Helping you to plan your trip to Iceland and sharing my experiences from life on this subarctic island.
I highlight the best of what Iceland has to offer and expose the truth behind topics nobody wants to talk about.
I'm a Czech photographer and outdoor enthusiast who first came to Iceland in 2015, fell in love with this place and kept coming back until I eventually settled here in 2018. That's the year I bough a small cabin where I currently live in the winter and which I turned into AirBnb during the summer months.
If you'd like me to help you plan your trip to Iceland, rent my cabin, get discount coupons or check-out some of my guides you can head over to my website www.janiniceland.com
Пікірлер
Českooo
Thank you for the info! I am planning a trip in October for my birthday and started to feel hopeless about going when the weather starts to get worse but it's always been a dream of mine to see the northern lights! I am still excited to visit this October and hopefully one day I will come back during the summer months! Thanks again!
Glad it's helpful :) Have a great trip, I'm sure you'll have the best time. And who knows what weather we'll get, it could be as well a beautiful sunny October. Iceland surprises me every day with something new so let's see haha.
This is Our dream too, have to do some more research on properties in Iceland Nice home you've got out there
Thank you! Good luck, it will take some patience for sure but it's going to be worth it :)
which city would u suggest for work? in iceland
it's hard to say...I always say that Akureyri would probably be the only town I would want to move to..there's enough work and things to do yet it's still only around 20k people living there
@@janiniceland r u a local?
@@laeeqahmed6145 yes, well im not icelandic but i live here
Been 10 years in a row, still coming this year
that's amazing, what's been your favourite place or region you've visited here over those years?
Is there a camera store where photo equipment can be rented? Flying from South America has many flights with restrictions on luggage weight and sizes.
Would you say getting a job in Reykjavic is much more difficult than in a smaller, less populated town? Also, I found a blog from an Icelander who said that Iceland has a law that dictates Icelandic companies must first consider Icelandic citizens for all jobs, before they consider a foreign applicant. Is this true? Thanks for the video, definitely some useful info.
To be honest I can't answer that as I've never lived in Reykjavík, I just know if you are in Reykjavík you will need to also find an accommodation. Which like I mentioned is expensive and lately very difficult to find and so that's why I always recommend people who are coming here for the first time to start with finding a job in more remote areas where the employer often provides the housing. Hiring Icelanders first is a thing that's true, I just can't imagine how it works in practise. - Example : imagine you are a business owner and have two job applicants, one of which is a horrible fit but is icelandic and the other one who is a perfect fit but is a foreigner. Easy decision imo no matter what the law says as I can't imagine how would goverment track something like this...this is just my opinion though :) - I guess it depends on many things...and if they are icelandic and have the same qualifications, well then there's nothing to think about anyway as they'll always win with the advantage of speaking the language
@@janiniceland Thank you for the reply, as a US citizen I know it's going to be difficult to move to Iceland if I decide I'd like to but you've at least provided some clarity on the matter.
Iceland was my first trip out of the US. Love it! Wish i was born there instead! 😅
I'm going to iceland for 2 weeks at the end of august with my girlfriend! Im very excited about it
First time visit? August here is beautiful. With a little bit of luck you might even be able to see some northern lights at the end of the month when it's starting to get dark again :)
@@janiniceland yes!! we have rented a 4x4 and camping all over the island every day, cannot wait
Ahoj Jane, potvrdil's mi presne to, co jsem si o Islandu myslela. Cesta je zabookovana, jen skoda, ze jsem na tvoje videa neprisla uz driv. Asi kouknu uplne na vsechna pred vyletem. Jsou opravdu uzitecna a hlavne ujistujici. Letime na prvni tyden roku 2025. 😘👌
Ahoj, dekuju! Myslis ohledne toho ze tu je hodne lidi? Vubec bych se toho nebal, jde hlavne o ty nejznamejsi mista + v lednu tu je jen zlomek lidi ve srovnanim s letnimi mesici :) navic podle me lepsi to tady zazit ted - drive nez napr. za nekelik let. Urcite si to uzijes, drzim palce at hlavne vyjde pocasi!
