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

Last verified: 22 April 2026. Prices, road charges, and closure conditions checked against primary sources. Major changes since the last update: Reynisfjara cave access restrictions, Grjótagjá entry status (closed), and the new per-kilometre road tax that replaced fuel duties in January 2026.

Heading to Iceland and planning on driving the Ring Road? You have come to the right place. We spent four solid weeks driving the full route in one go (I like to take my time), and Jess and I have also done the south coast in winter, so we know the country in both its glorious-midnight-sun best and its horizontal-sleet worst.

This itinerary distils all of that into a practical, day-by-day guide for a one-week self-drive road trip, starting and ending in Reykjavik. Nearly every stop is somewhere we have been, every hotel is one we have stayed at or looked at seriously, and the warnings come from things that actually went wrong (for us, or for readers who wrote in afterwards). Where we haven’t been to a stop ourselves, we say so.

We have also written a number of other guides to visiting Iceland which you might find helpful alongside this one.

This post contains everything you need: a detailed day-by-day breakdown, where to stay each night, what to see along the way, driving distances, suggested timings, a full route map, 2026 cost guidance, and a section nobody else writes about the ways this trip most commonly goes wrong. 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 only if you accept up front that you are choosing momentum over lingering. Days are full. Drives are real. Some stops will have to stay on the list for next time.

If you can stretch to nine or ten days, the trip becomes noticeably more relaxed and you gain room for the detours that are harder to justify in seven. If you have fewer than seven days, I 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.

We took four weeks to drive the Ring Road on one of our trips. We enjoyed every day of it (aside from the rain, of which more later). But I know most readers don’t have that kind of runway, so this itinerary is designed to work as written in seven days of actual driving time, plus an arrival day and a departure day. Eight days on the ground, seven nights of accommodation.

 

What is the Iceland Ring Road?

The Iceland Ring Road, officially Þjóðvegur 1 or Route 1, is the national road that loops around the entire country, connecting most major towns and cities. It runs 1,332 kilometres (828 miles), which makes it the longest road in Iceland by a considerable margin.

It is paved for its entire length and primarily two lanes wide, although it narrows in places, particularly for bridges. Iceland has 32 single-lane bridges on Route 1, which are signposted and generally well-behaved, but they are the thing first-time drivers fuss about most. (The rule is simple: whoever gets there first goes first. If you arrive together, the closer vehicle goes first. Nobody gets hurt. There are no duels.)

 

Why Road Trip on the Iceland Ring Road?

Because it covers a great deal of the country and passes right by, or very close to, most of Iceland’s most famous and noteworthy attractions. Waterfalls, glaciers, black sand beaches, geothermal areas, fishing villages, Game of Thrones filming locations, entire valleys that look like nowhere else on Earth.

The Ring Road also connects the major towns, which means accommodation is findable along the route (more on that later), and navigation is largely a matter of staying on the 1. If you have ever been lost on a road trip in, say, rural France, you will appreciate how restful this is.

 

How Long Does it Take to Drive Iceland’s Ring Road?

The speed limit on most of Route 1 is 90 km/h, so in theory you could drive the whole thing in 15 to 20 hours.

Of course, you would be an absolute lunatic to do this, and you would see approximately none of the country. Seven days is the minimum I would recommend, eight or nine is more comfortable, and if you have two weeks you will thank yourself daily. On one trip we spent four weeks driving the route, stopping whenever we wanted and taking whatever detours appealed. It remains one of my favourite road trips.

If you have less time in Iceland and don’t want to feel rushed, focus on a specific region rather than attempting the full loop. Our 5 day Iceland itinerary covers the south coast and Golden Circle properly.

 

Which Way Should I Drive the Iceland Ring Road?

You can drive the loop in either direction. My preference is anti-clockwise, tackling the south first.

The south is the busiest part of Iceland, simply because it is closest to Reykjavik and everyone does day trips from the capital to see Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss and the black sand beaches. Going anti-clockwise means you do the crowded bit early, then progressively move into quieter territory. Going clockwise means the opposite: you start in relative solitude and end in the tour-bus pinch. I find the first approach more satisfying, but some may disagree and the itinerary works either way.

This itinerary is written anti-clockwise. If you want to reverse it, just read it from Day 7 back to Day 1.

 

How Much Does an Iceland Ring Road Trip Cost?

Iceland is not a budget destination. Being upfront about this saves heartache at the rental counter and in the supermarket.

Here is a rough breakdown of what to expect for a one-week self-drive trip for two people in summer 2026.

Car rental: A standard 2WD car suitable for the Ring Road typically costs $100 to $160 per day including basic insurance. A 4×4, needed only if you plan detours onto gravel roads or F-roads, runs $200 to $300 per day. Always add gravel protection and sand/ash insurance. Flying gravel and volcanic sand can cause expensive damage that standard insurance will not cover, and the repair bills are what I would describe as character-building.

Fuel and road charges: From January 2026, Iceland replaced fuel duties with a per-kilometre road tax. Petrol dropped from around 320 ISK per litre to around 185-230 ISK per litre, but you now pay a road charge of approximately 6.95 ISK per kilometre for a standard passenger car.

Most rental companies handle this either as a flat daily rate or as an odometer-based charge at return. The net effect is that overall driving costs are roughly similar to what they were before. Budget around $40 to $60 per day for fuel and road charges combined.

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. Reykjavik is the most expensive; the east and north are cheapest. Book well in advance in summer. Some towns on the route have properly limited accommodation and they fill up.

Food: Eating out in Iceland is expensive. A main course at a sit-down restaurant typically runs 3,000 to 6,000 ISK (roughly $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 supermarket food.

Activities: Most of Iceland’s best attractions (waterfalls, beaches, viewpoints) are free to enter, although parking charges of 750 to 1,500 ISK apply at many popular spots. 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 and supermarket 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 with hostels and serious self-catering, or considerably more with luxury hotels 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?

You can, but I would generally advise against it for this specific itinerary. Road conditions can change very quickly, sections of the Ring Road regularly close in winter, and a single storm can trash a carefully planned week. I have spent enough hours staring at road.is closure maps in a warm café in Vik to know that the weather gets a vote whether you want it to or not.

On top of that, winter daylight in Iceland is brutally short. In December you might get four or five usable hours. A 300 km driving day can eat all of it and leave you arriving at your accommodation in the pitch dark having seen nothing. Summer gives you the opposite problem, in the best way: the midnight sun means it barely gets dark, and you can stop at a waterfall at 10pm in full daylight.

The sweet spot is June to August, when you have near-endless daylight, the warmest weather, and full access to highland roads and detours. May and September are good shoulder months with fewer crowds, though weather gets more variable.

One note for 2026: 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 trip.

If you travel in late September or October you will also have a chance of seeing the northern lights. You do not need to do anything special to see them. Find somewhere with no artificial light, hope for clear skies and high solar activity, and look up.

I am not discouraging Iceland in winter in general. It is beautiful, and it is the right time of year for northern lights. But for the full Ring Road in seven days, winter stacks the odds against you. Instead, take a look at our 7 day Iceland winter itinerary, which focuses on the south coast (where roads stay most reliably open) rather than attempting the full loop. Also worth reading: our guide to driving in Iceland in winter, and our guide to what to pack for Iceland in winter.

Another option is to let someone else handle it. A guided tour like this means someone else handles the logistics, the driving, and the “do we turn back” decisions in a whiteout. You just enjoy the scenery through someone else’s windscreen.

 

Do You Have to Self-Drive?

No. This itinerary is written as a self-drive trip, which is what we have done on all our Iceland adventures. Self-driving gives you the most flexibility and is the way I would always choose to do it personally. But it is not the only option.

