When I started planning my trip to Iceland, one thing became very clear – we were going to drive the Ring Road.
Iceland’s Route 1 highway, also known as the Ring Road, is a national highway that runs around the entire perimeter of the island with the exclusion of the Westfjords. The total length is 1,332 kilometres, and trust me, the entire thing is amazing. It’s the easiest way to see most of the country in a fun and safe way.
Aside from a few exceptions, we stayed on the Ring Road for nearly our entire trip, and therefore our itinerary was pretty easy to follow. That being said, knowing how to plan your days can be a bit confusing.
From my adventures driving the Ring Road, this was our 7-day itinerary. It can easily be altered or adjusted to include more or less days depending on your schedule. If we had more time, we would have stuck to this exact plan, just spent more time in each place.
DAY ONE: Southern Coast
Blue Lagoon
Day one we arrived in Iceland at 4am. From the airport we picked up our rental van and headed right to the Blue Lagoon. Take my advice and book your tickets beforehand and the sooner the better. To us, the early time slot was a blessing – it was less busy, less kids, and was a perfect way to wake up. The drive to the spa was stunning, filled with lava fields and the rising sun. The spa itself could be considered a tourist trap, but it’s by far the most amazing trap in the world. I’d definitely recommend visiting regardless of the price tag because it really is a once in a lifetime experience.
Kerið
After spending about two hours at the Blue Lagoon we continued onward to Kerið. This volcanic crater lake is massive, making it a perfect way to kick off your Ring Road tour. It’s right on the edge of the Golden Circle so it is a bit busier, but worth the visit nonetheless.
Seljalandsfoss
As one of the most famous waterfalls in Iceland, Seljalandsfoss needs to be on your list. Just an hour-ish away from Kerið, this waterfall is the most logical next stop. It’s most unique feature is definitely the ability to walk behind and around the entire falls, allowing you got get a unique perspective. By the time we arrived here we were ready for some lunch, so pack a picnic and enjoy the views.
Dyrhólaey
Next up, we continued towards Vik with one last stop for the day: Dyrhólaey. This iconic peninsula is a must see, with breathtaking views from the top of an impressively tall “hill”. From one side you can see what seems like an endless skyline of black sand beaches with the peninsula on the other side. Just be careful not to walk too close to the edge of cliff – if a gust of wind comes through you could be a goner.
Night in: Vik – Campsite Link
Driving Time: 2-3 hours
DAY TWO: Heading East
Day two went a little different than we planned. Upon arriving on day one, we realized there were a lot more tourists than we initially anticipated. This isn’t a big problem, but it does present a bit of a pickle when there are places you want to visit without other people. That’s why day two involved a bit of backtracking to sites we wanted to visit alone. And in Iceland, if you want to see a site alone, you have to arrive very early in the morning.
Seljavallalaug
From Vik, we woke up at 5am and started driving back towards Seljalandsfoss. But this time we were stopping at one of my most anticipated destinations – Seljavallalaug. This 25-metre outdoor pool is one of the oldest swimming pools in Iceland, built into the side of a mountain in 1923. It is beyond beautiful, tucked quietly into the centre of a mountain and we really enjoyed having it all to ourselves. Remember, this pool isn’t regularly maintained, so if you’re expecting a perfectly chlorinated pool, this isn’t it.
Skógafoss
Skógafoss was another destination I wanted to see with a few less tourists, so after we dried off from swimming we drove about 45 minutes to the falls. At 9am it wasn’t nearly as busy as you’d expect, and we were easily able to get a few moments alone to take photos and bask in the glory of the powerful machine. After watching The Secret Life of Walter Mitty I was adamant at stopping at this site and getting my magical moment, and trust me, it will not disappoint.
Reynisfjara Beach
This beach is one of the most iconic photo spots of Iceland’s south coast thanks to the amazing basalt sea stacks that seemingly appear out of nowhere in the side of a mountain. The whole experience of this beach feels otherworldly and I definitely think it’s worth the stop. Plus it’s amazing to experience a beach this beautiful that is in no way a tropical destination. Please be careful however, as the crashing waves are so powerful they are known to sweep away tourists who don’t follow the safety signs and get too close.
Fjaðrárgljúfur
I do not know how to pronounce this attraction, but essentially it’s a massive river canyon that winds through the centre of what would otherwise be a cliff. You can see exactly how the river has carved it’s way through the earth over millions of years of erosion from water flowing from the glaciers above. Dating back to the Ice Age over two million years ago, this stop is filled with history and amazing natural phenomena.
Svartifoss – Skaftafell – Vatnajökull National Park
Okay, to limit confusion, this is how I explain how to get to this waterfall: Head East towards Vatnajökull National Park. Within the park is a wilderness area known as Skaftafell. Within that area of the park there’s a hike that takes you to Svartifoss. So basically it’s a waterfall within a wilderness area within a national park. Regardless of the confusion, the black basalt waterfall is definitely a site to see, so get ready to hike and go see it.
