7 Day Iceland Ring Road Itinerary: The Complete Self-Drive Guide From Someone Who Spent Four Weeks Doing It

Heading to Iceland and planning on driving the Ring Road? You have come to the right place. We spent four weeks driving Iceland’s Ring Road, taking our time to explore the full route in depth. We have also visited Iceland’s south coast in winter, so we know the country in both seasons. This itinerary distils all of that experience into a practical, day-by-day guide for a one-week self-drive road trip, starting and ending in Reykjavik.

This is not a theoretical itinerary cobbled together from other people’s blog posts. Every recommendation here is based on places we have actually visited, roads we have actually driven, and hotels we have actually stayed in. We have also written a number of comprehensive guides to visiting Iceland which you might find helpful alongside this itinerary.

This post contains everything you need to plan your trip: a detailed day-by-day breakdown of the route, where to stay each night, what to see along the way, driving distances, approximate timings, a full route map, budget guidance, and all the practical information you will need. Let’s get into it.

Is 7 Days Enough for the Iceland Ring Road?

Seven days is enough to drive the full Ring Road and see the major highlights, but it does mean fairly full days with limited time for lengthy detours. We would call seven days the minimum for a satisfying Ring Road trip. If you can stretch to nine or ten days, you will have a noticeably more relaxed experience and the flexibility to spend longer at places that grab you.

That said, it can absolutely be done in a week with proper planning. We took four weeks to drive the full route (because we are like that), but we know that not everyone has the luxury of that much time. Based on our experience and reader feedback, we know that seven days works well if you plan your overnight stops in advance, keep your driving distances realistic, and accept that you will need to make choices about which detours to take and which to save for next time.

If you have less than seven days, we would suggest focusing on a specific region rather than trying to rush the full ring. Our 5 day Iceland itinerary covers the south coast and Golden Circle in more depth, and our 3 day Iceland stopover itinerary is designed for Icelandair transit passengers with limited time.

 

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.

 

How Much Does an Iceland Ring Road Trip Cost?

Iceland is not a budget destination, and it is worth being realistic about costs before you go. Here is a rough breakdown of what to expect for a one-week self-drive Ring Road trip for two people in summer 2026.

Car rental: A standard 2WD car suitable for the Ring Road (which is paved for its entire length) typically costs $100 to $160 per day including basic insurance. A 4×4, which you will need if you plan any detours onto gravel roads or F-roads, runs $200 to $300 per day. Always add the gravel protection and sand/ash insurance options in Iceland, as flying gravel and volcanic sand can cause expensive damage that standard insurance does not cover.

Fuel and road charges: From January 2026, Iceland introduced a new per-kilometre road tax that replaces the old fuel duties. Fuel prices dropped as a result (petrol is now around 185 to 230 ISK per litre, down from around 320 ISK), but you will also pay a road charge of approximately 6.95 ISK per kilometre.

Most rental companies handle this as a flat daily rate or charge based on your odometer reading at return. The net effect is that overall driving costs are roughly similar to what they were before the change for most renters. Budget around $40 to $60 per day for fuel and road charges combined, depending on your vehicle.

Accommodation: Guesthouse and mid-range hotel rooms along the Ring Road typically run $150 to $300 per night for a double room in summer. Budget hostels with shared facilities are available in the $50 to $100 range. Prices are highest in Reykjavik and lowest in the east and north. Booking well in advance is essential in summer, as some towns along the route have very limited accommodation and they fill up fast.

Food: Eating out in Iceland is expensive. A main course at a sit-down restaurant typically costs 3,000 to 6,000 ISK ($20 to $40). Many travellers save money by stocking up at supermarkets (Bonus and Kronan are the cheapest) and self-catering where accommodation allows. A daily food budget of $30 to $60 per person is realistic if you mix restaurant meals with self-catering.

Activities: Many of Iceland’s best attractions (waterfalls, beaches, viewpoints) are free to visit, though parking charges of 750 to 1,500 ISK apply at popular spots along the south coast. Paid activities like the Blue Lagoon (from around 9,990 ISK), glacier hikes (from around 12,000 ISK), and boat tours vary widely. Budget $50 to $150 per person per day if you plan to do organised activities.