Group tours of Iceland are a good alternative if driving in a country you do not know doesn’t appeal. The tour company handles the driving, the itinerary, and the hotels, and you just turn up. There are a number of options:

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 covering the highlights.

When comparing tours, look carefully at what is included. A higher-priced tour that includes meals can be better value than a cheaper one without, because food costs add up fast in Iceland. Other things to check: accommodation quality, which activities are included, and whether things like Blue Lagoon entry or glacier tours are part of the price.

For more inspiration, see our guide to the best guided tours of Iceland. You can also see a selection of guided tours on TourRadar and on Guide to Iceland.

For the rest of this guide I will assume you are self-driving. Driving in Iceland is straightforward if you are comfortable driving in rural areas elsewhere. The main things to watch for are single-lane bridges (the 32 on Route 1 are well-signposted), sudden weather changes, sheep wandering onto the road, and the powerful urge to pull over and photograph literally everything.

 

How This Trip Most Commonly Goes Wrong

Iceland is one of the best road trips in the world. We have done it four times and would go again tomorrow. But there are specific, predictable ways this trip goes sideways for people, and almost nobody writes about them because they don’t quite fit anywhere in a day-by-day itinerary. Read this section once, and you will save yourself from the handful of mistakes that turn otherwise amazing trips into frustrating ones.

The hire car insurance ambush

You arrive at Keflavik jet-lagged, you pick up your car, and someone at the counter upsells you on “essential” insurance add-ons with prices that feel designed for people too tired to argue. You thought your credit card would cover you for these, but it turns out Iceland has all kinds of extra insurance options no credit card company covers. Things like gravel protection, sand and ash protection, additional collision waivers, the works.

By the time you drive away you have paid an extra $400 you did not budget for.

The fix is simple: do your research and decide what insurance you want before you land, and pre-book it. Tools like Northbound let you add the Iceland-specific cover (gravel, sand, ash) during the booking process, which both saves money and removes the sticker-shock moment at the counter. You still need some insurance (gravel protection in particular is a very good idea in Iceland, I am not kidding about flying rocks), but you do not need it at desk-panic prices.

Not being prepared for the weather

This is the big one. People assume “Iceland in summer” means sunshine. It does not. Jess and I spent four weeks in Iceland in June and we were rained on in every corner of the country, frequently and with considerable enthusiasm. We had proper rain gear, waterproof footwear (I cannot emphasize this enough, a week in wet shoes is miserable) and warm layers, so we were fine. Many travellers we met did not, and they were not fine.

Iceland’s weather is variable year-round and can turn from warm sun to horizontal sleet in under an hour. Pack proper waterproofs (a jacket and trousers, not a rain jacket worn over jeans), warm layers, and a hat and gloves even in July. The waterfalls will soak you. The coastal wind will cut through anything that is not actually windproof. Assume it will rain at some point every day and you will be pleasantly surprised on the days it does not.

Not being prepared for the costs

The cost section above is there for a reason. Iceland is expensive, and food is the category most people underestimate. A restaurant meal for two with drinks can easily hit $120, even at unremarkable places. A three-course dinner at somewhere nice is $200+. If you eat out every night for a week, you are looking at serious money.

Mitigation: self-cater at least some meals. Almost all guesthouses have kitchens. Bonus and Kronan supermarkets have everything you need. Picnic lunches at waterfalls are cheaper than roadside cafés, and they are also often nicer. Gas station food is better then you might expect, and more reasonably priced too.

Winter conditions if you ignored me earlier

If you are driving the Ring Road in winter despite my advice, here are the things that catch people out: roads can go from clear to ice-covered in under an hour, sections of Route 1 close regularly in bad weather (check road.is obsessively), the East Fjords stretch between Breiddalsvik and Egilsstadir is particularly prone to closure, and the limited daylight means you will be driving in the dark more than you expect.

If you do drive in winter, budget at least ten days for the full loop (you will lose days to weather), rent a 4×4 with winter tyres (a 2WD is not enough), and always have a backup plan for where to stay if a road closes.

Flight-time mismatch

People plan this itinerary assuming a morning arrival on Day 1 and an evening departure on Day 8. Then they look at their actual flights and realise they land at 11pm and depart at 7am. Day 1 is a write-off and Day 8 needs a hotel near the airport rather than Reykjavik.

If your flight arrives after about 3pm, skip the Day 1 Blue Lagoon and Thingvellir plan, drive straight to an airport-area hotel, and start the itinerary fresh on Day 2 morning. If your flight departs before about 9am, spend your last night near Keflavik, not in Reykjavik. The 40-minute airport drive at 5am is not the memory you want to leave Iceland with.

The F-road temptation

Somewhere around Day 3 or 4, you will be in a 2WD rental car and you will see a scenic gravel road leading off somewhere dramatic. A little voice will say “it looks fine, let’s just see where it goes.” This is how people wreck rental cars and end up having $3,000 conversations with the rental company.

F-roads (highland roads, marked with an F prefix) are legally restricted to 4×4 vehicles with high ground clearance. Your rental agreement will exclude damage from F-road driving even with insurance. The roads involve water crossings, loose gravel, and surfaces that will shred a standard car’s undercarriage. Do not test this.

If you want to drive F-roads, rent a 4×4 from the start. And even then, be aware your insurance will still likely not cover driving on F roads, or the cost of a tow if you get stuck.

Accommodation scarcity

This is the one that makes people write me angry emails. “We tried to book Vik two weeks before our trip and there was nothing available.” Yes. Welcome to Iceland in summer. Some towns on the Ring Road (Vik, Hofn, Mývatn, Egilsstadir) have properly limited accommodation, and they fill up months in advance for peak season.

Book at least three months ahead for July and August, two months ahead for June and September, and do not assume “we’ll figure it out” works the way it does in countries with thousands of interchangeable hotels. It doesn’t. Wild camping is also not permitted in Iceland, so sleeping in the car is not a legal fallback.

Parking tickets at the waterfalls

Most of the popular stops on the south coast (Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, Skaftafell, and increasingly others) now charge for parking, typically 750 to 1,500 ISK. Payment is via the Parka.is app or EasyPark. Enforcement is aggressive and the fines are not small.

Install the Parka app before you land. Pay the moment you park, even if you only plan to stop for fifteen minutes. I have met people who got tickets at Seljalandsfoss on a ten-minute photo stop because they thought “we’ll be back before anyone notices.” The parking officials always notice. They’re paid to.

Reynisfjara sneaker waves

Reynisfjara’s waves are famous and they are also lethal. Six people have died there since 2013, most recently a nine-year-old in August 2025. The waves that kill people are not the ones crashing on the beach when you arrive. They are “sneaker waves” which surge up the sand far beyond the normal waterline, without warning, and pull people out.

The rule is simple and non-negotiable: stay well back from the water, do not turn your back on the ocean, and pay attention to the colour-coded flag system at the entrance (Yellow, Orange, Red). During Red conditions, the Hálsanefshellir cave is closed and access to the lower beach may be restricted. It is not a beach for paddling or for photo-shoots at the waterline. Treat it with the respect you would treat any other properly dangerous stretch of coastline.

None of this is meant to scare you off or be alarmist. Iceland is astonishing, and almost everyone we know who has done this trip comes back saying it was one of the best things they ever did. The point of this section is that the difference between a brilliant Iceland trip and a miserable one usually comes down to five or six decisions you make before you land. Get those right and the rest takes care of itself.

 

Iceland Ring Road Itinerary

Now, the itinerary itself. This covers 8 days and 7 nights, with each day aimed at a roughly similar workload (although some days are inevitably heavier than others).

