Iceland has quickly become one of our favourite countries to explore. It has beautiful landscapes, stunning waterfalls (I love waterfalls!), warm thermal pools to bask in, and a fascinating history and culture. In this post, I’m going to share with you a suggested Iceland itinerary for 5 days in Iceland, which has you driving yourself on an epic Iceland road trip.
Iceland is generally an easy country to get around, either on a self-drive road trip like the one in this post, or as part of a group tour. And whilst this Iceland itinerary is for a self-drive trip; if you would prefer not to drive, you have other options.
In particular, a popular option is to take a group tour of Iceland. Tours that we suggest that closely mirror our five-day Iceland itinerary are this six day tour, and this five day tour. There is also this 4 day option, which includes the Snaefellsnes peninsula.
I’ve provided further details after the itinerary for all your options on how to do this itinerary without driving yourself, which you should definitely check out.
If you have a little longer in Iceland, check out our seven day Iceland itinerary, which covers a few more highlights, and is aimed at those visiting in winter. We also have a shorter three day Iceland itinerary if you have a bit less time, as well as a complete Iceland ring road itinerary.
We’d also recommend reading this post in conjunction with our guide to planning a trip to Iceland, which has lots of practical information on travelling in Iceland including detailed planning steps and practicalities.
For now though, let’s get started with our suggested Iceland itinerary for 5 days.
Table of Contents
5 Days in Iceland: An Iceland Itinerary
This detailed itinerary goes into each day in detail with all the key highlights you’ll want to see, and each day is then followed by some recommended accommodation options for that night.
Day 1: Reykjavik
It is likely that you’re going be arriving into Iceland at Keflavik International Airport, which is where most international visitors to Iceland arrive.
Here, you can either pick up a hire car directly, or take an airport shuttle transfer into the city centre, and pick your car up on Day 2. Waiting an extra day may save you a bit of money, and you are unlikely to need a hire car to explore Reykjavik.
A quick note if you are looking for car rental providers in Iceland. We recommend you either check out Rentalcars here, or Northbound here.
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 Iceland 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.
See more on insurance in Iceland, plus general advice for driving in the country, in our tips for driving in Iceland post. Back to the itinerary!
If you want to visit the Blue Lagoon, Iceland’s most famous thermal baths, then doing this on the way from the airport is an excellent idea as it’s closer to the airport than the city centre. In fact, many companies offer a transfer service to and from the airport that includes a stop at the Blue Lagoon. Also consider the Sky Lagoon, which is closer to the city centre.
Otherwise, we’d suggest you spend a bit of time sightseeing in Reykjavik. There’s a lot to see in the city, including the beautiful Hallgrimskirkja Church, which has a wonderful view from the top, and the Sun Voyager statue, which makes for some fun photo opportunities. There are also a number of museums, lots of restaurants and bars, and probably the best nightlife in Iceland if you want to start your Iceland trip off with a bang!
If you do plan on visiting some of the museums and sights in the city, consider a Reykjavik city card. A 24 hour card is good value and gets you free access to many of the cities top attractions, as well as free public transport on the city bus services.
If you’d prefer to head straight out of town on your first day, and are desperate to fit as much as possible into your itinerary as possible, check out my optional addition of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula at the end of this section as an alternative.
Where to Stay
We recommend overnighting in Reykjavik on your first night in Iceland. Some options to consider include:
- 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.
See more lodging options in Reykjavik on booking.com here.
Day 2: Golden Circle
From Reykjavik you’re going to head to one of Iceland’s most iconic road trips – the Golden Circle.
There are three must-visit stops on the golden circle. These are Thingvellir (Þingvellir) National Park, the Geysir Hot Springs Area, and the mighty Gullfoss waterfall.
Thingvellir is interesting to visit for a number of reasons, both culturally and geologically. It was the site of the first Icelandic parliament, and as such, there is a lot of to see here that involves the history and culture of Iceland.
Thingvellir is also the location of the continental divide, and you can actually see the split between the continents here, and, if you’re feeling adventurous, even snorkel between them!
From Thingvellir, the next stop on the Golden Circle is the Geysir Hot Springs area. This is home to “Geysir”, the original geyser from where the word in English comes from. There are lots of bubbling mud pools as well as regularly erupting geyser’s here.
Finally, the last major stop on the Golden Circle trip is Gulfoss waterfall. This is a wide, multi-tiered waterfall that has a tremendous volume of water flowing over it, and will not fail to impress.
There are a number of viewing locations to enjoy the falls from, as well as an on site café and information centre. A spectacular sight at any time of year.
Where to Stay
For your second night we recommend accommodation on or near the Golden Circle. We’d suggest somewhere near Fludir specifically. Options to consider include:
- 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
- River Hotel – located by the Ranga River next to the town of Hella, this hotel offers dining, an open-air hot tub, bar and free wifi.
- Midgard basecamp – found in Hvolsvöllur, this highly rated hostel is a great budget option with a hot tub
See more lodging options on booking.com here.
Day 3: South Coast to Vik
For your third day in Iceland, you’re going to start to head along the beautiful south coast. This is a magnificent stretch of road, with a great many attractions to enjoy, and you are going to have an incredible time exploring it.
A quick note here about staying safe on the road in Iceland. You’re going to see a lot of amazing sights as you drive along here, but it’s important you stay safe, and only pull over in proper parking spaces. Stopping on the side of the road can be really dangerous, and there’s quite a bit of traffic on the ring road, so please don’t do it. It’s not worth endangering your life for a photo, however cute that horse may be!
Ok, lecture over. The first highlight on the road you drive along here is going to be Seljalandsfoss waterfall. This is a beautiful sixty metre high waterfall that you can actually walk behind, and is a stunning photography opportunity. Easily one of the most impressive waterfalls in Iceland, and almost unique in that you can walk behind it.
Note that there is a parking fee for parking at Seljalandsfoss (24 hours a day, 7 days a week), which is enforced by on site wardens. At time of writing this was 700 krona, payable by credit card.
Next up is less well known waterfall hidden right next to Seljalandsfoss. Whilst Seljalandsfoss and the below Skogafoss tend to get all the waterfall glory on this stretch of road, there are a couple more waterfalls the more discerning Iceland visitor might want to check out. The first of these is Gljúfrabúi, a waterfall hidden in a canyon just a short distance from Seljalandsfoss.
