Itinerary for an 11-day road trip across Iceland

Waterfalls, bubbling mud pools, geysers, whales, volcanoes and huge glaciers. You will see it all during this road trip through Iceland: the land of fire and ice. This road trip starts directly from the airport, from where you will travel along the most beautiful places in Iceland via Route 1, the main road of Iceland. After 11 days your road trip will end in the capital of Iceland, Reykjavik. Curious about how a road trip around Iceland can look like for you? Then read on quickly.

The road trip in a glance

Day 1: Flight to Keflavik International Airport – Selfoss (145 km / 2h)
Day 2: Selfoss – Golden Circle – Hella (230 km / 3h 16 min)
Day 3: Hella – Þórsmörk – Vik (120 km / 2h excl Þórsmörk)
Day 4: Vik – Höfn (292 km / 3h 53 min)
Day 5: Höfn –Egilsstadir (312 km / 5h 7 min)
Day 6: Egilsstadir – Húsavík (346 km / 4h 29 min)
Day 7: Húsavík- Hvammstangi (378 km / 4h 54 min)
Day 8: Hvammstangi – Grundarfjörður (331 km / 4h 52 min)
Day 9: Grundarfjörður – Reykjavik (301 km / 3h 46 min)
Day 10: Reykjavik – Keflavik International Airport (70 km / 57 min)
Day 11: Return flight from Keflavik International Airport
Total distance: 2525 km

Route map

The road trip from day to day

From sights and travel times to entrance fees, accommodations and additional travel tips.
All the necessary information for this road trip in Iceland, from day to day, can be found here.

Day 1: Flight to Keflavik International Airport – Selfoss

Distance: 145 km. Travel time: 2 hours.

Velkomin til Íslands! Welcome to Iceland!

As soon as you arrive at Keflavik International Airport, you will immediately see the traces of the many volcanic activity (that has been) in Iceland. After picking up the rental car, it is time to explore this country of fire and ice. The first day of your road trip through Iceland you will drive across the lava fields of the Reykjanes peninsula.

A nice first stop is the Bridge between continents. Here you can walk from Europe to North America in record-pace and without passport control. You can also see clearly how the two tectonic plates slowly pull Iceland apart.

After that, it is time to drive to the geothermal field of Krýsuvík / Seltún. A small area full of bubbling mud pools and hot water springs. By walking via a constructed path, you can see it all from up close. Opposite Seltún you will also find Kleifarvatn, the largest lake on the Reykjanes peninsula.

Entrance fees & opening hours
The entrance to all sights mentioned above is free of charge and not restricted to opening hours.

Overnight
After your first acquaintance with Iceland, you will head for Selfoss. This is a good base and overnight place for your next visit to the Golden Circle, north of Selfoss.

TIP: At 15km (36min) drive from Kleifarvatn lake lies Grænavatn, a bright blue old explosion crater. But it is quite a ride!

Day 2: Selfoss – Golden Circle – Hella

Distance: 230 km. Travel time: 3h 16 min.

Many tour buses depart daily from Reykjavik’s capital to this most famous and visited area of ​​Iceland, the Golden Circle. No tour bus for you, but after a hearty Icelandic breakfast, you will spend a day driving along the highlights of the Golden Circle. In your own rental car, at your own pace.

TIP: start early to avoid the tour buses as much as possible and to be able to enjoy the beautiful area of Iceland in peace!

As soon as you depart from Selfoss and after about 15km, you will pass Kerið. You can walk along the crater rim of the old explosion crater of this volcano or take a look at the crater lake.

Then you continue to Haukadalur, the geothermal area where the well-known Geysir and Strokkur geysers can be found. Unfortunately, Geysir is ‘sleeping’. But Strokkur is still very active and if you are lucky you are witnessing an eruption every 5 to 10 minutes, which blows a huge amount of water into the air.

In the vicinity of both geysers you will find a number of smaller geysers and hot springs, and you can also choose to walk to the top of the Laugarfjall Mountain. From here you have a good view over the area and the geysers. The mountain is located in the rear of the area, where you most likely will see more travelers walking uphill.