Thanks for the video mate. Me and my parter are hiring a campervan next year for two week and just wondered if its worth getting the camping card or not? Thanks
It depends - what I would do is to first plan where you'll be spending each night and according to that calculate the cost. And it will simply depend a lot on how many campsites that the card covers you'll be staying at and compare the total cost with/without the card. - But I'd say it's worth it if you're staying for two weeks and you can stay mainly in those cmapsites that the card covers. If you were to pay some $37 per night (2 person) thats takes you to $518 in 14 days vs $195 camping card
I just went from michigan in usa! Great time! Although i did see some idiot tourists from USA. Signs saying no drones! Still seen 3 downed drones! People being loud in the quiet early breakfast restaurants. Mostly older woman.
Glad you liked it! Yeah some people can really get annoying sometimes, the best one can do is to just ignore it..
omg I am SO glad for filming how many people are there now ... gong show. I'd Rather someone tell me so I know ... takes away from the authenticity and protection for nature... compared to when I wanted to go in 2015 ... I was on that timline in life .. I am sorry I didn't get to go like you did ... looks like Banff or something people walking around with crowds.. so annoying...what a shame. the DISRESPECT people have .. is astounding .. and unfortunate and always gets worse.. I remember in 2012 how FB and Insta already started to destroy amazing places that those who found without social media got to enjoy and idiots like that who ruin it or do dumb things only found it because of social media
thankfully though, there're still a looot of places here that are without any people. I think it also is about a convenience. Places right by the road are packed, while those where you need to hike or have more challenging route are half empty...
I think I have to go skiing here - next spring!
I can absolutely recommend it :)
I can remember how excited I was when I went to London to work, crappy jobs initially but I gradually got better & better jobs & had great names on my CV. ICELAND would be a huge positive on anyone’s record 😊
Please I need a hotel job... I'm a Nigerian
I was in Sudureyri recently. It was very nice and lots of Polish people there. They told me theu worked in maintenance, tourism and in the fishing industry.
I have a lot of polish friends here :) not sure about the oercentage but they’re by far the biggest minority in Iceland 🇵🇱🇮🇸
I’ve just found your channel, your videos are fantastic thank you. I’m going from the USA to the UK next year; I have a four night layover on the way over so I’ll have three full days when I’m going to do the South. On my way back I have seven nights in your country and plan to head North; Arctic Way, Grimsey Island, and now Troll Peninsula. Your videos are so helpful and make me want to spend longer there but time is restricted. I hope mid-May is a good time to visit.
Thank you so much! That sounds like an amazing trip. Also I think it can be fun that you have it split into two back to back visits. Something tells me that you will be even more exited to visit after the first one. Crossing fingers for some good weather, but May is definitely a great month to visit :)
Thanks
Anytime! 🙏💪
I am glad i have been to most you mentioned 😊
Do you have a favourite one? :)
Thanks, going next week, greetings from Sweden
Have a great trip! :)
Nice getting in the human trafficking business?
haha, you know how it is Pálmi, it's all about making them childhood dreams a reality 😅
Hi Jan, Love your videos, I've some collaboration ideas ad some ideas to share with you, what's the best way to contact you directly?
Thank you! :) you can email me at [email protected]
Dear sir construction sector i can do any job. your company hires foreigner worker. can you take me From Bangladesh.
I can't help you with that, but there are many foreigners here working in the construction. it maybe just a bit harder to find and start with compared to tourism jobs imo
Hi Jan, thanks for this video about the challenges and things to look out for when applying for employment in Iceland.
Thank you Ben! 🙏
Really enjoying your videos🤗My husband and I will be there mid September and can’t wait. You have been very informative and good natured😊 We live in a tourist place as well (Maine) and there is good and bad in all seasons for sure. Cheers!
Thank you, glad you enjoy watching them :) excited for you, I'm sure you will have an amazing trip! Crossing fingers for some good weather this September!
Great video! Very informative for those wanting to experience working and living in Iceland!
Thank you so much! 🙏
Thanks for the tips Jan. As always, these videos are very helpful!
Glad to hear that Bry, thank you :)
Thanks Jan.
Anytime Safwan! Hopefully it brings at least a bit of value 🙏
Thank you Jan! This was such an amazing video about driving in Iceland. Loved your suggestion of right indicator for the vehicle behind to overtake. I really don't want to drive too fast, but I also dont want to be an annoying driver for the people behind me!
