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Incredible Iceland Road Trip Itinerary and Planning Guide

Iceland is one of my absolute favorite road trip destinations in the entire world. There aren’t many other places where you can drive right past towering glaciers, lagoons filled with icebergs, active volcanoes, dramatic mountain peaks, and even coastal fjords. If you get lucky, your vehicle may even light up a vibrant green as the northern lights dance in the sky above.

The main road around Iceland is Route 1, also known as the “Iceland ring road”. This travels a 1,322 kilometers (821 miles) loop around the country. While technically possible in a day trip, you are definitely going to want to take your time exploring this insanely beautiful part of the world. My 7 day Iceland road trip itinerary is going to help you do just that! Plus, I’m sharing options to extend your trip or cut it down to a 3 day Iceland itinerary.

Disclaimer : This blog post may feature some affiliate links, which means I get a small commission if you make a purchase (at no extra cost to you). It’s one of the ways I can keep producing free guides and resources for my readers. Learn more about my affiliate policy  here . Thank you for the support!

Iceland Road Trip Itinerary

Having been to Iceland four times now and experiencing all four seasons, I feel like I have a pretty good grasp of how to maximize my time there. This blog post is based on my own firsthand experiences , plus some additional information I have also learned from friends and locals.

Keep in mind that this blog post is aimed at travelers with their own vehicles (rental cars, camper vans , etc). Driving in Iceland is very easy and there isn’t much difference compared to driving in the US or other first-world countries. This Iceland itinerary is also based on a summer and shoulder season perspective, but I will touch on the differences between traveling in these seasons and traveling the country in the winter.

Best Iceland Road Trip Route

Below you will find a general idea of the routes I suggest for both a 7 day and 3 day Iceland road trip itinerary. Ignore the driving times as not every single stop is included, just enough to show the general direction and route . In the next section, we will break down the actual stops for each day of your trip!

7 Day Iceland Road Trip Itinerary Route

3 Day Iceland Road Trip Itinerary Route

Where To Start and End Your Iceland Road Trip

You will be starting and ending your road trip in Reykjavik , or more specifically, the rental car area near the Keflavik airport. In saying that, you could jump on these itineraries at any stage of your Iceland vacation and you may opt to start/finish in different spots.

How Long To Spend on An Iceland Road Trip

In my opinion, 7 days is a great amount of time for most people to spend road tripping Iceland. Even better would be 10-14 days, especially if you like to take it slow or enjoy capturing photos at sunrise and sunset. A 3 day stopover is very fast, but it’s definitely enough time to get a good taste of what Iceland has to offer if that’s the only time you have.

Below I will give a day-by-day breakdown for the ultimate 7 day Iceland road trip itinerary. Then afterward I will provide suggestions on how to spend any extra days, e.g. if you opt to take a 10-14 day road trip. I will also provide an itinerary for a much quicker 3 day Iceland visit… so don’t worry, I’m going to make sure you have the best Iceland road trip no matter how long you are there!

7 Day Iceland Road Trip Itinerary

With this itinerary, I’m using my first-hand experience to help you put together a dream 7-day Iceland road trip . I’ll also share some of my favorite scenic stops, hikes, suggestions of where to stay, and some of my favorite food options along the way.

I feel it’s important to note that this may need to change slightly depending on the time of year you visit and available daylight hours . Mid-spring through mid-autumn will be optimal in terms of having enough daylight hours to see every stop. Visitors in early spring, late fall, or winter may need to look up the stops I suggest and then prioritize the ones that look the most interesting to them.

Day 1: Reykjavik to Vik

You will be starting day 1 in Reykjavik or Keflavik Airport . The majority of international flights seem to arrive very first thing in the morning, so I am presuming this is the case for your vacation. From here you will pick up your rental car or camper van and begin your journey! Most rental car companies have a location near the airport or will provide a shuttle bus into Reykjavik.

Stop 1: selfoss

Not the most exciting of stops for your first one, but one thing I’ve learned about Iceland is that it’s always important to have snacks on hand! You might find yourself spending longer in an area than you intended, and thus need something to keep you fueled until your next meal. The Krónan grocery store in the city of Selfoss is on the way to your next destination and also large enough to have all you will need. Pick up snacks, groceries, water, cooking propane, etc.

Read next: 12 Best Road Trip Planner Apps to Find Cheap Gas, Campsites, Hiking Trails, and More

Stop 2: Seljalandsfoss

Seljalandsfoss is one of the most popular waterfalls in Iceland, and for good reason. Here you can follow a nice trail to all different views of the falls, and even walk behind it! Don’t forget a rain jacket even if it’s sunny out, the spray from the falls can drench you quickly depending on the wind direction.

A bonus stop is following the trail north a short distance from Seljalandsfoss, and you’ll be able to check out another waterfall called Gljufrabui . However, it involves walking through a small canyon, and the spray can be pretty strong. You have to be prepared to get wet for this one, but it’s worth it for the experience and some cool photos.

Suggested rain jackets: Marmot PreCip Eco Jacket , Arc’teryx Zeta SL Jacket  (Gore-Tex), Columbia Splash A Little II Jacket

Marmot PreCip Eco Jacket

Arc’teryx Zeta SL Jacket

Columbia Splash A Little II Jacket

Stop 3: Skogafoss

This is definitely one of my favorite stops in southern Iceland! Skogafoss is SO dramatic, and the birds flying all around really add to the atmosphere as well. Similar to Seljalandsfoss, bring a rain jacket if you plan to get close to the waterfall as the spray is pretty hectic. There is another beautiful canyon just to the east which takes you on a short walk to another waterfall, Kvernufoss . This one is also worth checking out if you have the time! It’s far less crowded than Skogafoss.

Stop 4: Dyrholaey

Dyrholaey is a small peninsula with epic 360 views out to surrounding glaciers, coastline, mountains, and more. It is also famous for its picturesque rock arch and the lighthouse perched on top. In fact, this is one of my favorite spots to catch a sunrise or sunset in the area. Be mindful of seasonal closures due to puffin nesting . This typically happens around late spring-summer from the evening until early morning. On the way out to Dyrholaey, you can check out the Loftsalahellir Cave which is just a short walk from the roadside. This is a fun photo spot for the photographers out there!

Read next: How To Take Better Travel Photos

Stop 5: reynisfjara

Another of my favorite stops on an Iceland road trip, Reynisfjara is a beautiful stretch of coastline that is covered in black pebbles instead of sand… super cool! There are also some incredible basalt columns in this area that make for great photos, as well as some sea stacks. Be mindful of the crazy sneaker waves at this location, as tourists have died after being swept out to sea by unexpected waves.

Stop 5: vik

Vik is one of my favorite towns in all of Iceland. It’s beautifully located, has plenty of amenities, and is only a 2.5-hour drive from Reykjavik. This is also a great spot to stop for the night to enjoy a nice meal and slow down after a busy first day. While in town I recommend driving up to the Vik i Myrdal Church for great views of Vik. You can also check out the black sand beach if you feel like taking a walk. As for food, I recommend dinner at Smiðjan Brugghús . In fact, this was one of our favorite food stops in Iceland as we loved their burgers, craft beer, and cauliflower wings.

Fun fact : Despite its beauty, lupine is actually an invasive species to Iceland and threatens existing plants and ecosystems. Climate change is not helping the situation and as it spreads more and more some Icelanders even want the plant eradicated. I wouldn’t typically condone picking wildflowers, but in the instance above I had been assured by locals that it was harmless.

Where to Stay In Vik

• Suggested hotel: Hotel Vík í Mýrdal
• Suggested rental: Modern and clean Vik vacation rental
• Suggested campground: Vik Campsite

Day 2: Vik to Hofn

You’ll be starting day 2 in Vik with an early start (grab coffee at Skool Beans !), and end the day in the town of Hofn . This involves around 3.5 hours of driving total. This is a big day with SO much to see and quite a lot of hiking, so start early and give yourself time to really take it all in.

Stop 1: Fjadrargljufur Canyon

Also known as “The Majestic Canyon”, Fjadrargljufur Canyon is an awesome first stop of the day to stretch the legs and see some of Iceland’s unique geology. A 3km (2 mile) round-trip trail takes you along the top of its moss-covered rocky cliffs and provides gorgeous views of the vibrant Fjaðrá river below. Please respect the barriers put up by land managers to protect the fragility of the area.

Read next: How To Follow Leave No Trace When Exploring the Outdoors

Stop 2: svinafellsjokull

Next up is the ever-so-dramatic Svinafellsjokull glacier . This is one of the most accessible, close-up glacier views in all of Iceland. Just a short walk from the parking lot will give you crazy views of the glacier and the lagoon that it is leaving behind as it melts with rising temperatures. If you’re visiting during the midnight sun and have plenty of daylight hours, you could also consider stopping by the nearby waterfall Svartifoss .

Stop 3: Mulagljufur Canyon

Mulagljufur Canyon might be my favorite spot in all of Iceland! It’s not as popular as many of the other locations along Iceland’s South Coast, so you will likely have it to yourself (or with very few people). The hike out to the viewpoint at the top of the canyon is around 4.5km (3 miles) round-trip with 200 meters (640 feet) of elevation change. This is a truly breathtaking hike that I cannot recommend enough. It’s also one of those spots I will return to again and again.

Read next: What To Wear Hiking as a Woman

Stop 4: Fjallsarlon, jokulsarlon, and diamond beach

I’ve lumped these together because they are all close, but these are three different stops. Fjallsarlon is the first stop in this area. Here you can drive up to a parking lot and get insane views of the Fjallsjokull glacier . Fjallsjokull makes its way down to the lagoon, and as the ice breaks off, it floats around making for some really cool photo opportunities.

Next, drive to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon , one of the most famous and beautiful places in Iceland. Jökulsárlón is essentially a much bigger version of Fjallsarlon, but the water is more clear and blue in appearance. At Jökulsárlón you can walk around the lagoon as far as you like, take a boat tour, grab a bite to eat, or use the restrooms. This is also a great spot for sunset photos.

Your last stop of the day is a walk down Diamond Beach . Here, ice is taken out of Jokulsarlon with the tide, then washed up on this stretch of coastline with the waves. There aren’t many places around the world where you can find ice on the beach, and that’s what makes this spot so unique. The amount of ice you find on this beach will depend greatly on how much ice has fallen off the glacier recently, the current tide cycle , etc. Because of this, some people will find a beach completely covered in ice, while others might find almost no ice at all.

Stop 6: hofn

You will end your day in the fishing village of Hofn . This town has really embraced tourism in the last 5 years and expanded its amenities greatly. We had some really delicious food here at places like Ups (great for vegetarians, also cheap), Pakkhus , Ishusid Pizza , and Hafnarbudin .

Where to Stay In Hofn

• Suggested hotel: Seljavellir Guesthouse
• Suggested rental: Aurora Cabins Vacation Rental
• Suggested campground: Camping Höfn

Day 3: Hofn to Seydisfjordur

Day 3 of your Iceland road trip starts in Hofn and will be ending in the gorgeous town of Seydisfjordur . There are only around 2.5 hours of driving total for today, but plenty to see along the way, plus a nice hike to get the blood pumping!

Stop 1: vestahorn (Stokksnes)

Your first stop of the morning will be at Vestrahorn (also known as Stokksnes). There is an entrance fee of about USD 7.50, but it is well worth it. This is another of my absolute favorite stops in Iceland, and I’ve been more than a handful of times. Sunrise is an absolute dream here if you can stomach the early rise, and thankfully it’s close to Hofn so not a big backtrack to get food afterward.

Stop 2: east fjords

The East Fjords make up a large region in eastern Iceland. I’ve been less specific with the stops in this area because my favorite thing here is to just stop whenever something catches my eye. Everything is so stunning in the East Fjords, so take it slow and enjoy the views. There are also several roadside waterfalls , so feel free to pull over and walk to one or two along the way. Keep an eye out for reindeer , we saw quite a few in this region during our last visit in the late spring/early summer.

If you like hot springs then consider stopping off at Djúpavogskörin Natural Geothermal Pool . In addition, this pool is located right next to the Ring Road (route 1) and has beautiful views. It’s also very hot, so you may not even get all the way in!

One thing to note is that Google Maps may take you off route 1 near Breiðdalsvík and over route 95 into Egilsstadir. This is the quickest way, and it is beautiful, though a little bumpy and rough. I personally like route 95, but if you want to stick to the highway you can instead choose to continue the longer way on route 1 to the next stop. Route 1 will also take you through Egilstaddir before the next stop in case you’re hungry and need a break. Alternatively, you can choose to detour into Egilsstadir if you take route 95 as well.

Stop 3: hengifoss and litlanesfoss

Your next stop will be the beautiful waterfalls of Hengifoss and Litlanesfoss. Hengifoss is the third highest waterfall in all of Iceland and is famous for the red banding in the cliffs around it. To reach it requires a steep 4.5km (3 miles) roundtrip hike. But if you don’t want to go the whole way to the base of Hengifoss, you can shave off 1.5km (1 mile) round-trip by stopping at the bench viewpoint of Hengifoss above Litlanesfoss and turning around there. There are also restrooms at the parking lot and parking is free.

Read next: Beginners Guide to Hiking

Stop 4: seydisfjordur

While in east Iceland, Seydisfjordur is a quaint coastal town definitely worth checking out. A popular tourist attraction here is the rainbow road leading to the town’s church, a symbol of Iceland’s progressive nature. This is also a great spot to rest for the night, so grab a meal in town, enjoy the fjord views, and rest up.

Where to Stay In Seydisfjordur

• Suggested hotel: Við Lónið Guesthouse
• Suggested rental: Vínland Cottage
• Suggested campground: Seydisfjordur Camping Site

Day 4: Seydisfjordur to Husavik

Over the course of day 4, you will be making your way from Egilsstadir and ending in another beautiful fishing village called Husavik . The total drive time is around 4.5 hours, with short walks at the scenic stops along the way.

Stop 1: Studlagil Canyon

You have probably all seen this spot on Instagram by now. Stuðlagil Canyon is famous for its Basalt columns that rise from a vibrant blue river, creating the most surreal and dreamy views in the northeast region of Iceland. To get here with the least amount of walking, you’ll want to drive to the location listed as “ Carpark Stuðlagil East side Canyon ” on GoogleMaps, cross the larger bridge (not the smaller one next to it), then turn right. You will be entering a farmer’s property , but they allow it as long as visitors respect the land. Continue along the dirt road and turn into the parking lot signed on the right, just before a basalt waterfall called Stuðlafoss . From here it is about a 1.5km (1 mile) walk each way to the canyon.

Note that you can also visit Stuðlagil Canyon from the other side of the river and this option requires minimal walking, but in my opinion, the views aren’t as epic. To get to the drive-up spot, simply navigate to “ Stuðlagil Canyon Parking ” on GoogleMaps and it will take you to the viewing area. In fact, this area has a proper paved parking lot, bathrooms, and a campground.

Read next: Hiking Trail Etiquette Rules You Should Know and Follow

Stop 2: dettifoss

Dettifoss is one of the most intense waterfalls I have ever seen and is said to be the second most powerful waterfall in all of Europe. You can view the falls from either the east or west side, but the west side is the most popular parking lot and has more managed trails, bathrooms, and viewpoints. Click here for directions to the west side parking lot .

Want to see puffins? You could adjust this itinerary in order to visit Borgarfjörður eystri , a famous puffin viewing area in the East Fjords. It’s a bit out of the way so would entail cutting out Seydisfjordur, Stuðlagil Canyon, or Dettifoss. This is a helpful article on visiting Borgarfjörður eystri .

Stop 3: Viti and krafla

The next stop is the Krafla area, where you will find the Viti crater . The drive to the crater through Krafla will give you a look into Iceland’s unique way of harnessing the natural energy created by its volcanic landscape. Viti itself is a vibrant blue crater with epic views of the surrounding landscape from the top. This is just a short walk from the parking lot, and you can also go up as far as you like. The crater is usually still frozen until late spring, so keep that in mind.

Stop 4: myvatn

Myvatn is a large volcanic lake in northern Iceland. Many visitors to this region come here to go to the Myvatn Nature Baths , which is an option if you enjoy soaking. The Myvatn Nature Baths are really beautiful but not my #1 favorite geothermal hot spring/bath in Iceland. In fact, I find the water to be not quite hot enough for my liking. In saying that, if you’re a big hot spring fan then I am sure you will enjoy it.

Stop 5: husavik

A small fishing town along the northern coast of Iceland, Husavik was recent thrown into the world’s eye as the hometown of the characters in the Will Ferrell movie “ Eurovision “. Husavik has gorgeous mountain and coastal views, and also one of my favorite geothermal baths, GeoSea . I really enjoyed grabbing some fresh fish for dinner at Fish and Chips , then heading to GeoSea for a sunset soak . I recommend spending the night in or nearby Husavik. If you feel like a sleep-in at this point of the trip, this is the day to do it.

Optional tour: Húsavík Big Whale Safari & Puffin Island Tour

Where to Stay In Husavik

• Suggested hotel: Post-Plaza Guesthouse
• Suggested campground: Húsavík Campground

Day 5: HUSAVIK to GRUNDARFJORDUR

Starting in Husavik , this is a big drive day and probably the least interesting of the trip. The northern part of Iceland after Akureyri is a lot of driving and not a lot of interesting things to see until you reach the Snaefellsnes Peninsula . With that being said, the relaxed day of driving is a good way to wind down after a hectic schedule over the past few days.

Stop 1: godafoss

Translated to “Waterfall of the Gods”, Godafoss is a beautiful waterfall along Route 1 between Husavik and the city of Akureyri. It’s definitely worth jumping out of the car and checking this one out. I recommending walking to both sides of the falls if you have the time.

Stop 2: akureyri

Akureyri is the second-largest city in Iceland and home to the second major airport in the country. Akureyri is quite a pretty city and makes a good lunch spot if you got a late start to the day, or even breakfast if you like to eat a little after waking. There are plenty of restaurants, cafes, and retail stores in the city square for you to check out.

Attention hot spring lovers : not much further along route 1 is a short detour to Fosslaug hot pool . You could choose to stop here instead of Akureyri or add it to your itinerary if you have plenty of daylight hours.

Stop 3: kirkjufellsfoss

A popular stop on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Kirkjufellsfoss is just a short walk from the road and offers beautiful views across to Kirkjufell mountain. This is a famous photography spot, so consider going at sunset and be sure to bring your camera!

Read next: What’s In My Camera Bag

Stop 4: grundarfjordur

Finish the day in the town of Grundarfjordur , nearby Kirkjkufell. This is a pretty small town, but there are a few accommodation and food options catering to tourists.

Where to Stay In Grundarfjordur

• Suggested hotel: Kirkjufell Guesthouse and Apartments
• Suggested rental: Halsabol Sumarhus by Mt Kirkjufell
• Suggested campground: Campground Grundarfjörður

Day 6: GRUNDARFJORDUR to Reykjavik

You’ll be starting day 6 in Grundarfjordur and ending in Reykjavik . This is a smaller driving day at around 3.5 hours total, with mostly just roadside stops along the way.

Stop 1: Svörtuloft Lighthouse

Make your way around the Snaefellsnes Peninsula , enjoying the sights along the way. Your first stop will be the Svortuloft Lighthouse , a vibrant orange lighthouse at the western edge of the peninsula. There is also a short walking trail to the lighthouse, and it’s a great spot to grab some photos and enjoy the fresh sea air.

Stop 2: Arnarstapi

Arnarstapi  is a nice little stop along the southern part of the peninsula. Here you get great views of the Snaefellsjokull glacier , as stunning coastal scenes. There’s also a couple of spots to grab food or use the restroom in Arnarstapi. In addition, I really love the hike from Arnarstapi to the nearby town of Hellnar . It’s around 6km (3.7 miles) round-trip, mostly flat, and you will see some really beautiful cliffs, rock arches, and more.

Read next: Best Hiking Shoes for Women and Men

Stop 3: Búðakirkja (Budir)

Budir is a famous black church with dramatic mountain views. Mostly known as a photography spot, it’s a cool little detour on your drive back to Reykjavik. You won’t need to spend long here.

Fun fact : Iceland is a tiny country but still has over 350 churches dotted around the island, making it an estimated 1 church for every 950 people!

Stop 4: Ytri Tunga Seal Beach

Ytri Tunga is a beach that is home to a seal colony . Your best chance of seeing them is in the summer months, but even if you don’t see a seal it’s still a beautiful beach to take a stroll. After this stop, you will begin making your way back to Reykjavik.

Stop 5: reykjavik

No trip to Iceland is complete without spending a little time in the largest city in the country. Reykjavik is one of my favorite cities from all of my travels around the world. It’s quaint, modern, and lively all at the same time. There are some amazing food options, unique retail stores, and also plenty of sights to keep you occupied for an evening downtown.

I recommend checking out Hallgrimskirkja , the famous church which sits at the top of the hill overlooking Reykjavik. You can also pay to take the elevator to the top for epic views over the city and Snaefellsnes Peninsula in the distance (beautiful at sunset!). You can check out the unique architecture inside of the church for free.

I also recommend the short drive out to Sky Lagoon to experience their amazing oceanside geothermal lagoon . We went to many hot springs/natural baths during our time in Iceland, and this one was probably our favorite overall. The facilities are clean, the pools are surrounded by really neat rock walls, and their 7-step ritual experience was SO relaxing. Click here for tickets to Sky Lagoon (including transfer) .

As for food , I’ve eaten at quite a few places in town. Some of my favorites include Gandhi Indian , Cafe Babalu , 101 Reykjavik Street Food , Fish Company , Kopar , Hamborgarabulla Tomasar , DEIG Workshop , and BioBorgari . We also really enjoyed the coffee from Sandholt .

Looking for an easy way to get around Reykavik without worrying about parking? Try the Reykjavik Hop-On Hop-Off Bus .

Where to Stay In Reykjavik

• Suggested hotel: Oddsson Hotel
• Budget hotel: Lækur Guesthouse
• Suggested rental: Reykjavík Treasure
• Suggested campground: Reykjavik Campsite

Day 7: Reykjavik to Airport

You’ll be starting day 7 in Reykjavik and flying out of Keflavik airport . Most international flights seem to leave in the afternoon, so it should give you plenty of time to do one more thing before flying out.

Stop 1: blue lagoon

The Blue Lagoon is the most popular of the natural hot springs in Iceland, partly due to its proximity to Reykjavik and the Keflavik airport. It’s made up of 70% ocean water/30% freshwater and is enriched with silica, algae, and minerals. It’s said to heal, nourish, and rejuvenate the mind and body. I really enjoyed trying out their different face masks , and their bar swim-up bar even had my favorite cider. Not a bad way to end a hectic trip around the land of fire and ice! Tip: be sure to put your hair up as the silica makes it extremely knotty! Click here to get your Blue Lagoon tickets

Stop 2: keflavik airport

Well, that’s it. After an epic 7 day Iceland road trip it’s time to go home and get some sleep, something I’m sure you haven’t had nearly enough of by now haha. See below for information on how to add additional days to your trip, if that is of interest.

Visiting Fagradalsfjall Volcano

*** Update as of February 2023 *** Fagradalsjfall volcano is sadly no longer erupting.

Iceland is currently experiencing the continued eruption of the Fagradalsfjall volcano . The eruption first started in March, and no one really knows when it will stop. It could be tomorrow, or it could be decades. To see the volcano, you will first park at the place marked Geldingardalur Volcano Parking on Google Maps. When we visited (June 3, 2021), there was a trail to follow from the parking lot which made the journey relatively straightforward. It took about one hour to the viewpoint of the crater (and an hour back down). The trail is a little rocky and uneven, and does go uphill, so bring some water and take it slow if you’re not the most stable on your feet.

I went back a second time about 10 days after our first visit (June 13, 2021), and there was now a river of lava flowing right over the trail that we had taken to the viewpoint on our first visit. I say this to point out that the trail and best viewpoint of the volcano are continuously changing . Follow the signs and they will take you to where it is currently safe.

As for when to visit the Fagradasfjall volcano on your Iceland road trip, I suggest making the decision after your dinner in Reykjavik on day 6. If you still have some energy, make the drive out and do it that night. If not you can get some rest and go in the morning. And if you do decide to do it on the morning of day 7, I highly recommend getting up super early and arriving trailhead with enough time to get up there before sunrise. The volcano and lava are most visible in the dark hours .

Iceland 7 Road Trip Itinerary Map

Below you will find a Google interactive map of all the spots listed above. The map is broken down into 3 sections: places to see, towns/cities to visit, and places to eat.

How To Extend Your Iceland Road Trip

If you have more than 7 days in Iceland, there are so many more spots you could add to this itinerary to make it even more epic! The Highlands are typically accessible from late spring until late fall and are home to some of the most unique and beautiful parts of the country. Unfortunately, a lot of it is accessible only with high clearance 4×4 vehicles which can be expensive to rent. It’s possible to rent a smaller and cheaper vehicle for the 7 day Iceland road trip itinerary listed above, then rent a 4×4 high clearance vehicle for an additional few days to explore the highlands. I definitely recommend checking out the Landmannalaugar area . There is camping, hiking trails, and some incredible things to see on the drive in.

The Golden Circle is a popular tourist destination, but I left it out of this itinerary due to time constraints and prioritizing other spots. You could do a loop from Reykjavik and do a day trip to the many cool spots out there including Gulfoss, Bruarfoss, Geysir, Þingvellir National Park (aka Thingvellir National Park), and the Kerid Crater. See some more information on a Golden Circle day trip in my 3 Day Iceland road trip itinerary in the next section of this blog post.

Alternatively, if you have an extra 3-5 days you could explore the remote Westfjords .

This is a stunning area of the country, and usually a good escape from other tourists. It’s a long drive to get around, and some of the roads aren’t the best. With that said, if you have the time, this is definitely worth looking into!

Another option is to explore one of the many islands dotted around the coast of Iceland. A few of the popular ones include Vestmannaeyjar, Grimsey, Drangey, and Flatey.

Read next: How To Take a Road Trip on a Budget

Epic 3 Day Iceland Trip Itinerary

A 3 day Iceland road trip is definitely possible, but the itinerary is going to be PACKED. Don’t worry, it’ll be worth it! You’ll see a volcano, waterfalls, mountains, glaciers, and much more! Due to this being such a short trip, you will have to do a lot of driving to see as much as possible. Thankfully, Iceland has some of the most scenic roads in the world to keep your eyes busy.

Day 1: South Coast

You’ll be starting day 1 in Reykavik . From there you will pick up your rental car and head out to the town of Vik , then at the end of the day you will head back towards Reykjavik to spend the night. Day 1 involves around 5.5 hours of driving, but there’s plenty of stops in between.

Stop 1: seljalandsfoss

The first stop of this whirlwind Iceland road trip itinerary is Seljalandsfoss . You cannot miss this waterfall as it greets you from the highway. Turn into the parking lot and follow the walking trail around and behind the waterfall. Don’t forget a rain jacket (don’t say I didn’t warn you!)

Stop 2: skogafoss

As if Seljalandsfoss wasn’t awesome enough, Skogafoss is arguably an even more impressive waterfall. Surrounded by mossy cliffs, this waterfall is one of my favorite stops when traveling Iceland’s south coast. You can take a short trail up to the top of the falls, so check that out while you are here.

Stop 3: vik

Move on quickly to the town of Vik where you’ll grab a burger and a drink at Smiðjan Brugghús . The food and drinks here are so good! If you feel like some caffeine after lunch, the nearby Skool Beans coffee bus (you heard that right, it’s actually a bus) has some delicious options to keep you fueled for the next leg of the journey.

Stop 3: reynisfjara

Time to start heading back towards Reykjavik, but you’re not done yet. Head down to Reynisfjara where you will find a beach covered in black pebbles, some really cool sea stack, a cave, and some huge basalt columns that make a great photo opportunity. Keep an eye on the ocean, tourists have been swept away by rogue waves here.

Read next: How To Take Stunning Travel Photos as a Couple

Stop 3: DYRHÓLAEY

Not far up the road from Reynisfjara is Dyrholaey , a peninsula that rises up from the rugged coast to provide epic 360 views of the surrounding coastline, mountains, and glaciers. There’s a cute little lighthouse on top and a really dramatic sea arch that should give you some epic photos.

Stop 3: reykjavik

Finish up your busy day with dinner in Reykjavik, the largest city in Iceland. There are many amazing food options here for dinner , including Gandhi Indian , Cafe Babalu , 101 Reykjavik Street Food , Fish Company , Kopar , and Hamborgarabulla Tomasar .

Day 2: Golden Circle and Volcano

You’ll be starting day 2 in Reykjavik, driving out to the beautiful Golden Circle , then returning to spend the night in Reykjavik. Today is around 4.5 hours total of driving today.

Stop 1: Thingvellir national park

Known as the place where Iceland held its first parliament, 48 chieftains would meet in Thingvellir to discuss matters of great importance, create laws, and conduct court proceedings. Today, tourists visit this beautiful part of the country to hike and take in the scenery.

Thingvellir is also where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are separating over time, creating large fissures. A guide can take you to snorkel in one of these fissures called Silfra , which is known to be one of the clearest diving and snorkeling spots on earth. Book your Silfra snorkeling tour here .

Stop 2: haukadalur

Haukadalur is home to some of Iceland’s most recognizable geysers. Here you can get up close and personal with quite a few geothermal features. My favorite was Strokkur which launches hot water up to 100 feet in the air every 5-10 minutes or so. Some eruptions are much smaller than others, so stay for a couple to catch a good one.

Stop 3: gullfoss

Gulfoss (aka Gold Waterfall) is the furthest stop on the golden circle loop and maybe the most beautiful thing to see in the whole area. Gullfoss falls 100 feet into a canyon, creating so much mist that you’ll be thankful for that rain jacket you packed. When the sun hits right, that mist also lights up with a vibrant rainbow making for some awesome photos.

Optional add-on : When driving in between Gullfoss and your next stop (Kerid Crater) you can opt to stop at Secret Lagoon . It’s much more affordable than many of the other natural baths in Iceland yet entry still includes access to changing rooms, showers, a bar, and a restaurant. Get your Secret Lagoon tickets here .

Stop 4: Kerið Crater

Another of the gems in this part of the country, Kerid Crater Lake is a roadside stop with a short walk to the rim of the crater. What used to be a volcano is now a collapsed crater with vibrant walls of red soil and lush green moss. There’s an incredibly blue lake at the bottom which you can walk down to and check out as well.

Stop 5: fagradalsfjall volcano

Ok, time for the grand finale. Fagradalsfjall Volcano is the last stop of the day, mainly due to the fact that the glow from the lava is most easily seen in the darker hours. It’s pretty simple to see the volcano, but you do have to work a little for it. Park at the place marked Geldingardalur Volcano Parking on GoogleMaps, then follow the trail (and crowds) out to see the volcano.

At the time of our visit, it was about a 1-hour walk to the point where you could see the volcano. As I mentioned previously, the volcano is ever-changing and conditions can be different on a day-to-day basis. Check the live webcam for an idea of how things currently look. You can also check recent posts on social media and see what others are saying about conditions and hiking trails.

Head back to your accommodation for a well-deserved rest.

Day 3: Reykjavik and Sky Lagoon

You’ll be starting day 3 in Reykjavik with a delicious breakfast (I recommend Sandholt ), then taking a relaxing soak in one of Iceland’s many incredible geothermal lagoons . Unfortunately, it’s then time to head to the airport for your departure.

Stop 1: sky lagoon

Iceland is famous for its many geothermal hot springs. Having visited most of the popular ones, I can safely say that Sky Lagoon is my favorite. Located close to Reykjavik, Sky Lagoon has beautiful architecture, amazing views of the city from their infinity pool, and a super relaxing 7-step ritual. This is the perfect way to close out a hectic trip, so lay back and enjoy! Click here for tickets to Sky Lagoon (including transfer) .

Your Iceland road trip has come to an end and it’s time to head home to catch up on sleep!

Iceland Road Trip Tips

Here are some helpful tips that will help to make sure your Iceland road trip goes as smoothly as possible:

My favorite way to get internet while in Iceland is getting a local simcard.

It only cost me around $23 USD for 10gb of data with Síminn, and I picked that up at a gas station close to the airport. Service was great in almost all of Iceland, with just a few patchy areas.

Always have snacks on hand .

There isn’t a McDonalds every 10 minutes in Iceland (in fact, there aren’t any at all), and sometimes you may go hours without a proper spot to eat. Having snacks will mean you won’t need to skip stops to keep your belly full.

Hold onto your car doors when you open them!

The standard insurance that comes with rental cars does not include damage to doors. This might not seem like a big deal normally, but when you get there and experience the famous Icelandic wind gusts you will realize what I’m talking about.

Keep a camera on hand.

There are photo opportunities around almost every corner in Iceland. Having your camera closeby will make sure you’re ready to snap some great shots at a moments notice. Find out what’s in my camera bag .

Watch the aurora forecasts .

The last thing you want to do is sleep right through an epic aurora storm while in Iceland! Note that this is not really relevant to those visiting in mid-spring until mid summer where Iceland’s night time doesn’t really get dark enough to see them.

Closing hours on Google Maps are not always the most accurate.

There’s not a whole lot you can do about this, but just be aware thateven though Google says a restaurant opens at 6, it may not be totally accurate.

Best Time of Year To Travel To Iceland

Iceland has something different to offer with each season. For example, if you want to see the northern lights , your best bet is winter. The long nights during the winter months will give you the best chance of seeing them, though it is never guaranteed no matter when you visit. If you want to experience the midnight sun , you’ll want to visit in late spring or early summer around the solstice. If you prioritize fewer crowds and cheaper prices, typically you will want to visit in early spring or autumn.

Overall, I would say most visitors would love visiting in autumn due to slightly fewer crowds, cheaper prices, and the ability to access areas in the highlands that are not accessible during winter and spring. Sleeping may also be easier during this time as the number of dark hours increases after the summer solstice.

Traveling To Iceland During Covid Restrictions

As of early 2023, there are no COVID-19 related travel restrictions to Iceland as per covid.is . “All infection prevention rules for COVID-19 have been lifted at the Icelandic border, regardless of tourists’ vaccination status. However, it varies what rules apply at the borders of other countries.”

In saying that, I highly advise you to check for changes in regulations before planning a trip as I won’t be able to keep this updated day-to-day. You should also be checking your home country’s travel restrictions before planning to exit and re-enter.

This website is a great resource for checking current COVID-19 conditions in Iceland, including vaccination numbers and infection rates.

Where To Rent a Car For Your Iceland Road Trip

Choosing an Iceland rental car will depend on the type of trip you plan to take and whether you would prefer to stay in hotels/guesthouses, tent camp, or stay in a camper van. If you plan to stay in hotels or guest houses then you can opt for a regular rental car (check out LAVA car rental Iceland ) and I would recommend picking it up after you fly into Keflavik Airport.

I personally love to rent a campervan when traveling around Iceland. That way I have more flexibility about where I want to go each day, I can change my plans depending on the weather, and I can easily cook on the go. Click here to book your Iceland 4×4 campervan rental . If you plan to tent camp then you’re probably best to opt for a small rental car as that will be your most budget-friendly option.

How Expensive Is Eating In Iceland?

My Iceland food experience with this has been quite mixed. As someone from the US, I would say that overall you can expect to spend slightly more than typical US food prices. The grocery store is a little more expensive in general, but not shockingly so. Restaurants are often quite similar in price to their US equivalents, especially once you factor in that you don’t tip in Iceland and tax is included in the menu price. In saying that, some restaurants are quite expensive, particularly in touristy areas.

Alcohol is usually more expensive than in the US, so you might want to cut down on drinking when visiting Iceland (or at least factor that into your budget). Overall, if you’re trying to save money then I would recommend cooking your own food and bringing some non-perishable snacks from home (e.g. protein bars, nuts, etc.)

What To Bring To Iceland

Stay tuned for a comprehensive Iceland packing guide ! In the meantime, I would highly recommend bringing the below essentials on your Iceland road trip (yes, even in summer!)

• Waterproof shoes
• Rain jacket
• Insulated jacket (e.g. puffy, parka)
• Beanie +gloves
• Thermal underwear
• Debit/credit card

How To Check The Weather in Iceland

The absolute best website for tracking weather in Iceland is their local weather office found here . On this website, you can find area-specific forecasts, hourly forecasts, etc. I recommend checking this every day as the weather is ever-changing in Iceland and can be quite unpredictable. I’ve found other weather apps are not nearly as accurate, so ignore them when in Iceland and stick to the website linked above.

How To Get Cheap Flights To Iceland

There are numerous ways to score cheap flights to Iceland. I typically keep my eye out for emails from Scott’s Cheap Flights and will also use Google Flights and Skyscanner to search for options. Click here to search for cheap Iceland flights from your city .

Amazing Iceland Guided Tours

There are numerous guided tours in Iceland for those who don’t want to self-drive. Some of these are multi-day tours and others are day trips. Below I have listed some of my most recommended Iceland tours :

Iceland Day Tours out of Reykavik

• Golden Circle Full Day Tour with Kerid Crater
• Golden Circle, Kerid Crater, and Blue Lagoon Guided Tour
• Small-Group Premium Golden Circle Tour from Reykjavik
• South of Iceland Full-Day Tour from Reykjavik
• South Coast Small-Group Tour from Reykjavik
• Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Full-Day Tour from Reykjavik
• Snæfellsnes Peninsula Full-Day Tour from Reykjavik
• From Reykjavik: Hot Spring, Ice Cave & Snowmobile Tour

Iceland multi-day Tours out of Reykavik

• 4 Day Blue Ice Cave and Northern Lights Tour (October – March)
• 3 Day Golden Circle, South Coast, & Glacier Tour
• 2 Day Snæfellsnes Tour out of Reykavik
• 2 Day South Coast Tour with Glacier Hike & Boat Tour
• 2 Day South Coast Tour with Blue Ice Cave
• 2 Day South Coast Blue Ice Cave & Jokulsarlon Tour (October – March)

Incredible Iceland Experiences

• Skaftafell: 5 Hour Glacier Hike Adventure
• Ice Cave by Katla Volcano Super Jeep from Vik
• Húsafell: Langjökulll Glacier Ice Cave Tour
• Active Volcano Guided Hike out of Reykjavík
• Reykjanes Volcanic Guided Hike & Blue Lagoon Option
• Entry Ticket to Blue Lagoon (including towel and drink)
• Entry Ticket to Sky Lagoon (including transfer)
• Entry Ticket for Secret Lagoon

Travel Insurance For Your Iceland Trip

I highly recommend taking out travel insurance for your Iceland road trip. In fact, I recommend travel insurance for any trip because you just never know! I can personally recommend SafetyWing Nomad Insurance . It includes travel coverage for things like travel delay, lost checked luggage, emergency response, natural disasters, and personal liability. Plus, their Nomad Insurance includes travel medical coverage for unexpected accidents and medical problems (doctors, hospitals, medical evacuation, covid-19 treatment). Click here to get insured .

PIN for later planning!

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10 comments

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This is amazing! Where is that view of the house with the dramatic mountains near Arnarstapi?

Love this! Where is that yellow coat from?

I’d love the link for the yellow coat, too!! 😍

hi ! did you know where she got if from ? I also want to know

This Iceland Guide is EXACTLY what I was looking for! I just got back from a Viking Cruise to Iceland and I loved Iceland so much I want to go back and drive, taking more time at certain locations we didn’t see on the cruise. I just didn’t know where to start to do such a thing. This guide will be perfect. Thank you!

I LOVE your pictures and tips! My husband and I are going to Iceland next week, and we have been following all your tips and photo locations! 🙂

This guide is PERFECT!!! I have been searching for something like this with the amount of detail and tips and I am SO happy I came across this. My husband and I are traveling in September and I feel so much more confident in our itinerary now that I have this as a guide.

This is AMAZING! Love all the info! How much would a trip like this cost around late summer?

This Iceland travel guide is absolutely amazing Renee. So detailed and so many amazing tips. Your photos and now travel guide have really pushed Iceland to the very top of my bucket list. 🙂

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The Ultimate 10 Day Iceland Ring Road Itinerary

Thundering waterfalls, soothing geothermal springs, glistening glaciers, and snowcapped peaks: these are just a few of the otherworldly things to see on a 10 day Iceland Ring Road trip itinerary!

Iceland’s landscapes absolutely blew us away: this magnificent island is home to some truly awe-inspiring scenery and wildlife.

Add in easily accessible adventure activities like hiking on a glacier, snorkeling between two continents , and horseback riding through magnificent landscapes, and you have a recipe for a destination that truly deserves the moniker “once in a lifetime experience” (until you get tempted into booking your next trip back, anyway).

Planning to spend 10 days in Iceland and want to conquer the full (and iconic) Iceland Ring Road (technically named Route 1)?

I won’t lie–it’s an ambitious plan, and you’ll be exhausted by the end.

Some links in this post may be affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please see our disclosure policy for more detail.

But it is doable (especially with the help of Iceland’s famous midnight sun), and we’ll show you exactly how to plan your itinerary for Iceland’s Ring Road to ensure you can make the most of your 10 day trip.

Given the amount of information needed to plan 10 days in Iceland, this turned into one of the longest travel guides on our site!

Feel free to use the table of contents below to navigate as you plan your road trip in Iceland.

Here’s exactly how to have a blast driving the Ring Road in Iceland in 10 days!

Table of Contents

How We Structured This Iceland Ring Road Itinerary

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We’ve structured this Iceland Ring Road itinerary as a counter-clockwise loop.

You’ll start with some of Iceland’s most iconic attractions, like the Golden Circle and South Coast, before exploring the less-touristed north and east of the country.

At the end, you’ll loop back around and take a minor detour from the Ring Road to experience the gorgeous Snaefellsnes Peninsula.

For each day of the trip, we detail the top places to visit on the Ring Road (and nearby) that you’ll want to prioritize!

You can easily reverse this itinerary if you prefer–in fact, we actually drove it the opposite way–but we personally recommend getting the “wow” factor of Iceland’s postcard sights within the first few days.

We spent a lot of our road trip anticipating those views, and in retrospect, I wish we had done them first before settling into the more leisurely pace of other areas.

It also would have been nice to experience fewer crowds as our Ring Road trip in Iceland wore on, rather than visiting the most crowded sights on our final days in the country.

Iceland in travel is extremely seasonal, so keep that in mind as you plan!

This Iceland Ring Road itinerary is designed for the summer months of June, July, and August.

We personally took the Iceland road trip that we designed this itinerary around over the course of the first 2 weeks of July and absolutely loved it.

Most of this itinerary, with the possible exception of seeing the puffins at Borgarfjörður Eystri, will still be viable in the shoulder season months of April, May, September, and October (excluding random weather events, which–this being Iceland–are always possible).

In the winter, though?

We’d recommend sticking to the western and southern parts of the coast (and definitely sign up for an ice cave tour for an incredibly unique winter experience)!

Basing yourself in Reykjavik in winter and using it as a base for day trips is a low-stress way to have some incredible adventures in Iceland.

Given that it’s an island in the middle of the Atlantic, it’s safe to say that just about everyone reading this Iceland blog post will need to rent a car for their road trip!

We highly recommend booking your rental car for Iceland as soon as you possibly can–essentially, as soon as you confirm your flight dates!

That is even more true if you happen to need an automatic car.

While Iceland is accustomed to plenty of visitors, it’s still a fairly small country at the end of the day, and there are only so many rental cars to go around.

Add in the extra complications from disruptions in the industry over the last couple of years, and you have a recipe for visitors who scramble at the last minute to get the cars they need for their Iceland Ring Road trips!

To compare prices and inclusions for several rental companies at once (including local outfits), we recommend searching through Discover Cars .

You don’t need a 4×4 for this Iceland itinerary, especially assuming you’re visiting in the summer, but if you think you’d like to visit some more rural spots located on Iceland’s F-roads (AKA 4×4 only roads), you certainly can.

We had a 4×4 for our road trip and made good use of it.

Check prices & shop rental cars for your Iceland road trip today!

Day 1: Arrive in Reykjavik and enjoy the city.

The thrill of landing in Reykjavik to kick off your 10 day Iceland trip is incredible!

This itinerary assumes that you are landing in the morning, as most international flights do.

Unlike many of our road trip itineraries here on Our Escape Clause, I recommend picking up your rental car right away if you’re getting it from the airport.

You’ll be able to park it overnight while spending one day in Reykjavik, and it will save you time doubling back (KEF Airport is about 45 minutes south of the capital, and out of the way to head back to), as well as serve as your transportation into the city.

If you happen to be picking up your car from a branch in the city, you can take a bus to the center.

Once you get into Reykjavik, shake off the jetlag and enjoy a day of sightseeing!

While it’s tempting to skip over the city and head right to Iceland’s famous natural beauty, it’s really worth spending a day getting to know the capital (and it will allow you to rest up before driving too far).

Here are a few things to do during your one day in Reykjavik!

Visit Hallgrímskirkja Church and climb the tower.

If you’ve seen photos of Reykjavik, you’ve no doubt seen photos of–and from–the remarkable Hallgrímskirkja Church.

Be sure to climb to the top for its impressive view of the city!

Consider visiting a museum.

From the National Museum of Iceland to the (in)famous Icelandic Phallological Museum, Reykjavik has some extremely memorable museums to choose from.

This itinerary for Iceland is fairly light on museums overall, but if you’re looking for an indoor activity and/or hoping to gain some context on the country before exploring it in-depth, a museum can make for an interesting introduction.

Stroll down the waterfront to see the Sun Voyager and Harpa Concert Hall.

These remarkable features of modern Reykjavik are definitely worth a look, and walking there will allow you to enjoy views of the city (possibly with a stop in one of the many excellent coffee shops you’ll find along the way).

… or go for a soak in Sky Lagoon.

Iceland’s famous Blue Lagoon is much closer to the airport than to central Reykjavik, and partially for that reason, we’re saving it for the grand finale of this Iceland itinerary.

However, if your idea of the perfect first day in Iceland is a relaxing soak in a geothermal spring, consider checking out the incredible Sky Lagoon !

This newer destination is only a short drive from central Reykjavik and is undoubtedly the most laid-back way to spend your first day (or afternoon) in the country.

Book tickets to the Sky Lagoon today!

Where to Stay in Reykjavik

When deciding where to stay in Reykjavik, ideally you’ll want a hotel that is both in a walkable location and has parking on-site or available nearby.

We chose to stay in the popular 22 Hill House and had an excellent experience!

The crisp, clean room, excellent hotel breakfast, and location near the best things to do in Reykjavik made for a fantastic stay, and we’d definitely be happy to stay again.

Check rates & book your stay at 22 Hill House today!

Amount of driving as written.

About 45 minutes (50 kilometers), not including visiting Sky Lagoon .

Day 2: Explore the Golden Circle (and go snorkeling in Silfra Fissure).

As you head out of the city to start your road trip in Iceland, you won’t have to wait long to have a thrilling adventure!

Your first stop is less than an hour outside the city…

Snorkel between two continents.

Snorkeling Silfra Fissure inside Thingvellir National Park is–no hyperbole–one of the most unique things to do in Iceland!

Here, in a narrow fissure, you’ll float between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, and the experience is absolutely unforgettable!

It’s also–fair warning–a bit uncomfortable, but completely worth it.

We have a full guide to the experience here , and this is the tour we took and recommend!

Book your Silfra snorkeling experience today!

Check out more of Thingvellir National Park.

While Silfra fissure is located inside Thingvellir (Þingvellir) National Park, it’s far from the only thing to see in this remarkable UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Thingvellir National Park is known as the origin of Iceland’s culture and government and was the seat of Iceland’s government (with various levels of power) from 930 until the 18th century.

A scenic drive past Þingvallavatn lake is incredibly memorable, and with enough time, you could go for a short hike, stop at Hakið Visitor Center, and see Öxarárfoss Waterfall.

Marvel at the Geysir geothermal area (Haukadalur Valley).

As you’ve been planning your trip to Iceland, odds are that you’ve come across plenty of mentions of Geysir (a magnificent geyser) as one of the top spots to visit on the Golden Circle Route.

While this is technically true, unfortunately, you probably won’t see it at its most impressive: Geysir isn’t very active these days, and last erupted in 2016.

Luckily, Haukadalur Valley where it is located is home to plenty of other geysers, mud pots, and more that make it worth visiting in order to experience Iceland’s famous geothermal activity.

Admire the power of Gullfoss.

The first of several iconic waterfalls that you’ll visit on your Iceland road trip, Gullfoss is known for its beauty and power.

“Gullfoss” is translated to “Golden Waterfall”.

Depending on when you visit it, you may see that the water has taken on a distinct “gold” (or yellow, but that doesn’t sound as lovely) color.

Where to Stay on Day 2 of Your Iceland Road Trip

Ideally, we recommend traveling all the way to Vik on the South Coast to check into your next place to stay in Iceland.

We loved our stay at Hotel Vík í Mýrdal !

The layout of the hotel was slightly confusing, but the rooms were comfortable, the location and included breakfast excellent, and the customer service was lovely.

While driving all the way to Vik will mean doubling back a bit on Day 3 in order to visit Seljalandsfoss (or, if you have the energy, you can squeeze it into Day 2–more on that below), it will also allow you to spend 2 nights in one place.

Checking into and out of several hotels is an unavoidable part of driving the Ring Road in 10 days, but it’s best to stay 2 nights in one place when you can!

Check rates & book your stay at Hotel Vík í Mýrdal!

About 4.5 hours (300 kilometers).

Day 3: Visit the South Coast and some of Iceland’s most iconic beaches and waterfalls.

Iceland’s mesmerizing South Coast is where you’ll find some of its most famous attractions, from black sand beaches to iconic waterfalls like Skogafoss.

The furthest western point on this day as written is Seljalandsfoss and Gljufrafoss, which are about 1 hour and 15 minutes from Vik.

If you have the time and energy, you can shave off a small amount of driving if you move these waterfalls to the second day of this Iceland itinerary!

Here are the best stops on the third day of your Iceland road trip!

Explore the charming town of Vik.

The small town of Vik is one of the most popular places to stay in Iceland, and it deserves a bit of your attention!

Be sure to stop by the beautiful Vik Church, and admire the stunning views of the surrounding area (if you’re visiting during the summer, there are also plenty of lupines up here!).

You’ll also want to visit Dyrhólaey Peninsula to soak in its incredible views–and if you get lucky, spot some puffins.

Vik is also a great place to stock up on any groceries and gear you might want, as it’s the largest town you’ll be seeing for several days!

Stroll along Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach.

Visiting he famous Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach is one of the best things to do in Vik –in fact, you’ll probably be able to walk there from where you’re staying–but it deserves a separate mention.

If you’ve seen photos of dramatic black sand beaches framed with basalt columns from Iceland… you’ve almost certainly seen photos of Reynisfjara.

Take your time to savor this gorgeous place with plenty of long walks. It’s truly something special.

That being said, absolutely do not try to enter the water here–the currents make it very dangerous.

Walk behind Seljalandsfoss.

Seljalandsfoss is incredibly famous, in large part because it’s one of only a few waterfalls in Iceland that you can walk behind!

If you visit on a sunny day, there’s also a very good chance that you’ll be treated to rainbows glittering near the falls as you do so.

Visiting Seljalandsfoss exceeded our high expectations!

That being said, prepare to step very carefully on the slippery ground and get wet from the mist.

You won’t get fully soaked, but be sure to protect your cameras and phones as you snap photos.

… and check out Gljufrafoss.

Accessed from the same parking lot as Seljalandsfoss, Gljufrafoss is not nearly as famous–but it is incredible.

Tucked into a small canyon, most of Gljufrafoss is hidden at first, which is part of its charm.

It’s well worth the short stroll to visit this remarkable waterfall, whether you duck into the canyon it hides in or not.

Visit the iconic Skogafoss.