Still impressed by the power of the geysers, you will drive to a place where the power of water is clearly visible in a different way, the Gulfoss waterfall (free access). After a short walk from the parking lot you will already see the huge waterfall and will you hear the thundering sound of dropping water. If you are lucky, the combination of sunshine and the huge amounts of mist will turn into a beautiful rainbow. This is why the waterfall has got the nickname: Golden Waterfall.

From Gulfoss you will continue your way back south, to the beautiful Thingvellir National Park. Definitely make a stop at the Efstidalur II Farm! With a view of the cows (given the stench luckily behind the glass: D) you can enjoy a bite or an ice cream made of milk from the cows on the farm.

Once again on road 36, you can turn left onto road 361 which goes to Þingvellir National Park. But another option is to follow the road 36 and make a trip to Öxarárfoss.

From the free car park beside road 36, take a stroll through the impressive Almannagjá gorge and at the end you will be treated to the Öxarárfoss waterfall. Even though this waterfall is located in the Þingvellir National Park and it is also worth visiting from there, it is worth the detour.

TIP: In Thingvellir is Silfra, the only place in the world where you can snorkel or dive between 2 continents!

If you want to avoid parking costs (ISK 500 / € 4) in the Þingvellir National Park, you can leave your car at the parking lot on the road 36. From the Öxarárfoss waterfall, take a right turn and in 10 minutes you will walk to the rest of the park.

After a walk along the highlights of the Þingvellir National Park, you will be heading for your last stop for today: the Urriðafoss (free access). On the way to this waterfall (via road 36 or road 360) you will drive along the largest natural lake of Iceland, Þingvallavatn, and if you want you can make a stop at the Írafoss Power Station. One of the many power stations in Iceland, where electricity is generated.

Entrance fees & opening hours
Kerið: entrance fee adult ISK 400 / € 3,20. Children under the age of 12: free access. Open 24 hours.
Geysir: free access. Opened daily from 08.00-22.00h (08.00am-10.00pm).
Öxarárfoss: free access and parking.
Þingvellir National Park: free access. Day pass parking ISK 500 / € 4.
Írafoss Power Station: free access. Opened daily from 08.30-16.30h (08.30am-04.30pm).
Urriðafoss: free access.

Overnight
You will spend the night in the village of Hella, on about 20 km distance from Urriðafoss.

Day 3: Hella – Þórsmörk – Vik

Distance: 120 km. Travel time: 2h excl Þórsmörk.

Not only are there many highlights to be seen along the 1332km long Ring road 1, also a visit to the rugged hinterland of Iceland is definitely worth it. However, it is an area that is only accessible by 4WD, year-round: the Þórsmörk National Park. In summer (May 1st – September 30th) you can travel there by 4WD car or 4WD bus. In winter you can only reach the area by 4×4 jeep. When you want to travel to the park by 4WD bus or 4×4 jeep, you must book in advance.

After you have seen a large amount of water falling down at (or from behind) the Seljalandsfoss and adjacent Gljúfrafoss waterfalls, you will depart from here by 4WD to the Volcano Huts in the Þórsmörk National Park. After a trip of about 75 minutes (one way) along the base of the Gígjökull glacier and across the (fast-flowing) Krossá river, you can go for one or multiple walks through the beautiful Icelandic mountain scenery. For one day, the Thórsmörk panorama trail (1.5-2 hours) is definitely recommended and you will be back in time for the bus as well!

Þórsmörk can be visited for 1 or multiple days.

If you have a 4WD car and you want to drive to Þórsmörk yourself, please note that the crossing of the Krossá river is very dangerous! Crossing this river is therefore only suitable for advanced 4WD drivers. Unfortunately, each year the flow is underestimated by a number of travelers, resulting in (serious) accidents.

At the end of the afternoon you will be back at Seljalandsfoss and you will continue your route along the south coast towards Vik. On the way you can stop at the Skógafoss waterfall, the Sólheimajökull glacier and Dyrhólaey. From this mountain you have a gorgeous view of the Reynisdrangar cliffs and the black beaches of Kirkjufjara Beach and Reynisfjara.