To access it, you just have to walk across the river, and follow the path along the cliff. After a fairly short walk, you’ll come to the canyon that holds Gljúfrabúi. To actually access the waterfall, you’ll have to wade up the stream, but the view is worth it if you’re brave enough – although be prepared to be coated in water from the spray!
The next major stop on the south coast is Skogafoss. This is a thunderous sixty metre high waterfall that is much wider than Seljalandsfoss, and is truly dramatic. You can get very close to the base of the falls for dramatic photos (just be aware you’re going to get very wet), or you can climb the many steps up to the top of the falls for another viewpoint.
The other less well known waterfall in this area is Kvernufoss. This is also quite easy to find – just park at the Skogar Museum (same turn off Route 1 as Skogafoss), and follow the path across the field to the falls. Like Seljalandsfoss, you can also walk behind Kvernufoss – although be prepared to get wet!
A little further east from Skogafoss is the famous Iceland plane wreck. This will eat up a couple of hours of your day because it takes a while to get to, so unless you are a keen photographer (or don’t mind a long day!), you might want to skip this. Still, I’ve put it in here so you know where to find it.
The next stop on the south coast route is Dyrhólaey. This is a peninsula that juts out into the sea, and from the top you have fantastic views of a beautiful stretch of black sand beach with, on a clear day at least, the towering mountains of Eyjafjallajökull glacier volcano in the background.
Dyrhólaey is also home to a massive rock arch, which is worth the drive up the quite terrifyingly steep dirt road. Note that you can park at the bottom and hike up if you would prefer not to tackle it, and 4WD vehicles are advised for this section of track. From May – July, you may also be lucky enough to spot puffins on the cliffs here.
Just a short drive along from Dyrhólaey you’ll find the popular stop of Reynisfjara Beach. Here, black basalt columns meet the black sand beach, and you can also see a series of rock stacks out to sea. This is a beautifully wild part of Iceland and quite a unique photography opportunity.
Finally, our third day on our five day Iceland itinerary will come to an end at the town of Vik. This is a nice little town with a beautiful church and lovely sea views. We suggest you overnight here, or depending hotel availability, at the town of Klaustur a little further east along the road.
Where to Stay
We recommend staying in either Klaustur or Vik. Our suggestion is to book two nights and return to the same hotel on day 4 to save the hassle of unpacking and repacking. 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.
- Icelandair Hotel in 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 4: Vik to Jokulsarlon
The fourth day of our five day Iceland itinerary is going to cover some more beautiful waterfalls and canyons, as well as an iceberg filled lagoon and a glacier! Let’s get going.
The first stop on the day will be the Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, which is just outside Klaustur. This is a two kilometer long canyon which is 100 metres deep, and offers spectacular views of the river winding through it. You may want to do some hiking here.
To get here, just follow road 206 off Route 1 towards Lakagígar. Follow this for a while then at the intersection, turn left away from Lakagígar, The road is gravel but easy to drive.
Our next stop of the day is Svartifoss, or the black falls, about an hours drive east along Route 1. These falls tumble magnificently over black basalt columns, and are found in the Skaftafell / Vatnajökull National Park. It’s about a 1 hour round-trip to the falls, but we think you’ll agree that it’s worth the effort for the view.
The national park also has a parking fee for vehicles, which you can pay by card at the visitor centre, or by cash with the reception staff.
A little way on from the turning to Svartifoss on Route 1 is the turning for the viewpoint of the Svínafellsjökull Glacier.
Here, you can get very close to the tongue of this glacier, and see the incredible blue shades of ice. Just don’t be tempted to go for a walk on the glacier itself – if you want to do that sort of thing, you definitely want to take a tour with a qualified glacier guide.
Our final stop for the day is going to be two fold – the Jökulsárlón Lagoon, and the Diamond Beach.
Jökulsárlón Lagoon is a lagoon formed from the meltwater of the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier, and is the deepest lake in Iceland.
Here, icebergs from the glacier bob around the lagoon, usually for around five years, before they either disappear or float out to sea. If you visit Iceland in the summer months, you can take a boat tour on this lagoon and get up close to the glacier itself.
Across the highway from Jökulsárlón is the final stop on our day – the Diamond Beach. This is where those icebergs often end up – strewn along the beach just like diamonds.
This is a truly incredible sight, and a wonderful photography location. A perfect place to end the day, perhaps with the sunset (depending on the time of year you visit of course!).
Finally, we suggest you turn back and cover some of the distance back to Reykjavik, with a suggested overnight at Klaustur or Vik.
Day 4 Accommodation: Same as Day 3.
Day 5: Vik to Reykjavik
Our final day has you retracing your steps on the way back to Reykjavik. This is a good chance to get any photos you missed at any of the highlights when travelling in the opposite direction – perhaps due to the weather, or maybe you just ran out of time.
We’d also suggest on your way back to Iceland that you stop off at some of the fishing villages along the way, which are quite picturesque. For example, the towns of Eyarbakki and Stokkseyri are only a short detour.
If you have the time, you can also drive road 427 around the Keflavik peninsula – this is a pretty drive that is less popular, and takes you past the beautiful Strandakirkja church, which is well worth the visit. If you didn’t visit the Blue Lagoon on your first day, you could also do it on your fifth day.
Finally, this five day Iceland itinerary has you back in Reykjavik for your final night.
Where to Stay
We recommend overnighting in Reykjavik on your final night. Our recommended options include:
- 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.
See more lodging options in Reykjavik on booking.com here.
Optional Alternative: Snaefellsnes Peninsula
If you want to skip Reykjavik on your first or last days in Iceland, and really want to pack as much sight-seeing in as possible, then you could consider heading up to the beautiful Snaefellsnes Peninsula for a day. This would be better suited to a longer itinerary – such as our seven day Iceland itinerary – but would be possible if you wanted to squeeze it in.
This part of Iceland is home to a number of sights and attractions, and there’s a lot to see here. We’d suggest you include the Gerðuberg basalt columns, the Vatnshellir lava cave, the fantastic Kirkjufell mountain and, for the brave amongst you, a trip to the Shark Museum at Bjarnarhofn.