Falling for a whopping 60 meters (197 feet), the powerful Skogafoss Waterfall is one of the most–if not the most–famous waterfalls in Iceland.

Here, you can walk right up to the base of a true natural wonder (and yes, you will absolutely get soaked while doing so).

If you want to admire Skogafoss from a different angle, you can even climb up the steps to the right of the waterfall and admire it from above!

Regardless of which angle you choose, there’s no doubt that time spent at Skogafoss is deeply memorable.

Optional: Explore the abandoned DC3 Plane Wreck.

Iceland’s famous abandoned plane wreck on the beach is quite the sight–but it requires a bit of a commitment to get to for what is essentially a photo op.

To visit, you’ll need to park about 2 miles from the wreck, and then walk (it’s–somewhat shockingly for Iceland–not a scenic walk), bike, or take a shuttle bus (assuming you’re visiting in the summer) to the plane and back.

Alternatively, you could book an ATV tour like this !

If the focus of your Iceland road trip is on natural beauty, this probably isn’t a must-see, but if you’re fascinated by the eerie view of the 1973 crash (it is striking), you can build it into your trip.

Where to Stay on Day 3 of Your Iceland Road Trip

Tonight, sleep in Vik for the second night in a row–that’s right, no need to repack and unpack again.

We loved and recommend staying at Hotel Vík í Mýrdal .

About 1 hour, 45 minutes (125 kilometers).

Day 4: Put the ice in Iceland with a glacier hike + explore the glacier lagoons.

As you continue to travel east along Iceland’s South Coast, you’ll soon be treated to several more of the best things to do on the Ring Road–including a glacier hike!

Peer into Fjadrargljufur Canyon (Fjaðrárgljúfur).

Your first stop of the day is the famous Fjadrargljufur Canyon–another one of Iceland’s iconic photo spots!

Like a surprising number of Iceland attractions, you’ll find it just off the Ring Road, with no hike required to reach it.

You can stroll along the top to enjoy the incredible views, but note that you can’t climb down as close to the edge as was once possible.

The closest edges of the canyon have been blocked off (no doubt for safety reasons), but the views from a bit further back are stunning all the same.

Optional: Take a short hike to Svartifoss.

Not everyone driving Iceland’s Ring Road in 10 days will want to build in a trip to Svartifoss–but those who do will love it!

Unlike the waterfalls yesterday, Svartifoss requires a fairly short hike (30-45 minutes each way) to reach.

Considering the next activity on this list, if you’re not an avid hiker, it may not be for you!

Svartifoss is stunning, though, framed by basalt columns on either side, and is located in Vatnajökull National Park, not far from where you’ll meet up with your glacier hiking group.

Hike on the largest glacier in Europe.

A glacier hike is one of the top Iceland bucket experiences on this itinerary and barring any physical limitations, you should absolutely prioritize it!

Skaftafell, located in a southwestern section of the gigantic Vatnajökull National Park, is a popular spot for glacier hikes and where you’re headed today.

Despite the name, a glacier hike in Iceland is a fairly tame activity, with tour groups being highly regulated and focused more on admiring the incredible landscape than physical exertion (if you want something more adrenaline-pumping, consider ice climbing !).

We took this 3-hour glacier hiking tour and absolutely adored it.

Fair warning, though: like at Silfra, a large chunk of the tour time is dedicated to sorting out gear, putting on crampons, etc.

If you want more time on the glacier, you may want to skip Svartifoss and opt for a 5-hour glacier hiking tour instead.

Book your glacier hike in Iceland today!

Where to Stay on Day 4 of Your Iceland Road Trip

We loved our stay at the extremely comfortable Fosshotel Nupar , which is a short drive west (ie, out of your way) from Skaftafell, and can highly recommend it.

In order to avoid doubling back, though, and to better position yourself for sightseeing tomorrow, we recommend instead staying at the also highly-rated Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon !

Check rates & book your stay at Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon!

About 2.5 hours (180 kilometers).

Day 5: Marvel at glacier lagoons, puffins, and the East Fjords on your Iceland road trip.

As you reach the halfway point of your Iceland 10 day itinerary, it’s time for one of the longest days of driving included on this route.

There is a very, very good reason, though: puffins!

Here’s how to make the most of your fifth day in Iceland–and yes, you’ll want an early start.

Optional: Visit Fjallsarlon Glacier Lagoon.

Honestly, I’m quite hesitant to include Fjallsarlon Glacier Lagoon on this itinerary, simply because there is barely time for it!

However, this slightly-lesser-known glacier lagoon is gorgeous and right on your route, so if you get an early start and are hoping to see as much as possible, you can squeeze in a quick stop!

The lagoon itself is smaller than Jokusarlon (which you’ll visit next), but having such an impressive view of the glacier itself makes Fjallsarlon an incredible destination!

Admire Jokusarlon Glacier Lagoon (Jökulsárlón), and maybe take a boat ride.

If you’ve seen photos of Iceland’s incredible glacier lagoons, you’ve probably seen Jokusarlon.

This magnificent lagoon is dotted with icebergs that have broken off from Breiðamerkurjökull Glacier and are–slowly–making their way out to sea.

The lagoon is growing as the glacier continues to recede, and like many of Iceland’s natural attractions, will likely look quite different a few decades from now.

While admiring Jokusarlon from the shore is an incredible experience itself, if you’d like to get even closer to the magnificent icebergs, you can sign up for a zodiac boat tour of the lagoon while you’re there!

Soak in otherworldly views at Diamond Beach.

Located right across the street from Jokusarlon, the wildly photogenic Diamond Beach is where the icebergs from Jokusarlon eventually congregate at the end of their long journey out to sea.

Here, you can famously see chunks of ice–sparkling like diamonds, hence the name–nestled on the black sand, and even being jostled by the waves.

Diamond Beach is one of those special Iceland travel experiences that is probably unlike anything you’ve ever seen before!

Hang out with puffins Borgarfjörður Eystri.

Borgarfjörður Eystri is a long drive from your starting point this morning, nestled up in northeast Iceland.

It’s also one of the furthest places from the Ring Road on this Iceland itinerary… and it is so, so worth the effort.

At the edge of a fjord by the same name, the small village of Borgarfjörður Eystri plays host to 10,000 mated pairs of puffins from mid-April to mid-August each year.

It’s widely considered one of the best places to see puffins in Iceland, and visiting was one of the highlights of our Iceland road trip!

The drive there is fantastic as well, with magnificent scenery in all directions.

Once you arrive to view the puffins, you’ll be able to park and walk a short distance to a series of boardwalks and platforms (free of charge), where you’ll be able to admire the puffins to your heart’s content.

There are a couple of restaurants in town, as well, so it makes for a good place to grab dinner before continuing on.

Drive back to the Ring Road and head to Seydisfjordur (Seyðisfjörður).

Known for its picturesque location on one of Iceland’s eastern fjords, its whimsical rainbow street, and its historic 19th-century wooden buildings, Seydisfjordur is a fantastic place to base yourself in Iceland for a night!

The drive from your puffin-watching extravaganza to Seydisfjordur will bring you back much closer to the Ring Road once again, with plenty of waterfalls, glaciers, and more to admire along the way.

Where to Stay on Day 5 of Your Iceland Road Trip

We had a comfortable stay at the cozy Media Luna Guesthouse in Seydisfjordur and would have no problem recommending it based on availability.

However, we’d also love to stay in one of the traditional wooden houses in Seydisfjordur!

They were sold out for our trip, but when we return, we’d love to check into the gorgeous Við Lónið Guesthouse (which also happens to be one of the highest-rated guesthouses in town).

Check rates & book your stay in Seydisfjordur!

About 6.5 hours (450 kilometers).

Day 6: Drive the southern edge of the Diamond Circle to Myvtan.

On day 6 of your Iceland Ring Road trip itinerary, you’ll start working your way back west across the country, this time exploring the north.

Along the way, you’ll visit a few–but not all–of the sights clustered around Iceland’s northern “Diamond Circle” route.

Enjoy the morning in Seydisfjordur.

Before heading west, enjoy a leisurely breakfast and stroll through the colorful town of Seydisfjodur.

Don’t miss the town’s famous Rainbow Street!

(Not that you’re likely to–the town is quite small).

There’s also a grocery store in Seydisfjordur where you can restock food for the drive if you like.

Explore Stuðlagil Canyon.

The wildly beautiful Stuðlagil Canyon is exactly the sort of destination that Iceland is famous for: striking, unexpected, and absolutely gorgeous.

Here, the mesmerizing turquoise river is framed by soaring basalt columns, for incredible contrast.

It’s a bit of a pain to get there–if the photos don’t move you, consider skipping it–but we loved our visit and were so glad to have visited.

You can visit either the west side (for a view from above) or the east side (to approach the river).

We recommend following these directions .

Stare in awe at Dettifoss and Selfoss.

Dettifoss (often called the most powerful waterfall in Europe) and Selfoss (its more elegant counterpart), are two of the most popular stops on the Diamond Circle.

Selfoss is beautiful, but in the context of just how many beautiful waterfalls there are in Iceland, it’s the powerful Dettifoss that makes these waterfalls worth going out of your way to visit.

The only word I can use to describe Dettifoss is mesmerizing: it’s simply hard to look away from.

To visit, you can choose to visit the west or east side of the falls. We picked the west (and more popular) side.

It’s about a 2.5-kilometer walk round-trip to visit both falls.

While these are undoubtedly among the top waterfall destinations in Iceland, visiting will add over an hour to your drive today–so if you’re feeling burned out, this might be a good place to pass on.

Stroll through the Namafjall Geothermal Area.

Bubbling mudpots, brilliant colors, and a landscape unlike most others on this planet: the Namafjall Geothermal Area is located right off of the Ring Road/Route 1, and is a great, quick stop during your 10 day Iceland vacation!

… and you’ll want it to be quick, too!

The smell of sulfur is incredibly strong here, and not particularly pleasant.

Where to Stay on Day 6 of Your Iceland Road Trip

Modern, spacious, and boasting an absolutely fantastic breakfast spread, we adored our stay at Hótel Laxá and would happily rebook when visiting Myvatn again.

Check rates & book your stay at Hótel Laxá!

About 4 hours, 45 minutes (315 kilometers).

Day 7: Soak in the Myvtan Nature Baths and take a whale watching tour.

After several days in a row of long drives and packed schedules, today is designed to be slower-paced… for the most part.

The day’s schedule will also see you driving almost completely around Lake Myvatn, offering up stunning views and side stops along the way.

Have a long, relaxing soak in the Myvatn Nature Baths.

After plenty of active sightseeing, it’s time to relax.

Head to the Myvatn Nature Baths for a long, steamy soak in a geothermal spring, complete with views of the Hverjfall volcano crater and Lake Myvatn.

Often called the “Blue Lagoon of the North”, you’ll find a cafe on-site and not much of a reason to leave for at least a couple of hours.

Book your tickets for the Myvatn Nature Baths today!

Admire the power of Godafoss.

Gorgeous Godafoss is located just off of Route 1, an easy stop as you drive the Ring Road from Myvatn to Akureyri.

Curved like a horseshoe and absolutely stunning, Godafoss is one of the most popular waterfalls in Iceland!

Take a whale watching tour from Akureyri.

A whopping 11 species of whale call the water around Iceland home, and the north part of the island is the best place to see them!

Set out from Akureyri for a magnificent whale-watching excursion .

In the summer, boats leave as late as 8:30 PM, making whale-watching easy to fit into your busy itinerary for Iceland’s Ring Road.

Book your whale watching excursion in Akureyri today!

Where to Stay on Day 7 of Your Iceland Road Trip

We had a very comfortable stay at Lava Apartments & Rooms in Akureyri!

Here, we enjoyed the benefit of free parking on-site while also being in the center of town, within walking distance of plenty of shops and restaurants.

Some options also come with kitchens.

Check rates & book your stay at Lava Apartments & Rooms!

About 1 hour, 30 minutes (110 kilometers).

Day 8: Ride a unique Icelandic horse and learn local history.

Today begins with a very memorable ride and will end with the final (very) long drive of your trip!

To fuel up, grab a delicious brunch at one of Akureyri’s many trendy cafes before getting started.

We can heartily recommend the brunch at Cafe Berlin !

Ride an Icelandic horse and experience the unique “tölt” for yourself!

Small, fluffy, and utterly charming, Icelandic horses are a unique breed that is perfect for a ride through some of the world’s most stunning scenery!

Icelandic horses famously have 5 gaits rather than 3 or 4, and most visitors will be able to experience the “tölt”–think of it as a smoother form of a trot–during their ride.

We adore riding horses wherever we go in the world, but whether you love to ride or are hoping to try it out for the first time, Iceland is a fantastic place to do so.

There are many wonderful farms throughout the country, but we can’t recommend Polar Hestar near Akureyri enough.

Our ride with them was one of the most memorable trail rides of my life, and one of our absolute favorite Iceland travel experiences.

Learn some Icelandic history at Old Farmhouse Laufas (Turf House).

Less than 30 minutes north of Akureyri, you’ll find a fascinating example of Iceland’s traditional turf houses!

While the current building (which you can explore the interior of) dates to the 19th century, the site has been occupied for around 1000 years.

It’s a fascinating peek into traditional Icelandic culture and well worth a visit if you have time to add it to your itinerary for Iceland in 10 days.

Check hours and entrance information here .

Drive to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula.

After an exciting horseback ride and a dose of Icelandic history, it’s time for the last long drive of your trip.

Head to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula–more on where to stop below–in order to position yourself well for exploring more of the best things to do in Iceland tomorrow.

You likely won’t have the time or energy for more detours at this point, but if you do, the fishing village of Stykkishólmur is considered one of the most picturesque in Iceland and would be a fun place to grab dinner.

Where to Stay on Day 8 of Your Iceland Road Trip

Essentially, your goal for tonight is to find a comfortable place to stay that is very close to Kirkfujell.

The areas Grundarfjordur and Stykkishólmur (the surrounding area, not necessarily the center, as it’s out of your way) are good places to look.

This charming guesthouse , as well as this one , are both excellent options that are extremely highly rated.

Check rates & book your stay on the Snaefellsness Peninsula today!

About 5 hours, 45 minutes (440 kilometers).

Day 9: Round out your trip by exploring the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and Kirkjufell.

The Snaefellsnes Peninsula is often referred to as “Iceland in Miniature”, and is home to some magnificent sights, including the famous Kirkjufellsfoss, arguably Iceland’s most famous photo spot.

It’s technically not on the Ring Road, but it’s special enough to warrant being featured during your road trip in Iceland regardless!

I’ve outlined the top don’t-miss spots below, others you may want to add on include Bjarnarfoss, Budakirkja (a charming Icelandic church), and Ytri Tunga (also known as Seal Beach).

As you drive, you’ll be treated to plenty of gorgeous views of Snæfellsjökull, the peninsula’s scenic glacier.

Snap photos at the Iceland icons of Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellsfoss.

Kirkjufell (the mountain) and Kirkjufellsfoss (the waterfall) pictured here are famous, in large part, because of how they fit together.

While both sights are beautiful individually, it’s really the combination of them both in one frame that has caused this to explode into being one of the most famous places to photograph in Iceland!

While climbing the mountain requires quite a bit of skill and isn’t done by the average visitor, it’s extremely easy to walk the short path from the road to this incredible view on an Iceland road trip!

Drive to the end of the world and visit the Svortuloft and Ondverdarnes Lighthouses.

As you drive out to the Svortuloft and Ondverdarnes Lighthouses on the northwest corner of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, you may feel like you’re approaching the end of the world!

While these spots are fairly popular, many travelers skip them in favor of a more direct route.

All that means, though, is that the views are even more rewarding for those who make the trek.

Along the way, you’ll also pass the golden Skarðsvík Beach, which is also worth a stop!

While both lighthouses are striking and feature excellent views from the surrounding area, the sea cliffs next to Svortuloft made it our personal favorite of the two.

Stroll along Djúpalónssandur.

One of Iceland’s most famous black sand beaches, this was once a popular fishing port.

Today, you can either admire the beach from the viewpoint above or walk through the black sand to the water’s edge.

Pay a visit to Arnarstapi and the Arnarstapi Cliffs.

The small village of Arnarstapi is home to some of western Iceland’s most scenic (and easily accessible) coastline.

From basalt columns to arches to dramatic beaches to swoopng birds, this cliff walk is a can’t-miss stop on an Iceland road trip.

Technically, the cliff walk runs for 2.5 kilometers each way, from Arnarstapi to Hellnar, but most people stick around the Arnarstapi section, which is considered the most scenic area.

Plus, you may be in Hellnar soon enough anyway…

Where to Stay on Day 9 of Your Iceland Road Trip

If your flight doesn’t leave until late tomorrow night or the following morning, you may want to simply stay on the southern side of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula!

If so, the Fosshotel Hellnar is a popular, well-reviewed option just a short drive from Arnarstapi.

It also belongs to the same brand as the hotel from the Skaftafell/Jokusarlon area!

Alternatively, if your flight leaves earlier in the day tomorrow, you may want to sleep by the airport– this is the airport hotel we stayed in (more on that below).

Check rates & book your stay at Fosshotel Hellnar!

About 2 hours (95 kilometers).

Day 10: Say goodbye to Iceland with a soak in the Blue Lagoon.

On the final day of your Iceland road trip, your priorities are simple: get close to KEF Airport with enough time to spare so that you’re not stressed… and experience one of the top attractions in Iceland.

Relax at the Blue Lagoon.

Iceland’s iconic Blue Lagoon is one of its most famous landmarks, and since it’s much closer to the KEF Airport than it is to Reykjavik, it makes the ideal way to say goodbye to Iceland.

Whether you have 2 hours or 6, the Blue Lagoon is worth your time–especially as you’re no doubt exhausted after spending a full 10 days road tripping Iceland.

You can also add on extras, such as massages, if you feel like treating yourself before heading home.

Be sure to book your tickets well in advance, especially during peak season.

The Blue Lagoon is known to sell out!

Book your tickets to the Blue Lagoon today!

Where to Stay on Day 10 of Your Iceland Road Trip

If you need a hotel room by the airport as you prepare to say goodbye to your 10 days in Iceland, we stayed in and can recommend the Aurora Hotel at KEF .

The interior is a bit dated, but it’s comfortable enough for one night and–most importantly–is within walking distance of both the terminal and car rental offices.

In other words, you can turn in your rental car once you check in to the hotel, and not have to worry about handling it before your flight.

The covenience can’t be beaten, and we’d happily use this hotel again.

Check rates & book your stay at Aurora Hotel KEF today!

About 3.5 hours (260 kilometers) if you’re starting from the Snaefellsnes Peninsula.

While this 10 days in Iceland itinerary is jampacked as it is, if you’re lucky enough to have 2 weeks or more to explore Iceland, you’ll find plenty of other adventures to enjoy!

Here are a few more incredible places to visit in Iceland that would be excellent additions to a Ring Road trip.

Located on the north coast of Iceland, charming Husavik is known as the Whale Capital of Iceland (and now, for being featured in the 2019 Netflix movie, Eurovision).

We chose to include a whale watching tour from Akureyri on this Iceland itinerary instead of Husavik, as Akureyri is located on the Ring Road and it’s hard to justify any more extra driving on this already long road trip!

However, Husavik is a delightful place to visit and is about 45 minutes (57 kilometers) north of Myvatn, so if you’d like to swap something else on this itinerary out in order to visit Husavik, you absolutely can.

Book your Husavik whale watching tour today!

The Highlands

By definition, an Iceland Ring Road itinerary skips the center of the country.

If you have time to venture further inland, though, that’s where you’ll find the wild and wonderful highlands.

The highlands are primarily accessible during the summer months, and you will need either a 4×4 vehicle or a guided tour in order to access them.

With one day to explore, incredible Landmannalaugar, with its rainbow-colored hills, is a popular destination.

Fagradalsfjall Volcano

In 2021, Iceland gained a new tourist attraction with the incredible eruption of the Fagradalsfjall Volcano, which lasted a whopping 6+ months.

Though the eruption is now officially over , the volcano–thanks in part to its proximity to Reykjavik–is still a very popular addition to Iceland itineraries.

Several guided tours have popped up to help visitors find the best (and safest) hikes and viewpoints at this new destination. This tour is among the most popular.

Book your visit to the Fagradalsfjall Volcano today!

Glymur Waterfall

At almost 7 kilometers long, hiking the Glymur Waterfall Trail is the longest hike mentioned in this Iceland travel guide!

However, it’s also gorgeous and the second-tallest waterfall in Iceland!

If you have 3-4 hours to spare (plus a bit of drive time) when traveling from the Snaefellsnes Peninsula back to Reykjavik/KEF, hiking Glymur Waterfall is an incredibly memorable stop on your last day in Iceland.

Aldeyjarfoss

Aldeyjarfoss is about an hour and a half south of Myvatn, and while I couldn’t find a way to justify the drive when putting together this 10 day Iceland itinerary, we absolutely loved visiting!

This remote waterfall is far less crowded than many of Iceland’s most popular spots and is incredibly striking.

Note that–especially if you want to visit the lesser-visited side pictured here–you will need a 4×4.

Less is more.

Driving the full Ring Road in Iceland in 10 days is doable… but extremely ambitious.

Essentially, it’s the minimum amount of time that most travel writers would recommend driving the full loop in, as opposed to focusing on the easier-to-access South Coast and Snaefellsnes Peninsula.

As a result, I’ve written this 10 day Iceland itinerary for an ambitious and excited traveler who is hoping to see it all–which means taking advantage of Iceland’s midnight sun in the summer in order to maximize sightseeing.

Long story short? You’ll be exhausted by the end.

If there are certain stops that don’t appeal to you, or days where driving an extra 40 minutes to look at your 50th waterfall just doesn’t sound as good as an early night, don’t sweat it!

Seeing absolutely all of the best places to visit in Iceland in one trip is never going to be doable (many of them aren’t even listed here due to time!), so focus on what you can do rather than on what you can’t squeeze in.

Keep an eye on the clock.

This is essential when road tripping Iceland in the summer.

It is very, very easy to look down at the dashboard and suddenly realize that you’re visiting a waterfall at 9:30 PM when you planned to check into your hotel by then!

The photo of Seljalandsfoss with bright blue skies behind it that is at the top of this blog post?

We snapped it at 8:37 PM.

Be flexible with what you see.

Weather not cooperating? Tours sold out?

Run out of time and have to skip a few Iceland road trip stops?

Don’t worry too much!

A simple reality of traveling in Iceland is that its remarkable environment is remarkably unpredictable, and things can certainly go sideways!

The good news is that there’s always another otherwordly viewpoint or magnificent waterfall around the next corner, so you’re essentially guaranteed to have plenty of wonderful and unforgettable experiences while traveling Iceland.

Bring a sleep mask.

… And make it a good one!

I’ll be honest: we found the midnight sun very daunting during our summer road trip in Iceland.

It’s beautiful, of course, and incredibly cool to photograph waterfalls at 9:30 PM… but when it’s time to go to sleep, that same daylight can be painful!

And, unfortunately, the fantastic metal shutters that are popular throughout much of Europe and block out all light while sleeping aren’t easy to find in Iceland (which definitely took us by surprise!).

Jeremy loved this sleep mask , though he said he wishes it was slightly thicker, and I used this handy one that doesn’t press against your eyelids.

Keep an eye on the weather.

Iceland’s weather is famously intense, and it is absolutely worth planning your 10 days in Iceland around!

If you have a clear morning and a chance of clouds in the afternoon… get up as early as possible to make the most of what clear weather you have.

Don’t plan on getting anywhere fast.

Long driving distances combined with sublime scenery and a temptation to pull over to take photos or admire the view every 800 feet or so does not result in a very efficient road trip!

It does result in a very memorable one, though.

How’s the driving?

In the summer, driving the Ring Road in Iceland is quite simple for confident drivers!

The Ring Road, while popular, is also very long–so while you may deal with some congestion around iconic attractions, you’ll also spend plenty of time amongst wide open spaces.

You will absolutely want a GPS for navigation, though.

How far in advance should you book your Iceland Ring Road trip?

As soon as you possibly can!

Iceland contends with 3 distinct challenges–for lack of a better word–that all add up to a fairly competitive tourism environment where you want to claim your rental car, lodging, and even tours as soon as possible.

First, it’s extremely popular!

Second, even with a flurry of construction as its fame has risen in the last couple of decades, Iceland is ultimately a fairly rural place outside of its major cities, and there’s only so much accommodation to go around.

And third, this extremely popular place condenses the vast majority of its tourism into a very short time period, as the summer weather for a “traditional” Iceland trip only sticks around so long.

All of this adds up to visitors having a much more fun–and far less stressful–trip to Iceland if they’re able to plan ahead.

Is driving the Ring Road possible during winter in Iceland?

Technically it is, but it’s not recommended for travelers who aren’t a) used to driving in snowy, difficult conditions and b) very comfortable with unpredictability, as you never know when a storm will hit.

For most visitors taking their first trip to Iceland, it’s best to stick with the summer months for driving Iceland’s Ring Road.

Should you drive the Iceland Ring Road clockwise or counterclockwise?

Both are wonderful options, but we recommend doing it counterclockwise!

… And we say that because we actually did it clockwise and (mildly) regretted it.

It would’ve been nice to kick off our road trip in Iceland with some of its most iconic sights, rather than spending 10+ days anticipating them before arriving!

Plus, by starting with the most popular destinations, you’ll slowly lose the crowds as you make your way around the Ring Road, which certainly beats the alternative.

Try not to overthink this too much, though–it is a circle, after all.

Either way works!

Do you need a 4×4 to drive the Ring Road in Iceland?

No, you don’t!

In the summer, you can drive the full Ring Road, including all of its most iconic stops, without a 4×4.

That being said, if you want to visit some hidden gems and more offbeat spots, you may want to have one.

We had a 4×4 for our Iceland road trip and enjoyed having the extra freedom.

Don’t forget these essentials when packing for your 10 days in Iceland!

… But don’t worry if you forget something, either.

You’ll find well-stocked clothing and outdoor shops throughout your trip, particularly in Reykjavik, Vik, and Akureyri.

That being said, clothing and equipment in Iceland are–like virtually everything else in the country–very expensive, so it’s best to come prepared!

Travel Insurance  — We don’t ever suggest traveling without travel insurance–anything can happen, and an epic Iceland Ring Road trip is definitely a case of better safe than sorry.

We use and recommend  Safety Wing  for trips to Iceland.

Iceland Guidebook — It’s pretty rare that we choose to carry a paper guidebook these days, but Iceland was an exception!

Long, difficult-to-pronounce (for English speakers) names and attractions literally around every corner meant that having a guidebook with us as we explored came in handy!

We used Lonely Planet Iceland during our trip.

Travel Adaptors for Iceland — If you’re coming from outside of Europe (or from the UK), you’ll definitely need adaptors for your electronics.

We use these and have never had any issues.

Waterproof Jacket — A must in Iceland, for both practical and photography reasons!

I love this yellow rainjacket that I’ve had for a few years, and Jeremy loves his Marmot waterproof jacket .

Layers — Layers are key when visiting Iceland, even in the summer!

We had exceptionally good weather during our trip, and most days I still stuck with a long-sleeve shirt or light sweater, with a jacket to throw over it.

Sometimes I also included my favorite Northface fleece that has been with me for 10 years and counting.

Comfortable Walking Shoes — Depending on exactly what you plan to do during your 10 days in Iceland, you may want a pair of comfortable walking shoes and a pair of hiking boots.

I mostly stuck with my trusty Ugg Kesey Motorcycle Boots , which are waterproof, warm, and extremely comfortable. I’ve been wearing them for years!

For activities like glacier hiking, I switched to hiking boots .

Bathing Suit — When thinking about bundling up with plenty of layers in July, it’s easy to forget that you’ll also want a bathing suit with you in Iceland!

Waterproof Pants — While we didn’t use these as much as we feared we would need to (we got very lucky with the weather on our July trip!), they came in very handy for our glacier hike and were very comfortable.

I used these pants , and Jeremy wore these .

Eye Mask — We mentioned this above, but getting good sleep when contending with the midnight sun was a challenge for us during our time driving Iceland’s Ring Road.

You will absolutely want a good sleep mask like this with you during your summer trip to Iceland.

Sea-Bands + Non-Drowsy Dramamine — If you get motion sickness like me, you’ll definitely want to come prepared for any and all boat rides in Iceland (like whale watching tours, for instance).

Binoculars — Iceland is home to all sorts of delightful creatures, including a wide variety of birds (like puffins!) and, of course, whales.

Binoculars are an inexpensive and easy addition to your Iceland packing list, and they’ll greatly enhance your trip to the coast!

Take This Map With You! Click each highlight to pull up the name of the destination. To save this map to “Your Places” on Google Maps, click the star to the right of the title. You’ll then be able to find it under the Maps tab of your Google Maps account! To open the map in a new window, click the button on the top right of the map.

About Kate Storm

In May 2016, I left my suburban life in the USA and became a full-time traveler. Since then, I have visited 50+ countries on 5 continents and lived in Portugal, developing a special love of traveling in Europe (especially Italy) along the way. Today, along with my husband Jeremy and dog Ranger, I’m working toward my eventual goal of splitting my life between Europe and the USA.

5 thoughts on “The Ultimate 10 Day Iceland Ring Road Itinerary”

Thank you very much. I like your informative blog.

Thank you for the information. This is wonderful and we plan on using this as a guide on our upcoming trip. One question – we would like to include Husavik in our trip. We were thinking of not doing the horse back riding – where would you recommend fitting Husavik into the trip? Thanks!

You can do a fairly simple 1:1 swap for Husavik instead of the horseback riding excursion.

If you’re heading up to Husavik, I’d also recommend doing your whale-watching tour from there instead of Akureyri. 🙂

Everyone ALWAYS says make reservations as early as possible. So when did you make yours and was that date too late for anything? What date is really late for summer visits? thanks

The problem with exact parameters is that it’s different every year depending on how many visitors there are, the week you’re going, etc, and also how strict your budget and hotel requirements are. Iceland has built more hotels over the last decade, but it has also gotten much more popular over the same time period (with the obvious 2020 exception).

We booked our trip a couple of months in advance and had an amazing time, but we did have to compromise on a few places to stay, including staying in the countryside vs in Stykkishólmur on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, for example. Vik is also known for selling out, and we didn’t get our first choice of hotel there, though the one we stayed in ended up being a solid option as well.

I’d recommend securing your rental car first, especially if you plan to rent an automatic, and then sketch your trip out from there.

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How to Plan the Ultimate Iceland Road Trip

Home » Blog » Europe » Iceland » How to Plan the Ultimate Iceland Road Trip

Road tripping allows you the freedom to travel like no oth er and is undoubtedly the best way to see all that Iceland has to offer. From vehicle rentals to budgeting to en route entertainment, here is everything you need to help you plan your Iceland road trip.

When it comes to road trips, Iceland is perhaps one of the best countries in the world for hopping behind the steering wheel and taking on the open road.

With drool-worthy landscapes around every corner and more epic “detours” than you can count, taking an Iceland road trip will be up there as one of your most memorable travel experiences. Plus, the driving in Iceland is pretty darn easy – I mean, there’s basically just one main road around the entire country (aka the Ring Road), so you can’t really get lost.

In this guide, we’re covering literally everything you need to know to have the absolute best time on your Iceland road trip. We’ve been to Iceland three times, and have explored by both car and campervan. We’ve gathered all sorts of tips in one place: from essential safe driving advice to tips for shopping in Icelandic supermarkets to how to save money on gas, you can find it all right here!

This guide will get you ready to crank your favorite tunes and roll down your windows (or not, because it’ll probably be chilly outside) and embark on the Iceland road trip of a lifetime!

Iceland Road Trip Planning Guide

Things to know about driving in iceland, rental car vs. campervan, best time of year for a road trip, planning your route, perfect iceland itinerary, road trip budget tips, stocking up on groceries.

• Common road trip mistakes to avoid

Apps to download

• Podcasts and audiobooks
• What to pack

Want to save time and energy on planning?

We’ve traveled to Iceland 3 times now and spent weeks living in a campervan, traveling around the country. We’ve been able to explore a lot of what Iceland has to offer!

We’ve compiled our experience to create the  perfect Iceland itinerary . Our itinerary is for 7-9 days and meant to be explored while traveling in a campervan. It includes the  highlights of the southern coast of Iceland. 

We’ll send you our complete 7-9 day customizable itinerary, filled with tips and advice. Just click below to get your  perfect Iceland itinerary  today!

Driving in Iceland might be different from what you’re used to. There are some important things—really important things, actually—that you need to know before you set off on your Iceland road trip. 

We’re going over everything you should know about driving in Iceland before you get behind the wheel. 

1. Let’s talk about gas, baby!

When planning your Iceland road trip, don’t forget to factor the cost of gas into your road trip budget. Being as it has to be shipped here from overseas, it’s easy to understand why petrol is a bit more expensive in Iceland. However, you’ll want to prepare yourself for the first time you pull up to the pump and see prices nearly quadruple what you might expect to pay in somewhere like the US. 

During our most recent trip to Iceland (August 2021) the price of gas in Iceland was 225.8 ISK per liter ($1.75 USD). That works out to be just shy of $7 USD per gallon. Yikes!

Gas stations in Iceland will generally be open 24 hours a day, however you should expect the building to be closed overnight and no attendants. This means you can only fill up after hours if you are paying with a card. Which brings us to our next point…

Some of the gas stations in Iceland required us to type in a PIN number to authenticate the credit card transaction. If you’re like us and using a US-based credit card, you won’t have a PIN. This presents a problem when you’re alone at night and there are no attendants on duty to manually run your card inside. For this reason we suggest bringing a back up debit card (with a PIN) to use at the pumps if this happens. 

And on that note… Don’t let your tank run dry! Once you get outside of Reykjavík and venture off the Ring Road, there can be lonnnng stretches of highway where you don’t see another sole. You don’t want to wind up stranded in a place like that with an empty gas tank. Fill up often and don’t let your tank get below ¼ if you can help it! 

2. Watch your speed!

This is an important one. (Be sure you read it!)

While driving in Iceland, you’ll want to be extra cautious about your speed. For safety reasons, obviously, but also to avoid the speed traps and hefty fines that go along with a speeding ticket .

There are speed traps set up all over the country (mostly around Reykjavik and popular tourist areas) with cameras that’ll detect your speed and flag you if you’re over the limit. If you’re not paying attention, you might never notice them, but before every camera there is a blue sign to warn motorists like the one pictured.

It’s also good to know that all tunnels in Iceland have at least one speed camera (if not more!), so be sure you follow the 70-kilometer speed limit in tunnels.

Always go by the posted speed limit signs, but here is the general rule of thumb:

• 90 km per hour on highways (Nowhere in Iceland are you allowed to drive faster than this. And this is only 56 m.p.h. so it may seem a bit slow to those of us who are used to driving on highways in the US)
• 80 km per hour on gravel roads
• 70 km per hour in tunnels

3. Turn your headlights on

You may not be in the habit of turning your headlights on while driving in the middle of the day, but in Iceland it’s the law. All drivers must have their headlights on while driving (any time of day) for your safety as well as other drivers as it can get quite foggy. 

If you don’t have the automatic lights function on your vehicle, just remember to turn your lights off everytime you park. We accidentally left ours on and drained our battery, and it was quite the adventure trying to find someone with jumper cables. 

Tip: Pack this portable jumper set (yes, you can fly with it!) as we found most rental cars didn’t come equipped with jumper cables. 

4. How to navigate single-lane bridges

If you are driving the Ring Road around Iceland , you’ll run into quite a few single-lane bridges, and you’ll need to know how to navigate in the case you wind up there at the same time as another car. 

The general rule to follow is to give way to the car that’s closest to the bridge and wait for them to cross before taking your turn. However, it’s a good idea to slow down just in case that other driver isn’t as prepared as you (and hasn’t read this article!).  

5. Where you can and can’t drive

There are some roads in Iceland that legally require you to have a 4×4 vehicle to drive on. These are known as “F-Roads”. Akin to “fire roads” in the United States, F-Roads aren’t really maintained at all. Not only is it illegal to drive on them with a regular 2-wheel drive vehicle, but you’ll likely get stuck! And insurance certainly won’t be covering anything that happens to your vehicle when you’re driving illegally. 

It’s also worth noting that F-Roads aren’t open all year long. These mountain roads are only open during the summer months, typically June/July – September (or after the first snow). Check the current conditions here .

That being said, be prepared to drive on unpaved roads , even if you are not venturing off into F-Road territory. Of the more than 8,000 miles of roads in Iceland, fewer than 3,000 miles are paved roads. Which means you’ll definitely encounter some gravel. Just pay attention to the reduced speed limit on gravel roads (80 km / hour) and don’t get too close to the vehicle in front of you if you don’t want to risk your windshield. 

On that note… Don’t EVER drive off road. Not only is it illegal to go offroading in Iceland, but driving off the road can cause irreversible damage to the incredibly fragile ecosystem on the volcanic island. Be a responsible traveler , and stick to the roads!

6. What to do at roundabouts

There are tons of roundabouts in Iceland—especially in Reykjavik. And they can be confusing to navigate, even if you’re used to roundabouts at home.

The biggest thing you have to know is that when you’re driving a 2-lane roundabout, the inner lane has the right of way. That means if you are in the outer lane, you must yield to the inside driver at each exit. If you don’t follow this rule and there is an accident, insurance won’t cover you.

7. Be prepared for sudden changes in weather

The weather in Iceland is notoriously unpredictable. There’s a saying in Iceland that goes, “if you don’t like the weather, wait 5 minutes.” If you are planning to spend a long time driving in Iceland, there’s a good chance you’ll run into lots of different weather conditions on the road and it’s best to be prepared. 

Keep up to date with the forecast by checking before your drive. This website breaks down road and weather conditions by region, which is helpful. We also found the Vedur app to be the most consistently accurate when it comes to current weather conditions in Iceland.

And be prepared for winds. Strong winds. With little vegetation or tree coverage to shield the roads, the winds can be brutal while driving in Iceland. Be extra cautious while driving in high winds, watch out for sand and ash and hold the door tight when entering or exiting your vehicle. 

If you are planning your Iceland road trip during the winter months, you’ll want to make sure your rental vehicle comes with studded snow tires (a pretty standard offering in Iceland), and might consider upgrading to a 4×4 vehicle just to be safe.

Ask your rental company if they offer a “Winter Supply Kit” which typically consists of flashlights, jumper cables, a shovel and other winter gear to keep you warm and safe in case of an accident. For more detailed information and driving tips, check out our guide to renting a car in Iceland .

When considering how to get around on your Iceland road trip, you have two standard options; you can rent a car and stay in hotels/ Airbnbs or go tent camping, or you can opt for a campervan rental and bring your accommodation along for the ride. 

We’ve rented cars in Iceland on two separate occasions and also traveled around Ring Road in a campervan. There are pros and cons to each mode of transportation and plenty to consider before making your decision. 

Budget, accommodation preferences, comfortability and travel styles are all important factors to consider. If you are on a tight budget, or prefer to stay in hotel-style accommodation, renting a car may be a better option for you. If you are up for an adventure, don’t mind using public showers and restrooms, but want a more comfortable camping experience, we’d highly recommend renting a campervan!

We’ve gone over the pros and cons of each as well as important information to know about the rental process and costs associated with renting a car or a campervan in two separate detailed-packed guides:

• Renting a Car in Iceland: 14 Essential Tips
• Iceland Campervan Rental Guide (+ Discount!)

Iceland makes for an exciting travel destination year-round and there are unique draws and drawbacks to visiting in every season. When considering the timing of your Iceland road trip, there are a few factors you may want to keep in mind: 

Road closures: F-Roads, which are the unmaintained back roads leading you into the highlands, are only open during the summer months. If you plan to do a lot of hiking or want to get off-the-beaten-path on your Iceland road trip, you may want to consider traveling during the peak season. 

Driving Conditions: How comfortable are you with driving in snowy conditions? If you’re traveling to Iceland from a warm-weather hometown and have never experienced driving in the snow, we’d advise you to reconsider a winter road trip and instead opt for the summertime. 

If you’re an experienced driver in all types of conditions, you can rest assured that car rentals in Iceland generally come equipped with studded snow tires and everything you need to stay safe in all seasons.

What you hope to see: If your sole purpose for visiting Iceland is to catch a glimpse of the illusive Northern Lights, or you cannot wait to photograph puffins while they are nesting, or maybe it’s your dream to get up close and personal with humpback whales as you cruise across the bay… 

All of these activities are possible in Iceland, but unfortunately they all have different seasons and you won’t be able to do/see all of these things during one trip (unless you get crazy lucky). 

We’ve put together a detailed guide on the best time to visit Iceland , which breaks down every season with the unique draws and drawbacks. Give it a read to figure out which season makes the most sense for your Iceland road trip.

So you have big road trip dreams for Iceland, but how do you even begin to plan?!

We like to start our road trip planning process by following 5 simple steps. 

• Decide how many days you have to spend on your trip
• Make a list of all the places you want to go
• Use Google Maps to save the desired locations and begin to work out a general route
• Perfect the route by pruning and primping, factoring in where you’re going to stay
• Create your final itinerary

In order to plan your route around Iceland, you’ll have to first decide how many days you are able to dedicate to your road trip. After visiting Iceland on three separate occasions, we finally came up with what we think is the perfect 7 day Iceland itinerary for your first visit. 

A single week is a good amount of time to get a solid taste of what Iceland has to offer, including some of the highlights like Reykjavik, the Golden Circle and some of our favorite hot springs and waterfalls.

• Perfect 7 Day Iceland Itinerary
• Ring Road Iceland: Stops You Can’t Miss
• Golden Circle Iceland: The Ultimate Guide

Things to do in Iceland

If you have more time than just a week, GREAT! There are so many more things to do in Iceland you could road trip for a month and still not get bored. Here is a good list of highlights to get you started…

• Explore the Golden Circle : Sort of a rite of passage on most visitors’ first trip to Iceland. This route encircles three major attractions: Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss Waterfall and Geysir, as well as some pretty neat off-the-beaten-path attractions. 
• Soak in some incredible hot springs : Being that Iceland is known for its geothermal activity, it should come as no surprise that there are some pretty epic hot springs you can visit. 
• Hike the Fimmvörðuháls trail: Known as one of the best day hikes in the entire world, the Fimm Hike takes you through lush valleys, across desolate lava fields and past countless waterfalls. 
• Hike a glacier: Of all the incredible hikes in Iceland , our glacier hike was one for the books, and certainly a bucket list worthy experience if you can make it happen.
• Chase waterfalls : Waterfalls are to Iceland like chocolate chips are to a cookie… okay maybe that’s a stretch of an analogy, but you get the point. They are everywhere and some of them are totally worth going out of your way to spot. 
• Try Icelandic cuisine : Step out of your comfort zone and indulge in the local flavors to get a glimpse into the culture and how locals live.
• Explore Reykjavik : While small in size, Reykjavík is packed with spunk, charm, and fun things to do. 

We could go on… But we’ve actually already compiled a list of best things to do in Iceland with all the details you need to have these experiences for yourself.

Where to stay

When planning your road trip route around Iceland, another thing you’ll need to consider is where you’re going to stay. 

If you’re renting a campervan, you’ll want to check out some of our favorite campsites in Iceland and plan your route based on where you can camp.  

If you’re not going the campervan route, hotels in Iceland can get pretty expensive. Instead, we’d recommend staying in Airbnbs to cut down on costs and give yourself a more home-y feel. 

We’ve rounded up a highly curated list of the best Airbnbs in Iceland — from budget-friendly, to the most unique accommodation, to some seriously incredible properties! This list includes the top places to stay in Iceland, as well as some hostel and hotel recommendations as well in case you want to mix it up a bit. 

Our top tips for staying in an Airbnb in Iceland:

• Book Airbnbs with a kitchen so you can cook meals. This will help you save money so you don’t have to eat out for breakfast, lunch and dinner each day.
• Set your filter to find places with a private hot tub–your sore muscles and aching joints will thank us later after you’ve spent a day hiking!
• Check to take sure there is onsite parking or space to leave your vehicle overnight.
• Is there laundry? On a road trip, it can be helpful to book an Airbnb with a washer and dryer every once in a while so you can do a load of laundry. Nobody likes to stink up their car!

For more tips, we have loads of info on how to book Airbnbs , red flags to watch out for when booking, and the exact filters we use when booking.

Raise your hand if you don’t want to spend hours of time researching and you just want all the info right at your fingertips!

If your hand is up, keep reading…

If you want to save some hours of your life, we’ve already put in more than enough for you and us combined.  Trust us.

And we’re happy to share everything we learned  — from digging through reviews, Youtube and all sorts of Internet rabbit holes, as well as actually traveling  in  Iceland on 3 separate occasions.

We’ve put together the perfect Iceland itinerary for your first visit. This itinerary includes day-by-day instructions, photos and tips that will help you plan your road trip through southern Iceland and the iconic Golden Circle.

In this 7-9 day itinerary, you’ll find:

• Can’t miss sights and experiences 
• suggestions for what to order
• the best campsites to stay on the route
• unique stays along the way
• Insider Tips
• Suggestions for extending this trip

We’ve spent hours of research putting this all together, just for you!

In full transparency, this is a  paid itinerary  since it has taken an incredible amount of time for us to create. 

However, we keep all of our paid itineraries affordable –  just  $17 for an entire 7-9 day itinerary . We think this is an incredible value considering almost all your planning will be done for you!

The hard truth is, Iceland is notoriously expensive and we’d be lying to you if we said anything different. Unless you’ve got a bottomless bank account (lucky you!), you’ll probably want to set some sort of budget for your Iceland road trip.

This will vary from traveler to traveler depending on your style. For some, your road trip budget might be more or less a target to aim for, but you’ve got flexibility. And for others, it’s a strict number that you’ll need to be very mindful of the entire trip.

Whichever sounds like you, setting a budget is important. Especially in a country as expensive as Iceland. 

If you know anything about us, you’ve probably picked up on the fact that we are very detailed when it comes to documenting our travel budget and expenses. This means we’ve broken down exactly how much a trip to Iceland will cost you along with plenty of sneaky budget tips and insider info to help you plan Lucky you!

Whether you’re road tripping in a car or living in a campervan in Iceland, you’ll want to stock up on groceries before you hit the road. There’s nothing that makes you hungrier than sitting in a car for hours on end…am I right?? 

We can tell you from firsthand experience that grocery shopping in Iceland can be a little overwhelming if you’re not equipped with some tips and knowhow. That’s why we put together a handy little guide to navigating supermarkets in Iceland – from the average price of some staple items to supermarkets with the best prices, we’ve got you covered.

Mistakes to avoid when planning your Iceland road trip

Take it from us, we’ve made plenty of road trip mistakes over the years. We’ve learned our lessons and we want to pass on our tips to you to help you avoid the potentially costly mistakes while road tripping in Iceland. 

1. Not giving yourself enough time

It can be tempting to pack as much as possible within your given time frame, but we’d strongly encourage you to plan your Iceland road trip with a bit of “buffer time”.

When you’re planning your route from behind your computer screen, it can be easy to see 6 hours of driving time and think, well that’s not too bad. But when you’re on the road, even a few hours can be exhausting and have you itching to get out of the car and stretch your legs!

You may plan to spend 2 hours hiking into one of the best Iceland hot springs , only to get there and realize your aching joints need more time to soak than you realized. Or maybe you allotted just 45 minutes for an epic hike, but when you get there, you realize it’s a 45 minute hike one-way, and it’ll take you another hour to see the sights and get back to your car. 

As you’re planning, take into account that things might go wrong. Bad traffic or a flat tire might delay you. Or maybe the weather turns dangerous when you have an epic hike planned, and you want to stay an extra day.

2. Sticking to your route EXACTLY

After planning a road trip route, you might feel the need to follow it exactly. But we’d advise otherwise… 

Sometimes the best road trip stops are the unplanned adventures off the main road and into that cute little harbour-side town or a quick pull over on the side of the road that turns into a hike to an unknown viewpoint. 

Give yourself some “wiggle room” in your itinerary for the opportunity to get lost and explore some hidden gems along the way.

3. Not planning ahead during busy season

Sometimes the busy season is the only time you have to travel. We’ve certainly been there.

If you’re traveling to Iceland during the summer months, be sure to spend a little extra time planning:

• Book your accommodation further in advance.
• Research hidden spots and how to get away from the crowds.
• Budget a little more money.
• Plan to start your days earlier than you typically would.

4. Forgetting to download Google Maps offline

There are long stretches of road in Iceland where you’ll find very little cell signal. Depending on where you’re driving (especially if you’re going through the highlands), cell service might be patchy at best. So you’ll want to download anything you need on your phone before you set off on your road trip.

While you have Wifi, download the offline version of Google Maps for the regions you’ll be driving through Iceland. This also goes for all your podcasts, music, and audiobooks too.

Even if there is good cell service, your data might go quickly if you’re constantly streaming music and directions.

How do you Download Google Maps Offline?

It’s super simple, just follow these steps:

• Sign into Google Maps (it’s connected with your Gmail account).
• Search for a destination in the search bar. (Example: “Reykjavik” or “Snæfellsnes peninsula”)
• You’ll see a white bar that pops up at the bottom of the screen. You may need to swipe right to find the “download” icon.
• Make sure you’re connected to WiFi, and click the “download” icon.

The map data from this region will now be on your phone, and can be accessed even when you have no cell signal! You’ll even be able to see your current GPS location as long as you have it authorized. (Settings > Google Maps > Location > select “Always”)

5. Forgetting you get carsick

Motion Sickness is a pain in the ass, but it can be dealt with if you prepare. Don’t worry, I’m right there with ya! I like to pack a little “kit” to help prevent nausea when on road trips. This will come in handy on the long and sometimes winding roads in Iceland, trust me . 

• pressure point bands
• ginger chews
• sparkling water
• trash bag (in case of emergency)

Also, it goes without saying, but try to avoid reading or looking closely at your phone screen, especially on winding roads. 

If you’re feeling sick, the best thing to do is stop the car and get yourself some fresh air. Sometimes that’s all it takes to get your system back on track. 

And remember to take it slow and be patient. Carsickness happens to the best of us!

You can read about more common road trip mistakes and tons of other tips in our road trip planning guide . 

When hitting the road in Iceland there are plenty of factors to keep in mind such as traffic, weather, and directions. How many times have you heard that you missed your exit and have to drive twice as far to double back? 

Don’t worry though. As they say…. There’s an app for that. In this case, there are a few apps for Iceland road trips that we’d recommend downloading to take the frustration out of navigating, help with road trip planning, and enjoy the ride without any hiccups.

Here are some of essential apps for road tripping in Iceland:

• Vedur: Ask any local and they will tell you the only weather app they trust is Vedur. 
• Google Maps: Make sure you download the offline version of our route while you’re still connected to Wifi!
• Bensin: Location nearby gas stations and see up to date pricing before you arrive at the pump. This app is a game-changer on an Iceland road trip. 
• SafeTravel: The best way to check road conditions in Iceland with up to date information. 
• Parka: Use this app to pay for parking in specific locations around Iceland, including downtown Reykjavík, Skaftafell National Park, and Geldingadalir Volcano.

We have a whole article on the best Iceland travel apps that goes into more detail on each one and why we think it’s worth a download.

En route entertainment

If you’re like us, one of the first things we plan when going on a road trip is which audiobooks we want to listen to and which podcasts to download for our enroute entertainment. We put together some of our top recommendations in case you’re looking for something new to listen to.

• Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens: One of my favorite reads from 2020. A beautifully-descriptive coming of age tale about how society is quick to judge and misunderstand those deemed “outsiders”. It also reads like a love letter to nature.
• A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson: This funny account of one man and his ill-prepared companion’s attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail. A humorous and adventurous quick read.
• You are a Badass by Jen Sincero: If you need a little motivation right now (I’m with ya!), Jen will give you the kick in the pants you need to stop doubting yourself. It reads like you’re talking to a good friend.
• Whatever You Do, Don’t Run: True Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide by Peter Allison: A collection of personal stories recounting hilarious and sometimes terrifying tales of life living in the African bush as a safari guide, coming face to face with some of the fiercest wild animals, and managing the hordes of camera-toting tourists. 
• Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts: The thrilling story of an escaped convict who flees a maximum security prison in Australia, fleeing to Bombay with his guide and companion, where they can disappear forever in the criminal underworld.

If you like these recommendations and want more, we have an entire list of books for travelers – broken out by category, from memoirs to fictional travel stories. 

• Favorite Episodes: Mr. Hodges, All in the Family
• Favorite Episodes: Lonely Planet, Patagonia, Burton, AWAY Luggage, Canva
• Science Vs. (Gimlet Media): Dives into hot button topics and major political issues (from essential oils to immigration) and goes over the FACTS of both sides of the argument, while incorporating humor. 
• Favorite Episodes: Brownie Lady, The Chase (interview with a “professional” streaker)

What to pack for your Iceland road trip

Packing for a trip to Iceland is tough (the weather changes all the time!). But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with a  super detailed packing list  so you know exactly what to bring. 

In this  free Iceland packing list PDF download , we’ve provided packing checklists for everything from clothing and toiletries (for both women  and  men!) to what shoes to pack and extra medicines you may want to have on-hand just in case.

Plus, we’re sharing tons of packing hacks and tips for traveling in Iceland that you won’t find anywhere else!

Are you planning a trip to Iceland?

We have TONS of resources on travel in Iceland and how to make the most out of your trip. Check out our  Ultimate Iceland Travel Guide  for all the answers to your most burning questions, or read some of our favorite articles below.

• Perfect Iceland Itinerary
• Renting a Car in Iceland: Essential Tips
• Ring Road Iceland: Can’t Miss Stops!
• Iceland Campervan Rental Guide (+ Exclusive Discount!)

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We want to hear from you!

Do you have any more questions about planning your Iceland road trip? Leave your comment below and we’ll do our best to get you the answers you’re looking for!

Comments (2) on “ How to Plan the Ultimate Iceland Road Trip ”

Thank you so much for your amazing tips for Iceland! I will be traveling there soon as well, while 5 months pregnant, like you did. Where did you find your nice outdoor maternity clothing?

Hey Annelies, it’s such a great place for a Babymoon! None of my clothes were truly maternity clothes – which I actually like because I can wear them after pregnancy too. I have a few pairs of Lulu Lemon Align leggings which are high waisted and I LIVED in them while pregnant (and wore them a lot in Iceland), and I still wear them all the time. Not the cheapest, but worth the investment IMO. I also got a pair of water-resistant joggers from Eddie Bauer that I wore on the trip and they worked really well. Then I just wore larger shirts, or athletic ones that became more and more “fitted” as I grew hehe.

Hope that helps. Have an amazing trip!

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Detailed itineraries + travel guides

Ultimate 8 Day Iceland Itinerary – An Iceland Road Trip Guide

Last Updated June 29, 2023 William Tang

You are here: Home » Travel Itineraries » Ultimate 8 Day Iceland Itinerary – An Iceland Road Trip Guide

I’m just going to put this out there.  Iceland is ridiculously beautiful.  There’s been a rise in tourism there and a ton of hype.  Over these past 5 years, you couldn’t go on Facebook without seeing one of your friends sharing photos of Iceland.   I needed to see for myself and now that I’m back, I can confidently say that everything they say is true.  This Iceland road trip is one of the best travel experiences I’ve ever had.  Overrated?  Hell no!

The inspiration for this 8 day Iceland itinerary guide came from the trip planning process.  There was a lot of information out there on individual attractions and  of the country.  So if you also just so happen have 8 days to work with in Iceland, this is for you.  Even if not, I think there’s a ton of insight here as I was pretty careful about writing down every small detail about the trip along the way where I went “this would be TOTALLY helpful for my readers”.

Deep dive into planning your Iceland trip

• Top 5 Hotels in Rekyjavik on a Budget
• 12 Best Things to do in Iceland
• The 6 Day Iceland Itinerary
• Reasons to go to Iceland
• 12 Icelandic Souvenirs You Need To Buy

How to get the best deals in travel

• Hottest deals  – Bookmark the  travel deals page .
• Car rentals  – stop getting ripped off and  learn about car rental coupon codes .
• Hotels  – Use  corporate codes  or get  Genius 2 tier  with Booking.
• Flights  – Have you ever heard of the  “Everywhere” feature ?
• Insurance  – Make sure you’re covered and learn more about  where to buy the best travel insurance .

Table of Contents

This Iceland guide is broken into three main parts – trip planning decision points, the comprehensive itinerary and my personal planning tips.

Getting Started is a small section devoted to some of the trip planning struggles that I encountered and my thought processes around it.   Itinerary covers the 8 day journey on the island in September.   Valuable Trip Planning Advice  started as a laundry list of notes I typed into my phone as the trip unfolded.  It contains the need to knows, things you probably didn’t think about, and everything else in between that’ll make your trip kickass.

• Getting Started

Day 1 – Black and Blue

Day 2 – exploring reykjavik + buubble, day 3 – golden circle, day 4 – snaefellsnes surprise, day 5 – foss and truly secret pool, day 6 – beauty of the south, day 7 – glacier climbing, day 8 – rewind.

• How The Itinerary Changed During The Trip
• How The Itinerary Kicked Ass

Driving in Iceland

Recommended gear, photography, getting your iceland itinerary started.

I’ve been putting a lot of thought into this and if I were to sum up into words what makes Iceland so incredible, it’s this –   Every corner of the land is so vastly varied and completely stunning because it’s a a visual wonderland of landscapes that covers all the elements.  Iceland is somewhere you thought only possible in fairy tales or science fiction movies but it’s totally real.

I was skeptical before the start of the trip.  I mean how could I not be.  Everyone and their Mom has been to Iceland.  Could it be really THAT good?  The worry I had was whether it was going to be over-hyped or  just a haven for tourists.

Having gone there and back, I can safely tell you that my trip there was everything I was hoping it would be and more.

Trust me, Iceland is a place you have to go.  It’s the best road trip you’ll ever go on.

The section below details out some of the basics that you’ve already been thinking about as you start planning your epic Iceland road trip. It covers the high level stuff but if you want to get into more details, I have a  Valuable Trip Planning Advice  section which has even more information.

If you’re a fan of this itinerary, make sure to check out other incredibly detailed ones like this.  Here are a few to get you started:

• Greek Islands 14 day itinerary
• 12 day Japan itinerary
• 14 day Tahiti itinerary
• 12 day Taiwan itinerary
• 10 day Patagonia itinerary

To Ring Road or Not?

Iceland is almost perfectly designed to allow drivers to fully explore the island.  At 1,332 kilometers, you can easily just start driving on Route 1 and if you don’t stop, you’ll arrive back at the same spot that you started 17 hours later.   The entire island is insanely beautiful all the way around so it’s a no brainer to do the full loop right?

Thing is, it was a much more complicated question than that and at the beginning of putting together this 8 day Iceland itinerary , this was probably the most hotly debated topic.  With 8 days to work with, it seemed completely do-able to drive the Ring Road but the more and more I dug into it, the more and more it didn’t make sense.  The bottom line is that it was possible but we’d be rushing from one place to the next.  We’d be crunched for time which would mean less time for random stops (oh we made many) and we’d have to make careful choices about what to see and what to skip.

Here’s why we didn’t do Ring Road:

• Excursions – Once you introduce any sort of excursion, this was almost out of the question.  The problem is that almost all activities originate from Reykjavik so if you plan on doing any of them (most are full day), you’ll have to plan to base yourself in the capital for a few days before hitting the road.  The only exception for us was our ice climbing experience in Skaftafell which we were able to meet with them on-site.
• Pick and choose – As I was building out a test itinerary for doing the Ring Road, it felt that I was continuously making compromises on where we could stop.  For instance, if a secret hot spring was too far from the main road and add too much time, you just had to cut it even if it was spectacular.  FOMO completely taking over in this case.
• Race to the next destination – What I didn’t like about doing the Ring Road in roughly a week was the fact that every day seemed to be a rush to get to the next hostel.  The prospect of seeing only a few things along the way and the rest focusing on getting to the next town would be too stressful.
• Weather – This wasn’t much an issue for September but it definitely crossed my mind.  There was some risk that if there was heavy snowfall that roads would be closed and that we’d be snowed in or have to bypass an area.

Ultimately for us, it made more sense to do a smaller portion of the island really well than to rush through it all just to check off the list.

That being said, it totally sucks we didn’t get to do the north or Westfjords.  I really wanted to go there but couldn’t swing it.  If we had 12+ days, I think we could’ve done it but it is what we had to work with.  More of a reason to go back right?

Do I regret not doing Ring Road?   Nope, not at all .

When To Go?

When planning your Iceland itinerary, it’s pretty critical to think about what time of the year you’re going to be going because it will make a big difference.  The three main factors to think about are: weather, northern lights and seasonality.  These will dramatically change the type of experience you’ll have in Iceland.

For all intents and purposes, you can think of Iceland as having two primary seasons – cold and not as cold/borderline warm with frequent weather changes sprinkled in.  For simplicity, let’s just call it summer and winter.

Seriously though, Iceland is not as chilly as its namesake sounds.

During the summer months, the weather is actually quite pleasant.  Hovering around 20C (70F), you’re totally in the t-shirt zone but of course, the fickle nature of the climate means that things can change on a dime and before you know it, you’re in the middle of torrential downpour.

Another thing that is unique to the summer months is that you’re looking at almost continuous daylight.  Midnight sun can totally trip your sleep schedule but what’s great about this is that you have all 24 hours to do and see stuff if you really wanted to.  Imagine that!  That being said, you will not be able to see the aurora borealis because it relies on darkness and clear skies.

Summer is of course high season .  This means that there will be a larger amount of tourists on the island which drives prices up and the bring large crowds to the popular sights.

All roads are open in the summer and ferry schedules are better so you can get to pretty much every part of the island.  In particular, Westfjords becomes very much accessible and places like Hornstrandir (Iceland’s northernmost peninsula, situated in the Westfjords) open up.

If you’re hoping to see puffins , you’ll find them from May to August each year.

It gets cold in the winter especially when that polar wind sweeps its way down.  That means you’ll want to make sure you bring ALL of your warm clothing and then some when you come in this season between October and April.

Winter is pretty much the polar opposite to summer.  Instead of midnight sun, you get extremely shortened days (4-6 hours).  This means less daylight to explore but you have extremely high probability to see the northern lights.

What you’ll need to deal with in the winter is the fact that there will be road closures due to snowfall.  Areas like Westfjords will be difficult to get to because the ferries basically don’t run there and access to any areas that are way off the Ring Road may be blocked off.

There will also be fewer tours offered in the off-season so self-drive becomes the most viable option.  With that though, you’ll have to be very careful behind the wheel because the roads can be hazardous and there’s always the possibility of small towns being snowed in.

However, what you gain in the winter is the majestic ice caves which aren’t accessible in the summer due to structural stability.   The snow covered landscape is also stunning and gives the island and completely different look.

As the low season, you’ll deal with much smaller crowds and prices to drop (particularly flights).  Don’t expect any price breaks on car rentals except if you use the Blue Car Rental coupon code which you’ll find in the Driving in Iceland tips.

In between you have the shoulder season in May and September.  These are the transitional months between summer and winter.  What’s great about this season is that you get the best of both seasons.

With light becoming normalized with sunrise at 7PM and sunset at 8PM, you get decently long days but with enough twilight to get the chance to see the northern lights.  Depending on the year, you might also

What you’ll have to contend with is more tumultuous weather though.  During our time in Iceland in September, we experienced many overcast days where we were always on the precipice of rain (made for a lot of rainbows though).  The rain was very on and off though where some pockets of the island would be rainy but if we kept driving along Ring Road, it would clear up.

What’s great about shoulder season is that tourists drop off in these months pre and post summer so you don’t have to deal with as many crowds.  Temperatures are also quite reasonable in the high teens (C)/50s (F).  This is a great time for an Iceland road trip.

How Many Days Do You Need?

As many as you can take would be my answer to everyone that asks.  There’s a temptation to treat Iceland as a stopover destination based on how flight packages are bundled these days but seriously Iceland is the main event – there’s no question.

I may be a bit biased here but I feel that you need at least 7 days to see a substantial part of Iceland.  This gives you time to do at least one excursion and at a minimum see the southern part of the island which is where a majority of the popular destinations are located.

If you have less than 7 days, you will have to decide whether you want to base yourself in Reykjavik the entire time and do day trips through tours or you have to hit the road right away and see what you can along Ring Road and the Golden Circle.

For the full Ring Road, I’d recommend at least 12 days for a road trip itinerary.

Things To Pack and Prep

Lots of layers  – Weather is constantly changing in Iceland and you never know when it’ll change.  The best way to handle this and pack efficiently is to bring layers.  Bring t-shirts for when it’s warm and layer up with base layers, sweaters, hoodies, long johns, and jacket as necessary.  More must-pack gear can be found in the  Valuable Trip Planning Advice  section.

Waterproof everything – There’s no rainy season per say but chances of rain peak in October – February.   I would include September in the mix as well from personal experience.  Since everything you’re doing in Iceland is outdoors, I was so glad I was fully decked out in waterproof exterior clothing.  I was so glad to have my Columbia waterproof jacket and waterproof pants , and Keen waterproof shoes .

Mapping  – You’ll quickly realize that as simple as it is to drive around Ring Road, finding places is not as easy as you think.  The reason is that Icelandic names are crazy difficult to pronounce and type in.  As a result, GPS is a must.  You’ll rely on GPS to either do an address, point of interest or coordinate search (your first time I am sure).  When that fails (oh and it will), you’ll want a backup and that’s when your phone comes in.  Assuming you don’t have any cellular data like us, we heavily relied on the Google Maps app to pre-pin our daily itinerary and use the “OK maps” trick   to save maps offline.  Since GPS signal is free, you can track your blue dot and use that as a navigation signal to get to where you need to go.  If I knew about the app beforehand, I would’ve used the maps.me app on this trip.

Track the weather  – Particularly important in the winter, you’re going to want to know the weather and road conditions.  There is a super helpful aurora borealis tracker  that will tell you what the chances are of seeing the northern lights.  What you’re looking for is white space.  This page also gives very accurate weather forecasts for the entire island. For road conditions, you’re going to want to head here to figure out whether the roads you’ll be driving are passable or not.

Money – I didn’t believe at first when my friends told me but Iceland is dominated by the credit card.  I withdrew 10,000 ISK at an ATM in Reykjavik and that was it.  I honestly can’t remember any instances where I was forced to use cash.  The only time that it came in handy was the toll for the Hvalfjörður Tunnel when we made our way up to Snaefellsnes. However, this tunnel is now free as of September 2018!

Where to Stay?

Accommodations in Iceland get scooped up quick .  Once you lock in your dates and your itinerary, you’ll want to making your bookings ASAP.

In some ways there are a lot of choices for accommodations and in other ways, it can be quite limited.  There a couple of routes that you could take.  There’s the traditional hotel, youth hostels, Airbnb, guest houses, and campervans.  The underlying thing about all of these options is that you’re not really going to find a “bargain” in Iceland.  Account for every night to be at least $100 USD a night.

Hotels are typically going to be the nicest in terms of providing full-service accommodations.  They’ll be clean, provide all the basic facilities, and usually have an attached restaurant.  The flip side of them is that they’re typically the most expensive option in Iceland.

Luckily, I still have a stash of hotel points and I found a pretty good cash & points rate with the Hilton .

Hotel we used:

• Hilton Iceland Nordica

Hostels, Guest Houses, Airbnb

The truth is that you won’t find too many big hotel chains outside of Reykjavik and that means you’ll have to look at other options.  In the absence of big properties, Icelanders have gotten pretty savvy in terms of converting property into guest houses or hostel type accommodations.  With the vast amount of land and space, old farms are looking to tourism and so you’ll find a lot of farm holidays as options.  Airbnb has also grown significantly on Iceland.

For us, most of all of our searches started with Booking.com which  seemed to have the most complete inventory.  We then augmented this with searches on Hey Iceland , and Airbnb.  Ultimately it came down to what was available in the location we wanted to end off in each day and picking one that had low cost without going into sketchy territory.

With the exception of the youth hostel, I was pleasantly surprised about every guest house we stayed in.  The guest houses in Iceland are very well done in terms of the renovation work, cleanliness, and service.  A few even had free breakfast included which was always a nice bonus.

In regards to Airbnb, you’ll of course find a ton of options between the airport and Reykjavik.  Beyond that circle, you’ll see diminishing results.  In certain parts of the island such as Snaefellsnes, you’ll barely find anything and in the south you’ll find a bit more.

Ultimately farm houses were way out of budget for us so we never got to stay in one.  Our most expensive accommodation ended up being the one by Skaftafell (Hof 1 Hotel) simply because there aren’t many options in that area.

Alternative accommodations we used:

• Öxl in Budir
• Hostel Sjónarhóll
• Hekla Room No. 2. (Airbnb)
• Hof 1 Hotel
• Hofn Guesthouse
• Private Room with Private Entry Airbnb in Reykjavik (Airbnb)

Camping and Campervan

If you’re looking to rough it out a bit more, a potentially cheaper option for you that also gives you more control in terms check-in/check-out time and where you can stay.  By camping or renting a campervan, you can literally sleep right where you want to be the next morning to catch that beautiful sunset and hit the ground running.

Campervans may not be for everyone but these vans that have their own beds built into the rear compartment are going to be your best bet in terms of saving money because you’ll be able to combine the cost of a car rental and accommodations all together.  It may not be glamorous but it is very practical and if I were to do Iceland again, I’d definitely go this route.  Give companies such as Happy Campers and Campervan Iceland  a browse!

You’ll find out in our itinerary below that we picked up a few hitchhikers along the way and what we learned from these ambitious kids is that camping is totally viable.  What’s beautiful about Iceland is that there’s this culture of camping and so the country has built a ton of facilities around the island which gives you free access buildings where you can clean up and land to set up camp.  On the hitchhiking front, they told us that they had a lot of trouble getting rides especially when in more remote areas.

8 DAY ICELAND ITINERARY

Now with the basics out of the way, you’re part of the way through your planning.  The next step is to start figuring out how you’re going to be laying out your Icelandic adventure .

The following is a high level outline of everything we did, sights we saw, and all the things I learned that I wish I knew.  By no means is this meant to be a copy and paste job but if you’re tight on planning time, you’re certainly welcome to it and grab the spreadsheet by signing up .

For a more personal recounting of our Icelandic experience head over to my other article.

If you’re coming in from North America, you’ll most likely land super early in the morning as we did.  Pick up your rental car at the airport and head into the city.  You’ll be tempted to take a nap but try your best to stay up.  The best way to do this is to book an adrenaline-filled excursion like  Black and Blue  which combines lava tube caves with snorkelling Silfra.  Crash early your first day and get ready for tomorrow.

If Black and Blue isn’t available, this is a recommended snorkeling experience that just focuses on the Silfra fissure.

What You’ll See

• Thingvellir National Park
• Lava Tube caves
• Silfra fissure
• Hradlestin  – Surprisingly awesome Indian restaurant in the city
• Hilton Iceland Nordica  – To my surprise, we were able to check in at 9AM (unheard of!)

TIPS AND TRICKS

• Booze – Before you leave the airport, make sure you pick up your alcohol supply.  This is the duty free that you have to cross through before you get your bags and not the duty free that is in the gate area.  You can’t miss it.
• Check before you drive off  – Make sure everything works in the car and you do a thorough walk around.
• Renting cars in Iceland – Make sure you read the Car Rental section below to learn about companies I researched and the importance of built-in insurance coverage.
• Excursions in Iceland – Most excursions start and end in Reykjavik so when you plan your itinerary, make sure you plan things out accordingly.
• Snack on – Always have a healthy stash of snacks with you.  Particularly for Black and Blue, it was nice to have a bunch of bars on hand since no food was included
• Black and Blue – It’s not very clear in any of the trip instructions but you’re going to want to make sure you wear long johns and drifit-type top.  One thing to note is that there’s no private area to change so expect to be stripping down out in the open or in the Arctic Adventures van.  In terms of valuables and your shoes, you’ll be able to leave everything behind in the van which will be guarded by your driver/guide.  They recommend brining waterproof clothing but you don’t necessarily need it.  I ended up taking off my waterproof pants in fact and just went into the drysuit with my long johns.  Oh and if you’re planning on recording the experience, don’t make the same mistake as I did and use a head mount.  You’re better off using putting your GoPro on something like a XShot Pro Pole .
• Alternative Black and Blue – Similar tour offering can be found on Guide to Iceland .

Reykjavik is a vibrant and artsy city that has much to offer.  Spend the day to get to know the capital.  I recommend orienting yourself by taking a free city walking tour with CityWalk .  Make sure to try the hotdogs here.

While you’re in the capital, also make a point to do any of the shopping you want to do and to buy the Icelandic souvenirs for yourself of friends and family back at home. This could also be your only opportunity to buy any outdoor gear you forgot.

Before you hit the road, stock up on supplies at the Bonus grocery store in town and start making your way towards Selfoss.  Grab dinner here like we did and then make your way to one of the most unique stays here – the Bubble Hotel.  Time permitting, you can also squeeze in 1) a shower and 2) relaxation at the Secret Lagoon.

While there were no guarantees when I made the booking at Buubble, we were lucky enough to watch the Northern Lights this evening.  It was a light show to remember.

• Downtown Reykjavik
• Hallgrímskirkja Church
• Baejarins Beztu Pylsur
• The Sun Voyager
• Secret Lagoon /Gamla Laugin
• Northern Lights (cross your fingers!)
• Tryggvaskali Restaurant  – Highly reviewed restaurant that’s converted from an old hotel.  Excellent seafood!
• Buubble Hotel
• Parking in Reykjavik – There a few quasi-lots in the city but these are really just street parking spots by North American standards.  We did our drive around to see if there was any free parking which we were told were closer to the residential areas but we couldn’t find them so we just settled for a spot right off of Laugavegur.
• Free Walking Tour –  Make sure you reserve your spot ahead of time online.  There are a number of time slots available  and I’d recommend doing this at the beginning of your trip as a way to orient yourself in Reykjavik.
• Secret Lagoon – I thoroughly enjoyed this hot spring experience.  Sure it was $30 (2,800 ISK) but I would take this any day over Blue Lagoon to deal with less crowds, a much more natural experience, and the ability to bring your own booze.  We learned afterwards that the Secret Lagoon was also a brilliant idea when paired with our Bubble night because we didn’t have shower facilities there.  Coming out of the hot springs, we showered at the lagoon and head back just in time for the northern lights show which worked out beautifully.  Note, no need for a combination lock here since it’s one of those lockers that give you a key.

• Bonus – The go-to grocery store to pick up supplies in Iceland.  We literally planned our resupply trips around when we could drop by a Bonus.  More on this in the Eating section below.
• Bubble Hotel – More details about Buubble to be more precise can be found in my review post .
• Northern lights – There’s no real formula here other than to get yourself outside of the city which we did.  September is tough because it’s overcast all the time so the best you can do is just give you the most chances to see them and check the aurora borealis tracker religiously.

What Should You Pack?

Not sure what to pack for your trip? Make sure to check out our handy packing list for Iceland!

Every Iceland itinerary is going to have the famed Golden Circle.  Despite this route being heavy on tourists, you can’t miss the trio of Geysir, Gullfoss, and Thingvellir National Park.

The awesome thing about our bubble is that it’s right along the Golden Circle so all you have to do is hop in your car and start driving counterclockwise.

From here you’ll be making the drive all the way up to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula to get away from the crowds and part of the country that has some of the most epic dynamic landscapes.  Arrive in the Budir area and crash for the evening.

• Faxi Waterfall
• Icelandic Horses
• Thingvellir National Park
• Hotel Budir (their bread and butter is to die for)
• Golden Circle  – The big bus tours are pretty much unavoidable but I’m sure if you start right at the morning, you should be able to dodge most of them.  Another thing to note is that you’ll definitely want to account more time than you think you’ll need here (kind of applies to everything in Iceland).  Blame the photography.
• Driving to Snaefellsnes – The drive itself is pretty straightforward but if you set yourself to get there in the shortest amount of time, the GPS will take you through the Hvalfjörður Tunnel. This used to be a tolled tunnel but it is now free (as of September 2018).
• Gullfoss – For the most part, we didn’t have any bathroom problems but I do distinctly remember that the washrooms were paid here so make sure you relieve yourself at Geysir or at Thingvellir’s information center.

Weather permitting, I personally feel that the 4th day around Snaefellsnes offers the most stunning of landscapes.  You’ll be driving along the coast and making many stops along the way.  Start the day off with the Arnarstapi hike and make your way around to eventually the iconic view of Kirkjufell.  End off in Stykkishólmur to close out the day.

On a personal note, this is the day that I proposed to my now wife. The weather didn’t quite co-operate but it sure made a memorable proposal.

• Hotel Budir
• Rauðfeldsgjá Gorge
• Arnastapi Coastal Walk
• Snaefellsjokull National Park
• Djupalonssandur Beach
• Stykkishólmur Lighthouse
• Sjavarpakkhusio
• Rain  – I’m speaking from September experience here but rain definitely puts a damper on things.  Good thing I had waterproof gear on me or otherwise, we would have skipped a ton more spots along the way.  With Iceland, you have to be prepared and just work with what the weather gives you.

On this day, you’ll be leaving Snaefellsnes and dropping down to the south.  Watch the landscape dramatically change as you make your way along this popular route.  Here, waterfalls are going to dominate your view including the impressive Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss.

If you can swing it, look for Seljavallalaug Pool which is set in the middle of a canyon and quite the tranquil experience.  Best part is that it’s free.

• Stykkishólmur town
• Seljalandsfoss
• Seljavallalaug Pool (Seljavellir)
• Bar Bistro (by Skogafoss) – We ended pretty late this day and there weren’t many options so we ended up at this casual restaurant.  Prices are reasonable and the Skyr cake was phenomenal.
• Seljavallalaug Pool   Directions – This one was one heck of a place to find.  As you’re driving along the ring road and going eastbound, you’re going look for Road 242 marked Raufarfell.  Start looking for it right after you pass by the Iceland Erupts exhibition that will be on your right.  Take the road all the way to the end and there should be a sign that says Seljavellir (GPS: 63.558878 N, -19.622353 W).  Park your car in this large dirt lot and you’ll want to walk 20 minutes.  The trail is not marked at all and for us we were thankful to bump into various people along the way to confirm we were going the right way but looking back on it, we were essentially hugging the left side of the valley, crossing a few small streams and hiking over a rocky ground.  You won’t see the pool until the very end so keep going and you’ll eventually see it.  Just before, you’ll also pass by a small water pumping machine.  If you’re heading there near sunset or sunrise, make sure you bring headlamps.

•   Seljavallalaug Pool Facilities  – In terms of facilities, it’s pretty bare bones here and the concrete building there is in a bit of decay.  There are “rooms” with doors but don’t expect to find any benches.  What they do have are some hooks so you can hang your clothes inside.  Other people simply changed at the back of the building away from the pool.

Continue the drive along the south and feast your eyes on unique basalt columns, gorgeous canyons, and rugged plains.  Luckily there isn’t too much driving until you make that final stretch to Skaftafell National Park.  There aren’t too many accommodations in this region unfortunately and in fact Hof 1 Hotel turned out to be the most expensive of the entire trip.

There will still be quite a bit of tourists along this section with day trip tourist busses from Reykjavik so be prepared for some crowds.

• Reynisdrangar
• Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon
• Service station cafeteria just outside of Skaftafell National Park
• Dyrholaey – I thought there wasn’t much to see here other than the arch but turns out there are a lot of interesting view points here no matter what direction you’re looking at.  Make sure you account for more time here.
• Reynisdrangar – Similar with Dryholaey, I found ourselves spending more time here than I thought we would.  We were here a good 1.5 hours and some of that was accounted by us posing around the basalt columns.  Also note that there are bathroom facilities here and they are free.
• Fjadrargljufur Canyon – This one may seem hard to find as there isn’t too much information on it but right off of Ring Road, past the small village of Kirkjubæjarklaustur is Road 206 that goes to Lakagígar.  Once you’re on this road, you’re only 2KM out.  Eventually you’ll make it to an intersection where left will lead to the canyon and right leads to   Lakagígar.  I remember the signs to be pretty clear here so you won’t get lost.  Technically after, this turns into an F-road but to be honest it’s doable with any car.  Just drive slow and carefully.  While we only hiked the top part of the canyon, the bottom of the canyon is accessible and in the summer a great spot for wading in the river.  There’s also an eco-friendly bathroom here which is free.

The whole reason why you want to stay near Skaftafell National Park is so that you don’t have to do a long drive in the morning to make the glacier climbing excursion.  Expect most of the day to be dedicated for this.  

At the time of our visit, we were on Falljökull Glacier which is in Vatnajökull . The names can be a bit confusing but to set things straight, Skaftafell National Park was integrated with the newly established Vatnajokull National Park in 2008 so they’re really one and the same. Most tours don’t mention the glacier you’ll be on but a popular one is Falljokull.

I highly recommend this 4 hour glacier experience which also includes ice caves if they’re in-season.

If you want to make sure ice climbing is included, there’s ice climbing on Vatnajokull from Skaftafell which is very close to what we did. The other one I’d recommend is ice climbing Solheimajokull which is a slightly different location. 

The tour we did was called Glacier Xtreme which has been rebranded as Blue Ice since they operate out of Solheimajokull now.

Finish the day with a sunset at Jokulsarlon iceberg lagoon before driving the furthest east as you’ll go in Iceland.

What You’ll See and Do

• Skaftafell National Park
• Falljökull Glacier ( Glacier hiking and ice climbing )
• Jokulsarlon Lagoon
• Pakkhus Restaurant  – Known for their langoustine
• Glacier Xtreme – The costs were adding up for Iceland but this was one of those experiences we didn’t want to miss out on.  On top of glacier hiking, this was the only one where you could also ice climb as well.  When talking to the locals, they said the Falljökull Glacier was much better than the others due to less traffic and being able to get way closer to the icefall.  How about things to pack and all of that?  I found that the booking sites weren’t very good about explaining this so let me clear the air.   Do you need waterproof pants?  I would say no unless it’s raining that day.  We had a beautiful sunny day and so any hiking appropriate pants are fine.   What else should I bring?  Bring gloves.  They don’t necessarily have to be waterproof but the ice can be sharp when you’re trying to keep balance or even during the ice climbing.  Also bring sunglasses.  The sun will reflect intensely off of the white ice but more importantly you want your sunglasses to protect you from the flying chips of ice that will be coming at you when you dig your ice axe into the wall.   Any other tips?   That main parking lot at Skaftafell fills up FAST.  I would show up early to get a good spot in the main lot.  Otherwise you’ll have to go to an adjacent one that is a bit farther away.
• Glacier Guides – The operator that runs Glacier Xtreme is Glacier Guides which in turn is owned by the larger company, Arctic Adventures .  That is why you can’t find a separate website for Glacier Guides if you’re as confused as we were.
• Jokulsarlon Lagoon – This place gets pretty busy around sunset so you might have to jockey a little for tripod space.  From a photography perspective, don’t be afraid to move around as there are a ton of different angles to shoot at.  If you’re not doing a whole lot of photography here, you could be done in 15 minutes or if you’re like me, 2 hours.  Lastly, be on the lookout for seals in the water.  They pop their head up once in awhile or sometimes you can catch them swim.  Let me know how many you find!  If you’d rather get out on one of those boats that take you right up to the icebergs, I recommend tours like this amphibian boat tour .

The last day has a lot of driving but the nice part about it is that you’ll be able to hit up all the spots that you missed.  For instance, you’ll be able to do Svartifoss and the Sólheimasandur plane wreck.  Treat yourself at the very end with a little bit of rest and relaxation at Blue Lagoon .

• Mossy Lava Rocks
• Vik Red Church
• Sólheimasandur Plane Wreck (aka Crashed DC 3 Plane)
• Blue Lagoon
• Svartifoss – From the research, I always thought these falls were like the others where you could drive up to alas it’s a 20 minute hike there and back.  Instead of the up and back down path that we took, there are alternative paths you can take on the way down to make it more of a loop.  We read that these had some pretty good views and interesting sights along the way but unfortunately they would’ve taken too much time so we had to do the most optimal route.  When you get to the falls, there’ll be a metal barrier to prevent you from going closer to the falls.
• Plane Wreck – The specific GPS coordinates are 63.4912391,-19.3632810, but nowadays this is such a well-known sight in Iceland that you’ll be able to find the pin on Google Maps and you’ll also see the pile of cars on the side of the road (past Skogafoss if you’re coming from the west).  Yes it’s true that the landowners have fenced off the area from cars to drive through (can’t blame them).  This means that you have to do the 50 minute hike each way so make sure you have plenty of time to work with.  Also, remember to relieve yourself before going because there isn’t going to be a bush out there to use since it’s completely flat there.  Lastly, while we were taking photos of the plane, I remember seeing a big truck pull up at the end of the road, presumably to patrol the area and make sure nobody somehow gets passed the fence by vehicle or does anything stupid at the plane.  Photography wise, I recommend bringing a tripod as the lighting may not be the greatest if it is as overcast as it was for us. Read the latest reviews to see what the situation is like.

• Blue Lagoon – Everything in my research about Blue Lagoon was true.  Sure it’s a bit of a zoo but it’s still a unique experience that can be a great way to relax.  With that in mind, I had decided that it made the most sense to put this at the very end of the trip which allowed us to do all the (in my opinion) better ones earlier.  The one thing that everyone suggested was to reserve in advance and I’d say the same thing.  You’ll notice that bookings 2 hours prior to closing are cheaper so if you want to save a bit of money, I’d go with that. We only needed 1.5 hours and I felt like we got to see and try all the different spaces.  Bonus on top of that is that if you go at 6PM, you’ll be able to watch the sunset as well.  Package wise, I’d recommend getting the Comfort package which primarily is good for that free drink and extra algae mask.  There’s the towel too but I was very frustrated with the fact that our towels were flat out stolen when we finished up at the lagoon.  I can’t blame the person that did it but that area in front with all the towel racks is not a good solution with the amount of people that are there.  It’s hard to remember where you put it and of course all the towels look the same.  If I were you, put your towel in a separate area away from everyone else’s.  Lastly, show up 30 minutes earlier than your time slot because there’s going to be a line to check-in.  This way you can maximize your time.

How The Iceland Itinerary Changed During The Trip

The fun part about travel is just how unpredictable it is sometimes and how you’ll need to improvise and adjust based on things that happen along the way.  You might meet some interest people along the way, bad weather might roll in, or maybe you love one place so much that you decide to stay longer.

For us, the Iceland itinerary largely stayed the same with a few exceptions.  As with what happens with my trips every time, I always took too long at every single destination.  Thank goodness I loosened up the itinerary to account for this, all the random side-of-the-road-stops, and surprise view points/monuments that we encountered.  In most cases, you need to account for at least 2 hours in each main spot and Google Map drive times need to be bumped up by 30 minutes.   The lesson : Being less ambitious is a good thing.

Where I had to make adjustments to the schedule:

• I had naively assumed that the hike to  Svartifoss inside Skaftafell National Park was few minutes walk from the parking lot.  It is in fact 20-30 minutes away.  Since we got to the park pretty late on Day 6 there was no way we could complete it.  Instead, we used our make-up day to see this waterfall.
• We spent too much time at  Dyrholaey and Reynisdrangar on Day 6 that we had no time to stop in Vik .  Again, we remedied this by visiting on our way back.
• On Day 3, I thought we were going to have enough  Kerið Crater but as it turns out, we passed it along our way up to the Bubble Hotel.  In the interest of time, we started Day 3 by going counterclockwise up to Geysir first instead of dropping down to Kerið and then back up.
• There were a number of lunch restaurants selected initially but as the days went on, we realized that 1) proper lunches were too expenses and 2) we couldn’t afford the time to stop and it’d be more efficient to eat while driving so we more or less cut all of them from our itinerary.
• Originally there was the idea that we could do sunrise at Jokulsarlon for sunrise on Day 7 before the Glacier Climb but as the trip went on, sleep was more precious and we ended up doing this as a sunset.  The same can be said for Sólheimasandur plane wreck where I thought it’d be cool to do this for sunrise.  I’m glad we didn’t because it would’ve been quite miserable to walk the entire 50 minute stretch in the dark.
• Mossy lava rocks was on our itinerary and we would’ve stopped by on Day 6 but we had no idea how long the stretch was in the south and whether there’d be a better place to stop ahead.  That’s why it make sense to do it on our way back on Day 8.
• Lastly, rain did a number on several days where we really had to quickly run out of the car to take a peek or brave the pouring.  I wish we got to see more of the cliffs in Snaefellsnes and had better views  Dyrholaey but it is what it is.

Why This 8 Day Iceland Itinerary Kicked Ass

This was honestly the perfect  8 day Iceland itinerary road trip in September.  We hit up everything we wanted to see and we did it at a pace that wasn’t crazy.  Sure, the weather could’ve been more cooperative but that’s kind of what you’d expect during the shoulder season.

Initially I thought that we’d be doing a lot of wasted driving because we had to double back twice – once to go up to Snaefellsnes and then another in the south, driving all the way out to Hofn and back.  What ended up being a disadvantage of not doing the full loop around the island turned out to be a blessing in disguise.  We never felt rushed throughout and in the south, we had the advantage of skipping a few things (some due to weather) on the way out east to Hofn and making them up when we drove back to Reykjavik.

The Iceland itinerary itself was very well balanced between seeing the natural beauty of the country and also trying out local activities.  It was also a balance between the popular sights that were tour bus central to a few spots that we really struggled to find and when we were there, the path wasn’t clear or marked – going truly off the beaten path.

Budget wise, we controlled it as best as we could without roughing it too much.  Ultimately cost cutting came down to food where we snacked on grocery food for breakfast and lunch, and “splurged” on dinner.

VALUABLE TRIP PLANNING ADVICE

Oh so much information I want to share with you guys here.  As I was travelling I literally had an Evernote note set up just for tips and tricks.  I’ve cleaned it up considerably and so here’s everything you need to know before you go to Iceland.

Driving is a must in Iceland.  The only other way to get around to see the island is through tour buses and you really don’t want to go there.  With your own car, you will have the freedom to follow your own schedule and more importantly, stop whenever you wish.  Trust me, you’ll want to stop A LOT .

When picking a rental car, you’ll have to decide on a few things including the car rental company, transmission, whether you want a 4×4 or not, and size.

Read this first: We have a full guide on how to rent a car in Iceland including secret car rental coupon codes.

Car Rental Companies

I researched a number of companies when I was looking for my car rental including the large international brands and the smaller local ones.

While price is one thing you’ll have your eye on, what’s more important to pay attention to is the insurance coverage that they offer and build in.  There are a lot of unknown factors when driving in Iceland and you want to make sure you’re covered because I’ve heard stories of other travellers wishing they had the insurance or glad that they had it.

We cast a wide net when looking for car rentals in Iceland. We started with what we knew and checked out companies like National and Avis but we found that they didn’t include any extended car insurance so then we turned to local car rental agencies. That’s when we discovered Blue Car Rental . They had the most positive reviews, actually had good availability, and reasonable rates.

Most Popular Car Rental Company in Iceland

Blue Car Iceland is the most reputable brand in Iceland and we would definitely rent from them again. Book through our special link below to save 5% on your rental.

Check out Blue Car Rental

Blue Car Rental as a base includes:

• Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) Insurance – This covers the bodywork of the car.
• Super Collision Damage Waiver (SCDW) Insurance – Deductible on bodywork damage in collisions is 90,000 ISK on 2WD and 120,000 on 4WD.
• Gravel Protection (GP) Insurance – This protection includes damage to windscreen, headlights and the car when gravel or rocks get thrown on the vehicle by another car. The deductible is 20,000 ISK.
• Theft Protection (TP) Insurance – The likelihood of this happening on Iceland is low but this covers theft of rental. No deductible.

There’s an option Sand and Ash Protection (SAAP) Insurance which covers against ash and sandstorm damage but we elected to not add it. In retrospect, we learned quite quickly how erratic the weather can be in Iceland. While we didn’t encounter any sand or ash damage, I could totally see it happening out of the blue.

Some rental car companies also have a Liability Waiver (LW) which brings down the deductibles down to zero.

Something they also made clear is that the the underside of the car nor damage caused by wind pulling hard against the door is covered. This means that you want to be careful when there are heavy winds and also be careful driving on gravel roads and potholes.

The bottom line is to make sure you do your research and run the math on total cost of renting a car.  Some companies bundle insurance together while others make it an option.

Transmission

Most cars available will be in the manual transmission format.  I wasn’t surprised about this since most of Europe is like this.  What this means is that there’ll be more affordable options and increased availability if you’re able to drive a manual car.  If not, you’ll definitely want to make sure you reserve early.

Do I Need a 4×4?

The reason why you’d want a 4WD is because you can only drive on Iceland’s infamous F-roads which are mountain roads in the highlands.  These are off-road terrain roads that have restrictions on the type of vehicles that can drive them, are only open certain times of the year, and also have restrictions on time of day.  Only an SUV can power through these roads and you certainly don’t want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere.

That’s great and all if you take one of these roads but I’ll be honest with you, the itinerary that I followed didn’t take us through any of these types of roads.  Our path stuck primarily to the main roads and there were only a few times where it felt like we actually went off-path.

I remember the road to Saxoll Crater and Fjadrargljufur Canyon were perhaps the most bumpy and pothole ridden but everywhere else was well paved and easy to get around.  While it was certainly nice to have the spaciousness of an SUV for our road trip, we would’v been just fine with a compact sedan.  In fact even on the most challenging roads, I saw the tiny cars get by just as fine with a little careful driving.

Driving The Roads

Driving   in Iceland isn’t hard per say but as with anywhere, you need to be smart and careful.  A few things you’ll want to be mindful of are lane passing, singe lane bridge crossings, side of road stops, gravel driving, and night time driving.  Each of these of course get augmented in the winter time when you have to deal with snow, limited visibility and black ice.

• Lane Passing – Icelandic roads are thin and mostly one lane.  Pass when safe and definitely not at bends or uphills.  Common courtesy is to signal to show intent, speed up, and once you’ve passed the vehicle, turn your emergency blinkers for two flashes to thank the driver behind.
• Single Lane Bridge Crossing – There quite a number of single lane bridges especially in the south.  Make sure you stop where at the drawn line in order to wait for oncoming traffic to come through.  When crossing, double check to make sure there are no cars on the other side or they have stopped.  At night time, be extra careful here and flick your high beams or use your horn to let other cars know you’re crossing.
• Side of Road Stops – The week I was in Iceland, there was a fatality from someone stopped at the side of the road to take a photo at night.  Look out for side roads to stop safely and turn on your emergency blinkers.  When getting in and out of the car, make sure there are no cars on the highway.
• Gravel Driving – Some areas are going to have pretty deep potholes so make sure you drive slowly over them, take them at an angle, or avoid them altogether if possible.
• Night Time Driving – There aren’t any street lights outside of the main towns so expect to rely on your low-beams and high-beams.  Make sure you obey high-beam etiquette as to not blind any oncoming drivers.

For safety, make sure you also know where you spare is and you know where your tools are.  Worst case, you get a flat while on the road and you’ll need to replace the flat on your own.  Also make sure you know what the emergency and roadside assistance numbers are.

Another common question I get is about speeding and cops.  Officially the speed limit is 90 km/h on the highway.  Unofficially 100 km/h is acceptable as long as the roads are clear.  On empty roads though, I was cruising upwards to 120 km/h.  During our time in Iceland, we did not encounter any speed traps but I have heard from people that they have gotten ticketed.  The only police we saw were typically around the larger towns.

There are actual speed cameras along ring road in the south in and around towns.   There are signs that warn you about upcoming cameras along the road.  Some are real and others are duds.  To be cautious, I’d recommend slowing down when you’re in a speed camera zone.

Filling Up Gas

This was supposed to be an easy task but for some reason we had a ton of trouble filling up at the N1 gas stations.  Whereas we had no problems entering the PIN number for our credit card on the machines at the pump, N1 was just not going to take any of our cards.  We tried ALL of them.

Ultimately, at N1 specifically, we needed to buy their prepaid cards inside the station first.  They sold the cards in 3,000 and 100,000 ISK denominations.  Since we didn’t know if we’d spend 100,000 (we did), we just bought 3,000 every time we filled up at N1.  With the prepaid card, we were then able to pay at the pump.

We later learned that debit cards worked without any issue so give that a shot if you’re okay with that.

I’ll start off by saying that the food in Iceland is amazing.  I don’t know what blog or review I read that said the food is terrible but having spent 8 days there, I can definitively tell you that you don’t need to worry about having good food.

Now where you’re going to have a bit of a shock dealing with is the exuberant price you’ll be paying for a meal in Iceland.  Throw away everything you know about your own standards of eating back home because it’s easily double and often times triple here.

The good news is though that despite dishing out Michelin-restaurant level money for meals, the quality of the food makes it all a bit more swallowable.   Something about the freshness of seafood and world-class chefs has something to do with it.  I don’t remember any meal where we came out of it disappointed.  The way we thought about it was that every dinner was equivalent to a nice meal out in the city.  On average, dinners were on average $50 a person.

The way we offset this was to have less full meals.  This meant we ate our own breakfast and lunch using the supplies we brought from home or purchased at the grocery store.  We picked up things like sandwiches, fruit, cookies, snack bars, juices, and yogurt to keep our energy up during the day and we’d reward ourselves with a good meal at the end of the day.

Grocery Stores

The friend we met up with in Reykjavik strong encouraged us to only pick up food at this grocery store. We were warned not to be tempted by the convenience of the 10-11 convenient store which can be block to block. As a result, we more or less stuck with Bonus throughout the trip.  Look for the piggy logo.  You can’t miss it!

Food You Have To Try

Being a seafaring nation, anything related to seafood is a must.  We found that time and time again, fish whether grilled or fried was a winner.

Other recommendations would be:

• Water – Don’t buy water EVER on the island.  I can’t believe I’m raving about water but seriously the H2O in Iceland is the freshest I’ve had.  Pro tip:  Before filling up your water bottle at the tap, run the cold water for 10 seconds to lush out the hot water since some parts of the island bring them in from a local spring which may have some traces of sulphur smell.
• Skyr – This has to be my biggest find of the trip.  Think Greek yogurt but even richer and thicker.
• Icelandic hotdog – The most popular hotdog stand in Reykjavik is of course Baejarins Beztu Pylsur but there are other places in the city where you can try these traditional hotdogs topped with ketchup, a sweet brown mustard, raw onions, fried onions, and remoulade.
• Fish jerky – This may not be for everyone but we very much enjoyed trying different types of dried fish.  They made for great snacks on the road and sometimes to keep me awake during those long night time drives.
• Fish and chips – The restaurant Icelandic Fish and Chips in Reykjavik we had on our last day was delicious.  The Halibut in particular was very tender and flaky.
• Langoustine – These are large prawns with claws or miniature lobsters that Hofn is well known for.  They’re expensive but I hear is quite succulent.
• Liquorice – Not sure what the story is here but liquorice is everywhere here.  Almost all the chocolate here involves some sort of liquorice as well (so be careful if you’re not a fan).

If you’re feeling adventurous and don’t have any issues with eating shark, whale, puffin, or horse, those options are available although we stayed away from these.

While packing for a trip like Iceland was business as usual as I cover in a number of my packing guides , it was also challenging in a number of ways because of the time of year we went and the constraints we had to work with since we were flying WOW Air.

NOTE: WOW Air has since gone under so your best way to fly to Iceland is with Icelandair or your own local carrier. In Canada for instance, Air Canada does have direct routes to Reykjavik.

Suitcase or Backpack?

A common question.  Do you you lug around a big suitcase or do you go nimble with a backpack?  The easy answer is that it honestly doesn’t matter on a road trip like this because you’re going to be travelling with a car the entire time.  You’re going to have the luxury of space and you won’t be running around with everything on your back.

I say if you prefer to travel with a backpack, go for it.  Otherwise, a suitcase will suit you just as well.

The only thing to consider is a case like ours where we were flying WOW Air and it was the most economical to check in one bag.  With us sharing the space, a suitcase was just a lot easier organizationally.

I’m not going to list out everything we packed.  Instead, I want to focus on the things that you absolutely have to have on any trip to Iceland.  For some items, we learned the hard way that we wished we had packed them.

• Waterproof everything – I debated for a long time whether I should bring my waterproof pants along with waterproof jacket and shoes.  I’m so glad I did because we needed almost every day of the trip.  My fiance didn’t have waterproof pants and it really sucked .  Things got so desperate that one point, we had to make our own make-shift pant cover out of clear plastic bags.  Waterproof all the things.  I highly recommend Columbia’s OutDry collection including their pants and jacket that I wore all trip.
• Gloves – These are necessary to keep your hands warm.  Experiencing as much rain as we did, I wish I had more than just my thin fabric gloves.  If I were to do it again, I’d definitely bring waterproof gloves.
• Layer layer layer – Weather is dynamic out here so have layers to stay warm when you need to and strip down when it gets too hot.  Layers also allow you to pack more efficiently.  I recommend a thermal base layer + t-shirt + zip-up + fleece + jacket to complete all your layers.
• Good hiking shoes – This goes without saying.  My Keen Aphlex  hikers were amazing at keeping my feet warm, provided grip even in slippery conditions and were also completely waterproof which is a mandatory feature in my opinion for a trip like this.
• Headlamp – This was super handy when we were staying at the Bubble Hotel where we were out in the dark.
• Swimsuit – This one’s easy to forget but remember there’ll be all those hot springs in Iceland.
• Towel – Glad we packed this one as it was a must-have when we went to Seljavallalaug Pool.
• Flip flops/sandals – In the same vain as the towel, you’ll want flip flops if you’re going to Blue Lagoon or Secret Lagoon to avoid having to walk around bare feet.  Also, if you’re staying at anywhere other than a hotel, you’ll want flip flops to act as your slippers and also something to wear to the communal bathrooms.
• Snacks – You’ll see below in the cost breakdown that food is a heck of an expense.  The more you can bring from home, the better.  I recommend bringing granola bars, trail mix, and chocolate.

What about long johns?  September wasn’t quite cold enough to need these thankfully so we did not pack them but I can see these being necessary as you go deeper into winter.

Hand Washing

I’d say this is pretty much inevitable so you might as well be prepared to do this during your trip.  Thing is that you just won’t have time to waste finding a laundromat.  In fact, I don’t think I saw any at all.

The good thing is that you won’t be sweating a whole lot out here so you won’t need to wash as often.  What worked for us is a daily routine before we slept where we washed our underwear and socks.  To dry our clothes, we made good use of the radiator heaters that are used all over the country (thanks to all the hot springs) by draping the clothes over them.  By morning they were usually fully dry and good to go.

If you haven’t yet, check out my video on how to wash your clothes while on the road .

Throughout our trip, I did our best to keep a tally of our expenses.  I may have missed a few things here and there but this should give you a high level view of how much it would cost to spend 8 days in Iceland.

For simplicity, I’ve converted everything to USD .  Also keep in mind that these are for 2 travellers.

• Air – $1,316.82 (includes stopover in Alicante)
• Accommodation – $781.52
• Car Rental – $792.08
• Auto Expenses – $202.34
• Souvenirs – $139.45
• Food and Drink – $697.59
• Excursions – $895.37

TOTAL = $4,826.17 ($2,413.09 per person)

I’m not going to sugarcoat it, unless you’re planning on doing some serious roughing out and you don’t care for any excursions, be prepared to pay a lot of money on this trip.