• Never explore a glacier without a professional guide! The ice on a glacier is constantly moving and causes visible and invisible cracks in the ice, the so-called: crevasses. You really do not want to fall into these!
  
• You definitely want to take a closer look on the black beaches of Kirkjufjara and Reynisfjara. However, these beaches are really dangerous because of the so-called sneaker waves. The ocean might look calm, but at any moment the ocean can send a huge wave onto the beach and drag you into the strong current without warning. A visit is possible, but be careful and never turn your back to the ocean.  In this Youtube movie you can clearly see how a sneaker wave works!
  

Entrance fees & opening hours
Seljalandsfoss & Gljúfrafoss: free access. Parking ISK 700 / € 5,60.
Transport Þórsmörk National park: check the website of Volcano huts for rates and departure times.
Skógafoss, Sólheimajökull glacier, Dyrhólaey, Reynisdrangar, Kirkjufjara Beach, Reynisfjara: free access.
Eyjafjallajökull Erupts museum: adult ISK 850 / € 7. Children under the age of 12: free access. Opening hours vary.

Overnight
After this active day, the village of Vik is the place to have dinner and where you will spend the night, before you continue your road trip along the south coast.

Day 4: Vik – Höfn

Distance: 292 km. Travel time: 3h 53 min.

This travel day is full of lava fields, glaciers, waterfalls, gorges and glacier lagoons. It is a day on which you, looking at the time and possible 1 or 2 tours, absolutely have to make choices in the things you want to do. Another option is to add an additional travel day. This gives you more space and time to discover this part of Iceland at a more quite pace.

If you have not been able to visit the Eyjafjallajökull Erupts Museum yesterday, you can start the day with a visit to this museum. It is located at the base of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano and is definitely an interesting stop if you want to know more about the Eyjafjallajökull eruption in 2010 and its consequences for the locals. The only thing is, that for this visit you need to drive back to the west again for 30 minutes from Vik.

With the volcanic knowledge still in mind, you continue your journey along the southern coast of Iceland. As soon as you approach the lava ridge of Laufskálavarða, you do not only have a beautiful view of the Katla (the most dangerous volcano of Iceland), the Mýrdalsjökull and the Kötlujökull, but you look out over a field full of hundreds of stone cairns. These stone cairns have been put down by travelers, hoping to bring them luck on their journey. Your next stop is the Fjaðrárgljúfur, a 2km long canyon.

Optionally, you can take a walk along the edge of the canyon or through the canyon itself. If you want to walk through the canyon, keep in mind that you have to wade through various rivers and the water level may be high.

After that, it is time to drive to the Svínafellsjökull, a glacier which you can watch closely with a professional guide, equipped with crampons and an ice axe. Depending on whether (and which time) you are going to make the glacier walk, you have to decide how much time you have left, via which route you want to drive and which stops you want to make. For example, you can drive via the 1 or via the 204, a route that will take 40 minutes longer, but during which you will be driving through the lava field of Eldhraun.

If you choose to drive via the 1, you can make a stop at Kirkjugólf, Foss a Sidu and Dverghamrar.

Just before the Svínafellsjökull glacier you will find the by black basalt columns surrounded Svartifoss and a number of small waterfalls, including the Hundafoss. The waterfalls cannot be seen from the road and can only be reached via a 1.8 km (45 min) walk. A fun activity to do before or after your possible glacier walk. In addition to the walk to Svartifoss there are also different other walks which you can do.

This travel day will end with 2 beautiful parts of the Icelandic nature, you should not miss! On the way to Höfn, you will find Fjallsárlón and the larger Jökulsárlón, a pair of glacier lagoons in which huge ice floes are floating around and where, if you are lucky enough, can spot seals.

TIP: Try to visit the glacier lagoons at sunrise or sunset.

Entrance fees & opening hours
Eyjafjallajökull Erupts museum: adult ISK 850 / € 7. Children under the age of 12: free access. Opening hours vary.
Cruise glacier lagoon(s): check the rates and sailing times for Fjallsárlón and/or Jökulsárlón in advance.
Svínafellsjökull glacier walk: there are different providers, like Icelandic Mountain Guides.
Svartifoss: free access. Parking ISK 500 / € 4.
The entrance to all the remaining sights mentioned above is free of charge and not restricted to opening hours.

