This will be my second time to Iceland in November in as many years, so I am aware of daylight & weather issues as well as the scale of the country. Arriving on Nov 18, but my friend will leave before me, giving me November 21 to 26 by myself. I'd like to base myself at least some of that time outside of Reykjavik, since I will have taken advantage of most of the more common day trip options available in my 2 trips. My sole goal is to see more of Iceland. My issues are that I do not wish to drive due to concerns about the unpredictability of weather, buses seem few in winter (and/or slow), plane "tours" require a minimum of 2 people, and I am not sure of logistics without a vehicle if I just take a regularly scheduled flight to, say, Hofn. Travel partner interest and destination/other suggestions welcome for this mid-40s solo female. Thanks.
My issues are that I do not wish to drive due to concerns about the unpredictability of weather
I am not sure of logistics without a vehicle if I just take a regularly scheduled flight to, say, Hofn
You are going to have difficulties getting anywhere without transport, especially outside Reykjavik. If you fly to Hofn, you won't find a local bus to take you to town, you hire a car or take a taxi Then having got to town, the interest in the place will be rapidly exhausted, as it is really the surrounding area that is interesting. There are a few buses, but less than daily out of season, but they don't necessarily facilitate convenient out and back transport to a site outside of town for a day trip, that's not their aim.
People do drive all year in Iceland, and if appropriate your car will be fitted with winter tyres. Most of the time you won't have frost or snow to deal with, just wind and rain, but you'll just have to be careful if you do get a bit of frost or snow. It's something you can get used to if you are careful.
Thank you for your response, iviehoff. I will think about hiring a car, maybe once I get over to Hofn, or I might post on here to see if I can find a travel buddy. To get from Reykjavic to Hofn, I am considering taking the bus one way and flying EagleAir the other. My guidebook says the bus route runs only a couple of times a week, but the streto.is website schedule says that route 51 runs daily (unless it has not yet been updated for the winter). For planning purposes, do you think it is reasonable to expect a daily bus in November? As an alternative to Hofn, I'm thinking of going to Akureyri (bus 56 or flight to Husavik and then bus/drive) as there seems to be a few more day tour options than from Hofn. (With this option, I'd have to come back to Iceland a third time to see Jokulsarlon, which would be OK with me!)
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