Total estimate: A comfortable one-week Ring Road trip for two people, staying in mid-range accommodation and eating a mix of restaurant meals and self-catered food, typically comes to around $4,000 to $6,000 total, or roughly $300 to $430 per person per day. You can do it for less by choosing hostels and self-catering, or significantly more if you want luxury accommodation and daily tours.

For more detailed money-saving tips, Jess has written a comprehensive guide to visiting Iceland on a budget which is well worth reading before you go.

 

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 would want to do this trip between late April and October. The sweet spot is June to August, when you will have near-endless daylight (the midnight sun means it barely gets dark), the best weather, and full access to highland roads and detours. May and September are excellent shoulder months with fewer crowds, though weather can be more variable.

It is also worth noting that a total solar eclipse will be visible from Iceland on 12 August 2026. If your dates are flexible, this could be a spectacular addition to a summer Ring Road trip.

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.

It is also worth knowing that driving in Iceland is generally straightforward. The Ring Road is paved for its entire length, well signposted, and largely two lanes. The main things to watch out are single-lane bridges (of which there are 32 on Route 1), sudden weather changes, and the temptation to stop every five minutes because the scenery is so spectacular. If you are comfortable driving in rural areas, Iceland should not pose any particular challenges in summer.

 

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 either this 7 day tour or this 8 day tour.

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 (or Sky Lagoon), Thingvellir National Park

Suggested timing: Arrive morning, Blue Lagoon mid-morning to early afternoon (allow 2 to 3 hours), Thingvellir late afternoon (allow 1.5 to 2 hours including the walk to Öxarárfoss)

Start Point: Keflavik Airport

End Point: Laugarvatn / Fludir area

Distance driven: approximately 140 km / 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
• The Hill Hotel (Fludir ) – 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 most iconic beaches, particularly notable for its stacks of basalt columns running along the edge of the beach and the Reynisdrangar sea stacks visible offshore.

This is a popular and often crowded location, but do be careful here, as the area is known for “sneaker waves” which can appear without warning and sweep visitors off their feet. Tragically, there have been fatal incidents here, so always keep your distance from the waterline and never turn your back on the ocean.

Important 2026 update: In early 2026, unprecedented coastal erosion dramatically reshaped Reynisfjara. Persistent easterly winter storms stripped away huge volumes of sand, leaving the beach looking very different from photos taken even a year earlier.

The basalt columns that once stood at the shoreline were, for a period, surrounded by sea, and some walking paths and access areas were significantly altered. As of March 2026, tides are beginning to return sand to the beach and conditions are improving, but the landscape may still look quite different from what you have seen in photographs. The beach remains open to visitors, though access may be restricted to the upper ridge during periods of high surf. Check SafeTravel Iceland’s Black Beach page for current conditions before your visit.

This is a powerful reminder that Iceland’s landscapes are constantly being reshaped by natural forces. Even if the beach looks different from what you expected, it remains a striking and worthwhile stop.

Finally, we suggest you overnight at either the town of Vik, or head on a little further to Kirkjubæjarklaustur.

Note: This is a packed day. If you are running short on time, the Solheimasandur plane wreck is the easiest stop to skip (it is a long walk for what is essentially a wrecked fuselage on a black sand plain, largely of interest to photographers like myself).

Day 2 Highlights: Geysir, Gullfoss, Lava Center, Seljalandsfoss, Gljufrabui, Skogafoss, Skogar Museum, Solheimasandur plane wreck (optional), Reynisfjara black sand beach

Suggested timing: Geysir (20 to 30 mins), Gullfoss (30 to 45 mins), Lava Center (1 to 1.5 hours), Seljalandsfoss and Gljufrabui (45 mins to 1 hour), Skogafoss (30 mins, longer if visiting Skogar Museum), Solheimasandur plane wreck (40 min walk each way), Reynisfjara (30 to 45 mins)

Start Point: Laugarvatn / Fludir area

End Point: Vik

Distance driven: 207 km / 128 miles

 

Where to Stay

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 Kirkjubæjarklaustur, with simple but comfortable rooms. We’ve stayed here and had a pleasant experience

See more options in Vik here and Kirkjubæjarklaustur 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 hike.