Iceland is not a cheap trip .  Flights are getting cheaper and cheaper to get to the island but what most people don’t realize until they get to Iceland is just how expensive everything else is.  Food is expensive.  Gas is expensive.  Excursions are expensive.  Hotels are expensive.  Car rentals are expensive.  You get the picture.

There are definitely ways to cut costs through food and car rental/accommodations hacks to a certain extent but once you introduce any sort of guided excursion and the inevitable good meal here and there, it adds up quite quickly.

To Tip or Not To Tip

The simple answer here is that no.  There are no customs or expectations of tipping and you are completely in the clear if you leave no tips.  Of course, it’s not illegal to tip so if you’ve had exceptional service, feel free to round up or leave a bit extra behind.

Remember Tax-Free

If you buy 6,000 ISK or more at a single store, you’re eligible for tax refund (only at certain stores).  You’ll want to take advantage of this since you can get a whopping 24% back in tax.

It goes without saying that the photography here is  out of this world .  There are so many opportunities and special moments that you’ll want to capture.  Landscape wise you have the waterfalls, black sand beaches, mountains, glaciers, cliffs, volcanoes, canyons, icebergs and northern lights.  In Reykjavik, you get you fix of urban photography with its abundance of interesting architecture, sculptures, and graffiti.  Then you have the wildlife where you’ll have a ton of fun shooting sheep, Icelandic horses, and of course the puffins.

Planning vs. Spontaneity

While travelling, I always struggle with wanting to plan for specific shoots because light and time of day matters but the truth is that if you’re not on a photography-centric trip, you’ll drive your travel partner(s) mad and you’ll limit the flexibility of what you’ll see.

That being said, if you’ve got a specific shot in mind, you could totally plan it in your schedule.  Just remember to make sure you watch the time because it’s so easy to spend a lot of time in one place or likewise very easy to get away with side of the road stops.

Sunsets and Sunrises

As much as I wanted to do a sunrise, it never ended up working out for me because we were simply too tired or good weather wasn’t a guarantee.  If you’re up for it, I’d definitely try to work one or two in.

Sunsets are a lot easier to see but from my experience hard to schedule just because you’ll always be on the go and it is hard to be disciplined with time.  For us the only time we got to watch the sunset was at Jokulsarlon Lagoon which as far as sunsets go was average because of the amount of overcast we had.

Camera Gear

The most important part is that you want to have all the gear you need to be set up for success in Iceland.  Here are a few things you’ll want to think about and the specific gear that I brought.

As much as you can, make sure your gear can stand the wild weather that Iceland can and will throw at you.   Rain is going to be your biggest enemy both in damaging your gear and getting rain spots all over your lens.  Luckily my Olympus set up is fully weather sealed but it was incredibly frustrating when it was almost impossible to keep the front of the lens clean.  I got to the point where my Lenspen  and microfibre cloths were completely useless because they would either create water streak marks or were completely soaked with water.  I didn’t come prepared with enough it and it got to the point where I was forced to use the inside of my thermal layers or my Buff.

Cold is another aspect you’ll want to think about.  Freezing temperatures do a number on batteries whether it be for your camera or your phone.  One second you’ll be at 80% and the next it’ll be completely dead.  Now this only applies if you’re travelling to Iceland in the winter but make sure you account for this and either bring lots of batteries or have a way to keep your batteries warm.  I suggest travelling with a lot of these heatpacks .

What You’ll Want to Bring

• Camera – I am the least likely to discriminate the type of camera you bring.  I’m going to be focusing on mirrorless and DSLR because those are what I know best.  For those wanting a super lightweight set up, I’d recommend micro four thirds .
• Lenses – Unless you’re shooting puffins, I feel that bringing a long zoom lens will be a waste.  I’d recommend a good all-around lens in the 24-70mm range (12-40mm in the M43 world) and pair that with a super wide angle like the 16-35mm (7-144mm for M43).  A fun addition for your trip would be a fisheye lens.  I brought the Olympus 8mm f1.8 Fisheye  which worked out very well for my northern lights shoot.
• Filters – If you want to have any hope of shooting silky smooth water shots, you’re going to need to bring the right ND filters.  I’d recommend an ND8 at a minimum.  Another filter that you’ll want to have is a circular polarizer to cuts glare and reflections, allowing deep, natural colours to show through with great saturation.  Lastly, if you have the money, you can also invest in a more sophisticated glass plate kit such as the one by Formatt Hitech .
• Tripod – Key for any sunset, sunrise, star trail, geyser, long exposure water, or northern lights shots.  I recommend bringing a lightweight carbon fibre one to make it easy to carry in your pack while hiking.  I travel with the  Sirui T-024X  which isn’t exactly a well known brand but it is affordable, sturdy, and gets the job done when travelling.
• Microfibre cloths – Bring lots and lots of these.  As I mentioned above, all of mine were soaked when I was out shooting in the rain.
• Lots of batteries and memory cards – Depending on your camera, bring what you think you’ll need and then some.
• Car charging accessories – Remember you’ll be driving around the island in a car and to keep up with my battery demands, I always made sure I was queueing up the next dead battery.
• Protection from water – If your camera isn’t weather sealed, you’ll want to protect it somehow.  If it’s your camera, you should consider picking up  rain sleeves .  If it’s your phone, one of these waterproof cases should do.
• Carrying bag – Last but not least is a good backpack.  Yes it’s true that you’ll have the luxury of keeping your gear in the car most of the time but once you’re out and about, you’ll need to bring your selected gear with you.  I travelled with the discontinued  Kata 3N1-30 which I quite liked.  I’ve since retired it and right now the best travel bag out there on the market has to be the Peak Design Everyday Backpack which I review here .

Want to learn how to shoot the northern lights?

Step By Step How-To

What you should read next

• Iceland 6 Day Itinerary Road Trip
• Top 5 Hotels in Reykjavik On A Budget In Iceland
• Reasons To Go To Iceland
• Top 12 Things You Absolutely Must Do In Iceland
• Iceland Bubble Hotel Review – Unique Stays

About William Tang

William Tang is the Chief of Awesome behind the award-winning Going Awesome Places which is focused on outdoor adventure, and experiential travel. His true passion lies in telling stories, inspiring photography and videos, and writing detailed itineraries and travel guides. He is a member of Travel Media Association of Canada (TMAC), Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), and Travel Massive. He has also been featured in publications such as Reader's Digest, Entrepreneur, Men's Journal, and Haute Living. Make sure to learn more about William Tang to find out his story and how Going Awesome Places started.

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The Ultimate 10 to 14 Day Iceland Road Trip Itinerary

This post was originally published in July 2018, and updated in December 2022 after return visits to Iceland.

Iceland is a country of stunning natural beauty that should be on every traveler's bucket list. Based on how often I see it on social media, I think it probably is! Iceland’s popularity as a travel destination exploded around 2016, thanks to inexpensive direct flight options from the US and a massive investment in its tourism infrastructure. 

But don’t let the Instagram hype turn you off – Iceland is well worth it!

Despite an influx of tourism in recent years, Iceland retains a reputation for its pristine, raw and untouched wilderness. With glaciers, geysers, volcanoes, waterfalls, mountains and black sand beaches, Iceland is truly the “Land of Ice and Fire.” It is a destination where you can see mind-blowing scenery directly from the car, back-to-back for 10 days straight. It is honestly incredible, which is why I have visited the island on four separate occasions. 

Whether you're a nature lover, an adventure seeker, or a photography enthusiast, Iceland has something to offer everyone. In this blog post, I'll be sharing the ultimate 10 to 14 day Iceland road trip itinerary that will bring you to some of the most breathtaking and iconic destinations in the country. From the Golden Circle to the Western Fjords, I’ll help you discover the best of Iceland's natural wonders and must-see places. 

What You'll Find In This Post

Your Comprehensive Guide to Two Weeks in Iceland

Overview of this ring road itinerary.

For many Americans like myself, road trips are an ideal way to travel and Iceland is an exceptional destination for a road trip. The famed Highway 1, also known as the Ring Road, is a well-maintained and easily navigable route to explore the island—it literally goes all the way around in a big circle! Although many travelers dedicate 2 weeks to driving the full ring road circuit, a lot of working people may not have enough vacation time for that—myself included.

Due to limited vacation days, I opted for a 7 day road trip on the Ring Road during my first visit to Iceland in 2016 . While it is possible to drive the Ring Road in just 1 week, I'll give you a fair warning – it is a lot of driving in a short time. You are likely to feel rushed, and you will definitely miss things. Based on my experience, I think 10-14 days would actually be the ideal amount of time to drive the whole island of Iceland. This will allow for more time enjoying the natural beauty and less time behind the wheel. 

With that said, I have laid out this itinerary in a way that is adjustable to the length of stay you’re considering, anywhere from 7 to 14 days. You’ll notice that certain destinations on the itinerary have a range of time (example day 4-6 on the southern coast). You can take full advantage of the time allotted, or you can remove days depending on how slowly or quickly you are driving the Ring Road. It really depends on your personal interests and preferences.

Fundamentals of Driving the Ring Road 

Driving Iceland's Ring Road is an unforgettable experience, showcasing some of the most breathtaking landscapes in the world. Whether you're an experienced traveler or planning your first trip to Iceland, there are a few things you should know before hitting the Ring Road. My Ring Road travel guide is designed to answer all of your road trip questions, empowering you with the need-to-know information that will help you tackle one to two weeks on Iceland’s famous Ring Road.

Complete 10 to 14 Day Ring Road Itinerary

Day 1: reykjavik.

Practically all international travelers will arrive in Iceland at Keflavik International Airport (code KEF). Located about 1 hour outside of the city of Reykjavik, this is the most logical place to pick up your rental car if you are planning on doing a self-drive Ring Road trip.

Although most people don’t come to Iceland to experience urban destinations, Reykjavik is actually a pretty cool little city. As the capital city, Reykjavik is Iceland’s hub of culture, cuisine, and history, offering visitors a glimpse into the mysterious and alluring Icelandic lifestyle. 

Having visited Reykjavik on four different trips, I think one or two days is the perfect amount of time to get a taste of what this city has to offer. With just 48 hours in Reykjavik, visitors can explore the city's many museums and galleries, visit the iconic Hallgrimskirkja church, and take a dip in one of the city's thermal pools. I have highlighted all my favorite things in Reykjavik in a separate blog post if you want more detail about what to see and do. 

Day 2-3: Golden Circle

Perhaps the most famous sightseeing circuit in Iceland, the Golden Circle is a 300 km route that offers a density of natural attractions in the southwest corner of Iceland. The three most important natural wonders to visit in the Golden Circle are: Thingvellir National Park, the Gulfoss Waterfall, and the Geysir Geothermal area . Each stop offers a unique window into Iceland's geologic history, not to mention excellent photo opportunities.

There are several other notable natural wonders in the Golden Circle, including Kerid Crater Lake, Reykjadalur Hot Spring, and the charming town of Selfoss. You can also add on cool activities like snorkeling in the Silfra Fissure Rift, the divergent tectonic boundary between the North American and Eurasian plates.

Driving the whole circuit, with short 30 minute stops at the locations, will take about 6 hours. Although it is possible to do it as a day trip from Reykjavik, I recommend breaking it up into two days. This gives you a longer time to enjoy the natural wonders. Plus, if you wake up early, there is a good chance you can visit these locations with minimal crowds. The Ion Adventure Hotel , located in the heart of the Golden Circle, offers modern luxury and a unique design inspired by Iceland's natural elements. 

Because this is a well-trodden tourist circuit, there are a number of nice places to eat in the Golden Circle. Lindin Restaurant is a charming family run restaurant located a little off the beaten trail. Another good option is Fridheimar Farm , offering farm-to-table Icelandic cuisine. This place is fairly well-known, so you should expect crowds. I would definitely recommend getting ice cream at Efstidalur , a sustainable dairy farm where you can watch the cows being milked while enjoying your delicious treat, as well as

Day 4-6: Southern Coast 

Departing from the Golden Circle, continue driving the Ring Road south and east along Iceland’s southern coast. Nowhere are nature’s wonders more clustered than southern Iceland. You can see a rainbow ringed waterfall followed by a 4,000 year old glacier followed by a black sand beach all in one day —there is so much incredible natural diversity in Southern Iceland! After four trips to Iceland, I can honestly say that southern Iceland is my favorite region to explore. 

I would recommend budgeting at least two days to explore the southern coast of Iceland, but you could easily spend three or four days depending on the length of your Ring Road roadtrip. I think waterfalls and the glacier lagoon are the biggest highlights, but there are plenty of other cool things to visit. I summarize my 13 favorite natural attractions to visit in southern Iceland here .

On a 10 to 14 day Ring Road trip, I would structure my southern Iceland days accordingly:

• Day 4: Seljalandsfoss waterfall, Skógafoss waterfall & Sólheimasandur airplane crash 
• Day 5:   Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach, Dyrhólaey Arch & Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon
• Day 6: Diamond Beach, Glacier Lagoon & Crystal Ice Caves

Vik is the largest city in southern Iceland (plus it is smack dab in the middle), making it a popular place to spend a night or two. It is a great jumping off point for exploring. Once you’re past Vik, you’ll start to notice lots of remote, sparse and open places—and less tour buses. There are very few cities along this stretch of the Ring Road , but there are a number of nice hotels around the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. 

Hofn is a great little town to enjoy a nice meal in southern Iceland. Located on a tiny peninsula, this surprisingly foodie town is a major fishing hub with lots of restaurants specializing in seafood and fresh food. I would recommend trying either Pakkhaus , a delicious farm-to-table spot in an old barn, or Humarhöfnin Veitingahús , an upscale seafood restaurant renowned for its lobster dishes.

Day 7-8: Eastern Iceland

In eastern Iceland, you will develop an appreciation for undisturbed nature that truly makes Iceland the “Land of Fire and Ice”. Although it is largely undeveloped, driving in this portion of Iceland included some of my favorite days. You’ll see less and less cars, and more and more natural diversity. Get your podcasts, audiobooks or music queued up before heading out.

The landscapes in eastern Iceland change every hundred kilometers or so, making each day an adventure for the eyes. Vestrahorn mountain , just outside of Hofn, was formed by hot magma trapped beneath the earth, slowly cooling into rugged, sharp peaks surrounded by blue ocean. I particularly liked looking at part of the Eyjafjallajökull Lava Flow from the volcano that erupted in 2010. You can really see how the wide flow disrupted the landscape in dramatic ways. 

Another natural attraction to see in eastern Iceland is Hengifoss waterfall . At 128m tall, this is Iceland’s third-highest waterfall. It is most famous due to the unique rock formation surrounding the falls. Layers of black and red basalt form a rock wall, in which the distinctive red color comes from clay stuck between basaltic strata. 

One quirky destination in eastern Iceland is Petra’s Stone Collection and Museum . We happened to be staying in the town where the collection is located, which is how I discovered this little treasure. It is literally a rock and gem museum! The museum is housed inside the former home of Petra María Sveinsdóttir who became an avid rock collector. She found most of the rocks in Iceland, most of them actually coming from Stöðvarfjörður near her hometown. It’s not a must-see, but there are some seriously cool geodes here!

Day 9 -10: Akureyri & Northern Iceland

Continuing on the ring road, the next major city will be Akureyri, Iceland’s second largest city. Assuming that you are driving from the east, there are few fun natural sights in northeast Iceland to visit before you reach Akureyri. Dettifoss is definitely a highlight, as it is the most powerful waterfall in Europe and located smack dab in the middle of Vatnajökull National Park.

Hverir is another great place to stop for a few hours and it is literally visible from the ring road. This geothermal spot offers visitors the chance to see bubbling pools of mud and steaming fumaroles up close and personal! It absolutely reeks of sulfuric gas here, so come prepared. Myvatn Nature Baths is a naturally heated lagoon that rivals the Blue Lagoon as the most picturesque hot springs in Iceland. They are well-worth a stop! The water is around 36 – 40°C and feels absolutely divine as you sit, relax and enjoy the natural surroundings. 

On the north coast of Iceland, there is an adorable fishing town called Husavik which I recommend visiting on a day trip from Akureyri. It is the perfect place to go whale watching. We opted to go on a tour with North Sailing because of their commitment to responsible tourism and wildlife management. They adhere to an active environmental policy that is rooted in the principles of sustainable development. Our tour was completely carbon neutral, because we primarily used sails to propel us. I have never experienced whale watching from a sailboat before, let alone a restored two-masted oak ship from the 19th century! Go behind-the-scenes of my tour with this YouTube video I made about the experience.

Day 11 - 13: Western Fjords

For the first time in this itinerary, you are going to get off the Ring Road to explore the remote and less-visited Western Fjords of Iceland. Known for its rugged landscapes and breathtaking vistas, the Western Fjords are largely untouched wilderness. The roads here will wind through the fjords along the coastline for stunning views. This region of Iceland is the least touristy area on the island, so if avoiding crowds is a priority for you, consider extending this part of the trip.

One of the main attractions in the Western Fjords is the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve , a remote wilderness area that is home to a variety of wildlife, including Arctic foxes, seabirds, and seals. The reserve is also a popular destination for hiking and birdwatching, with a network of trails that lead to some of the most scenic spots in the region.

The most famous natural attraction in the Western Fjords is the Snæfellsnes Peninsula . This large national park is incredibly picturesque, with coves, black sand beaches, and the Snæfellsjökull glacier. If you’re sick of the car, you can access this peninsula using a ferry that departs daily from Brjánslækur. If you’re driving into the park, stop at Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall on the way. It is one of the most photographed waterfalls in Iceland and there is a good chance you’ve seen pictures of it on social media before. 

Other highlights to see include the Hvítserkur rock formation along the northern coast. This is a massive basalt rock that locals claim looks like a dragon drinking from the ocean. Deildartunguhver is the largest natural hot spring in Europe if your body is feeling weary from all the travel. Ísafjörður is a traditional fishing village in the far north of the Western Fjords where you can see some of the oldest houses in Iceland, as well as the traditionally built still with grass roofs. It is also home to Tjöruhúsið restaurant which is rumored to have the best seafood in Iceland.

Day 14: Reykjavik

And just like that, you find yourself returning to Reykjavik. There is one last stop you might want to make before heading home on your flight—Iceland’s famous Blue Lagoon. Located conveniently close to the airport, the Blue Lagoon is one of the most iconic attractions in Iceland. You have undoubtedly seen drool-worthy photos of the neon blue water that makes it so famous. Curious what the experience at the Blue Lagoon is actually like ? I break down all the myths and misconceptions of visiting the Blue Lagoon to make sure you know exactly what you are getting into.

Do you have question about planning your 1 to 2 week trip in Iceland? Comment below!

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How to Spend 1 Perfect Week in Iceland

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13 Iceland Road Trip Tips: What You Need to Know Before You Go

Iceland is a magical country. It just feels out of this world, like you’re on another planet. The rugged volcanoes and black-sand beaches give the island a desolate but striking appearance. If you ask me, it’s right up there with New Zealand and Norway in terms of the most beautiful countries in the world.

And, just like both of those destinations, it’s an amazing place to take a road trip.

Thanks to its stunning natural beauty, safety, and ease of transportation, Iceland has become a popular destination for solo travelers and first-time road trippers. Yes, it can be expensive, but it has so much to see and do , including tons of amazing hikes and waterfalls that are free to enjoy. You don’t need to break the bank here.

Having been to Iceland a handful of times over the years, I think taking a road trip is the best way to explore the country. So, to ensure you save time and money and stay safe during your trip, here are my top 13 Iceland road-trip tips:

Table of Contents

1. Make sure you have car insurance

2. rent the right vehicle, 3. download the right apps, 4. bring a paper map, 5. choose your direction wisely, 6. avoid the f-roads (if you have a car), 7. check the weather often, 8. only pull over where there is space, 9. keep an eye on your gas tank, 10. don’t rush, 11. avoid the summer (and also the winter), 12. pick up passengers, 13. follow the rules of the road, iceland road trip faq, get the in-depth budget guide to iceland.

I never leave home without travel insurance . And I never rent a car without comprehensive auto insurance either.

In most destinations, this might seem like overkill. I mean, how often do you actually use your car insurance?

In Iceland, however, the weather changes often — and drastically.

Rain and snow are common, and gravel and sand often damage windows. But the real threat most drivers aren’t prepared for is the wind. The gusts here are so strong that car doors are regularly ripped off their hinges (every time I’ve rented a car here, the company has reminded me of this).

Combine that with winding, narrow roads and an abundance of active volcanoes, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for car trouble.

That’s why I always recommend travelers have comprehensive car rental coverage when they visit Iceland. Because it’s much better to be safe than sorry here!

When it comes to renting a car, I recommend Discover Cars . When you book, it’s super easy to add car insurance onto your purchase with the click of a button. They make it clear what is covered and how much it costs.

You can use the widget below to get a quote. It’s fast and free:

It’s easy to rent a car in Iceland. You don’t need an International Driving Permit if you have a valid license using Latin letters with a license number, photograph, and expiration date. That means Americans, Canadians, Australians, Brits, and New Zealanders can all rent a car here with their regular license.

When renting a vehicle in Iceland, you have three main choices:

• A 4×4 (4WD)

If you’re just planning to see the main sights while sleeping in hostels, hotels, and/or Airbnbs, a regular car will do the trick. It’s the cheapest option too.

If you want to explore the rugged interior (known as the Highlands), a 4×4 is required, since the roads there are often unpaved, gravel ones called “F-roads,” which can only be traversed by 4×4 vehicles (if you drive a regular car on them, your insurance coverage will be void).

Your final choice is a campervan/RV. These are for travelers who want to sleep in their vehicle as they travel. They are the most expensive option, but you’ll save money on accommodation, so it kind of balances out.

Just keep in mind that standard transmissions are the norm here, so reserve an automatic-transmission vehicle if that’s a requirement for you.

( Note : No matter what type of vehicle you have, never drive off-road. It is highly illegal due to the fragility of Iceland’s ecosystem. Not only does off-roading damage this beautiful environment, but you could face stiff fines if caught.)  

Everyone road-tripping around Iceland should have the following apps downloaded to or websites bookmarked on their phone:

• Google Translate – While English is widely spoken, the app can be helpful for reading signs and directions. Just make sure to download Icelandic for offline use so that you can still translate things even without mobile data.
• Google Maps – The best app for looking up directions. Make sure to download your maps so you have them for offline use.
• Safetravel.is – This app shares weather alerts, road closure information, and more. It’s good to have so you can be kept up to date should inclement weather or emergencies arise.
• Vedur.is – This is the best weather app for Iceland.
• Samferda – This website is great for finding passengers if you want to share a ride with someone. (If you’re a passenger and need a ride, you can post here too.) Another helpful site for finding passengers is Couchsurfing .

Check the international policies and charges on your phone plan before leaving, so as to avoid unexpected charges when using these apps and/or websites. If you want to stay connected with unlimited data on your trip, get an eSIM .  

Whenever I go on a road trip, I always bring a paper map . I know, Google Maps is easy and free, and mobile data coverage in Iceland is reliable. But it’s better to be safe than sorry. You never know when your phone is going to break, if your signal will be lost, or there will be an emergency.

Give yourself peace of mind: bring a paper road map with you, and just leave it in the glove box. You likely won’t need it, but if you do, you’ll be glad you have it!  

The vast majority of travelers road-tripping through Iceland drive the Ring Road (aka Route 1, the country’s main highway) counterclockwise. This allows you to start with the famous Golden Circle and then head toward popular sights like the Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls, the Sólheimasandur crash site, the glacier lagoon, and more. If you only have a few days to explore, this is the best direction to choose. If it’s your first-time visiting Iceland, this is the direction I suggest.

However, if you want to be contrarian or you want to get off the beaten path, head clockwise. There are still some sights you can visit to kick things off, such as the postcard-perfect Mount Kirkjufell and the rugged Snæfellsnes Peninsula.

If you really want to get off the beaten path and beat the crowds, head to the Westfjords. Only a fraction of travelers come here, so it’s home to some of the most unspoiled landscapes in the country. It was also the highlight of all my time in Iceland.  

As mentioned above, F-roads are rugged, unpaved routes that generally lead off the main Ring Road into the interior. Driving on these roads requires a 4×4 (4WD). If you have a regular car, you won’t be permitted to drive on them. You will void your insurance coverage while also risking blowing a tire or damaging the car. It’s not worth it!  

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the weather in Iceland changes rapidly. For that reason, you’ll want to keep an eye on the forecast. While driving in wind or rain might not be an issue, if you’re planning to get out and hike or visit some of the waterfalls, you’ll want to make sure you’re prepared for the weather. The Vedur.is app (mentioned above) is a must.

No matter what time of year you visit, bring rain gear (including a hat), waterproof footwear, and a sweater. Even in the summer, Iceland is rarely hot, and rain isn’t uncommon either. Prepare accordingly so your trip isn’t ruined (especially if you plan on hiking).  

You are going to be tempted to stop your car often to take photos. And I mean really often. Not only are the main sights in Iceland awe-inspiring, but the average sights are stunning too. You’ll come across random vistas and waterfalls, craggy moss-covered hills, black-sand beaches, and so much more.

It will be tempting to pull over to get out and take photos, but do so with caution. Try to pull off the road only at designated stops or where there is room to do so without impeding traffic. While the Ring Road isn’t a superhighway, it is a busy route with regular traffic in both directions. Don’t endanger yourself or others for a photo. Stick to designated stopping areas.  

Once you leave the busier part of the island around Reykjavik, gas stations become few and far between. For that reason, you’ll want to fill up when you can. Don’t just wait until you have a quarter tank, as you might run out of gas before you get to the next station.

While you can generally look up where gas stations are via Google Maps, I always make sure to top up when I can. The peace of mind is worth it. You’ll also be covered in case you get delayed or change your travel plans at the last minute.  

A lot of people think that, because Iceland is small, you can see the sights in just a matter of days.

You can’t.

If you’re looking to drive the entire Ring Road, plan for at least 10-14 days. While you can do it in less, you will be rushed and will spend more time driving than I’d recommend. (If you just want to see the main highlights in the south and east, 5-7 days is sufficient.)

I prefer quality over quantity, so I always suggest travelers slow down and really soak in the sights. You won’t regret it.

If you’re looking for recommended itineraries, this post breaks down all my suggestions for different time frames , all the way up to an entire month.  

Iceland suffers from success. The country is swamped by travelers during the summer, between late June and early August, as that is when the weather is the warmest and the days are the longest. While “busy” in Iceland is a far cry from “busy” in cities like Barcelona or Venice, it can still be crowded around Reykjavik and the sights closest to the city.

For that reason, I suggest visiting in the shoulder season. The weather is still warm and there will be far fewer people. Everything will be a little cheaper too.

If you are set on going in the summer, I’d suggest heading off to the Westfjords. It’s the least-visited area of the country and offers some of the most untamed and beautiful landscapes in Iceland.

Additionally, I suggest avoiding winter visits too if you plan on driving. Road conditions are less than ideal, and snowstorms are frequent. Unless you have lots of experience with winter driving, skip that season. (You can definitely do a winter visit to see the northern lights, I just wouldn’t rent a car for that.)

Personally, I think late May to early June and late August to early September are the best times to visit. Prices are cheaper, the weather is decent, and the crowds are thinner.  

If you’re traveling on a budget, consider taking passengers. Having people chip in for gas for a leg or two of your journey is a great way to save money while also connecting with like-minded travelers. As mentioned above, you can use websites like Samferda or Couchsurfing to find them.

Another option is to pick up hitchhikers. In the warmer months, hitchhiking is super common along the Ring Road ( I hitchhiked here and had a great experience ). While they generally don’t have money to contribute, they likely have cool stories and great tips. It’s an easy way to help other travelers and liven up your own trip.  

Being a responsible traveler means following local norms and laws. Be aware that Iceland has stricter driving laws and penalties than you may be used to. Make sure to do the following:

• Never drive off-road . Respect the fragile Icelandic ecosystem and never drive off-road.
• Never drink and drive . Iceland has very strict laws about driving under the influence (0.02% is the limit). Not only are you endangering yourself and others, but the fines are extremely high (100,000 ISK).
• Never use your phone while driving . Use a hands-free setup if you need to talk and drive, or else pull over. Not only is it dangerous, but you could face high fines as well.
• Watch out for others on the road . This includes sheep (there are more sheep than people here) and cyclists. Pass slowly and give them a wide berth.
• Know who to call . If you experience an emergency, dial 112 for assistance. It’s the equivalent of 911 in the US/Canada.

How long do you need to road-trip around Iceland? If you plan to drive the entire Ring Road, you’ll want at least 10 days (14 days would be better). If you just want to see the main sights in the south and east, 5-7 days should be plenty.

Is Iceland very expensive? Iceland can be very expensive. Food, accommodation, rental cars, and gas are all pricey. However, there are plenty of ways to save too. By sharing a vehicle (and splitting costs), cooking all your meals, and camping or sticking to hostels , you can easily do it for under $100 USD per day.

Is it worth renting a 4×4? I would only rent a 4×4 if you have prior road trip experience and are planning to go off road. For the average visitor looking to see the main sights, a 4×4 is not necessary.

What is an F-road? An F-road is a route on which only 4×4 vehicles can travel. They are very rugged, unpaved roads, generally leading you into the interior.

If you have a regular rental vehicle, you’re forbidden to drive on them.

Is it safe to drive solo in Iceland? Iceland is consistently ranked as one of the safest countries in the world. If you’re new to solo travel, it’s the perfect place to start.

Iceland is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. It’s also one of the best (and easiest) places to do a road trip. While it may be expensive, it’s very safe and easy to get around, and there are lots of free things to see and do to keep costs down . Just follow the tips above, and you’ll have a fun and safe visit to this rugged island nation!

Want to plan the perfect trip to Iceland? Check out my comprehensive guide to Iceland written for budget travelers like you! It cuts out the fluff found in other guides and gets straight to the practical information you need. You’ll find suggested itineraries, tips, budgets, ways to save money, on and off the beaten path things to see and do, and my favorite non-touristy restaurants, markets, bars, transportation tips, and much more! Click here to learn more and get your copy today.

Book Your Trip to Iceland: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Use Skyscanner to find a cheap flight. They are my favorite search engine because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• Safety Wing (best for everyone)
• Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
• Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)

Looking for the Best Companies to Save Money With? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money when you travel too.

Want More Information on Iceland? Be sure to visit our robust destination guide to Iceland for even more planning tips!

Got a comment on this article? Join the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , or Twitter and share your thoughts!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I recommend only products and companies I use and the income goes to keeping the site community supported and ad free.

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Iceland Ring Road Itinerary: An Efficient 10-day Roadtrip for 2024

Welcome to my travel guide to exploring Iceland in 10 days! There’s a lot to share on this topic and I couldn’t possibly fit it all into a single post, but you can consider this Iceland itinerary to be a solid basis from which to start crafting your own road trip around Iceland’s Ring Road.

To say that Iceland exceded my expectations would be an understatement. It pretty much got to the point where I was exhausted from looking at all the gorgeous and diverse landscapes as we drove the Ring Road, a highway that forms a complete loop around the country.

You will not be disappointed when you visit this country, but it’s also important to be mindful that tourism has exploded in Iceland and its roads and infrastructure are not necessarily intended for the volume of visitors it receives every year. For this reason, we all have to do our part to travel as sustainably as possible and treat these precious natural sights with respect 😄

Let’s get started!

P.S. Will you be visiting Iceland this Winter? You’ll find my post on Iceland Winter activities useful! It’s list of awesome things to do in Iceland in Winter, a winter packing list, and tips for driving safely on Winter roads in Iceland.

Iceland in Winter is totally unique. Whether it's ice caves, northern lights, hiking on a glacier, or seeing wild orcas, you'll love these Iceland winter activities. Learn about Iceland's winter weather, what to wear in Iceland in Winter, and Iceland winter safety tips.

Iceland Itinerary: 10-Day Ring Road Travel Guide

Each section has its own map including driving instructions, where to stay, and special sights to see along the way. We went around Iceland counter-clockwise, but you can also just as well go clockwise (it’s simply less typical to do).

• Reykjanes Peninsula (Keflavík → Reykjavik)
• The Golden Circle (Reykjavik → Hella)
• Iceland’s South Coast (Hella)
• Black Sand Beaches (Hella → Skaftafell)
• Glaciers (Skaftafell → Höfn)
• From the East Fjords to North Iceland (Höfn → Mývatn)
• Explore Mývatn and the Northeast (Mývatn → Akureyri)
• From Northwest Iceland to the Snæfellsnes peninsula (Akureyri → Snæfellsnes)
• Finish the Snæfellsnes peninsula and head to Reykjavik (Snæfellsnes → Reykjavik)
• Depart from Reykjavik (Reykjavik → Home)

Duration 10 Days Dates visited Feb 23 - Mar 4 Recommended Accommodation in Iceland Honestly I got really lucky with my hotel selection in Iceland. Basically everywhere I stayed ended up being great, except the container hotel in Skaftafell (pro-tip: container hotels sound cool but are just expensive boxes with marginal food!). Besides that, here are the places personally stayed in Iceland and enjoyed the most.

• Hotel Ranga ($$$) – Hella (Southwest) If you’re going to treat yourself, Hotel Ranga is the place to do it . It’s a super convenient location to base yourself at while you explore both the Golden Circle and Iceland’s South Coast. I bought our stay here as part of my boyfriend’s 30th birthday gift 😏 It’s a bit of a splurge but there’s no reason not to treat yourself, you’re in Iceland anyways! There are three jacuzzis, a Northern Lights wakeup list, an amazing on-site restaurant, and even mimosas included in the complementary breakfast 😉
• River Hotel ($$) – Hella (Southwest) A more budget-friendly alternative to Hotel Ranga, you still get a jacuzzi and a view over the river. Unlike Ranga, this hotel doesn’t have its own restaurant (they’ll organize for you if you have a group of 10+ people) so you’re left with Hella’s 4 restaurants as dining options. Super friendly staff, they brought us towels to keep our ears warm as we sat in the jacuzzi despite gale-force winds!
• Guesthouse Dimmuborgir ($$) – Mývatn (Northeast) Here you can stay in the cutest individual guesthouses, complete with roofs lined with Christmas lights and a view over the Mývatn lake. Many come with kitchens, so there’s another opportunity to cook while you’re in Iceland.

There are many factors that going into deciding where to stay in Iceland and how to pick accommodation. For more details on this, check out my in-depth guide on where to stay in Iceland what to consider when choosing a hotel. This is especially important when traveling in Winter conditions.

If you're planning a road trip around Iceland, these are the best hotels and accommodation in Iceland near the Ring Road. Plus, tips for picking your hotel in Iceland, the best ideas on where to stay in Iceland, and what to avoid!

Before you go You don’t need a bunch of special equipment to enjoy this country, but I found two items particularly helpful during my trip given the particular conditions of Iceland:

• Get some crampons (spikes for your boots) – If visiting Iceland in winter, I strongly advise you to buy a pair of crampons before you go. Walking around without them can be downright dangerous. They’re also way cheaper to buy before arriving in Iceland. I bought these crampons and I could’ve saved about $20 (and a lot of falling on my butt) if I had bought them before arriving in Iceland. I also missed hiking all the way to a waterfall because it was too dangerous without crampons 😞
• Get an offline-friendly travel guide – We also extensively used this Iceland travel guide . Wifi and cellular data are NOT a given in Iceland. There is a lot of no-man’s land where you will want offline information about smaller towns. For this, an offline-friendly guidebook is essential! Also be sure to download offline maps for Iceland, but be aware you may lose your signal.

Handy websites Get familiar with Vedur.is the Icelandic weather service. You’ll need it to travel safely, and for the aurora forecast if you’re visiting in Winter and want to see the northern lights.

♦ ♦ ♦ A must-see | ♦ ♦ Liked it | ♦ Point of Interest

1. Reykjanes Peninsula (Keflavík → Reykjavik)

Welcome to Iceland! It’s time to pick up your car and hit the road. Before settling down for the night in Reykjavik, take a drive around the nearby Reykjanes Peninsula .

Things to do on the Reykjanes Peninsula

• Reykjanesviti ♦ – See your first Icelandic lighthouse! This is also Iceland’s oldest lighthouse. Just down the road is also your first chance to experience Iceland’s geothermal fields.
• Krýsuvík and Seltun ♦♦ – A larger area for geothermal activity, where you can walk across bubbling mud pits by way of wooden pathways.
• Blue Lagoon – I didn’t enter the Blue Lagoon because we didn’t book early enough. If that happens to you too, don’t fear, there are more options to take a dip later down the road!
• Buy an Icelandic sweater – Handknit sweaters will run you around $200 or more, but are also sure to keep you warm with thick Icelandic wool!
• Spend the evening in Reykjavik – Check out Reykjavik’s city center and pick a spot for dinner. We ate our very first meal at Icelandic Fish & Chips , which was delicious but very touristy. That said, Reykjavik’s city center is about 90% tourists so it could very well be like that in just about any restaurant 😜
• Explore the "Volcano Garden" in a 4x4 Jeep – Even if you aren’t renting a car, you can still explore this area as part of a guided tour from the airport directly or from Reykjavik. This particular tour also includes a full education about volcanos, which is the key element that makes Iceland’s landscape so fascinating.

2. The Golden Circle (Reykjavik → Hella)

This trio of sights is easily the most popular in Iceland, and your surest bet to be battling other tourists – that is, unless you get lucky like us and a “no travel” storm begins brewing the morning before you go out. Practically no one was on the road and we had everywhere essentially to ourselves! Now, you might not get as lucky unlucky as us. So your best bet is just to join the crowds and take your time exploring the area. One day is plenty of time to see the best of the Golden Circle.

Things to do on the Golden Circle

• Þingvellir National Park ♦♦ – Þingvellir is famously the site of the oldest parliament in the world. Here you’ll find a quaint church and summer houses, a small river, waterfall, and wooden bridges connecting paths throughout the park. This is also the place where you can famously go snorkeling between tectonic plates at the Silfra Fissure.
• Strokkur Geysir ♦♦ – So, somehow we didn’t know until getting there, that the original Geysir actually closed up after an earthquake a few years back. Now you can see its smaller counterpart, which still gets big enough to drench you if you stand downwind!
• Gullfoss ♦♦♦ – Your first proper waterfall!! Note that there are two ways to view the waterfall, one from above (where there is a giftshop) and another parking lot below.
• Kerid Crater – Sadly we couldn’t visit this Krater because of the intense storm that kicked in during the afternoon.

TIP – If you aren’t renting a car, you can see all the highlights of the Golden Circle mentioned above on this particular small-group tour . Whether you drive yourself or not, there will still be locations with massive parking lots full of huuuuge tour busses. At the very least you don’t need to ride with them, and the cost between a small group and a large group is not very much (especially in terms of “Iceland prices!").

Stay: Hotel Ranga in Hella

If you’re going to treat yourself, Hotel Ranga is the place to do it. Beautiful rustic cabin-style rooms, three separate jacuzzis from which you can watch the Northern Lights, and a gourmet restaurant (can you say, reindeer carpaccio?!). I bought our stay here as part of my boyfriend’s 30th birthday gift, which was our trip to Iceland. Extravagant but 💯 worth it.

We wanted to stay two nights at Hotel Ranga but weren’t able to owing to how limited the space is. If you’re looking for a night or two of luxury, definitely check the availability for Ranga sooner rather than later!

Check availability for Hotel Ranga

3. Iceland’s South Coast (Hella)

Today’s theme is water . We’ll meet two of Iceland’s best-known waterfalls, plus a hidden natural swimming pool just out of sight in the mountains along the Ring Road.

Driving up to our first stop, Seljalandfoss , from the West is awesome because you can already see the waterfall’s narrow stream jutting out from the side of an immense mountain as you approach. Coupled with the morning sunshine, it looks like a scene from a fantasy movie.

Next to Seljalandfoss are several other smaller waterfalls, but 90% of the people visiting never seem to take the short walk. In one waterfall, you can completely walk inside the cave where it’s located, just make sure you’ve got your wellies! You might also remember Seljalandfoss as a place where you can also walk behind the waterfall, but it does require being waterproofed from head to toe!

Next, get ready for a small hike to Seljavallalaug Zwembad . This natural pool (which literally just pipes in water from a nearby hotspring) is not that warm in the winter, but absolutely an adventure in and of itself. It’s pretty easy to find – you drive to Seljavellir , park your car, and soon find yourself on a path.

My number one tip: stay close to the river. It’s easier to cross the river where it’s wide and shallow, rather than where the water is running faster (I share this from firsthand experience: I fell in trying to use the rocks as a small bridge. No-worky).

After taking a dip, hop back in the car and drive a few miles down the road to Skogafoss , of the most recognizable waterfalls in the whole island! You can get essentially as close to the waterfall as you want, just be prepared to get wet!

Places to see on Iceland’s South Coast

• Seljalandfoss ♦♦♦ – You can also go behind this waterfall, but be prepared to get drenched! Don’t miss the other waterfalls along the mountain.
• Seljavallalaug Zwembad ♦♦ – Bring waterproof shoes for this hike, and you’ll be rewarded with a very cool natural bath surrounded by mountains.
• Skogafoss ♦♦♦ – We visited Skogafoss twice, once during a small snowstorm and once during sunshine. It’s amazing how different it looks depending on the weather!

4. Black Sand Beaches (Hella → Skaftafell)

Black sand beaches were one of the coolest things I was looking forward to seeing when I came to Iceland, and they didn’t disappoint. There are so many unique vantage points from which you can see stark contrast of the white foamy sea on ebony sand. Here are some of the best places to see Iceland’s black beaches.

• Dyrholaey Arch ♦♦♦ – Even though the next spot on this list is better known, the area you reach after turning onto the road to Dyrholaey has some of the best views. There’s a lower parking lot, which offers great views, and a steep and trecherous gravel road that leads you to even better vistas (plus this lighthouse!).
• Reynisfjara ♦ – I’ve got a confession: the basalt columns you find at this location are actually kind of tiny! There are so many tourists here, even in the dead of winter, that it’s not somewhere you’re going to want to spend a lot of time (unless of course you show up first thing in the morning and beat the crowds).
• Sólheimasandur Plane Crash ♦ – The walk to this plane takes about 45 minutes each way. It’s extremely easy to find (there’s a wide path lined with reflective markers every 50 meters), just make sure the weather is going to cooperate on your walk!
• Fjaðrárgljúfur (Moss Canyon) ♦ – Covered in snow, the Moss Canyon leaves a lot to be desired (plus the road can be very icy in winter!). Minus the snow, there are a bunch of hiking trails in and above the canyon. I’d love to come back here when it’s green and beautiful, but I wouldn’t recommend the detour in Winter.

UPDATE – Apparently Moss Canyon was closed owing to hordes of visitors after Justin Bieber shot a music video there. I am not joking. It was scheduled to re-open in June 2019 according to this report but I do not know if that went according to schedule.

5. Glaciers (Skaftafell → Höfn)

If there’s anything that makes traveling Iceland in Winter a challenge, it has to be the unpredictable weather. It’s not that it’s obscenely cold, but that the weather can completely derail your plans for the day with little-to-no notice.

What you need to know about booking a glacier tour

• They’re very prone to be canceled due to weather. Booking another tour last minute may be possible! We had to do that when our original tour company canceled due to wind concerns.
• You can only go inside the ice caves during Winter , as they’re flooded the rest of the year! Check in advance if they will be open while you are visiting. You can still hike on glaciers during the Summer though.
• Try to visit less popular ice caves for a more intimate experience . In our experience, there are loads of tour groups coming to the same cave at the same time. If possible, opt for an ice cave besides Crystal Cave. This particular ice cave tour lasts 6 hours and visits more remote caves than the large group tours.

Where to experience glaciers and ice caves in Iceland

• Svartifoss ♦♦ – In winter, I daresay Svartifoss isn’t accessible without crampons! A 2km hike that’s about half uphill, if you’re going in the winter you’re going to want the extra security of spikes under your shoes. From nearby you can also hike to see a great view over the glacier!
• Skaftafell ♦♦ – This is one of the most popular places to actually hike on the glaciers. It’s really important to book in advance because, believe it or not, LOADS of people visit Iceland in Winter and want to do the exact same thing. You can either take a 3-hour glacier hike or a 5-hour glacier hike .
• Ice Cave tour ♦♦ – Some companies operate on different glaciers and go to different caves, so you can get a more personal experience than if you go in a large group tour.
• Jökulsárlón ♦♦ – Glacier Lagoon and the accompanying Diamond Beach is where chunks of glacier float out to sea, year-round. This beach is a very popular starting point for a number of ice cave tours.

Stay: Guesthouse Hafnarnes

Höfn ended up being one of my favorite small towns in Iceland, and an important component of this was definitely seeing the Northern Lights for the first time from Guesthouse Hafnarnes . There were intense, blistering cold winds which prevented us from taking photos without a bunch of blur from the wind shaking the tripod. Luckily, we could even see the northern lights from inside the guesthouse.

Eat: Pakkhús

It is amazing what five days in Iceland will do to your sense of what is expensive and what is a bargain. Case in point: we got a recommendation from the host at the guesthouse that Pakkhús is a great place to eat for dinner. The special of the day was $50 for a three course meal – and we thought to ourselves, “Wow, that’s a good deal! Someone has to get it.” In my normal, non-Iceland life I would never spend $50 on a single meal. But in this country, it was a really good deal and in fact, the best meal of the entire trip.

You can try Icelandic lobster here “on a budget” in the form of lobster soup for $18. It sounds insane, but you will not be as offended by this price by the time you get here 😜

6. From the East Fjords to North Iceland (Höfn → Mývatn)

Today is a long day of driving, but easily one of the most scenic, culminating in Europe’s most deadly waterfall just before nightfall. So get yourself some road snacks and let’s start this beautiful drive!

One thing I noticed about this drive along Iceland’s east coast was that the climate changed dramatically from the south. There, we experienced a ton of snow and storms, but on the east we had clear blue skies and saw mostly moss and exposed rock. There are more black beaches, and the east is dotted with small industrial towns where you can pull off to visit the general store or get gas at an unmanned gas station.

My top tip for today would be make sure you have a good playlist! It’s the longest day of driving, and you’ll spend most of your time looking at beautiful mountainscapes from the car.

Places to see in East Iceland

• Gorgeous drive along the Eastern Fjords ♦♦♦ – This long and windy road will keep you close to the sea. Keep an eye out for possible road closures in Winter, as you may need to improvise and take a slight detour off the Ring Road.
• Egilsstaðir ♦ – The only “major city” in East Iceland, here you can stock up at the grocery store, get gas, and even buy some crampons at a local outdoors shop (bear in mind: winter hours mean they open at 3pm).
• Seyðisfjörður ♦♦ – You have to take a mountain pass from Egilsstaðir to access Seyðisfjörður, but if weather permits it’s worth it to visit this adorable harbor town. There’s a weekly ship that heads to the Faraoe Islands and then on to Denmark from here, but the main attraction has to be one of Iceland’s prettiest, tiniest churches. Coming out of town, you can also pull off to see a small waterfall, naturally.
• Dettifoss ♦♦♦ – Dettifoss can be accessed from two different directions, from the east and from the west. On the East, you’ll meet an unpaved road which may be closed in Winter (it was for us). This side let’s you get right to the edge of Dettifoss, which is amazing for photos. The road on the West is newer, paved, and you only have to walk for about 20 minutes to reach the waterfall along a paved path. If you have the time, it’s probably worth it to view Dettifoss from both sides.
• Selfoss ♦♦♦ – While Dettifoss is more powerful, Selfoss is definitely the prettier waterfall. The distance markers are a bit misleading, as Selfoss is a quick walk from the car park and will be your last stop of the day.

Stay: Dimmuborgir Guesthouse

From the pair of waterfalls, you’ll continue to Mývatn , which you’ll likely only see by night today. Right on the East Coast of the lake you’ll find the Guesthouse Dimmuborgir , which is basically a series of cute cabins outfitted with kitchens and either a lake view or a crater view. It’s also a great location to start the next day exploring the lake area.

7. Explore Mývatn and the Northeast (Mývatn → Akureyri)

Mývatn has to be one of the most alien areas of Iceland that you can encounter from the Ring Road. The landscape largely comprises lava rock, and the craters especially make it feel like you’re on another planet. In this area you’ll also find a less commercialized alternative to the Blue Lagoon, which is definitely worth a visit.

Things to do around Mývatn and North Iceland

• Dimmuborgir ♦ – These lava formations were supposedly home to the “Yule Lads”, a gang of trolls who lived in these formations. It’s said that the area looks like an entire city formed out of lava rocks, but it’s hard to see it when it’s covered in snow. I bet this place is more interesting once the snow melts.
• Námafjall Hverir ♦♦ – If you’ve been to geothermal areas elsewhere on this trip, you should still visit this one – it’s bigger and more impressive than the others, and you can get even closer to some of the springs and bubbling pits.
• Mývatn Nature Baths ♦♦ – A much less expensive alternative to the Blue Lagoon, here you can experience the Icelandic tradition of naked bathing and getting into ultra hot water. In the winter it’s hard to see the surrounding landscape because of the steam coming off of the water, but that also makes it even more interesting to explore.
• Krafla Power Plant ♦ – Iceland is a leader in producing the energy consumed in the country using geothermal means, and this powerplant is just one that harnesses nature to provide power to homes in Iceland. In the Spring you can take a tour of the plant, but in the mean time you can still drive up to the plant and see it at work.
• Skútustaðagígar ♦ – You can walk around the rim of some of these craters, which is definitely a unique experience. You’ll encounter these craters when doing a loop around Myvatn, you basically can’t miss them from the car window!
• Góðafoss ♦♦♦ – Take it in because Góðafoss is the last proper waterfall we’re going to encounter in Iceland! Luckily it’s very beautiful, and extremely easy to access from the Ring Road. You can basically park next to the waterfall, and it can be accessed by foot from both sides by a bridge.

Stay: Iceland Air Hotel Akureyri

Tonight you’ll arrive in the second largest city in Iceland, Akureyri . Compared to all the small towns we’ve seen lakely, Akureyri feels pretty poppin’. We won’t do any sight-seeing here, just walk around the city in the evening, a quick look at the church (which was designed by the same architect as the Hallgrímskirkja in Reykjavik), and of course: dinner. There are also a bunch of souvineer shops in Akureyri if you’re still missing a postcard or viking helmet 😉

There are more choices for a hotel in Akureyri than almost anywhere else on this list, but Iceland Air Akureyri has a great location you can use to walk anywhere in the center of town, including past the church. Enjoy the feeling of civilization before we head back out into the country tomorrow!

8. From Northwest Iceland to the Snæfellsnes peninsula (Akureyri → Snæfellsnes)

Today also involves a lot of driving (I know, I’m saying that a lot: but we are on a road trip!) but it’s not as scenic as the one along the East Fjords. That said, there are still a number of points of interest you can use to punctuate the day, such as stopping at the turf houses in Glaumbaer or walking down to the Hvitserkur, a rock in the sea that looks like a rhino.

Towards the end of the day, we’re going to meet the most photographed mountain in Iceland, Kirkjufell (Church Mountain), as well as one of the most famous churches, Búðakirkja (Black Church). Both can be visited again the next day, but today is the day we can take in both at sunset!

Places to see in Northwest Iceland

• Hvitserkur ♦♦ – On the detour up to this rhino-shaped rock formation, you’ll do a tour around a peninsula which gives you the best possible view of the West Fjords you’ll get on this trip! Hvitserkur is relatively small, but if you plan it right you can come during low tide to get a closer photo.
• Turf houses in Glaumbaer ♦♦♦ – Come here to see some preserved turf houses, a short detour from the Ring Road. There’s also a museum, but the hours in Winter are irregular, and you can visit the turf houses and a very sweet neighboring church at no cost.
• Go inland (during Summer) for hiking – Iceland has so-called F-roads, which go deep in the heart of the country. In the winter it’s not possible to access the interior (even with four-wheel drive!) but in the Summer you can drive inland for hiking in Kerlingarfjöll and see incredible rust-colored hills.