Glad it's helpful Nimesh! The main thing is to take it easy and enjoy it, driving here can be very relaxing when the weather is good :)
@@janiniceland Hoping to do so in mid September. Thank you for the video and reply.
Hi there Jan, I just came across your channel and it's very inspiring! I just bought and started running a guesthouse in Ólafsvik in Snæfellsnes. I'm originally Icelandic but have lived in the US for a long time. I decided to make a gradual transition back to Iceland. My parents already have a guesthouse in the same town, so having their support makes the process much easier. Sometimes it feels overwhelming but I feel if I stick with it and get familiar with the whole process, it will get easier. Hopefully, when we get caught up with the business and household aspects, we can start enjoying the outdoors, mountain biking and hiking etc. Are you able to make ends meet in the winter time when you close the guesthouse?
Hello Jonas! Thank you for sharing this and congratulations on your new guesthouse! What is the name of it? Snæfellsnes is such an amazing part of Iceland, can't wait to drive there again sometime. It's not easy, but im sure you will figure everything out soon once you have your systems in place. And like you said, having your parents there who you can talk to about the whole process and stuff is awesome. My process was all trial and error so having someone here who understands how things work would have saved me a lot of time, nerves and money haha. I honestly don't think I would be able to live just on that, but I also do photo and video work and some other side hustles. This airbnb of mine is more of an investment that allowed me to quit my job and pursue things I really wanted to do. Very grateful for that. Maybe see you in Snæfellsnes some day :)
Hi Jan and thanks for the encouraging words! Our guesthouse is Olafsvik Guesthouse and my parent's is Bikers Paradise, both in Olafsvik. We're here until beginning of August, then go back to the States. The plan is to spend more time in Iceland each year and take it from there.
I’ve watched this 3 times!l Thank you Jan 😊 Iceland trip 🇮🇸 July 2024
Glad it's helpful Amber :) fingers crossed for a lot of t-shirt weather days in July!
@@janinicelandNooo! I want harsh weather too because I bought an authentic lopapeysa on Ebay and wanted to bring it to Iceland this July 🤣
Me too July 15-24
@@samt.1369 haha, well be careful what you wish for 😅
The short days of winter produce the most stunning images of the landscape. 🇬🇧👍🏻🇮🇸
100%! My hard drive is filled mostly with footage from the winter 😀
The short days of winter produce the most stunning images of the landscape. 🇬🇧👍🏻🇮🇸
I always wanted to move to Iceland, I feel like I was born in a wrong country, but as time moved on, got married and got two kids. Now I find it more and more unlikely and harder to move there. Feels depressing.😰
I've met with people who relocated here with the whole family. but I know it is easily said than done and it depends on many things. But everything is possible. I think it is always better to go through a struggle and risk of things not working out rather than having regrets of never following what you want. I also need to keep reminding myself that every day...i wish you the best of luck, maybe just try look into it and see what would it take to make something like this turn into reality :)
🇨🇿🇨🇿🇨🇿🇨🇿🇨🇿
The FB page is for people living in Iceland only
Well, they say that, that's true, but I don't think it should stop people from reaching out to any advertised job offers. Every reach out moves people closer to finding the job. They may not be interested in hiring, but they might send you to someone else, you just never know...
I've been bingeing your videos Jan - good stuff. Heading to Westfjords, Hornstrandir and a few other places in a couple of weeks.
Thanks a lot! Westfjords are absolutely epic, one of my favourite regions. You will love it there, I can promise you that already! Don't skip Red sand beach on the south coast of Westfjords, this place blow my mind every time I'm there.
Can I apply from Romania
😂 the good news is Romania is not allowed, there police are too active baby😂
Thank you. This is super insightful! Coming in July
Ill be visiting on October of this year for the first time ♡
Excited for you! The first time visit of Iceland is the best, I still remember mine like it was yesterday:)
Thank you very much for the useful information! Myself and a group of friends are planning to visit Iceland in March 2025 for a short trip (around 8th-13th). We don't intend to go into the highlands, just the golden circle, the reynisfjara beach and the westfjords. I have a couple questions about this trip. Based upon our plans, would it be possible to do this with a 2WD vehicle, or is a 4x4 is required at this time of the year? Are the Westfjords easily accessible this time of the year?