At the Shark Museum you can sample an Icelandic delicacy – fermented shark meat. It’s an acquired taste that, I must admit, we didn’t quite acquire.
There’s easily enough to do on the peninsula to fill a whole day.
Accommodation: If you choose to stay overnight on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, we stayed at Guesthouse Hof. For additional options, you can see lodging options on booking.com here.
Iceland Road Trip Map
To help you visualise this trip, we’ve put together this map which highlights the route we suggest you take, as well all the attractions we’ve mentioned. You can also see this map directly on Google Maps here.
5 Day Iceland Itinerary Road Trip Overview
Here’s an overview of each day and the main attractions you’ll be experiencing.
- Day 1: Reykjavik. Blue Lagoon, Hallgrimskirkja Church, Sun Voyager statue
- Day 2: Golden Circle. Thingvellir National Park, Geysir Hot Springs Area, Gullfoss waterfall
- Day 3: South Coast to Vik. Seljalandsfoss, Gljúfrabúi, Skogafoss, Kvernufoss, Iceland plane wreck, Dyrhólaey, Reynisfjara Beach, Vik
- Day 4: Vik to Jokulsarlon and back to Vik. Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, Svartifoss, Svínafellsjökull Glacier, Jökulsárlón Lagoon, Diamond Beach
- Day 5: Vik to Reykjavik. Eyrarbakki, Stokkseyri
How To Book Your Iceland Trip
For a self-drive Iceland road trip like the one we mentioned, you have a couple of options. You can book everything yourself, including the hire car (compare prices here) and hotels (see hotels here). This will give you lots of flexibility, but is of course more work on your part.
Another option is to book a self-drive trip. On one of our trips to Iceland we did a self-drive trip for eight days with this company, and all our hotels, the hire car and all our breakfasts were included as part of the package.
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.
You can also often work with companies to add a day or customize tours a bit and obviously self-drive tours are pretty flexible as only your hotels, car, and any tours are booked so you can always detour a bit from the suggested itinerary.
When you’re planning your Iceland trip, we recommend you take a look at our guide to planning a trip to Iceland, which has lots more information to help you plan the perfect Iceland adventure!
Do I Have to Drive in Iceland?
Our 5 day Iceland itinerary is for a self-drive road-trip, and we have a guide to driving in Iceland here to help you prepare. However, if you’d prefer not to drive in Iceland, there are other ways to get around and still see everything you want to see. Here are some options.
Day trips from Reykjavik
One option would be to base yourself in Reykjavik, and do a series of day trips with a tour operator. We have a guide to the best day trips from Reyjkavik that will give you ideas for all the things you can do.
In terms of matching the five day Iceland itinerary on this page, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding tours that cover all the highlights. Our suggestion would be to take a full day Golden Circle tour and a full day south shore tour, both of which run year-round. You could also add in a Snaefellsnes Peninsula day trip, and if you’re visiting in winter, a trip to see the Northern Lights is a must.
There are a number of different options for many of these day tours – check out all the day tours on Get Your Guide for more ideas.
Bus Passports in Iceland
Another option is to look into a bus passport. These let you travel around the country on a tour bus, choosing where you want to get on and off. This can be a cost effective way to get around, and they stop at almost all of the tourist highlights in Iceland, depending on the itinerary you choose. However they are only an option from June to August.
Group Tours of Iceland
Finally, you should definitely consider a multi-day group or private tour if you don’t want to drive yourself in Iceland. These will feature a driver and transport, accommodation and the majority of your meals, and will likely be one of the easiest options for sight-seeing in Iceland. You can let someone else handle all the logistics whilst you focus on just enjoying yourself.
Of course, you will be travelling to a fixed itinerary, and it won’t be as flexible as a self-drive trip, but it is a great option if you’d prefer to hand over the responsibility of planning and driving to someone else.
For our five day Iceland itinerary, we’d suggest you take a look at the following tours.
- This 6 day tour which includes a lava cava, blue ice cave, south coast, golden circle and the Blue Lagoon
- This five day tour which includes an ice cave, golden circle, south coast and Snaefellsnes peninsula
- This 4 day tour which includes the south coast, golden circle and Snaefellsnes peninsula
These are just a small fraction of the tours available. We suggest you take a look at the group tour section of GetYourGuide, Viator, TourRadar, Guide to Iceland, and G Adventures for inspiration. Just input the time of year you are visiting, how long you are visiting for and the areas you are interested in, to see what’s available.
When looking for a group tour, always look beyond the advertised price and see what is included in a tour. A more expensive tour that includes meals and attraction entry might work out to be better value than a lower priced tour that excludes these extras.
We’ve also got a guide to some of the best multi-day guided tours of Iceland to give you an idea of what’s available for everything from 2 days two weeks, across a variety of price points, which is a great starting point.
Add-ons to your Iceland Trip
Regardless of how you choose to travel in Iceland, we think there are a few addons you will likely enjoy to experience the country at it’s fullest.
Year-Round Activities
When you visit Thingvellir National Park, a popular activity is to go snorkelling in the Silfra Fissure. This is a fairly unique experience, and lets you see the gap between the continents from a whole new angle as you float through the crystal-clear waters. This activity is available throughout the year, with dry suits issued to keep you warm.
This can be done either as a day trip from Reykjavik (see here for details), or you can arrange to do it on site. We’d highly recommend you book in advance.
Another popular year-round activity in Iceland is whale watching. Tours depart from a number of locations in Iceland, including Reykjavik, Grundarfjordur and Husavik, so wherever your Iceland trip takes you, you should be able to fit in some whale watching.
You can see whale watching tour options and book in advance online here.
Summer Activities in Iceland
In summer, we think you’re definitely going to want to take a trip on the Jökulsárlón Lagoon. This will let you see the beauty of the glacier up close, as well as have the experience of getting up close to the icebergs in the lake. There are a number of tour options available, including a Zodiac Boat tour and an Amphibious Boat tour. Whichever you choose, we recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment on the day.
