Iceland is the perfect country to take a road trip through. There are plenty of camping sites and hidden gems that require you to travel off the beaten path. Motorhomes and campervans are the most popular options for traveling through Iceland’s incredible backcountry. You could rent a car and stay in a hotel along the way, but where is the fun in that? Here are the top campervan and motorhome rental sites for camping in Iceland.
Motorhome or Campervan: Which Do I Choose?
Campervans and motorhomes are similar, and yet they are entirely different. Both allow you to eat and sleep inside of them (some more comfortably than others) so that you don’t have to brave the elements. Both are vehicles that are sturdy and meant to handle whatever nature throws at you. And both are attractive options for people of all walks of life. But, what is the difference between them? Put most simply: campervans are geared towards younger people or smaller groups, while motorhomes are aimed towards families or big groups of people.
Both motorhomes and campervans have positives and negatives, but it is up to you to choose which one will work best for you. Campervans are generally more cost efficient, have offload capabilities, and they come with automatic transmission options. However, they are much smaller, they don’t have actual beds, and they don’t offer as many amenities compared to motorhomes. Motorhomes are larger, much more comfortable, and they can fit a large group of people. But, they are much more expensive, cannot go off-roading, and they are limited to a manual transmission.
Now that you have a better idea of the differences between motorhomes and campervans, let’s take a look at the best ways to rent the perfect vehicle for your next trip!
Campervan Iceland
Campervan Iceland is a provider of both campervans and motorhomes. They operate out of Reykjavik, but you can pick up the vans or motorhomes right from the airport in Keflavík. They offer six different campervan options and six motorhome options. They are also one of the few companies to provide the VW California 4×4.
The Volkswagen California is an homage to VW’s original 60s camper van. The engineers at VW worked tirelessly to make sure the van would be intuitive and easy to use for camping. This is different than the rest of the camper vans offered by Icelandic camper van providers. The majority of camper vans are retrofitted from their original purpose to allow occupants to eat, sleep, and ostensibly camp out of them. The VW was *designed* for camping, and as such is really comfortable and enjoyable to use.
Aside from offering the VW California, Campervan Iceland has world class customer service. They are a great option if you want the security of knowing that your rental company is with you for the entirety of your trip.
Motorhome Iceland
Motorhome Iceland has a wide range of both campervan and motorhome options. Both their campervan and motorhome options are robust, which is rare for a rental company. Most of the time companies offer either excellent campervan options and one or two motorhome options, or vice versa. Motorhome Iceland is sure to have something that will be perfect for your next Icelandic adventure.
They may not be the cheapest option, but they are definitely one of the best. Some of their included extras are bedding, cooking equipment, 24/7 roadside assistance, and unlimited driving mileage. If you are looking for either an excellent quality campervan or motorhome, look no further than Motorhome Iceland.
Kúkú
Kúkú campervans are geared towards young people. They have one of the largest fleets of camper vans in Iceland, and they have been around since 2011. Kúkú stands apart from their competitors in both price and in the wide variety of campervan options they have. Kúkú’s fleet has 11 different types of camper vans, some of which are incredibly rugged and were designed to go offroading. Kúkú’s social media presence is strong, and people rave about them. If you are in the market for a cost-efficient campervan, then this is a great option.
Happy Campers
Happy Campers, like Kúkú, is another company that specializes in campervans exclusively. They have been around for a while, and they also operate in South Africa. One of the ways in which they differ from Kúkú is that they have interior dining areas built into the vans, so you can eat inside if the weather is terrible. This will come in handy during any trip to Iceland. Also, they have world-class heating systems built into them.
Happy Campers ensure that no matter what the weather conditions, you will have a great experience camping in Iceland. My favorite feature they offer is online tracking for your trip. If you go to their website and put in your reservation number, Google maps will pull up a history of everywhere you have been on your journey. It’s an entertaining way to show your friends and family where you have been on your Icelandic adventure.
2018 Top Campervan and Motorhome Rental Companies
In summary, all of these providers offer similar services but can be very different. They are all great options, but it is up to you to decide which one will be right for you. I would choose Campervan Iceland because I have always wanted to rent a VW California. But, you need to find an option that suits your situation. I am a young person, and I don’t need a whole lot of space. Campervan Iceland, Kúkú, and Happy Campers are all great options.
However, if you have a family, a big group of friends, or if you want to treat yourself to a luxury experience then maybe a motorhome is more your style. Motorhome Iceland is the way to go if you want this type of experience. Whatever the case may be, do your research, see what options are best for you, and book as soon as possible. We are in the high season, and rentals are disappearing very fast. Most importantly, have fun on your Icelandic adventure. Always remember: the vehicle you choose is just a tool to allow you to have a good time. It doesn’t make the trip special, your experiences do.
