Iceland Self Drive Tours - Day Tours
Iceland Self Drive Tours - Day Tours
Iceland Self Drive Tours - Day Tours
4.5
Iceland Self Drive Tours - Day Tours
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عرض الخيارات4.5
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Elaine S
سومرفيل, ماساتشوستسمساهمتيْن
أغسطس 2022
The sights were breathtaking, and our 4-wheel-drive car got us over even the worst roads. Iceland will give you plenty to love and remember. The tour company Guide to Iceland will not.
After we signed up and paid, and after we were sent an itinerary, we were left on our own. We had read reviews that said the staff was always available and could always help resolve problems in real time during the 10 days -- NOT TRUE. Perhaps that is because we believed Josef when he said he was our personal guide, so we directed all phone calls and emails to him. He never once called back, even for a problem that needed resolving very quickly. He did email once or twice, but there wasn't enough information to help us, and when I called to get clarification, he didn't call back. The last correspondence we received was from someone other than Josef, who emailed (during our trip) to say they were there if we needed them. But by that point, we had given up. Perhaps if we had just called each time we needed something and spoken to whoever answered the phone, and insisted on being helped, it would have worked better. But we were told not to do that but to direct questions to Josef.
Before we gave up on communication, I emailed Josef to ask if he could call to explain how to do a glacier hike the next day (Skaftafel) given our itinerary during the day and the fact that it was going to be an extremely long day of driving. I also asked if there was any way to change the reservation for that night so it wouldn't involve so much driving (we figured about 10 hours). No response.
That day was a harrowing one. Though we were told that some roads in Iceland required 4 wheel drive vehicles, what this meant was not explained to us, nor were we given the option of alternative roads. On the way from Kirkubaejarklaustar to Borgarfjordur Eystri, the longest day, we ended up on a dirt road that wound for about 17 km, extremely steeply through stark hills. The roads were so steep and curvy that we could not see what was on the other side. The roads so narrow, and with land dropping away on each side, that we couldn't imagine turning around. I was scared but I managed to drive through it. Were there alternative routes? If so, we were not advised that we could take them. Luckily, I am fairly brave, but I imagined someone traveling alone, maybe uncomfortable with difficult driving, feeling terrified to be out there alone. Thank god that this wasn't the day with pouring rain and gale force winds!
On another day -- the gale-force winds and rain day -- we went to see Dettifoss Waterfall, the east side, this time slogging through (luckily flat) dirt roads for an hour in the rain, only to find that it was way too windy and rainy to walk to the waterfall. We realized later that there might have been an easier road to the west side of the waterfall, but we had not been advised to take it.
These are specific problems related to lack of communication and follow up by the man who was supposed to be our guide. They are serious problems.
Perhaps this tour would have been easier if we had decided ahead of time on extra activities, but we just couldn't decide. It would also have been easier if we were much younger and Internet savvy. We are both in our early 70s (I don't remember if you asked that), and figuring out our route every day was hard. We wanted help, but gave up on getting it.
A more general problem, which I'd assume is how GTI does things, is that the itinerary we received was not tailored to where we were actually staying. Though the suggested stops were more or less listed in the direction we were going, they sometimes assumed we were starting from a different place and stopping at a different place. This problem could have been resolved by sending us an itinerary that MATCHED the places we were staying, with mileages given from and to our lodgings from one day to the next. We had to do a Google map each day -- something GTI could have done for us.
The hotels where we stayed were -- with one exception -- Lava Apartments and Rooms -- were welcoming and comfortable. This isn't a criticism of GTI, but I'd suggest you don't use them in the future. At this place, we had an apartment on the second floor, which we reached by climbing a staircase without a light! Also, it turned out that we had a free breakfast at a local cafe, but the man who let us in thought we did NOT. It turned out that GTI was supposed to send us something a couple days before with both clearer directions and a pass to the cafe.
Concerning the hotels, we had asked more than once if GTI could make sure that the rooms had two separate twin beds, but we were told that it was impossible -- places were too full to change. But guess what? When we called in advance, we were able to change most of the rooms to two beds -- so clearly this would have been possible for GTI to do.