Overnight
After your visit to the glacier lagoons it is about an hour drive to Höfn, the place where you will spend the night.

Day 5: Höfn – Egilsstadir

Distance: 312 km. Travel time: 5h 7 min.

Today, you leave the busier and more touristy south coast of Iceland behind and you will head north via the sparsely populated East Fjords.

Optional: join a glacier lagoon cruise in the morning.

After your possible cruise on the glacier lagoon(s), it will be especially a day with a lot of kilometers of driving and only a few sights along the way. However, after each (hairpin) turn, you will be treated to a great view of the long fjords and high (snowy) mountain peaks.

Along the way you will pass the beautiful coastline at Djúpavogshreppur, the Sveinsstekksfoss waterfall and some fishing villages, such as Djúpivogur, Breiðdalsvík and Stöðvarfjörður. Nice places to walk around along the picturesque harbors and the colored houses.

An option is to visit other villages that are located at the end of a number of fjords, such as Mjóifjörður (the narrowest fjord) or Seyðisfjörður. It is definitely a beautiful drive to the end of these fjords, but keep in mind that you have to drive back again via the same road. So think in advance if it is worthwhile to drive there and you have enough time for a visit.

TIP: Do you want to see those cute puffins from close by? Then Borgarfjörður Eystri is the place to go!

Borgarfjörður Eystri is located at 70 km (one way) from Egilsstadir. Please note that the road is not always open and / or accessible. Check this in advance via the Icelandic Road Administration.

Entrance fees & opening hours
Cruise glacier lagoons: check the rates and sailing times for Fjallsárlón and/or Jökulsárlón in advance.
The entrance to all the remaining sights mentioned above is free of charge and not restricted to opening hours.

Overnight
As you had a long day of driving, Egilsstadir is a good place to relax and spend the night. If you intend to visit Borgarfjörður Eystri, you may consider to drive here and to stay overnight there.

Day 6: Egilsstadir – Húsavík

Distance: 346 km. Travel time: 4h 29 min.

From Egilsstaðir you will drive along the banks of the Lagarfljót lake and across the Hallormsstaður, with an area of 740 hectares Iceland’s largest forest. If desired, you can stop here and go for a walk. If you decide to continue driving, your first stop for today will be the Hengifoss, also called the hanging waterfall.

From the road you can already see the 118 meter high waterfall, but if you want to watch it from close by, a though walk of 2km (one way, 2 hours) will be waiting for you. Halfway the trail you will also pass the Litlanesfoss: a waterfall surrounded by beautiful basalt columns.

From the Hengifoss it is a long ride to the most powerful waterfall of Europe, the Dettifoss. Here, as much as 500m3 of water flows through!

There are two roads which lead to Dettifoss: the paved road 862 on the west side and the gravel road 864 on the east side. Check just before you travel to Dettifoss if the road(s) are accessible for your type of rental car and also check if the roads are open. It is recommended to drive slowly on both roads, because of the stone slab. Because rental cars do not like this!

From the parking lot on the western side you have the best overview and you can choose out of three trails:

• D1: 1,5 km – 30-60 min. Dettifoss parking lot – Dettifoss – parking lot.
• D2: 2,5 km – 1 hour. Dettifoss parking lot – Dettifoss – Selfoss – parking lot.

For the practiced hikers there is a third steep hiking trail of 9km (3-4 hours). This starts at the parking lot and runs through Hafragil, Hafragil lowland, Sanddalur and Dettifoss, back to the parking lot.

On the east side you can come as close as a few tens of meters to the waterfall. Only the road which leads to it is less accessible.

TIP: at Dettifoss there can be a lot of mist. Take a raincoat and protect your camera well!

