blog]

Iceland’s Blue Oasis

No Iceland travel blog would be complete without at least a quick dive into the country’s capital city of Reykjavik, or the nearby iconic Blue Lagoon.  

Located in Southwestern Iceland, about a 50-minute drive from Keflavik International Airport, Reykjavik is situated on the northern side of the Reykjanes peninsula – the only place in the world where the Mid-Atlantic ridge comes ashore above sea level. This small capital city of about 120,000 people is often the first stop for most travelers upon arrival in Iceland, whether visiting for a few quick days or embarking upon a longer journey. Its bustling international tourism scene and recent emergence as a hotspot for adventure-filled layovers have led to the availability of a wide variety of activities to meet diverse interests. Though relatively small in terms of international cities, Reykjavik more than makes up for its diminutive population with an abundance of personality and charm that is uniquely Icelandic.

Visiting Reykjavik

Lodging: Reykjavik offers perhaps the most varied lodging opportunities in Iceland, from low-cost hostels to large-group rentals to high-end luxury hotels or flats. For those seeking locations close to restaurants, shopping, and sightseeing, lodging within ‘the 101’ – a downtown/city-center neighborhood along the zone from the Reykjavik Harbor to the streets surrounding landmark Hallgrimskirkja church – will prove central to most points of interest. Partygoing groups interested in being near the lively bar scene are wise to stay near Laugavegur and Hverfisgata streets in this neighborhood. Those seeking calmer or quieter stays can stray just a few blocks away from the main streets to find more tranquil lodging, or can explore the accommodations with neighboring districts Vesturbaer (to the west) and Hlidar (to the east).  

Getting Around: The city is quite walkable from most accommodations in the city center, though visitors who seek lower-cost housing options in less central neighborhoods or suburbs may require automotive transportation to access its main sights. Note that many rentals within city center do not offer reserved parking spaces for vehicles; finding parking spaces isn’t so much of a problem in off-season months but can become difficult during peak summer season. Reykjavik also has a well-developed public bus system with regular service connecting all the city’s neighborhoods and destinations, and the Reykjavik City Card offers users 24, 36, or 72 hours of unlimited travel on city buses (and also includes admission to several major attractions and discounts at a handful of shops and restaurants). The service’s website (www.straeto.is/en) also offers a useful trip planner tool to help make bus travel easier.

Sightseeing & Activities: Reykjavik is full of cultural history, highlighted by its many museums and public works of art scattered throughout the city (of note are some unique museums, such as the Volcano Center, the Saga Museum, and the Icelandic Phallogical Museum). Interesting architectural designs include the noteworthy Opera House with its nighttime light shows and the famed Hallgrimskirkja Church, guarded at its front by a statue of Icelandic explorer, Leif Erickson. Reykjavik’s traditionally bright-colored wooden homes add a unique personality to its picturesque streetscapes, and Icelanders’ quirky design aesthetics make window-gazing along the city’s main shopping streets a delight; be sure to check out the main shopping strip on Laugavegur Street.

Reykjavik’s burgeoning culinary scene offers something for everyone, from the famed Icelandic hot dogs to fresher-than-fresh seafood to delicious cuisines from around the world. As mentioned in previous posts, sit-down meals can be quite costly, but the quality of the food makes it well worth the splurge and can be offset by heading to a grocery store and cooking other meals in your accommodation. For more adventurous eaters, several restaurants also offer the opportunity to sample traditional Icelandic fares such as brennivin (a clear, distilled, unsweetened schnapps that is Iceland’s signature liquor), whale steaks, fish stews, and – for the very brave – hakarl (fermented “rotten shark” cured using a centuries-old process, with a strong ammonia smell and potent fishy taste).

Reykjavik is also home base for a wide variety of guided adventures, including excursions by sea (whale-watching and northern lights tours are among the most popular, though hours may be limited in winter months), day trips to destinations such as the Golden Circle, Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, or Snaefellsnes Peninsula, and other adventurous activities such as exploring ice caves, highland snowmobiling, cliffside bird-watching, off-roading in SuperJeeps, and riding Icelandic horses.  

Before your visit, be sure to check the city’s event calendar: https://visitreykjavik.is/events. Iceland is home to a variety of year-round activities and events ranging from opera performances to holiday festivals to music and sporting events and everything in between. Of note, are Reykjavik’s beautiful holiday lights and decorations around Christmas time, including an ice-skating rink and holiday market at city center.

The Blue Lagoon

Perhaps the most iconic destination in Iceland, the Blue Lagoon – made famous by visits from A-list celebrities and touted by Instagrammers galore – is by far the country’s most visited tourist stop.

Located about 45 minutes by car from Reykjavik, and just a short 20 minutes from Keflavik airport, the Blue Lagoon’s steaming, bright blue geothermal pools beckon visitors from around the world to stop by for a soak. The Blue Lagoon is a man-made landmark, with the water’s heat sourced from a local geothermal plant that captures heat from the earth and turns it into energy. The Lagoon’s silica-rich waters and trademark mineral mud mask available by the scoopful throughout the Blue Lagoon soften the skin of bathers (though those with long locks, beware – the minerals in the water wreak havoc on hair, so be sure to apply the provided conditioner before entering the water to prevent mineral build-ups that will make hair unmanageable for weeks afterwards).

Reservations to the Blue Lagoon are recommended for all visitors, especially during weekends, holidays, and peak tourism season, and also for those seeking spa treatments (such as massages or facials during their visit). Upon arrival at the Blue Lagoon, visitors check in and receive a robe, towel, and flip flops, and then proceed to shower facilities with lockers to rinse off, change into swimsuits, and lock up valuables before entering the relaxing warm waters of the lagoon. Plan to arrive as early in the day as possible, as it tends to get busier later in the day as tour groups arrive, and the relatively high entry price warrants spending as much time as possible soaking in those cozy waters. In addition to spa services, the Blue Lagoon offers a full-service restaurant (reservations recommended), a more casual café with lighter dining fare, and a growing set of luxury lodging options.

Some honest thoughts: After visiting the Blue Lagoon on the last day of our trip, my travel companions and I all agreed that we had enjoyed our visit to the smaller – yet far less-crowded and more relaxing – Myvatn Nature Baths near Akureyri much more than our day at the Blue Lagoon. Not that I’ll ever turn down a soak in warm, therapeutic waters; but, after our week of travels in less populated parts of the country, the Blue Lagoon felt hectic and overly commercialized. The locker rooms were crowded, it was difficult to find a place to leave our towels, and the pools (especially the one with a bar in it) certainly had more of a party vibe than a relax-in-peace vibe. To be fair, this may have been because our visit was during the Easter holidays. The Blue Lagoon experience may be entirely different when there are fewer visitors (i.e. during the week or in the off season), and it is certainly worth a stop to try it for yourself. In all, I would say it was an enjoyable experience – just be warned that it may not be as tranquil as the Instagram pictures make it seem. And given the plethora of smaller hot pots, geothermal bath facilities, and hidden hot springs scattered throughout Iceland, it’s definitely worth exploring beyond the Blue Lagoon for your moment of Icelandic tranquility.

Wrapping Up

And with that, we wrap up our Iceland series! We hope you’ve enjoyed this tour through Iceland over the past several weeks through the eyes of our guest blogger Carolyn. There’s no doubt this destination full of rugged natural beauty and rich in cultural history holds something for adventurers of all kinds, and we hope our tips have helped inspire your travels and feed your wanderlust.

Stay tuned next week as we begin exploring our newest destination… any guesses where?!?