One of the thrills of being in Iceland in summer is to experience the midnight sun – a time when it never really gets dark. There are a number of tours that capitalise on this experience, including this fun midnight sun ATV tour.
If you like wildlife watching, as well as whale tours, you can also go on wildlife watching tours to see all sorts of wildlife from seals to puffins and other birdlife. There’s a full list of wildlife tours you can take here – most of these only run over the summer when the wildlife is more active.
Winter Activities in Iceland
In Winter, we think you absolutely have to make the effort to try and see the aurora borealis, or the northern lights. 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.
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.
There are plenty more opportunities for adventure in Iceland in winter, from skiing, to snowmobiling to horse-riding. For more inspiration, check out our detailed guide to winter activities in Iceland.
When to Visit Iceland
In our experience, Iceland is a good country to visit at any time of year, with advantages and disadvantages to both times of year. Summer is definitely the most popular and when most people visit and the most attractions are open and the best months to drive in Iceland.
This itinerary on this page works well for both summer and winter in Iceland, as it doesn’t include any serious mountain roads which may be closed in the winter months.
Visiting Iceland in winter holds the advantage that prices are lower, there are less people visiting and finding accommodation will be easier. It’s also the best time to see the northern lights, which can’t be seen during the summer months.
Disadvantages of visiting Iceland in winter are that there will be much less daylight available, driving conditions can be more challenging (we strongly recommend a 4×4 vehicle with studded tires), and some attractions and tours might not be open or running. It will also be colder!
If you decide to visit Iceland in winter, do check out our Iceland winter packing guide for tips on what to bring, as well as our guide to all the best winter activities in Iceland for inspiration.
Summer in Iceland brings with it very long days, a bit more warmth, and lush green landscapes. The advantages are long hours of daylight, warmer weather and better driving conditions. More tours and attractions are also going to be open.
The disadvantages of visiting Iceland in summer are that prices will be much higher, there will be many more tourists and it can be harder to find accommodation. If you visit during the time of the midnight sun, you might also find it hard to sleep – we highly recommend packing an eye mask to block out the light, as hotels don’t often have black out blinds.
Where to Stay in Iceland?
Iceland has a wide range of accommodation options, from farm stays, vacation rentals and B&B’s through to higher end full service hotels. We’ve included links to where we stayed for each day of the above itinerary, and you can also check out Iceland’s listings on booking.com for a full range of options.
Booking.com are usually our preferred option when we travel, as they have everything from hotels to apartments and hostels. They have 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.
We also use a number of other sites like Vrbo, check out our full guide to AirBnB alternatives right here.
Further Reading to Help you Prepare for your Trip to Iceland
And that sums up our guide to spending 5 days in Iceland! Hopefully you’ve found this post useful. We’re continuing to add more content about Iceland from our experiences travelling in this beautiful country, so check back often for more. In the meantime, we think you’ll find the following resources useful for planning your Iceland trip:
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- We’ve put together a detailed guide to help you plan your Iceland trip, 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!
- If you choose to do this self-drive trip in Iceland in winter, check out our detailed guide to driving in Iceland in winter to help prepare yourself. We also have a general guide to driving in Iceland.
- Fans of the TV show Game of Thrones will want to check out our full guide to all the Game of Thrones locations in Iceland
- 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
- Our guide to finding the Iceland Plane crash, which is a fun photography location (if a bit of a walk to get to!)
- We have a full guide to Iceland’s Golden Circle
- For a longer trip Jess has put together a detailed post outlining a seven day Iceland itinerary to give you some route ideas. Even if you are planning more or less time, this detailed guide can help you figure out where to go. We also have a full Iceland ring road itinerary.
- 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 guide to visiting the Blue Lagoon
- We have a detailed packing guide to help you decide what to pack for Iceland
- 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!
- We’ve also got a guide to the best day trips from Reykjavik should you wish to base yourself in the capital
- 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, and our personal travel photography gear
And that’s it! Is Iceland on your list, or have you already visited? Is there anywhere you’d add to our list, or any questions at all about travelling in Iceland? We’re happy to help out – just pop your thoughts and feedback in the comments below!
Susan says
We are under the gun for hotels for the week 6/24-6/30. We are booked in Reykjavik 2 nights- 6/24 & 25. Based on your itinerary, is it best to spend 2 nights near Vik, or 2 nights Gulfloss? Our last night (night 6) is near the airport as we have very early flt on 6/30. We’re trying to figure out if we should start south in Vik (after leaving Reykjavik) and head north to Gulfloss or vise versa, and which area is best for the itinerary you suggest. Sure hope that makes sense. Thanks
Laurence Norah says
Hi Susan!
So I would probably say being closer to Vik will probably make more sense for those two nice, as otherwise you’re going to be having a very long drive to get out to the south coast highlights. So that would be my recommendation. You can easily do the Golden Circle as a day trip from Reykjavik if that makes things easier?
Laurence
Rick says
We will be arriving in Iceland on Sept 10 (early morning on an overnight flight) and departing Sept 16 (12:10 am) over to mainland Europe. With these dates are we looking at more of the summer itinerary? What adjustments to that as we will be later in season? Any chance that we will have a chance to see the Northern Lights? Thanks and lots of great information
Laurence Norah says
Hi Rick,
Yes, September would be more of a summer time itinerary for sure. The advantage of September is that you do indeed have a chance of seeing the Northern Lights, although of course it will be weather dependent and dependent on solar activity. Honestly you shouldn’t need to adjust the itinerary a great deal, it should be pretty much ready to go as it is, although of course we always recommend tweaking based on your own interests 🙂
Have an amazing time in Iceland and let me know if you have any more questions!
Laurence
Sarah says
Hi, your site is wonderful and very helpful. We are hoping to go to Iceland at the end of May. My son has allergies and very hard to cater for so we need self catering. Do you have any suggestions for self catering? If not do you think your 5/6 day itinerary would be possible from staying in one or two self catering accommodation and if so where would we need to base ourselves? We understand this would involve a bit more driving. Would it still work as a great adventure with an 8 and 13 year old?