A note on pacing: the south coast and East Fjords days in particular pack a lot in. I have marked the optional stops clearly. If you are travelling with kids, or you prefer longer stops at fewer places, be willing to cut things. The itinerary works if you treat it as a menu rather than a checklist.

 

Day 1: Arrive, Blue Lagoon, Thingvellir

You will arrive at Keflavik International Airport, which is roughly a 40 minute drive southwest of Reykjavik. This itinerary assumes a morning arrival. If you land in the afternoon or evening, see the flight-time mismatch note above.

Pick up your hire car (compare prices here) and, if the Blue Lagoon is on your list, head there straight from the airport. It is Iceland’s most famous geothermal lagoon: a huge outdoor bathing area where mineral-rich water is an almost unreal shade of milky blue. There is an on-site restaurant, a swim-up bar, and various premium treatments if you want the full spa experience.

If you plan to visit the Blue Lagoon, pre-book a timeslot, which you can do here. It is popular, you cannot turn up and buy a ticket. See our full guide to visiting the Blue Lagoon for more.

An alternative worth considering is the Sky Lagoon, a newer geothermal complex closer to Reykjavik city centre. It has a similar concept, is often less crowded, and the ocean-view infinity edge is a proper jaw-dropper. You can book tickets for the Sky Lagoon here. And if you are not sure about either, my actual favourite geothermal bath in Iceland is the Mývatn Nature Baths in the north, which you will reach on Day 5.

After the lagoon, head out onto the Golden Circle. This is one of the most popular short road trips in Iceland, and its proximity to Reykjavik makes it efficient to combine with Day 1 arrival logistics. We have written a full guide to the Golden Circle.

If you arrived in the morning, you will have time on Day 1 for Thingvellir National Park. Thingvellir (Þingvellir) is one of the most important cultural sites in Iceland and a UNESCO World Heritage Site: Iceland’s parliament met here from the 10th to the 18th centuries, which makes it one of the oldest continuous parliamentary sites in the world.

It is also geologically remarkable. The Eurasian and North American tectonic plates meet here, and you can walk in the rift between them. It is quite something to stand in a canyon and realise you are looking at the boundary between two continents slowly pulling apart.

If you are feeling ambitious (and I mean this advisedly, given that you have just flown), you can snorkel the Silfra fissure between the two plates in a dry suit. The water hovers just above freezing year-round. It is an odd and memorable thing to do, but book in advance and accept that you will need to be dried and recovered before driving again. Here is a tour booking link.

Thingvellir also has a beautiful waterfall, Öxarárfoss, about a 10 minute walk from the main car park. Game of Thrones fans will recognise parts of the park, including the Gates of the Moon filmed in Almannagjá gorge, right next to the waterfall.

If time allows, Kerið Crater is a 20 minute detour from the Ring Road between Thingvellir and your overnight stop. It is a 3,000-year-old volcanic crater lake with striking red slopes and surreal blue water. The walk around the rim takes about 30 minutes and there is a small entrance fee (700 ISK). It sounds minor but it is very photogenic, and it breaks up the drive nicely.

Call it a day after Thingvellir (and optionally Kerið) and head to your accommodation somewhere between Laugarvatn and Flúðir. If you arrived with lots of time and skipped the Blue Lagoon, you can instead push on to Geysir and Gullfoss on Day 1, which frees up Day 2.

Day 1 Highlights: Blue Lagoon (or Sky Lagoon), Thingvellir National Park, optionally Kerið Crater

Suggested timing: Arrive morning. Blue Lagoon mid-morning to early afternoon (allow 2-3 hours). Thingvellir late afternoon (allow 1.5-2 hours including walk to Öxarárfoss). Kerið if you have 30 minutes spare.

Start: Keflavik Airport

End: Laugarvatn / Flúðir area

Distance driven: approximately 140 km (90 miles)

 

Where to Stay on Day 1

Somewhere near Flúðir or Laugarvatn, well-positioned for the Golden Circle completion on Day 2.

Budget: Midgard Basecamp, a highly rated hostel in Hvolsvöllur with a hot tub.

Mid-range: The Hill Hotel (Flúðir), where we have stayed. Comfortable, with an on-site restaurant. Garður Stay Inn by the Secret Lagoon is also well-reviewed and handy for a visit to Flúðir’s Secret Lagoon, which is a lovely (and much less crowded) geothermal bath.

Luxury: Farmhotel Efstidalur, which is on a working farm with en-suite rooms and a geothermal hot tub.

See more lodging options in this area on Booking.com here.

If you arrive late and want to overnight near the airport, we have stayed at the Northern Light Inn, right next to the Blue Lagoon and about twenty minutes from Keflavik.

 

Day 2: Golden Circle and South Coast

Day 2 is the biggest day of the itinerary. I am telling you that up front because the article could easily make it sound casual and it is not. You will be on the move from breakfast until dinner, and even in the midnight-sun summer you will feel the weight of it by the end. If you try to do every stop on the list below, you will fail. Pick six or seven of the nine I describe and be ruthless about the others.

First, finish the Golden Circle. Two more stops: Geysir and Gullfoss.

Geysir is the geothermal park that gave the English language the word “geyser.” The original Great Geysir is now mostly dormant, but the park has several other geysers, one of which (Strokkur) erupts reliably every few minutes, shooting water 15 to 30 metres into the air. It is one of the rare tourist attractions that consistently delivers the thing it promises. Allow 20 to 30 minutes.

From Geysir, a short drive takes you to Gullfoss. “Foss” means waterfall in Icelandic, and you will see that word a lot over the next week because Iceland has rather a lot of them. Gullfoss is one of the most spectacular: two tiers, enormous volume, a total drop of 32 metres, and multiple viewing platforms. There is a large car park and an on-site café. Allow 30-45 minutes.

From Gullfoss, join the Ring Road and head south. Your next stop, a welcome indoor break if the weather has turned on you, is the Lava Center in Hvolsvöllur. This is a relatively new museum that has won a string of awards, and the exhibits explain Iceland’s volcanic and earthquake activity in a way that is actually interesting rather than textbook-dull. There is a free section and a paid section, plus a cafeteria that is a reasonable lunch stop. Book tickets online in advance here, which gives a small discount on the standard ticket price. Allow 1 to 1.5 hours.

From the Lava Center, the next stop is Seljalandsfoss, the first of the south coast’s signature waterfalls. Seljalandsfoss is unusual because you can walk behind it. This is both magnificent and a guaranteed soaking, so dress accordingly: waterproof jacket, waterproof trousers, sturdy shoes with grip, and phone or camera in a dry bag or pocket. The path can be closed if conditions are icy or the spray is particularly brutal.

Parking at Seljalandsfoss is 700 ISK per car, enforced, and payable via the Parka.is app. Install it before you land, as I mentioned above. While you are at Seljalandsfoss, walk the paved path about ten minutes north to Gljúfrabúi, a smaller waterfall tucked inside a rock canyon. You have to walk a few metres up a small river to access the viewing spot (more wet feet) but it is worth it.

From Seljalandsfoss it is less than 30 minutes to Skogafoss, assuming you resist the urge to pull over for every photograph. On a clear day you will see Eyjafjallajökull along the way, the volcano whose 2010 eruption caused worldwide air-traffic chaos and whose name became a parlour game for international news anchors.

Skogafoss is another cracking waterfall: 60 metres tall, 15 metres wide, with a sheer drop and a viewing platform where you can get close enough to be properly drenched. The area also has the Skogar Museum, which is a good rainy-day substitute with over 15,000 artifacts across three buildings plus a collection of traditional turf houses. I would recommend the museum only if you have decided to skip the plane wreck (below) and have time; don’t try to fit both, you cannot.

