The ring road around Iceland is about 1,322 kilometres long and goes through volcanic landscapes, glacier tongues, black sand beaches and stretches where the next petrol station is more than 100 kilometres away. Most visitors depend heavily on their phones for directions, weather reports and emergency numbers. Some also bring power banks, small Wi-Fi devices and dash cams. You need to get all of that tech ready before you leave Reykjavík, because once you reach the remote highlands there is no cell service, and the closest repair shop might as well be on the moon.

This guide covers the things you should bring, how to set up your digital life so your devices and data stay safe, and some driving tips for Iceland that most first-timers wish they had known sooner.

Free road trip plans with maps

Day-by-day plans for the four drives most people take, each on an interactive map with where to sleep, fuel stops, waterfalls and reader discounts along the way. Built for a relaxed pace, not a race.

See all road trip plans

Map of hot springs, spas and pools

Every lagoon, wild hot spring and town pool in Iceland on one map. Find warm water near you, and see which spas give my readers a discount.

  • 57 places to soak
  • % Reader discounts
Open the hot springs map

The Car Gear That Deserves to Be There

On an Icelandic road trip, not all of the tech in your bag will come in handy. Some of it is very important. The rest only drains the battery. This is what really counts.

Plugs and power banks

Phone batteries die quickly in the cold, and around the Vatnajökull glacier or on the Snæfellsnes peninsula it can get very cold. If you leave your phone in a cold car overnight, it might not work when you wake up. A high-capacity travel power bank (at least 20,000 mAh) can keep your devices charged for several days away from a wall outlet. If you are travelling with someone else, bring at least two. Keep them in your jacket pocket instead of the glove box, so the cold doesn’t drain them.

Dash cam

A dash cam is a must-have for road trips in Iceland. Route 1 has one-lane bridges, sheep that wander onto the road, sudden sandstorms, and drivers from a dozen different countries who are new to these conditions. Video proof makes insurance claims and rental car disputes easier to handle. Mount the camera on the windscreen before you leave the rental car lot, and make sure the memory card has enough space for the whole trip.

Google Maps and GPS

The main towns and most of Route 1 have cell service, but the East Fjords and the interior are still mostly dead zones. Before you leave, download offline maps in Google Maps or Maps.me. A separate GPS used only for the road trip is also an option. Some rental companies offer one as an extra, but the maps aren’t always up to date. It’s usually better to use your phone with a downloaded map and a good car mount.

Safe Mobile Phone Use on the Go

When it comes to crime, Iceland is one of the safest places in the world. But phones face other risks that have nothing to do with theft.

Travellers rely on a single device to find their way, book accommodation, do their banking and talk to family and friends back home. If that device starts acting up three hours from Reykjavík on an empty mountain road, it is more than just annoying. A battery that drains quickly, apps that crash for no reason or sudden spikes in data use can all be signs that a phone has been hacked, and this can happen to iPhones too. A useful guide on recognizing a hacked iPhone early explains each sign and what to do before the damage gets worse. It also shows you how to check for configuration profiles that aren’t yours and app behaviour that seems odd, both common ways for mobile threats to get in. Reading it before the trip will help you know what to look for if something doesn’t seem right while you’re parked next to a glacier with no Apple Store in sight.

Free Wi-Fi at guesthouses and coffee shops

Small guesthouses and rural cafés usually offer free Wi-Fi. The password is often written on a blackboard where everyone can see it. Most of these networks don’t have enterprise-level security, and anyone on the same connection could potentially read data that isn’t encrypted. Don’t do your online banking on the guesthouse Wi-Fi. When you need to enter a password or payment details, use mobile data. For general browsing, consider using a VPN.

Fishy pop-ups and phishing

Travellers often look for last-minute places to stay, weather updates and restaurant tips on websites they haven’t used before. That kind of browsing makes you more likely to land on phishing pages and fake booking confirmations. Be very wary of pop-ups that say your device has been hacked, or emails asking you to “verify” a hotel reservation. Close the tab, go to the booking website directly, and check your reservation there.

When Technology Helps the Most on the Road

Roads in Iceland can change quickly. On mountain passes, a clear morning can turn into a blinding snowstorm in thirty minutes. A few tools will help you stay ahead of the weather.

Tool What it does Where to get it
Vedur.is Forecasts and warnings from the Icelandic Met Office vedur.is or the Veður app
Road.is Live road condition map with colour-coded danger levels road.is
SafeTravel.is Travel alerts and travel plan registration for search and rescue safetravel.is

Register your travel plan on SafeTravel.is before you set off. This is what the search and rescue teams use if something goes wrong. The 112 Iceland app lets you send your exact location with one tap, which is useful if you get lost on a gravel road in the Westfjords with no landmarks in sight.

F-roads and the interior

F-roads (mountain roads) are only open in summer, usually from late June into September, and you need a 4×4 to drive them. There is almost no cell service on F-roads. If you plan to drive any of them, bring a satellite communicator or a personal locator beacon. These gadgets send an SOS signal via satellite when there is no cell service. You can rent them from rental shops and outdoor stores in Reykjavík.

A Quick Tech Packing List

  • High-capacity power bank (20,000 mAh or more)
  • Charging cables for all your devices (bring spares)
  • Dash cam with a high-capacity memory card
  • Sturdy dashboard mount for your phone
  • Offline maps downloaded before you leave
  • A VPN app, set up and tested
  • The 112 Iceland app
  • A waterproof phone case for hikes to glaciers and waterfalls
  • A portable Wi-Fi hotspot or a local SIM card
  • Satellite communicator (for F-roads and the interior)

Conclusion

Planning ahead is key for a road trip through Iceland. The landscapes are beautiful, but the weather, the remoteness and the limited infrastructure deserve respect. When it comes to tech, the essentials are power that won’t run out, offline navigation, and basic safety habits for your devices and data. Set up your phone and pack the right gear before you leave the capital, and register your travel plan with SafeTravel. Then all that’s left is the open road ahead of you.