Please note, that this article on our Iceland travels under Quarantine Conditions states regulations from September 2020. Requirements to enter Iceland might have changed since.
Travelling to Iceland under quarantine conditions wasn’t initially our plan. Iceland wasn’t even on the travel radar for 2020.
Hawaii or what else?
It was meant to be Hawaii for September 2020 and the Island Hopping route was already planned and booked in January. COVID so far just a by-note in the news at the End of January 2020. So I went for a week to enjoy the winter wonderland of the Eastern Canadian Quebec region along the Saint Laurence River and the Saguenay Fjord. And then the world changed and from the End of February COVID rolled like an unstoppable tidal wave over the globe and every travels and travel plans did grind to a complete stop. If you ever wondered, what would happen if the world stopped turning? Well, that felt unpleasantly close to it. Hawaii and the entire world got so far from reach, it might as well be on another planet.
When early summer had infection numbers dropping and inter-european travel for some countries was possible again, we decided to spend a long weekend in and around Porto. Minding the new travel, distancing and hygiene requirements, it was wonderful few days. But there was still the question left: What about September? What, if not Hawaii?
Iceland it is!
For some time, Scotland was runner-up, but the UK did not really get a grip on the infection rate, so it was a NO for Scotland for 2020. A colleague had been travelling to Iceland about the time we went to Portugal and she told colourful tales on amazing landscapes and experiences, while there are almost no tourists. Iceland. Hm. That had been on the list for 2019, when we finally decided to travel to Ireland.
Locations and accommodations were selected, decided on or against and possible routings came together and within almost no time a clear travelplan was built. Flights were found and a rental car was decided upon. So, Iceland it was and Hawaii was postphoned until 2021.
August came and brought a hefty set-back to our plans. The Icelandic Government decided – due to rising counts of positive testings under arriving passengers – that a 14 days quarantine would be mandatory from August 15 onwards, even if your first PCR test on arrival comes back negative. The only loophole was a second test after about 5 days in quarantine. If this second test comes back also negative, you’re from this moment on free to travel and explore the island.
Wowsa.
To travel or not to travel?
For the first few days it was a mix of “that will not work” and “but, yes, it’s do-able”. Once all possiblilities were looked at from all sides, it was the latter. The route was changed and 3 nights were added. Lamentably we had to cut the Westmanner Islands out, to make room for 6 nights in Reykjavik to fit in the minimum quarantine days. Flight and rental car dates were changed and organized, that during the time in Reykjavik remote work can be done. The last important step was finding an appartment for the quarantine days and deciding on what to eat during that time, as per quarantine rules it is of course not permitted to go shopping or dine out. The thing we were allowed to do were walks in little to none frequented regions – minding the distancing rules – and order take-outs.
We have to bring all we need for a week!
Not cut out to order take-outs every day, we had a look at food delivery service to order cooking ingredients. It was almost immediatly clear that it would not work if magically we would learn icelandic overnight. So, flying in everything we needed – and customs allows – it was. The menu for the week was planned, shopped for and it all did perfectly fit into a regular backpack. As we were travelling in SAGA Class, we were able to take the backpack as regular luggage piece.
Tip: who does like to enjoy a nice glas of wine with dinner may be reminded, that- as no shopping is allowed during quarantine – you should already bring some booze or buy it at the Reykjavik airport Duty Free you pass before the baggage claim.
Important note: to travel to Iceland during COVID times, it is mandatory to have the icelandic COVID App Rakning-19 on every travellers phone. You have to already be signed on and up and must arrive with a pre-booked “Arrival-PCR-Test”. You`ll find more and recent information on the COVID website of the Icelandic Government.