From Skogafoss, the next stop is where you need to make a choice. The Sólheimasandur plane wreck is a crashed DC-3 on a black sand plain, about a 40-minute walk each way from the car park. It is a striking photograph if you are a photographer (I am, so I did the walk). For most people, it is an hour and twenty minutes of flat, featureless walking in exchange for a look at a wrecked fuselage. If you have any doubts, skip it. There is a paid shuttle (~$25 per person return) if you want to see the wreck without the walk.

Our full guide to visiting the Iceland plane crash at Sólheimasandur has more detail.

Continuing east, your next major decision is Dyrhólaey. This is a dramatic headland with sea arches, a lighthouse, and (in summer) puffin colonies on the cliffs. It is closed during nesting season between 7pm and 9am, and it is a detour off the 1 but not a long one. If you have time and energy after the plane wreck, do Dyrhólaey. If you are flagging, skip it. There is a better puffin-watching spot later in the trip (more on that later).

Final stop of Day 2 is Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach. This is one of Iceland’s most iconic beaches, with basalt columns, sea stacks, and a dangerous shoreline that has killed people. Re-read the sneaker waves section above. Pay attention to the colour-coded warning flags at the entrance. Stay back from the water. I mean this.

Reynisfjara 2026 update: In early 2026, unprecedented coastal erosion reshaped the beach significantly. Persistent easterly winter storms stripped huge volumes of sand, and for a period the basalt columns that once stood at the shoreline were partly surrounded by sea. As of March 2026, sand is beginning to return and the beach is open again, but access may still look different from older photos, and access to the lower beach and the Hálsanefshellir cave is restricted during Red warning conditions. Last verified: 22 April 2026. Check the SafeTravel Iceland Black Beach page before your visit.

Overnight at Vik or, if you have the energy for more driving, push on another 30 minutes to Kirkjubæjarklaustur.

Day 2 Highlights: Geysir, Gullfoss, Lava Center, Seljalandsfoss, Gljúfrabúi, Skogafoss, Sólheimasandur plane wreck (optional), Dyrhólaey (optional), Reynisfjara

Suggested timing: Geysir (20-30 min), Gullfoss (30-45 min), drive and Lava Center with lunch (2.5 hours), Seljalandsfoss plus Gljúfrabúi (1 hour), Skogafoss (30 min), plane wreck if doing (1.5 hours), Dyrhólaey (30-45 min), Reynisfjara (45 min). Realistically, you will fit about 6 or 7 of these well. Do not try all 9.

Start: Flúðir / Laugarvatn area

End: Vik

Distance driven: 207 km (128 miles)

 

Where to Stay on Day 2

Vik or Kirkjubæjarklaustur (also known as Klaustur).

Budget: The Barn, a popular hostel in Vik with both dorms and private rooms. Framtid Hostel in Djúpivogur is also a good budget option if you push further east.

Mid-range: Hotel Vík í Mýrdal, 450 yards from the black sand beach in Vik. Hunkubakkar Guesthouse, a family-run option with colourful cottages near Kirkjubæjarklaustur.

Luxury: Hotel Klaustur, a modern hotel in Kirkjubæjarklaustur where we have stayed and had a good experience.

See more options in Vik and Kirkjubæjarklaustur.

 

Day 3: South Coast to East Iceland

Day 3 finishes the south coast and takes you into the quieter stretches of East Iceland. The first couple of stops are quick; the middle of the day is built around Vatnajökull National Park, which could quite happily eat the whole day if you let it.

First stop is Fjaðrárgljúfur, a 2 million year old river canyon about five minutes off the Ring Road just before Kirkjubæjarklaustur. It is astonishingly photogenic, with a viewing path that runs along the top and (15 minutes up a gentle path) a metal platform looking down the length of the canyon. Allow 45 minutes.

From Fjaðrárgljúfur, carry on east along the Ring Road. You are now driving through the Eldhraun lava field, the largest in the world, created by an 18th-century eruption that lasted a year and very nearly caused Iceland’s entire population to be evacuated. The field is now covered in the pale green moss that grows on Icelandic lava. It looks otherworldly and it takes about two hundred years to grow, so please do not walk on it. There are designated parking areas with marked trails, and sticking to these is how future travellers will still get to see an intact lava field.

Continuing east, you will see the vast Vatnajökull glacier in the distance. Vatnajökull covers about 9 percent of Iceland and is the largest glacier in Europe by volume. It is protected as part of Vatnajökull National Park, and the next few stops are all within it.

First is Skaftafell, which has a visitor centre, a large car park (700 ISK, Parka), and a choice of hikes. The most popular is the hike up to Svartifoss (“Black Falls”), a beautiful waterfall tumbling over black basalt columns. It is a 30-45 minute steep climb each way, and it is worth it. If hiking up is not your thing, there is also a flat 90 minute circular walk that takes you close to the base of one of the glacier tongues.

A pacing warning. Skaftafell also offers guided glacier hikes and ice-cave tours (glacier hike and ice cave hike). Both are worth doing in their own right. They also eat 3-4 hours plus travel time, which will cost you Jökulsárlón and the Hofn arrival. If you want to do a glacier hike, budget Day 3 as “glacier hike plus Svartifoss” and skip the rest. Do not try to fit everything or you will end up arriving in Hofn at 10pm and too exhausted to enjoy the langoustine.

Next is a short drive to Svínafellsjökull, a viewpoint overlooking the tongue of one of Vatnajökull’s outlet glaciers. Fifteen minutes and free.

Continuing on, you reach Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, which is one of the most photographed places in Iceland and for good reason. Icebergs calve from the Breiðamerkurjökull outlet glacier into a lagoon, drift around slowly, and eventually wash out to sea. You can take a boat tour on the lagoon in summer, which gets you out among the icebergs. It is seasonal and bookable in advance. Allow 1 hour for the lagoon itself, longer if you take a boat tour.

Directly across the road is Diamond Beach, where icebergs that have drifted out of the lagoon wash up on black sand. In sunlight, they glitter like the name suggests. More dramatic in winter than summer (more icebergs, bigger ones), but worth 30 minutes regardless.

Finally, drive on to Hofn for the night. Hofn is known as the langoustine capital of Iceland, and you absolutely should have langoustine while you are here. Hafnarbudin is a no-frills harbourside diner that has been serving locals since 1982, and their langoustine sandwich is very good and surprisingly affordable by Icelandic standards.

Day 3 Highlights: Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, Eldhraun Lava Fields, Skaftafell, Svartifoss, Svínafellsjökull viewpoint, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, Diamond Beach, langoustine in Hofn

Suggested timing: Fjaðrárgljúfur (45 min), Skaftafell plus Svartifoss hike (2-3 hours), Svínafellsjökull (15 min), Jökulsárlón (1 hour or more with boat tour), Diamond Beach (30 min). Skip the glacier hike unless you want it to be your Day 3.

Start: Vik

End: Hofn (or continue to Djúpivogur)

Distance driven: 272 km (170 miles)

 

Where to Stay on Day 3

Hofn or Djúpivogur.

Budget: Höfn Guesthouse, a central budget guesthouse with shared bathrooms. Framtid Hostel in Djúpivogur, with shared kitchen.

Mid-range: Hotel Edda Höfn, harbourside with private en-suite rooms. Hotel Framtid in Djúpivogur, where we stayed and enjoyed the harbour views.

Luxury: Milk Factory, a design hotel in Hofn in a converted dairy building.

See more options in Djúpivogur and Hofn.

