Happy 1
Compact campervan
- Seats
- 2
- Sleeps
- 2
- Toilet
- No
- Shower
- No
- Transmission
- Automatic
Happy Campers review
An Icelandic campervan specialist with a range of standard and EX vans for campsite-based travel.
Profile reviewed and updated on
Background
Company overview
Happy Campers began in Iceland in 2009, founded by Herdís Jónsdóttir and Sverrir Þorsteinsson. The rental business operates as Happy Campers ehf. and became part of Arctic Adventures in June 2025.
Its Iceland operation is centred on a single base in Reykjanesbær, where vehicles are collected and returned. Alongside the rental business, an adjacent Happy Campsite provides a separate place to stay.
Our verdict
Editorial review
Happy Campers makes a convincing case for travellers who want a van as their base for exploring Iceland. There is enough variety to make the choice more substantial than simply picking a larger bed: the standard and EX ranges differ in age, layout and equipment, while the 4WD options add a separate route-planning decision. The experience is centred on camping, with onboard cooking and heating but bathroom stops built into the trip.
The strongest version of this proposition is a carefully chosen category and a rental arranged around the Keflavík base. It becomes less straightforward when plans depend on unrestricted highland access, an exceptionally late arrival or minimal financial exposure. Protection products, card holds and rescue cover need to be considered together; the highest cover tier does not make every road or incident acceptable.
Good points
- Larger groups have a 4WD choice.The Happy 4×4 XL combines five travel seats with five sleeping places. That gives a group needing both that capacity and 4WD a choice within the same range, rather than limiting the four-wheel-drive offer to a couple-sized camper.
- The airport connection is built into collection.A free transfer serves Keflavík Airport and local Keflavík hotels during normal opening hours. Having transport to the rental base included makes the start and end of an airport-based hire easier to organise.
- Room to change plans before departure.Direct bookings can be cancelled free of charge more than 24 hours before the rental begins. That is useful flexibility for a trip whose dates may change close to departure, provided the cancellation falls within that window.
Things to consider
- Older vans merit attention to condition.Some renters in sampled Trustpilot and Google reviews report worn interiors or minor electrical and accessory faults, including in older or EX vehicles. Other accounts describe comfortable, well-equipped vans. Condition deserves particular attention when choosing an older EX category.
- A key drop does not end responsibility immediately.Returning outside office hours is possible, but responsibility continues until the vehicle is inspected on the next business day. That matters when choosing an early flight: leaving the keys is a different arrangement from completing a staffed return.
Vehicle categories
Happy Campers fleet
Happy 1 EX Auto
Compact campervan
- Seats
- 2
- Sleeps
- 2
- Toilet
- No
- Shower
- No
- Transmission
- Automatic
Happy 1 EX
Compact campervan
- Seats
- 2
- Sleeps
- 2
- Toilet
- No
- Shower
- No
- Transmission
- Manual
Happy 2
Panel van camper
- Seats
- 3
- Sleeps
- 3
- Toilet
- No
- Shower
- No
- Transmission
- Automatic
Happy 2 EX
Panel van camper
- Seats
- 4
- Sleeps
- 2
- Toilet
- No
- Shower
- No
- Transmission
- Automatic
Happy 3
Panel van camper
- Seats
- 5
- Sleeps
- 5
- Toilet
- No
- Shower
- No
- Transmission
- Automatic
Happy 3 EX
Panel van camper
- Seats
- 5
- Sleeps
- 5
- Toilet
- No
- Shower
- No
- Transmission
- Automatic
Happy 4×4
Panel van camper
- Seats
- 3
- Sleeps
- 3
- Toilet
- No
- Shower
- No
- Transmission
- Automatic
Happy 4×4 EX
Panel van camper
- Seats
- 4
- Sleeps
- 2
- Toilet
- No
- Shower
- No
- Transmission
- Automatic
Happy 4×4 XL
Panel van camper
- Seats
- 5
- Sleeps
- 5
- Toilet
- No
- Shower
- No
- Transmission
- Automatic
The fleet consists of van-based campers, with two-wheel-drive and 4WD options and a separate EX range. Bedding, cooking equipment, a cooler or fridge, a running-water sink and overnight heating form the common camping setup.
What the EX label changes
Standard and EX versions should be compared as different configurations. Happy 2, for example, has three travel seats and three sleeping places; Happy 2 EX carries four but sleeps two. The same three-and-three versus four-and-two distinction applies to Happy 4×4 and Happy 4×4 EX. An EX vehicle is therefore not simply the same camper from an earlier year.