In short, we mostly lucked out, we drove and drove and drove (NEVER less than three hours of driving, but more likely 6 hours, and the day mentioned above was 10 hours).
This was billed as a self-drive tour, but in fact, other than the lodgings and the car rental, it was a "self-planned" tour. Information that was specific to our destinations from day to day would have been so useful! Discussion of which roads to avoid if possible, or accurate descriptions of these difficult roads if unavoidable, would have avoided unpleasant surprises.
We loved Iceland, but we would not recommend Guide to Iceland to anyone.
After we signed up and paid, and after we were sent an itinerary, we were left on our own. We had read reviews that said the staff was always available and could always help resolve problems in real time during the 10 days -- NOT TRUE. Perhaps that is because we believed Josef when he said he was our personal guide, so we directed all phone calls and emails to him. He never once called back, even for a problem that needed resolving very quickly. He did email once or twice, but there wasn't enough information to help us, and when I called to get clarification, he didn't call back. The last correspondence we received was from someone other than Josef, who emailed (during our trip) to say they were there if we needed them. But by that point, we had given up. Perhaps if we had just called each time we needed something and spoken to whoever answered the phone, and insisted on being helped, it would have worked better. But we were told not to do that but to direct questions to Josef.
Before we gave up on communication, I emailed Josef to ask if he could call to explain how to do a glacier hike the next day (Skaftafel) given our itinerary during the day and the fact that it was going to be an extremely long day of driving. I also asked if there was any way to change the reservation for that night so it wouldn't involve so much driving (we figured about 10 hours). No response.
That day was a harrowing one. Though we were told that some roads in Iceland required 4 wheel drive vehicles, what this meant was not explained to us, nor were we given the option of alternative roads. On the way from Kirkubaejarklaustar to Borgarfjordur Eystri, the longest day, we ended up on a dirt road that wound for about 17 km, extremely steeply through stark hills. The roads were so steep and curvy that we could not see what was on the other side. The roads so narrow, and with land dropping away on each side, that we couldn't imagine turning around. I was scared but I managed to drive through it. Were there alternative routes? If so, we were not advised that we could take them. Luckily, I am fairly brave, but I imagined someone traveling alone, maybe uncomfortable with difficult driving, feeling terrified to be out there alone. Thank god that this wasn't the day with pouring rain and gale force winds!
On another day -- the gale-force winds and rain day -- we went to see Dettifoss Waterfall, the east side, this time slogging through (luckily flat) dirt roads for an hour in the rain, only to find that it was way too windy and rainy to walk to the waterfall. We realized later that there might have been an easier road to the west side of the waterfall, but we had not been advised to take it.
These are specific problems related to lack of communication and follow up by the man who was supposed to be our guide. They are serious problems.
Perhaps this tour would have been easier if we had decided ahead of time on extra activities, but we just couldn't decide. It would also have been easier if we were much younger and Internet savvy. We are both in our early 70s (I don't remember if you asked that), and figuring out our route every day was hard. We wanted help, but gave up on getting it.
A more general problem, which I'd assume is how GTI does things, is that the itinerary we received was not tailored to where we were actually staying. Though the suggested stops were more or less listed in the direction we were going, they sometimes assumed we were starting from a different place and stopping at a different place. This problem could have been resolved by sending us an itinerary that MATCHED the places we were staying, with mileages given from and to our lodgings from one day to the next. We had to do a Google map each day -- something GTI could have done for us.
The hotels where we stayed were -- with one exception -- Lava Apartments and Rooms -- were welcoming and comfortable. This isn't a criticism of GTI, but I'd suggest you don't use them in the future. At this place, we had an apartment on the second floor, which we reached by climbing a staircase without a light! Also, it turned out that we had a free breakfast at a local cafe, but the man who let us in thought we did NOT. It turned out that GTI was supposed to send us something a couple days before with both clearer directions and a pass to the cafe.
Concerning the hotels, we had asked more than once if GTI could make sure that the rooms had two separate twin beds, but we were told that it was impossible -- places were too full to change. But guess what? When we called in advance, we were able to change most of the rooms to two beds -- so clearly this would have been possible for GTI to do.