 

Day 4: East Fjords

Time for the East Fjords, which are the quietest and in some ways the most atmospheric part of the Ring Road. Jökulsárlón is the last stop for most day-trippers from Reykjavik, so from Hofn onwards the roads thin out considerably.

First stop is Vestrahorn, a dramatically spiky mountain (it is named for its “horns”) at Stokksnes, just outside Hofn. You can see Vestrahorn from Route 1, but the best views are from Stokksnes itself, which is on private land and charges a small entrance fee (around 900 ISK) at the Viking Café. The café also has a replica Viking village built as a film set, which is a fun add-on if you are into photography. Allow 45 minutes.

The drive from Stokksnes through the East Fjords is properly spectacular. You will find yourself wanting to stop every few minutes. Try to resist (a bit). Use the marked pullouts rather than stopping in the road.

The first major stop is Djúpivogur, a small fishing town about two hours from Hofn. It has an art installation called Eggin í Gleðivík (Eggs of Gleðivík), which is 34 stone eggs representing the bird species found in Iceland. It is an unexpected stop in an unexpected place and I found it charming. Djúpivogur is also a good bird-watching area with a couple of hides, and has quirky studios where local artists display their work. See the official website for current listings.

Optional Detour: Studlagil Canyon

If you can give this day an extra 3 hours, and if you are any kind of photographer, I 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.

Full disclosure: we have not visited Studlagil ourselves (it was revealed after our main Ring Road trips). It comes so highly recommended by fellow travellers that I would be doing you a disservice not to include it. To reach the canyon, turn south off Route 1 onto Route 923 (signposted). The east-side viewpoint requires a hike of approximately 4 km round trip from the closer parking area (1,000 ISK parking fee). The west-side viewing platform is a shorter walk but the views are less impressive. Allow 2-3 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 practical question is where to fit Studlagil in. It is west of Egilsstadir, so it works better as a Day 5 stop (between Egilsstadir and Mývatn) than a Day 4 stop. If you take it on Day 5, plan to skip either Dettifoss or Mývatn Nature Baths, because three major stops plus driving will not fit in one day.

Optional Detour: Borgarfjörður Eystri (Puffins)

If puffins are a priority for you, Borgarfjörður Eystri is the best puffin-watching spot in Iceland, hands down. The Hafnarhólmi viewing platform hosts over 10,000 puffins each summer (roughly May to mid-August), and you can get within a few metres of them on wooden boardwalks. It is free.

The catch: Borgarfjörður Eystri is an hour off the Ring Road from Egilsstadir each way, so it is a 2.5+ hour commitment including viewing time. Realistically, you are choosing between Seyðisfjörður (below) and Borgarfjörður Eystri on Day 4. If puffins are high on your list, choose Borgarfjörður Eystri. Otherwise, choose Seyðisfjörður.

From Djúpivogur, continue north on Route 1. Two waterfalls come up in quick succession: Sveinsstekksfoss (just off the road, 1 minute walk from the parking area at the top of a short track) and Folaldafoss (five minutes off the 1 on Route 939, five minute walk down from the car park).

Note that GPS sometimes recommends you continue on the 939 to reach Egilsstadir. Don’t. It is a windy mountainous pass that saves no time and closes regularly in bad weather. Return to the 1.

Another good stop is Petra’s Stone Collection in Stöðvarfjörður. Petra was a local woman who had a real passion for collecting rocks and minerals. Her collection eventually took over her house and garden, and after her death her family has kept it open as a small museum. It is an unexpected and slightly magical place and a lovely glimpse of one person’s lifelong obsession. Allow 45 minutes.

The stretch of Route 1 from near Reyðarfjörður into Egilsstaðir runs through a valley that, when we drove it, had waterfalls crashing down both sides every few hundred metres. A properly memorable stretch of driving.

Egilsstaðir is the largest town in East Iceland and a good place to pick up supplies. It has the East Iceland Heritage Museum for a culture fix, and it is worth knowing that the largest forested area in Iceland is here (which may surprise you after four days of moss and lava). You can overnight in Egilsstaðir, or, if time allows, make the 30-minute drive out to Seyðisfjörður via Route 93.

Seyðisfjörður is properly worth the detour. The drive out is spectacular (Secret Life of Walter Mitty fans will recognise it as the road Walter longboards down), the village itself is a coastal pocket of colourful wooden houses, and the rainbow-painted street leading to the blue church has become one of Iceland’s most photographed streets. On the way out, stop at Fardagafoss for a 45-minute round-trip hike to a pretty waterfall.

Day 4 Highlights: Vestrahorn / Stokksnes, Djúpivogur, Sveinsstekksfoss, Folaldafoss, Petra’s Stone Collection, Egilsstaðir, Seyðisfjörður (or Borgarfjörður Eystri for puffins)

Suggested timing: Vestrahorn / Stokksnes (30-45 min), Djúpivogur (30 min to 1 hour), Sveinsstekksfoss and Folaldafoss (15 min each), Petra’s (30-45 min), Seyðisfjörður (1-2 hours with Fardagafoss hike), OR Borgarfjörður Eystri puffins (2.5 hours round trip plus viewing).

Start: Hofn

End: Egilsstaðir or Seyðisfjörður

Distance driven: 281 km (173 miles), more with a Borgarfjörður Eystri detour

 

Where to Stay on Day 4

Egilsstaðir or Seyðisfjörður.

Budget: Hafaldan HI Hostel in Seyðisfjörður. Tehúsið Hostel in Egilsstaðir.

Mid-range: Hótel Eyvindará, 2km from Egilsstaðir with private bathrooms and some rooms with terraces.

Luxury: Hotel Aldan The Bank, two historic buildings in the centre of Seyðisfjörður where we stayed. Lovely rooms, beautifully decorated. Hérað (Berjaya Iceland Hotels) in Egilsstaðir with terrace bar, 24-hour room service, and en-suite rooms.

See more options in Seyðisfjörður and Egilsstaðir.

 

Day 5: East Iceland to Mývatn

Day 5 takes you from East Iceland into the north, with the northern jewel of Lake Mývatn as the payoff. Before you leave Egilsstadir, if wildlife is a priority, East Iceland is the only place to see Iceland’s wild reindeer, which were introduced from Norway in the 18th century and have only ever thrived in this part of the country.

We have seen reindeer herds by the roadside ourselves, simply by driving slowly through the region and keeping our eyes open. The best chances are in winter and spring (October to April), when the herds come down from the highlands to lower pastures. In summer, they retreat to the highlands north of Vatnajökull and are much harder to spot without a guide.

If you want to maximise your chances, a dedicated reindeer safari is the way to do it. Guide to Iceland’s 4-hour Super Jeep reindeer tour runs from Breiðdalsvik and Egilsstadir, with experienced trackers who know where the herds are currently moving. Alternatively, Tinna Adventure runs a smaller-operator version from Breiðdalsvik (October to mid-June).

Before leaving the East Iceland area, one more stop worth a detour: Vök Baths, on Lake Urriðavatn just 5 km from Egilsstadir. These are relatively new geothermal baths (opened 2019) with floating infinity pools set directly into the lake. The architecture is striking, the water quality is very good, and (crucially) they are far less crowded than either the Blue Lagoon or the Mývatn Nature Baths later today. If you want to try one good Icelandic hot spring on this trip, Vök is my pick. Allow 1.5-2 hours. Book Vök Baths here.

From Egilsstadir, your first major stop along Route 1 is Rjukandi waterfall, about a 40-minute drive out. There is a parking lot and a 5-10 minute walk up to the main viewpoint. Allow 25 minutes.