Many thanks
Sarah
Laurence Norah says
Hi Sarah,
Thanks very much! So we have stayed in accommodation with basic self-catering facilities (more like a kitchenette though than a full self-catered set up). That said, there are certainly lots of options on the main apartment rental sites. My suggestion might be to base yourself in Reykjavik for three nights and around Vik for two nights. I think you should be able to find a self-catering option easily in Reykjavik at least, and then Vik should also have some options. It’s worth bearing in mind that the most comprehensive supermarkets are going to be in Reykjavik so that is where I’d recommend doing the most of our shopping, especially as you have specific requirements.
I hope this helps, let me know if I can offer any more advice, and have an amazing time in Iceland with your family 🙂
Laurence
Jules says
Im sorry if you already answered this question…But can this itinerary be done with a 2 wheel drive vehicle or will there be F Roads that require 4×4? Thank you for all of your advice!
Laurence Norah says
Hey Jules,
This can definitely be done with a normal 2 wheel drive vehicle. The only tricky bit might be the drive up to Dyrholaey, last time I did that the road was a bit steep and unpaved, but it is possible in a two wheel drive car. The route doesn’t include any F roads 🙂
Have a great time in Iceland!
Laurence
Ian says
I’ve been reading your website all afternoon – it’s a fantastic resource, thank you. Would a normal 2WD vehicle be okay in late Feb/early March? We’re travelling with my parents and our little girl (who will have her 4th birthday in Iceland!) next month. 🙂 Thank you.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Ian,
Thanks very much! So snow and ice is definitely still possible at that time of year, but the car rental should come with winter tyres. So 4wd is only something you might want for peace of mind, it won’t necessarily be needed. The roads are good and regularly cleared,especially those used by visitors. We have always had a 4wd in winter (even if it’s an estate style car) but it’s a personal choice rather than a necessity.
Have a great time in Iceland, happy birthday to your daughter, and do let me know if you have any further questions!
Laurence
Diego Alexandre says
Hi Laurence,
All your posts have been really helpful. I am traveling to Iceland from Saturdar afternoon (2 pm) to Friday morning (really early morning).
Therefore I was following your five day trip, i already book the hotels and I realized that I have one more day free. Could you please provide a recommendation on what to add to the trip considering that I already booked the trip and hotels as you recommend it. Thanks!
Diego
Laurence Norah says
Hi Diego,
Sure thing, and I’m glad you found our posts helpful. If you are following the main itinerary, then my suggestion would be to spend the extra day visiting the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, which you can definitely do as a day trip. If you have a car it’s easy to do, alternatively there are a number of day trips which visit it.
I hope this helps! Let me know if you have additional questions 🙂
Laurence
Diego Alexandre says
Hi Laurence,
Thanks for your prompt respond. So if I was leaving from Vik to Reykjavic on day 5, I should instead go from Vik´s hotel to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula for the whole day. After that, where should go and where should I stay (hotel) that fifth day. On the sixth day I will go to Reykjavic. Any attractions that you recommend in that Peninsula? Thanks!
Diego
Laurence Norah says
Hi Diego,
Yes, that would probably be the best option. There’s lots to see on Snaefellsnes, but highlights for us were the Gerðuberg basalt columns, the Vatnshellir lava cave, Kirkjufell mountain and the Shark Museum at Bjarnarhofn.
We have some more tips and also suggestions on where to stay in our 7 day Iceland itinerary. If you check out the section for Day 3 it has some recommended htels and an itinerary for the day as well 🙂
Have a great trip, let me know if you have any more questions!
Laurence
Jai says
Dear Laurence and Jessica,
I just wanted to say thanks for your blog!
I just returned from a 5 day trip to Iceland and pretty much followed your itinerary, which worked out great.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Jai,
We are glad to hear you had a great time, and thank you so much for taking the time to come by after your trip and let us know. It is much appreciated!
Safe travels 🙂
Laurence
Lars Kaa Andersen says
Hi, I really liked your 5 days suggestion❤. We have 6 days available and would love to do a full day house riding.
Do you have a recommendation for this?
Much appreciated.
Kind regards,
Lars
Laurence Norah says
Hi Lars,
This is a great question. We only did a little bit of horse riding near Akureyri, so don’t have first hand experience of a company. However, the following have good reviews:
– this tour from Reykjavik is suitable for beginners and advanced riders
– this is another full day tour from Reykjavik which is suitable for beginners and advanced riders
One thing to note is that most of the full day experiences seem to involve a more beginner section in the morning and a more advanced section in the afternoon. So I am not sure what your experience level is, or if you were looking to spend the whole day riding, in which case you might want to contact a provider directly and try to arrange a private session, although this will be more expensive.
Have a great time in Iceland!
Laurence
Lars Kaa Andersen says
Many thanks Laurence, much appreciated.
Mirela says
Thanks so much for the wonderful information. My family is planning a trip to Iceland from June 9-15, 2020 and we will follow your guide. We would like to have an ice cave tour though, if possible. Would we be able to book such a tour in June? Many thanks, Mirela.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Mirela!
Delighted to have been able to help. So the main ice cave season in Iceland is in winter, from around November through to March. This is when those really blue ice caves are accessible, and this is when most ice cave tours run.
However, there are a couple of ice caves you can visit in winter, including Katla ice cave (see this tour for example) and this combination glacier hike and ice cave tour.
So yes, it is possible 🙂
Have a great time in Iceland!
Laurence
Lucy Rinaldi says
Do you have a printable version of this article? I found it has a wealth of information and I’ve used it to set up our trip to Iceland in 10 days’ time – but I’d love to be able to take it with us so we don’t miss out on anything! Thanks for writing it.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Lucy!
Thanks very much 🙂 We don’t have a printable version per se – most browsers have built in printing capabilities, which should work. It is something we do get requested from time to time, I just haven’t figured out how to implement it. Is there a specific format you would want the post to be in to make it more printer friendly?
Thanks!
Laurence
Lucy Rinaldi says
If I press Print in my browser, it tells me that it will take 82 sheets of paper!!!! The problem is that you have all the beautiful photos – and of course all the adverts. Ideally, a printable version would just be the words, without the pictures. If you had a link to a pdf of the words, that would be perfect.
Laurence Norah says
That is an awful lot of paper. I will definitely have to put this further up my to-do list as an option, thanks for the feedback!