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. Hofn is known as the langoustine capital of Iceland, and you absolutely should try some while you are here.

The seafood in this part of Iceland is exceptional. We loved Hafnarbudin, a no-frills harbourside diner that has been serving locals since 1982. Their langoustine sandwich is excellent and surprisingly affordable by Icelandic standards.

Day 3 Highlights: Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, Eldhraun Lava Fields, Vatnajökull National Park, Svartifoss, Jökulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, Diamond Beach, Langoustines in Hofn

Suggested timing: Fjaðrárgljúfur (45 mins), Skaftafell/Svartifoss hike (2 to 3 hours), Jökulsarlon Lagoon (1 hour, longer if taking a boat tour), Diamond Beach (30 mins)

Start Point: Vik

End Point: Hofn or Djupivogur

Distance driven: 272 km / 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.

Optional Detour: Studlagil Canyon

If you are willing to add a few hours to your Day 4 or Day 5, we would highly recommend a detour to Studlagil Canyon. This basalt column canyon in east Iceland was only revealed in 2009 when a hydroelectric project lowered the water level of the Jökla river, exposing what is now considered the largest collection of basalt columns in Iceland. It has become one of the most photographed locations in the country, and for good reason.

We have not visited Studlagil ourselves, but it comes so highly recommended by fellow travellers that we would be remiss not to include it. To reach the canyon, turn south off Route 1 onto Route 923 (signposted). The best views are from the east side, which requires a hike of approximately 4 km round trip from the closer parking area (1,000 ISK parking fee).

The west side has a viewing platform accessible via a shorter walk but the views are not as impressive. Allow 2 to 3 hours total including the hike. The river displays vivid turquoise colours from March to July, turning silty grey later in summer as glacial melt increases.

The most practical place to fit this detour into our itinerary is on Day 5, between Egilsstadir and the Myvatn area, as the turn-off from Route 1 is west of Egilsstadir. However, it does add significant time to what is already a full day, so plan accordingly.

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, Djupivogur, Sveinsstekksfoss, Folaldafoss, Petra’s Stone Collection, Egilsstaðir, Seydisfjordur

Suggested timing: Vestrahorn/Stokksnes (30 to 45 mins), Djupivogur (30 mins to 1 hour), Sveinsstekksfoss and Folaldafoss (15 mins each), Petra’s Stone Collection (30 to 45 mins), Seydisfjordur (1 to 2 hours including Fardagafoss hike if time allows)

Start Point: Hofn

End Point: Egilsstaðir or Seydisfjordur

Distance driven: 281 km / 173 miles

 

Where to Stay

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
• Hérað – Berjaya Iceland Hotels – 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

Suggested timing: Rjukandi (20 mins), Dettifoss (1 hour including walk from car park), Hverir (30 to 45 mins), Myvatn Nature Baths (1.5 to 2 hours)

Start Point: Seydisfjordur or Egilsstadir

End Point: Lake Myvatn

Distance driven: 262 km / 162 miles

 

Where to Stay

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 waterfall 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: Grjotagja Cave, Hverfjall Crater, Dimmuborgir, Skutustaðagigar pseudo-craters, Goðafoss waterfall

Suggested timing: Grjotagja (15 mins), Hverfjall Crater (1 to 1.5 hours including hike), Dimmuborgir (45 mins to 1 hour), Goðafoss (30 mins)

Start Point: Lake Myvatn

End Point: Akureyri

Distance driven: 110 km / 70 miles

 

Where to Stay

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 (optional detour), Vatnsnes peninsula (optional), Icelandic Seal Center, Kolugljufur Canyon, Borgarnes

Suggested timing: Akureyri sightseeing (1 to 2 hours in the morning), Vatnsnes peninsula detour if taken (2 to 3 hours extra), Kolugljufur Canyon (20 to 30 mins), Borgarnes Saga Museum (1 hour if visiting). This is the longest driving day, so budget your time accordingly.