Not long after Rjukandi, you will see a turning for Sænautasel and Möðrudalur on the F970 unpaved mountain road. If you have a proper 4×4 with high clearance, the road is open, and you have the time, it is a fun detour. Sænautasel is a restored turf farmhouse where you can get coffee and pancakes in a 19th-century Icelandic home, and Möðrudalur has more turf houses and is the highest-altitude inhabited farm in Iceland. Add at least 2 hours if you take this detour, which means skipping something else.

The next major stop is Dettifoss, one of the highlights of Iceland’s Diamond Circle. Dettifoss is Europe’s most powerful waterfall by water volume, with about 500 cubic metres per second thundering over a 100-metre-wide, 45-metre-high drop. It is the kind of natural feature that is quite difficult to describe in words because the sheer scale of it is disorienting.

Two roads lead to Dettifoss. Route 862 on the west side is paved and leads to the less-dramatic but more accessible viewpoint. Route 864 on the east side is gravel and leads to the closer, more intense viewpoint. Most visitors do 862. If you have a 4×4 and good weather, 864 is the better experience. Both roads can close in bad weather.

From the west-side viewpoint, a short walk also takes you to Selfoss, a smaller but still very impressive waterfall upstream.

You could extend the Diamond Circle from Dettifoss by continuing north to Hljóðaklettar (columnar rock formations, 1 hour), Asbyrgi canyon, or Húsavík for whale watching. Húsavík is the whale-watching capital of Iceland, with whale encounter rates over 95% in season, so if whales are a priority for you it is worth considering overnight there instead of rejoining Mývatn. For this itinerary, I am assuming you return to the Ring Road after Dettifoss and continue to Mývatn.

Lake Mývatn is one of the most geologically active regions in Iceland, and you could quite happily spend three days here. We are splitting the highlights between Day 5 (afternoon) and Day 6 (morning). On Day 5, stop at Hverir, a geothermal area with bubbling mud pools, steam fumaroles, and mineral-stained ground that makes you feel like you have landed on another planet. The smell is sulphurous (I will leave the obvious joke alone) and the site is small but unforgettable. Allow 30-45 minutes.

Finish the day at the Mývatn Nature Baths. If you skipped Vök earlier, this is your northern hot-spring experience. The Mývatn Baths are similar in concept to the Blue Lagoon (milky-blue mineral water, outdoor setting) but at a fraction of the crowds and with a better view, looking out across the whole Mývatn area from a hillside. Book ahead, and bring a towel because rental is expensive.

Day 5 Highlights: Reindeer safari (optional), Vök Baths (optional), Rjukandi waterfall, Studlagil Canyon (optional detour), Dettifoss, Hverir, Mývatn Nature Baths

Suggested timing: Vök Baths (1.5-2 hours) OR Mývatn Nature Baths (1.5-2 hours) – pick one, not both. Rjukandi (25 min), Dettifoss (1 hour with Selfoss walk), Hverir (45 min). If doing Studlagil, add 3 hours and plan to skip either Dettifoss or one of the hot springs.

Start: Egilsstadir / Seyðisfjörður

End: Lake Mývatn

Distance driven: 262 km (162 miles)

 

Where to Stay on Day 5

Lake Mývatn area. If you detoured to Húsavík, stay there.

Budget: Skútustadir Guesthouse, a farm-based guesthouse with shared or private bathrooms.

Mid-range: Vogafjós Farm Resort, a family-run guesthouse with on-site dining. Dimmuborgir Guesthouse, with self-catering cottages or rooms with shared kitchen.

Luxury: Laxá Hótel, a design hotel 2km from the lake with great views, where we have stayed. Fosshótel Mývatn, very well reviewed with on-site restaurant.

See more options in the Lake Mývatn area.

If you chose the Diamond Circle detour to Húsavík, we stayed at the Kaldbakskot Cottages. More options here.

 

Day 6: Mývatn to Akureyri

Day 6 is one of the more relaxed days of the itinerary. You explore the rest of the Mývatn highlights in the morning, then make the short drive to Akureyri, the “capital of the north,” for the night.

First stop is Grjótagjá Cave, a small lava cave with a hot spring inside. Until the mid-1970s, locals bathed here; now the water temperature is too high for that (and yes, the cave was used as a Game of Thrones filming location, which made it properly famous).

2026 update: As of March 2026, access to the interior of the cave is closed, due to vandalism, littering, and dangerously hot water. You can still view the hot spring from the cave entrance, which is what most visitors do these days. Allow 15 minutes. Last verified: 22 April 2026.

Next is Hverfjall Crater, a kilometre-wide volcano crater. It is a 15-minute steep walk up to the rim, and the views from the top are magnificent. If you want to walk the rim, that adds another 45 minutes to an hour. Allow 1-1.5 hours total.

From Hverfjall, head to Dimmuborgir, a lava field full of spectacular rock formations (and another Game of Thrones location, specifically Mance Rayder’s wildling camp). There are a variety of well-marked walks of varying lengths, or you can just take in the view from the platform near the car park. There is a café and gift shop here with toilets. Allow 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Two more quick Mývatn stops: Hofdi, a small nature reserve with walks near the lake and rock formations jutting from the water (30 min), and Skútustaðagígar, the “pseudo-craters” (not volcanic craters, but depressions formed when lava flowed over wet ground and caused steam explosions). This is also one of the best bird-watching spots in the area (30 min).

Now head west on Route 1 toward Akureyri, with one essential stop along the way: Goðafoss, the “Waterfall of the Gods.” The name comes from the story (possibly apocryphal) that in the year 1000 AD, when Iceland converted to Christianity, an influential local chieftain threw his pagan idols into these falls. The waterfall is a spectacular horseshoe shape with good viewpoints from both sides, and it is right off the Ring Road, so you literally cannot miss it. Allow 30 minutes.

Final drive of the day is to Akureyri, the biggest town in north Iceland with about 19,000 residents. This is the proper “town” stop of the trip and if you arrive by mid-afternoon you will have plenty of time to explore. Things I would put on your Akureyri list:

Forest Lagoon. If you did not do Vök or Mývatn Baths and still want an Icelandic hot-spring experience, Forest Lagoon is the best of the Akureyri-area options. It opened in 2022, sits overlooking Eyjafjörður, and has a forest-surrounded setting that is lovely at sunset. Allow 1.5-2 hours.

Akureyrarkirkja. The church above the town, with great views down over the harbour and the fjord. Worth the walk up the steps.

Museums. Akureyri has a surprising density of museums for a town its size: the Motorcycle Museum of Iceland, the Industry Museum, the Akureyri Art Museum, Nonnahús, and Safnasafnið, the Icelandic Folk and Outsider Museum. A good rainy-day hedge.

Dinner. Akureyri has a surprisingly good restaurant scene for a northern Icelandic town. Treat yourself.

Day 6 Highlights: Grjótagjá Cave, Hverfjall Crater, Dimmuborgir, Skútustaðagígar, Goðafoss waterfall, Akureyri, Forest Lagoon

Suggested timing: Grjótagjá (15 min), Hverfjall (1-1.5 hours), Dimmuborgir (45 min to 1 hour), Goðafoss (30 min), Akureyri afternoon and evening. Forest Lagoon (2 hours) fits before dinner.

Start: Lake Mývatn

End: Akureyri

Distance driven: 110 km (70 miles)

 

Where to Stay on Day 6

Akureyri.

Budget: Akureyri Backpackers, a popular and central backpackers. Hafnarstræti Hostel, capsule beds and shared kitchen.

Mid-range: Hotel Akureyri, central with on-site restaurant. Centrum Hotel, central guesthouse with private bathrooms.