Laurence Norah says
Hi Lucy!
So I have taken your feedback to heart and there is now a “print” icon in the floating share button to the side of the post when you view it on desktop. I’ve just implemented this, but hopefully it should give you a version of the post without ads and images 🙂 Most browsers let you print to PDF from the Print menu.
We’re going to make this button more obvious and probably tidy the wording up a bit, but hopefully this should get you what you were looking for in the meantime! Any feedback, let me know 🙂
I appreciate your trip has already started…
Laurence
Shelley says
Dear Laurence and Jessica,
We just got back from our 5 day trip to Iceland and I just wanted to thank you so very, very much for all your incredible information. I used everything you said to create a fantastic self-drive itinerary for us and we saw everything on the southern border. Our 15 and 23 year old boys loved the snorkling and the raft trip at Jökulsárlón the best, but we loved it all and plan to return to see the north. Just loved your site. So kind and helpful of you to do this! Thanks again!! Happy travels to you!
Laurence Norah says
Dear Shelley,
Thank you so much for your comment and letting us know that we helped you have a great trip! Comments like this make all the hard work worth it, and we really appreciate you taking the time to contact us.
Happy travels!
Laurence & Jessica
Jerry Kings says
We just decided on a last minute spontaneous trip to Iceland for end of July and had to scramble to finalize our accommodations given the crowds. Loved your itinerary, but had to adjust slightly to fit our plans, so wanted to use your expertise to make sure you do not see any flaws. We land early morning 7/23 and depart early morning 7/29.
7/23: Snaefellsnes Peninsula (stay there)
7/24: Reykjavik
7/25: Golden Circle (stay in Fludir)
7/26: Vik (stay in Vik)
7/27: Hofn (stay in Hofn)
7/28: Drive back to Reykjavik, stay there before flying out in the AM
Also, any pluses or minuses of Air BnB and guesthouses? Thanks so much!
Laurence Norah says
Hey Jerry!
This trip definitely looks doable to me. The only negative of an airbnb is that you usually have to coordinate an arrival time which can restrict your sight seeing and make you less flexible. It’s not a big deal, just something to think about.
Have a great trip!
Laurence
Yinghua says
Thanks for all the great info/suggestions!
My family of 4 is planning a trip in mid August, for 5 days. Love your plan.
I’m inclined to book car rental and hotels myself. How do I sign up for the special activities such as snorkels or glacier hike? It seems that Iceland Travel and Guide to Iceland have either the self-drive tour package or day tour. Thanks again!
Laurence Norah says
Hi Yinghua,
So whilst the two sites you mention do offer day tours, you can also book individual tours that don’t include transport as well. It’s just a question of finding them, and the search functionality doesn’t always make this super easy. However, as an example, here is a link for booking the Silfra snorkelling without transport.
So it is definitely possible to book these activities in advance without booking a full day tour 🙂
Have a great trip!
Laurence
Andrew Meadows says
Hi im looking at possibly heading to Iceland in mid to late August, and your 5 day itinerary sounds awesome, but wondering is it possible to see the Northern Lights around that time ? and is it getting cold or would be cold i did notice in one of your comments there was snow in june ! !
Thanks
Andrew
Laurence Norah says
Hi Andrew!
So in theory it is possible to see the northern lights in late August. The main issue is that it will not be fully dark until quite late, and there will only be a few hours of true darkness, so the window of opportunity is quite small.
In terms of weather – Iceland is never truly a warm place 😉 Even the warmest days aren’t usually much above 20C, and the wind can make it seem much cooler. So I would advise packing warm clothes and waterproofs whatever time of year you visit. And yes, we had snow in June when we last visited, and it rained a lot, and the temperature was around 12C most of the time!
Definitely don’t go to Iceland for the warm weather 😉
Have a great time though!
Laurence
julia says
Hey, loved your post! My friend and I are trying to figure out how much money we’ll need for gasoline. About how many miles was this trip? Super helpful post!
Laurence Norah says
Hi Julia,
Thanks very much!
I’d say likely 1200 – 1600 miles, depending on side trips and detours 🙂
Enjoy!
Laurence
Gina says
Hi! Love the post!
I’m planning to travel in October this year. Would we follow advice for summer or winter for theatre time of year?
Laurence Norah says
Hi Gina!
Well, you’re on the boundary! I would err more towards winter though, as wintery conditions are definitely more common that summer conditions (we had snow in June!), so I would plan for it to be colder and with the possibility of snow. You should also be able to see the northern lights 🙂
Have a great trip!
Laurence
Tiffanie O. says
Hello,
Let me say i have learned so much reading all of the comments and thank you for all of the information. Below is the self drive itinerary we have put together for when we visit in August, with the help from Guide to Iceland. We did change a few things and does it look doable to you…
Day 1- arrive airport, get car, head to Blue Lagoon, then spend night in Reykjavik (walk around Reykjavik after blue lagoon).
Day 2-we want to do the first snorkel 9:00 in Silfra and then head to Snaefellsnes Peninsula to spend the day exploring and then spend the night in Stykkisholmur.
Day 3-make our way to Thingvellir National Park (explore, take pics), head to Geysir, then Gullfoss, Kerid Crater, Sellfoss then stay the night in Vik. (i know this sounds like alot but we plan to get up early and head out, plus we will be there in August so daylight will be on our side).
Day 4-I believe we are booking an ice cave tour (Myrdalsjokull) so we would do this first then make our way to Hofn (any suggestions for along the way ?), spend night in Hofn.
Day 5-explore Hofn, as we head back to Vik stop at Jokulsarlon and black diamond beach. spend night in Vik.
Day 6-head back to Reykjavik from Vik but stop at Reynifjara Beach, Dyrholaey, maybe plane wreck, skogafoss, Eyjafjallajokull, Seljalandsfoss. Spend night in Reykjavik.
Day 7- fly home (will probably be depressed about leaving)
Does this itinerary make sense? I had messaged you yesterday about fuel and gas cards. Our math was way off when trying to figure out how much to budget for fuel. Any recommendations will be greatly appreciated.Thank you so much!
