Iceland Road Trip – Planning,Tips, and Itinerary

 A lot of people visit Iceland during winter months to catch the elusive Northern Lights  but we think the best time to plan an Icelandic road trip is during summer. Iceland is famous for being The Land of the Midnight Sun – it is so close to the Arctic Circle that the sun almost doesn’t set during summer months . 24 hour days are perfect for a driving the 830-mile Ring Road that circles Iceland.

The adage ‘The journey matters more than the destination’ is nowhere truer than in Iceland. Spent long days driving around the country and slept at a different hotel every night. Here’s a suggested itinerary for a road trip based on our experience in Iceland. It can be very seductive because it involves exploring volcanic lava fields, marveling at majestic waterfalls, hiking glaciers, bathing in natural hot springs, and dancing on snow-capped mountains, so consider yourselves warned 🙂

Day 1 – Renting a car for your Iceland road trip 

Keflavik Airport and  proceed to collect your rental car soon. You can pre-booked a sturdy 4X4 – although in summer months you don’t necessarily need a 4X4, but if you can go for it, then it’s always a plus. It was a beast of a car and it served us in good stead. 

 Day 2 – The Ring Road fun begins at The Golden Circle

Vast expanses of untamed wilderness almost as soon as you left Keflavik Airport. Spent the day exploring the famed Golden Circle. The Thingvellir National Park, the site of the ancient Icelandic Parliament, is the first stop on this day. But what fascinated more was the fact that the tectonic places of North America and Europe meet at the Thingvellir National Park. The rift is clearly visible and you can actually cross over from one continent to the other. How cool is that?!

 

Next up, the Geysirs hot-spring area of Iceland. The original Geysir, after which all other geysirs of the world are named, is dormant but there are a number of hot springs and geysirs in the area. Make sure you wait for Strokkur, the highest Geysir in the area, to erupt while you are there.

The third attraction on the Golden Circle Tour is the Gullfoss Waterfall. Not sure adjectives of the English language can do justice to the waterfalls of Iceland – it’s funny how something as simple as water falling off a cliff can create a thing of such immense beauty. Wrap up this extraordinary drive by stopping at a couple of other waterfalls – Skogafoss or Seljalandsfoss. It’s even possible to take a walk behind Seljalandsfoss to absorb its grandeur.

                                  

The best part? All attractions in Iceland are free. Parking is also free in Iceland, which is such a respite from overpriced parking lots all over Europe.

Day 3 –  Hiking on a Glacier, say what?!

Spent day pursuing something straight out of our wildest dreams. Went hiking on the Sólheimajökull Glacier with Arctic Adventures. It began pouring cats and dogs almost as soon as we drove to the parking lot of Sólheimajökull Glacier. The Arctic Adventures’ guides brought a smile back to faces by telling us typical Icelandic weather is essential for a typical Icelandic experience 😉

                           

The next four hours were spent hiking on the gorgeous blue ice of the glacier lightly dusted with volcanic ash. Seeing a glacier up close was such an incredible experience that we would highly recommend it to everybody. Make sure you’re wearing warm waterproof clothes because it rains over 200 days/year in this area. 

Day 4 – Floating Icebergs at Jökulsárlón

                          

This day was spent driving through majestic lava fields and the incredible Vatnajokull National Park. Glacial rivers, rugged landscapes, and towering mountains were the order the day. Vatnajokull is home to Europe’s largest ice-cap and the area offers a number of hiking opportunities.

                               

The highlight of the drive on Day 4 was the Jokulsarlon Glacial lagoon. It is one of Iceland’s most visited landmarks and the highlight of a road trip. There are a number of floating icebergs at this huge lagoon and  if you stand there long enough, you are bound to see a chunk of ice break from the neighboring glacier to join other floating icebergs, big and small. Jokulsarlon is spellbinding –  stood transfixed for the longest time before reaching out for our cameras to try and capture this un-capturable sight!

 

Next, we drove to Egilsstadir via the Eastern Fjords. Here narrow cliffs, jagged peaks, and hairpin bends are punctuated with tiny fishing villages. We frequently went without seeing a single person, car, or shop for dozens of miles in Iceland, so it was good to see slightly populated villages for once. Make sure you drive on the gravel road F939 after the fishing village of Djupivogur – it’s an adrenaline rush like no other. This was one of the best (and bumpiest!) stretches of roads we drove on. Do make sure you check the road conditions in Iceland before you set off every morning.

Day 5 – Stunning Icelandic Waterfalls and Volcanic Craters

Continued  drive towards Dettifoss, a stunning waterfall. Even at the end of May, the road leading to Dettifoss was snowed under. We asked a farmer for an alternative route and took a longer (more scenic!) route to the waterfall. We parked our car and walked towards the twin waterfalls – Dettifoss and Selfoss.

                                     

 Now these waterfalls have been compared to the Niagara Falls- that’s how big they are. But imagine the Niagara falls without information centers, raincoats, cameras, or fencing. Imagine being just a centimeter away from the falls. Imagine a colossal rainbow sprouting right in front of you, so close that you could almost reach out and touch it. Now imagine being the ONLY one to witness this spectacle unfolding right in front of your eyes. Yes, that’s Iceland. 