Luxury: Hotel Kea, a central 4-star where we stayed. Comfortable rooms, good on-site restaurant.

See more options in Akureyri.

 

Day 7: Akureyri to Borgarnes / Reykjavik

Day 7 is the second-longest driving day of the trip, taking you from Akureyri back across the north and west of Iceland toward Reykjavik. 370 km on the odometer before any detours, so start reasonably early and pace yourself.

If you have not already explored Akureyri, do a morning wander before departing. An hour or two is enough for the main highlights.

From Akureyri, you have a choice between two detour options on the way back. You cannot reasonably do both in one day, so pick one.

Option A: Vatnsnes Peninsula. A 2-3 hour detour to see the Hvítserkur rock formation (the famous “rhino” sea stack) and, if wildlife is your thing, the Icelandic Seal Center at Hvammstangi. East Iceland is the only place in Iceland to see reindeer; Vatnsnes is one of the best places to see seals, both in the wild and at the dedicated research centre. If the sky cooperates, Hvítserkur at sunset is one of the classic Icelandic photographs.

Option B: Grábrók Crater and Kolugljúfur Canyon. A less time-consuming pair of stops closer to Borgarnes. Grábrók is a 3,000-year-old volcanic crater with a short, gentle 30-45 minute hike to the rim, with wooden steps and a gravel path. Views from the top extend to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula on clear days. It is a perfect leg-stretcher between long drives. Kolugljúfur is a narrow canyon with a dramatic waterfall just off Route 1, worth 20-30 minutes.

If you are a photographer and want the signature shot, pick Vatnsnes. If you want to pace the day more gently and still have the option of a Borgarnes overnight, pick Grábrók and Kolugljúfur.

Finish the day by heading down to Borgarnes, where you might consider a visit to the Saga Museum, or drive all the way to Reykjavik for your final night. The choice depends on how much driving you have left in you and whether you want to maximise time in the capital on Day 8.

Day 7 Highlights: Akureyri morning, EITHER Vatnsnes/Hvítserkur/Seal Center OR Grábrók Crater/Kolugljúfur, Borgarnes Saga Museum (optional)

Suggested timing: Akureyri morning (1-2 hours), choose your detour option (2-3 hours for Vatnsnes, 1.5 hours for Grábrók plus Kolugljúfur), Borgarnes Saga Museum if visiting (1 hour). This is the longest driving day, so budget accordingly.

Start: Akureyri

End: Borgarnes or Reykjavik

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

 

Where to Stay on Day 7

Borgarnes or Reykjavik.

In Borgarnes: we have stayed at Hotel Hamar, which was comfortable and well-located. See more lodging options for Borgarnes.

In Reykjavik:

Budget: KEX Hostel, a former biscuit factory with dorms, private rooms, and a good on-site bar and restaurant. B14 Hostel, a quieter option with free coffee and communal kitchen.

Mid-range: Guesthouse Galtafell, a good-value option near the city centre, where we have stayed. Offers guest rooms and apartments with kitchenettes.

Luxury: Grand Hotel Reykjavik, 1.2 miles from the centre, with 4-star accommodation, free WiFi, spa, and free parking. We have stayed here. Reykjavik Natura (Berjaya Iceland Hotels), near the city airport, with free parking, free city bus pass for guests, and spa facilities. We have also stayed here.

See more options for Reykjavik. If your flight is very early and you want to overnight near the airport instead, we have stayed at the Northern Light Inn, 17 minutes from Keflavik and right next to the Blue Lagoon.

 

Day 8: Reykjavik

Your final day. After a week on the road, Reykjavik comes as a slight shock: proper restaurants, proper coffee shops, people in slightly more than four layers of technical clothing. It is a lovely small capital city and worth proper exploration before you fly home.

Some Reykjavik highlights that I would prioritise:

Hallgrímskirkja. The 74-metre concrete church on the hill, visible from most of Reykjavik. Inspired by basalt columns. You can take a lift up the tower (around 1,500 ISK) for arguably the best view of the city.

Sun Voyager. The stainless-steel sculpture by the waterfront, near Harpa. Deliberately designed to look like a Viking longship (although the artist insists it is actually a “dream boat”). Iconic Reykjavik photograph, particularly at sunset.

Harpa Concert Hall. The striking glass building by the harbour. Even if you are not going to a concert, the architecture is worth a look.

Laugavegur. The main shopping street, good for Icelandic wool, local design, and an alarming density of souvenir shops.

The Old Harbour. Good restaurants, departure point for whale watching and puffin watching tours in summer.

If you skipped the Blue Lagoon on Day 1, today is a good day to do it (or the Sky Lagoon, which is closer to the city centre). Both are better at the end of a trip than the start, in my view, because a long soak after seven days of driving is rather lovely.

Then it is back to the airport, car return, and home. You have successfully driven the Iceland Ring Road.

Day 8 Highlights: Reykjavik city sightseeing, Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon if not done on Day 1, departure

Suggested timing: Reykjavik morning (Hallgrímskirkja, harbour, Laugavegur: 2-3 hours on foot), Blue Lagoon / Sky Lagoon if visiting (allow 3 hours including transit), plenty of buffer time for car return. In summer, rental car return queues can be long.

 

What This Itinerary Skips (and Why)

Seven days of actual driving does mean trade-offs. Here is what this itinerary deliberately leaves out.

Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Often called “Iceland in miniature” because it packs a glacier-capped volcano, waterfalls, lava fields, and black sand beaches into a compact area. Snæfellsnes deserves at least one full day, and ideally two. If you have eight or nine days, this is the first thing I would add, slotting it between Borgarnes and Reykjavik on Day 7-8.

The Westfjords. One of the most remote and dramatic parts of Iceland. The roads are slow and the distances add up fast. Budget at least three extra days for a proper Westfjords visit.

The Highlands. The interior is only accessible in summer via F-roads that require a capable 4×4. Landmannalaugar is the most popular destination and could be reached as a long day trip from the south coast with the right vehicle.

Húsavík and whale watching. Mentioned as an option on Day 5. Not in the main line because it would mean skipping something else. If whale watching is non-negotiable for you, add an extra day in the north.

Trollaskagi Peninsula. Scenic peninsula between Akureyri and the west. Lovely if you have an extra half-day on Day 7.

Krafla Crater. Often included on Diamond Circle itineraries. Skipped here because it overlaps significantly with Hverfjall and Hverir, both of which are already in the Day 5-6 plan.

 

Iceland Ring Road Itinerary Map

Here is the suggested route as a map, including attractions and recommended overnight stops. See it on Google Maps here.

 

Iceland Ring Road Itinerary Overview

• Day 1: Blue Lagoon, Thingvellir National Park, optionally Kerið Crater
• Day 2: Geysir, Gullfoss, Lava Center, Seljalandsfoss, Gljúfrabúi, Skogafoss, plane wreck (optional), Reynisfjara
• Day 3: Fjaðrárgljúfur, Eldhraun lava fields, Skaftafell / Svartifoss, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, Diamond Beach, Hofn
• Day 4: Vestrahorn / Stokksnes, Djúpivogur, Petra’s Stone Collection, Egilsstadir, either Seyðisfjörður or Borgarfjörður Eystri puffins
• Day 5: Reindeer safari (optional), Vök Baths, Rjukandi, Dettifoss, Hverir, Mývatn Nature Baths, optional Studlagil Canyon detour
• Day 6: Grjótagjá, Hverfjall, Dimmuborgir, Skútustaðagígar, Goðafoss, Akureyri, Forest Lagoon
• Day 7: Akureyri, either Vatnsnes/Hvítserkur or Grábrók/Kolugljúfur, Borgarnes
• Day 8: Reykjavik, Blue Lagoon (if not done Day 1), depart

 

Planning A Self-Drive Ring Road Trip

We have written a detailed guide to planning a trip to Iceland, which is worth reading alongside this itinerary. Here are the specifics for a Ring Road self-drive.

