I Wouldn’t Travel to Iceland Alone. Here’s Why.

If you Google “Travel to Iceland Alone”, you will find a plethora of posts on why Iceland is the best place to travel solo from some of my favorite travel blogs like Blonde Abroad, Adventurous Kate, and even the Huffington Post.

Now, don’t get me wrong.. I did travel to Iceland alone and I had a great time and saw some amazing things. But, I’d have to say, if you go to Iceland, don’t go solo. Go in a group.

I understand why so many blogs would think Iceland would be the ideal place to travel solo: most people there speak English AND it’s one of the safest countries in the world. But there’s other things that I look for when I book a solo trip. If you asked me the best place to travel solo, I’d pick Thailand or Budapest. This is because those places are 1.) cheap and affordable for someone to travel alone and 2.) crawling with solo travelers which makes it very easy to meet people when you want to.

I wouldn’t travel to Iceland alone because:

1.) It’s Super Expensive

Hostels in Iceland are still upwards of $40/night. If you choose to go with a group instead, you can at least save some money and split the cost of an Airbnb. Also, there’s no cheap public transportation in Iceland (which is part of the reason why it’s so beautiful). But this means that renting a car is your best bet at seeing what this country has to offer. If you’re traveling alone, renting a car on your own (and filling the gas tank) for a week can be really heavy on your wallet.

2.) It’s Difficult to Meet People

There’s a lot of reasons why it’s hard to meet people in Iceland. For one, most people don’t come to Iceland and party. This is because a night of drinking in Reykjavik can be quite costly due to the prices of alcohol. And let’s admit it, we meet most of our friends when we’re tossing back a few beers.

Also, since Iceland is so expensive and desolate, most people travel here with a group. When people are already traveling with a group of friends, they are less likely to reach out and try to meet strangers.

3.) There Are A Lot of Hours Spent on the Road

If you have a full time job and plan to travel to Iceland alone for a few days and want to see most of the sights, there will be a lot of driving involved. When you’re traveling alone, this means a lot of time behind the wheel of a car which can get lonely, not to mention ergonomically painful. I love road trips, I don’t consider anything under 5 hours a long drive, but driving long hours day after day will tire anyone out. If you go with a group, these road trips (and the time behind the wheel) can be shared.

Again, don’t get me wrong, I loved Iceland (in fact here is my 5 day Iceland itinerary), but I just don’t think it’s the “perfect solo travel destination” that other people say it is. If your only chance to visit this country is alone, then take it. It’s a beautiful country after all. Just be aware of the above!

If I did it again, I would go with a group. And I recommend that you do too.

Have any questions about travel to Iceland alone? Please comment below!