Self-drive guides for Iceland: John Lloyd’s expertly curated routes

John Lloyd has visited and explored Iceland 19 times since his first trip in 2012, completing the Ring Road several times and covering the Westfjords, Snæfellsnes and Vestmannaeyjar too. The results are comprehensive and practical self-drive guides for Iceland. His e-book series, “Iceland – Route 1 and Beyond,” available on Amazon, has been a beacon for travelers seeking to explore Iceland’s landscapes.

The guidebooks cover all the major driving routes, and they stand out for their detailed, easy-to-follow instructions, enhanced by his own color photos. Therefore, the guides are useful for seasoned adventurers and first-time visitors alike.

His approach to travel writing combines historical context, practical tips, and vivid descriptions, enabling readers to experience Iceland fully. This is why I like his self-driving guides for Iceland so much.

John self-publishes his travel guides on Amazon in an e-book format, which you can download on your smartphone, Amazon Kindle, Android tablet, or iPad. And that format means each title is easy to update with up-to-the-minute information when things change.

There are nine books in the series, each focused on a different part of Iceland, so you can pick and choose the ones you need for your trip.

Using the free Amazon Kindle app, you can keep the guides handy while you travel. There is no need for an internet connection after you have received the travel guides on your device. Please note that you might have search for the travel guides on your regional Amazon site. So for example, people from the UK will use the amazon.co.uk site, rather than the US centered Amazon.com.

The self-publishing model makes John’s travel guides highly affordable. Since Stuck in Iceland is about helping you save money while having a great Icelandic adventure, I was thrilled to have John as an interviewee.

Hey John, and thank you for taking the time for an interview. Your numerous visits to Iceland have culminated in an impressive series of travel guides. What inspired you to focus on this particular destination?

Hi Jón and “takk fyrir” for your kind invitation to chat with you and your readers!

I’m a Brit, and I’ve traveled extensively around Europe over the years. It was the music of Sigur Rós that first got me interested in Iceland. After I saw their concert film “Heima”, I knew I had to see those breathtaking landscapes for myself.

After my first visit to Iceland in 2012, I realized that nowhere else on the planet matched Iceland for magnificent travel experiences.  Once was never going to be enough!

After six more trips, I spent several months in Iceland in 2018, exploring far and wide. Since then, I’ve been writing content for local tour operators, museums, and car rental firms, returning again and again at different times of the year to discover how this magical country changes through the seasons.

I’ve been to other countries since, of course. But I’m always “in-between” my next trip to Iceland!

Your guide books emphasizes self-driven tours. What do you think makes self-driving in Iceland a unique experience?

There’s much to be said for taking organized tours with reputable operators because you’ll learn so much about Iceland’s astonishing natural wonders and Viking history from their experienced guides.

And in the winter, when there are short daylight hours and frequent storms, it’s the safest approach to exploring Iceland in comfort and confidence.

But if you visit Iceland in the summer with endless hours of daylight to explore, self-driving around Iceland frees you from fixed tour schedules and the presence of other travelers, so you can discover Iceland on your terms, not someone else’s.

That’s why I started writing these guides. I wanted people to be able to guide themselves around Iceland, happily and safely supported by helpful text and inspiring photos from someone who’s visited these places many times.

Traditional guidebooks are text-heavy and can’t include as many photos as e-books. For example, you’d have to use your imagination or go online to decide whether Kvernufoss is worth the extra time for a visit.

In my South Coast book, a couple of photos make that an easy decision!

There’s nothing better than discovering the fabulous landscapes of Iceland at your own pace, and self-driving is the best way to do that.

Among the various regions of Iceland you’ve covered, which one do you find most underrated and why?

That’s easy – the North East! The Arctic Coast Way traces a sensationally scenic route around six peninsulas in North Iceland, and I love the stretch on Route 85 between Húsavík and Vopnafjörður.

It’s remote, wild, spectacular and peaceful – this is Iceland “off the beaten track”, with only a few tiny villages facing out towards the Arctic Circle along the way.

But with Dettifoss, Ásbyrgi and the Arctic Henge at Raufarhöfn, there are some fantastic sights to see too. It’s a detour away from the Ring Road, but the roads are good, and the landscapes are unforgettable.

A very close second is the Westfjords, which recently topped Lonely Planet’s list of the best destinations in the world, and I can see why they voted that way!

What are your favorite places and activities in Iceland?

I’ve driven around Iceland on Route 1 five times now, and my favorite part of the country is undoubtedly the Eastfjords.

On clear days, the vistas on the cliff-hugging stretches of the Ring Road between Djúpivogur and Breiðdalsvík will live long in your memory.

There are many special places along the way, like Teigarhorn, Fossardalur and the Hólmanes Peninsula on Route 92. I’d recommend taking it very slow when you’re in the Eastfjords, so you can soak up every second of these mesmerizing sights. And you might see reindeer too!

