
9 March
19 min read
15 Best Campsites in Iceland for Campervan Travel

9 March 2026
19 min read
If you are planning a campervan trip, the best campsites in Iceland are not about atmosphere or bucket lists. They are about legality, location, and not driving yourself into exhaustion. Iceland has roughly 200 registered campsites, which sounds generous until you realize most people will only ever use a small fraction of them.
This article cuts to the chase. It lists verified, legal campsites that actually work for those of you planning to rent a campervan in Iceland. Each campsite is treated as a practical base, tied to a specific sightseeing area, so you know what makes sense from there.
This is a general map of campsites in Iceland and is designed to make camping in Iceland simpler and more realistic for campervan travelers. Use it to plan overnight stops that actually fit your route, instead of guessing where you might end up at the end of a long day.
Each campsite is placed to help you move forward along the Ring Road or major sightseeing regions without unnecessary detours. It also helps you avoid long backtracking days, which are one of the fastest ways to burn time and energy in Iceland.
Below is a quick planning table for our top 15 campsites in Iceland that lets you compare campsites by region, season, and core facilities before committing to specific stops.
|
Campsite |
Region |
Season |
Showers |
Electricity |
Kitchen |
Best Area to Explore |
|
Reykjavík Campsite |
Reykjavík |
Year-round |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Reykjavík city, Sky Lagoon |
|
Thingvellir Campsite |
Golden Circle |
Seasonal |
Yes |
Limited |
No |
Golden Circle highlights |
|
Laugarvatn Campsite |
Golden Circle |
Seasonal |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Golden Circle, Fontana |
|
Vík Campsite |
South Coast |
Seasonal |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
South Coast waterfalls |
|
Skaftafell Campsite |
SE Iceland |
Seasonal |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Vatnajökull NP |
|
Höfn Campsite |
SE Iceland |
Seasonal |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Glacier lagoons |
|
Egilsstaðir Campsite |
East Iceland |
Seasonal |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Eastfjords, Hengifoss |
|
Seyðisfjörður Campsite |
Eastfjords |
Seasonal |
Yes |
Limited |
No |
Eastfjords villages |
|
Mývatn Campsite |
North Iceland |
Seasonal |
Yes |
Yes |
Limited |
Mývatn geothermal area |
|
Húsavík Campsite |
North Iceland |
Seasonal |
Yes |
Limited |
No |
Whale watching |
|
Akureyri Campsite |
North Iceland |
Year-round |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Akureyri, Goðafoss |
|
Varmahlíð Campsite |
North Iceland |
Seasonal |
Yes |
Limited |
No |
Skagafjörður |
|
Stykkishólmur Campsite |
Snæfellsnes |
Seasonal |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Snæfellsnes Peninsula |
|
Ólafsvík / Hellissandur |
Snæfellsnes |
Seasonal |
Limited |
No |
No |
Snæfellsjökull NP |
|
Borgarnes Campsite |
West Iceland |
Seasonal |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
West Iceland waterfalls |
Location: Reykjavík city, approx. 50 km (31 mi) from the Campervan Reykjavik pickup area
Price:
Facilities:
Opening dates: Year-round
Website: Reykjavík Campsite
Best for visiting: Reykjavík city highlights, Sky Lagoon, museums, easy day trips before heading onto the Ring Road
This is one of the best campsites in Iceland for a first or last night with a campervan. It simplifies logistics, reduces driving pressure, and gives full access to Reykjavík before or after longer road days.

Location: Þingvellir National Park, approx. 45 km (28 mi) from Reykjavík
Price:
Facilities:
Opening dates: Seasonal with reduced winter access
Website: Thingvellir Campsite
Best for visiting: Thingvellir rift valley, Geysir about 60 km (37 mi) east, Gullfoss about 70 km (43 mi) east
This is one of the best campgrounds in Iceland for covering the Golden Circle efficiently. The trade-off is comfort, but the location eliminates backtracking and keeps daily driving short if you plan ahead.

Location: Laugarvatn village, approx. 78 km (48 mi) from Reykjavík and 641 km (398 mi) from Seyðisfjörður
Price:
Facilities:
Opening dates: Seasonal, open from June 1 to October 1
Website: Laugarvatn Campsite
Best for visiting: Tingvellir about 20 km (12 mi), Geysir roughly 28 km (18 mi), Gullfoss around 38 km (24 mi), Fontana Baths within walking distance
This is one of the more practical camping sites in Iceland if comfort matters. There are a bit more facilities than at Thingvellir, making it a better overnight base while keeping Golden Circle driving distances short.

Location: Vík í Mýrdal, approx. 1 km (0.6 mi) from Vík village center, about 188 km (117 mi) from Reykjavík
Price:
Facilities:
Opening dates: Seasonal, open from April 15 to November 8
Website: Vik Camping
Best for visiting: Reynisfjara black sand beach about 12 km (7 mi), Dyrhólaey around 18 km (11 mi), Skógafoss roughly 34 km (21 mi) west
This is one of the best campsites in Iceland for the South Coast. It is a logical overnight stop with full services, but it is exposed to wind, so conditions matter when choosing your spot.

Location: Skaftafell, inside Vatnajökull National Park, approx. 327 km (203 mi) from Reykjavík
Price:
Facilities:
Opening dates: Seasonal with limited winter access
Website: Skaftafell Campsite
Best for visiting: Svartifoss waterfall on foot, glacier hikes directly from the park
This is one of the more practical camping sites in Iceland if you want access without relocating your vehicle. Services are functional rather than comfortable, but the location saves distance, time, and fuel inside the national park.