In short, we mostly lucked out, we drove and drove and drove (NEVER less than three hours of driving, but more likely 6 hours, and the day mentioned above was 10 hours).
This was billed as a self-drive tour, but in fact, other than the lodgings and the car rental, it was a "self-planned" tour. Information that was specific to our destinations from day to day would have been so useful! Discussion of which roads to avoid if possible, or accurate descriptions of these difficult roads if unavoidable, would have avoided unpleasant surprises.
We loved Iceland, but we would not recommend Guide to Iceland to anyone.
كُتب بتاريخ 27 سبتمبر 2022
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Dudley
17 مساهمة
العائلة • أبريل 2019
We used the service by Tour IS. Liga has been very professional and helpful. She responded to our queries promptly. Managing to see the Northern Light at end of season for such viewing was the climax of our family trip. I highly recommend using their service. It also gives you peace of mind in case you have encountered bad weather or a car trouble. You could fall back onto their 24/7 emergency contact. You don't want to conduct a self drive trip without some kind of insurance.
كُتب بتاريخ 29 يونيو 2019
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fdkmd
سان دييجو, كاليفورنيا95 مساهمة
زوجان • أكتوبر 2016
Traveled from 9/30 to 10/6. We had only seven days and we wanted see as much of Iceland by car as possible. Some tour operators only cover a tour of the south in 6-7 days. I contacted three different tour companies. After comparing prices and customer service I chose www.icelandselfdrive.com as it offered a 7 day tour that covered the whole country in a loop (“Iceland in a week, Highlights of Iceland tour”) at a much better price. They also offered a low season 20% discount. Furthermore unlike one other competitor, they were very responsive to my inquiries from the beginning. The big honcho Gudmundur “Karl”Gautason assigned Thorunn to work with me and she was wonderful. She was extremely helpful in working out all the details and taking care of all my requests.
For example I wanted to end the trip at the Blue Lagoon in order to relax before boarding the plane the next day. I had no interest in getting acquainted with the hundreds of tourists coming out to the Lagoon in busloads. Instead I wanted to reserve a room at the Silica hotel and take advantage of their private "VIP" free access to the Lagoon. The cost of one night at the hotel was $400 (ouch) but when I added the cost of the blue Lagoon packages ($43 to $212 PP) I realized it was not that expensive. Thorunn was able to get me the last night at the Silica hotel within the package at no extra cost. Furthermore, when I told her I was a fan of the Icelandic TV show Trapped (Ófærð ) partially shot in Siglufjörður, Iceland, she canceled what would have been our assigned hotel in the area and booked us a night at the Siglo hotel instead (featured in that TV show) also at no extra cost. Needless to say I was quite impressed with this tour operator before even we left home. She also made reservations for us to go horseback riding at the Elhestar stables. We paid a 20% down payment using PayPal to reserve this tour and the remaining 80% when we arrived in Iceland.
Karl sent a car to pick us up at the airport when we arrived in Reykjavik and met us at the hotel lobby later that day to go over the entire itinerary and collect the final payment. He highlighted with different color markers all the points of interest and his own personal suggestions on the map. Karl handled us a bag that contained the vouchers for all hotels and activities, an iPad with 3G mobile internet, a local cell phone, and a Garmin (GPS) with stored coordinates of the different hotels we were going to stay at. Let me tell you, if you are a perfectionist and have anal retentive tendencies like I do, you will be impressed.
We drove an average of 200 miles/day in a diesel, brand new KIA, AWD SUV. There are no words to describe how beautiful Iceland is and the thrill of exploring and driving all across the country. Be prepared to see in a relative short distance a full spectrum of natural wonders including magnificent waterfalls, volcanoes, glaciers, geysers, and black sand beaches.
Be aware some of the hotels in the countryside are more like 2-3 star motels and do not come close to the above mentioned luxury hotels. On the other hand you will only spend just one night at each location and you will be too tired to care. They all offer free breakfast. (You may follow my reviews on the hotels we stayed at during this trip)
Be aware that eating out in Iceland is relatively expensive and a lunch or dinner for two with two glasses of wine will cost you about $160 very much wherever you go.