As for my favorite activities, I always pop into a sundlaug (local swimming pool) whenever I stop to relax, enjoy an evening soak, and chat with the locals. I’ve learned many interesting things about Iceland in one of those pools!

Your self-drive guides for Iceland are very practical. Can you share some key tips for first-time visitors?

Simplify your itinerary: pick two or three “must-see” sights for each day. Try to keep the daily driving distance lower than 200 kilometers or four hours of driving. Savor the sights if you can, rather than rush around on a whistle-stop tour.

Check the weather and road conditions: don’t go anywhere in Iceland without checking Vedur.is, Road.is and SafeTravel.is for their daily reports first.

It’s wise to keep checking these throughout the day, as Iceland’s weather is famously unpredictable. And you can look at Live From Iceland’s webcams too.

Staying safe on your Iceland trip and take your time

You can lodge a Travel Plan with SafeTravel, or sign up for free text alerts while you’re in the country. Make use of these vital resources to keep you safe while you’re exploring.

Give yourself time to explore: Iceland is only 500 kilometers wide and less than 300 kilometers from north to south. However, don’t let those numbers deceive you.

Once you leave the wide roads and bright lights of the capital city behind, you’ll start to realize the epic nature of this country and how long it actually takes to get from one place to another.

Google Maps drive times are highly accurate, but relying on them for your itinerary ignores a crucial fact. You’re going to want to stop. Quite often, in fact!

It’s almost impossible to drive from A to B in Iceland like you do at home. That’s because you’ll want to take long looks at the waterfalls, mountains, glaciers, fjords, and volcanoes that decorate the Ring Road at frequent intervals.

Taking time to enjoy these sights will add to your journey times. You can rely on Google Maps for point-to-point driving times when planning your itinerary.

But be sure to build in plenty of leeway for those unscheduled stops to take pictures and enjoy the views of Iceland’s stunning landscapes.

Most importantly, relax and enjoy your time in Iceland. It’s too magical a place to get stressed about scheduling and rushing from one place to the next. That’s what you do at home, not on holiday.

How do you balance the needs of different travelers, such as adventure seekers and those seeking relaxation, in your guides?

My self-driving guides for Iceland provide simple driving instructions from one place of interest, town or village to the next and how many kilometers you’ll need to drive to get there.

That means you can easily create your own itineraries.

You can choose active days filled with hikes to see Svartifoss, Vestrahorn or Stuðlagil, go ice caving or horse riding, whale watching, snowmobiling, or take a boat tour around the Glacier Lagoon.

Or you can enjoy lazy days soaking in the splendid spas at Vök Baths, GeoSea and Forest Lagoon .You can wander the pretty streets of Iceland’s charming towns and villages, sipping coffees and browsing intriguing shops for that special souvenir.

There’s no imperative for you to get from Point A to Point B by the end of the day – you decide how far you want to go, or what you want to see.

That’s rather different from the paid-for itineraries, which often set parameters like that.

So it makes my guides equally useful tools for people with a week or so to circuit the Ring Road, and those with much longer periods who can afford to take their time with a deep dive into Iceland’s marvels.

You set the pace – nobody else should be doing that.

All you need to do is book your own accommodation or choose a campsite for the night. Just remember, popular areas like the South get booked up very quickly, so don’t leave that too long!

What challenges have you faced while compiling your travel guides, and how have you overcome them?

I’m aiming for simplicity and practicality. During my first trip to Iceland, I was overwhelmed by all the resources and information available, so I know what that feels like.

Now, after 19 trips and having lived there, I’ve gained a great deal of knowledge and experience of road trips around Iceland that I can pass on to fellow travelers.

The biggest challenge is to edit all that information into bite-sized chunks of text, enhanced by photos, that will help people understand their options.

The ambition is to put myself in the place of both first-time visitors and regular returners, and give every reader useful and informative tips.

It’s all about helping people make the most of their time in Iceland.

That’s what I love to do.

Can you tell us about your next project? Are there more self-drive guides for Iceland coming?

Now that I’ve finished writing the 9-book series for Route 1 and Beyond, it’s time to write a guidebook for Reykjavík. It’s my favorite city in the world!

Having lived there in 2018, and visiting every November for the Airwaves music festival, I know every bar, restaurant, cafe and museum very well. That’ll be coming soon!

Get live advice from John

The other service that’s growing is my “live” advice for people while they’re traveling around Iceland.

Arriving in Akureyri, Ísafjörður or Egilsstaðir and wondering which restaurants and bars to hit? Which campsite has the best view? Just drop me a message and I’ll give you the lowdown within minutes.

As you’ll see from these reviews, many have already benefited from my tips!

As an offer for Stuck In Iceland readers, if you’d like to receive a free PDF copy of any of the series’s current e-books, just email me, it’ll be on its way immediately.

Thanks again to Jón!

Thank you John!