Iceland is not only known for its many waterfalls, but also because of its volcanic activity. In Iceland, they make grateful use of the energy that is released. After Dettifoss, the next stop is the Krafla Power Plant, which converts this geothermal energy from 18 wells into electricity. You can visit the visitor center, climb the Viti crater (1 hour) and enjoy spectacular views over the Krafla area, you can take a 2km long (35-50 min) walk along the edge of the 813m high Krafla volcano or explore the lava field of Leirhnjúkur (1-1.5 hours).

About 8 minutes further down the road you will find Hvérir and means, literally translated, hot springs. Absolutely one of the highlights of Iceland! As soon as you get out of your car, the smell of sulfur meets you straight away. In this particular and almost mysterious area next to the Ring road and near the Námaskarð mountain pass, you literally walk between the bubbling mud pools and steaming holes and cracks in the earth’s crust. Here you definitely realize how much volcanic activity there is in Iceland!

Definitely enjoy walking through this area, but do not stay too long! The sulfur fumes are not very conducive to your lungs.

If you still have some time left, you can decide to have a look around the Lake Mývatn area. Else you will head for Húsavík and is Lake Mývatn the next stop after your stay in Húsavík.

Entrance fees & opening hours
Krafla Power Plant visitor centre: free access. 10.00-17.00h (10.00am-05.00pm), June 1 – September 17.
The entrance to all the remaining sights mentioned above is free of charge and not restricted to opening hours.

Overnight
Today you will spend the night in Húsavík.

Day 7: Húsavík – Hvammstangi

Distance: 378 km. Travel time: 4h 54 min.

Húsavík is not called the “Whale Watching Capital of Europe” for nothing. When you make a road trip across Iceland during the summer months (between May and September) you have the opportunity to go whale watching. Before you will continue your journey to the west of Iceland, you will board a “whale watching tour”and are you going to search for one of the over 20 different whale species that swim around Iceland.

After your whale watching adventure, you will drive back to the south, towards Lake Mývatn. Take a look at the Grjótagjá hot spring inside a lava cave (the water is 43-46 degrees, so unfortunately too hot for a swim), amaze yourself about the bizarre lava formations while walking through Dimmuborgir or explore Lake Mývatn by bike or by car and study the pseudocraters at Skútustaðagígar.

Then you will continue to Hvammstangi, located in the west of Iceland. Along the way you will pass one of the largest waterfalls in Iceland, the Goðafoss. And just before Hvammstangi, your overnight place for that night, it is also worthwhile to bring a visit to Kolugljúfur canyon.

Entrance fees & opening hours
Whale watching: is possible via multiple providers, like North Sailing.
The entrance to all the remaining sights mentioned above is free of charge and not restricted to opening hours.

Overnight
For today Hvammstangi will be your final destination and also the place where you will stay.

Day 8: Hvammstangi – Grundarfjörður

Distance: 331 km. Travel time: 4h 52 min.

From Hvammstangi you can take a turn to the Westfjords (if the season allows). But if you want to skip the Westfjords, then your next stop is the biggest peninsula of Iceland, Snæfellsnes. This peninsula is also called little Iceland, because you have everything on the peninsula what you can see and find on Iceland.

A nice first stop on Snæfellsnes is Stykkishólmur, a fishing village with cute old houses and from the Súgandisey mountain you have a beautiful view of the Súgandisey lighthouse and the surrounding Breiðafjörður. Then you drive through the Berserkjahraun lava field to one of the most photographed mountains of Iceland, the Kirkjufell.

Before you head for Snaefellsjökull National Park, take a quick look at the nearby Kirkjufellsfoss. This park is at the westernmost point of the peninsula. Climb the stairs to the top of the over 100m high old Saxhóll volcano crater, take a look at the black beach of Djúpalónssandur and Dritvik (with rusted remains of an old ship) or go for one or more walks in the area at Djúpalónssandur. During these walks you really have a beautiful view of the rugged coastline of Iceland!

     Who is the strongest ?! Measure your strength like the old Vikings with (one of) the four lifting stones at the beach of Djúpalónssandur.

Just down the road you will find the lighthouse of Malariff and from here you look at Lóndrangar. From Malariff you can choose to walk to Lóndrangar via the coastline or you can drive there by car in a few minutes. At Lóndrangar, the cliffs are absolutely impressive and you will see hundreds of breeding seabirds on the Þúfubjarg, the bird rock.