Start Point: Akureyri

End Point: Borgarnes or Reykjavik

Distance driven: 370 km / 230 miles (more with Vatnsnes detour)

 

Where to Stay

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.
  • Reykjavik Natura – Berjaya Iceland Hotels, 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.
  • KEX Hostel – set in a former biscuit factory just off Laugavegur shopping street, this popular hostel offers both dorms and private rooms, plus an on-site bar and restaurant. A good budget option in a central location.
  • B14 Hostel – a clean, quiet hostel offering free WiFi, free parking and a well-equipped communal kitchen. A little further from the centre but good value with free coffee and a relaxed atmosphere.

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.

We’ve also stayed in the 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!

Day 8 Highlights: Reykjavik sightseeing, Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon (if not done on Day 1), return car, depart

Suggested timing: Allow at least 2 hours for the Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon if visiting. For Reykjavik sightseeing, Hallgrimskirkja and the harbour area can be covered in a couple of hours on foot. Allow plenty of time to return your hire car and get to the airport, especially in summer when rental return queues can be long.

What This Itinerary Skips (and Why)

Seven days is enough to see the Ring Road highlights, but it does mean making choices. Here is what this itinerary leaves out, and what to do if you have more time.

Snaefellsnes Peninsula: Often called “Iceland in miniature” because it packs waterfalls, lava fields, beaches, and a glacier-capped volcano into a compact area. Adding Snaefellsnes would require at least one extra day. If you have eight or nine days, this is the first thing we would add, slotting it in between Borgarnes and Reykjavik.

The Westfjords: One of the most remote and dramatically beautiful parts of Iceland, but the roads are slow and the distances add up quickly. A proper Westfjords visit needs at least three extra days.

The Highlands: Iceland’s interior is only accessible in summer via F-roads that require a capable 4×4. If highland driving appeals to you and you have the right vehicle, Landmannalaugar is the most popular destination and could be reached as a long day trip from the south coast.

Husavik and whale watching: We mention this as an option on Day 5 (it can replace the direct drive to Myvatn), but it does not fit into the main itinerary without cutting something else. If whale watching is high on your priority list, consider adding an extra day in the north.

Trollaskagi Peninsula: A scenic peninsula between Akureyri and the west, known for dramatic mountain passes and fishing villages. A lovely detour if you have an extra half-day on Day 7.

 

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
• Day 8: Reykjavik

 

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 will want a hire car. We recommend comparing prices on Discover Cars, which searches across a number of providers in Iceland, and on Northbound, an Iceland-based comparison site.

Northbound is useful because you can add Iceland-specific insurance options (gravel protection, sand and ash protection) during the booking process, which helps avoid the hard sell at the rental counter.

A note on 2026 road charges: From January 2026, Iceland replaced its fuel duties with a per-kilometre road tax. This means fuel prices have dropped (petrol is now around 185 to 230 ISK per litre, down from around 320 ISK), but you will also pay a distance-based road charge of approximately 6.95 ISK per kilometre for a standard passenger car. Most rental companies handle this automatically, either as a flat daily rate or based on your odometer reading at return. The total cost of driving is roughly the same as before the change. Check with your rental company how they handle the road charge so there are no surprises at return.

A standard 2WD car is fine for the Ring Road in summer, as Route 1 is paved for its entire length. You will only need a 4×4 if you plan detours onto gravel roads or F-roads (highland roads). Whatever you choose, we strongly recommend adding gravel protection and sand/ash protection to your insurance. Flying gravel is common on Icelandic roads, and the repair costs can be eye-watering.

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.

We would also strongly recommend travel insurance for Iceland. The weather can disrupt plans at short notice, medical care is expensive for visitors, and car rental excess charges can be steep if anything goes wrong. Make sure your policy covers driving on gravel roads if you plan any detours off Route 1.

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 rental platforms in Iceland. For more on this, see our guide to the best alternatives to Airbnb. We prefer to use these for longer stays though; for short one-night stops on a road trip where arrival times can vary, the requirement to sometimes arrange arrival times with a host can be problematic.

