The Best Apps for your Campervan Rental in Iceland

1. Veður – The Icelandic Weather App

You’re probably sick of reading about it now, but there’s no two ways around it: the weather in Iceland is a big deal. Conversations constantly revolve around it, whether it’s windy, rainy, or a rare day of warm temperatures. You’ll quickly come to realize that on a campervan trip in Iceland, you’ll need to pay attention to what’s happening as much as the locals do.

That’s where this app comes in, installing northern lights forecast Iceland live APP from the Icelandic Meteorological Service into a smooth, easy-to-read experience. Keeping an eye on what the weather is doing will make it easy for you to change your route in case there’s a weather warning coming up, or a particularly bad storm that might close some roads. Essential!

2. Safe Travel App

Helping you prepare even more for the travel conditions ahead, the Safe Travel App (from Iceland’s Emergency Services) provides all the information about road and trail safety in the country. From dangerous landslides to orange weather warnings, this is one of the top apps for traveling in Iceland, making sure that you and your campervan aren’t driving toward anything dangerous.

There’s also a whole bunch of information about being safe in the great outdoors of Iceland, driving tips, and the app lets you leave your travel plans with the emergency services so that they can easily drop in and rescue you in a spot of trouble. Although that last part is unlikely to happen!

3. Iceland Road Guide

For more detailed information about driving in Iceland, the Iceland Road Guides is an essential app for a camper trip in Iceland. As always, when driving overseas there are new signs to pay attention to and strange road rules, and in Iceland, a lot of these signs aren’t found anywhere else due to the unique driving conditions.

There are one-way bridges, blind heads over hills, and one-way tunnels that dive underneath vast mountains. When done correctly, Iceland is an amazing country to drive around in a campervan. Study this app a little bit before taking off, and you’ll feel safe and secure knowing what the signs mean and the general road rules in Iceland.

4. Appy Hour by Reykjavik Grapevine

So, you’ve finished up your campervan rental in Iceland, and have a couple of days to kill in Reykjavik before your flight home. This is one of the best apps for travel in Iceland, offering an essential bit of information about the city: where to find all the best happy hours at the bars. The app is run by the Reykjavik Grapevine, the largest English-language newspaper and website in Iceland that covers culture, travel, and entertainment in the capital.

Since Iceland is a very expensive country (a pint can cost over 10 Euros in some bars), to make things more accessible for all, bars in the city each have a happy hour. Some bars will offer cheap pints of beer, others will have 2-for-1 specials, and others focus on cocktails. Generally, they last over an hour as well. To get all the necessary details for an evening of debauchery in Reykjavik, this is the top app to download.

5. Appening Today by Reykjavik Grapevine

The Reykjavik Grapevine also developed the app ‘Appening Today’, an easy way to see what’s on in Reykjavik on any given day. Despite its small size, Reykjavik is a city with a lot of things going on, from live music to art shows to pop-up stores. To experience a taste of the culture and lifestyle of the city, you should download this app.

Appening Today lets you know what gigs are on, if there’s an art show, or any other cultural or creative event happening. Downloading this app before your campervan rental in Iceland comes to an end also lets you plan ahead for your time in Reykjavik, deciding which gigs to see or what cultural events to attend.

6. Northern Lights Forecast

For the adventurous travelers over Iceland’s chilly months, most will be hoping to catch a glimpse of the northern lights. Dancing and shimmering across the sky in waves of green, pink, white, and blue, it’s one of the world’s most stunning natural wonders, showing up across Iceland and even above Reykjavik (yes, you can see them above Reykjavik at times).

For those hunting the northern lights themselves (you could also take a tour), this app will come in handy. It shows you just how likely they are to appear and where the clear skies will be. Those lucky enough will be in awe of the spectacle, waving above the epic scenery of the country.

7. Icelandic Phrasebook

You might wonder if people in Iceland can speak English, and the answer is a resounding yes. Although you might find a few people here and there who aren’t so confident, Icelanders generally have a very high level of fluency in the language, thanks to many American TV shows and movies (dubbing things in Icelandic is only done for children).

But, speaking even a little Icelandic can go a long, long way with the locals, letting them know that you respect their culture and history and are a good traveler who doesn’t mind putting themselves in uncomfortable situations. It’s hard to pronounce, but with an Icelandic phrasebook app you should be able to pick up a few lines here and there to impress the locals.

8. WAPP – the Icelandic Hiking App

With an Icelandic campervan rental, you’ll be able to shoot off into the countryside, exploring every inch of the country. And with so much beautiful scenery and little development, hiking in the country is understandably one of the best ways to enjoy traveling in the country.

Download WAPP for detailed information about the different trails around the country, how to navigate, and GPS coordinates for everything as well. Whether you’re exploring the trails in Skaftafell or heading out to one of the more remote corners of Iceland, this app for travel in Iceland is a wonderful addition.

9. Klappið Bus App

If you’re enjoying an extended stay in Reykjavik after your campervan rental in Iceland, then downloading the Klappið bus app will come in handy. Through this app you can buy tickets for the city buses, letting you easily travel within the city without any hassle.

10. Spotify

Finally, campervan road trips in Iceland need one thing: music. Whatever your music app of choice, be it Spotify or YouTube Music, you’ll need a whole lot of albums and playlists to soundtrack your adventures through the country. The scenery is big, and playlists in the country should include music that suits the mood, whether it's contemplative, peaceful, or a classic road trip mix.

Conclusion

The right apps can make your campervan trip in Iceland simpler and more fun. They help you check the weather, road conditions, hiking trails, and even happy hours. Whether you’re looking for the northern lights, learning some Icelandic, or making a road trip playlist, downloading a few apps before your trip can help a lot. With these, you’ll be ready to explore Iceland with ease!

Have got all the apps downloaded and are ready to hit the road with a campervan rental in Iceland? Browse our range of Iceland camper vans.