Places to see on the Snæfellsnes peninsula

• Kirkjufell ♦♦♦ – Bring an ultra-wide angle lens to take that iconic shot of Kirkjufell! You really need to fit a lot in to get the waterfall and the mountain. The combination of the two is really special, albeit unoriginal (which is how you may feel trying to squeeze in to the row of professional-looking photographers all taking the same picture as you 😂).
• Búðakirkja ♦♦♦ – The black church is right off the Ring Road and a perfect last stop for your first day on the Snæfellsnes peninsula.
• Hellnar ♦ – We came here looking for a gas station (spoiler: it’s no longer in service) but stopped for a coffee and to have a look at the church in Hellnar which is especially nice.
• Lóndrangar ♦♦ – This lava field paired with rock formations is said to be the location of the Elf Church and Elf Library. It takes a lot of imagination to get there, but that’s one reason why this field is so special.
• Borgarnes ♦ – One of the more sizable towns between the Penninsula and Reykjavik, this is where I bought my Icelandic wool sweater!

Places to stay on Snæfellsnes peninsula

• Grundarfjörður – This tiny town is right next to Kirkjufell. If you’re going to want to take photos of this mountain at sunrise or during the northern lights, you might find it very convenient to stay here!
• Guesthouse Kast – One of the only places you can eat dinner in the sparsely populated peninsula, staying here would be a great optimization. Here we really experienced more home-style Icelandic food, and the staff was incredibly kind. They also have a northern lights wakeup list, and the wifi works really well.
• Guesthouse Hof – Some real budget accomodation in the area, you actually share a guesthouse with other people. That said, at $65 a night, it’s hard to complain…especially when each house also comes with a jacuzzi! If you don’t need a lot of privacy, the view of the sunset over the ocean and jacuzzi combo is pretty amazing.

9. Finish the Snæfellsnes peninsula and head to Reykjavik (Snæfellsnes → Reykjavik)

Anything you missed yesterday can be reached today by doing a loop around the peninsula and then continuing on to Reykjavik . The first day, we saw Kirkjufell and Búðakirkja. The next day we saw Kirkjufell again, and visited the rest of the places on the list. There are also a few opportunities we didn’t take, such as climbing down into a cave (there are descents every hour).

You can stop in Borgarnes on your way to Reykjavik if you need gas, something from the supermarket, or in my case, an Icelandic wool sweater!

Depending on when your flight is, you can visit Reykjavik tonight or spend the day around the city.

10. Depart from Reykjavik (Reykjavik → Home)

Anything you haven’t done yet in Iceland, today is the day to do it. Pick up your sweater, try on a viking helmet, get some postcards, or just take it easy and enjoy a beer in the pub. I think most people who’ve done the Ring Road are about as unenthusiastic about Reykjavik as I am, so don’t feel like you’ll miss much if you don’t spend enough time in this city.

I didn’t do much in Reykjavik, but I would recommend the two restaurants I tried: Icelandic Fish & Chips and Drunk Rabbit Pub. If you want to try more Icelandic foods, it’s probably less expensive (but still expensive) to do this on the countryside!

Ideas for things to do in Reykjavik

• Visit the Hallgrímskirkja – Bear in mind that the winter hours for going up in the church for a view over Reykjavik are very limited! We missed the possibility by mere minutes, which was very frustrating, especially because it was still bright and sunny. In any case, it is still beautiful from the outside.
• See the Harpa – There was a lot of construction around this beautiful building when we were there, so the view was not as nice as it could’ve been.
• See the Sun Voyager sculpture – In the harbor in Reykjavik, you can come see this shiny metal ship that resembles a viking ship.
• Walk around the tiny downtown – Reykjavik can be explored in approximately one afternoon, so take the time to meander around town and see some of Reykjavik’s cute, historic streets. Just don’t be taken aback when you hear more English than Icelandic in this tourist-heavy town.

Time to fly home!

Being on the road for ten days in Icelandic is not enough to see and do everything, but definitely sufficient to get you thinking about visiting in another season!

Have you been to Iceland?

What’s the number one thing that you want to experience? Let me know in comments! Especially if you have anything you think I missed in this itinerary!!

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About the author

Hi there! I'm Monica, an American expat living in Germany for over six years and using every opportunity to explore the world from my homebase in Berlin. My goal is to capture my memories in photos and posts that show how easy it is to start from scratch and travel the world by working abroad.

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A Detailed 1 Week Iceland Ring Road Itinerary

Last updated: December 15, 2023 . Written by Laurence Norah - 98 Comments

Heading to Iceland and planning on driving the Ring Road? You’ve come to the right place! Our detailed Iceland Ring Road itinerary will get you to all the sights you want to see, giving you all the information you need to tackle this epic Iceland road trip, including a day by day breakdown of the adventure.

We’ve spent a great deal of time exploring Iceland’s Ring Road in its entirety and we have also visited Iceland in both summer and winter. We’ve already written a number of comprehensive guides to visiting Iceland to help you plan your trip, but this is our first detailed Ring Road itinerary.

During our time exploring Iceland’s ring road we’ve seen the majority of the highlights along the route. Based on these experiences, and our other travels in Iceland, we’ve distilled the adventure down into the perfect Iceland Ring Road itinerary for a one-week ring road trip, starting and ending in Reykjavik.

This post contains everything you need to know to plan your trip, including a detailed day-by-day breakdown of the route, where to stay, what to see along the way, driving distances, and a full route map as well as all the planning information you need!

Let’s get started, first by answering some questions you might have about the route.

What is the Iceland Ring Road?

The Iceland Ring Road, also known as Þjóðvegur 1, or Route 1, is a national road that runs all around the country, connecting all the major towns and cities. The Ring Road is 828 miles long (1,332 kilometres), making it the longest road in Iceland.

The Ring Road is primarily two lanes wide and paved, although some sections are wider than this, and in some cases, particularly for bridges, it may only be a single lane road

Why Road Trip on the Iceland Ring Road?

Iceland’s Ring Road makes for the perfect Iceland road trip because it covers a great deal of the country, and passes right by, or very close to, a great many of Iceland’s most famous and noteworthy attractions, including natural attractions such as waterfalls, epic viewpoints and gorgeous towns and villages.

In addition, as the Ring Road passes through the major towns and cities of Iceland, it’s easier to find accommodation along the route if you follow the Ring Road. Finally, being the main route around Iceland, navigation is easy.

How Long Does it Take to Drive Iceland’s Ring Road?

As mentioned above, Iceland’s Ring Road is 1,332 kilometres long. For the majority of the route, the speed limit is 90km/h, so in theory you could drive the entire Ring Road in 15 – 20 hours.

Of course, we’d advise against that. We’d suggest that one week would be the minimum amount of time to do a Ring Road tour and take in all the sights in this itinerary. This will give you time to do plenty of sight-seeing along the route and not be too rushed. Of course, more time is better – on one trip we spent four weeks doing the full route, with lots of detours and diversions!

If you have less time in Iceland or don’t want to be too rushed, we’d suggest focusing on a specific region so you get the most out of your trip. Take a look at our itinerary for 5 days in Iceland for inspiration.

Which Way Should I Drive the Iceland Ring Road?

Being a circular route, you can drive the Iceland Ring Road in either direction. Our preference would be to drive it in an anti-clockwise direction, tackling the south of the country first.

In our experience, the south of Iceland is the busiest part of the country in terms of visitors, so as you travel, you will go from more busy places (the south) to less busy places (basically everywhere else). We think this will be an easier transition to manage than driving from relatively quiet to more crowded spots.

Of course, you are welcome to drive this route in any direction. Our road trip itinerary is set up in a counter-clockwise direction, but you can reverse it.

Can I Drive the Iceland Ring Road in Winter?

Whilst you can drive Iceland’s Ring Road in winter, we would generally advise against it. Road conditions can change very quickly, and sections of the Ring Road often close in winter, meaning you might have to retrace your route to get back to where you started. A storm can really negatively impact your trip.

In addition, the limited hours of daylight in the winter months mean you won’t have so much time for sight-seeing as you might want. In summer, you will have so many hours of daylight thanks to the midnight sun that you can really pack the sight-seeing in!

Ideally you’d want to do this trip between late April and October.

If you travel in late September or October you will also have the chance to see the northern lights . You won’t have to do anything special to see them – just find somewhere with no artificial light sources, hope for good weather and look up!

Of course, we don’t discourage coming to Iceland in winter in general! It’s the time of year when you have a great chance to see the northern lights, and the landscapes are quite wonderful when covered in ice and snow.

Instead of driving Iceland’s entire Ring Road in winter, we’d suggest you look at our 7 day Iceland winter itinerary , which we think is the best option for visiting Iceland in winter and driving yourself.

We also suggest taking a look at our guide to driving in Iceland in winter , and our guide to what to pack for Iceland in winter .

Another option is to take a guided tour like this . Let someone else handle all the logistics of planning and driving, and you can just enjoy your journey without worrying about driving in poor conditions.

Do you have to self-drive the Iceland Ring Road?

The road trip in this post is based on a self-drive itinerary which means you drive yourself. Driving in Iceland gives you the most flexibility in terms of your itinerary hiring a car; however, it’s not the only option!

One popular option would be to take a group tour of Iceland instead. This means someone else will handle everything for you, including the driving, itinerary and accommodation, and you get to just enjoy the sight-seeing.

If that sounds good to you (we know not everyone wants to drive in Iceland), there are a number of options, which we outline in the following section.

Tours of the Iceland Ring Road

The Iceland ring road is a popular road trip, and as such there are a number of tour companies offering trips, ranging from a few days to a number of weeks. We’d suggest 6 days as being the absolute minimum for a ring road tour, and ideally more like 7 days to 2 weeks.

We recommend this either 8 day tour , this 8 day tour or this 8 day tour with G Adventures.

If you are really pressed for time, this is a 6 day tour that will let you see the highlights. This is a similar 6 day tour .

Do be aware when comparing tours that you need to look carefully at what is included and what isn’t. Even if a tour has a higher price, if it includes all the meals then it might be better value than a cheaper tour without meals as food can be very expensive in Iceland.

Other things to consider include what attractions or experiences are included in the price.

For example, tours might cost more but the price might include higher quality accommodation, wildlife watching tours, Blue Lagoon entry and glacier lagoon boat ride, as well as many other activities.

For more inspiration on tours in Iceland, check out our guide to the best guided tours of Iceland , which will give you loads of ideas for what else you can do in the country for trips between 2 days and 2 weeks!

You can also see a selection of guided tours of Iceland on TourRadar here and on Guide to Iceland here , both of which offer a variety of tours from different companies in Iceland.

Now, having hopefully answered many of your questions about driving the Ring Road, let’s share our week-long Iceland ring road itinerary!

Iceland Ring Road Itinerary

Now, let’s take a look at a suggested itinerary for one week driving the Iceland Ring Road. This covers 8 days and 7 nights of travel, and we have tried to lay it out so each day has a similar amount of driving, although of course this isn’t always possible.

We’d also advise that you adjust the itinerary to suit your own interests and needs, as well as your arrival and departure times of course!

Day 1: Arrive, Blue Lagoon, part of Golden Circle.

On your first day you’ll arrive in Iceland at Keflavik International Airport. This is around a 40 minute drive to the south west of Reykjavik.

For this itinerary, we’re going to assume you arrive into Iceland in the morning. If you arrive in the late afternoon or evening, you’ll want to tweak this day a little bit.

On arrival, pick up your hire car ( compare prices here ) at the airport and consider heading straight for the famous Blue Lagoon if it is on your must-visit list. This is Iceland’s most well-known geothermal lagoon, and is a huge outdoor bathing area where the water is a funky shade of blue.

As well as the main lagoon (which has a swim up bar), you can also get treatments here and have a meal, as there’s an on-site restaurant. If you plan to visit the Blue Lagoon , you’ll need to pre-book a timeslot, which you can do here .

The Blue Lagoon is a very popular place, so don’t expect to be able to turn up and buy a ticket. See our full guide visiting the Blue Lagoon for more.

It’s only a short drive from the airport, but you’ll want to factor in the time it will take you to get through immigration and baggage claim as well as collect your hire car, which can take a while if the airport is busy. If you arrive in the afternoon or evening, you can either just do the Blue Lagoon and then stay nearby, or skip it and head further along the route towards the Golden Circle – our next adventure.

Another option to consider which is closer to Reyjavik city centre is the Sky Lagoon. This is a newer attraction which offers a similar hot springs experience, and is worth checking out too. You can book tickets for the Sky Lagoon here .

If you choose not to do the Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon on your first day, don’t worry, you can also do it at the end of your trip instead. There are also a number of other thermal baths all around the country, and we actually personally prefer the Lake Mývatn Nature Baths in the north of Iceland.

After the Lagoon, our suggestion is to get going on the road trip straight away. A week is not a massive amount of time to drive the Ring Road, so a head start is a good idea. With this in mind, we recommend you head out onto the Golden Circle.

The Golden Circle is one of the more popular short road trips in Iceland. Its proximity to Reykjavik makes it easy to do in a day, and it is a quick way to see some of the best of the country, from cultural attractions to waterfalls and geothermal activity. We have written a full guide to the Golden Circle to help you fully plan your time here.

If you’ve arrived in Iceland in the morning, you’ll have time to see Thingvellir National Park on your first day. Thingvellir, or Þingvellir, is one of the most important cultural sites in Iceland, and is on the UNESCO world heritage list. It’s where Iceland’s parliament met from the 10th to the 18th centuries.

As well as the cultural significance, the national park is interesting for it’s geological features. The Eurasian and North American tectonic plates have their boundary here, and you can see the rifts between these plates in the form of obvious canyons. It’s really interesting to see geography up close like this.

You can even go snorkelling to experience these plates. This is done in dry suits with specialist operators, as the water temperature hovers just above freezing year round. You don’t need to bring any special equipment, but booking in advance is definitely recommended. Here’s a tour booking link if you want to do that.

There’s also a beautiful waterfall here, Öxarárfoss, which is around a 10 minute walk from the car park. Game of Thrones fans will also enjoy visiting Thingvellir National Park as it was used for the filming of a number of Game of Thrones scenes , including the Gates of the Moon. This is found in Almannagjá gorge  which is just near Öxaráfoss waterfall.

Once you’re done with Thingvellir, we’d suggest calling it a day, and heading on to your accommodation for the night. We recommend staying somewhere between Laugarvatn and Flúðir. If you have arrived early however and skipped the Blue Lagoon, you will likely have time to also do the Geysir Park and visit Gulfoss waterfall. For this itinerary though, we will describe these on our second day.

Day 1 Highlights : Blue Lagoon, Thingvellir

Start Point : Keflavík Airport End Point:  Laugarvatn / Flúðir Distance driven : ~140 kilometres / 90 miles

Where to Stay

For your first night we recommend booking accommodation somewhere near Fludir Here are some options to consider.

• Farmhotel Efstidalur – as the name suggests this is found on a farm. Private rooms are en-suite and there’s an on-site geothermal hot tub
• Fludir Icelandair Hotel  – We stayed here on one trip to Iceland and it was very comfortable, with an on-site restaurant.
• Garður Stay Inn by the Secret Lagoon – well reviewed and handy for Fludir’s “ Secret Lagoon “, a lovely geothermal bath
• Farmer’s Guesthouse – just near the town of Hella, this is a good option if you want to complete the Golden Circle and start along the south coast. Another option found on a farm with cabins.
• Stracta Hotel – centrally located in Hella, a well reviewed option with hot tubs and on-site restaurant.
• Midgard basecamp – found in Hvolsvöllur, this highly rated hostel is a great budget option with a hot tub

See more lodging options in this area on  booking.com here .

If you arrive later and want to overnight near the airport, we stayed at the Northern Light Inn , which is right next to the Blue Lagoon and about twenty minutes from the airport. See more Reykjavik options at the end of the itinerary.

Day 2: Golden Circle and South Coast

For the second day in our Ring Road trip we’re going to finish off the highlights of the Golden Circle, and start along the south Iceland coast, taking in some of the most famous attractions in Iceland.

First, we’re going to finish the Golden Circle. There are two more main attractions to see: Geysir and Gullfoss.

Geysir is a geothermal park which is home to the original “Geyser” – a geological feature whereby steam and boiling hot water are regularly ejected into the air. Today, we know this phenomenon as a “geyser”, which was the name given by the Icelanders to the geyser in the Geysir park.

The original geyser is now mostly dormant, but there are a number of other geysers in the park, one of which is regularly active, shooting into the air every few minutes. This is quite a spectacular thing to see, and well worth stopping for. Expect to spend around 20 to 30 minutes visiting this park.

From Geyser you’re going to drive on to Gullfoss. Foss, incidentally, is Icelandic for waterfall, and you’re going to see that word a lot in Iceland, as there are a lot of waterfalls!

Gullfoss is one of Iceland’s most spectacular waterfalls, with two tiers conveying a massive volume of water down a total of 32 metres. There are a number of good viewing areas, and a great deal of parking here, as well as an on-site cafe.

From Gullfoss, it’s time to start heading south where you’ll join the Ring Road, and which you will stay on for the majority of the rest of your road trip.

The first stop on your trip is going to be the Lava Center . This is a relatively new attraction in Iceland, which is well worth visiting if you want to learn about the volcanic activity in Iceland, and get an idea of what it’s like to experience massive geological activities like volcanoes and earthquakes.

The Lava Center is really interesting, and the exhibits here have already won a number of awards. There is a free part as well as a paid part, plus an on-site cafeteria-style restaurant so a good place to get some food. It’s definitely worth popping in to, even if you don’t tour the museum, just to get an understanding of some of the features you’ll be seeing on the rest of your trip.

If you do decide to visit, you can book your tickets online in advance here . Using our link gives you a small discount on the normal Lava Centre ticket price.

The next stop on your trip is Seljalandsfoss.  Seljalandsfoss is the first of the major waterfalls on the south coast you’re going to want to stop at and try to pronounce.

Seljalandsfoss is pretty cool because you can actually walk behind it (although it is sometimes closed due to safety issues). Note that you are very likely to get wet doing this, so make sure you are prepared with with right clothing, sturdy shoes (it can be slippery), and that  your camera or phone is suitably protected! It’s also a pretty waterfall in its own right.

Note that parking charges apply at Seljalandsfoss, when we visited it was 700 krona per car. These can be paid using a credit or debit card, and apply 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We did see parking officials enforcing these, and as these funds help maintain the facilities and parking here, we definitely recommend you don’t try to avoid paying them.

Whilst you’re at Seljalandsfoss, you might want to walk along the path here to Gljúfrabúi. This is about a ten minute walk north from Seljalandsfoss (it’s signposted and the path is paved).

Gljúfrabúi is a waterfall hidden inside a canyon, and you do have to walk a few metres up a river to access it. It’s worth doing if you have the right footwear and waterproofs, as it’s pretty cool. It’s really wet and slippery inside the canyon, as you might imagine given there’s a waterfall in here!

From Seljalandsfoss, it’s less than half an hours drive to the next location on our itinerary: Skogafoss. As you drive, if you have a clear day, you’ll also be able to admire some of Iceland’s volcanoes, including Eyjafjallajökull, the volcano which erupted in 2010 and caused worldwide air transport chaos!

Skogafoss is another beautiful waterfall, with a massive volume of water cascading over a sixty metre drop. It’s also 15 metres wide, with a sheer drop, so is quite mesmerising to behold. We also like that you can get very close to the crashing base, to really experience the power of nature. Although, be warned, if you get close, you’ll soon be soaked by the spray!

Before you worry that this itinerary is focusing just on waterfalls, fear not. Right next to Skogafoss is the Skogar Museum . This museum, which focuses on the cultural history of Iceland, has over 15,000 artifacts on display across 3 museum buildings. There’s also a large open-air  area with six historic buildings, including some beautiful traditional turf houses. The museum complex is large so you can easily spend 2 to 3 hours here.

From Skogafoss, you’re going to continue your journey eastwards along the Ring Road. Depending on your stamina and the time of day, you might want to stop at the Sólheimasandur plane wreck.

This is about a ten minute drive from Skogafoss, and there’s a large marked parking area here. Be aware though that it’s a 40 minute walk each way to see the crashed plane and nothing much to see along the way.

If the plane wreck is of interest, read our full guide to visiting the Iceland plane crash at Sólheimasandur . Otherwise, continue east!

Our last stop on the second day of this itinerary is Reynisfjara black sand beach. This is one of Iceland’s beautiful black sand beaches, which is particularly notable for having stacks of basalt columns running along the edge of the beach. There are also sea stacks off shore which are pretty.

This is a popular (and often crowded) location, but do be careful here, as the area is known for “rogue waves” – large waves which can appear without warning, and sweep visitors off the feet and, in worst case scenario, out to sea. So just watch out for that.

Finally, we suggest you overnight at either the town of Vik, or head on a little further to Kirkjubæjarklaustur.

Day 2 Highlights:  Geyser, Gullfoss, Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, Plane Crash, Reynisfjara Beach

Start Point : Efstidalur II / Flúðir End Point : Vik Distance driven : 207 km / 128 miles

Our suggestion for your second night is to stay either in Vik or Kirkjubæjarklaustur (also called Klaustur). Some options to consider include:

• The Barn – this is a well reviewed and popular hostel in Vik, offering both dormitory accommodation and private rooms
• Hotel Vík í Mýrdal – found just 450 yards from the black sand beach in Vik, this is a well rated hotel offering private en-suite rooms
• Hunkubakkar Guesthouse  – a family run guesthouse found five miles from Kirkjubæjarklaustur. WiFi, on-site restaurant and cute colourful cottages.
• Hotel Klaustur – a modern hotel in Klaustur, with simple but comfortable rooms. We’ve stayed here and had a pleasant experience

See more options in Vik here and Klaustur here .

Day 3: South Coast

On your third day driving the Ring Road in Iceland we’re going to finish the highlights of the south coast, and start to head up the east coast.

First stop on your third day is Fjaðrárgljúfur, a 2 million year old river canyon which has carved an incredible path out of the landscape here, making for a seriously photogenic location. It’s about a five minute drive off the Ring Road just before the town of Kirkjubæjarklaustur.

Whilst you can see the canyon from the bridge at the parking lot, we would urge you to take the 15 minute hike up to the main viewpoint, which is a metal viewpoint overlooking the canyon. Here you can see down the length of the canyon for a wonderful view.

From Kirkjubæjarklaustur, continue along the 1. At this point in your journey, you are on the Eldhraun Lava Field. This is the largest lava field in the world, caused by a massive eruption in the 18th century that lasted for a year, and nearly resulted in the whole country being evacuated.

Today, this vast 565-kilometre square site is known for the green moss that has grown over the lava field, which makes for a popular photograph. Just please be aware that it’s taken the moss a couple of hundred years to grow, and it is super sensitive to being stood on. There are dedicated parking areas with marked trails to follow, and sticking to these will help preserve this remarkable environment for future travellers. There are also some picnic tables along here if you are in the mood for a snack.

Continuing on through Eldrahaun, you will notice the massive Vatnajökull glacier in the distance before you. This is the largest glacier in Iceland, covering a staggering 9% of the whole country. This is protected as part of the Vatnajökull National Park.

Naturally, visiting parts of this national park is the the next thing on your itinerary for today!

The first stop in the national park is the Skaftafell region , which has its own visitor center and facilities. There’s a large parking area here, which does charge for parking. Fees when we visited were 700 krona per car, paid at the visitor center using automated machines.

Most people stop here to do a hike or two. One of the most popular is the hike up to Svartifoss, or the Black Falls. This is a 30 – 45 minute hike each way (it’s quite steep) to a beautiful waterfall that tumbles over black basalt columns. It’s fairly unique in this respect, so we think is worth the h

If you don’t want to hike up though, there are other walks in the area, including a flat walk that’s around 90 minutes total, which brings you close to the base of one of the glaciers as well. The visitor center has plenty of maps and staff who can give you assistance with choosing the best walk for you.

This would also be a good location to do a glacier hike or ice cave hike . Availability for these varies depending on the time of year, and you would have to plan accordingly as these guided activities usually last for around 3 – 4 hours. Most departures are from Skaftafell, and you definitely need to book these in advance, which you can do here .

The next stop is a five minute drive further along, to the Svínafellsjökull Glacier. Here there’s an excellent viewpoint from where you can see the tongue of the Svínafellsjökull Glacier – one of the outlet glaciers of the main Vatnajökull glacier.

Continuing further along, and you will come to the well known Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. This lagoon is formed off the run off from the Breiðamerkurjökull outlet from Vatnajökull, and is a popular spot for taking a boat tour  (seasonal), which will get you out between the icebergs and up close to the glacier itself, an experience you won’t quickly forget.

Directly across the road from Jökulsárlón Lagoon is the Diamond beach. This is where the icebergs which float out of the lagoon wash up on the shore, creating the impression of a beach littered with giant diamonds. Depending on the time of year you visit, you will find more or less of these (more in winter, less in summer!), but it’s worth five minutes to check it out whenever you visit.

Finally, the last section of the day has you driving on to Hofn, where we recommend you spend the night. If you prefer, you can also drive further, and overnight in Djúpivogur.

Day 3 Highlights:  Fjaðrárgljúfur, Lava Fields, Vatnajökull National Park, Glacial Lagoon, Langoustines

Start Point : Vik End Point : Hofn or Djúpivogur Distance driven : 272km / 170 miles

Where to stay

For your third night on Iceland’s ring road we suggest staying in either Höfn or Djúpivogur. Options to consider include:

• Hotel Framtid in Djúpivogur – we stayed at this lovely hotel overlooking the harbour and enjoyed taking some short walks in the area
• Framtid Hostel – a well reviewed hostel in Djúpivogur offering a shared kitchen and shared bathrooms. A good budget option.
• Hotel Edda Höfn – found by the harbour in Höfn this hotel offers lovely views and rooms with private facilities
• Milk Factory – as the name suggests, this hotel is located in a former milk factory. Rooms all feature free WiFi and private bathrooms
• Höfn Guesthouse – this is a well reviewed centrally located budget guesthouse in Höfn, with shared bathrooms

See more options in Djúpivogur here and Hofn here .

Day 4: East Coast

It’s time to tackle Iceland’s east coast! Jökulsárlón Lagoon, which you visited yesterday, is the last stopping point for the majority of one and two day trips from Reykjavík, so from there onwards you should find that the roads and attractions will be a little less busy.

Your first stop today is the Vestrahorn, a fantastically photogenic mountain. In contrast to the flatter, glacier coated mountains of the south coast, the Vestrahorn is a spikey affair, in fact it is named for it’s “horns”. This is just one of a series of these mountains along the east coast, which makes for a seriously spectacular drive along the coast.

Note that you can see Vestrahorn from Route 1, but if you decide to drive off the 1  do come off the 1 and drive to Stokksnes for more views of the Vestrahorn, this is across private land. The landowner here charges a small fee to vehicles to manage the road and access.

You then are going to continue your drive along the coastal road, which is a really fabulous drive, and you are going to find yourself stopping regularly to take photos of the scenery here. Just be sure to stop at the actual pullouts and marked parking areas.

The first major stop is going to be the small fishing town of Djúpivogur. Here there are a few highlights, including an art installation of stone eggs (Eggin í Gleðivík), with each egg representing a bird you would find in Iceland. Djúpivogur is a popular spot for bird watching too and you can find a couple of hides in the area.

There are also local artists who have opened their quirky studios to visitors, and these are definitely worth a visit.

If you want to see something a little unusual (for Iceland at least), you can take a 15 minute hike from the east end of town to Búlandsnes, where you can see a lovely white sand beach. For more on what to do in Djúpivogur, see the official website here .

From Djúpivogur, continue northwards on Route 1. There are two waterfalls next on your route, Sveinsstekksfoss & Folaldafoss. The first is just off the road, with the best views found if you drive up the steep track a little way to the parking at the top, from where it’s a 1 minute walk to a viewpoint.

Folaldafoss is a five minute detour off the 1 on Route 939, and is viewable both from the car park, or you can walk down to be closer to the falls, which takes about five minutes. Both waterfalls are worth stopping at.

Note that GPS units will often recommend you continue on the 939 if you set your destination as Egilsstaðir. We’d suggest against doing this – the road is a windy mountainous pass, and you are unlikely to save any time. It also often closes in bad weather conditions. Instead, return to the 1 and continue onwards.

Another benefit of continuing on the Ring Road is that you will be able to stop at Petra’s stone collection.

Petra was a lady who lived in the village of Stöðvarfjörður, and who had a real passion for collecting stones. Her stone collection attracted visitors from all over the world, and it grew to take over her house and garden.

Petra died a few years back, but her family have maintained her collection – and it is truly impressive. A great stop if you want to learn all about the minerals of Iceland, plus get an insight into a locals’ life and hobby.

From Petra’s stone house, continue your journey to the town of Egilsstaðir. The stretch of Route 1 from near Reyðarfjörður into Egilsstaðir takes you through a truly stunning valley, which when we drove it seemed to have waterfalls crashing down the valley walls every few hundred meters. A wonderful sight to behold as you head into Egilsstaðir.

Egilsstaðir is the largest town in East Iceland, and a good place for shopping if you need to get any supplies. It’s also home to the largest forested area in Iceland, which you might find surprising after seeing so much barren and treeless landscapes!

For a culture fix, Egilsstaðir is where you’ll find the East Iceland Heritage Museum , which tells the story of the history and culture of this region of Iceland specifically.

You can overnight in Egilsstaðir, but, depending on time, you may also consider taking the half hour drive out to the town of  Seyðisfjörður on Route 93.

The road out to this coastal town is truly spectacular, and fans of the movie “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” will recognise this road as the one the character Walter rides his long board down.

On the way there are a number of spectacular waterfalls – we’d definitely recommend stopping at Fardagafoss and taking the time to hike up to it (around 45 minutes round trip).

The town itself is also very pretty, with the rainbow painted high street that leads to the local church being particularly photogenic.

Day 4 Highlights:  Vestrahorn, Djúpivogur, Sveinsstekksfoss, Folaldafoss, Petra’s Stone Collection, Egilsstaðir, Seydisfjördur

Start Point:  Hofn End Point : Egilsstaðir or Seydisfjördur Distance driven : 281 km / 173 miles.

For your fourth night on Iceland’s ring road we recommend staying either in Egilsstaðir or Seydisfjördur.

• Hotel Aldan The Bank – this lovely property is found in two historic buildings in the centre of Seydisfjördur, and was where we stayed. Rooms are en-suite and wonderfully decorated.
• Hafaldan HI Hostel – found in Seydisfjördur, this hostel offers rooms with either private or shared facilities, as well as a shared kitchen. A good budget option.
• Tehúsið Hostel – found in Egilsstadir, this hostel has a restaurant, shared kitchen and lounge. Rooms have shared bathrooms.
• Hótel Eyvindará – this family run hotel is just 2km from Egilsstadir. Rooms ave private bathrooms and some have private terraces
• Icelandair Hotel Herad – this Egilsstadir hotels offers a terrace bar, 24-hour room service and on-site restaurant. Rooms are comfortable and are all en-suite.

See more options in Seydisfjördur here and Egilsstaðir here .

Day 5: North Iceland

The fifth day of our Iceland road trip itinerary takes us out of east Iceland and into northern Iceland. Before you leave this area though, you might consider a Reindeer Safari, as this is the best part of Iceland (well the only actually as all the reindeer live in East Iceland) to see the wild reindeer. We did one of these trips, and were lucky enough to spot two large reindeer herds!

After leaving Egilsstaðir, your first stop on day five will be the Rjukandi waterfall. This is right by the road, around a 40 minute drive outside Egilsstaðir. There’s a parking lot here and it’s a five or ten minute walk up a relatively gentle incline to the best viewpoint.

Not long after the Rjukandi waterfall, you’ll come to a turning signposted for Sænautasel and Möðrudalur. This follows the F970 unpaved mountain road. If you have time and a proper 4×4 vehicle with high clearance, and if the road is open, then we can suggest a detour on this route, which will give you the opportunity to visit these two locations.

Sænautasel is an old restored turf farm house where you can now get coffee and pancakes in an authentic turf house. Möðrudalur also has a number of turf houses, and is a larger village. This detour will add more time to your trip today, but if you do have the time and a suitable vehicle, then we think it is a fun experience.

Our next stop is the waterfall of Dettifoss, which is one of the highlights of Iceland’s Diamond Circle  – a popular circuit of attractions in the north of Iceland. Our Ring Road itinerary will cover some of these, but not all, just for reasons of time.

Dettifoss though should definitely be on your list. This is Europe’s most powerful waterfall by volume of water, with around 500 cubic meters of water passing over the falls every second. The falls are 100 meters wide and 45 metres high, and as you can imagine, are quite the sight.

You can access Dettifoss by taking either Road 864 or 862 off the Ring Road. These two options bring you to different sides of the falls, which offer slightly different views. Route 862, on the west side, is a tarmac road, whilst Route 864 is a gravel road. The views differ, so you should do a little research so you can decide for yourself which will be better for you. Also these roads may close in bad weather.

You can of course continue to explore the Diamond Circle if you wish. North from Dettifoss on the west side is Hljóðaklettar, home to some seriously funky columnar rock formations, which take around an hour to explore.

You could go further north and complete the Diamond Circle, even visiting Húsavík – one of the most popular places for whale watching in Iceland , and then rejoin the Ring Road at Lake Myvatn. If whale watching is high on your list, you might want to do that instead.

For the purposes of this itinerary, we’re going to assume you return to the Ring Road after Dettifoss, and continue to follow it.

You will now approach the Lake Myvatn area of northern Iceland, which is full of attractions, and where you could easily spend a few days exploring. The lake, which was created by a massive volcanic eruption a couple of thousand years ago (practically yesterday in geological terms), is a particularly popular spot for bird watching and is home to a large number of rare duck species.

There are also numerous attractions, from volcano craters to lava fields to areas of geothermal activity.

We would suggest that you split the attractions in the Myvatn area between your fifth and sixth day in Iceland. On this day, we’d advise stopping at Hverir, a geothermal spot which is known for its bubbling pools of mud and steam fumaroles, which is quite an impressive site.

We’d also highly recommend the Lake Myvatn Nature Baths . These baths are some of our favourite geothermal baths in Iceland. They have a similar outdoor feel to the Blue Lagoon, with that beautiful blue colour, but we thought that the view from the bathing area was just perfect. It’s a little way up a hillside here, and you can see right across the whole Lake Myvatn area.

You’ll want to book your ticket in advance , and we can recommend bringing a towel as towel rental is not included, and is a little bit expensive.

Day 5 Highlights : Rjukandi waterfall, Dettifoss, Hverir, Lake Myvatn Nature Baths

Start Point : Seydisfjordur End Point : Lake Myvatn Distance driven : 262km / 162 miles

We recommend spending your fifth night in the Lake Myvatn area. Some options to consider include:

• Laxá Hótel – this is a nice design hotel with great views, just 2km from the lake. We had a lovely stay here.
• Skútustadir Guesthouse – set on a farm, this well reviewed guesthouse offers a shared kitchen as well as rooms with either shared or private bathrooms
• Vogafjós Farm Resort – this well reviewed family-run guesthouse offers rooms with private bathrooms and on-site dining
• Fosshótel Mývatn – this is a very well reviewed hotel offering comfortable rooms and an on-site restaurant
• Dimmuborgir Guesthouse – this farm stay offers self-catering cottages as well as rooms with access to a shared kitchen.

See more options in the Lake Myvatn area here .

If you decide to do the Diamond Circle drive instead, we’d recommend staying in Húsavík . We stayed at the  Kaldbakskot Cottages , but there are lots of options, you can see listings here .

Day 6: North Iceland

Wow, day 6 of the road trip already! Today we’re going to continue to explore northern Iceland, starting with some more of the attractions around Lake Myvatn.

Lake Myvatn has a great many attractions to choose from, ranging from geological attractions through to bird watching and fishing. We’ve put a few of our favourite geological attractions here, but there is a great deal to do in this area, depending on your interests.

Depending on where you choose to stay in this area, the order you visit these attractions will vary. However, these are the attractions we’d suggest you visit.

The first attraction along the route is Grjótagjá Cave. This is a hot water filled natural cave which was once a popular bathing area, until a change in the water temperature made it too hot to bathe in.

It was also used as a Game of Thrones filming location, which led to its current popularity.

Unfortunately, due to vandalism by visitors in 2018, the landowner closed all access to the cave;. However, as of 2021 it was open. As it’s on private land and access is down the landowner, just check before your visit to see if it is open. If not, or if you want a cave you can actually swim in, check out nearby Stóragjá Cave.

If you want to climb a volcano crater whilst you’re in Iceland, you’re going to love the next stop on the itinerary: Hverfjall Crater. This is a kilometre wide volcano crater which is a steep 15 minute walk up, and the views from the top are magnificent.

From Hverfjall, you’ll want to head to Dimmuborgir. This is home to an incredible lava field full of interesting rock formations. There are a variety of walks you can take around the area, of varying length, and the paths are easy to follow and well marked. Or you can just get a good look from the viewpoint next to the parking lot. This was also a Game of Thrones filming location.

There’s a cafe and gift shop here, as well as toilets for customers of the cafe.

After Dimmuborgir, we can recommend a stop at Hofdi, a small nature reserve where you can walk near the lake and see rock formations jutting out of the water. Finally, head to Skútustaðagígar, where you’ll find a series of “pseudo-craters”.

These aren’t craters from eruptions, but rather that formed when gas in flowing lava exploded. There are a series of them here, and they are of different sizes. This is also one of the most popular spots for bird watching in the area.

You’ve now seen the major highlights of this area, so it’s time to head on. It’s worth mentioning Aldeyjarfoss, a waterfall around an hour detour to the south of Lake Myvatn, but as this is a fairly lengthy detour (2 hours!) we’d only recommend it if you’re a really keen waterfall hunter. Otherwise, head west on to the one to our next stop: Goðafoss.

Goðafoss is a spectacular horseshoe shaped rainbow which has good viewing options from both sides, and it’s only a couple of minutes drive between the two sides, so it’s not hard to get from one viewpoint to the other. It’s also right off the Ring Road, so you can’t miss it. Short walk from parking areas.

After Goðafoss, your journey will bring you to Akureyri, the largest town in northern Iceland, and where we suggest you spend your sixth night in Iceland. There’s plenty to see and do here, which we’ll cover on the next day.

Day 6 Highlights : Lake Myvatn, Hverfjall Crater, Dimmuborgir, Skútustaðagígar, Goðafoss

Start Point : Lake Myvatn End Point : Akureyri Distance driven : 110km / 70 miles

For your sixth night on Iceland’s ring road we recommend staying in Akureyri. Some options include:

• Hotel Kea – this very central 4* hotel was where we stayed in Akureyri. Rooms were comfortable and we enjoyed the on-site restaurant
• Hotel Akureyri – this central hotel offers en-suite rooms and an on-site restaurant, as well as free parking and WiFi
• Centrum Hotel – this is a well reviewed and centrally located guesthouse with private bathrooms, free parking and a restaurant
• Hafnarstræti Hostel – this very well reviewed hostel offers single and double capsule beds as well as a shared kitchen
• Akureyri Backpackers – a popular and central backpackers offering shared and private accommodation as well as free parking, a bar, cafe and communal kitchen.

See more options for Akureyri here .

Day 7: North and West Iceland

We’re now going to explore the town of Akureyri, and then head across to west Iceland and almost back to Reyjkavik. Time limitations on this trip mean we can’t do things like visit the Trollskagi peninsula or Snæfellsnes peninsula, but if you have a bit more time to spare, these would be worthy additions to your trip for sure!

Akureyri has a lot to offer, particularly if you’re interested in visiting some cultural attractions. The town is home to a large number of museums, including the Motorcycle Museum of Iceland , the Industry Museum , the Akureyri Art Museum , Nonnahús  and Safnasafnið , the Icelandic Folk and Outsider museum.

We took the time to visit a few of these for some indoor time, which is a great option when the weather is not so good outside.

Akureyri is also a good place for  horse riding tours  or a food tour , if these activities are of interest.

From Akureyri, it’s a bit of a drive back to Borganes, although along the way there are a number of worthy stops.

One suggestion, depending on time, is to take a detour to drive the Vatnsnes peninsula (or a section of it). This will take an extra 2 – 3 hours depending on stops, but will give you the opportunity to see the impressive Hvitserkur rock formations. There are also a number of other interesting rock formations and some beaches.

This area is also a great place for a chance to see seals in the wild. If you are interested in seals, stop off in Hvammstangi, where you can visit the Icelandic Seal Center, and learn all about these lovely creatures. Depending on the weather conditions and time of year, you can also take a boat tour to see seals and other wildlife.

If you choose not to do the Vatnsnes Peninsula, then Kolugljúfur Canyon is a beautiful canyon and series of waterfalls just a short drive off the Ring Road. You can also do this if you drive the peninsula, it will just require you to double back on yourself a little.

Finally, finish your day be heading on down to Borgarnes. In Borgarnes you might consider a visit to the excellent saga museum. Or, if you prefer, you can drive all the way to Reykjavik for your final night in Iceland!

Day 7 Highlights : Akureyri, Hvitserkur, Vatnsnes peninsula, Icelandic Seal Center, Kolugljúfur Canyon, Borgarnes

Start Point : Akureyri End Point : Borgarnes Distance driven : 370 km / 230 miles.

For your final night we’d suggest staying in either Borgarnes or Reykjavik.

We’ve stayed at a number of hotels near the Reykjavik city centre which we are happy to recommend, and we’ve included some other popular options as well.

• Grand Hotel,  around 1.2 miles from the city center, offering four star accommodation, free wifi, spa & fitness center and free parking. We’ve stayed here.
• Reyjkavik Natura Icelandair Hotel , near the city airport, this hotel offers free parking, a free city bus pass to all guests, on-site restaurant and spa facilities. We’ve stayed here.
• Guesthouse Galtafell  – A good value option around ten minutes walk from the city center and quick walk from the BSI bus station. Offers both guest rooms in the main house as well as apartments that come with a small kitchenette. We’ve stayed here.
• Galaxy Pod Hostel – this well located hostel offers dormitory accommodation with a twist – each bed is in a self-contained pod, offering more privacy than a normal hostel. Pods vary in standard, but most come with TV’s, power and WiFi.

If you’d prefer to stay near the airport, we’ve also stayed at the  Northern Light Inn . This is conveniently located right next to the Blue Lagoon and is about a 17 minute drive from airport. Travellers on more of a budget will like The Base by Keflavik airport , which offers both hotel and hostel style accommodation, as well as an airport shuttle.

We’ve also stayed in the Icelandair Hotel Hamar near Borgarnes. See more lodging options for  Borgarnes here , and  Reykjavik here .

• Day 8: Reykjavik

For your final day, we’d suggest heading back to Reykjavik and doing a little bit of sight-seeing in the town. This would also be a good day to visit the Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon if you didn’t come here on your first day.

There’s a lot to see and do in Reykjavik – from visiting attractions like the Hallgrímskirkja church and the city’s many museums, through to taking whale watching or puffin watching tours .

Finally, it’ll be time to head back to the airport, return your hire car, and head home! You have successfully driven the whole Iceland Ring Road!

Iceland Ring Road Itinerary Map

To help you visualise the road trip route we’ve put it together as a map. This includes the suggested route, attractions and recommended lodging options. You can see this on Google Maps here .

Iceland Ring Road Itinerary Overview

Here’s a summary overview of each day of this Iceland ring road itinerary.

• Day 1 : Blue Lagoon, Thingvellir National Park
• Day 2: Geysir, Gullfoss, Lava Center, Seljalandsfoss, Gljúfrabúi, Skogafoss, Sólheimasandur plane wreck, Reynisfjara black sand beach
• Day 3: Fjaðrárgljúfur, Lava Fields, Vatnajökull National Park, Svartifoss, Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon, Langoustines
• Day 4: Vestrahorn, Djúpivogur, Sveinsstekksfoss, Folaldafoss, Petra’s Stone Collection, Egilsstaðir, Seydisfjördur
• Day 5: Rjukandi waterfall, Dettifoss, Diamond Circle, Hverir, Lake Myvatn Nature Baths
• Day 6: Lake Myvatn, Hverfjall Crater, Dimmuborgir, Skútustaðagígar, Goðafoss
• Day 7: Akureyri, Hvitserkur, Vatnsnes peninsula, Icelandic Seal Center, Kolugljúfur Canyon, Borgarnes

Planning A Self-Drive Ring Road Trip

We have written a whole guide to planning a trip to Iceland , so we would definitely recommend you take a look at that.

For this trip, if you want to drive yourself as we suggest, you have two major options.

First, you could take a self-drive tour. This is what we have done on all our Iceland adventures. The tour company handle everything for you, from booking the hire car and accommodation, to putting together a suggested itinerary.

This is definitely the easiest way to do a self-drive trip, and saves you the hassle of planning all your hotel stops, finding the hire car and so on.

You can see self-drive trips on Tour Radar here and on Guide to Iceland here , both of which offer a variety of tours from different companies in Iceland.

The other option is of course to book everything yourself. First, you’ll want a hire car, and you can check prices here on Rentalcars or here on Northbound .

Rentalcars compare a number of providers in the country so you can find the best price for you.

Northbound is based in Iceland, and they also search a range of providers with the added advantage that you can add the various insurances that are unique to the country should you so choose. This can help avoid the hard sell that you will otherwise likely get for these insurances at the checkout counter when you pick up your car.

It’s also worth mentioning that Northbound can also help you customise a tour to meet your exact needs, a process you can start here . Feel free to send them this blog post and ask them to help you plan a similar trip!

Once you have your car arranged, you’ll want to book your hotels. We’ve got some tips for booking tools further on the in post, and we have also included suggested hotel stops for each night as part of the route plan.

Finally, if self-driving seems too much, you can also of course do the ring road as part of a guided tour like this .

Where Can You See the Northern Lights in Iceland

You can see the northern lights from pretty much anywhere in Iceland. If you’re driving yourself, you just need to find a spot away from city lights with a good view of the sky, and hope for clear conditions and high solar activity. The  Icelandic Met Office website has an excellent tool to help you find the northern lights in Iceland.

The northern lights are viewable from September through to March – basically, you need dark clear skies to see them. In summer, the days are too long for it to be dark enough to see them.

If you’re in Reykjavik, there are lots of tour operators who offer  northern lights tours . This is a good way to see the northern lights, as the drivers will know the best places to go, and the tours will usually only go if there is a high chance of seeing the lights.

If you are planning on seeing the lights, see our guide to  how to photograph the northern lights  so you are fully prepared to get some great images.

Where to Stay in Iceland?

Iceland has a wide range of accommodation options, to suit a variety of budgets, from backpacker hostels through to more luxury properties.

It’s worth noting that Iceland is far from a budget destination (read our Iceland budget tips for money saving advice), but we found that especially for the mid-range properties, value for money was good.

For our self-drive road trips, our hotels were arranged for us. You can see a selection of self-drive tours like this here.

For the majority of the rest of our accommodation in Iceland, we use Booking.com . We find that they are usually the best option when we travel, as they have everything from hotels to apartments and hostels, with a massive choice, and the user review system makes it easier to find good properties.

We have also used apartment rentals platforms like Vrbo in Iceland. We prefer to use these for longer stays though, we think that for short one-night stops, especially on a road trip where arrival times can vary, the requirement to sometimes arrange arrival times with a host can be a problematic. Still, it can be an option.

Power in Iceland

Iceland uses a 220v system with the same two pin plugs as most of Europe. If you are travelling from the UK or US, you will need some form of travel adapter like this – see our Iceland packing list for suggestions.

See more on travel adapters and how to choose one for your trip in our guide to the best travel adapters . We highly recommend you pick anything up before you come as Iceland is not cheap.

Internet Access in Iceland

WiFi is generally easy to find in Iceland, and all the hotels and guesthouses we stayed in had good, free WiFi access. In addition, on our road trip with Iceland Travel, we were provided with a pre-paid SIM card which came with data, meaning we could get online easily.

If you want to get online with your phone, a SIM card from a local provider will likely be the cheapest option, and these can be picked up at Keflavik airport when you arrive.

If you don’t have an unlocked phone, take a look at my guide to getting online when you travel for more options.

For more practicalities for your trip to Iceland, including currency and safety, see our guide to planning a trip to Iceland .

Further Reading for Visiting Iceland

And that finished our detailed 7 day Iceland Ring Road itinerary! Hopefully it has everything you need to start planning your own epic road trip in Iceland.

As mentioned at the start of the post, we’ve travelled a fair bit in Iceland, and have written a number of guides to help you put together your trip and plan effectively. We think you’ll find them useful.

• We have a detailed guide to help you  planning a trip to Iceland,  which has everything you could need to help you plan an awesome adventure in Iceland, from budget tips to practical information and more. A must read and a good place to start your trip planning!
• We have a guide to driving in Iceland to help you prepare for the road trip. If you choose to do this self-drive trip in Iceland in winter, we also have a detailed guide to driving in Iceland in winter to help prepare yourself
• We’ve created a list of some of our  favourite photography locations in Iceland  from our travels there to give you some ideas of where to aim to get the best photos
• If you are interested in seeing Puffins in Iceland, check out our detailed guide to Puffins in Iceland , which has everything you need to know!
• Our guide to finding the Iceland Plane crash , which is a fun photography location (if a bit of a walk to get to!)
• If the Ring Road seems like too much to tackle in seven day, or you’d prefer not to drive it in winter, Jess has put together a detailed post outlining a  7 day winter Iceland itinerary  to give you some route ideas.
• We have a detailed guide to visiting the Blue Lagoon to help you plan that experience
• We also have a detailed guide to the Golden Circle for planning that day trip
• If you’re visiting Iceland in Winter, check out our guide to the  best winter activities in Iceland  and my  tips for cold weather photography
• On a budget? Here’s a guide to visiting Iceland on a budget to help you make the most of your trip
• We have a detailed packing guide to help you decide  what to pack for Iceland
• We’ve also got a guide to the  best day trips from Reykjavik  should you wish to base yourself in the capital rather than self-drive around
• For car rental in Iceland,  this website  lets you choose between a range of car rental providers in Iceland
• The weather in Iceland can be fickle – the best website for real-time cloud cover is  this one from the Icelandic Met Office .
• Whilst Iceland is a safe country to travel in when it comes to things like crime, the country itself is home to extreme conditions and all sorts of seismic activity. So to stay safe as you go, check out the  safetravel Iceland page
• Finally, if you’re not sure what camera gear to take with, take a look at both our guide to  picking a travel camera , picking a travel lens , and our personal  travel photography gear

And that’s it! If you’ve got any questions or feedback on the above, just let us know in the comments below, and have an awesome trip in Iceland!

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Anna R says

13th February 2023 at 10:40 pm

Hi. Just a note to say thanks for your amazing blog about driving the Iceland ring road. It was super helpful for informing the planning for our upcoming trip there in September.

Laurence Norah says

15th February 2023 at 8:13 am

It’s my pleasure Anna, have a great trip and let me know if you have any questions!

10th June 2022 at 6:16 am

Hi Laurence,

Thank you for your detailed guide. I will be travelling to Iceland in July and will be following your itinerary as the days line up perfectly. I just had a question with regards to your itinerary and car rentals – are there any stops in your itinerary that would require an SUV with 4 wheel drive capabilities (F-roads) or would a regular city car be sufficient? Thanks again for all the detailed information you’ve provided.