 

But that’s not all. Our next stop was the Viti Crater in the Krafla Volcanic area. The volcanic crater is famous for its turquoise lake in the middle. The lake was still frozen when we visited, but that didn’t stop the vibrant turquoise colour from peeking through the layer of snow covering the lake.

Day 6 – Myvatn Area: Volcanoes and Sulphur Springs 

One would imagine that days full of such extraordinary scenic beauty would make us numb. But this wasn’t the case because Iceland believes in surprising its visitors. The landscape changes so frequently that one can’t help but be stunned by what’s on offer. The glacial rivers of Southern Iceland give way to the red volcanic mountains and earthy Sulphur springs in North East Iceland. The Krafla Volcanic area turned out to be one of our favorite places on our Iceland road trip.

 

The boiling mud pots, sulphur springs, and fumaroles at Namafjoll Hverir might be smelly (hydrogen sulphide is produced at these hot springs, so the area smells like a chemistry lab!) but it is still tough to tear oneself away from them. High temperatures produce such strong acids in the area that both rock and soil dissolve in the acid water at these springs.

                              

You could go hiking to the Dimmuborgir area and hunting for Grjótagjá – a lava cave with a natural hot spring inside. The inside resembles a giant bath tub with perpetually warm water. We’re not complaining!!

Day 7 & 8 Drive To North Iceland and Akureyri

Pretend to be superhuman and  went Whale Watching in Husavik (great place to spot whales) and explored Akureyri (it’s a small yet interesting town) while we were in North Iceland. Stayed in this stunning cottage with Icelandic Farm Holidays right next to the sea, snow-capped mountains, and miles of greenery. The cottage was kitted with a private hot tub and a BBQ – as you can imagine not much sightseeing was done but a LOT of wine was consumed and the BBQ was used a fair few times. Look at the cottage, can you blame us?

                                      

Day 9 and 10 – West Iceland and the Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Snaefellsnes (pronounced sny-fells-nes) Peninsula is a long drive away from Akureyri. A majority of Day 9 was spent driving through snow-clad roads, gurgling streams, and woodlands. This route is lined with idyllic fjords – Grundarfjörður is so peaceful that it deserves a mention on any itinerary of Iceland. 

                           

Spent Day 10 driving around the  Snaefellsnes Peninsula. It is possible to go for a short hike up the Saxholl Crater. This is a fun walk but it can get VERY windy, so be extremely careful. Make sure you visit the Hellnar Arch, a natural rock formation comprised of basalt sheets. The rock arches over a lagoon and it is populated with dozens of screeching birds. Have a meal/coffee at the cafe right opposite the Hellnar Arch as you contemplate this surreal natural monument.

 Another place that is perfect for a meal is the Kirkjufell mountain. This famous mountain is the highlight of a drive around the Snaefellsnes area. Pack a picnic and enjoy it next to the waterfall by the Kirkjufell mountain – aah bliss!!

Days 11 – 13 – Reykjavik : Urbanity, volcanoes, and whales

It was both disappointing and exhilarating to get back to Reykjavik (and civilisation) at the end of the long Icelandic road trip. It was good to see restaurants, people, and toilets but part of me just wanted to curl up with a book in a remote cottage with hundreds of wild flowers for company.

Tried reconnecting with nature by going for a whale-watching tour with Special Tours. It was so much fun donning those super-warm onesies. We felt like we were about to embark on a Arctic mission, no less! We spotted a few whales, monkeyed around a bit and had a great time.

                                     

If you don’t enjoy adventurous excursions, you could unwind at The Blue Lagoon, one of Iceland’s most famous geothermal spas.

 

Reykjavik has a dynamic culinary scene and vibrant night-life. Hit the pubs to make up for all the early nights in the countryside. Of course, no Bruised Passports itinerary is complete without a mention of specialty coffee. Reykjavik Roasters offer scrumptious third-wave coffee Make sure you visit this cafe, tucked in a tiny by-lane of Reykjavik, for a fantastic cuppa!

Day 14 – Lake Kerid and Keflavik Airport

Couldn’t resist the temptation of witnessing just one more marvel of nature before we hopped on the flight back . Presenting Lake Kerid – yet another vibrant lake in the middle of a volcanic crater. The neon greenery that surrounds Lake Kerid, the vibrant blue colour of the lake, and flaming red lava rocks strewn all over the place ensure an unforgettable goodbye to Iceland. You can easily combine a visit to Lake Kerid on the day you drive The Golden Circle, but wanted something spectacular for our last morning in Iceland 🙂

Where to stay on your Iceland Road Trip

Well, it’s a tricky question and the answer depends on your own personal choices and circumstances. On this trip, stayed in local farm stays and B&Bs and each one of them is listed in the individual itinerary points above. If farm stays are not your preferred choice of accommodation, then you can find plenty of other options by comparing