The advertised vehicle years also differ. Happy 1 EX covers 2017–2018 vehicles, Happy 1 EX Auto and Happy 4×4 EX cover 2019–2020, Happy 2 EX is a 2020 category, and Happy 3 EX is a 2022 category. The standard range starts at 2021 or later, depending on the model. These are category descriptions, not a promise of a particular assigned vehicle.
Unlimited Wi-Fi is included in the five standard categories and is an optional daily extra in the five EX categories. Happy 1 EX is the only manual category; the rest are automatic.
Choosing within the range
The Happy 1 family provides the two-person choices. Happy 2 adds a third sleeping place in its standard version, while Happy 3 and Happy 3 EX accommodate five. For four-wheel drive, the range runs from the two-berth EX to the three-berth Happy 4×4 and five-berth XL. All three 4WD categories include wool insulation and two auxiliary batteries, and the XL has two gas stoves.
The bathroom arrangement remains the same throughout the range: none has a built-in WC or shower. The larger vans add capacity without becoming self-contained motorhomes with a bathroom. Vehicle choice also needs to follow Happy's permitted-road rules; four-wheel drive does not remove those restrictions.
Locations
Happy Campers pickup locations
Open each country to see its pickup locations.
Iceland
-
Reykjanesbær Stapabraut 21, 260 Reykjanesbær, Iceland
Before booking
Practical facts
| Topic | What to know |
|---|---|
| Driver requirements | Drivers must be at least 18 and have held a driving licence for at least 12 months. Bring the original physical licence; an international driving permit is required for a licence in non-Latin script. |
| Mileage | Unlimited mileage is included. This does not remove the restrictions on where each vehicle may be driven. |
| Road-use charge | A compulsory road-use charge of €11 per day is added in the direct booking process. It is separate from the vehicle rental price. |
| Price example | A direct-booking quote for Happy 1 EX manual from 21 September 2026 at 08:00 to 28 September 2026 at 16:00 showed eight rental days: €640 for the vehicle, less a €32 long-rental discount, plus €88 in road charges, giving €696 with no other paid extras selected. The seven-night interval included an additional eight hours. This is a dated price example, not a price or availability promise for another trip. |
| Advance payment | Direct bookings offer a 30% confirmation payment or payment in full. Any remaining balance is due before or at collection. This advance payment is separate from a security hold. |
| Security hold and cards | A card in the renter's name is required. Most credit-card cover tiers have a €300 hold; Max and Happiest require no hold on a credit card. For debit or prepaid cards, the stated holds are €3,000 with Basic CDW, €1,000 with Standard or the Happy bundle, and €300 with Plus or Max. Release can take up to 30 days. A zero hold does not mean zero damage liability. |
| Damage cover | Basic CDW and required third-party liability are included. Basic CDW generally leaves €3,000 responsibility per collision incident and €5,000 for wind damage. Optional Standard, Plus and Max cost €25, €35 and €55 per day respectively. Plus reduces common covered damage to €0 but retains €3,000 for wind and €1,000 for sand or ash. Max advertises €0 for common covered damage, wind, sand or ash, and tyres or rims. Exclusions remain, including water damage, underbody damage and prohibited use, which can leave full liability. |
| Roadside help | A 24/7 emergency number is supplied at collection. Roadside Protection costs €20 per day and is separate from damage cover; all three Happy bundles include it. Without applicable protection, towing, lockouts, jump starts, flat tyres, wrong fuel or snow and mud recovery may be chargeable. Negligent, reckless, closed-road and non-emergency callouts are excluded from the roadside product. |
| Faults during the trip | Report faults or damage promptly and obtain authorisation before repairs. For mechanical faults not caused by the renter, repair or replacement is arranged as reasonably possible. There is no fixed replacement-time guarantee, and the contract excludes consequential costs such as hotels or flights. |
| Permitted roads | Two-wheel-drive vans may use permitted paved and gravel public roads, but not F-roads. Their additional restrictions include road 35 beyond Gullfoss, 550/Kaldidalur and 208/Landmannalaugar. All Happy vehicles are barred from roads 337, 622, F26, F210, F578, F910, F980 and F249. A 4WD may use only open roads that Happy permits. Off-road driving is forbidden, and river-water damage is not covered. |
| Airport and hotel transfers | The included shuttle serves Keflavík Airport and local Keflavík hotels during normal opening hours. Supply arrival details at least 24 hours ahead. There is no included Reykjavík shuttle or after-hours transfer. |
| Collection and return timing | Collection requires office opening hours; allow around 20–60 minutes for handover. A 24/7 key drop is available for return, but it provides no staffed service or transfer, and responsibility continues until inspection on the next business day. |