Glad it's helpful :) Most fo the roads in Westfjords are accessible in March even with 2wd, unless you encounter some crazy weather (but that applies to any region of the island). But it is still a very snowy region with some mountain passes and so 4wd is still recommended especially for the safety. Just keep in mind that to drive around Westfjords alone is around 700-800km, so I would even consider plan b - don't go all the way to Reynisjara, but maybe visit Snæfellsnes peninsula on your way north instead. Then you can maybe better use your time (and have a little buffer in case of a storm) and then also take a ferry from from there from Stykkishólmur over the bay. Just an idea :)
@@janiniceland That's definitely a useful tip. If we were to not go north, but rather only the golden circle and the south coast, would it be advisable to rent a 2WD or a 4WD in March?
@@devvrath123 You can always manage in 2wd if the road are cleared and weather is good. But when the storm hits, you get snow and strong side wind, you will wish you had a 4wd haha. It is hard to say what weather you will get. Generally south doesnt get as much snow but still. It can be sunny and no snow, or it can be blizzard lasting days. If you're on the budget get a 2wd, be careful and don't drive anywhere if weather is bad, but if you want peace of mind, pay a little extra and get 4wd :)
Thanks
No worries! and good luck!
Love ❤️ your video,n thinking of visiting in November 🙏🏽
Thank you Delon! Fingers crossed for some good weather this November.
Hi Jan we are coming to iceland july 22 maybe we cross paths we are coming from florida
Hey Keith! I hope you'll have a great trip and good weather. If you see a guy in blue jacket in red van, come say hi! 😀🙏
Thanks! Great video :) As a Canadian who has clothes for running outdoors all year (including winter), I realize I have pretty well everything I need for Iceland. My main concern is how to keep my wife from overpacking, but that needs a different video ...
Thanks Neil! Exactly, I guess that's really a big advantage for all of us coming from places with cold winters. For me being from Czech Republic, it also wasn't a rocket science, but I can imagine it isn't so straight forward for people from places with all year around summer temperatures. Haha, yeah overpacking that is whole different video. I was planning to do one about minimalist packing in the future. - If you are bored on the airport after your trip you can text me what you wish you had and what things you didn't use at all. I'd be curious to know and it would be really awesome for the video! Just if you have time :) ([email protected])
Hi jan, what are the chances of getting to see northern lights this November? Any particular location/place you’d recommend
Hey! Very high chance to see them, as long as the sky stays clear. Location doesn't matter, just keep in mind that it is always the best to be outside of the city (because of the light pollution). I have a guide on topic of northern lights on my channel as well :) kzread.info/dash/bejne/YoV_1M2xXcy3ZsY.htmlsi=CW-1baMnaU6peY-i
Hi Jan, I will be visiting Iceland this November. How many hours of average daily day lights on this mth? Thanks
Hey! Days in November are already pretty short, sunrise is around 10am and sunset around 4pm. But despite the shorter days, light can be very magical as the sun is sitting quite low on the horizon :)
Hi Jan, thank you for your very informative videos! Subscribed! I am going to Iceland in October, it will be my first time. As a nature photographer one of my goals is to catch the Aurora borealis of course! :) But I have this doubt, can we move "freely" in and out of the campsites at night? Or there are restricted hours when you cant leave the camspite or enter? And do we need to book in advance the campsites or is just arrive and pay? Thank you so much! I will see your other videos! Congrats for the channel! Keep it going!
Hello Pedro! thank you so much! I wouldn't be too worried, as far as I know you can move freely and the hours aren't restricted. Of course there're the unwritten rules like don't leave your engine running late in the evening as many people are already asleep and so on...you know, just the common sense kind of things. With the booking, you can prebook some but you don't have to. if there's nobody collecting payments, they will most likely show up in the morning. Every campsite is a bit different, and so it is hard to say exactly what to expect, but it is always all very relaxed overall. Also there shouldn't be that many people camping in October, so that's even better. Just check beforehand which of the campsites are operating when you're there. Some of them are closing by the end of September or during October.
@@janiniceland Thank you so much again!! I really appreciate your answer and your very welcome information! Best of luck for you and your channel! Looking forward for October! Thank you!! 🙏🙏🙏