Packing for a Truck Stay on the Hvítá: A Season-by-Season Checklist

A night in a converted expedition truck on the riverbank at Hvítárbakki is a different kind of trip than a standard hotel stay, and your bag should reflect that. This is a compact, adventure-leaning stay in Borgarfjörður, West Iceland, roughly 35 minutes’ drive from Borgarnes and about 1.5 hours from Reykjavík. Here is what actually earns its place in your duffel, sorted by when you are coming and what you plan to do.

Summer: Light, But Don’t Skip the Eye Mask

From late May through July the sun barely sets in Iceland, and a truck cabin lets in more light than a hotel room with blackout curtains. The single most useful thing you can pack for a summer night here is a proper eye mask or sleep mask. Bring one even if you never use one at home.

Late summer is also berry season. Bilberries (aðalbláber) and crowberries (krækiber) ripen roughly from the beginning of August to mid-September and carpet the heathland and lava fields around Borgarfjörður. Toss a small reusable container in your bag so a walk from the truck can turn into a handful of wild berries.

Winter: Layers for Stepping Out to the Aurora

The reason to book a riverbank truck in winter is that you can watch for the northern lights from right outside the door, away from town glow. That only works if you can stand out in the cold long enough. Pack warm base layers, a hat, and gloves you can leave by the door, so a green flare in the sky doesn’t send you scrambling for clothes. A headlamp helps you find your footing on the riverbank in the dark, too.

Year-Round: Swim Gear, Boots, and a Headlamp

West Iceland is dense with places to soak, and the region rewards a mini pool crawl. Krauma sits beside Deildartunguhver near Reykholt, about 35 minutes away, with warm pools kept around 37–42°C. Further up the valley, the Húsafell Canyon Baths run pools of roughly 30–41°C on a guided walk from Hotel Húsafell. Swimwear and a quick-dry towel belong in the bag in every season.

If you want to go underground, Surtshellir lava cave in the Hallmundarhraun lava field is one of Iceland’s longest at about 2 km. It has no facilities and stays cold year-round, roughly 0–2°C, over uneven, slippery rock, so a helmet and a headlamp are non-negotiable for anyone going in. Above ground, waterproof boots and windproof, rainproof shell layers matter in any month; West Iceland weather turns quickly.

• Getting there: Hvítárbakki, Borgarfjörður — about 35 minutes from Borgarnes, roughly 1.5 hours from Reykjavík.
• Summer must-pack: eye mask or sleep mask for near-24-hour daylight; a reusable container for late-summer berry picking.
• Winter must-pack: warm base layers, hat, and gloves for aurora-watching outside the truck.
• Every season: swimwear and a quick-dry towel for Krauma and the Canyon Baths; sturdy waterproof boots; windproof, rainproof shell.
• For caving at Surtshellir: helmet and headlamp (essential — the cave sits near 0–2°C and has no lighting or facilities).
• Before you pack: confirm what your truck provides — bedding, towels, a kettle — so you neither over- nor under-pack.

Where to Stay

The Hvítá Trucks sit right on the bank of the Hvítá at Hvítárbakki, which is exactly what makes the packing list work: you can step out of the truck to scan for the aurora on a winter night or pick berries on a summer afternoon without driving anywhere first, then base your pool-and-cave day trips from the same riverside spot. Book direct on Ourhotels.is for the best rate.

Photo: Reykholt via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.