| Cancellation and early return | Direct bookings can be cancelled free more than 24 hours before the rental starts. For cancellation less than 24 hours before the start, or failure to provide required documents, the retained confirmation fee is stated as 30% of rental charges. Unused rental time is not refunded after an early return. |
| Wi-Fi and camping extras | Wi-Fi costs €10 per day for an EX camper. A portable toilet costs €10 per day and is excluded from the Happiest bundle's extras. A camping chair is €15 each per rental and a table is €20 per rental. |
| Additional drivers | An extra driver costs €35 per rental. Every driver must be registered, meet the eligibility requirements and be present at collection. |
| Child seats | Child seats are optional at €10 per day. The seat type and its compatibility with the booked camper need to be confirmed for the child travelling. |
| Cooking gas | The standard categories and Happy 3 EX include two gas canisters; Happy 1 EX, Happy 1 EX Auto, Happy 2 EX and Happy 4×4 EX include four. These are finite supplies. An extra canister costs €7. |
| Fuel return | Return the van with a full fuel tank; otherwise, fuel is charged with a 20% service fee. |
| Cleaning | Excessive cleaning costs €100. |
| Smoking and vaping | Smoking or vaping incurs a €500 charge. |
| Late return | Being more than one hour late without notice can result in another rental day's charge. |
More about the company
Explore Happy Campers
Staying beside the rental base
Happy Campsite sits next to the Reykjanesbær office, making it an option for a night near the start or end of a rental. It is a separate stay, with showers, toilets, hot and cold water, outdoor washbasins, picnic tables and Wi-Fi. There is no shared kitchen.
The campsite rate is ISK 1,900 per person per night, with children under 17 staying free, plus an overnight tax of ISK 400 per unit. Happy rental customers receive a 30% campsite discount. Late arrivals use Parka to pay and check in. Staying at the campsite does not turn the rental office into a 24-hour collection service.
Quick answers
Happy Campers FAQ
What is the difference between Happy Campers' standard and EX vans?
EX categories use earlier vehicle generations, and some have different seating and sleeping layouts. Happy 2 EX and Happy 4×4 EX both have four travel seats but only two sleeping places; their standard counterparts have three of each. Wi-Fi is included with standard vans and costs €10 per day with an EX rental.
Can five people travel and sleep in a Happy Campers 4WD?
Yes. Happy 4×4 XL has five travel seats and five sleeping places. Happy 4×4 has three of each, while Happy 4×4 EX seats four and sleeps two. The XL still has no built-in WC or shower.
Can I take a Happy Campers 4WD on any F-road?
No. Happy's 4WD vans may use only open roads permitted by the company. Its prohibited list includes F26, F210, F578, F910, F980 and F249, and off-road driving is forbidden. Water damage remains uninsured, so a 4WD booking is not permission or protection for a river crossing.
Does Happy Campers collect me from Keflavík Airport or Reykjavík?
Airport transfers and pickups from local Keflavík hotels are included during normal office hours. Send arrival details at least 24 hours ahead. There is no included Reykjavík pickup, and the shuttle does not operate after hours.
Can I collect or return my Happy camper outside opening hours?
Collection needs to take place during office hours. Return is possible through a 24/7 key drop, but the vehicle remains your responsibility until inspection on the next business day. An out-of-hours return does not include a shuttle.
Can I rent from Happy Campers with a debit card?
The direct rental terms provide for debit and prepaid cards in the renter's name. The hold depends on protection: €3,000 with Basic CDW, €1,000 with Standard or the Happy bundle, and €300 with Plus or Max. Choosing Max does not remove the debit-card hold as it does for a credit card.
Does Happy Campers include roadside rescue with damage cover?
The products are separate. A 24/7 emergency phone service is available, but Roadside Protection costs €20 per day unless it is included in a Happy, Happier or Happiest bundle. A damage-cover upgrade on its own should not be treated as including every rescue cost; the roadside product also has exclusions.
Do Happy Campers vans have a toilet and shower?
None of the ten Iceland categories has a built-in WC or shower. A portable toilet can be rented for €10 per day, including as a separate extra if choosing the Happiest bundle. Bathroom facilities are otherwise part of the campsite-based trip.
Is Happy Campers still family-owned?
It was founded by Herdís Jónsdóttir and Sverrir Þorsteinsson in 2009, but Arctic Adventures acquired the Icelandic business in June 2025. Family-founded describes its origins; Arctic Adventures is its current owner.
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