Do I book directly on IcelandStart?

No. IcelandStart does not take travel bookings or travel-booking payments. When you click a partner link, you continue to the partner's website where live prices, availability, terms, and booking are handled.

Does it cost more to use IcelandStart?

We do not add booking fees. Final prices, fees, taxes, availability, and terms are shown by the partner site before you book.

Why don't you show prices on IcelandStart?

Travel prices can change quickly. To avoid misleading visitors, we send you to the partner site for current prices, availability, and booking terms.

Are prices or deals guaranteed?

No. Travel prices and availability can change quickly. Always verify the final details, terms, cancellation rules, and total cost on the partner site.

Are the Iceland cards live deals?

No. The Iceland cards are search starters and planning guides. Live prices, availability, booking terms, fees, taxes, and cancellation rules are shown on the partner site.

We focus on a small set of established travel brands that match the main Iceland decisions: car rental and self-drive, tours and no-car travel, Reykjavík and route-based stays, family/group homes, and broader flight + package search as a supporting option.

Is IcelandStart an affiliate website?

Yes. Some links on IcelandStart may be partner or affiliate links. If you click through and make a booking or purchase on a partner site, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Free Iceland pre-booking planner

Plan your Iceland route before you waste money on the wrong hotel, car or tour.

Q: How does IcelandStart work?

IcelandStart helps you start Iceland travel planning by pointing you toward useful travel categories, established partner sites, and official Iceland resources. Bookings, live prices, availability, fees, and final terms are handled on partner websites. Official Iceland resources are included for planning and safety information.

Answer 5 quick questions and get a practical Iceland starting plan: where to base yourself, whether to rent a car, what to book first, and what to leave flexible.

Built in Iceland by Marteinn Hilmarsson. Route-first planning before booking.

Free route-first starting plan
Built in Iceland
Official safety checks included
Booking happens on partner sites

Why this matters before you book

The three most expensive Iceland planning mistakes

These are the bookings that are hardest to undo once you've paid. Get the route shape right first — then compare hotels, cars and tours.

Wrong base

Booking the wrong overnight town turns every day into a 2–3 hour extra drive, or limits what you can reach.

Check my overnight bases

Wrong car

Renting a car before knowing if your route and season actually need one — or fit your luggage and group.

Check car vs. tours

Wrong booking order

Booking tours and hotels before your route shape is clear, then discovering they don't fit your days.

Check what to book first

Human Iceland plan review

Already planned your Iceland trip? Let me find the red flags before you book.

The free planner gives you a strong starting shape. If you already have dates, a route or bookings in mind, a human Plan Check catches wrong overnight bases, wrong car choice and wrong booking order before you lock anything in.

Wrong base? I check your overnight stops against the route.
Wrong car? I check whether your route and season fit self-drive.
Wrong order? I check what should be booked first vs. left flexible.

Send my draft for a Plan Check

Written planning advice only · No bookings handled by IcelandStart.

Start here if Iceland planning feels overwhelming

See how IcelandStart works in seconds.

Watch how the route-first approach helps you choose your Iceland trip shape before comparing hotels, cars or tours.

Short demo showing why you should plan the route, overnight bases, car choice and booking order before comparing travel options.

Fresh from the Ring Road

Real Iceland road notes and photos behind the planning advice

Recent field notes from real Iceland road travel — including South Coast, glacier lagoon, East Iceland and North Iceland stops. The photos are from the same routes the planning advice is built on.

See IcelandStart Field Notes Read the Ring Road notes Browse the Iceland photo gallery

About IcelandStart

Built from real Iceland planning experience

I'm Marteinn Hilmarsson, based in Iceland. I built IcelandStart to help visitors avoid expensive planning mistakes before they book hotels, cars or tours. I recently drove the Ring Road twice in one month, and I use that kind of first-hand experience to make the advice here more practical and less generic.

Read about IcelandStart

Three clear paths

Choose your next step

Plan first, then check or compare — IcelandStart helps you avoid the wrong base, wrong car and wrong booking order.

No plan yet?
Answer a few questions and get your Iceland route shape, car/no-car direction and booking order.
Start the free Iceland planner
Already have a draft route?
Get a written human check on pacing, overnight bases, car choice and booking order before you lock in bookings.
Get my route checked
Written planning advice only — IcelandStart does not handle bookings.
Know what you need?
Compare hotels, cars, tours or stays only after your route and booking order are clear.
Compare the right options

Example starting planWinter Northern Lights trip · 4–6 days

Best starting point: Reykjavík base + guided day tours
First decision: Tours vs. rental car
Avoid this mistake: Renting a small car without checking winter road and weather conditions
Official checks: SafeTravel + weather forecast before travel days
Next steps: Compare stays, northern lights tours and airport transfers

Your result changes based on season, trip length, travel style and concerns.

