Skip to main content
Lumia
April 23, 2015

Lumia World: 10 insider tips for travelling in Iceland



Iceland is home to some of the most breathtaking and dramatic landscapes in the entire world. For photographers, The Land of Fire and Ice has it all: towering volcanoes, icy glaciers, and lava fields that are straight out of a science fiction novel.

Screen Shot 2015-04-23 at 22.49.24

So who better to have share their best Iceland travel tips than Icelandic freelance photographer Arnar Kristjansson.  Arnar, who runs the Lumia Iceland photography site, tells us “I’ve always loved taking pictures since I remember. It’s really important to me to be able to get the best images I can of Iceland.” He snaps jaw-dropping shots of beautiful Iceland that perfectly show what an amazing country it is, taking his Lumia along as what calls the “perfect traveling buddy in every circumstance.”

Arnar’s Lumia love runs deep, saying “My Lumia phone has always been really important to me. I started with the Lumia 920 and instantly fell in love with it. There were no questions that my next one would be the Lumia 930. One of many things I like about the Lumia is the camera. That it can take Raw pictures is also really great for me as I like to edit my pictures to my likings.”

Read on to find out Arnar’s top 10 tips for traveling in Iceland, check out some of his photos, and prepare yourself for a huge wave of wanderlust.

1. Rent a car if you can. Iceland is a country with majestic nature and big areas to explore. Having the freedom to spend as much time and go anywhere you want is much better than travelling by bus.

Arnar 1
2. Keep close eyes on the weather forecast and warnings. Icelandic weather can be really unpredictable. One moment the sun is shining then 5 minutes later you could be entering a storm. Mother nature can be as harsh as it’s beautiful.

Icelandtips7

3. Bring warm clothes with you. Even you are travelling to Iceland in the summer it’s always a good idea to bring warm clothes and good hiking shoes.

Arnar 3
4. Feed the horses and take a lot of pictures of them. This may seem weird, but the Icelandic horse is an extremely friendly creature. They are found in all parts of the country and every time you see them they will approach you (usually with a smile on their faces).

Arnar 4
5. Know what you want out of the trip to Iceland. The summers in Iceland are filled with beautiful landscape colors and long summer nights (almost 24/7 brightness in the month of July). For you who want to experience the aurora lights, you should visit in the winter starting from late September until the end of March.

Arnar 5
6. Visit Landmannalaugar in the summer. Landmannalaugar is probably the most beautiful place to visit in Iceland. Dotted amidst the amazingly colourful landscape are geothermal hot springs where you can take a bath. People even compare it to the moon. It really is otherwordly.

Arnar 6
7. Ask the locals. Almost everybody in Iceland speaks English. Don’t be afraid when in doubt to ask the locals for advice or information.

Arnar 7
8. Try the local food. Icelandic local food is very different from most other countries and includes dishes such as smoked lamb, sharks, dense dark and sweet rye bread.

Icelandtraveltips
9. Plan ahead. This is really important when travelling in Iceland. With the short or long days, it’s always good to plan ahead when you are doing sightseeing tours.

Icelandtraveltips3

10. Last but not least, drive safely and keep your Lumia close to you for great pictures.

Big thanks to Arnar for taking the time to share his top tips for traveling in Iceland, and his beautiful photos. Be sure to follow him on Instagram for more Icelandic awesomeness.  So, now you’re in the know, are you fired up to visit the Land of Fire and Ice? If so, let us know where you’d go in the comments below.