Finally, you will make another stop at Gatklettur, also known as Arch Rock. A beautiful cliff with a circular arc in the middle. After that, it is time to drive back to your accommodation in Grundarfjörður.

Entrance fees & opening hours
The entrance to all sights mentioned above is free of charge and not restricted to opening hours.

Overnight
Tonight you will spend the night at Grundarfjörður.

Day 9: Grundarfjörður – Reykjavik

Distance: 301 km. Travel time: 3h 46 min.

Today, the final destination of your road trip through Iceland is again in sight, the capital city of Reykjavik. But not before you have visited two of Iceland’s most beautiful waterfalls.

From Grundarfjörður you will travel to Deildartunguhver first, possibly with a trip to the Glanni waterfall. Deildartunguhver is a hot water source with a production of as much as 180 liters of water per second and a temperature of almost 100 ° C. With this, it is even the largest hot water source in Europe. Here you will see the hot water almost literally being shot from the ground. Therefore, do not come too close to the hot water source!

The hot water which is bubbling to the surface here, is often used as heating. From the hot water source you will see all kinds of tubes running to various inhabited areas in the area.

After your visit to Deildartunguhver, you will continue driving along the Nordá River, after which you will make a stop at two of the most beautiful waterfalls of Iceland: the 900m wide Hraunfossar and the Barnafoss, which looks like a white-water course.

In a few minutes walk from the car park you will find several viewing platforms from which you will have a good view of both waterfalls. First, you will see the Hraunfossar and is actually a series of waterfalls. Over a distance of more than 900 meters, there are several points at which the clear water flows into the river, straight from the Hallmundarhraun lava field. The name Hraunfossar therefore means lava falls.

About 50 meters upstream you will find the Barnafoss and this looks more like a white-water course in an amusement park than on a waterfall. The light blue water flows through a narrowing and forms a cascading waterfall. Certainly from the footbridge that runs over the water this is clearly visible!

Your road trip across Iceland has almost come to an end and off course you cannot skip the capital Reykjavik. At Hraunfossar and Barnafoss you will step into your car and will continue driving for another 1,5 hours to Reykjavik.

To get back to Reykjavik you have got two possibilities:

• via road 47. This road runs along the Hvalfjordur fjord (50-60 min drive).
• via the Hvalfjörður tunnel underneath the Hvalfjordur fjord (7-16 min drive).
  ISK 1000 / € 8 for a car shorter than 6m. For other types of vehicles a surcharge applies.
  

Via the tunnel it is definitely faster, but if you choose to drive around the fjord, you will get to see another stretch of the special Icelandic nature.

Once arrived in Reykjavik you can start exploring the capital of Iceland. The inner city is very compact and therefore easy to visit within a day. Most of the sights are within walking distance.

For a stunning 360 degree view of Reykjavik, visit the 73 meter high tower of Hallgrímskirkja, the largest church in Iceland. Take a stroll through Old Reykjavik and the old harbor, look for the Sun Voyager, take a look at Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Center, spot the many colorful street art or stroll along the shops of the Laugavegurinn shopping street. Funny detail is that this shopping street is heated, so you do not suffer from snow and ice while shopping.

In Reykjavik there are also many museums. If you want to visit another special museum that will definitely make you laugh, Icelandic Phallological Museum. Here you can find the world’s largest collection of penises.

Entrance fee & opening hours
Glanni waterfall, Deildartunguhver, Hraunfossar, Barnafoss: free access.
Hallgrímskirkja tower: adult ISK 900 / € 7,20. Child (age 7-14) ISK 100 / € 0,80. Opening hours vary.
The Icelandic Phallological Museum: entrance ISK 1500 / € 12. Opened daily from 10.00-18.00h (10.00am-06.00pm).
For other sights in Reykjavik entrance fees and/or opening hours may apply.

Overnight
You will spend the final nigth(s) in the capital, Reykjavik.

Day 10: Reykjavik – Keflavik International Airport

Distance: 70 km. Travel time: 57 min.