Camping and campervans are also extremely popular ways to do the Ring Road. Iceland has around 200 official campsites, most open from mid-May to mid-September, with fees typically around 1,500 to 2,500 ISK per person per night. A Camping Card (around $190) gives access to a network of sites and can save money on longer trips.

Wild camping is not permitted in Iceland, so you must use designated campsites. If you are considering a campervan, be aware that rental costs are significantly higher than a standard car, and you still need to pay for campsites each night.

 

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.

If you want mobile data for navigation and on-the-go research (which we would recommend, as Google Maps is invaluable for finding your way to waterfalls and parking areas), the easiest option in 2026 is an eSIM.

We use and recommend Airalo, which lets you buy a data plan for Iceland before you leave home and activate it the moment you land. No need to find a SIM card shop at the airport or worry about your phone being unlocked.

If you prefer a physical SIM, you can pick one up at Keflavik airport when you arrive. For more options, see our guide to getting online when you travel.

 

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!

Frequently Asked Questions About Iceland’s Ring Road

How many days do you need to drive the Iceland Ring Road?

Seven days is the minimum we would recommend for a satisfying Ring Road trip. This gives you enough time to see the major highlights without feeling too rushed. If you can stretch to nine or ten days, you will have more flexibility for detours and longer stops. We took four weeks to drive the route ourselves (we like to take our time), but this itinerary is designed to fit the highlights into a realistic one-week schedule.

Do you need a 4×4 for the Iceland Ring Road?

No. The Ring Road (Route 1) is paved for its entire length, and a standard 2WD car is perfectly fine for the main route in summer. You only need a 4×4 if you plan to take detours onto gravel roads or F-roads (highland roads), which are only open in summer. We would recommend a 4×4 if you want the flexibility to explore beyond Route 1.

How much does it cost to drive the Iceland Ring Road?

For two people doing a one-week self-drive trip in summer 2026, expect to spend roughly $4,000 to $6,000 total. This covers car rental with insurance, fuel and road charges, mid-range accommodation, a mix of restaurant meals and self-catering, and some paid activities. You can do it for less with hostels and careful budgeting, or considerably more with luxury accommodation and daily tours.

What is the best time of year to drive the Ring Road?

June to August is the best window, offering near-endless daylight thanks to the midnight sun, the warmest weather, and full access to highland roads and detours. May and September are excellent shoulder months with fewer crowds but more variable weather. We would not recommend driving the full Ring Road in winter due to unpredictable road closures, limited daylight, and challenging driving conditions.

Which direction should you drive the Iceland Ring Road?

Either direction works. We prefer anti-clockwise (tackling the busy south coast first, then moving into the quieter north and east), but there is no wrong answer. The itinerary in this guide runs anti-clockwise.

What if my flight arrives in the afternoon or evening?

This is very common, especially on flights from North America. If you land after about 3pm, we would suggest either heading straight to the Blue Lagoon (it is only 20 minutes from the airport) and then overnighting nearby, or driving to Reykjavik to rest and start the Ring Road fresh the next morning. You can adjust the itinerary by combining Days 1 and 2 (the Golden Circle section) into a single longer day, which is doable in summer when you have near-endless daylight.

Can I do the Ring Road in 6 days? What about 10?

Six days is possible but very rushed. You would need to skip some stops and have long driving days. If you only have six days, we would suggest focusing on the south coast and Golden Circle instead. With 10 days, you gain the flexibility to add detours like the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, spend more time in the Myvatn area, or take a whale watching trip from Husavik. We actually spent four weeks driving the full route when researching this article, so more time is always welcome.

Is it safe to drive in Iceland?

Generally yes, but Iceland’s weather can change rapidly and you need to respect it. Check road.is for current road conditions and SafeTravel Iceland for safety alerts. Watch for single-lane bridges (there are 32 on Route 1), be cautious in high winds, and never drive off marked roads. In summer, the main hazards are other tourists stopping suddenly for photos and the occasional sheep on the road.