I strongly recommend this tour and this company to anyone who wants to spend an unforgettable week in Iceland. And yes I did see the aurora borealis at 3 AM near Lake Mývatn.
For example I wanted to end the trip at the Blue Lagoon in order to relax before boarding the plane the next day. I had no interest in getting acquainted with the hundreds of tourists coming out to the Lagoon in busloads. Instead I wanted to reserve a room at the Silica hotel and take advantage of their private "VIP" free access to the Lagoon. The cost of one night at the hotel was $400 (ouch) but when I added the cost of the blue Lagoon packages ($43 to $212 PP) I realized it was not that expensive. Thorunn was able to get me the last night at the Silica hotel within the package at no extra cost. Furthermore, when I told her I was a fan of the Icelandic TV show Trapped (Ófærð ) partially shot in Siglufjörður, Iceland, she canceled what would have been our assigned hotel in the area and booked us a night at the Siglo hotel instead (featured in that TV show) also at no extra cost. Needless to say I was quite impressed with this tour operator before even we left home. She also made reservations for us to go horseback riding at the Elhestar stables. We paid a 20% down payment using PayPal to reserve this tour and the remaining 80% when we arrived in Iceland.
Karl sent a car to pick us up at the airport when we arrived in Reykjavik and met us at the hotel lobby later that day to go over the entire itinerary and collect the final payment. He highlighted with different color markers all the points of interest and his own personal suggestions on the map. Karl handled us a bag that contained the vouchers for all hotels and activities, an iPad with 3G mobile internet, a local cell phone, and a Garmin (GPS) with stored coordinates of the different hotels we were going to stay at. Let me tell you, if you are a perfectionist and have anal retentive tendencies like I do, you will be impressed.
We drove an average of 200 miles/day in a diesel, brand new KIA, AWD SUV. There are no words to describe how beautiful Iceland is and the thrill of exploring and driving all across the country. Be prepared to see in a relative short distance a full spectrum of natural wonders including magnificent waterfalls, volcanoes, glaciers, geysers, and black sand beaches.
Be aware some of the hotels in the countryside are more like 2-3 star motels and do not come close to the above mentioned luxury hotels. On the other hand you will only spend just one night at each location and you will be too tired to care. They all offer free breakfast. (You may follow my reviews on the hotels we stayed at during this trip)
Be aware that eating out in Iceland is relatively expensive and a lunch or dinner for two with two glasses of wine will cost you about $160 very much wherever you go.
I strongly recommend this tour and this company to anyone who wants to spend an unforgettable week in Iceland. And yes I did see the aurora borealis at 3 AM near Lake Mývatn.
كُتب بتاريخ 22 أكتوبر 2016
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millers6
Mankato, Minnesota20 مساهمة
زوجان • سبتمبر 2014
Rent a car and drive the South Coast. Loved the black sand beach at the end of our drive and the waterfalls along the way were beautiful!
كُتب بتاريخ 5 يونيو 2015
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Which self-driving tour companies are best? Is it really worth it to use a company or just plan on your own? What is a reasonable tour route for 7 days mid march? we like adventures, like snorkel, ice caves and hikes, besides quaint towns and villages. What advice can others offer?
كُتب بتاريخ 27 ديسمبر 2019
I used TourIS last April. They are not the cheapest, nor the most expensive. Most tour companies have all kinds of self drive tours with different length and areas. If you have a particular need which is not met by any available tour, I'm sure they could custom make one for you.
The advantage using a tour company is the ease of booking everything for you and a number to call 24/7 in case of emergencies. It's a matter of how much time you want to spend on planning your trip and if you got stuck and have to rebook everything on the remainder of your trip, are you equipped to do so? March weather is still cold there.
كُتب بتاريخ 28 ديسمبر 2019
عرض نتائج 1-1 من أصل 1
*من المحتمل أن تنفد: استنادًا إلى بيانات الحجز على Viator والمعلومات المُقدَّمة من الموفر خلال الأيام الـ 30 الماضية، يبدو أنه من المحتمل أن تنفد هذه التجربة عبر Viator، وهي إحدى شركات Tripadvisor.