A Happy Campers campers rental in Iceland is a tremendous way to enjoy a road trip in Iceland. We chose to circumnavigate the Scandinavian country on their legendary Ring Road for our trip. Of course, with any trip, the key is to pick the right provider, tour operator, hotel, and activity.
That’s why we decided on Happy Campers and could not have been happier. They have one of the best reputations for Iceland camper van rentals, and it’s easy to understand why after renting a camper van from them.
An Iceland camper rental removes some headaches around a road trip and offers greater flexibility. They’re also economical to travel around Iceland as they combine your transportation and accommodation.
However, that doesn’t mean a Happy Camper Iceland is cheap – just affordable by Iceland standards! Iceland is one of the most expensive countries to travel to, and you want to ensure your dollars go as far as possible.
Is Happy Camper Rentals The Best Iceland Camper Van Rental?
the Best Campervan Rental Company in Iceland?
Happy Campers Iceland was one of the first companies to offer kitted rental vans in Iceland starting in 2009. It may not seem that long ago, but since 2009 a lot has changed. It’s brought about dozens of new companies, including familiar faces like corporate car rental giants offering their own version of a camper van.
Happy Campers is still family-run by Icelanders; you can find the whole family involved. We were checked out by the Sverrir or the “Happy Boss.” While his son was responsible for setting up our booking, another picked us up from the airport.
Their main office is a short drive from the airport, where guests can pick up their campervans. The check-in process is super smooth; they take the time to review guest travel plans in Iceland and make helpful suggestions. That gives you plenty of time to go over any last-minute questions you may have about routes, campsites, activities, or features of the van. (Here are some of our tips)
Customer service is a real highlight here, and we trust that they’d be sure to amend any issue that may arise. They’re very much a family business and something we really appreciate when booking.
The Happy 2 Campervan
Our van came with everything we could need for a camping trip around Iceland. The Happy 2 is one of their larger model camper vans and can drive four people and sleep two. With only two of us on the trip, we had plenty of space for our ten-day trip around the Ring Road. If you plan on camping around Iceland like us these are our top Ring Road trip tips.
The Happy 2 is a manual transmission Renault Trafic, a larger van, but it is manageable. I had no problems driving the vehicle as I’m a confident manual driver. Happy Campers does have automatic options, but that costs anywhere from €5-25 a day more.
Music is important on any road trip, and the vehicle has an MPS CD player with a USB/auxiliary input to hook up your phone so you can play all your travel music!
It’s equipped with a dual battery system that allows for you to have a running fridge and heater. The heater fan operates off of the battery while the heat is generated by burning diesel fuel in your tank. The vehicle is equipped with a solar panel on the top to ensure it stays charged.
A welcome feature of the vehicle is the inclusion of CDW insurance. This, combined with our travel credit cards’ insurance, gave us peace of mind while driving on Iceland’s roads.
Our Happy Kitchen
Our Happy Camper van came equipped with everything we needed to make a basic meal. The kitchen boxes were equipped with a pot, pan, and a full set of dishes for four. You’re also given a camping stove with four bottles of Butane (more than enough for our ten days camping).
A large cubby system with drawers had enough room to store all of our dry food and cooking utensils. It offered enough cooking space for basic prep meals and cook, but I would opt for a table and chairs outside in the summertime for more room. Each vehicle also includes a sink with running water. Water is easy to find in Iceland as almost every gas station has hoses to wash your vehicle and top up water tanks.
They offer a few extras such as a grill, picnic table, coffee press, and chairs. Since we traveled in the Fall with low temperatures and we’re not big meat eaters, we didn’t add the grill or picnic table. However, I’m sure they’re an awesome addition to your trip in the summer months.
A Happy Bedtime
The bed was more than large enough for the two of us! The bed converts from the back seats that fold flat. When not made, it provides plenty of seating space to relax, eat dinner, and watch a movie. Come bedtime; it’s easy to convert and takes less than a minute to set up your bed.
We found the bed to be a little firm and uncomfortable. So, you should bring a camping pad and a cheap comforter to make the bed your own. A welcome feature is a heater at night. In the Fall and Spring, temperatures often dip below freezing, so a cozy van is amazing!
Seasonal Iceland camper rental
Happy Campers Iceland camper van rental is now open year-round and does offer winter rentals for their fleet of camper vans. This means they switch their rentals over to winter tires, which is super important in the winter. Winter tires are proven to significantly increase traction and stopping power on ice and snow.
If seeing the Northern Lights is on your bucket list, finding a better way to chase them will be tough than a camper van. This will allow you to drive away from cloud cover if it appears and to hide out in your toasty van away from light pollution while you wait for them at night.