The IcelandStart Selector

Choose your Iceland starting point

Pick the trip style that sounds most like you. We'll show the first route decision, what to book first, what to avoid, and which official Iceland resource to check. Nothing is booked through IcelandStart, and the official resources we link to are non-affiliate. Prefer the full 5-question version? Open the Iceland Trip Planner Tool.

Step 1 · Pick your trip style

Want the full version? Open the Iceland Trip Planner Tool.

Open the planner tool

Ready to compare?

Already know your trip shape? Compare the next step.

Pick the scenario that matches your trip and jump to the right partner step. IcelandStart may earn a commission from some partner links, at no extra cost to you. Official safety and public-resource links are not affiliate links.

Reykjavík base / no car

Best if: Short trip, winter, no driving, or day tours from Reykjavík.

First compare: Cancellable Reykjavík stay near tour pickup.

Then compare: Golden Circle, South Coast or Northern Lights tours.

Search cancellable Reykjavík stays near tour pickup Compare Iceland day tours from Reykjavík

Stays via Hotels.com · Tours via GetYourGuide · partner links

South Coast self-drive

Best if: 5–7 days, summer/shoulder season, confident driver.

First compare: South Coast overnight stops before locking the car.

Then compare: Car rental for your route and season.

Search South Coast stays before locking the car Compare car rentals after choosing your route

Stays via Hotels.com · Car rental via Go Car Rental · partner links

Ring Road

Best if: 9–14 days, mostly summer, realistic overnight pacing.

First compare: Route-safe car and key overnight towns.

Then compare: Flexible stays along the loop.

Compare Ring Road car rental options Search stays along the route

Car rental via Go Car Rental · Stays via Hotels.com · partner links

Family or group

Best if: More space, luggage, fewer base changes.

First compare: Vacation home or larger stay with space and parking.

Then compare: Vehicle size that fits the group.

Search family/group stays with space and parking Compare larger car options

Stays via Vrbo · Car rental via EconomyBookings · partner links

Paid partner links — IcelandStart may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate Disclosure.

Official Iceland resources (weather, road conditions, safety) remain non-affiliate and live in the Official Resources section below.

Built in Iceland

Built in Iceland to help you plan before you book

IcelandStart is run by Marteinn Hilmarsson in Iceland. The site is built around the mistakes travelers often make before booking: trying to do too much, choosing a car before choosing a route, underestimating winter conditions, or comparing hotels before understanding the trip shape.

No travel bookings or travel-booking payments are handled by IcelandStart.
Official Iceland resources are clearly separated and non-affiliate.
Partner links appear after the planning decision, not before it.

Corrections welcome. Official Iceland resources are separate and non-affiliate.

About Editorial Policy Affiliate Disclosure Send a correction

Common starting paths

Not sure where to begin?

Most Iceland trips start with one of these decisions.

Classic Iceland landscape for a first-time Iceland trip

First time in Iceland

Start with Reykjavík, Golden Circle and South Coast before planning longer routes.

4–7 daysReykjavík baseClassic route

See first-time plan

Winter Iceland landscape with Northern Lights

Winter and Northern Lights

Plan around weather, daylight, guided tours and safe travel checks.

WinterGuided toursSafety checks

See winter plan

Open Iceland road for a summer self-drive trip

Self-drive road trip

Choose your route, car type and overnight stops before booking everything.

SummerRental carRoute planning

See self-drive plan

Official Iceland resources · Non-affiliate

Official Iceland resources to check before you travel

IcelandStart helps you plan, but road, weather and safety conditions change fast. Always check official Icelandic sources before every travel day.

Visit Iceland

Official Iceland travel information — destination inspiration, things to do, accommodation information, and general travel guidance.

Visit official site

SafeTravel Iceland

Official safe-travel information for Iceland. Useful for travel conditions, safety guidance, and preparation before outdoor or road-trip travel.

Check SafeTravel

Iceland road conditions

Road condition information for Iceland (Vegagerðin / Umferðin). Useful before driving — especially in winter, high winds, snow, or changing conditions.

Check road conditions

Icelandic Meteorological Office

Official Icelandic weather forecasts (Veðurstofa Íslands). Useful before driving, outdoor activities, or winter travel.

Check weather

These are official, non-affiliate links — provided for traveler safety and planning. Always check the most recent information on the official site before you travel.

Keep planning