10th June 2022 at 11:38 am

On the map that I’ve shared there shouldn’t be any F-roads and you shouldn’t need a 4WD car for this trip, especially not in summer. For Dettifoss, I’d recommend taking road 862 rather than 864.

F roads are very clearly marked, normally with very large signs, so you shouldn’t find yourself on one by accident 🙂

Have a great time in Iceland! Feel free to stop back and let us know how you found the trip!

Keehyuk says

1st June 2022 at 11:52 pm

Thank you so much for your really detailed guide as well as the other Iceland related content! We just got back from a week in Iceland and worked off a compacted version of your guide here. The result was easily one of the most incredible trips we have ever had! We’ve already talked about going back so we can drive up to the West Fjords and hit some of the spots we missed due to time crunch/weather.

Just something to update your guide, the langostine restaurant you recommended in Höfn (Humarhöfnin Veitingahús) is permanently closed. There is another restaurant in its place now. We were looking forward to trying it but ended up at the Z Bistro down the street instead (fantastic food with generous portions and as fairly decently priced as well).

2nd June 2022 at 2:50 pm

Hey Keehyuk,

Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and leave your thoughts on the article and your experience in Iceland! I am so pleased to hear that you had a great time! I also hope you guys are able to get back, the West Fjords are absolutely stunning, and very different to the rest of the country.

I must also thank you for your update on the langoustine restaurant in Hofn. To be honest we very rarely recommend restaurants because they seem to come and go more quickly than most other attractions. This was so good that we had to recommend it, and we are sorry to hear it has gone 🙁 I have removed it from this guide, and thanks for the alternative option 🙂

Safe travels!

11th May 2022 at 9:41 pm

Hi there! Some friends of mine and I are planning a trip but we were wondering what you would estimate your budget to be to do the full itinerary for a guided tour versus self drive?? We’re planning on going end of may-June.

12th May 2022 at 8:55 am

Great question. So a tour of around this length, such as this one , is going to cost in the region of $1600 – $2000 per person. Then you will have to figure out what the tour does or doesn’t include, such as meals and attraction entry. Most tours include breakfast but often lunch and dinner at your own expense, so that’s another $20 – $50 per person per day depending on your eating style. Food can be quite expensive in Iceland, especially in restaurants.

When travelling on your own, your main costs will be the car rental, accommodation, fuel and meals. With a group of you, you can obviously split the car rental and fuel, although this would depend on how many you are travelling with. For car rental, this site should give you an idea of the cost at your time of year.

For hotels, I will assume you are sharing, so a room for two will generally run you in the region of $100 – $200 a night for two people. Meal costs will be similar as to being on a guided tour as most hotels include breakfast.

There are quite a few variables to take into account, so I can’t give you an exact answer as it will depend on your group size and the level of comfort you are looking for. I would say that doing it yourself will normally work out a little bit cheaper, especially with a group of around four as you can split costs quite easily. It also gives you more flexibiity. However you obviously won’t have the benefit of a guide, and you will have to do all the planning yourself. So cost is not the only thing to consider.

I hope this helps a bit, let me know if I can offer any further input, and have a great trip!

8th May 2022 at 9:05 am

Dear Laurence, First of all, thanks for all the amazing range of info and all the practical tips you have on your site. It’s really my favorite travel site! We’re going to Iceland this summer and wondering about spending a day in the Westjords. Have you visited the area? Would you recommend going there if we have an extra day or two? What should we see there? Any recommendations where to stay overnight?

9th May 2022 at 6:24 pm

Thanks very much! So yes, we have visited the Westfjords and it is a beautiful part of Iceland. It’s the oldest part of the country geologically speaking, and is definitely very different to the other parts of the country. I don’t include it on this itinerary as you definitely need at least two days to visit. The distances might not look long on the map, but the roads here are very winding as they follow the coastline, so it can take a long time to get anywhere! There’s a lot to see and do here – the cliffs at Látrabjarg are popular, and Djnjandi waterfall is spectacular. We stayed in Isafjordur which was nice, we also did some sea kayaking here and took a boat trip to Vigur island to see puffins which was lovely.

Let me know if I can offer any more information! I can definitely recommend taking the time to visit this area 🙂

Christos & Inge says

6th April 2022 at 8:10 pm

Hello Laurence, thank you for taking the time to answer my question. We indeed plan to spend our last night at Reykjavik. We fly out on Monday, the 18th, at 18.30, so we will have several hours to spend in this nice city. However, back to our arrival day on Sunday the 10th,..We should be done with immigration and rental car, by 16.30, I hope. So, I did look into going to Thingvellir straight from the Airport. I estimate that we would get there at around 18.00…Perhaps, late to actually see things at our leisure after a long day of travelling. Then, I check for possible accommodation close by there, and there are few options only, and most of them pricy even…So, perhaps it will be wiser to book something in Reykjavik anyway, get a taste of the city in the evening, and get a fresh start the next Morning. Come to think of it…My wife actually would not mind seeing the Blue Lagoon again after almost 20 years!! Plus, my 12 year old daughter and myself had not been there at all. Its Iceland…We will try to go to all the hot pools and springs we can find! So, we could indeed follow your advice from your itinerary, and drive straight to the Blue Lagoon from the airport, enjoy it and then head towards Reykjavik…Its all good! Its a holiday after all, Best regards and thanks again, Christos

6th April 2022 at 8:15 pm

Hi Christos

It’s my pleasure! I think your plan sounds good. I think you might feel stressed about having to go to the Golden Circle on your first day. This way you can all relax in the lagoon and then go to the city afterwards for the evening, then be ready for your adventures the next morning 😀 And yes, there is a lot more choice of places to stay (and eat!) in the city.

Have an amazing time!

8th April 2022 at 1:16 pm

Hello again! My plan is coming along, but I would appreciate your recommendation for something. We plan to do the Golden Cirle but, instead of heading back to Reykavik, to join the Ring road after the Kerid Crater. I expect to be there after 16.00 for sure… So, what is your recommendation for our next overnight? What area or town? And if you have any options for accommodation, it’s more than welcome!

Thank you, Christos

8th April 2022 at 2:01 pm

Hey Christos,

This is a great question, and it’s given me the incentive to add all the lodging we recommend to the route map to make it easier to see where it is. You can see the map here with all the hotels added in.

I would say that if you are ok to drive a bit further then heading towards Hella or Hvolsvollur would make the most sense. You have the Famer’s Guesthouse the Stracta Hotel or the Hotel Kanslarinn in Hella, and then Midgard Base Camp in Hvolsvollur. There are other options too of course!

6th April 2022 at 4:09 pm

Hi Laurence! We will fly for Iceland on Sunday the 10th and since we will land at 15.30, i want your opinion on how to begin our trip. I have already booked our car for the Ring road drive we plan to do. We have just 8 nights, and i hope to make the best of it. We want to skip the Blue Lagoon on the 1st day, because my wife has already seen it , plus we plan to visit the less busy option at Lake Myvatn, that you guys also reccomend. Based on the fact that we could be ready to begin at around 16.30, what is your best option for this 1st day? Go towards the Golden Circle, and see a bit of it and spend the night somewhere there or head towards Reykjavik instead and have a fresh start the next morning??

6th April 2022 at 4:25 pm

Great to hear from you! So the answer depends a little on when you leave as well. If you are planning on visiting Reykjavik at the end of your trip, then I would go straight onto the Golden Circle. However, if you think you’ll be missing it at the end, then I would say you should definitely include it. It’s worth at least wandering around for a couple of hours, and there are a wide range of accommodation options to choose from. However, if you plan to do that already at the end of the trip, I’d probably get going towards the Golden Circle.

The first main attraction would be Thingvellir. As you land relatively late (by the time you have gone through security and picked up your car), the visitor centre will likely be closed. However as far as I am aware you can still visit and see the main sights on the trails if you wanted too. Or you could just overnight nearby and visit in the morning when everything is open.

Honestly though, the distance from the city to Thingvellir is not too great, so I think either option would work. It might come down to where you can find to stay 🙂

Have a great trip and let me know if I can help any more!

Barbara says

24th January 2022 at 3:37 am

Hi Laurence, We are planning on spending 3 weeks in Iceland. We will be spending 3 days at the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and 3 days at the Golden Circle before beginning our tour of the Ring Road. We also hope to be returning to Rekjavik for 2-3 days before flying out. That leaves us with 9-10 days to spend on the Ring Road. We have your suggested 7 day itinerary, but could use some suggestions to spend extra days. We are active and enjoy hiking, but nothing terribly extreme. We will be staying in hotel, etc. on the road. Our kids will be doing the Ring Road as well, but plan to camp most of the time. We will not necessarily be traveling together. Do you have additional suggestions to extend this trip beyond your 7 day itinerary?

Thanks, Barb Fast

25th January 2022 at 11:41 am

Hi Barbara!

So the good news is that it is very easy to extend this itinerary for as long as you like 🙂 We actually spent four weeks driving the Ring Road when researching this piece, and still could have done more. I would personally recommend adding a bit of extra time in either the east or north, where there is plenty to see and do. Alternatively, a good option would be to spend a couple of days visiting the Westfjords. This is the oldest part of Iceland geologically speaking, and is very different to the rest of the country. There are lots of hiking and other outdoors activities here like sea kayaking. So that would probably be my suggestion.

I hope this helps – have a great time in Iceland!

29th April 2021 at 6:24 pm

You are a star. xxx

24th April 2021 at 10:24 am

Hello to you both from an unusually sunny Noth Wales.

My wife and I have just subscribed to your monthly newsletter, the first time i have subscribed to anything like this, and is testment to the quality of your website, its’s absolutely brilliant.

I have booked 2 weeks in Iceland off the back of your website starting 13th August. We are both fit and are there to celebrate my Wife’s 50th Birthday.

Due to Covid we will pobably have to isolate in a hotel for the fist night (waiting for test results) but then we can get started. I have booked the following 3 nights in Laugarvatn (we lose the day of arrival as a exploring day due to having to Covid isolate) to do everything on the Golden Circle 2 Night near Vik 3 nights 25km beyond Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon 3 nights near Mývatn lake 2 night on Snæfellsnes peninsula 1 night near the Airport (due to a stupid O’ Clock flight the following morning)

We love hiking (absolute max of 20km) and want to see as much unusual geology / unusual landscapes / rare nature etc. as possible. We want a minimum 2 nights in a hotel as we don’t want to have to pack, unpack every night. So we have two questions… How would you guys do things differently to our itinerary? What paid tours would you do (ice cave, lava tunnels, snow-mobile, boat trips etc.) as we can probably only afford 2 or 3 max

Thank you for all of the Iceland Information, i have read EVERYTHING and you have made plannig the trip very easy.

24th April 2021 at 3:45 pm

Lovely to hear from you! I was actually born in North Wales and am quite familiar with the area (and the vagaries of the weather!).

So I don’t know how flexible your bookings are. I also assume you are driving. Your itinerary looks good to me, but if I was going to make any changes I might suggest:

– Adding in a night or two on the east coast, between Jökulsárlón and Myvatn. East Iceland is very beautiful and it would be a shame to miss out on that. To stick to your minimum of 2 nights in a hotel, I’d suggest dropping 1 night in Laugarvatn and 1 night in Jökulsárlón perhaps. Seydisfjordur or somewhere in that area might be a good option to stop.

In terms of tours, I would recommend those that you can’t do safely by yourself. An ice cave for example is a great idea, but you can only visit those in winter. You might want to do a whale watching trip for example, or you might prefer snowmobiling, both of which are viable in August. A boat trip on the glacier lagoon is also a good option, although if you prefer something quieter there are also kayaking trips in this area which you might prefer. I’d also personally recommend a thermal spa experience – my favourite is the one in Myvatn which has gorgeous views. I preferred that to the blue lagoon for sure. Of course, there are also more natural pools if you prefer, many of which can be visited for free.

I think otherwise your itinerary looks very good and I am sure you will have a great time! Let me know if you have any more questions, I’m happy to help 🙂

25th April 2021 at 7:14 pm

Hello Laurence, Thank you for getting back to us with your advice. We have tweaked our plans accordingly and we are now having a night near Seydisfjordur as you suggested. We will certainly be booking the kayaking in Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon so again thanks for the advice. If we could trouble you for one further bit of advice – in the month you spent traveling Iceland which were your favourite walks / hikes (of less than 20km?)

26th April 2021 at 10:56 am

It’s my pleasure! So my favourite hike (so good I did it twice, once in winter and once in summer), was the hike up to the Glymur waterfall. It’s the second highest waterfall in Iceland and makes for a nice few hours of hiking 🙂 Of course, there are many more hikes in Iceland, but most of the ones we did were more like an hour or so rather than anything longer, so you might need to consult a hiking guide for longer walks.

I hope this helps a bit at least 🙂

Jim F. says

29th March 2021 at 5:48 pm

I enjoyed reading about your travels on the Icelandic ring road. I was stationed at the NATO base in Keflavik which is now and was then an airport available to civilian flights as well. During our tour in Iceland we enjoyed driving the ring road three times, although it was not an entirely paved road then. There are so many wonderful things to see in Iceland and places to go that are off the beaten track if you have the time and of course the money. Our children got to see a volcano fissure erupt at 3 AM, up close and personal while there. They walked close enough to feel the heat of the lava while standing in snow up to their knees, I have pictures of them with the look of amazement on their faces. We as a family united like never before and still talk about our trips when we look back over the pictures and movies. One item not mentioned in your description is the Icelandic horses. They will come right up to the fences if you offer a treat. If I remember correctly the Icelandic horses are the only horses in the world that have a 5 step gait. They were also a favorite of our children. One thing I would caution on is driving on the wooden bridges on the ring road ( I assume they are still wooden). They have poor traction and are often wet, you need to drive slowly and be prepared. In addition, I would never ever recommend driving the road in winter. I had to go to Hofn quite often in my duties for what was supposed to be a “two or three day trip” and ended up spending a week or more there because the road was closed due to snow and ice. Would I do it again, in a heart beat.

29th March 2021 at 7:22 pm

Hi Jim – thanks for stopping by and sharing your memories of your time in Iceland. It sounds like you had some really fantastic experiences!

I loved the Icelandic horses too! Somehow I didn’t mention them in this guide but I did include them in some of our other posts on Iceland 🙂

That’s a good tip on the bridges, although I don’t recall that many of them were wooden when we drove it. I also definitely agree about not driving the ring road in winter. Not only is the weather likely to be bad and the road subject to closure, but the long hours of darkness mean you can miss a lot too!

Thanks again for taking the time to leave a comment, it’s appreciated!

Karen Buchsbaum says

25th February 2020 at 4:13 am

Love your blog and have found it very helpful for our planning! We only have 7 nights and I had wanted to do the Ring Drive – but worry it might not give us enough time to enjoy the sights. We are older than your average readers, not too concerned about budget, and definitely not into rigorous active adventures (walks, boat rides, and scenery are of most interest). I was actually considering driving from Reykjavik by the Snafellsnes Penninsula to Akureyri so we can whale watch in Husavik. Then, if possible to drop the car, and fly back to Reykjavik. But, this would mean we would miss the Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach as well as the dramatic coast on the east, which I also wanted to see. If we dropped the car, I’ve considered taking a (long) day tour from Reykjavik to the Glacier Lagoon to give my husband a break from driving. Or, alternatively, skipping the Snafellsnes Penninsula and just going for the whole Ring Drive. Do you have any thoughts or input that could help us make the final decision?!

25th February 2020 at 12:44 pm

Thanks very much. So yes, I would agree that with 7 nights it’s either the full ring road OR the Snaefellsnes Peninsula.

In terms of input, it will depend a little bit on the time of year you go. If you are visiting between March and September, the days will be much longer and you’ll be able to fit a lot more in. Outside of these months, the days will be much shorter, and the risk of poor weather closing the roads is also higher.

The reason the south coast is so popular is because it’s so accessible. Certainly, the waterfalls / glacier lagoon is impressive, but it’s not “better” than the scenery elsewhere in Iceland in my opinion. It’s just much more visited because it’s closer to Reykjavik, and there are lots of sights relatively close to each other. I’d also add that if you visit in the warmer months, the diamond beach will have very few diamonds on it.

The north, east and west of Iceland gets fewer visitors (basically anywhere that isn’t the south cost to the glacier lagoon), and I think makes for a great adventure. I think your plan of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and north part of Iceland won’t disappoint. The Diamond Circle and attractions around Lake Myvatn are spectacular!

Have a great trip, whatever you choose to do!

25th February 2020 at 8:37 pm

Thanks Laurence! Your thoughts are very appreciated. I neglected to say we are going in early June! I have my plane tickets and now need to get going with booking the rest. It’s a compromise with my husband to just go for a week, since we have some other plans prior. I also blog (non-monetized, independent, just for fun), so I have total appreciation for your excellent detail and photos! Regards, Karen

Chitra says

14th February 2020 at 6:24 pm

Hi We are planning to visit in the last week of June with a 21 month old. Is the 8 day self drive trip feasible with a toddler?

15th February 2020 at 11:32 am

Hey Chitra,

So I have to be honest, we don’t have children so it is hard for us to answer this question definitively. My understanding from talking to other travellers with children is that it very much depends on the individual child as to what they like, and their tolerance for longer journeys. This is certainly a full itinerary with a lot to see and do, and I believe that travelling with a young child can definitely add overhead to a trip, so it may be that you have to skip a few things. You might also prefer to try and focus on a smaller area of Iceland. But really it’s up to you 🙂

Sorry I can’t be of more specific help! Have a great trip though 😀

charissa says

10th February 2020 at 6:44 pm

Your blog is amazing! My girlfriend and I are planning an Iceland trip in June 2020 and want to drive the ring road in 8 days, so we are going to use your ring road itinerary mostly. We are planning to camp during our trip. Do we need to make reservations at camp sites in advance or is there always an extra spot were we can pop our tent up?

11th February 2020 at 1:09 pm

Hi Charissa!

Thanks very much! So June is a popular time, but in our experience you should generally be able to get a spot. However, if you know your dates and where you are going, then reserving will give you peace of mind 🙂

There’s also a camping card in Iceland which might save you money and works at many campsites – we have a guide to that in our post on travelling in Iceland on a budget .

Let me know if you have any more questions, and have a great trip to Iceland!

Sridutt says

11th November 2019 at 4:14 pm

Hi Laurence.. Fantastic guide and great detailing.. We are planning on doing the ring road trip in March.. how many days do u think we should reserve for this trip considering the weather in March? And what are our chances of catching the northern lights? Thank you..

12th November 2019 at 1:23 pm

Hi Sridutt!

So 7 days is the absolute minimum in my opinion for driving the ring road. However, 10 – 14 days would be more comfortable. In March you should still have a good chance of seeing the northern lights, you just have to be lucky with the weather!

Have an amazing trip, and do feel free to pop back with any more questions and to let us know how it went!

23rd September 2019 at 5:17 am

Thank you so much for this detailed post (and the others I have clicked on linked in your post!) I am planning a 7 day trip to Iceland next July and this was incredibly helpful to let me know where to go and where to stay!

23rd September 2019 at 9:55 am

Our pleasure Lisa! Thank you so much for your kind comment 🙂 Have an amazing time in Iceland and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions 😀

Seetul Ghattaora says

18th September 2019 at 12:42 pm

Hi! This is a really useful itinerary, thank you! We plan on going to Iceland in October and following the 5 or 7 day itinerary. Could you give an indication of price? How much did you spend on travel/accomodation/food/petrol in the week?

18th September 2019 at 12:44 pm

Thanks very much! It really depends on your travel style. Iceland is definitely not a budget destination though. We have a break down of various costs in our detailed Iceland budget guide, which you can see here: https://independenttravelcats.com/iceland-budget-tips-how-to-save-money-in-iceland/

Have a great trip!

6th August 2019 at 12:24 am

Such a wonderful site. I am totally planning my road trip in late September using this. I am in Iceland for 9 days/8 nights. I am thinking where should i spend my extra day. Any suggestion?

7th August 2019 at 2:50 pm

Thanks very much 🙂 My suggestion would definitely be to add the Snaefellsnes peninsula to your trip, that would be a great way to use that extra day 🙂

Have a great time and let me know if you have any more questions!

Hazel Marzan says

12th July 2019 at 1:27 pm

Hello Thank you for this wonderful itinerary. We’re thinking of traveling early September with our 6 yr old daughter. Will the 7 day itinerary be too much for a 6 yr old. Should we follow your 5 day itinerary and stretch it to 7 .Any suggestions so we can make this better for her. Thanks.

13th July 2019 at 4:23 pm

This would be quite a full trip for seven days so you might find that your 6 year old finds the pace of the five day itinerary easier if stretched over 5 days. Of course, everyone’s family is different, so I can’t say for certain, but it would definitely be an easier trip with less long hours of driving if you did the 5 day route 🙂

Have a great time in Iceland!

29th June 2019 at 8:37 pm

I am planning to visit Iceland in 1st week of August. Could you please suggest the best and scenic road trip route. I would be very grateful. I would also want to include the peninsula.

29th June 2019 at 8:39 pm

So the best itinerary for seven days, if you want to drive the whole ring road, would be this route. However, we also have a 7 day and a 5 day itinerary that you might find useful, which cover different parts of Iceland. It’s really up to you to customise these routes to your needs and interests, but they should form a great basis to start from. The 7 day and 5 day itineraries can be seen at the following links:

https://independenttravelcats.com/visiting-iceland-in-winter-7-day-iceland-itinerary-by-car/ https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/5-day-iceland-itinerary/

24th June 2019 at 2:50 pm

Good Morning, I am travelling to Iceland the last week of October. Would the Ring Road trip be feasible at this time? I am doing a guided tour of the south the first week of Nov, so I will be strictly driving through this part. If Ring road is not doable at this time of year, what would you suggest as a plan that do not include the south? Thank you

25th June 2019 at 1:43 am

So it is hard to say exactly as predicting the weather is definitely tricky in Iceland. I would say that it might be possible, it might not. The risk is that there are not any alternatives, so if a section of the ring road is closed, your only choice is to backtrack. An alternative to doing the whole ring road would be to fly to Akureyri and base yourself from there, exploring that area and the Lake Myvatn area. There’s a great deal to see in the area, and you wouldn’t be locked in to having to follow the singular route and get back to your start point. So that would be my suggested alternative option 🙂

Have a great trip whatever you choose to do!

Pankhri says

3rd June 2019 at 3:55 pm

Hi, I am a fan of this page, Such detailed itenary and details. I have a quick question. We will be in Iceland for exactly 8 days and we want to do the Ring road trip. We are planning to use this itenary except that we want to relax it a little bit in some places, so we are planning to start driving from Reyjavik to Lake Myvatn area and then drop the rental car at AEY airport. We will take a flight from AEY to RKV. We will miss Snæfellsnes peninsula and Borgarnes if we follow above. Do you think its is worth the trade-off.

3rd June 2019 at 6:33 pm

Hi Pankhir,

Thanks very much 🙂 My response would be that I am always a fan of going slower and trying to see more rather than rushing around, so I think you are making a good choice. I would say that yes, it’s worth the trade off. East and North Iceland area really fantastic, I don’t think you will regret this decision 🙂

Have an amazing trip!

Nirman says

2nd June 2019 at 11:16 am

Perfect blog. Planning to be there in December 2019. This blog made things very easy and doable. Thanks -Nirman

2nd June 2019 at 12:17 pm

Thanks Nirman – have a great trip 🙂

PARASAR KASHYAP says

23rd May 2019 at 7:50 am

Hi Lawrence,

Thanks for the detailed road trip plan. Its the most comprehensive itinerary available on the net.

I am visiting with my cousin towards September end and plan to self-drive this trip. Would this trip be possible then? What kind of precaution would you suggest – choice of cars, places to avoid? We were also hoping to catch the nothern lights but dont want to opt for any tours. Please advise.

Regards, Parashar

23rd May 2019 at 10:56 am

Hi Parasar,

My pleasure. This trip would be possible in September. Snow is possible then, but not common, and it will be around 5C – 10C (it might feel colder due to the wind though, so pack warm clothes!).

So you shouldn’t need to skip anything or worry about having an extreme car, a normal car should work fine.

For the northern lights, it’s just a question of finding somewhere dark enough and hoping for clear skies and northern lights activity. Most of Iceland is going to be dark enough, just drive away from any sources of light like towns or villages and you will be fine. You shouldn’t need to take a tour 🙂

Let me know if you have any more questions!

23rd May 2019 at 1:41 pm

Thanks for the quick reply Lawrence. Much appreciated

22nd May 2019 at 11:30 am

Wow…reading this felt I was already there…will do this 7 day round trip while tent camping…will go in two weeks, so I hope I can write a wonderful report when I’m back on the 15th…thanks for all the tips!

22nd May 2019 at 12:46 pm

Hey Jac, our pleasure! Have a wonderful time in Iceland and do let us know how your experience met to expectation!

Mary Anne Sander says

19th May 2019 at 10:53 pm

Thanks for your great guidance. We plan on following your 7/day itinerary. Do you offer a condensed version for easy printing?

20th May 2019 at 10:36 am

Hi Mary Anne,

Our pleasure! That isn’t something we offer right now, but hopefully it shouldn’t be too hard to take the relevant parts and turn them into a document 🙂

17th October 2019 at 6:43 pm

I hope you had a great trip to Iceland! I appreciate this might be a bit late for your trip, but for others reading and in case you use our site in the future for other trips, we’ve now added a print button on all our posts ?

Happy travels!

Gina Davis says

3rd April 2019 at 2:31 pm

Thank you for the great suggestions! We have almost this exact trip planned in July. I noticed that you did not have any cave (lava tube) tours suggested. I wondered if you did any and what you thought about them? I am specifically considering Lofthellir Ice Cave and wondering if it’s worth the time and expense to visit. Thanks!

3rd April 2019 at 6:54 pm

Hi Gina! We did do a Lava cave tour on our trip 🙂 We visited Raufarhólshellir, also known as the Lava Tunnel. You can see there website here: https://thelavatunnel.is/

We enjoyed it, it’s definitely different to a normal cave experience as it is quite close to the surface and formed differently. I haven’t visited Lofthellir though so we can’t comment on that one specifically!

Enjoy your trip!

Husain Pulav says

29th March 2019 at 1:31 am

Thank you for the detailed itinerary. In your itinerary you haven’t mentioned anything about watching the Northern Lights. We’re planning to do the ring road in Sept-Oct which is one of the best times to watch the Northern Lights. So is there a special place where we can see it or just drive away from city lights while on the ring road?

29th March 2019 at 10:25 am

Good point! You are right, September / October are great times to see the northern lights. You just need to find a dark place, which to be honest, is not very hard in Iceland! I actually just wrote a guide to photographing the northern lights, you can see that here: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/photograph-northern-lights/

Have a lovely trip, and let me know if you have any more questions!

29th March 2019 at 4:35 pm

Thank you very much Laurence

Johnar Håland says

24th March 2019 at 1:09 pm

Just wanted to ask why you do not include Snaefellsnes Peninsula on this route as you list it as an option for the 5 day route. You think there are other spots that are “better” and worth prioritizing instead?

24th March 2019 at 1:57 pm

The Snaefellsnes Peninsula needs a whole day in my opinion to see, and I don’t think a week would be enough to drive the Ring Road and also to see the Peninsula, so that’s why I left it off. It’s also quite a detour off the ring road, and for the most part (except the Golden Circle), I tried to stick to the path of the actual ring road for the itinerary.

For the 5 day route I listed it as an option instead of visiting Reykjavik, rather than as an addition. The Snaefellsnes Peninsula is certainly beautiful and worth seeing, but so are many other parts of Iceland 🙂

24th March 2019 at 12:12 pm

Thanks for a great post! We are going to Iceland in July. We have 6,5 days (excluding flights). Would you recommend us to follow this route or your 5 day trip? We understand it might be a bit rushed, but we do not mind some long drives. Could it perhaps be a good idea to start on this route and see how far we get and just turn around and head back to Reykjavik if we do not have enough time for the whole plan?

Other question is about accommodation. We understand that July is a busy season. Will it be risky to book accomodation on the day as we drive or should we arrange everything in advance? The latter will give less flexibility obviously..

24th March 2019 at 12:33 pm

Our pleasure 🙂 So personally with 6.5 days I would not do the ring road. It is a lot of driving, and whilst you say you don’t mind that, I feel that you should spend a bit more time seeing some areas in depth and having time to get out and explore, rather than sitting in a car. Of course, you get a lot of daylight in July, so it is do-able, but personally I wouldn’t.

I would also say that as it’s a ring, and there isn’t really a shortcut across the middle, you will get to a point where turning around wouldn’t make much sense as it would be further to go back than go forward 😉

If it was me, I would follow my five day itinerary with the extra Snaefellsness Peninsula section added on. So I would start with the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, then the Golden Circle, then the South Coast. If you feel you have more time, you could head further along the south coast past the glacier lagoon to the stunning Vestrahorn mountain.

July is definitely busy. We travelling in June and it was a challenge getting all the hotels we wanted, even booking in advance. I would definitely advise against booking on the day. Whilst there are more hotels being built all the time, and capacity is increasing, I think this would lead to a stressful trip trying to find places to stay rather than enjoying yourself. Again, you might be ok, but it’s not something I would recommend 🙂

I hope this all helps! Have a wonderful trip, and do let us know how it goes – whatever you decide to do!

Victor H says

19th March 2019 at 9:39 pm

Very Interesting post… question, Starting which month after the summer it is possible to see the Northen lights and where?

20th March 2019 at 12:51 pm

So in theory you can see the northern lights in Iceland from late August to late April. However, we’d say September would be a better month, as you get more hours of darkness, and September / October are good months with a higher chance of northern lights activity.

Alberto says

6th March 2019 at 6:49 am

Hi! Thanks for this post. It is helping me a lot to plan my Iceland trip 🙂

I will be travelling in September and have only 6D 6N for the trip – do you recommend doing the ring road or are there better alternatives (I am guessing covering only the Southern part..)?

Thank you 🙂

6th March 2019 at 10:28 am

Hi Alberto,

I’d advise against driving the ring road in 6 days, it would be a bit rushed. My suggestion would be to do a trip from Snaefellsnes, round the Golden Circle, and along the south coast as far as Jokulsarlon Glacier lagoon. That will give you more time to see things and less time driving.

If you wanted to have a quieter time, you could also do a road trip starting in Akureyri and focusing on the northern highlights. However, as this is your first time in Iceland, I think the south coast makes more sense as that’s where many of the most iconic sights are.

I’d suggest looking at our 5 day Iceland itinerary: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/5-day-iceland-itinerary/

Which has the option to add on Snaefellsnes. We also have a 7 day itinerary focusing on this region here: https://independenttravelcats.com/visiting-iceland-in-winter-7-day-iceland-itinerary-by-car/

Have a great trip, and let me know if you have any more questions!

7th March 2019 at 6:07 am

Thanks 🙂 Would you recommend renting a camper or rather a compact and staying in hotels/inns? I have read very different opinions on this. We are a young couple so camper should not be much of an issue

8th March 2019 at 2:10 pm

Hi Alberto – so when it comes to cost, you might not find too much difference unless you get a very small camper, as campervans are generally more expensive than vehicles. It’s also illegal to camp in Iceland in a van unless you get specific permission for the landower (see more on this in our guide to travelling in iceland on a budget here: https://independenttravelcats.com/iceland-budget-tips-how-to-save-money-in-iceland/#Can-I-camp-for-free-in-Iceland )

So you will still have to pay for a campsite. So whilst this is obviously cheaper than a hotel, the overall price of your trip once you factor in camper rental might not be that different. So if cost is the reason, I would suggest there might not be much difference – I would choose to camp if that is the style of travel you prefer, rather than as a cost saving measure if that makes sense. Of course, camping gives your the opportunity to cook for yourself too, which can also save money, but you can achieve the same in hostels, airbnb’s and so on 🙂

I hope this clarifies!

Kirk Rydberg says

5th March 2019 at 7:59 pm

Thank you for such a comprehensive itinerary. It really helped me plan for my trip with my daughters coming up in June. I have three questions. First, We will rent a car but we are used to American car sizes. Most rental cars say they are good for one large and one travel bag. Is this accurate? We would have three and three. Should I look at bigger auto for rental? Second, are fuel stations available in most towns and villages on the Ring? Finally, in the eastern and northern regions should we get hotel reservations now or will there be some available during late June? I’m just afraid of being forced to stick to the itinerary if we find places we want to spend more time in. Thank you again for the great info.

5th March 2019 at 8:11 pm

My pleasure. Let me see if I can help with your questions.

First, I would say that yes, the rental car sites are likely to be quite accurate. Compact cars in Iceland (and Europe in general) tend to be quite small, certainly a lot smaller than your standard US car. If there are three adults and three bags, you will want at least a mid-size car I think.

Second, fuel stations are available all around the ring road, yes, we never had a problem finding fuel. I mean, sometimes you’ll want to top off when you see a gas station in more remote areas, just to be sure, but it shouldn’t be a problem. Note that some of them are unmanned and operate with a credit card, but the instructions are available in English on the terminals and easy to follow.

Third – June is a relatively busy time of the year, but the eastern and northern parts of Iceland get far fewer visitors than the busy south coast. So I would recommend booking on the south coast in advance, and you should have more flexibility along the east and north.

Of course, I should add a note that there are fewer hotels in those regions. So one option might be to use a platform like booking.com where you can take advantage of the free cancellation should your plans change.

Hope this helps – have a fantastic trip and don’t hesitate to follow up with any more questions!

5th March 2019 at 8:28 pm

Thank you for the quick reply. This helps me quite a bit. I figured it was pretty accurate on the car so I will get a bigger car.

Thanks again and I’m sure i’ll be asking more questions as we get closer.

Graham Hurst says

17th February 2019 at 8:58 pm

Hi guys. Just wanted to get in touch to say thank you for providing all this useful information regarding the ring road. We are heading to Iceland in April and hope to follow what you have described above.

We plan to rent a small 2WD vehicle to reduce costs. Would you envisage this being a problem in April? Not sure what to expect weather wise ????

18th February 2019 at 11:00 am

Our pleasure, we’re pleased you found it useful 🙂 So a 2WD should be fine for this itinerary, as it’s largely on good sealed roads. The weather in Iceland is very variable – it can be cold even in the summer months. Snow is unlikely in April, but certainly not impossible, although the main roads should be fine to drive on unless you are particularly unlucky! Otherwise, make sure you take plenty of warm layers and waterproof clothing, as rain and wind are a possibility all year round (those waterfalls need to get their water from somewhere!)

18th February 2019 at 12:38 pm

Thanks for the quick reply Laurence. Useful to know. The other thing I was hoping you could help with is which glacier you would recommend visiting (for a 3 hour walk) that is close to the ring road and would fit the itinerary you have listed. Thanks again.

19th February 2019 at 5:03 pm

My pleasure 🙂 I’d recommend a tour on Vatnajokull, where you can do both a glacier hike or an ice cave tour.

These are found just off the ring road on the south coast, and are easy to get to with parking 🙂

21st February 2019 at 8:28 pm

Thank you. Hopefully we can still do the ice caves in April.

sandra says

10th June 2019 at 2:28 pm

Oh, no, I just saw that the ice caves aren’t open when we plan to visit in October??? Are any of them open? I want to go and see. Thanks so much… Sandra

10th June 2019 at 3:24 pm

This ice cave tour runs year round with departure from Vik 🙂

Sandra says

14th June 2019 at 9:06 pm

Can the ice cave tours be done independently or do we have to pay for a tour? Thanks!

15th June 2019 at 10:56 am

I would definitely not advise trying to visit an ice cave by yourself, they can be quite dangerous and you would want an experienced guide who knows the area and conditions well 🙂

Brian Balanoff says

11th February 2019 at 3:53 pm

Hello! We are wondering if you could suggest how you would shorten this just a bit if you only had 7 days including the dates of arrival and departure (arriving in the AM and departing in the early evening). Would your 5 day itinerary be a better idea? Thank you! Brian

12th February 2019 at 5:39 pm

With the shorter time, I’d definitely suggest following our five day itinerary, and not trying to tackle the whole ring road as you’ll be quite rushed and not be able to enjoy yourself fully. You will be able to go at a more leisurely pace for the five day itinerary I suggest, including having time to see the beautiful Snaefellsnes Peninsula 🙂

Enjoy, and do let us know how it goes!

4th February 2019 at 5:17 pm

I echoed with other readers. Your itinerary is very reasonable and covers all major points that we want to visit. Due to our daughters’ different school and work schedule, we plan to visit the Ring Road from May 19 to May 31. Is the weather safe enough for us to drive through the whole ring road? We are from Michigan and are used to driving in snow but were wondering if this is a good time to visit the Ring Road. Thanks in advance for your time in answering our questions. It is very kind and nice of you. God Bless!

4th February 2019 at 5:21 pm

That is an excellent amount of time for the ring road, it will give you plenty of time to see everything on our itinerary plus a few more things if you wish.

May would be a good time for sure. It’s worth being aware that snow is still possible in May, but it’s not that likely. One thing to be aware of is that the highlands roads will still be closed at this time. They’re not featured in this itinerary, but essentially any F road generally won’t be accessible until June.

If you’re used to driving in snow, then I don’t think you’ll experience any difficulties in May. The days are also nice and long by May, so you’ll have lots of time for sight-seeing!

14th January 2019 at 1:46 am

I first started planning my trip to Iceland to include the ring route using the Insight Guide travel book. After awhile I did an internet search of the ring road and came across your wonderful sight. I soon noticed that the attractions I highlighted matched up with a lot of the sights you mention so I then figured I might as well use your route as a guide. I did come across the Iceland Travel self-drive tours, however since I will be travelling alone I found them to be quite expensive for a single traveler. I plan on travelling mid-late August, maybe early September. Do you think it makes sense to book everything myself to save money? I’ve planned self-drive trips to Scotland and Austria so I am used to it. Any suggestions you have will be appreciated. I plan to take 7-8 days for the ring road then another couple of days in Reykjavík.

Thank you in advance.

14th January 2019 at 11:07 am

Great to hear that we’ve been able to help you out with your trip planning 🙂 Certainly, travelling on your own can be a bit more expensive as you can’t split costs of things like rental cars etc with someone else. I would say that booking everything yourself is certainly a feasible option, and likely cheaper as you are not paying for the convenience.

We have provided hotel options for each day to help out with doing that if you follow our itinerary, and we recommend this website for car rental!

Let us know if you have any more questions 🙂

Eksteen Jacobsz says

17th October 2018 at 1:36 pm

Hi, Thank you for the comprehensive info on Iceland. Before finding your site I didn’t have a clue how to tackle this trip but you’ve helped me tremendously. Keep up the good work! Eksteen

17th October 2018 at 7:40 pm

Thanks very much Eksteen! Do let us know if you have any questions we can help with 🙂

17th October 2018 at 4:56 am

Thank you so much for sharing this itinerary & map! Just wondering what type of car you did this trip in? Does it require a 4WD?

Cheers, Emma

17th October 2018 at 7:42 pm

Hi Emma! Our pleasure 🙂

So I would say that generally no, you won’t need a four wheel drive for this trip, particularly if you drive in summer. If you are driving in winter, we’d usually advise against a trip of this duration as the weather can really slow you down. There are a couple of minor detours on the route where a 4WD is a legal requirement, but they are only brief and not essential, so you could definitely skip them.

We did do the trip in a four wheel drive, but we were travelling for almost four weeks in Iceland when researching this itinerary, and we did a lot of more four wheel drive only routes as part of that 🙂

Let us know if you have any more questions!

Brian Weekes says

22nd January 2019 at 12:58 am

I had the same question. As we are going in early July, it is really the F-roads that I’m concerned with. Two stops that I flagged as maybe needing a 4×4 (legally) were Nauthusagil Waterfall and Fladrargljufur Canyon. It’s hard to tell though from Google maps and other maps found online. Do you remember if the roads leading to these two places are F-roads? Any other stops in your itinerary above that take you on F-roads?

Thanks! Brian

22nd January 2019 at 12:09 pm

For Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, I believe that the road to the parking lot is not an F road, it’s just a gravel road that runs to the parking lot. There is an F road that runs from this, which goes to Laki, but as far as I recall and can see from the internet, you shouldn’t have a problem with that one.

Nauthusagil Waterfall on the other hand is definitely on an F road, so legally you would want a 4×4 for that waterfall.

I think that’s the only F road on the itinerary, so you should be fine otherwise with a 2WD 🙂

22nd January 2019 at 2:41 pm

Ok great. Thanks Laurence!

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Learn how to easily plan your dream trip to Iceland with helpful guides and tips!

The Ultimate 7-Day Iceland Winter Itinerary

November 2, 2022 //  by  Iceland Trippers //   Leave a Comment

Are you trying to plan an Iceland winter itinerary? From thawing out in hot springs to escaping the cold to seeking it out in ice caves and on glaciers, we’ve got you covered with an adventure-filled itinerary as well as details on where to stay in Iceland in winter. 

Fortunately for you, many of Iceland’s most spectacular natural landscapes are still accessible in the winter, and you might even find they’re cloaked in a beautiful layer of white snow. 

Planning your trip to Iceland last minute?

Make sure to book your hotels and tours in Iceland in advance to ensure availability! The longer you wait, the more difficult it gets. Here are my top picks for your trip :

Top Experiences And Tours In Iceland:

• Golden Circle Full Day Tour From Reykjavik (Likely to sell out!)
• Silfra Snorkeling Tour (Includes photos + only small group)
• South Of Iceland Full Day Trip (Our pick!)
• Whale Watching In Reykjavik (On a luxury yacht)
• Northern Lights Bus Tour (Great to go with a local)
• Ice Cave Tour And Glacier Hike (Likely to sell out)

Tickets You MUST book in advance:

• Keflavik > Reykjavik Bus Airport Transfer (Skip the line!)
• Sky Lagoon Entrance Ticket (Includes 7-step spa ritual)
• Blue Lagoon Entry Ticket With Drink (Likely to sell out!)

Top picks for places to stay in Iceland:

• Hotel South Coast (Great central location)
• Grandi Reykjavik (Includes free breakfast)
• Hotel Kria (Close to black sand beach)
• Hotel Skaftafell (Mid-range price)

From the Snaefellsness Peninsula all the way east to Skaftafell and the glacier lagoons, the landscape is equally stunning wherever you go and is remarkably diverse.

Whether you take Iceland winter tours or stick to exploring on your own, you’re in for a real treat.

How Many Days Do You Need For Your Iceland Winter Itinerary? 

The beauty of this Iceland winter road trip itinerary is that it can be adapted to fit your desires and time constraints.

A week to explore down the south coast and back would be ideal, but anywhere from 4-7 days will give you enough time to really soak in the beauty of the country in winter. 

The limited daylight hours, particularly if you plan an Iceland Itinerary for December, mean you’ll have less time each day to explore, however activities such as bathing in hot springs and viewing the Northern Lights can be done after the sun sets. 

Because the winter weather restricts access to some parts of the country, you have less ground to cover and will stick largely to the south coast. This means that a 4-7 day winter Iceland Itinerary is a reasonable timeline. 

Daylight Hours For Your Iceland Winter Road Trip 

As winter arrives in the land of fire and ice, the days rapidly get shorter ultimately culminating in the winter solstice on December 21 when the country sees just four hours of daylight from approximately 11:30am to 3:30pm. 

If you plan an Iceland Itinerary for January, the daylight hours will increase again to 7 hours by the end of the month giving you a little more time to explore. 

By February you’ll experience 10 hours of daylight as it finally begins to resemble the daylight hours of the rest of Europe.

While the many hours of darkness certainly impact the number of outdoor activities that can be accomplished in one day on a winter Iceland road trip, it also means a higher chance of experiencing ideal conditions to see the Northern Lights. 

Weather On Your Winter Iceland Trip

There’s no arguing against the fact that Iceland winters are cold, however despite the country’s name and its proximity to the Arctic Circle, it’s not as cold as you might think. 

Thanks in part to the warming effects of the Gulfstream, the average winter temperatures are in fact comparable to that of a US city such as New York City. 

Winter temperatures particularly in the capital hover around freezing (32F/0C), however, if you pack appropriately and bundle up, the cold won’t stop you from completing your adventurous itinerary.

The bigger hindrance in the winter is the snow, rain, and often fierce winds making road conditions challenging and sometimes dangerous. Iceland’s weather is notoriously unpredictable all year long. 

If you’re planning a winter trip to Iceland, make sure you continue to check the road conditions. Even the best-maintained roads can become impassable during the winter months.

Ultimate Iceland Winter Itinerary In 7 Days

Day 1: south coast waterfalls .

Iceland’s south coast is known for its spectacular waterfalls. Not only is this collection of waterfalls particularly impressive, but they are all relatively close to one another making them easy to access in one day. 

You can expect large tourist crowds at Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss in particular. Their easy accessibility off of the well-maintained Route 1 and their reasonable proximity to Reykjavik make them an appealing stop for your Iceland winter itinerary.

Book Here: Full-Day South Coast, Black Beach & Waterfalls Tour

Stop 1: Walk Behind The Cascading Seljalandsfoss Waterfall

Seljalandsfoss is the first of the south coast waterfalls you’ll encounter, and it’s certainly one of the most popular. 

This 200-foot waterfall is particularly unique because a path leads around the back allowing you to walk behind the waterfall and feel its sheer force. If you don’t want to get wet, bring a raincoat as you’ll definitely catch some of the sprays as it hits the water below. 

If you choose to visit the waterfall as part of your 7-day winter Iceland Itinerary, you’ll have the opportunity to see it take on a whole new kind of beauty as parts of the waterfall freeze and a sprinkling of snow coats the land around it.

This is truly one of my favorite things to do in Iceland!

Stop 2: Wade Through A Cavern To Find Gljúfrabúi

Gljúfrabúi is particularly convenient to visit as it’s a neighbor to Seljalandsfoss. This unique waterfall requires a bit more of an adventure to reach, and ideally, you’d be equipped with waterproof or quick-drying shoes in case the water levels are high. 

To reach Gljúfrabúi on your Iceland winter trip, you’ll follow the end of the Seljalandsfoss trail towards the campground, where you’ll eventually spot a sign for the entrance to the waterfall. From there, you’ll walk over stones through the river or wade through the water if the stones are underwater. 

Inside the cavern, you’ll find a beautiful waterfall cascading down the cavern walls. On a sunny day it’s particularly striking as it’s made even more brilliant by catching the light streaming through the opening above. 

Stop 3: View The Power Of Skogafoss From Below Or Above

Your Iceland winter road trip continues with Skogafoss which is located just a short 25 minutes down Route 1 from Seljalandsfoss and Gljúfrabúi. It’s nearly equal in height to Seljalandsfoss at 197 feet but beats it in width at an impressive 84 feet wide. 

This thundering waterfall can be viewed from below where you’re sure to get wet from the spray. Or you can choose to work your legs climbing roughly 500 stairs to the top of the waterfall for a view from up above. 

From above you’ll get to see the waterfall’s source, the river Skógá, as well as a view out beyond of the vast south coast landscape. 

Stop 4: Wander Into The Valley Where Kvernufoss Awaits

Visually, Kvernufoss has many similarities to Seljalandsfoss, just on a smaller scale. It also happens to be a neighbor to Skogafoss making it an obvious next stop on your Iceland winter itinerary. 

You’ll drive from Skogafoss to Hotel Edda, which is right next door, where you’ll walk a brief 10-15 minutes into the valley. Navigating the last part of this walk is trickier and sometimes impossible in the winter when the icy ground makes approaching the waterfall dangerous. 

Worst case scenario you can view this 98-foot waterfall from a bit of a distance. It’s still a beautiful site and a peaceful one too thanks to much smaller crowds. 

Where To Stay Near Kvernufoss In Vik

Affordable:  The Barn . Check rates: Booking.com

Mid-range:  Puffin Hotel Vik . Check rates: Booking.com

Luxury:  Black Beach Suites . Check rates: Booking.com

Day 2: Skaftafell And Glacier Lagoons

Day 2 of your Iceland winter road trip itinerary is the kind of day Elsa from Frozen would enjoy thanks to an endless supply of ice-related experiences.

This is the farthest east you’ll venture on this trip before heading back in the direction of Reykjavik. 

From glaciers to floating icebergs you’re about to experience a whole new side of Iceland that fits right in with the country’s name. This is proof of Iceland’s diverse landscape at its finest. 

Stop 1: Explore The Landscapes Within The Skaftafell Nature Reserve 

Unsurprisingly Iceland is home to a number of national parks including Vatnajokull National Park where you’ll find the Skaftafell Nature Reserve. 

This is the perfect opportunity to take a guided ice cave tour . These Iceland winter tours take you over a glacier and through newly discovered or rediscovered ice caves that form each summer and become explorable in the winter. 

Within Skaftafell you’ll also find another of Iceland’s unique and impressive waterfalls, Svartifoss. A 3.5-mile round trip hike takes you by a number of other waterfalls before reaching the cascading Svartifoss backed by beautiful basalt columns.

Book Here: Skaftafell Guided Glacier Hike Day Trip

Stop 2: Escape The Crowds At The Fjallsarlon Glacier Lagoon

The Fjallsarlon Glacier Lagoon offers similar beauty to Jokulsarlon, but on a smaller more intimate scale. Tourists flock to Jokulsarlon but many skip over its neighbor leaving you to enjoy the beauty of Fjallsarlon in peace and quiet. 

If you sit by the water you can hear the ice break and collide, a reminder of nature’s ever-changing existence and power. This is the perfect way to wind down day two of your winter Iceland road trip.

Stop 3: Watch the Icebergs Float To Shore At Jokulsarlon And Diamond Beach

There’s something so serene and peaceful about watching icebergs float on calm waters during your Iceland winter trip.

The Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon gives you the opportunity to view these bergs from a distance while listening to the occasional crack of ice as pieces break off the glacier in the background. 

Across the street, you’ll find Diamond Beach, a beautiful black sand beach with crystal clear iceberg chunks dotting its shores. The beauty of Diamond Beach is that it’s always changing as ice melts and new bergs wash to shore. 

Book Here: Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Full-Day Tour From Reykjavik

Where To Stay Near The Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon

Mid-range:  Reynivellir II . Check rates: Booking.com

Mid-range:  Skyrhúsid Guest House . Check rates: Booking.com

Day 3: Solheimasandur And Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach

Day 3 is one of the more relaxed days of your winter Iceland road trip as a light itinerary leaves you with time to wander and fully take in the unique spots you’ll be visiting. 

From an eerie plane wreck to the most well-known of Iceland’s unique black sand beaches complete with dramatic basalt columns, you’re in for an exciting day with the chance to take in a part of Iceland that is different from anything else you’ll experience on this trip. 

Stop 1: Circle The Plane Crash Remains On Solheimasandur Beach

Visiting the wreckage of a plane crash may seem like an odd choice for your winter Iceland Itinerary when you have so much natural beauty to explore around the country, but when that plane crash is smack in the middle of one of Iceland’s black sand beaches, it becomes all the more intriguing. 

A 2-mile hike each way will take you to the Solheimasadur Plane Wreck, the remains of a DC-3 US navy plane from 1973. Thankfully everyone survived the crash, so the story isn’t exceptionally grim, but the scene still paints an eerie picture. 

The white wreckage contrasted with the black sand is a picture every tourist looks to get. Visiting in winter is equally fantastic when the sand might be peppered with white snow. 

Book Here: South Coast and Black Beach ATV Ride

Stop 2: Watch The Raging Atlantic From The Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach

Iceland is known for its black sand beaches, but Reynisfjara is the most popular of them all. Known for its dramatic waves, the beach can be both stunning and dangerous. Sleeper waves have been known to take out oblivious tourists, so stay alert. 

As long as you’re paying attention and are dressed to brace the cold, the beach is a wonderful stop along your winter Iceland road trip allowing you to take in ocean sounds, admire the unusual rock formations out in the sea, and climb the basalt columns. 