The last day of your road trip around Iceland can you complete in different ways. Explore Reykjavik a little longer or enjoy the healing water at the Blue Lagoon.

But if you want to go on adventure, then descent into an old magma chamber of volcano which erupted 4,000 years ago! (Duration: 5-6 hours incl 35-40 min in de magma chamber of the volcano).

Entrance fees & opening hours
Blue Lagoon: from ISK 6100 / € 49 per person. Reduced rates for children and disabled travelers. Open 365 days a year. Opening hours vary per season.

Overnight
Do you have an early morning flight the following day? Then spend the night near the airport or consider to stay one more night at the same accommdoation in Reykjavik.

Day 11 Return flight from Keflavik International Airport

Today your Iceland road trip has come to an end and you will fly back home again.

Practical information

Flights to Reykjavik, Iceland

The international airport of Iceland, Keflavik International Airport, is located at the Reykjanes peninsula, nearby Keflavik. Reykjavik can be found on a 50 km (41min) drive from the airport.

Flights to Keflavik International airport are offered by o.a. Iceland Air, SAS, British Airways and lowcost airlines easyJet and Wow Air.  For availability and rates for flights to Iceland, check the website(s) of Skyscanner and/or Momondo.

Car rental Iceland

Iceland is a destination which can easily be explored by car. There is only one main road, which runs across Iceland like a  circle, Ring Road 1. This road is 1332 km long and is also called the Þjóðvegur 1 or the Hringvegur.

A rental car can be booked quickly and easily via Rentalcars.com or Sunny Cars. The advantage of Sunny Cars is that they offer an all-inclusive car rental, without hidden surcharges.

Accommodations road trip Iceland

In Iceland different types of accommodations are offered. From hostels to guesthouses and from cozy chalets to luxury hotels. Also, Iceland is not the cheapest destination and this will also be reflected in the prices of the various accommodations. Definitely a stay in the city center (of Reykjavik) can be very pricey.

Many accommodations offer the choice between a room with a private bathroom or a room with a shared bathroom. If you want to lower the costs and do not mind sharing your bathroom, the choice for a room with a shared bathroom is definitely a cheaper option. Or choose to stay at an accommodation just outside the center.

Below you will find an overview of the accommodations during this road trip. A nice mix between cozy chalets, guesthouses and more luxurious hotels.

Day 8: Grundarfjörður |
Grundarfjörður
Guesthouse & Apartments

More information

The best time to visit Iceland

You can travel to Iceland year-round, but the best travel time (for this road trip) is May to September. The roads are passable again after winter, Iceland slowly turns green and the days are getting longer. The high season for Iceland runs from June to August and may be a lot more busy. If you want to travel in the high season, it is advisable to book your car rental, accommodation and any activities on time.

December until April: Iceland is covered in snow. A lot of accommodations and roads are still closed.
June  until August: High season on Iceland and therefor also the busiest and most expensive months.
May & September: The best travel time. It is still really quite and the rates for accommodation and flights are still favorable.

Whale watching: May until September.
Bird watching: end of June.
Northern Lights: half September until the end of March.

Preparation tips

There is a lot to see and do in Iceland, and you will probably stop more often than you had in mind in advance. Obviously fun, but it absolutely needs some planning to prevent you from being in a hurry.

The above road trip was made in May, where the sun was nearly not going to set. This allowed us to undertake many activities during daylight and even until later in the evening.

If you travel in a different period, it may occur that it will be dark earlier, (a number of) activities is not possible (yet) or that certain roads are not passable or open yet. Certainly the roads in the hinterland, the Westfjords or the highlands will only open late / later in the season.

Keep this in mind when you are preparing for your trip to Iceland and check this in time to get the most out of your trip.

Travel guides Iceland

• Marco Polo Iceland: €9,16 (The Book Depository). 
• Lonely Planet Iceland: €14,12 (The Book Depository)
• Rough Guide Iceland: € 15,14 (The Book Depository)

What was the highlight during your road trip across Iceland?

The above mentioned entrance fees, parking rates and opening hours are subject to changes.