Jökulsárlón
Pushing onward, Jökulsárlón is an amazingly blue glacial lagoon with stunningly massive icebergs dotted throughout. It’s cold here, so pack a coat, but otherwise take some time to sit an enjoy this bucket list destination. I had never seen icebergs before, so this spot was huge for me. We even saw a seal swimming and playing in the water. Don’t rush past this spot – take the time to breath in the icy cold air.
Seyðisfjörður (night)
At this point, the day has been jam packed with activity. While we didn’t anticipate the day being so long, we knew we needed to push onward and upward if we wanted to stay on schedule. So, we started towards the East to Seyðisfjörður. For us, this meant a four hour drive into the night, which in no way would I recommend. Looking back, we should have stayed the night in Hofn. But at the same time, it was a happy accident, because the second we arrived in Seyðisfjörður (at around 11pm) the Northern Lights welcomed us with open arms. So, no – I do not suggest you drive around Iceland at night, and if we had more time we wouldn’t have. Thankfully it turned out okay for us.
Night in: Seyðisfjörður – Campsite Link
Driving Time: 7 hours
DAY THREE: In The North
After such a busy day two, day three had a bit more of a relaxed schedule. The only for sure thing we had booked was a whale watching tour at 5:30pm – so as long as we made it to Husavik for that time, we could go as slow as we wanted around the Lake Myvatn area. We woke up in the beautiful town of Seyðisfjörður, decided to eat breakfast in the town, and then head North.
Seyðisfjörður (morning)
To be honest, Seyðisfjörður was one of my favourite stops on our entire Iceland tour. Even after returning home my heart couldn’t shake the beautiful isolation that came from this adorably charming village. Months later I still find myself Google mapping the streets just to try and relive it again. Please, pay this town a visit and stay for longer than we did. It’s endlessly adorable and so photogenic. I would say it’s one of the most underrated places in the entire country. After winding up for the day we continued on through Egilsstaðir and towards our next destination.
Hverir
Hverir is one stop on our trip that we couldn’t decide if we loved or we hated. Of course we loved it, but the site has a few qualities that make it very easy to hate. Hverir is a geothermal area that would convince you you’re on the surface of Mars. There are bubbling pools of mud and clay, steaming fumaroles, and a horizon of endless orange. It’s so unique, so otherworldly, and so freaking smelly. Yes, smelly. Because of the geothermal activity there is sulphuric gas coming up from every hole in the ground and it is the worst smell I have ever smelled in my life. After just 20 minutes here we felt sick to our stomachs. So enjoy the beauty, but try not to get sick.
Hverfjall
Just a half an hour around the bend from Hverir sits Hverfjall – a silently sitting tuff ring volcano over one kilometre in diameter. This thing is huge. Huge feels like an understatement. And not only is it wide, but it’s tall. The hike up this beast is steep and will surely knock the wind out of you. That being said, the view from the top is seriously cool and once again, it makes you feel like you’re in another world.
Myvatn Lake
Since we were already in the area, we took the extra hour or so and decided to drive around the perimeter of Lake Myvatn. This was really relaxing, as the road followed along the lake and passed through beautiful scenery. This is one of the only places in Iceland that sees mosquitos, and take my word for it, they’re big! But from the comfort of the car we were able to enjoy the drive bug-free.
Husavik – Whale Watching
If Iceland knows how to do one thing right, it’s create adorable villages that make you never want to leave. Husavik was another favourite of mine, thanks to it’s friendly people, amazing views, and charming village stores. I think I’d like to go back to Iceland just to spend a few days hiding away here. Thanks to North Sailing we were able to have an amazing time whale watching in Northern Iceland, just a few kilometres shy from the arctic circle. We saw dolphins, birds, and majestic humpback whales. It was the perfect way to end the day.
Night in: Husavik – Campsite Link
Driving Time: 4-5 hours
DAY FOUR: Heading West
Day four was set aside mostly for driving towards the West. Believe it or not, we were really happy to have a low-key day after the events of days one through three, so while this day’s plans may not come off as all that exciting, trust me when I say sometimes having no plans are the best plans.
Goðafoss
Right in-between Husavik and Akureyri sits Goðafoss – one of the biggest waterfalls we saw on our travels. We couldn’t help but feel reminded of Niagara Falls thanks to the horse shoe shape and thunderous roars of heavy water crashing. This waterfall is really impressive, so we were thrilled to climb all over the place to get some really great photos. Don’t forget to explore the area around the falls. The bridge and charming little buildings made for great photo opps as well.