The basalt columns line the back part of the beach rising higher and higher like an enormous church organ. They’ve become a favorite spot for photographs as tourists climb the individual hexagons. 

From the Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach, you’ll head a couple of hours away to Fludir so you’re in a great position to start Day 4.

Where To Stay In Fludir

Affordable:  Skyggnir Bed and Breakfast . Check rates: Booking.com

Mid-range: Blue Hotel Fagrilundur . Check rates: Booking.com

Day 4: Golden Circle and Hot Springs

Iceland’s Golden Circle route is perhaps the most iconic tourist route in the country which means it gets crowded, but it’s iconic for a reason and offers you a glimpse of some of Iceland’s most spectacular natural phenomena. 

Day 4 of your 7-day winter Iceland Itinerary takes you to hot springs, waterfalls, and geysers. By the time you reach your hotel at the end of the day, you’ll be in awe of the power and diversity of nature. 

Book Here: Golden Circle Full Day Tour From Reykjavik

Stop 1: Grab A Pool Noodle And Float In The Secret Lagoon

Let the hot spring bathing begin! The Secret Lagoon is the first of many opportunities on your Iceland winter itinerary for you to soak in geothermally heated water.

The Secret Lagoon is a man-made pool with water fed from a natural spring. It’s located in a geothermally active area near the town of Fluðir and is a favorite spot for many locals and tourists. 

If you’re looking for the luxury of the Blue Lagoon, this is not it. But this modest pool offers pool noodles to float on, a petite geyser behind the pool, a relaxing setting for recharging and is an ideal way to start your day.

Book Here: Golden Circle Small Group Tour With Secret Lagoon

Stop 2: Stay Warm In The Hrunalaug Hot Springs 

The Hrunalaug Hot Springs consists of one bathtub-sized pool and one slightly larger 8-10 person pool with a changing hut in between. 

As you relax in the hot springs, you’ll be surrounded by the beautiful natural landscape while you enjoy ideal water temperature that is perfect for keeping you warm as you make your way through day 4 of your Iceland winter itinerary. 

While you’re more than welcome to visit both the Secret Lagoon and the Hrunalaug Hot Springs back to back, you’ll more likely want to pick one over the other as they both serve similar purposes.

Stop 3: Take In The Impressive Width Of Faxafoss

The packed crowds of the most famous Golden Circle stops are still to come, but in the meantime, you can enjoy a lesser-known treasure of this tourist route, the Faxafoss waterfall. 

Faxafoss stands at 105 feet tall which is nothing special compared to the well-known south coast waterfalls, but its width and the power of its crashing water make it a worthwhile stop. 

Another benefit to visiting this natural beauty is its proximity to the greenhouse restaurant Friðheimar where you can get the most delicious all-you-can-eat tomato soup and freshly baked bread to fuel your Iceland winter road trip adventures.

Stop 4: Feel The Spray Of The Two-tiered Gullfoss Waterfall

You’ve officially hit the first of the three most iconic Golden Circle stops on your winter Iceland road trip. 

Gullfoss is an impressive, two-tiered waterfall nicknamed the Golden Waterfall due to the rainbow that can often be seen arching over it on a sunny day.

You can view the waterfall from its second drop, or climb the stairs to the top of the waterfall where you can get close enough to feel its misty spray. Either viewpoint is impressive and makes you understand why this stop is among the most famous in Iceland.

Stop 4: Take A Video of The Strokkur Geyser Erupting

Strokkur marks the second of the iconic Golden Circle stops on your winter Iceland Itinerary. Iceland is full of geothermally active regions, but to see an erupting geyser is a rare and unique occurrence. 

In the Haukadalur Valley, you’ll find the Strokkur geyser. It’s a neighbor to another geyser, appropriately named “Geysir” however Geysir is no longer active. Strokkur on the other hand erupts roughly every 5-7 minutes making it easy to witness multiple times if you choose to stick around for a bit. 

As you wait for the next eruption you can wander the area and enjoy bubbling pools of muddy water and steam rising from the ground.

Stop 5: Thaw Out At The Laugarvatn Fontana To End Your Day

A day that starts and ends with a soak in a geothermal bath is an ideal day. You’ll finish day 4 of your Iceland winter itinerary with a stop at the Laugarvatn Fontana thermal baths and spa.

With three mineral pools of varying temperatures, steam baths, a sauna, and a lake bordering the pools if you care to take a cold plunge, you’re in for a real treat. 

You’ll even have the opportunity to pay a little extra to see how rye bread is baked in the hot ground as part of a geothermal bakery tour. And of course, you’ll get to eat some bread after for the ultimate icing on the cake.

Where To Stay In Laugarvatn

Affordable/Mid-range: Hotel Laugarvatn . Check rates: Booking.com

Mid-range: Galleri Laugarvatn . Check rates: Booking.com

Day 5: Thingvellir, Selfoss, And The Reykjadalur Hot Springs

Day 5 of your Iceland winter itinerary will allow you to complete the Golden Circle with the third of the most iconic stops before heading towards the steam-filled valleys of Hveragerdi. Multiple continents soaks in hot rivers…the good times and stunning natural landscapes never stop. 

The day offers the perfect mix of relaxation and thrilling adventure. Are you hoping to snorkel in crystal clear waters or sit by a waterfall? All this and more await you as you make your way through the Selfoss and Hveragerdi regions of Iceland. 

Stop 1: Venture Between Continents At Thingvellir National Park

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the meeting point of the Northern American and Eurasian tectonic plates, lava rock, a waterfall…surely this is enough to convince you to add Thingvellir National Park to your Iceland winter road trip itinerary. 

As one of the three most iconic Golden Circle stops, Thingvellir is a thriving tourist destination, so expect crowds. Fortunately, the national park spans a large area so the crowds don’t tend to feel overwhelming. 

The park can be explored any number of ways from walking the rift valley separating the two continents to taking a snorkeling tour through the Silfra Fissure .

Book Here: Silfra Fissure Snorkeling Half-Day Trip From Reykjavik

Stop 2: Take A Break And Enjoy The Conveniences Of Selfoss

As one of the larger towns outside of the capital, Selfoss is an ideal place to stop and just regroup before the next adventure of the day. 

In Selfoss, you’ll have access to Bónus, Hagkaup, Krónan, and Nettó, all the major grocery store chains in Iceland. 

You can also grab a casual bite to eat at a place like Subway or Pylsuvagninn (hot dogs), or you can sit down for a longer lunch in a cozy, charming spot like Þrastalundur. 

This stop in Selfoss is also the perfect opportunity to fill up on gas before you head roughly 20 minutes to the next stop on your Iceland winter itinerary, the Reykjadular Hot Springs. 

Stop 3: Break Up A Rewarding Hike With A Soak In The Reykjadalur Hot Springs

A 45-minute moderately difficult hike through a beautiful steam-filled valley will lead you to the ultimate reward, the Reykjadalur Hot Springs , a hot river perfect for bathing.

As you approach the area appropriate for bathing you’ll see the river is divided into sections by short rock walls that create deeper pockets of water just deep enough for you to comfortably sit in. 

For an Iceland winter trip, however, you might have to hike slightly farther upstream to find a warm enough section of the river. When your legs feel rested and you’re ready to head back, you’ll return the same way you came to arrive back at your car.

Where To Stay In Hveragerdi

Affordable:  Hotel Eldhestar . Check rates: Booking.com

Mid-range/Luxury: The Greenhouse Hotel . Check rates: Booking.com

Luxury:  ION Adventure Hotel . Check rates: Booking.com

Day 6: Snaefelssnes Peninsula

Waterfalls, natural bridges, basalt columns, volcanic craters…the Snaefelssnes Peninsula features a diverse landscape that offers a little bit of everything.

Visiting the Snaefelssnes Peninsula will take you back past Reykjavik and requires extra driving, but it’s a worthwhile stop. 

If you’re starting to slow down towards the end of your winter trip to Iceland, you can choose to eliminate the Snaefelssnes Peninsula and spend all of day 6 and 7 relaxing in the lagoons and exploring the capital instead. 

Book Here: Snaefellsnes Peninsula Full-Day Tour From Reykjavik

Stop 1: Snap A Shot Of The Iconic Kirkjufell Mountain and Kirjufellsfoss Waterfall

You might recognize Kirkjufell (church mountain) from an episode of Game of Thrones , or maybe you just saw it plastered on postcards in gift shops throughout the country. Either way, soak in the beauty of this cone-shaped mountain that dominates the surrounding landscape. 

Most people just enjoy the view from Kirkjufellsfoss where you can capture both the waterfall and the mountain in one photograph. Though it’s possible to climb the mountain it must be done with a guide. 

If Northern Lights viewing is on your Iceland winter itinerary, the dark skies and imposing nature of the mountain make Kirkjufell an ideal spot to enjoy the lights when conditions are appropriate.

Book Here: Snaefellsnes Peninsula And Kirkjufell Day Trip

Stop 2: Admire The Unique Londrangar Rock Formation Along The Coast

Londrangar is a short but picturesque stop best viewed from a distance to capture the complete picture of the rocks contrasted with the crashing waves of the Atlantic.

The existence of these castle-like remains of volcanic plugs is a testament to the power and resilience of nature.

Enjoy watching the seabirds riding the thermals and the sounds of the world around you that somehow manage to be simultaneously noisy and peaceful. It’s beautiful in any season, making it a perfect stop for your Iceland winter trip.

Once you’ve taken in the view from afar, you can choose to get a closer look at the unusual rock formations by starting at the lighthouse at Malarrif and making your way over.

Stop 3: Make Your Way Across Arnarstapi’s Natural Bridge

Have you ever wanted to walk across a natural bridge with the ocean waves gently lapping below you? Now’s your chance to add it to your Iceland itinerary for winter. 

The small fishing village of Arnarstapi is home to an impressive natural bridge that’s wide enough for you to comfortably walk over. 

The bridge isn’t always the easiest to find (it’s not Gatklettur, an arched rock you’ll come across earlier along the coastline), but as you continue along the coast from the stone statue of the half-troll/half-man Bardur Snaefellsas, past Gatklettur, to the sign labeled “Midgja,” you’ll find the bridge.

Stop 4: Embrace The Moody Darkness Of The Búdir Black Church

The Búdir Black Church is the ideal place for moody photographs. It’s a striking sight any time of year but is particularly perfect for an Iceland winter itinerary when the black of the church is contrasted with the surrounding landscape blanketed in snow. 

This church has stood in various forms of disrepair and reconstruction since 1703. With the ocean on one side and mountains and glaciers on the other, its isolation within a small village makes it particularly unique.

Add Iceland’s often gloomy weather conditions and the surrounding church graveyard and you have yourself quite the eerie but fascinating site. 

Where To Stay On The Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Mid-range:  Hotel Rjúkandi . Check rates: Booking.com

Mid-range/Luxury: Miðhraun – Lava Resort Check rates: Booking.com

Day 7: Reykjavik, Blue Lagoon, And Sky Lagoon

The final day of your 7-day winter Iceland Itinerary has the potential to be the most relaxing. You’ll have the option of visiting two of Iceland’s most luxurious geothermal baths while sipping on a drink and reminiscing about your trip. 

Follow that up with a stroll through the colorful streets of Reykjavik as you learn about Iceland’s rich history and culture. With all the amenities and conveniences of a larger city, you’re sure to enjoy your time in the capital. 

Stop 1: Soak In The Healing Waters Of The Blue Lagoon

At this point, the Blue Lagoon is practically synonymous with Iceland. It’s an iconic tourist spot that has evolved over the years from a local hangout to a luxury tourist destination. 

Mineral-rich waters, a swim-up bar, and a striking lava rock backdrop make for an ideal day of relaxation. Even the most basic entry ticket is pricey, but it’s worth experiencing at least once in your life. 

If you’d like to make a soak in the milky-blue water of the lagoon a part of your Iceland winter itinerary, you’ll need to make sure you book your tickets weeks if not months in advance. 

Book Here: Golden Circle & Blue Lagoon Small-Group Tour

Stop 2: Enjoy A Seven Step Spa Ritual At The Sky Lagoon

What’s better than a luxury bathing experience in geothermally heated waters in the land of fire and ice? Not even having to leave the capital to have this unforgettable experience. 

The Sky Lagoon is a newer addition to Iceland’s geothermal pool landscape, but one that has quickly become a favorite of both locals and visitors alike. 

Rugged rock walls, an infinity pool that offers stunning views of the ocean, and a swim-up bar make the Sky Lagoon an enticing place to recover from your adventurous Iceland winter trip. 

The seven-step ritual however is what truly sets it apart from other luxury bathing experiences such as the Blue Lagoon.

The seven-step ritual begins with a soak in the lagoon, followed by a cold plunge, a 10-minute sauna experience, a cold fog-mist, the use of an exfoliating body scrub, the steam room, and finally a shower, and additional time spent enjoying the lagoon. 

Book Here: Sky Lagoon Entrance Pass With 7-Step Spa Ritual

Stop 3: Explore The Landmarks and Museums In The Reykjavik City Center

One week in Iceland in winter is best spent road-tripping through the country’s unique and impressive natural landscape, but the charming capital city of Reykjavik can be a welcome change of pace. 

Downtown on Laugavegur and the surrounding streets you’ll find restaurants, cafes, bars, and souvenir shops.

Reykjavik is also home to some of Iceland’s most fascinating museums such as the Arbær Open Air Museum which displays old Icelandic sod roof buildings as well as the Maritime Museum on the harbor.

Before leaving, you’ll want to visit one of Iceland’s most iconic landmarks, the Hallgrímskirkja Church which offers stunning views of Reykjavik and beyond. 

Book Here: Reykjavik Icelandic Food Tour

Where To Stay In Reykjavik

Mid-range:  Hotel Vera . Check rates: Booking.com

Luxury: Kvosin Downtown Hotel . Check rates: Booking.com

Luxury: Eyja Guldsmeden Hotel . Check rates: Booking.com

We’re thrilled you’ve chosen to spend one week in Iceland in winter. Whether you’re arriving at the start of winter or are planning an Iceland Itinerary for February, you’re visiting at a truly magical time of year. 

If you have the full seven days to explore, this Iceland itinerary in winter will help you maximize your trip. If you’re working with limited time, feel free to pick and choose stops as you see fit.

If you have any questions as you begin planning, please let us know in the comments section.

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A 5-Day Iceland Road Trip (Golden Circle & South Coast)

December 31, 2023 September 8, 2023

The best way to see Iceland is on an Iceland road trip.

The Iceland itinerary I’m offering is the same one I had planned to use on my trip there with my husband and our traveling couple friends . That self-drive route assumed one day in Reykjavik and four days on the road.

We had to make some adjustments — and thus miss some things — as our luggage was delayed heading into Iceland. Even so, we had a fantastic time. That’s just how exciting Iceland is.

Are you ready to hit the road and explore Iceland? Check out this guide to the best five-day Iceland road trip, likely one of the most epic road trips you’ll ever take.

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links below may be affiliate links, including links through the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program . As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases . At no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I won’t recommend something I have not used/would not use myself, and any income earned supports the upkeep of this site.

How many days do you need to drive around Iceland?

You need at least three days to drive around Iceland if you’re sticking pretty close to Reykjavik on a Golden Circle itinerary. Five full days on an Iceland road trip allows you to travel along the country’s South Coast.

Iceland Road Trip Itinerary: 5 Days

Our five-day Iceland road trip looked like this:

• Day 1: Reykjavik, Thingvellir National Park, Geysir
• Day 2: Langjökull, Gullfoss, Secret Lagoon
• Day 3: Kerid Crater, Seljalandsfoss, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, Diamond Beach
• Day 4: Svartifoss, Skaftafell National Park, Fjadrargljufur Canyon, Reynisfjara, Dyrhólaey Viewpoint, Vik
• Day 5: Sólheimasandur, Skogafoss, Reykjavik

How difficult is a road trip in Iceland?

A road trip in Iceland is not very difficult in ideal conditions. It can become more challenging in inclement weather.

We didn’t find any of the driving too challenging and enjoyed mild weather during our own trip, but everyone on the trip was from the Midwest . That means we’ve all driven through snow and weather that wasn’t always ideal.

Iceland road travel outside of summer requires a vehicle with 4WD. Drivers who aren’t experienced in navigating wintry road conditions should not be on the roads in the wintertime for their sake and that of Iceland’s residents.

Any Iceland itinerary requires some flexibility on your part.

You should have contingency plans to get yourself to safer conditions if the weather calls for it. Roads close around Iceland, especially in the winter . Monitor closures and weather conditions daily in case you need to change your plans.

How to Plan an Iceland Road Trip

This Iceland road trip itinerary is a self-drive itinerary . It assumes you’ll be driving in Iceland. That means you’ll need to rent a car.

We used SADcars despite the budget rental car company’s unfortunate name and had no complaints. The company was also way cheaper than all of the other big-name car rental agencies, particularly if you’re picking up and dropping off in the same city and sharing costs with a group.

Note: Here’s one of my top Iceland travel tips for folks used to automatic cars: If you can’t drive a manual car, book well ahead of your trip. Automatic vehicles sell out first.

Use an aggregator like Hotwire or Priceline to shop around for car rentals, especially if you’re a good planner plotting out your Iceland travel well in advance. If you’re interested in traveling via camper throughout Iceland, check out Cozy Campers . Some of their winter rentals come equipped with panoramic sunroofs for Northern Lights hunting.

If you’re not used to driving through snow, sleet, or icy conditions, there’s no shame in guided road trips or Iceland road trip packages that leave the driving to someone else. Here are a few guided experiences that look pretty epic to me:

What is the best time to visit Iceland?

The best time to visit Iceland for most travelers is the summer. You’ll enjoy easier driving conditions and plentiful sunshine for all of your outdoor adventures.

We visited in the late fall over the Thanksgiving holiday . I wouldn’t have done anything differently because we were able to see Iceland as the Norse gods intended: all white everything, with lots of opportunities for winter activities.

You also have a better shot at catching the Northern Lights if you visit outside of summer.

Note: Winter in Iceland can be magical, but you have much less daylight. Be prepared for early mornings if you’re traveling in the fall and winter months .

When planning your Iceland itinerary, keep in mind that in the case of inclement weather, getting from one point to the next may take much longer than you thought. That can be frustrating when you’re dealing with limited daylight outside of the summer months.

If there is any place that begs you to be flexible with your itineraries, Iceland is it.

Iceland Road Trip: Day 1

You’ll likely be flying into Keflavík International Airport, the country’s only international airport. This itinerary assumes an extra day in Reykjavik, with your car rental pickup at the airport right after you arrive.

If you have time for Reykjavik, you won’t regret it.

I have a guide to our favorite Reykjavik attractions for you to peruse, but here’s what you should prioritize:

• Blue Lagoon: No matter how you decide to spend your day, consider kicking things off with a visit to the Blue Lagoon . It’s not overrated , I promise. The best time to visit the Blue Lagoon is right when they open.
• Hallgrímskirkja: The imposing exterior of this church is meant to remind you of Iceland’s volcanic landscapes. For the best views of Iceland, get a ticket to the top of the church tower.
• Einar Jónsson Sculpture Garden: This free Iceland attraction is next door to Hallgrímskirkja. Walk through the garden and ponder the 26 sculptures by Iceland’s first sculptor.
• Harpa: The Harpa concert hall is home to the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and Icelandic Opera. A stop just to see the intriguing architecture from the architecture is well worth your time.
• Solfar Sculpture: Also known as the Sun Voyager, this dreamboat represents quintessential Reykjavik. With more time, you can visit the Reykjavík Maritime Museum on the western harbor near the sculpture.

We stayed overnight at a guesthouse that’s no longer operating. (That was the Thor Guesthouse.) The good news is, you have plenty of options in and around Reykjavik for a comfortable stay. Check out my guide to Iceland places to stay for more.

Interested in a map of all of the stops I’ll mention here? Follow the Google map below:

GIMME MY ICELAND ROAD TRIP ITINERARY MAP!

Stop 1: breakfast.

You’ll be starting your mornings early, especially if you’re traveling in the fall and winter when there’s not as much daylight. If you’re someone who gets hangry, grab a quick bite and hit the road.

A great option in Reykjavik for some to-go treats is Brauð & Co . They have giant cinnamon buns there that will rock your world.

Stop 2: Thingvellir National Park

Your first stop outside of Reykjavik will be Thingvellir National Park (or Þingvellir National Park), less than an hour’s drive from the city. There are three main parking lots within the park: P1 and P5 are close to the visitor center, and P2 is closest to the waterfall.

While the park itself is free, you’ll need to pay a fee to park. You can do so online once you know your car plates.

Thingvellir is an important historical location as the site of the world’s first democratic parliament, established by the Vikings.

Fun fact: It was also a Game of Thrones filming location, something I’m including because I know I’d want to know that.

If you’re up for a uniquely Iceland bucket list experience, make an advanced booking to snorkel (or dive, if you’re certified) the Silfra, a rift in the Eurasian tectonic plates that basically allows you to swim between two continents. For more information on our own experience, check out my post on bucket list Iceland attractions .

Ideally, you’ll have booked a morning snorkel tour if that’s the route you’re going.

Regardless, you’ll want to spend some time exploring the park, whether you’re going for a swim or not. Highlights include the Alþingi Site, where the world’s first parliament convened, Þingvallavatn, Iceland’s largest lake, and Öxarárfoss, a magnificent waterfall.

There are also numerous hiking trails throughout the park that you can tackle at your leisure. Check out the park’s main site for more information on available hikes.

Stop 3: Lunch

You have two options to fuel up for the rest of your day. For a quick bite, Thingvellir National Park has a cafeteria at the visitor center and a snack shop near the camping grounds.

If you’re feeling a bit fancier, the acclaimed  Lindin  serves up seasonal, Icelandic fare. The restaurant is about a half hour’s drive from the national park, but along the route you’ll be taking anyway. Expect shorter hours in the winter months. You can call or email the restaurant for reservations.

Stop 4: Brúarfoss

Continuing east, you’ll have the chance to visit Iceland’s “hidden waterfall,” Brúarfoss, or “Bridge Falls.” We weren’t able to make it to this one, as this was around the time we were driving back and forth from Reykjavik for our delayed luggage.

The images of this one, which isn’t as large as some of Iceland’s other  well-known waterfalls , are beautiful, with some of the bluest waters I’ve ever seen.

I’m including it here after lunch as it requires a 3.9-mile hike to get to. The shorter route through private property has been closed due to stupid tourist activity . Allow at least two hours for this excursion if you go. The hike to the falls is about a mile-and-a-half, and you’ll want some photo time once you’re there.

Our plan for making sure we were on the right path was to download an offline map of the trek on  maps.me . The GPS coordinates for the parking lot you want are 64.240256, -20.523758.

For more information, Arctic Adventures offers  a great guide .

Stop 5: Geysir

Another half hour east of Brúarfoss, the Geysir Hot Spring Area or Geysir geothermal area is one of Iceland’s most popular tourist stops. The area rivals anything you’ll see at Yellowstone .

While eruptions from Geysir, also known as the “Great Geysir,” are actually quite rare, you’ll only have to wait up to 10 minutes to watch the nearby Strokkur blow.  There’s no entrance fee to the geothermal area .

Stop 6: Dinner

There aren’t too many options up here, and you don’t want to get too far out from where you’ll be overnighting. An option near where you’ll be in Geysir is  Skjól , a hangout for backpackers that serves pizza and beer. Hours change in the winter months, so check their website before you make a plan to carb load.

You’ll be starting your day at Gullfoss tomorrow, so it’d be best to find accommodations nearby. As seems to be the trend following a global pandemic, the accommodations we used no longer seem to be taking reservations. We stayed on a horse breeding farm called Jaðar — The Old House. 

If you need additional recommendations on highly-reviewed places to stay during your trip, check out the Iceland accommodations guide I’ve already mentioned. There are lots of options within that post at varied price points that are still operating and functional. I try to keep things updated as best I can!

Iceland Road Trip: Day 2

Your second day as you road trip Iceland is no less adventurous, especially if you decide to get up close and personal with a glacier.

Stop 1: Gullfoss

We had breakfast included with our accommodations. If you’re hungry, there’s a cafe at Gullfoss that offers quick bites. The kroner add up there, though, so watch what you’re charging.

We started our morning with another bucket list excursion: snowmobiling on Langjökull glacier. If you decide to do the same, I’d highly recommend  Extreme Iceland . There are a number of tour operators that boast similar experiences, but we did our research and went by strong reviews.

Our tour was supposed to include an ice cave stop, as well, but the mild weather precluded us from doing so. The rest of the tour went on as planned.

If you’re not doing an excursion from Gullfoss, don’t miss viewing the falls there, an impressive site on its own.

There are two viewing areas of the falls. The upper tier will most likely get you better views of their scope.

Fun fact: No matter when you’re there, you’re likely to see rainbows forming in the mist. Yes, it’s pretty magical.

Stop 2: Friðheimar

You’ll be returning south now to continue your trip along the coast. One of our favorite food stops on the way back down was  Friðheimar , a tomato farm where you can indulge in all-you-can-eat tomato soup, homemade bread, and all of the other tomato things you can think of.

Yes, they have tomato beer and tomato desserts, but the soup is where it’s at. Can you think of anything that sounds better on a chilly day in Iceland than a warm bowl of homemade tomato soup? Now multiply that as many times as you like because as I said, this place is all-you-can-eat.

Spend some time exploring the beautiful greenhouse space and meeting the horses outside. You’ll want to make reservations ahead of time, so call or email before you head over.

Stop 3: Secret Lagoon

If you’ve already been to the Blue Lagoon, you already know how lovely it is to partake in Iceland’s geothermal spas. The Secret Lagoon, just a 15-minute drive from the tomato farm, isn’t as flashy. The natural landscape, which includes an erupting geyser, is just as lovely.

You’ll have to get over any qualms you have about public nudity during the showering process before your spa time. (That was a lot for me, but I survived.)

As soon as you’re in there, floating around and seeking out those hot spots, any worries you had about your bits on display in the locker room will melt away. Grab a pool noodle to make things extra special.

Hours vary depending on the season. You’ll want to  book ahead  no matter when you go as this isn’t just popular with tourists. Locals love a good soak, too.

Stop 4: Selfoss

We stayed at the  Minniborgir Cottages  for the night north of Selfoss, the main town in these parts. The cottages are about a 40-minute drive from the Secret Lagoon. You’ll have more food options the closer you get to Selfoss.

Kaffi Krús  is a notable option, known for its fresh fish of the day. Call ahead before you go if you’re traveling during the winter months, as their hours are seasonal.

We ended up eating at the restaurant attached to our accommodations for the night, splitting pizza, burgers, and a pitcher of beer. The food wasn’t anything to write home about, but it was reasonably priced for Iceland. You’re able to take another soak in the cottage hot tubs after if you’re not yet wrinkled enough.

Iceland Road Trip: Day 3

The end goal will be to make it to Diamond Beach and the glacial lagoons by sunset, so make adjustments as you need to on this day. You’ll have about four-and-a-half hours of driving today to get there.

The last day of this itinerary isn’t as jampacked as this one, so you can certainly move things around if you need to.

Stop 1: Kerid Crater

You’ll be driving through Selfoss as you continue south following this stop, so don’t worry, breakfast people. I haven’t forgotten you.

The Kerid Crater is a volcanic crater lake that you can explore in a few different ways. There’s a rim path to walk all the way around, allowing you views of the milky water inside.

There’s also a path all the way down to the lake. I’d suggest making the walk down. It isn’t strenuous at just under half a mile to get down there, and it looks completely different from that perspective. A parking lot right outside this attraction makes this stop even easier.

Stop 2: Selfoss Snacks

See? I told you that you’d be able to grab a bite to eat. Make a quick stop at  Almar Bakari , a Scandinavian bakery, for some coffee and sweet treats to keep you satiated until lunch. If you haven’t had any glazed cinnamon rolls during your travels yet, this is another spot that does them right.

Stop 3: Seljalandsfoss

Seljalandsfoss is another hour’s drive east from Selfoss along Iceland’s Route 1, or the Ring Road itinerary. This isn’t just a stop-and-look stop. If you really want the full experience of these falls, you’ll want to walk the trail behind them for a trip of a little over a mile roundtrip. Expect lots of people to be very slow while you get soaked by the water.

A short walk down the path at the exit of your behind-the-falls adventure will take you to another waterfall, Glijufrabui . You need waterproof gear to enter this one, as the water gets up to your ankles.

You can see it from the side, or just brave the chilly stream if you’re not a wuss like me.

Stop 4: Lunch

There’s an overpriced restaurant on-site at the falls, or you can get yourself some fish and chips just down the street from  Mia’s Country Van . Hours may differ in the winter months. Budget-friendly meals in Iceland are few and far between, so do what you can when you can.

Stop 5: Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

You’ll be driving through to the highlights of the day now: the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach. Don’t worry about additional stops along the way. You’ll have time later, I promise. Both of these upcoming stops are breathtaking, and not to be missed on any Iceland itinerary.

Start at the lagoon, and watch the blue icebergs drift along, some making their way to shore.

What is the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon famous for? The Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon is famous for the procession of blue icebergs that make this one of the most photogenic spots in Iceland.

One thing we weren’t able to do was to take a boat tour along the lagoon. If you’re there in the warmer months from May through October, it looks like an awesome way to get up close and personal with some icebergs. 

Make reservations  well ahead of time in high season for your best chance of getting on a boat.

Stop 6: Diamond Beach

At Diamond Beach next door, the contrast of those same icebergs on the black sand beach will have you filling up that camera storage real quick. We were lucky enough to catch both at sunset, and I’d recommend the same.

The “diamonds” you’ll see here are chunks of ice that have drifted ashore from nearby glaciers. Breidamerkurjokull is likely the main culprit here, and don’t ask me to try to give that one to you phonetically.

If you really want to impress the locals here, learn how to say Breidamerkursandur. It translates to “sand” and what I hope is quite a bit more just based on the length of that word. That’s what folks in Iceland call this glacial outwash. The diamond moniker is for tourists.

Stop 7: Dinner

Our goal was to eat at the restaurant/brewery Jon Riki after an exciting day of adventure. They require reservations in the off months, and we just weren’t able to get through.

We ended up driving up to Höfn for lobster soup, pizza, and beer at Ishusid Pizzeria Restaurant . It was budget-friendly and delicious. No reservations are needed.

Once you’re done eating, check into your accommodations for the night. The Kálfafellsstadur Bed & Breakfast , about a 20-minute drive from Diamond Beach, is as far east as we went on this Iceland road trip.

It’s far out enough into the country that it’s a great Northern Lights spotting location, too.

Iceland Road Trip: Day 4

We had a delightful breakfast of fresh waffles at our bed-and-breakfast. This is as far east as you’ll be on this journey, slowly making your way back to Reykjavik over the next two days.

Optional Stop 1: Ice Caves

The one regret we had on our Iceland road trip was that we weren’t able to explore an ice cave. We were supposed to see one as part of our snowmobiling tour, but that element was canceled because of the nice weather we were having.

This is what I’m saying about contingency plans. Be ready to switch things up as needed no matter when you travel to Iceland.

Vatnajökull National Park is the more popular spot for ice cave tours, including the Crystal Cave. If you’re following this itinerary pretty closely, my advice would be to find a tour that goes out in the morning, as you have some driving to do today to start making your way back to Reykjavik.

Keep in mind that this is a winter excursion, and you’ll need to make a booking well in advance.

Check out some highly-rated ice cave tours below:

Stop 2: Snacks

An easy, budget-friendly food option in between all of your adventures is Glacier Goodies , a fish-and-chips truck in the lot of the main parking area for the lagoon. There are usually folks lined up for that one getting all of those fried goodies and warm soups on chilly days.

Stop 3: Skaftafell National Park

Seeing Svartifoss, also known as the “Black Waterfall,” up close takes some effort, but it’s well worth it. It’s only about a mile each way, but budget some time for dodging tourists on the way. Despite the hike, it’s a popular Icelandic site.

Skaftafell is also the jumping-off point for a variety of glacier hikes. We went as far as the base of Skaftafellsjökull glacier in our exploration at the park but weren’t able to climb further as we weren’t on a guided tour.

We saw one guy sliding around up there in his tennis shoes as he went it alone, but he was an idiot. It was exciting enough for us to explore the base and the lagoon down below, which was just as sparkly as Diamond Beach.

Leave some time to feel the wonder of this place. This was my favorite spot on our Iceland trip itinerary.

If you’re interested in any guided glacier walks and glacial experiences in the area, check out the highly-rated options below:

Stop 4: Fjadrargljufur Canyon

Fjadrargljufur Canyon is a popular diversion off of Iceland’s Ring Road, but there are enough walking paths once you’re there that it shouldn’t feel crowded with tourists unless you’re there in the peak of summer.

That’s when all of the Bieber heads come out, I’m sure, as this was a shooting location for a Justin Bieber music video. I imagine it has something to do with the serpentine river that curves below or the dramatic landscapes here more generally.

To lose those summer crowds, there are trails to get down into the canyon and wade into the river. Just beware of drones, as they’re definitely a thing here.

Stop 5: Reynisfjara

Reynisfjara Beach, or Iceland’s Black Sand Beach, was created by lava flowing into the ocean. Today, it’s a fun place to watch kids try to outrun sneaker waves coming dangerously close to their own sneakers.

Sneaker waves are exactly as they sound. These are waves that surge closer onto the shore than expected. Basically, they sneak up on you. I know I’m turning my back on the water in the photo above, but don’t do that for long. You can put yourself in a dangerous situation.

Now that that’s out of the way, this black sand beach is one of Iceland’s most dramatic landscapes even without the scary factor. It’s worth a stop to check out the enormous basalt stacks that surround the beach, too.

If you’re into black sand beaches while in Iceland, you can also visit Stokksnes, a beach on a peninsula close to Höfn.

Stop 6: Dyrhólaey Viewpoint

The narrow drive up will open up as you approach this overlook opportunity. Spend some time taking in the views and check out the castle-shaped lighthouse.

On a clear day, you’re able to see Mýrdalsjökull, the glacier to the north. To the east, you’ll see the black lava sea stacks you just left at Reynisfjara.

Looking west, you’ll see an endless coastline, and right in front of you, you’ll see where this peninsula got its name. Dyrhólaey means “the hill island with the door hole.” As you take it all in, hold onto your hats. It’s beautiful, but very windy up here!

Stop 7: Vik

Vik has a few options for dinner depending on what you’re after. We were interested in some hipster brewery action, so decided on Smiðjan Brugghus . The burgers were juicy, and the beer was even juicier. You don’t need any reservations at this one, either.

If burgers and beers aren’t your style, the Black Beach Restaurant is a pricier dining experience that offers stunning views from its dining room windows.

We stayed at the Welcome Hotel Lambafell , which features log cabin-style rooms, for the night. The potential for Northern Lights spotting is great there, as it’s pretty remote. Seljavallalaug, a geothermal pool, is free and a 20-minute walk from your lodging.

Iceland Road Trip: Day 5

This is your last day to catch any sites you missed due to weather or other acts of nature beyond your control. You’re about two-and-a-half hours from Reykjavik at this point, so keep that in mind as you move through your day.

Breakfast was included in our booking at the Welcome Hotel Lambafell . That’s what you can expect from most guesthouses you stay at throughout Iceland’s South Coast.

Stop 1: Sólheimasandur Plane Wreck

We had someone in our group who really wanted to see the Sólheimasandur plane wreck site, and I’m glad we went. This way, I’m able to tell you about the long, monotonous walk of over two miles you have to endure to get to the wreckage. (The entire trek is about 4.6 miles roundtrip.)

Once you get there, though, the backdrop to the wreckage and the general lack of people make it an interesting site. Then you have to walk back. It’s not strenuous. It’s just a long walk down a looooong, straight path.

The rusting shell has been here since 1973 when a plane crashed on its way from Höfn. All seven crew members on board survived the crash, so a visit here isn’t as grisly as it could be. No one really knows why the crash happened. Theories point to ice damaging the plane’s structure, inoperational thrusters, or pilot error.

Stop 2: Skogafoss

Just up the road from the wreckage, Skogafoss is an impressive sight. It’s a short walk to the falls from the parking area to the base, where, obviously, the closer you get, the wetter you’ll get. There’s also a staircase you can climb to get a view of the falls below. I recommend both.

If this one looks familiar to the Marvel fans out there, it may be because it was featured in Thor: The Dark World . I’m typically too distracted by Chris Hemsworth to notice waterfalls, but I’ll take Iceland’s word for it.

Unless there are additional stops you missed in the days prior, it’s time to grab some grub. Drive within an hour or so of the airport or even closer to the city center. Ölverk in Hveragerði is a pizzeria and microbrewery where you can order flights of their local beers. No reservations are needed.

Stop 4: Reykjavik

We were catching our flight back home on the evening of our last day. If you have some additional time in the city, return to my Reykjavik ideas for tips on how to fill your time and your bellies before tucking in for the night.

You can certainly also extend your time in East Iceland or North Iceland if you’re lucky enough to be able to linger in this fantastic country. I know I’m always plotting when we can make our own return Iceland trip.

With More Time in Iceland

If you have a week in Iceland or more, there’s so much you can do on your self-drive Iceland itinerary. You can drive the entire Ring Road or get to more off-the-beaten-path destinations in more remote corners of the country.

Here’s a little more detail on I still have on my Iceland bucket list:

• Snæfellsnes: The Snæfellsnes peninsula is described by many as a mini-Iceland. That’s thanks to the natural wonders packed into a small footprint. See Kirkjufell, one of the most photographed mountains in Iceland, or detour to Glymur, Iceland’s second-tallest waterfall. The peninsula is about a two-hour drive north of Reykjavik.
• Goðafoss: This waterfall in North Iceland is known as the “Waterfall of the Gods.” That’s a reference to both its size and the fact that it appears in stories featuring Norse gods. Once you see photos you’ll understand. You’ll find this one about 45 minutes from Akureyri, Iceland’s second-largest city. 
• Húsavík: This Icelandic fishing village is famous now for how heavily it was featured in the very funny Eurovision   Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga . You’ll miss out on the whale-watching tour potential here if that’s all you’re focused on. The town is just a 35-minute drive north from the waterfall described above if you want to make a full day out of it.
• Mývatn: Another 45 minutes from Húsavík, Mývatn is known for the waterfalls Detifoss and Selfoss, its excellent Northern Lights-spotting potential, and the Mývatn Nature Baths. Much like the Blue Lagoon, the baths are geothermal pools naturally heated by surrounding hot springs. It’s the best way to relax after a day of adventuring.
• Borgarfjörður: Summer Iceland travelers should try to get themselves to Borgarfjörður eystri, a small fishing fjord in East Iceland and one of the easiest places to observe wild puffins. You’ll walk boardwalk trails to keep yourself and the adorable birds safe. Stopping here will take you well off the Ring Road, but it’s perfect for an intrepid Iceland road trip.

Road Tripping Iceland: FAQs

Is an iceland road trip good.

An Iceland road trip is very good. This is one of the most scenic road trips you’ll take around the world. Add the potential for bucket list excursions along the way and your road trip in Iceland will quickly become one of your most memorable trips.

Can you do the Ring Road in 7 days?

You can do the Ring Road in 7 days, but you’ll be on a tight schedule. It will just be a lot of driving to travel an 828-mile Iceland Ring Road itinerary. I’d advise setting aside 10 full days to make it happen so that you don’t feel rushed. You may want to incorporate some excursions along the way, too.

What is the best road route in Iceland?

The best road route in Iceland depends on how much time you have to dedicate to your Iceland road trip. If you have at least a week, the Ring Road in Iceland, or Route 1, offers an overview of the country’s diverse landscapes. The road connects Iceland’s major cities with access to its most impressive waterfalls, glaciers, geysers, and more.

Travelers with limited time may prefer the Golden Circle. In just a few days, you can see quite a bit of stunning scenery a short drive from Reykjavik.

Is it worth it to drive around Iceland?

It is definitely worth it to drive around Iceland. The possibilities expand the more time you have, but five days in Iceland is enough to see the Golden Circle and a good chunk of the South Coast.

We never felt too rushed on this itinerary, even when baggage delays tried to rain on our parade.

I can’t wait to go back and see more of North Iceland and the wonder up there. This is truly one of the most scenic countries in the world.

Ready to Road Trip Iceland?

Your Flight: I use a variety of tools to find cheap airfare, but when I’m looking to book during a particular period of time, I’ll use Skyscanner . It’s a great tool for when you’re more flexible, too, as it allows you to compare travel based on length of travel, departure date, etc.

Deals to Iceland have been happening quite often. Another strategy is following the major airlines to catch good deals that may come up for your city.

For adventurous folks who travel on the reg, I also subscribe to  Going , formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights. You’ll get cheap flight deals from your home base straight to your inbox.

Your Accommodations: I included where we stayed during our Iceland road trip in the guide above. For more options, check out my Iceland hotel guide .

We primarily used Booking.com for our trip to Iceland for the cheapest rates. They have a good range of lodging options from Reykjavik to the middle of nowhere. Hotels.com is a good comparison tool when booking hotels. Vrbo has become our preferred Airbnb alternative.

Seeking even more wallet-friendly accommodations? Try  Hostelworld . Their picks are heavily vetted and reviewed to offer you a safe experience on a budget.

Etc.: For general travel goodies, visit my Essential Travel Items page. Need more travel tips? Check out my Travel Tools page.

Love this five-day road trip for Iceland? Pin me!

Planning more European travel? Check out these guides:

• Plotting an Ireland Trip? Check Out My Guide
• How to Enjoy Nice, France, on Rainy Days
• Things to Do in Brussels on Your City Break
• How to Plan a Visit to Florence & the Duomo
• Top Reasons Why You Need to See Bologna

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Too much, or just enough?

Agnes Groonwald

2 thoughts on “A 5-Day Iceland Road Trip (Golden Circle & South Coast)”

I Loved reading this! Iceland has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember. It looks like such an amazing place. The waterfalls, the plane wreck, I want to see them all!

It’s truly a magical place. I hope you’re able to get out there soon!

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Hi, I'm Charlotte

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BLOG , CAMPING , Destinations , Europe , Iceland , Road Trips · October 24, 2021

• The Ultimate Iceland Summer Road Trip Itinerary

This post is also available in: Nederlands

Are you trying to plan an epic Summer road trip to Iceland ? But no idea where to start or how many places you can visit in one day? Well, I am very happy to say that I’ve got you completely covered!

So far I’ve visited Iceland three times and every single time I went on a road trip with a camper. It’s an adventurous way to discover the island but I also know that it’s not for everyone. That’s why besides the best camp sites in Iceland I also included some of the most unique stays in Iceland .

This itinerary will lead you through the most insane landscapes, past dozens of waterfalls and it will also take you deep into the Icelandic Highlands . This Iceland road trip guide will cover nearly every part of the ring road and if you want you can even add a couple more days so you can cover even more of this stunning island.

This road trip guide will cover every day step by step and location by location. But that’s not all. I will also tell you everything that you need to know about driving in Iceland and how to stay safe on the road!

☀️ Why you should visit Iceland in the Summer

My favorite time to visit Iceland is definitely the Summer months of June, July or August . The days are longer, the temperatures are a little less icy and Icelandic nature is at its absolute best! Visiting Iceland during the Summer months is for if you want to:

• Go on a whale watching tour
• Explore the Icelandic Highlands
• Go on adventurous hikes
• See the world famous purple lupin fields
• See puffins in their natural habitat
• See the midnight sun

🇮🇸 Some strange and interesting facts about Iceland

• Many Icelanders believe in elves and trolls and that they reside within the Highlands of Iceland .
• You can swim outdoors in hot springs all year round.
• There’s no McDonald’s in entire Iceland.
• There are more than 30 volcanic regions scattered throughout the country.
• Over 10% of the country is covered in glaciers.
• The country has no train or railway system.
• The longest word found in Icelandic is: vaðlaheiðarvegavinnuverkfærageymsluskúraútidyralyklakippuhringur.
• Iceland has been chosen multiple times as the best place to live as a woman.

✈️ Getting into Iceland

The easiest way to reach Iceland is to  fly to Keflavik Airport  which lies on the Reykjanes peninsula. A ton of international airlines have a stop over in Iceland and their own national air carrier  IcelandAir  offers a ton of daily flights from the USA and Europe.

Once you’ve arrived at the airport you can simply pick up your rental car or camper van and you’re good to go! If you’re planning on driving yourself you may want to watch out for the taxi’s outside of the airport. They tend to overcharge so you’re far better of taking one of the local busses to Reykjavik.

📲 Which apps to download before visiting Iceland in the Summer

• Vedur  – An accurate Icelandic  weather app . Official warnings get updated automatically.
• 112 Iceland  – An application for the  Icelandic Emergency Service
• Hotpot  – The perfect website to scan for those hidden hot springs around the island!

💡  TIP  – Create your own travel map in Google Maps . I always save all of the locations that I want to visit on Google Maps and this way I can easily create a daily itinerary and see which places are located close to each other. To make your trip even more easy you. can also save the locations of the campsites in a different color. This way you have all of your travel information in one place and you can easily navigate from one place to the other.

How to get around Iceland

Where to rent your car or camper.

When doing a road trip around Iceland you’ll either need to rent a car or a camper. So far I’ve only traveled here with a camper and while it’s a little more adventurous than simply renting a car you’ll also have the most flexibility.

For my camper I always turn to Happy Campers . They rent fully-equipped campers with a bed, kitchen, space heater, and everything you’d need for your road trip. So far I’ve tested out their Happy 1, Happy 2 and Happy 4×4.

With this itinerary you’ll need the Happy 4×4 since you’ll be exploring the Icelandic Highlands.

If camping isn’t for you and you want to add a little more luxury to your trip by staying at local hotels then I suggest you rent a car with SunnyCars . They offer an excellent service and all of the insurances are included in the total price. So that means no hidden costs when you pick up your car!

The same goes here: if you want to be able to follow this entire itinerary make sure to book a 4×4.

What is driving like in Iceland

In general driving in Iceland is very easy and straight forward. There are just a couple of things that you need to know before embarking on your road trip but then you’re good to go.

• Speed limit – The speed limit in Iceland varies from 30km/h up to 90km/h but never higher.
• Ring Road – This is the main road that leads all around the island and is also referred to as Road 1.
• F-roads – These are the unpaved mountain roads that will take you in and through the Icelandic HIghlands. You’re only allowed to drive on them during the Summer months and with a 4×4 vehicle.
• Sheep – There definitely more sheep in Iceland than there are humans and they love to roam free and especially next to the road. If you spot them from the distance make sure to lower your speed cause they love nothing more than crossing the road when you get nearer.
• Driver’s License – You don’t need an international driver’s license if you want to rent a car or camper in Iceland. Just bring your passport, credit card, and your driver’s license from your home country.
• Off Road – It’s strictly forbidden to drive off road in Iceland. Don’t mistake driving on an F-road with driving off road. The F-roads are unpaved gravel roads and you can freely roam these with a 4×4. But driving off road in Iceland is illegal and will lead to high fines.
• Headlights – Iceland has a unique law that requires you to keep your headlights on at all times.
• Extreme weather – Iceland is known for its strong winds and yes you may encounter these during the Summer months as well. When parking your car make sure it faces the wind so that when you open your car door it can’t fly off.
• Gas stations – Gas stations in Iceland are sparse so always make sure to fuel up before you start another long drive. Especially when you’re visiting the Highlands, make sure to fill up your gas tank cause there are no gas stations to be found in the Icelandic Highlands.
• GPS – If you have international cell service you don’t need to add a GPS to your car rental service. Google Maps works really well in Iceland. Another option is to buy a local SIM card.
• Wild Camping – Wild camping in Iceland with a camper is illegal and you should always use designated campsites.

🗺 The Ultimate 9 Day Iceland Summer Road Trip Itinerary

This Summer road trip in Iceland had been months, maybe even years, in the making. But every single time that nasty virus and all of the restrictions that came with it cancelled our plans. So when I heard that fully vaccinated travelers where welcome again in Iceland without having to quarantine I literally jumped for joy.

I told Christof we could start planning but oh well one day later I had already booked our flights… OOPS😬.

We would have 9 days to explore the most beautiful parts of the country! I really wanted to show Christof the highlights and my favorite places but I also wanted to explore new spots and discover some hidden gems.

A lot of research went into this itinerary but I am really happy with how it turned out and I know you will have an incredible time in Iceland if you follow it!

DAY 1 – Pick up your vehicle & hike to the Fagradalsfjall volcano

TOTAL DRIVING TIME – 1 HOUR

Our flight landed in Keflavik around 3pm but a lot of international flights actually arrive already in the morning! This means you’ll have plenty of time to pick up your car or camper, get settled and start your adventure in Iceland by going on an incredible hike .

We started our trip by picking up our 4×4 camper from Happy Campers . They offer a free shuttle service from and to the airport which is only 5 minutes driving from their base.

If you’re going for a rental car instead you can choose a 4×4 with SunnyCars and you can also choose if you prefer to pick it up at the airport or if you want a shuttle service to bring you to the car depot. Rental prices greatly depend on when you book your car and how in advance. You can currently already rent a 4×4 for less than €120/day for August next year!

If you’re traveling with a camper your next point of action will be to go and get groceries. Grocery shopping in Iceland can become expensive if you don’t know where to go.

BONUS and Kronan are the cheapest grocery stores and there’s a giant BONUS only 3 minutes driving from Happy Campers.

After stocking up on enough food and drinks it’s time to start the very first adventure of the week! Hiking up towards a viewpoint over an active volcano!

STOP 1 – FAGRADALSFJALL VOLCANO

The Fagradalsfjall volcano has remained active ever since its eruption in March 2021 and until this day it is still spewing lava. The start of the Fagradalsfjall hike is close to Grindavik on the Reykjanes Peninsula.

There are actually 3 different trails that lead to the volcano but only one of them has a good view over the active crater. While at the start of the eruption in March 2021 you had to follow hiking trail B, now  you have to follow hiking trail C which will lead you to two different viewpoints .

One of them is  viewpoint N  which offers a view over the massive lava field in the valley, the other one is  viewpoint L  which is higher up the mountain and will grant you a spectacular view over the crater.

The total hike distance to the viewpoint of the crater and back to the parking lot is 9km and you’ll probably spend 2 to 3 hours, depending on how many times you’ll stop to take photos.

📖 Fagradalsfjall Hiking Trail – How To Visit The Active Volcano in Grindavik Iceland

STOP 2 – BLUE LAGOON

If you still have some time left after your hike I highly recommend soaking and relaxing in the Blue Lagoon for a few hours.

It’s said that its water will nourish, heal and rejuvenate your mind and body. I really liked trying out one of their face masks and to indulge a little at the pool bar.

You can book your tickets for a visit to the Blue Lagoon here!

WHERE TO STAY

If you’re traveling by camper van the closest campsite is the one in  Grindavik . The facilities are clean and it’s only 15 minutes driving from the eruption site.

Price – 2000 ISK pp

• Northern Light Inn  – This cute cottage style hotel is located in Grindavik and only 15 minutes away from both the eruption site as the Blue Lagoon.
• Eyja Guldsmeden Hote l  – This stunning and originally decorated hotel is located right in the heart of Reykjavik and right next to its main shopping street.
• Hotel Borg by Keahotels  – This hotel screams lavish luxury but is also understated with it’s black, white and grey design. It’s the perfect place to stay if you want a more luxurious start or end of your trip.

DAY 2 – Whale Watching & Driving to the Icelandic Highlands

TOTAL DRIVING TIME – 4U35

Day 2 of this Iceland Summer road trip is another one filled with epic adventures! First mission of the day is to drive towards Reykjavik and get some breakfast at Braud .

