Taking Cali to Iceland on ferry.

[bvddobb]

Our standard size is 215/65/16.

We have 225/70/16 (not 17) Latitude Cross as our Summer wheels. 4 on the car, 1 on a spare wheel on the back, 1 loose tyre underneath when ‘on tour’.

In normal day use we have the spare wheel underneath. With the air let out, it fits there, inflated not.


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[Nomis]

I took the Cali to Iceland by ferry for 3 weeks during July this year. Booked 2 weeks ahead and accepted the dates they gave me with 3days in Faeroes on the way out. Couchettes with breakfast included/ If you are a couple you get all 6 beds for price of two. 2200 Euro return. Dont get the camping card, Only the worst campsites accept it. Take as much food as you can with you and avoid restaurants in Reykavik. We destroyed one tyre on gravel roads on the last day but managed to get the spare on easily enough. Managed one ,F, road but it was a risk. Snowed in the mountains one day even in July. Was an amazing trip, glad to have done it, an experience not soon forgotten...

 

[Nick Stubbs]

I took the Cali to Iceland by ferry for 3 weeks during July this year. Booked 2 weeks ahead and accepted the dates they gave me with 3days in Faeroes on the way out. Couchettes with breakfast included/ If you are a couple you get all 6 beds for price of two. 2200 Euro return. Dont get the camping card, Only the worst campsites accept it. Take as much food as you can with you and avoid restaurants in Reykavik. We destroyed one tyre on gravel roads on the last day but managed to get the spare on easily enough. Managed one ,F, road but it was a risk. Snowed in the mountains one day even in July. Was an amazing trip, glad to have done it, an experience not soon forgotten...

You were lucky, we tried to get a ferry on the spur of the moment and couldn’t get one any time between May and August in 2016, be careful taking excess food in we took a lot but some folk got searched on the way in and got supplies confiscated, we got away with it.

 

[Erbster]

Are there rules about how much food you can bring in, then?


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[Nick Stubbs]

Are there rules about how much food you can bring in, then?


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Yes, and it isn't a great deal..

 

[Erbster]

Yes, and it isn't a great deal..

Thanks. Do you have a link for that pls?


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[Nick Stubbs]

Thanks. Do you have a link for that pls?


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Entry Requirements

Entry Requirements and Customs in Iceland | Frommer's

Here's a guide to entry requirements & customs in Iceland - everything you need to know.

www.frommers.com

Camping

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[H Marriage]

Hi Jon. Have only just noticed this thread. We took our Cali to Iceland on the ferry in May 2018. It was the only thing we booked for our year long trip around Europe. My recollection is that we booked about 5 months in advance. Arriving in early May, there was plenty of snow on the ground (in fact we arrived at Seydisfjordur in a snow storm). However, when we left a month later, spring had arrived and much of the snow had melted. There were plenty of other Calis on the ferry, but once in Iceland, we only met a few on our travels. The one problem we encountered with Iceland in a Cali was the wind. It is a very windy place!! Consequently, there were times when it was too windy to put up the pop up roof. This was a problem for us, since we had so much stuff packed in the van, to cover all climates for the year, that sleeping downstairs was a pain. We did fit an Internal Topper, and also used an External Topper in addition, to help insulate from the cold. I would say that both of these are essential in Iceland at that time of year. We found the campsites fairly basic, some with just toilets and water. Often they were sited close to hot springs. When it got too cold or windy (usually the latter), we resorted to other accommodation. Not cheap, but it gave us the odd night in the warm, and a chance to do some washing.
We had 4WD on the van, but only took one spare tyre, and thankfully never had a puncture. You will have to be prepared to drive on gravel roads, even if not going into the interior, unless you plan to stay on the Ring Road the whole time. We found the north and east of Iceland much quieter than the south, but the whole island is spectacular.
Our biggest regret is that we didn’t opt to stay longer in the Faroes. They are really beautiful islands and well worth exploring. Seeing as the ferry stops there both ways, it is an ideal opportunity to visit this extraordinary place.
I hope that you enjoy your trip.
Heather

 

[Nick Stubbs]

I think the weather can be so variable I recon we only had a couple of windy days in three weeks (June) one day of horizontal rain, first night snow. Agree the North is a lot quieter, loved the North west but didn't have enough time to really explore. We had three nights on the Faroe's on the return run the weather there was truly dreadful, couldn't get the roof tent up two nights so slept in the car and accommodation hotel / b&b is pretty sparse and usually all taken.