Winter rentals benefit from cheaper rates and free WiFi as an extra safety precaution. While we haven’t used the camper van in the dead of winter yet, we did rent during October and found the Webasto heater kept us toasty at night. Another safety note, Happy Campers offers 24/7 emergency assistance, and each rental is equipped with GPS tracking for quick location.
The winter rentals also have a warm winter kit to help out in a bind. This means you get sleeping bags, jumper cables, rope, a shovel, and a flashlight. Granted, we’d recommend you bring your own sleeping bag and a headlamp if you plan to visit in the winter.
A Few Happy Camper Iceland Van Rental Tips
- If you haven’t yet, head to our comprehensive post about our time on the Ring Road and camping tips there.
- Check our guides if you’re planning on doing the Golden Circle or Reynisfjara black sand beach.Â
- The WiFi operates when the car is running. Once the van is switched off, you get about 30 minutes of surfing. So, download some movies for the night or bring a great book! We streamed movies with a Tep wireless device.
- Don’t wear shoes in the back of the vehicle; they can get dirty fast. They provide a dustpan and brush, so make sure to use them often.
- Bring your favorite coffee roast and an Aeropress if you’re like us.
- Make sure to check the weather forecast and pack the right clothes for Iceland.
- Stick to simple one-pot meals. It makes for easy preparation and cleaning up. Also, ensure you get all your food from the Icelandic grocery stores. Restaurants are really expensive in Iceland.
- Don’t fret over a shower! Icelandic swimming pools are affordable and a wonderful experience. Just be prepared for casual nudity! Check out our other Iceland travel tips for more info.
Our Overall Experience with Happy Campers Iceland
We had a great time with our Happy Camper and feel it really gave us the freedom we wanted to explore Iceland during our time. It’s something we all want when exploring the great outdoors.
They picked us up from the airport, had our vehicle ready, and waited. It was an easy pick-up (and drop-off), and we were on the road in less than an hour. We were off to explore the country for a quick stop at an Icelandic grocery store! Our journey around the country took ten days, and it felt like the perfect amount of time. Just enough time to fall into the rhythm of things, but not too long to curse living in a van!
Although many are bummed to learn you can only stay in campsites, we found a plethora around the country. Many shut down in the low season months but leave their basic facilities open and allow for free camping. This relieved some of the stress of making it to an open campsite by nightfall, as we don’t like driving at night.Â
Each day we’d wake up in a new spot and make our way on our own time. Some days we covered a lot of ground while other days, we only drove 100km because we stopped so frequently to go for hikes, relax, or take photographs.
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The idea of a campervan is to disconnect and make some beautiful memories. Our memory had to be watching the Northern Lights from our “bedroom,” something we would not have experienced based in Reykjavik. What is going to be your memory in Iceland?
The Best Iceland Camper Van Rental?
Happy Campers vS. Go Campers vS. Kuku Campers
The companies break down into three steps, in our opinion. Happy Campers is likely the nicest company in Iceland, but their rentals also fetch the highest price than their closest competitor. Go Campers comes in right behind Happy Campers with a similar design and price point. They’ve clearly taken a close look at Happy Campers and emulated their design, using fridges, heaters, and running sinks in their vehicles.
Kuku Campers are extremely popular and the largest company in Iceland, but they’re also pretty budget. Their cheaper models include older cars with no heaters, kitchenware, or bedding.
Review Opinion: Should You Book a Happy Camper in Iceland?
Yes! Of course, we’re slightly biased as we had a great time with our Happy Camper rental. However, the company is well run and clearly wants its customers to have a great time. Above all, we only find glowing Happy Campers customer reviews online.
This is how we know we’re not a fluke of having a good time in one of their camper vans. We even met two separate people in their vans who had booked for a second time because their first trip to Iceland was that great! They genuinely are the best campervan rental in Iceland.
Plan For Your Trip
- Protect Your Trip:Â We don’t travel without travel insurance, nor should you. You never know what can happen while traveling, so it’s best to be prepared. HeyMondo provides excellent short-term and long-term travel insurance plans.Â
- Find Cheap Flights: Sign up for Going (formerly Scotts Cheap Flights) to get notified when prices get ultra low.
- Travel Adapter: Make sure you find a good adapter to keep your personal electronics charged. Otherwise, you may be paying for a cheap one once you land. Purchase one here.
- Travel Backpack: We like the Nomatic Travel Backpack for our travels. Check the price here.
- Our Favorite Travel Shoes: Our answer to this question is always ALLBIRDS! Check them out on their site!
- Get a Travel Credit Card: We travel worldwide for free because we have leveraged our spending into points. See why you should get a travel credit card and how you can do the same with our favorite travel credit cards.
Do you have a charger for your laptop or hairdryer, or is there only a USB in the van?
They have inverters for electronics, but they only work when the car is running.