STOP 1 – WHALE WATCHING IN REYKJAVIK

Afterwards it’s time to head down to the harbor to Elding Whale Watching from where our tour will start! The tour takes 3 hours in total and within that time you can spot dolphins, different whale species and puffins! It took around 2 hours before we spotted our first whale but in the end we even saw one jumping up right next to our boat! Unfortunately I was 1 second too slow to capture this moment but the experience in itself was unforgettable.

There are several ways to spot whales from Reykjavik and I’ve listed my favorite ones below:

• From Reykjavik: Whale Watching Tour
• Whale Watching from a luxury yacht
• Whale Watching by RIB Speedboat

STOP 2 – HAIFOSS

Haifoss is with its 122 meters  one of the highest waterfalls in Iceland  and it’s located close to the Hekla volcano, at the very edge of the Highlands.

To get there  you don’t have to drive on an official F-road  but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to be extremely careful if you’re not driving a 4×4. The gravel road leading up to the parking lot is very bumpy and your rental car is never insured against damage underneath the car. From the parking lot it’s only 5 minutes walking to reach one of the best viewpoints.

Haifoss is one of the most impressive and beautiful waterfalls in Iceland . And right next to it you’ll find another waterfall that only adds to the beauty of this canyon.

It’s often overlooked by tourists cause it’s a little more out of the way. When we were there, there were only a handful of other people.

💡 TIP  – You can also hike down into the canyon which I highly recommend. It will only add 1 hour to your total visiting time but you can actually get very close to Haifoss.

STOP 3 – SIGÖLDUGLJUFUR

Sigöldugljufur is one of those incredible hidden gems in Iceland that actually looks even better in real life! Located in the heart of the Highlands this canyon is filled with  some of the bluest water I have ever seen and has waterfalls as far as the eye can see .

You’ll first take the  F26  and then the  F208 . Both are unpaved gravel roads but the part right before you arrive at Sigöldugljufur is extremely bumpy. So be cautious when driving here.

STOP 4 – LJÓTIPOLLUR

Ljótipollur is  an explosion crater and crater lake  in the south Highlands. Its name means ‘Ugly Puddle’, despite the fact that it’s an incredible beautiful site. It is part of the Veiðavötn volcanic area.

STOP 5 – LANDMANNALAUGAR

We won’t be exploring Landmannalaugar yet this evening but we will spend the night here and prepare for an amazing hike tomorrow morning! To reach the Landmannalaugar camp site you’ll have to ford two small rivers but they’re not that deep and it goes pretty smooth. But this is one of the reasons why you need a 4×4 when driving in the Icelandic Highlands.

If you’re doing a self-drive tour of Iceland it’s best to stay at the  official Landmannalaugar campsite . It’s by far one of the most scenic campsites in entire Iceland and it’s also the starting point for all of the nearby hiking trails, including the Mount Blahnukur Hiking Trail .

The  Iceland Touring Association  (FÍ in Icelandic) offers visitors a hut for those planning to stay comfortably in Landmannalaugar. This  hut has a total capacity to fit up to 78 people  on a two-story cozy building. Don’t forget to bring your sleeping bag (and extra bedding if needed) as only a standard mattress will be provided at the hut.

Due to the increasingly high number of tourists each year, booking a spot in the mountain hut in advance has become mandatory.   You can find more information on all of the available mountain huts and their capacity here .

DAY 3 – Rainbow Mountains & Waterfalls

TOTAL DRIVING TIME – 3U50

Time to rise and shine early because today is a very busy day! From going on an incredible hike to road tripping passed several of the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland! This day is filled with fun adventures!

STOP 1 – HIKE MOUNT BLAHNUKUR

Landmannalaugar is without a doubt  one of the most beautiful regions in entire Iceland . It’s known for its rhyolite and rainbow colored mountains and as the starting point for the world famous Laugavegur Trail. The latter is a 4 day hike that will take you through the Highlands of Iceland and that ends at Thorsmork.

The colorful region can be found  nestled beside the raven-black Laugahraun lava field , a sweeping expanse of dried magma which originally formed in an eruption in 1477. Landmannalaugar is especially known for its natural geothermal hot springs, hence its name the  People’s Pools , and surrounding landscape.

The start of the hike is pretty straight forward and begins from the campground. All you have to do is follow the yellow arrows. You’ll soon end up in front of a black mountain, this is mount Blahnukur. The trail leading up to the top is rather steep but I promise you that the climb is so damn worth it!

The total hiking distance is 6.1km and will grant you a 360° view over this amazing area!

STOP 2 – VIK

Time to drive out of the Highlands again and continue this Iceland Summer road trip along the Icelandic ring road. The best road to take to get out of the Highlands from Landmannalaugar is F208. Vik is a small town on the South Coast of Iceland and the best view can be found high above it’s pretty red church.

STOP 3 – REYNISFJARA

Reynisfjara is  a beautiful coastline  made up completely of black sand, black pebbles, sea carvings and basalt columns. It’s the perfect place to take some cool photos but when you do please be mindful of the waves. These are sneaker waves and every year people die because they get caught and get pulled to the sea to drown.

So whatever you do, don’t go swimming or get even too close to these crazy waves.

💡 TIP – Watch your car doors when getting out of the car cause this. isone of the windiest places in entire Iceland!

STOP 4 – KVERNUFOSS

This is  one of those beautiful  hidden gems in Iceland  and one that you can easily get to with the right directions. Drive to the Skogar Museum where you can leave your car on the parking lot. On the right side of the museum you’ll see a fence and a little further there’s an iron ladder which you may use to go over it. All you have to do now is follow the trail that leads you into the canyon.

When we went we were the only ones there and it was such a refreshing experience compared to the crowds at both Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss. Kvernufoss is also a waterfall where you can walk behind so better keep that rain coat on if you’re planning on doing so.

STOP 5 – SKOGAFOSS

Skógafoss is one of the widest waterfalls in Iceland and on a sunny day you can almost always see a single or double rainbow between 10am and 12pm. By the time you’ll get here it will already be early evening which means the big crowds have already left!

Make sure to also climb up the stairs next to Skogafoss to get an aerial view and close up view over this stunning waterfall.

STOP 6 – SELJALANDSFOSS

Seljalandsfoss is one of the most touristic and most visited places in Iceland but it’s a must visit if this is your first time visiting Iceland!

It’s right of the ring road and the parking lot is right in front of it so you pretty much can’t miss it. There’s also a camping site located just a little further down the road.

The good thing about this itinerary is that this is our last stop of the day and when we arrived around 8pm there was almost nobody else there.

There are several options to spend the night with your camper. You can stay at the campsite right next to Seljalandsfoss. Or you can already start driving back a little and spend the night at the campsite in front of Skogafoss. You can even drive all the way back to Vik if you’re up for it. The closer you get the Vik, the less long you’ll have to drive tomorrow morning to reach our next stop on this Iceland Summer road trip itinerary.

Price – 1600 ISK pp

💡 TIP – If you have an extra day and you enjoy hiking I highly recommend you to do the Skógá Trail . I had it marked for our own itinerary but in the end we didn’t have the time for it. This hike starts at the top of the Skogafoss waterfall and will lead you passed 28 more waterfalls!

• The Garage – Wake up surrounded by. themost beautiful scenery of mountains and waterfalls. The Garage Apartments are located right between Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss and the perfect place to spend the night.
• Hotel Kria – This modern hotel in Vik opened in 2018 and is a real treat thanks to its stunning location and its finger licking breakfast which is included in the price.
• Vik Cottages – If you’re looking for a cute and more quaint stay then you’ll love this place. The cottages provide a very secluded and private feel with remarkable mountain views. You also have access to the main property for breakfast and dining at the on-site restaurant. 

DAY 4 – Explore Thakgil & National Parks

TOTAL DRIVING TIME – 4 hours

Today we’ll be exploring a true hidden gem in Iceland ! And to do so it’s time to lace up those hiking boots again and if you have them bring your trekking poles as well. You may thank me later!

STOP 1 – THAKGIL

Thakgil, also known in Icelandic as  Þakgil , is a one of a kind place in the south of Iceland. Arriving here felt like a breath of fresh air after facing all of the crowded and more touristic places on the Ring Road close by.

Typical for Thakgil are the  steep, mossy walls  and the many canyons. And compared to the immensely popular Fjadragljufur canyon you can actually roam around freely here.

There are several beautiful hiking trails to be discovered in Thakgil . We completed one of them and it was amazing!

The Remundargil Loop is a 12.5km hiking trail that will take you through a canyon, alongside a ravine, in front of a waterfall and next to a glacier! It’s a pretty strenuous hike but totally worth the effort!

📖 The Best Thakgil Hiking Trail – Discover The Remundargil Canyon And Thakgil Campsite

STOP 2 – SVINAFELLSJOKUL GLACIER

This beautiful glacier is an absolute must visit! A short hiking trail will lead you straight towards it and in some parts you are standing right in front of it. Its icy blue color provides a beautiful contrast but when we were there a lot of the ice was also covered in black dust.

Apparently this happens when it hasn’t rained in a long time which definitely was the case this past Summer in Iceland. Nevertheless it’s a fun and easy place to explore!

STOP 3 – SVARTIFOSS

Svartifoss is one of those iconic waterfalls in Iceland that you simply have to see to believe.  It’s surrounded by rows and rows of basalt columns  and a true sight to behold!

When we visited Svartifoss we actually stayed at the nearby campsite  Skaftafell . From here the hiking trail starts towards Svartifoss and on your way there you’ll encounter two other waterfalls as well. The hike is 1.5km and goes up at a steady incline. At times it can. get a little steep but for most parts the ground is covered with hardened plastic to prevent you from slipping too much.

The last stop today is located right next to the Skaftaffel campground. It’s the ideal place to park your camper and spend the night!

Price – 1500 ISK pp

• Klettasel – This is the perfect place if you’re in need of some privacy. This modern villa is beautifully located and has 3 bedrooms so perfect if you’re traveling with a bigger family or a group of friends!
• Fosshótel Glacier Lagoon – This modern hotel is the perfect luxury escape and all of the suites are equipped with large panoramic windows.

DAY 5 – A Hidden Canyon, Ice & The Misty Mountain

TOTAL DRIVING TIME – 5U30

Today will be a lot of driving but every single location that you’ll visit today is epic as hell so it’s totally worth it. Then again, I believe everything in Iceland is totally worth it! Let’s start by going on a very secret hike to a very secret canyon!

STOP 1 – MULAGLJUFUR CANYON

There are some places in Iceland that seem too good to be true and the Múlagljúfur Canyon definitely is one of these. Imagine green mossy cliffs, birds flying through the mist, a canyon so deep that it could perfectly serve as a dragons lair and a waterfall coming straight out of a mountain. It’s not hard to see why this is  one of the best day hikes in Iceland !

In contrary to many other places in the south of Iceland  you won’t find a single sign leading you towards the Múlagljúfur Trail . All that’s there is a small gravel road to the left that will lead you to a small parking space. The turn off is only 5 minutes away from Fjallsarlon Glarcier Lagoon and if you have  Google Maps   mark this location . This is where you’ll find the gravel road that will lead ytou from the Ring Road to the start of the Múlagljúfur Hiking Trail.

The total hiking distance is 7.6km and it will take an average of 2 hours to complete the entire trail. But if you’re like me make it 3 hours cause I literally stopped every 5 minutes to take photos and ended up admiring the scenery for more than an hour.

📖 Hiking to Múlagljúfur Canyon – A Hidden Gem in Southern Iceland

STOP 2 – FJALLSARLON

This magnificent glacier is now one of my all time favorite places in entire Iceland!

Imagine this: you drive up to the parking lot to see it empty. You start a small hike up the hill and then you see it. A glacier so beautiful it actually brought tears to my eyes! I can’t emphasize enough on how magical this place actually is. It’s what I call: Iceland at it’s very best.

STOP 3 – GLACIER LAGOON

Jökulsárlón, also known as Glacier Lagoon is located close to Fjallsárlón but definitely worth a visit. It’s one of the top attractions in Southern Iceland and one of the most beautiful stops on this 12 day road trip around Iceland. At Jökulsárlón  you can walk around the lagoon as far as you like , take a boat tour, grab a bite to eat, or use the restrooms.

STOP 4 – DIAMOND BEACH

You can find Diamond Beach right next to Jökulsárlón and this is where the ice washes up to the coastline. The icebergs against the black sand make for the perfect contrast and photograph opportunity. The amount of ice you find on this beach depends on how much ice has fallen off the glacier recently, the current  t ide cycle, etc. Because of this, some people will find a beach completely covered in ice, while others might find almost no ice at all.

STOP 5 – VESTRAHORN

Our final stop of the day before we head to our next camp site is Vestrahorn, also known as  Stokksnes . It’s the perfect place to watch the sunset but you do have to be a bit lucky with the weather. Vestrahorn loves to cover itself in the clouds but it’s always worth it top wait some time cause in Iceland the weather can clear up very fast. The entrance fee is 800 ISK but it’s well worth it! You’ll get to see one of the most iconic mountains in entire Iceland and you get to visit a viking village, which was formerly used as a film set.

💡 TIP – This area of Iceland is often completely covered in clouds and so far I still haven’t seen the mountain in real life… and I’ve been three times. If you can’t see any mountain peaks at the entrance don’t bother paying 800 ISK cause you’ll end up seeing nothing.

STOP 6 – SEYDISFJORDUR

Seydisfjordur is often called one of the most beautiful towns in entire Iceland. It’s teeny tiny but it is indeed very beautiful and especially known for its rainbow street and light blue church.

💡 TIP – Have dinner at Kaffi Lára El Grillo Bar! Their spare ribs are to die for!

The Seydisfjordur Camping Site is your best option here. When we arrived we actually couldn’t really find the entrance of the camp site and being super tired we slept on the parking of the local grocery store :p. Not perfect but it also worked.

• Hotel Aldan – If you’re looking for a unique stay look no further! At Hotel Aldan you’ll stay in a former bank building and an old post office!
• Lónsleira Apartments – These cute apartments are located in the centre of Seydisfjordur and even come with an outside barbecue!

DAY 6 – Exploring the East Fjords & The Biggest Waterfall in Europe

TOTAL DRIVING TIME – 6U30

STOP 1 – KLIFBREKKUFOSS

Klifbrekkufoss was by far the biggest surprise to us! Tucked away in one of the Eastern fjords this beautiful waterfall completely blew us away.

The best part is that it’s actually super easy to reach! Simply drive down the road and park your car in the designated parking space. One thing you do have to keep in mind is that the top of the fjord can be extremely clouded and you’ll be driving through thick fog. So take it slow and be careful on your way down.

Klifbrekkufoss is absolutely stunning! It’s not necessarily the biggest waterfall in Iceland but all of the different layers make it look like something out of a fairytale.

STOP 2 – HENGIFOSS

When I first saw a photograph of Hengifoss I couldn’t believe my eyes. It looked like something from another planet. The waterfall cuts right through the mountain which is why you can clearly see the vibrant colors of all the different earth layers.

There’s a big parking lot at the bottom and a big part of the hiking trail is covered with hardened plastic. From the parking lot it’s a 2.5km hike and for your visit you have to calculate in 2 hours. On your way to Hengifoss you’ll first encounter another beautiful waterfall called Litlanesfoss.

STOP 3 – STUDLAGIL

The Studlagil canyon is one of Iceland’s latest discoveries cause a few years ago you couldn’t even see this canyon.

Unfortunately it’s also becoming more and more popular every single year! There are two parking lots but it’s only from the one on the East Side that you can access the canyon itself.

The other parking lot on the West Side will grant you access to a viewing platform.

From the East side parking lot, which is right next to a waterfall, it only takes the 40 minutes to reach the actual canyon!

STOP 4 – DETTIFOSS

Dettifoss certainly is impressive with it’s 100 meters width and it has the greatest volume of any waterfall in Europe (500 cubic meters of water pour down every second).  Therefore you can call it the most powerful waterfall in Europe ! It’s located about half an hour driving from the ring road and a little before lake Myvatn.  

You can actually visit Dettifoss from both sides! The Western parking lot is the most famous one and will grant you the view over this powerful waterfall that you can see below. From the East side the hike towards the waterfall is a little more adventurous but you can get a lot closer to it.

STOP 5 – SELFOSS

Selfoss is located in the North of Iceland and is actually  within walking distance from Dettifoss .

ust like with Dettifoss you can visit Selfoss from both sides. So far I’ve only visited the West side but I think the East side might be even a little more spectacular. After visiting Dettifoss simply follow the hiking trail back and instead. ofgoing to the parking lot keep on following. theriver until you reach Selfoss.

STOP 6 – LAKE MYVATN

The stunning lake Myvatn is a beautiful sight to behold and definitely worth a closer lake. However if you want to go swimming/soaking in hot water then this lake isn’t the option for you. Then you have to go to the  Myvatn Nature Baths . The spa is open all year round and it costs 5700 ISK to enter.

💡 TIP – Have dinner at Gamli Bærinn and order their signature burger! You won’t regret it!

You can stay at Camping Myvatn right next to the lake but I advise you to go a little higher up the hill and stay at Camping Hlid. The Northern part of Iceland goes hand in hand with an enormous amount of small flies in the Summer months.

It’s something I hadn’t experienced before cause the last time that I was here was in the Winter. Right next to. the lake chances are very high that you’ll be eaten alive by these small flies.

• Icelandair Hotel Myvatn – This hotel is located right next to lake Myvatn and is the perfect place to add a touch of luxury to your trip! Make sure to have a drink in their cocktail bar.
• Hotel Laxa – This modern hotel offers both standard rooms and lake view rooms. With comfortable minimalistic rooms and delicious breakfast included, Hotel Laxa is sure to meet your needs for a satisfying stay in the Myvatn area.

DAY 7 – The Best Waterfalls & Kerlingarfjöll

TOTAL DRIVE TIME – 8U15

I know what you’re thinking… Are you freaking kidding me with that driving time???!! I know, it’s a little extreme for one day and if you’re really not up for it you can skip the stop at the Kolugljufur Canyon and save yourself 2 hours of driving.

STOP 1 – GODAFOSS

Welcome to Godafoss, otherwise known as  the waterfall of the Gods . And honestly, it’s not hard to see why! Godafoss is the waterfall that keeps on giving due to its grandeur.

Godafoss can also be visited from both sides which I highly recommend doing. And unlike with Dettifoss and Selfoss you don’t have to drive 1 hour to reach the other side. You can just cross a pedestrian bridge and you’re there! On the left side you can also hike down which you should definitely do as well!

STOP 2 – ALDEYJARFOSS

Aldeyjarfoss is located along F26, one of the most dangerous F-roads in entire Iceland. But not. to worry, the part leading towards this particular waterfall is still okay and doesn’t contain any river crossings. It is however very rocky and bumpy and may only be reached with a 4×4. There’s a small parking lot and from there you simply hike down to the waterfall.

The waterfall is surrounded by the black columns look absolutely insane and if you’re very lucky you’ll even see a small pool at the bottom. When I was there it had been too dry the last couple of weeks but otherwise it’s definitely worth checking out.

STOP 3 – KOLUGLJUFUR

This gorgeous canyon is hidden away from the ring road and doesn’t even require a 4×4 to get to. On the other side you’ll see a 2 drop waterfall that especially during sunrise creates the most magical view.  

Kolugljúfur is only 20 minutes driving from the ring road and there’s a parking lot on both sides which are connected by a small bridge that you can drive over.

STOP 4 – KERLINGARFJOLL

Kerlingarfjöll is  one of the most precious natural attractions  in Iceland and is located in the central Highlands. It’s part of an active volcanic system and is home to one of Iceland’s most  impressive geothermal areas .

The hills are a brown, nearly orange color and also made out of  rhyolite , the same substance as the mountains in Landmannalaugar. It’s this rhyolite that gives them this rusty look and in between, the hills are sprinkled with vivid colors of blue, green, red and yellow. Then add the massive amount of steam coming straight from the ground and the bubbling hot springs spread throughout the area and you know you’ll be in for a treat.

Kerlingarfjöll is accessible via road F35, also called the  Kjölur Route  or Kjalvegur, from both North and South Iceland. The F35 is  one of the best maintained F-roads on the entire island  and from where you should drive inland totally depends on your itinerary.

There’s not a single river crossing along the entire F35 and only the last part that leads to the Kerinlingarfjöll Mountain Resort and the Hveradalir Parking is very bumpy and rocky.

📖 How To Visit Kerlingarfjöll And The Hveradalir Geothermal Area In One Day

The most convenient place to stay for your visit to the Hveradalir Geothermal Area is the  Kerlingarfjöll Mountain   Resort .

At Kerlingarfjoll they have a new building with 20 double rooms with made up beds and each room has a private WC and shower. Then there are 10 smaller chalets, each with one to four rooms, which they rent out for made up beds accommodation only. 

The campsite is large, nesting on natural grounds at the banks of the Ásgarðsá river. Guests staying in the sleeping bag facilities or the camp site have access to a kitchen facilities. The camping ground is for tents and Caravans.

You’ll have access to WC and cold water.  You don’t have to reserve or book at the campsite in advance . Simply show up, have a good time and enjoy the scenery in Kerlingarfjoll .

If you don’t wish to stay here but you want to be in close proximity to the site you can choose one of these hotels in the south of Iceland below.

DAY 8 – Golden Circle

TOTAL DRIVE TIME – 4u20

This last day we’ll slowly make our way back to the Reykjanes peninsula but first it’s time to visit the most beautiful places on the Golden Circle.

STOP 1 – GULLFOSS

Gullfoss is one of the most impressive waterfalls in Iceland but also one of the most touristic ones.  It’s the main stop on the Golden Circle  and over the years it’s only grown in popularity.

The trail towards the waterfall is short and fenced off. If you park at the visitors centre you’ll also have to walk down a couple flights of stairs. You can walk all the way up to the waterfall and at the end of the trail you can get a little closer. It’s not allowed to go on the grass.

STOP 2 – STROKKUR

Strokkur is  the biggest geyser in Iceland and it shoots up hot water every couple of minutes . It’s one of the top attractions on the Golden Circle so don’t expect to be here alone. It’s one of the most touristic places in entire Iceland and there’s even a big shop located right next to it. However it remains a spectacular site to see.

If you have time to spare, walk the surrounding landscape draped in steam with holes of boiling water rumbling at every turn. Be careful as you explore, as the water is clearly a dangerous temperature and should be left to admire from an appropriate distance. 

Close by you’ll find another geyser named Geysir. However, unlike its close neighbor Strokkur, Geysir has remained inactive.

STOP 3 – BRUARFOSS

This cute little waterfall might not be the biggest one out there in size but it sure makes up for it in beauty. The more unknown Brúarfoss is actually also located on the infamous Golden Circle but because it takes 1 hour of hiking to reach it not a lot of people visit it. So if you want to go  a little bit off the beaten path in Iceland  I highly recommend adding a visit to Brúarofss to your list!

All you have to do is drive to the  official parking lot  and start following the trail along the river. There’s room for a little over 25 cars so try to arrive a little earlier in the day. The hike from the parking lot to Brúarfoss is 3.5km one way and is mostly on flat terrain. It’s an easy hike that you can also enjoy if you’re traveling with younger children.

On the way to Brúarfoss you’ll come across two other waterfalls and  the water is as blue in real life  as in the photograph below. There’s a bridge that serves as a viewing platform and across the river you can even hike down and get a little closer to the waterfall.

STOP 4 – KERID CRATER

Kerid crater lake is a 3,000 year old volcanic crater lake in South Iceland on the Golden Circle route. The lake itself is relatively shallow, between 7 and 14 meters depending on rainfall and other factors. The water is a unique and strikingly vivid aquamarine shade of blue.

Take an easy hike around Kerid crater and enjoy the spectacular view!

STOP 5 – THINGVELLIR NATIONAL PARK

Thingvellir National Park is our last stop on the Golden Circle and it’s an incredible place to visit if it’s your first time in Iceland. You can park your car at the  Öxarárfoss parking lot  and start walking from there. It was named  a UNESCO World Heritage Site  and marks the location of Iceland’s first parliament. But what makes this place truly unique is it’s s geography.

Thingvellir National Park is the site of  a great rift valley where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet . The plates are pulled ever so slightly apart more and more each year creating the  Silfra fissure , an area perfect for snorkeling enthusiasts. 

💡  FUN FACT  – Thingvellir National Park served as the backdrop for one of the more famous scenes in Game of Thrones where Littlefinger escorts Sansa to the Vale.

Depending on what time your flight is the next day you’ll either drop off the camper this evening or the next day.

If you’re only flying back in the evening you can even go and explore a little more the next morning!

DAY 9 – Fly Home

Depending on the time of your flight you can add a visit to the Sky Lagoon on your last day in the morning since they also have storage space for suitcases. However if you’re flying back to Belgium your flight will be at 7am in the morning.

🛣Iceland Road Trip Tips

Here you can find some useful tips that will ensure you have the best time on your road trip in Iceland.

• Always have snacks on hand  – Often there isn’t a place to eat in plane sight, especially when you’re driving through the more rural parts of Iceland. Make sure you don’t go hungry during one of your hikes. I would even go as far that you buy your snacks at home and put them in your suitcase to save some money at the grocery store.
• Mind your car doors when you open them  – The wind in Iceland can be brutal at times and it wouldn’t be the first time a car door flies off due to strong wind gusts. The image below show which way is best to park in case of strong winds.

• Bring your camera  – I am not exaggerating when I say that there’s a beautiful photo opportunity every 100 meter in Iceland. Make sure to bring your camera to capture this one of a lifetime trip! If you need some inspiration you can read exactly  what’s in my camera bag .
• Bring dryer sheets  – After sleeping and spending a lot of time in a camper van it can start to smell after a while which is completely normal. If you put a dryer sheet between the sofa it will always smell like fresh laundry.

💳 Currency & ATM’s in Iceland

The official currency in Iceland is the Icelandic Krona (ISK) and €1 equals ISK147. It’s not necessary to take out much cash upon your arrival cause you can pay nearly everywhere with your credit card of debit card.

📚 More Iceland Blog Posts

I have visited the land of ice and fire 3 times in 3 years and I loved adventuring and driving around the country.  On my blog you can find a ton of free resources to help you plan the perfect trip to this beautiful c ountry.

• The 12 Most Unique And Cool Places To Stay In Iceland
• 12 Best Tours In Iceland
• 13 Crazy Beautiful Hidden Gems in Iceland
• 15 Very Best Day Hikes In Iceland (Map Included)
• 7 Best Places To Visit In The Highlands In Iceland – A Complete Travel Guide
• Hiking to Múlagljúfur Canyon – A Hidden Gem in Southern Iceland
• The 21 Most Beautiful Waterfalls In Iceland By Region
• 2022 Fagradalsfjall Hiking Trail – How To Visit The Active Volcano in Grindavik Iceland
• The Ultimate 2 Week Iceland Winter Ring Road Itinerary – Plan The Perfect Iceland Road Trip
• 10 Reasons Why You Have To Visit Iceland in Summer
• The Best Thakgil Hiking Trail – Discover The Remundargil Canyon And Thakgil Campsite
• The Best Hike In Landmannalaugar – The Mount Blahnukur Hiking Trail
• How To Visit Kerlingarfjöll And The Hveradalir Geothermal Area In One Day
• Travelling with Happy Campers: an honest review.

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Charlotte Lint is the founder of Charlies Wanderings. Charlotte has traveled all over the world and is based in Belgium where she also owns her very own dental practice. She is an expert on writing efficient travel guides and finding unique places to stay. Every month she helps over 134.000 people discover the most beautiful places in the world through her detailed travel guides.

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The Best Iceland Winter Trip Itinerary for One Week (+Map & Info)

By Author Jurga

Posted on Last updated: October 18, 2023

Planning a trip to Iceland in winter and wondering where to go and what’s the best way to plan your Iceland winter itinerary? This article features the best one week Iceland trip itinerary for winter months. Find out!

On our first trip to Iceland in June, we were caught up in a terrible winter storm with icy roads and road closures in the Northern part of Iceland.

So when planning a winter trip to Iceland, I figured that doing the entire Ring Road and visiting the Eastern and Northern parts of Iceland in winter is probably not the best idea. I decided to look for a winter trip itinerary focusing on the South Coast of Iceland, and it turns out that, indeed, this is the best area that you can visit in the winter.

Below is our Iceland winter trip itinerary with suggestions of what you can see and do on a road trip in Iceland in winter months, from about October to March – April. We made this exact trip in November.

This 7- day Iceland winter itinerary brings you to all the main landmarks along Iceland’s South Coast . It takes into account short daylight hours in Iceland in winter and leaves you sufficient time for sightseeing, some winter activities, and even some hiking. Find out!

Top Experiences in This Iceland Winter Itinerary:

• Sky Lagoon .
• Natural Ice Caves .
• Glacier Hike .
• Blue Lagoon .

7 – day Iceland winter trip itinerary and map

Just one note before I start with our Iceland winter trip itinerary. The days are short in Iceland in winter, so you cannot do as much sightseeing as in summer. You really have to keep this in mind when creating your perfect Iceland self-drive itinerary during winter!

We visited Iceland in mid-November and we always started our day at 8.30 AM, before sunrise. By the time we were back at our hotel (at the latest at 5 PM), it was already dark. It was light from approximately 9 AM till 4 PM in November in Southern Iceland.

The days are even shorter in December-January, so keep this in mind when planning your winter trip to Iceland.

READ ALSO: Iceland in Winter: Useful Info & Travel Tips

You will need to rent a car for this trip! You can find some of the best deals for car rental here .

Important! If you do not have winter driving experience, do yourself a favor and join a tour instead of driving. Here you can find more information about driving in Iceland in winter . Here you can find a great 3-day winter tour of South Iceland that covers all the ‘must-see’ places from our winter itinerary.

In addition, you can stay in Reykjavik on the first and the last days of your trip and visit the main Reykjavik attractions including the geothermal baths of the Blue Lagoon and/or Sky Lagoon . That way you visit most places from this itinerary without having to drive.

TIP: If you absolutely want to do the entire Ring Road of Iceland in winter , do yourself a favor and go with an organized tour and a local guide. The roads in the north of Iceland are even more challenging than in the south! Here you can find some 6-day trips like this one that could help you visit most of the best places without driving.

And if you are planning to drive – read on for the best self-drive Iceland winter road trip itinerary!

Best self-drive Iceland winter itinerary:

DAY 1 – Arrival in Reykjavik Keflavik Airport and Drive to Hveragerdi

Since our flight arrived in the afternoon, we drove straight to our hotel in Hveragerdi. Hveragerdi is a small town that is better situated for Iceland winter trip than Reykjavik as it will save you quite some unnecessary driving in the dark. Furthermore, it has a great geothermal swimming pool. This is an ideal way to spend your first evening in Iceland!

If your flight arrives early and you have more time to spare, you could opt to spend several hours at the famous geothermal pool Blue Lagoon (it’s located close to the airport). However, the Hveragerdi pool is a much cheaper and less touristy option.

There are several restaurants in this little town and I recommend eating out as there is more choice and the prices are lower than at the hotels.

Note that we didn’t stay in Reykjavik at the beginning of the trip and drove straight to Hveragerdi where we would stay for 2 nights. Hveragerdi is well located for a visit to the Golden Circle and it saves quite some driving time for the rest of your journey further down the South Coast of Iceland.

We stayed at Hotel Eldhestar for 2 nights. It was pretty basic, but we were only there to sleep, so it was ok. You can find more Hveragerdi accommodation options here.

The real reason I traveled to Iceland in winter was my long-time dream to see Northern Lights . So on the first night already we went ‘hunting’ for auroras. They were very vague and better visible in the pictures than in reality, but it was just the first night, so it gave us hope.

DAY 2 – Golden Circle: Thingvellir NP – Geysir area – Gullfoss Waterfall

Iceland’s must-do day trip is the visit to the famous Golden Circle . It’s possible to do it as a day trip from Reykjavik as well.

The Golden Circle refers to three main attractions – Thingvellir National Park, Geysir geothermal area, and Gullfoss Waterfall.

We started our day at Thingvellir National Park . It was just magical in the soft morning light of a never-ending sunrise…

We then continued to the Geysir area where we also had an early lunch.

Strokkur Geyser is the main attraction here and one of the must-sees in Iceland. This geyser erupts every 5-7 minutes, so you can watch it in action several times.

If you have more time, you can walk around and explore this geothermal area deeper. Near Strokkur Geyser, you can also see Geysir . This is the original geyser that was first mentioned in written sources in Europe and it gave name to all others. However, this geyser is dormant and there hasn’t been an eruption for years.

In the afternoon we visited one of Iceland’s most beautiful waterfalls, the Golden Waterfall – Gullfoss .

The area around this waterfall is quite large and can be explored via a series of boardwalks and staircases. In the summer, you can walk really close to the waterfall, but in the winter, it’s very icy and the path is closed. Don’t worry though – the best views are accessible, just be careful as it can be very slippery everywhere (that’s why we recommend packing snow traction cleats for your winter trip to Iceland).

TIP: End your day in one of the nicest geothermal pools of Iceland, Secret Lagoon . It’s ideally located on the way from Gullfoss back to your hotel in Hveragerdi. Alternatively, there is also a more expensive option – Laugarvatn Fontana Geothermal Baths , which is also located in this area.

DAY 3 – Skogafoss Waterfall – Glacier Hiking – Reynisfjara (Vik)

Our first stop on day 3 of our Iceland winter trip was at another iconic landmark of Iceland – the Skogafoss Waterfall .

This is one of the most impressive landmarks along the South Coast of Iceland and no pictures do it justice.

The best view is from the base of the waterfall which is just near the car parking. However, if it’s not too cold or slippery on the stairs, I encourage you to make an effort and go all the way to the top of the waterfall. The views are well worth the steep climb!

After a visit here, we had a quick lunch on the way and continued to Solheimajokull glacier for a guided glacier hike .

TIP: Book your glacier hike in advance – this will help you plan your time better and you will be certain you can do this activity. Otherwise, it might be difficult to even know where to look. Most companies have their offices in Reykjavik and so there is no one around to even ask for information.

• You can book a short guided glacier walk on Sólheimajökull . This tour fits this itinerary the best as it starts at Sólheimajökull Café, not too far from Skogar Museum.
• Vatnajökull Glacier Blue Ice Cave Tour is another good option for those who want to visit a natural ice cave. It starts from Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and can best be done on day 4 of this itinerary.

If glacier hiking or ice caving is not your thing, you can visit the Skogar Museum .

It is divided into three parts: folk museum, turf houses, and transport museum. The turf houses are well worth seeing.

In summer you could easily do both – glacier hiking and Skogar museum, but in winter your sightseeing time in Iceland is limited and you have to choose and plan well.

After the glacier walk, we drove to the beautiful black sand beach at Reynisfjara (near Vik) . This beach is famous for its black sand, rock formations, and impressive basalt columns. It’s one of the places that’s included in all Iceland itineraries, so it attracts lots of people.

This is really one of the must-sees in Iceland and the beach is beautiful and worth a visit in any season and in any weather.

Good to know: The waves here are very sneaky, often flooding the entire beach unexpectedly. It often happens that people are swept off their feet and there have been quite a few serious accidents too. So never walk close to the water here and never turn your back to the sea!

TIP: There is a small cafe where you can get some warm drinks and hide from the wind and the cold for a couple of minutes.

It was so beautiful on the beach that we stayed until the dark. Sunsets are truly out of this world in Iceland in winter!

TIP: There is a new attraction in Vik – Icelandic Lava Show – that wasn’t yet open when we visited. It’s indoors, is open late every day, and it would be a very nice addition to this winter itinerary. If you want to see and feel the heat of real lava, don’t miss this unique opportunity. Book your tickets in advance!

We recommend staying in the Kirkjubaejarklaustur area. On this trip, we stayed at Hotel Laki . Some other recommendations based on our other trips in the area include Glacier View Guesthouse in Hrífunes or Magma Hotel in Kirkjubaejarklaustur .

DAY 4 – Vatnajokull Glacier – Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon – Diamond Beach

On the fourth day of this winter trip, we continued along the South Coast all the way up to the famous Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon.

Our first stop was at Svinafellsjokull Glacier where we made a short walk to one of the many tongues of Vatnajokull Glacier .

This is just a short walk from the parking and is normally doable in winter too. The views are worth it.

In the early afternoon, we reached Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon .

If there is one place you don’t want to miss in Iceland, it’s Jokulsarlon! I’ve been here so many times, in different seasons and all kinds of weather, and it never disappoints.

On this winter trip, we were extremely lucky with the weather and the glacial lake was simply spectacular.

In the summer, you can take a boat trip between the icebergs, but these tours don’t run in the winter. You are not missing much though. You can walk along the coastline of the lagoon and the scenery is just as stunning.

TIP: Don’t miss the so-called Diamond Beach just across the road from Jokulsarlon, and certainly when visiting Iceland in winter.

This beach is located just where the floating icebergs from the nearby lagoon reach the sea. With the wind, many of the icebergs are washed ashore. The cold temperatures and the wind turn this coastline into an amazing winter wonderland.

In the summer, the beach is often empty, or there are just a few smaller pieces of ice. In the winter, you can sometimes see huge chunks of ice here. It’s like walking between the giant diamonds. Absolutely breathtaking!

We stayed on Diamond Beach till sunset and seeing all those icebergs lit up with the setting sun was an unforgettable experience.

I found Jokulsarlon Diamond Beach even more impressive in the winter than the famous Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon itself.

Good to know: There are two beaches here, one on each side of the bridge. Depending on the wind direction, there might be more ice on one side than on the other. So look around when you are there before deciding which one to visit. And if both look nice and you have time, visit both!

Our hotel for the night was Hotel Smyrlabjorg . If I were to go now, I would recommend staying at the newer Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon – it’s the nicest hotel in the area! Alternatively, you can find more information about Jokulsarlon accommodation here .

PRO TIP: This area has very limited accommodation options, so you really have to book a hotel here as soon as you know your travel dates!

The amazing Northern Lights display we witnessed that night exceeded all our expectations. But so did all the rest! I loved Iceland in winter and would have loved it just as much even if we hadn’t seen any auroras.

READ ALSO: All You Need to Know for Seeing the Northern Lights in Iceland

DAY 5 – Jokulsarlon – Fjallsarlon – Skaftafell

We started our day early and made a quick stop at Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon at sunrise . We just couldn’t get enough of the scenery here!

We then continued to the nearby Fjallsarlon Glacier Lagoon , a short drive further. It’s a smaller and (much) less visited glacial lagoon than Jokulsarlon, but it’s also not to be missed!

If you travel here before mid-November, you can do boat tours between the icebergs. Unfortunately, boats don’t run in the winter months (some stop in September, others in October, and some run till mid-November).

TIP: If you are doing this trip earlier or later in the winter (October or February – April) when the days are longer, you could easily add Stokksnes headland to this itinerary as well.

It’s located a bit further east of Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, about 75 minutes drive one-way. So going there will add at least 3 extra hours to your day.

Stokksnes is very scenic and many people find it worth a detour. But don’t try to squeeze in too much if you are traveling in the darkest months! Keep in mind that the roads might be icy too.

If you decide to do that, you could drive there first thing in the morning on day 5 or in the afternoon on day 4 of this itinerary.

On this trip in November, the days were too short for a detour to Stokksnes.

We continued back west to Skaftafell, part of Vatnajökull National Park . Summer or winter, you should not skip Skaftafell. It’s a beautiful area with lots of hiking trails.

During this Iceland winter trip, we hiked to the famous Svartifoss Waterfall and continued on the Sjónarnípa trail . The views were simply amazing!

During our previous trip, years ago in summer, we did the Svartifoss – Sjónarsker – Sel walk and the walk to the glacier Skaftafellsjökull.

There are many hiking trails in Skaftafell National Park and quite some of them can be accessible in winter. But it’s best that you ask about current conditions at the visitor center before starting any walk. They will be able to advise you on the best hikes for that specific moment.

The weather is unpredictable in Iceland and even more so in the winter, so what you can do here will depend on the situation at the moment of your visit.

Alternatively, if you want more certainty, book an ice cave tour at Skaftafell . These tours run from October to March – mid April and are one of the best things you can do in Iceland in winter! Because you hike on the glacier and are equipped for walking on ice anyway, it’s a bit more reliable than planning regular hikes.

We stayed in the Kirkjubaejarklauster area, in the same hotel as on DAY 3 of this itinerary.

DAY 6 – Fjardrargljufur Canyon – Eldhraun Lava Field – Seljalandsfoss Waterfall

We started our day at another iconic landmark of Iceland – Fjardrargljufur Canyon .

Here, you basically walk on the ridge of the canyon enjoying the views below. There are a few viewing areas too which are probably a safer choice if there is snow or ice on the trails.

It was so cold when we were here, that I can’t even try to explain it in words. But we braved the wind and made a short walk at this majestic canyon.

Afterwards, we drove through Iceland’s largest lava field – Eldhraun – and made a short stop to admire this surreal landscape.

Eldgjárhraun, to the east of Mýrdalssandur, is one of the largest lava flows that ever occurred, during a massive volcano eruption in 974.

The dimensions of this lava field are immense – some 700 km2. For comparison, the total area of Singapore is 648 km2.

Continuing our journey back in the direction of Reykjavik we visited Dyrhólaeyjarviti Lighthouse and made a coastal walk from there to Kirkjufjara beach below.

If you are short on time or if it’s very cold, you can just drive to the lighthouse and enjoy the coastal scenery and the views from there.

The last stop today was another famous South Coast waterfall – Seljalandsfoss . It had been freezing cold over the last few days and the area close to the waterfall was completely frozen. We could hardly walk or even stand here. This is the reason you should pack ice cleats when visiting Iceland in winter!

Needless to say, the path behind the waterfall was closed, but it was still unbelievably impressive. Maybe even more so because it was frozen in winter.

We ended our day with the last stop of our Iceland winter trip – Reykjavik .

We stayed at the Fosshotel Reykjavik for 2 nights. Here you can find our complete guide to the best places to stay in Reykjavik .

DAY 7 – Reykjavik + Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon

Now I’m not going to make myself popular with Icelanders I suppose, but in my honest opinion, one day is enough for Reykjavik, especially if you have limited time in Iceland. So on this winter trip, we didn’t spend too much time in the city. Here you can read my observations if Reykjavik is worth visiting .

Update: As I’m updating this post after several more recent trips to Iceland, I have to admit that Reykjavik has changed a lot. There is so much more to see and do in the city than before (check out Perlan or the Whales of Iceland exhibition !). Still, if you are short on time, half day to one day is sufficient for Reykjavik because the real beauty of Iceland is in its natural wonders.

One thing you really shouldn’t miss in Reykjavik is the Hallgrimskirkja. The view from the church tower is really worth it, but also the church itself is really special, so definitely worth seeing.

TIP: Take a look at our Reykjavik 1-day itinerary for suggestions on what to see and how to plan your time in the city.

LEARN MORE: Best Things to Do in Reykjavik

During this winter trip in Iceland, I found that a couple of hours were sufficient to see Reykjavik. I chose to visit the geothermal pool of Blue Lagoon in the afternoon.

Blue Lagoon is extremely popular and touristy, but it’s kind of a must in Iceland so I decided to check it out. After all, there is no better way to end your Icelandic winter trip than sipping a drink while sitting in a hot thermal pool with a mud mask on your face. And before you ask, no, I don’t have a picture of myself with a mud mask…

TIP: If you go to the Blue Lagoon, you’ll have to book your tickets in advance . Here you can book bus transfers to get there from Reykjavik.

Another really nice pool is the recently opened Sky Lagoon . It’s much closer to the city than any others and the views are amazing! Many of our readers say that they much prefer the Sky Lagoon experience over the Blue Lagoon.

TIP: Also for the Sky Lagoon, it’s best to reserve your tickets in advance . You can also opt for a ticket that includes a transfer from the city .

Alternatively, go swimming in one of the local swimming pools in Reykjavik, at a fraction of the cost, and just as fun.

Blue Lagoon has become so busy and quite expensive in recent years. If you are looking for quieter alternatives, you can also visit Secret Lagoon or Laugarvatn Fontana . Both can be visited by car from Reykjavik or you can join tours that go there.

So this is our Iceland winter trip itinerary for one week in a nutshell. It brings you to the nicest places on the South Coast of Iceland while leaving plenty of time to explore and even do some winter hiking on the way. You could probably squeeze the same Iceland winter road trip itinerary in 4 or 5 days as well, but then you’d have less time left for hiking and sightseeing…

When the days are longer, you can visit pretty much all the same places in 4 days. For more information, please check our very detailed itinerary for the best of Iceland in 4 days .

If you decide to visit Iceland in the warmer months instead, check out this 7 days Iceland itinerary . It covers all the places mentioned in this article and so much more. Because the days are endless in summer and the roads are good, you can indeed see a lot more in the same amount of time. We also have a suggested self-drive Iceland Ring Road itinerary , but we really only recommend doing in summer – early fall.

If you are interested in getting a pdf copy of this winter trip itinerary, complete with daily maps and more details, you can download it by filling in the form below. However, please note that we are not able to update this file on a regular basis, so for the most recent information, please consult this article on our website.

Keep reading for more tips for your Iceland winter trip!

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Organized Tours – Iceland Winter Trip Alternative

If you are not keen on driving in Iceland in winter, consider one of the organized small group multi-day tours, such as this highly-rated South Coast & Blue Ice Cave 2-day tour .

It’s often easier and cheaper to book a multi-day tour in Iceland than do it on your own, especially if you are traveling alone or as a couple and are not used to driving in extreme winter conditions. Furthermore, organized tours often have winter excursions like glacier hiking or ice cave already included in the price.

TIP: If you are visiting Iceland for just a few days, you can base yourself in Reykjavik and book some day trips and excursions from there. Driving up and down to all these places from Reykjavik on your own is not something I would advise in winter. Here you can find our hand-picked selection of the best winter day trips and short tours from Reykjavik .

Good to know: We recommend booking all your tours via a reputable company like GetYourGuide . Their customer service is second to none and they have the most flexible 24hr free cancelation policy. After seeing how some local providers in Iceland refused to reimburse people for canceled tours during the recent crisis, while GetYourGuide reimbursed everyone even within 24 hours, I’m more convinced than ever before that booking tours directly with small providers isn’t ideal.

Update: I received many questions from readers in regard to Iceland itinerary suggestions for shorter or longer trips. Here you can find suggested Iceland itineraries for any trip between 1 day and 2 weeks . Check it out!

Some Practical Tips for Your Iceland Winter Trip

Below are some tips for your winter trip to Iceland:

✓ Planning to rent a car and do a self-drive trip in Iceland following this itinerary? Normally, you don’t need a 4WD for this trip, but I would advise not to rent the smallest car either. And the price difference with 4WD isn’t that big, so if you are in doubt just go for the latter, especially if driving in Iceland in winter . You can find some of the best deals for Iceland car rental here . No matter where and what car you hire, make sure that you take full insurance. It’s a must in Iceland in any season, but even more so in winter.

✓ Traveling to Iceland in winter? Don’t forget good travel insurance for yourself as well!

✓ Wondering what to pack for your Iceland winter trip? Below are some of my hand-picked essentials for Iceland. Here you can find the complete Iceland packing list for winter .

✓ Don’t forget a travel adapter! Iceland uses European plugs .

✓ Looking for the best accommodation deals in Iceland? Check this guide for the best places to stay in Iceland and also this guide for the best places to stay in Reykjavik .

READ ALSO: Iceland Winter Travel Tips

I hope that you found this Iceland winter itinerary useful. Because of the unpredictable weather and chances for road closures, the South Coast of Iceland is one of the best regions to visit in Iceland in winter.

I hope that this article and our tips help you plan an unforgettable winter trip to Iceland! Make sure to also read our other articles that contain many more tips and practical information for your trip. Take a look below!

More tips for your winter trip to Iceland:

• Airport transfers: How to Get to Reykjavik from Keflavik Airport
• Budget: How Expensive is Iceland (& How to Save Money)
• Good to know: Tips for Visiting Iceland
• Packing: What to Wear in Iceland in Winter
• Accommodation: Where to Stay in Reykjavik & Where to Stay in Iceland
• Near Reykjavik: Best Half Day Tours from Reykjavik
• Winter tours: Best Iceland Winter Tours from Reykjavik
• Nice to see: Perlan Museum in Reykjavik
• Auroras: Northern Lights in Iceland (all your questions answered)
• Photography: How to See and Photograph the Northern Lights
• More: Check our Iceland travel guide for even more inspiration and tips

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Friday 9th of February 2024

hi , if I were to follow exactly of this 7 days road trip in March will it still be ok to self drive ? THANKS

Saturday 10th of February 2024

Hi Jessey, March is still winter in Iceland so you never know in advance how the weather or the road conditions will be. It can be dry and beautiful or you can get caught in a snowstorm... So only do a self-drive trip if you have winter driving experience and understand that conditions can change at any time. Otherwise, stay in Reykjavik and book day tours or consider a multi-day trip with a local guide/driver, as already explained in the article above. Have a great trip!

Tam Harrell

Monday 2nd of October 2023

Hi there, I’ve been dreaming of going to Iceland for 10 years! We’re finally able to go this year. I love you article on where to visit. Can you please help me where to stay for and how long I should book for each attraction? That’s where I have a hard time planning.

Thank you so much! Tam Harrell

Hi Tam, all this info is already in the article including the hotels that fit this itinerary. Since it looks like you are planning on traveling in the winter, I strongly encourage you to read the following guides as well: Iceland winter travel tips and driving in Iceland in winter. If you would decide to stay in Reykjavik and make day tours, please see the following guides as well: Where to stay in Reykjavik and Best winter tours from Reykjavik. Hope this helps.

Bineet Desai

Saturday 16th of September 2023

Hi...were the northern lights visible from Jokulsarlon area where you stayed or did you have to book a separate tour for the same. We are a family of 4 planning to visits in Dec.

Sunday 17th of September 2023

@Jurga, Thnx. Your blog has made it super easy for us to plan our trip.

Hi, if the Northern Lights show up and it's not cloudy, you can see them anywhere. So if you are doing a road trip and are staying in rural areas, keep an eye on the aurora forecast every night and you always have a chance to see them. We only recommend taking tours if you are staying in the city (because of the light pollution, weaker auroras are often not visible in town but might be visible in the darker places). You can find more information in our guide to the Northern Lights in Iceland. Have a great trip!

Monday 4th of September 2023

We’re going for 7 days at end of sept to 1st week Oct. I feel like we’re between your 2 itineraries. Should we still go to the. Snell… peninsula ? I noticed it’s not on the winter itinerary. Thanks.

Tuesday 5th of September 2023

@Kathy, yes, sorry. That was due to stupid autocorrect!

@Jurga, thank you so much. I have really enjoyed your blog and information. I suppose the highlands are not an option due to weather? Same with Ahriman island?

Hi Kathy, the first week of October is doable for the summer itinerary. Just to make it clear - you can also visit Snaefellsnes Peninsula in winter, but the roads can be more dangerous and there is more chance for very strong winds. The main reason it's not in the winter itinerary is that the number of daylight hours is really limited and there is only that much that you can fit in a day (or a week). In October, the weather shouldn't be too wintery yet and you still have about 12 hours of daylight in the first week of October (more or less between 7 am and 7pm). So if you start your days early and plan well, you can see a lot. Our 'summer' itinerary should work timing wise, I'm just not sure if Heimaey Island would be worth it at that time of the year (and the Highlands are not an option). So you could spend an extra day on the south coast or somewhere else depending on your preferences. Enjoy your trip!

Wednesday 2nd of August 2023

Do you have any suggestions for adding in some time at the snfellsnes peninsula?

Saturday 5th of August 2023

Hi JoAnna, yes, absolutely. Please see our travel guide to Snaefellsnes Peninsula and also the best things to do in Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Just keep in mind that not everything will be just as easily accessible in winter as in the summer. Hope this helps.