 

[Wesel]

If You Don’t Like the Weather in Iceland, Just Wait Five Minutes

 

[Erbster]

Entry Requirements

Entry Requirements and Customs in Iceland | Frommer's

Here's a guide to entry requirements & customs in Iceland - everything you need to know.

www.frommers.com

Camping

Camping in Iceland › All Campsites - camping.info

Find available campsites in Iceland from 67 campsites ✓ 116 reviews ✓ 268 photos for campsites in Iceland ✓ Book online now!

en.camping.info

Thank you. 3kg of food is not much. You’d get more than that in just the fridge!


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[Velma's Dad]

Coming late to this thread. Haven't been to Iceland since about five years ago, and then without Cali, but for me the F roads across the interior were the real highlights - some epic wilderness/virtual moonscapes, and getting up to Askja in the immense Vatnajokull National Park. To be limited to just the ring road (spectacular as it is in many places) would IMO be to miss out significantly.

We did our travel in a Landcruiser so were able to do some reasonably deep fording etc and although much of the gravel roads across the endless lava fields were completely 2WD-able in good weather, the snow comes on suddenly (as happened to us, from a sprinkling to deep drifts within about half an hour) you don't want to be caught out many tens of km from anywhere or anyone.

So if you take a 2WD Cali for the main route sections and camping, maybe if the budget stretches to it you could arrange to rent a good off-road vehicle just for a couple of day trips and so have the chance to tackle a couple of the fabulous F roads in the interior. Just a thought.

 

[Cali4nia-Dream]

Another one coming late to this thread.
We did the Camping & Caravan Club escorted tour to Iceland and the Faroe Islands - 31 day Escorted Tour in 2018. Overall its 2 nights on the ferry each way.
Our package gave us 3 nights in Faroes so our outward journey was broken. Although the weather was foul in Faroes we really enjoyed the place.
Food on the ferry - you have a pay as you eat cafeteria that also has a fixed price set meal available, but that is only there for a short time, but things like pizzas, chicken and chips, spag bol and salads are available most of the time. There is another all you can eat buffet restrauant which we felt was rather expensive.
Coffees and pastries were available in the bars throughout the day.
You are allowed to take a kettle on board (euro 2 pin plug and low wattage) so if you want you can take pot noodles, cup a soup etc and eat in your cabin. You can only eat your own food in your cabin or on deck.
There are some u tube videos showing the very tight packing of vehicles on the boat, its a work of art.
Only the driver is allowed on the car deck, all other passengers must board and alight by foot - there are a lot of steps. Realistically the passenger needs to take all the stuff you require in the cabins, because once you are parked you cannot get into the boot, or open the door until the vehicle at the side of you has been moved.
It could take over an hour to get reunited with the rest of your party as they board quickly by foot and you may have to wait a while on the dock side to be directed onto the boat.
There is not such a lot to do on board, there is the duty free but you will cringe at the prices, but they are still cheaper than Iceland prices!!
Phone calls and data are very expensive being charged at maritime rates.
Suggest you take a good book, pack of cards or offline computer games or films to help while away the time.
There is very little to watch out of the ships windows or be on deck for other than when passing Shetland or approaching the Faroes or Iceland.

With regards to the Hiring comment, most of the hired vans we saw were very basic with a crude wooden shelf to support a mattress and provide storage underneath , no windows in the rear. Hiring something approaching a Cali spec was around £300 per night

Wild camping is not permitted at all under any circumstances, so campsites cn be extremely busy during the summer. At one site our group parked up mid afternoon with 2-3 metres between vehicles and during the night other people pitched up between us. There can also be challenges getting an electric hookup on some sites. Most of the sites are very basic compared to the UK. Many have communal showers.