OpenTube

3 Iceland Itinerary Mistakes That Will Cost You Days

Explore This with Jen Ahana

19,027 views

Most Iceland trips are planned wrong before they ever begin. Not because of bad gear or bad weather — because of three decisions that look completely fine on paper and only reveal themselves once you're there and can't fix them.

I made them. I've watched thousands of other travelers make them. And they all come back to the same thing: you let someone else's itinerary become yours without realizing it.

In this episode I break down the three mistakes that quietly ruin Iceland trips — and more importantly, what to do instead.

🇮🇸 ICELAND RESOURCES
📌 Want smarter routes beyond the Ring Road? My Iceland guidebook goes deep on the stops that don't make anyone's saved list →https://explorethisshow.com/iceland-g...
🔗 The travel insurance I recommend:
https://www.globalrescue.com/?rp=expl...
🥾 Don't want to plan? Check out my recommended guided tours: https://57hours.sjv.io/ja-iceland-hik...
🎥 Grab some popcorn and watch Iceland's Hidden Gems: ICELAND: Explore Hidden Gems - Far Off the...

👇 SUBSCRIBE @explorethisshow

👉 Shop my Amazon storefront for my top gear picks https://www.amazon.com/shop/jenahana

INSTAGRAM Instagram: ExploreThisShow
OFFICIAL SHOW PAGE https://explorethisshow.com

GET FEATURED ON EXPLORE THIS
If you run an adventure company, operate a must-try restaurant, or manage a destination that's one-of-a-kind, click the link below to tell us why you'd be a great fit for our show!
https://form.jotform.com/explorethiss...

THE TEAM
Jen Ahana: Host & Executive Producer
Ryan Thomas: Producer

#Iceland #IcelandTravel #VisitIceland #IcelandRoadTrip #RingRoadIceland #GoldenCircle #SouthCoastIceland #IcelandItinerary #IcelandAdventures #ExploreIceland #icelandadventure

17 Comments

@ExploreThisShow Creator 6 months ago (edited) Pinned

🇮🇸 ICELAND RESOURCES
📌 Beyond the Ring Road Book →https://explorethisshow.com/iceland-guidebook
🔗 Travel Insurance https://www.globalrescue.com/?rp=explorethis
🥾 Guided Iceland Tours: https://57hours.sjv.io/ja-iceland-hiking-tours
🎥 Iceland Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB-jCM09LyD7iDYrYqK1b7hEK5NJPiIhY

@peace.denise4156 2 months ago

We'll be going to Iceland in June. We were definitely about to make the itinerary mistakes you talked about. You opened our eyes to possibilities!! Thanks!

@jorgezair 1 month ago

thank you so much for sharing and thank you for your words ....

@petermolenkamp 2 weeks ago (edited)

I was there three years ago, travelling alone with a 4x4 and rooftop tent in September with Nordic nomads. I drove the Ring Road and absolutely loved it, but I only had eight days.

This time I’m going back with my partner. We’ll once again have a 4x4 with a rooftop tent, but this time we’re travelling in May and we’ll have 19 days to explore Iceland. Also we will plan everything by our own. We will do the ringroad and also want to visit east and west fjords.

Can anyone recommend a good map or a beautiful route for us? We’d love to discover some hidden gems along the way, but of course we also don’t want to miss the iconic places that you simply have to see.

@lisastewart8646 4 months ago

Thank you for this! This is more our speed. We will be going into the Highlands and hiking Laugavegur & tent camping! I love the idea of F-roads, hiking & boating the glacier waters, seeing the massive gathering of puffins. After watching lots of videos about Iceland that push the “tourist stops”, my heart feels at ease about our trip off the beaten path after watching this! 🙏🏻

@busterlone262 4 months ago

Thank you Jen for the great vid. It gave me a lot of ideas of where to go and see. I was thinking of going to the Westman Islands and was leaning towards not going there but now have decided to make it one of my main destinations. I am only in Iceland for a week (a taste) but the Westman Islands are now on the list of must see places.

@davisji65 4 months ago

OMG I love Iceland so much! I’m about to spend 6 days there with a friend, so I have to plan carefully so that she sees the best of the South and the Highlands. This will be my sixth trip. My favorite trip was last June with my son. Eleven wonderful days of tent camping around the Ring Road. What an adventure! First thing I decided to do was to travel clockwise, which gives you a completely different view of the vast and beautiful scenery. Coming South down the Eastern part of the country was jaw-dropping!!! Heading down into Seyðisfjörður was a thrilling white-knuckle decent in our little 4x4 rental. Highly recommend. I cannot wait to that again next Summer. Perhaps I’ll do what everyone else does - counterclockwise! 😅

@motoremwanderlust 5 months ago

Passion. Nice video

@HoyeonNelson 2 weeks ago

Thank you so much for your video.
It helped a lot!
We are planning go there early September for 10days so we can see many places also Northern lights but I’m worried about the cloudy and rain weather.
Do you recommend September?
Any advice please ~

@marcuswagar7246 3 months ago

Vulcanos, black sand Beach. Remote places.

@ChrisBucci-f9u 1 month ago

Planning a 10 trip in Iceland. My wife and I, enjoyed your take on Iceland. We’ll be in Iceland from 10/10-10/19. Any suggestions you have for us before scheduling our trip around Iceland??

@BrentMinder 2 months ago (edited)

thanks for your insightful and passionate vid. my 25 yr-old son and i are going aug 11-19 for the eclipse. we're taking only a personal item on the plane (small back pack). we did this for another 9-day trip, but we'll have to wear our bulkier clothing on the plane for this one. we have: leggings, hiking pants, rain pants, long-sleeve liners and a water-proof shell, wool liners and socks, ear-head bands, selfie sticks w/insta 360. we'll be anchored in reyk w/a small suv and doing day trips from there. i'd like to come back and do a 2-week loop trip, but this one was rushed for the eclipse. any advice aside from your video would be nice. thx

@Topper007 6 months ago

First thing first i really enjoy your videos 😄 i have planed trip to iceland in july never been there but i am drawn to this amazing land will stay there in 8 days i land in Keflavik and then travel to Reykjavik spend a couple days then travel around in rented car ,have some questions for you do you know where to rent a 4*4 car in Reykjavik with the right insurance and good service i am planning to go on hike and also try Atv but about the hotel i will stay in in reykjavik i am in doubt do you know any good ones ?? Thx

@sylviatelha6056 5 months ago (edited)

Im taking next week my kids to Iceland for 2 days. We coming Friday morning and Sunday we have flight at 9am. Any suggestions where what to see first? Most we hoping to see the Northern lights 🙏

@Majid-uc1bx 4 months ago (edited)

The main problem is money !! Its very expensive , everything is overpriced

@alexfarquhar159 5 months ago

Great nice Icelandic accent😊

@HarryOsirian 5 months ago

Why I don't like these kind of videos:

Why I no longer click on these “hidden gems” Iceland videos:
They’re exactly what ruined parts of Iceland for so many of us.
Creators call places “secret” or “lesser known,” then thousands of people rush there.
A few months later those spots are packed, parking gets paid, prices go up, and the magic disappears.
Westman Islands, 4 AM at waterfalls, random pull-outs that used to be quiet… all turned into the next checklist item.
Telling people to visit iconic spots at night used to be good local knowledge. Now it’s just another crowded time slot.
I get that you want to sell your ebook, but directing first-timers to these places and calling them hidden is making the problem worse, not better.