John Chick
I did the 10 day ring road from April 30 - May 9th as a solo traveler. Iceland is amazing, and just about everything went smoothly. The hotels and guest houses I chose were mostly very good. There were a couple that I wish I had chosen differently. Hotel North comes to mind because of the self-check in that was confusing and the general age of the building. In this case, I had to call Guide to Iceland for assistance and they were able to quickly help resolve the check in. In one or two other cases, the beds weren't as comfortable as I would like but others were great. I would recommend checking the reviews on each place before you make your choice. The breakfasts at all of the hotels were great. I didn't find it a problem to sleep with the long daylight. I think it was dark maybe for 4 hours a night but the rooms all had the blackout curtains (some were better than others), and I was tired at the end of each day anyway. I could see how it might pose a problem for some though. I drove a small Toyota Prius and it was fine on the roads, even the gravel ones. In fact I liked the smaller vehicle on the skinnier roads. I packed too much. The weather in late April was comparable to March in Maryland where I am from, so the multiple sweaters, sets of long underwear, etc. went unused and was just unnecessary weight to my suitcase. One item of clothing that came in handy more than I could have imagined is my lightweight rain pants and jacket from Frogg Toggs. The weather changes a lot in Iceland and it can be pretty windy at times. These Frogg Toggs kept me warm and dry which allowed me to enjoy the waterfalls and other beautiful sites fully without being distracted by rain and wind. They are relatively inexpensive but I found they were worth every penny and then some. I saw plenty of people walking around cold and/or their jackets soaked. I was particularly interested in things like waterfalls, caves, etc. so a couple of the daily itineraries that included visits to towns and villages (which didn't interest me), I searched for waterfalls, etc. and found plenty on those days. So keep in mind you don't have to stick to the itinerary - search for the things you like in that particular area. I found a lot of beautiful waterfalls and other things that I would have missed had I stuck strictly to the itinerary. I would also recommend topping off your gas tank every evening or morning before driving to the next area of the country. Some of the drives are quite long and gas stations can be very far apart. I also got the full insurance on the vehicle. There is wind, gravel roads, etc. so just bite the bullet for your own peace of mind. I brought a lot of snacks such as trail mix, and I bought a case of water which I left in the car. The grocery stores have pre-made sandwiches that tasted very good so a lot of days lunch (and dinner on a couple of occasions) was a sandwich, chips, and a soda. Since it was just me, that worked fine and saved a lot of money because meals can be expensive there. So as a solo traveler, I found the trip wonderful and easy to do because it's set up very well by Guide to Iceland.