Akureyri
Akureyri is the largest Northern city in Iceland and it is so full of colour and life. It was a really cool drive around the mountains, across the bridge, and into the city because it’s tucked in such a cool spot right along the water. I couldn’t help but get a really hipster vibe and I feel like this town prides itself on being on trend. Needless to say it was a really cute place to stop and have some lunch.
Sauðárkrókur – Iceland Horse Tours
Sauðárkrókur (we couldn’t help but call this town Soda Cracker) is a small town of only 2,500 people. Just twenty minutes outside the town sits a dreamy little farmhouse that offers horseback riding tours. The company is family owned and operated so we were thrilled to see how the small and local tours panned out. If you go to Iceland, there are two things you must do: get out on the water, and get out on a horse. And thanks to our whale watching and horse tours, we managed to do both. The horses of Iceland are whimsical, strong, and a sentiment to the power and determination of this Northern nation. Getting up close and personal with them was an absolute treat.
Búðardalur
After the horse tours we continued on for another two-ish hours towards our stay for the night, Búðardalur. This town has the best campsite we stayed at the entire trip and when living in a van, that makes it worth the stop. The shower was amazing and the owner had a really cute dog – what more do you need. Across the street is a really great little grocery store so we were able to stock up and crawl into bed.
Night in: Búðardalur – Campsite Link
Driving Time: 4-5 hours
DAY FIVE: The Snæfellsnes Peninsula
The Snæfellsnes Peninsula
After doing some research about places in Iceland that were considered underrated, we decided to spend the day exploring The Snæfellsnes Peninsula. If you’re thinking about passing up this day trip, don’t. The landscapes are so dramatic, from plummeting cliffs to pointy mountain tops. We saw birds, seals, and some of the most beautiful flowers on earth. There are endless places to take photos, great places to grab a bite to eat, and some of the smallest and most charming towns in Iceland.
- I found Stykkishólmur extra adorable and the lighthouse provided some seriously awesome views.
- Hellnar was great too and even though it was foggy, still had views of the mountain.
- Arnarstapi was really charming and we took so many great photos here at the various viewpoints
- The Buoakirkja Black Church is beyond iconic and still sends shivers down my spine thanks to it’s strange beauty
- Ytri Tunga offers seal watching and thank goodness we went because the seals were adorable
After finishing the trip around the peninsula we planned on heading out and seeing some of the sites along the Golden Circle. Unfortunately our day was cut short and we had to head into Reykjavik to try and have a blown tire repaired. It all worked out though because we were able to wander around the shops of the capital for a an hour or so before we headed to a cute campsite hidden in the middle of the city for the night.
Night in: Reykjavik – Campsite Link
Driving Time: 6 hours
DAY SIX: The Capital & Hotel Ranga
Reykjavik
After spending so much time on the road it was so nice to park the car and spend the day wandering around the city. We didn’t have any plans for this day, so we started just walking through the streets. Every road was so picturesque and the buildings were beyond photogenic. We managed to find a cute little record store, a quiet cafe, and we even spent some time people watching at the mall. It was nice having nothing set to do except explore!
Hallgrímskirkja Church
We arrived at the church early in the morning and it still felt like it was impossible to get a parking spot, so maybe park somewhere further off and walk instead of driving around like us. Both the interior and exterior of this church are absolutely insane – I felt like I was in the church of vikings! The architecture left me speechless and while it was busy, I could have sat and just looked around all morning.
The Icelandic Phallological Museum
This was such a strange place, there is no other way to put it. Basically, this is a museum of penises. From whales to cats, there is a specimen of just about every animal on the planet. The door knobs are penises, the lampshades are penises, there are penises everywhere. At first it makes you uneasy, but then you realize it’s actually kind of cool. If you’re into something a little off the beaten path and weird, this will be perfect for you!
Hotel Ranga
We decided it would be really nice to stay in a hotel for our last night in Iceland, so we booked a room at Hotel Range in Hella. It did feel a bit weird driving back towards the south of the highway, but it was definitely worth it. Room 50 at Hotel Ranga is easily one of the best experiences of my life. Everything about this hotel is amazing and I cannot speak highly of them enough. I have an entire blog post about my stay here if you want more info on this magical place.
Night in: Hella (Hotel Ranga)
Driving Time: 3 hours
DAY SEVEN: Heading Home
Day seven for us was about getting ready to head back to the airport and head home. I remember feeling so torn as we packed our bags and loaded up the van. It was the most heartbreaking thing in the world.
If you have a late flight, day seven could easily be spent visiting some destinations along the Golden Circle, exploring more of the capital, or visiting the Blue Lagoon again. But no matter how you spend it, remember to enjoy your last day as much as you possibly can.
If you have any questions about my itinerary, my trip, the places we visited, or anything else – please reach out to me on Instagram!