Tiffanie
Laurence Norah says
Hi Tiffanie,
We’re happy we’ve been able to help 🙂 Just so you know we did reply to your comment about fuel cards which you can see here:
https://independenttravelcats.com/visiting-iceland-in-winter-7-day-iceland-itinerary-by-car/#comment-300016
For your itinerary, I just have a couple of bits of feedback on what otherwise looks like a great itinerary 🙂
On Day 2 you have yourselves going to Silfra for the snorkelling. As Silfra is in Thingvellir National Park, I think this would make a bit more sense to do on Day 3, where you visit Thingvellir, otherwise you are doing a bit of a detour on Day 2. You should still be able to see the rest of your itinerary on Day 2 I would think if you do the 9am tour, just bear in mind you would have to leave the Snaefellsnes peninsula early.
Of course, I appreciate that you have likely thought about this, and that is why Silfra is on Day 2 🙂
Otherwise this looks good to me!
Yinze says
Hi there, what a wonderful website you’ve got! So much valuable information and beautiful pictures. Do you have an estimate of how much this five-day tour cost for two people?
Thank you in advance! 🙂
Laurence Norah says
Hi Yinze!
So giving prices is a bit tricky for Iceland as the currency seems to fluctuate a lot! However, Iceland is definitely a relatively pricey destination, and it will also depend on a few factors (what sort of accommodation you want, what time of year you visit).
My suggestion is to check out our guide to how much it costs to travel in Iceland:
https://independenttravelcats.com/iceland-budget-tips-how-to-save-money-in-iceland/#How-Much-Do-Things-Cost-in-Iceland
Which has some indicative costs for everything from car hire to groceries to accommodation, and from that you should be able to easily come up with a budget 🙂
Have a great trip, and let me know if I can help any more!
Laurence
Yinze says
Thanks so much, Laurence! Very helpful information, it’ll really help me plan my trip. Thanks again! 🙂
oscar says
Hello, I am planning to visit Iceland around april 12 for 5-6 days. I intend to follow your itinerary, with maybe the addition of Snaefellsnes peninsula. Looking at the map, it seems it is more convenient to add this before the rest of the itinerary, am I right?
Also, any suggestions for travelling in April? Any chance to see northern lights?
Laurence Norah says
Hi Oscar!
Yes, adding the Snaefellsnes peninsula at the start would make the most sense. For April there’s nothing specific – just be aware that Iceland can be cold and windy / wet at any time of year, so just make sure you bring enough warm clothes. There is still the chance to see the northern lights in April, all you need is clear skies and a display to happen! Good luck 🙂
Laurence
David says
Hello, what hikes would one be able to do in these areas?
Thank you!!
Laurence Norah says
Hi David!
It really depends on the length of hike you are interested in doing and the time of year you visit. Iceland is home to shorter hikes of an hour to half a day, as well as longer multi-day hikes. For multi-day hikes though I’d advise doing something different as this itinerary isn’t really about hiking.
For shorter hikes, you have quite a few options, although of course you’ll want to adjust the itinerary as it doesn’t currently account for many hikes.
Areas you might want to consider hiking are the short hike to Kvernufoss, the hike up to (and beyond) Reykjadalur hot springs and the hikes in Skaftafell up to and beyond Svartifoss.
There are loads more hikes, including the hike out to Glymur, and the Mt Esja hike, both of which are accessible from Reyjkavik.
I hope this helps a bit 🙂
Laurence
Ethan Plous says
Hi Laurence and Jessica! My name is Ethan, and my friends and I planning a trip to Iceland during the summer of 2019 (June 14-17). Unfortunately amongst the five of us, there is no one who is old enough to rent a car (we are all 18 years old). I noticed that there is a public bus system and I was wondering if that is an effective way to get around. I had read the portion of your post that mentioned bus passports, but my friends and I were planning to spend one night in a different part of Iceland for the duration of our stay and an hourly bus pass does not seem particularly efficient. Moreover, I am extremely grateful for the patience you guys had to write such an informative and extensive guide, and I am extremely open to suggestions as where to visit in our time in Iceland!
Thanks a Ton,
Ethan
Laurence Norah says
Hey Ethan!
So the main issue with the public bus system is that it doesn’t tend to stop at the major tourist sights, and even if it does, many of the sights don’t take very long to see, and then you’d have to wait for another bus to come along.
The bus passports:
https://guidetoiceland.is/book-holiday-trips/return-bus-ticket-to-the-highlands-golden-hikers-pass?a=133265
https://guidetoiceland.is/book-holiday-trips/iceland-by-bus-south-coast-passport?a=133265
One of them is just for hiking and the other is just from July, so I don’t think these will help.
So I have two main options for you. You can maybe rent an apartment in Reyjkavik, and then do some day tours from the city, as I suggest here: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/day-trips-from-reykjavik-iceland/
Or you could do a multi-day guided tour, which might be the easiest option. I suggest some here:
https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/best-guided-group-tours-of-iceland/
But if you take a look at the following sites you’ll get some ideas:
Iceland Travel
Get Your Guide
Guide to Iceland
I hope this helps a bit!
Have an awesome trip, and do let us know how it goes or if you have any more questions for us 😀
Laurence
Marco says
Hello, many thanks for this excellent guide!
I’m planning to go to Iceland in March, from Saturday (arriving in the evening) to Friday (leaving in the morning) and I was thinking to follow pretty much this itinerary. Is it feasible in your opinion to start on Sunday morning from Reykyavik and visit the Snaefellsnes peninsula (Stykkisholmur, Bjarnarhofn, Kirkjufell, shall I add/remove something?) and sleep at Borgarnes?
The following day I would continue with your Day 2 (Thingvellir and so on) .
Thanks,
Marco
Laurence Norah says
Hi Marco – our pleasure!
So yes, if you don’t mind skipping Reykjavik then that would definitely be achievable 🙂 I also think you should be able to see everything you mention without too much trouble. Just make sure you give yourself enough time to catch your flight on the Friday morning!
Have a great trip!
Laurence
Marco says
Yes because my idea was to do the peninsula on day 1, keep your day 2, 3 and 4 and the fifth day go back towards Reykjavik (with long stop at the blue lagoon :)) and on day 6 take the flight back.