Two main options: book a self-drive package or book everything yourself.

A self-drive package (from operators like Nordic Visitor, Guide to Iceland, or TourRadar) handles the car, the accommodation, and a suggested itinerary. You just turn up and drive. This is what we have done on most of our Iceland trips, and it saves considerable logistical headache, especially for accommodation in a high-season where peak-summer hotels book out months ahead.

See self-drive trips on Tour Radar and on Guide to Iceland.

The alternative is to book everything yourself, which is how I would approach it for maximum flexibility.

For the car, I recommend comparing prices on Discover Cars, which searches across multiple providers, and on Northbound, an Iceland-based comparison site. Northbound is particularly useful because you can add Iceland-specific insurance (gravel, sand, ash) during booking, which solves the rental-counter ambush problem I mentioned earlier.

A standard 2WD is fine for the Ring Road in summer. Route 1 is paved for its entire length. You only need a 4×4 if you plan detours onto gravel roads or F-roads, or if you are travelling in winter. Whatever you choose, add gravel protection and sand/ash protection to your insurance. The insurance is not optional in any meaningful sense.

Once the car is sorted, book your accommodation. I have included specific recommendations for each night of the itinerary. For summer travel, book at least three months ahead.

Travel insurance is worth it for Iceland. Weather disrupts plans, medical care is expensive for visitors, and car rental excess charges can be steep if anything goes wrong. Check that your policy covers driving on gravel roads if you plan any detours off Route 1.

 

Where Can You See the Northern Lights in Iceland?

Almost anywhere dark with clear sky, from late September through March. The daylight is too long in summer to see them. You need a dark sky and solar activity to line up, and both of those are unpredictable.

If you are driving, find a spot away from city lights, check the Icelandic Met Office aurora forecast, and look up. If the forecast and cloud cover cooperate, you will see them. If they do not, you will not. It is not complicated, it is just unreliable.

If you are in Reykjavik, northern lights tours are a reasonable option. Good operators cancel and refund on nights with no chance of activity, and the drivers know the best spots.

If photographing the lights is your plan, see my guide to how to photograph the northern lights.

 

Where to Stay in Iceland?

The accommodation picks for each day above cover the route itself. Some broader notes:

For self-drive road trips, our accommodation was arranged as part of the package. You can see a selection of self-drive tours.

For booking hotels directly, we use Booking.com, which has the biggest inventory and the best review system for the kind of mid-range guesthouses that make up most of the Ring Road accommodation.

We have also used apartment rental platforms for longer stays. For more on this, see our guide to the best alternatives to Airbnb. For one-night road-trip stops where your arrival time is variable, we prefer hotels and guesthouses because you do not have to co-ordinate key pickup with an owner.

Camping and campervans are popular. Iceland has around 200 official campsites, most open from mid-May to mid-September, with fees typically 1,500 to 2,500 ISK per person per night. A Camping Card (around $190) gives access to a network of sites. Wild camping is not permitted, so you must use designated sites. If you are considering a campervan, note that rental costs are significantly higher than a standard car, and you still pay for campsites.

 

Power in Iceland

Iceland uses a 220V system with the same two-pin European plug. UK and US travellers will need a travel adapter. See our Iceland packing list for suggestions, and our guide to the best travel adapters for how to pick one. Pick up your adapter before you fly, because Iceland is not the place to discover you need one.

 

Internet Access in Iceland

WiFi is easy to find. Every hotel and guesthouse we have stayed at had free WiFi.

For mobile data on the road (which you will want for navigation, Parka parking payments, and spontaneous Google searches at waterfalls), the easiest option in 2026 is an eSIM. We use and recommend Airalo, which lets you buy an Iceland data plan before you leave home and activate it the moment you land. No SIM shop hunting, no worrying about your phone being unlocked.

If you prefer a physical SIM, Keflavik airport has shops. For more options, see our guide to getting online when you travel.

 

Further Reading for Visiting Iceland

That wraps up the 7-day Iceland Ring Road itinerary. We have a number of other Iceland guides that pair well with this one:

• Our detailed guide to planning a trip to Iceland, with budget tips and practical information
• A guide to driving in Iceland, and a detailed guide to driving in Iceland in winter
• Our list of favourite photography locations in Iceland
• If you are interested in puffins, a detailed guide to puffins in Iceland
• A guide to finding the Iceland plane crash
• If the Ring Road seems like too much or you would rather not drive in winter, Jess has a 7 day winter Iceland itinerary
• A detailed Blue Lagoon guide
• A detailed guide to the Golden Circle
• The best winter activities in Iceland and my tips for cold weather photography
• Iceland on a budget
• What to pack for Iceland
• Our guide to best day trips from Reykjavik
• Car rental comparison for Iceland
• Icelandic Met Office for real-time cloud cover and aurora forecast
• SafeTravel Iceland for safety alerts and weather warnings
• Finally, for camera gear, our guides to picking a travel camera, picking a travel lens, and our personal travel photography gear

And that is it. If you have questions or feedback, let me know in the comments below, and I hope you have a spectacular trip.

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 I would recommend for a satisfying Ring Road trip that covers the highlights without feeling absolutely rushed. If you can stretch to nine or ten days, you will have more flexibility for detours and longer stops. I took four weeks to drive the route on one of our trips, which was lovely but not realistic for most people.

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

No, not for the main route. Route 1 is paved for its entire length and a standard 2WD is fine in summer. You only need a 4×4 for detours onto gravel roads or F-roads (highland roads), or for winter driving. If you want the flexibility to explore off Route 1, a 4×4 is worth considering.

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 the new per-kilometre road charges, mid-range accommodation, a mix of restaurant meals and self-catering, and some paid activities. Hostels and careful budgeting can bring this down; luxury accommodation and daily tours push it up significantly.

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

June to August is the best window, offering near-endless daylight, the warmest weather, and full access to highland roads and detours. May and September are good shoulder months with fewer crowds but more variable weather. I 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 works. I prefer anti-clockwise, tackling the busy south coast first then moving into quieter north and east Iceland. There is no wrong answer. The itinerary in this guide runs anti-clockwise.

What if my flight arrives in the afternoon or evening?

Very common on flights from North America. If you land after about 3pm, skip the Day 1 Blue Lagoon and Thingvellir plan, drive to an airport-area hotel, and start the itinerary fresh on Day 2 morning. You can combine Days 1 and 2 (the Golden Circle section) into a single longer day in summer when you have midnight-sun daylight.

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

Six is possible but rushed. You will be sacrificing sleep, sacrificing stops, or both. If you only have six days, I would focus on the south coast and Golden Circle instead of trying the full ring. With 10 days, you gain real flexibility: add the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, spend more time in the Mývatn area, or do whale watching from Húsavík.

Is it safe to drive in Iceland?

Generally yes, but the 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 (32 of them on Route 1), high winds (which can be properly dangerous when opening car doors), and sheep on the road. In summer, the main hazards are other tourists stopping suddenly for photos and the occasional sheep.

What about the new 2026 road charges?

From January 2026, Iceland replaced fuel duties with a per-kilometre road tax (approximately 6.95 ISK per km for a standard passenger car). Petrol prices dropped as a result, and most rental companies handle the road charge either as a flat daily rate or as an odometer-based charge at return. The total cost of driving is roughly similar to before. Check with your rental company how they handle it.