Location: Höfn town, approx. 458 km (285 mi) from Reykjavík
Price:
Facilities:
Opening dates: Open year-round
Website: Hofn Campsite
Best for visiting: Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, about 80 km (50 mi) west, Diamond Beach just across the road
This is one of the best campgrounds in Iceland as a recovery stop after the long South Coast drive. Town services, short walking distances, and reliable facilities make it a practical reset point before continuing east or turning back west.

Location: Egilsstaðir town, approx. 262 km (163 mi) from Höfn and 269 km (167 mi) from Akureyri
Price:
Facilities:
Opening dates: Open year-round
Website: Egilsstadir Campsite
Best for visiting: Eastfjords driving loops, Hengifoss, about 35 km (22 mi) west
This is one of the strongest hubs for camping in Iceland in the east. Facilities are reliable year-round, distances reset after long drives, and the town location makes logistics easy before continuing deeper into the Eastfjords.

Location: Seyðisfjörður town, approx. 27 km (17 mi) from Egilsstaðir over the mountain pass
Price:
Facilities:
Opening dates: Seasonal
Website: Seyðisfjörður Campsite
Best for visiting: Eastfjords coastal villages, local hikes, Seyðisfjörður town
This is one of the best campsites in Iceland for short driving days. The fjord setting keeps distances tight and works well as an overnight stop before or after crossing the Eastfjords.

Location: Lake Mývatn, approx. 74 km (46 mi) east of Akureyri and 55 km (34 mi) south of Húsavík
Price:
Facilities:
Opening dates: Seasonal
Website: Mývatn Campsite
Best for visiting: Hverir geothermal area, about 16 km (10 mi), Dimmuborgir lava fields, roughly 16 km (10 mi)
This campsite works well as a multi-night base. The location allows short drives between key sites around Lake Mývatn, reducing daily mileage and setup time. Facilities are simple but sufficient, with services close by. Conditions can be busy in peak summer, and insects are part of the reality here, so bring some bug spray.

Location: Húsavík town, approx. 464 km (288 mi) from Reykjavík and 247 km (153 mi) from Seyðisfjörður
Price:
Facilities:
Opening dates: Seasonal, open from May 15 to September 15
Website: Husavik Camping
Best for visiting: Whale watching in Húsavík harbor, Dettifoss about 91 km (56 mi), Lake Mývatn around 57 km (38 mi), Ásbyrgi canyon roughly 60 km (37 mi)
This is one of the best campgrounds in Iceland for activity-focused stops. The town setting keeps services close and limits unnecessary driving between North Iceland highlights.

Location: Akureyri town, approx. 390 km (242 mi) from Reykjavík
Price:
Facilities:
Opening dates: Open all year
Website: Hamrar
Best for visiting: Akureyri city services, Godafoss about 35 km (22 mi), North Iceland day trips
This is one of the more reliable year-round open campsites in Iceland. It works as an urban reset point with full services, stable access, and short driving distances before continuing north or east.

Location: Skagafjörður, Varmahlíð village, approx. 95 km (59 mi) from Akureyri
Price:
Facilities:
Opening dates: Seasonal, open from May 15 to October 1
Website: Varmahlíð Campsite
Best for visiting: Horse farms in Skagafjörður, Hofsós about 45 km (28 mi), north interior routes toward the Highlands
This campsite works well to break up long northbound drives. The village location adds comfort without detours, and pool access makes overnight stops easier after full driving days.

Location: Stykkishólmur town, approx. 170 km (106 mi) from Reykjavík
Price:
Facilities:
Opening dates: Seasonal
Website: Stykkishólmur Campsite
Best for visiting: Snaefellsnes Peninsula highlights within 20 to 80 km (12 to 50 mi)
This campsite works well as a peninsula base. Town services are within walking distance, which reduces daily relocations while covering Snæfellsnes efficiently.

Location: Snaefellsnes north coast, Ólafsvík municipal boundary, approx. 194 km (120 mi) from Reykjavík
Price:
Facilities:
Opening dates: Seasonal
Website: Ólafsvík Campsite
Best for visiting: Saefellsjökull National Park within 28 km (18 mi)
This stop supports efficient camping in Iceland by reducing loop mileage on Snaefellsnes. Facilities are basic but functional, with town services and the swimming pool within a 10-15 minute walk.

Location: Borgarnes town, approx. 75 km (47 mi) north of Reykjavík, directly off Route 1
Price:
Facilities:
Opening dates: Seasonal, typically late May to late September
Website: Borgarnes Campsite
Best for visiting: Borgarfjörður region, Settlement Centre within 2 km (1.2 mi), Hraunfossar about 33 km (21 mi)
This is one of the best campsites in Iceland for breaking up Ring Road drives. The town setting keeps services walkable and makes West Iceland routes easier to manage without detours.

Very strictly. Overnight parking outside designated campsites is illegal for campervans. Fines are issued, and enforcement is active near roads, towns, and popular tourist areas.
Yes, along the Ring Road and major regions. Most routes have campsites every 50-100 km (30-60 mi), allowing realistic daily driving without exhaustion.
Most campsites are seasonal and close between September and May. Only a limited number remain open year-round, mainly near towns and larger service hubs.
Yes. Winter reduces available areas, limits showers and water access, and can close grass pitches. Some campsites restrict parking to hardened surfaces only.
Usually no. Most campsites operate first-come, first-served basis. Booking is only required at a few larger campsites during peak summer or high season events.
The best campsites in Iceland are rarely the prettiest on paper. They are the ones that sit where routes actually connect, services exist, and driving days stay realistic.
Location controls how much you see, how tired you are, and whether your plan survives weather and road conditions. Access matters more than scenery when you are moving every day.
Choose campsites that reduce backtracking, keep distances manageable, and work with seasonal limits. That is how trips stay flexible instead of stressful. If you are planning your route now, check out our campervan fleet and match the vehicle to campsites that support how you want to travel, not how blogs romanticize it.
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