I’ve also came up with a different solution:
Day 1: From Reykjavik to Vik (Seljalandsfoss,Skogafoss ecc.. basically your day 3 but driving from Reykjavik)
Day 2: same as your day 4
Day 3: from Vik to Borgarnes (visiting Geysir, Gelfoss, Thingvellir)
Day 4: visiting Snaefellnes penisula and sleep a Borgarnes
Day 5: blue lagoon and sleep at Reykjavik
Any suggestions on which one is better? 🙂
Many thanks,
Marco
Laurence Norah says
Hi Marco!
This would work. Depending on the car you have you can also take road 48 to leave the Golden Circle route, and go past þórufoss, which is a really nice waterfall. It’s a gravel road which we drove in March a couple of years ago with no problems, but it’s always worth checking road conditions of course 🙂 Of course, you could do this the other way as well, from the Snaefellsnes Peninsula.
To be honest either way will be pretty similar, it just depends which way you want to go!
Laurence
Joe says
Hi Laurence and Jessica,
My wife and I are planning to follow your itinerary in late January 2019. It is our first time in Iceland and really would like to see the Northern lights if we get lucky. Will it be visible in any of the locations in this road trip? if not, where is the best place to see it without deviating too far from this 5 days plan? Thank you in advance.
Joe
Laurence Norah says
Hey Joe!
Yep, you can see the northern lights pretty much throughout Iceland, with the best viewing possible when you are away from artificial lights. Generally, that just means going a short distance from wherever you are staying – most towns are not too big in Iceland. Even in Reykjavik you can just travel a short distance to get good viewing! So you shouldn’t need to divert from the plan at all – you would just need to hope for clear skies and good conditions!
Have a wonderful trip 🙂
Laurence
RB says
In Iceland now and following this itinerary pretty closely, starting day 4 tomorrow: South Coast & Vík. Can you tell me roughly how long this day took you and if you started the day early? It seems like a jam-packed day! Thanks!
Laurence Norah says
Hey! So you are likely on the road now, but this is certainly a full day. We tend to start most of our days relatively early, around 8am. That said, the goal of the itinerary was to try and make every day a similar length. We’d love to hear your feedback though as to how you found it!
RB says
I booked a room last minute in Thykkvibaer, quite west of Vik/Klaustur, so I didn’t do the full itinerary for day 4 as it would’ve been too long of a drive back to the hotel afterward, so I can’t comment on the length of your itinerary for that day. I will say that there are signs in front of both the steep drive to Dyrhólaey and the entrance to Fjaðrárgljúfur that specify 4×4 vehicles only, and I had rented a small 2WD. Many blogs said a 2WD would fine on gravel roads, but it was raining and there were many potholes, and I tried it but it felt like a bad idea, so I turned back. I will definitely rent a 4×4 next visit, no doubt. The good news is there is a steep rocky pedestrian footpath from the parking lot below up to the Dyrhólaey viewpoint so hiking is an option if you can’t or don’t want to make the steep drive due to a small car or just nerves!
Laurence Norah says
Thanks very much for the update. You are correct, the drive up to Dyrhólaey is quite steep, and if the signs say 4WD only then it is a good idea. I’m not sure if those signs are relatively new, but I will update the post to reflect this information. Thanks very much!
Marco says
Hi RB,
Haven’t understood: did you manage to do day 4 starting and coming back to Vik?
Andrew Scheier says
We followed this itinerary pretty closely (added Gjain on day 2 and did the Snaefellsnes Peninsula on day 6.) Had a great time. Thanks!
Laurence Norah says
Hey Andrew – that’s great! We always love to hear feedback about how things went, and we’re pleased you had a good time 😀
Victor says
Thank you for all the great tips!
Do you recommend a 4×4 for this trip or a regular car will be okay?
Laurence Norah says
Hey Victor, our pleasure 🙂
A regular car should be fine, all the roads in this itinerary are paved. If you travel in Winter you might prefer a 4×4 for some added safety, but even standard cars should come with winter or studded tires, so it should be ok. Either way, just drive safely and to the road conditions and you should be fine!
Ann says
Thank you very much for providing inspiration for my future trip to Iceland.
Laurence Norah says
Our pleasure – thanks for commenting!
Kate says
This guide is wonderful! Thanks for all the great information
Laurence Norah says
Our pleasure – thanks Kate!
Amanda says
I’ll be back in Iceland later this year with my dad on our way over to Greenland – this is a great first-time guide for a shorter trip! I’ll have to send it to Dad so he can start getting some ideas.
Laurence Norah says
We’ll be there in June 😀 Maybe we’ll run into each other!
Kristin says
I love how moody and dramatic all these shots are, but the beauty image up top with the red jacket tops it all in my book! It’s now been 11 years since I was in Iceland, and MAN do I want to get back. My husband still hasn’t ever gone!
Laurence Norah says
Yeah, we did actually get a lot of nice days in Iceland too, but these ended up being the shots I chose for this post for some reason! You guys definitely need to get back 😀
sally-anne grainger says
I am looking at going for New year and my 40th (Jan). What is it like please? We are going for 5 days and I don’t want to be going here there and everywhere. I am after seeing the lights, blue lagoon, waterfalls, and other nice naturey stuff nearby. Done whale watching so many times I feel this is not for me. Suggestions would be appreciated. Also looking at staying at one place only where the views are good for the lights. We are looking at hiring a car also rather than pay extra for tours. Many thanks, Sally
Laurence Norah says
Hi Sally Anne!
So the main thing to consider at that time of year is that it will be dark a lot of the time (the days can be as short as just a few hours of daylight). This means that you won’t be able to fit as much in in terms of sight seeing as it will be dark. However, you will have lots more opportunities for the northern lights, so that is a benefit. I think a good option would be to base yourself in Reyjkavik and to explore from there. I’d say the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Golden Circle, Blue Lagoon and parts of the south coast would be good options for your time, especially with a car rental. We also have a guide to Iceland in winter which might give you some more inspiration, as well as some ideas of day trips from Reykjavik. You can see those here:
https://independenttravelcats.com/visiting-iceland-in-winter-7-day-iceland-itinerary-by-car/
https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/day-trips-from-reykjavik-iceland/
Have a great time!
Laurence