Iceland Complete Self Drive

Categories Summer Tours Iceland Self Drive Vacations Arctic Tours Adventure & Eco Travel Self Drive Tours

Now you can visit “must-see” attractions of our best-selling Iceland Complete escorted tour but with the freedom and flexibility of a Road Trip itinerary! Experience all the main attractions of the legendary Ring Road, enjoying the benefits of pre-booked accommodations and our Iceland Travel Companion App

Highlights

Complete the full circle of Iceland, from the Golden Circle to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Walk between two continents at Þingvellir National Park before catching Strokkur in full flow at Geysir

Watch icebergs drift from glacier to sea at Jökulsárlón, with a stop at Diamond Beach along the way

Discover the quieter charm of the Eastfjords, from fishing villages to Petra’s celebrated stone collection

Feel the force of Dettifoss, Europe’s most powerful waterfall, then unwind in the geothermal waters of Mývatn

Finish on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, where glaciers, lava fields and fishing villages sum up Iceland in miniature

Itinerary

Welcome to the Land of Fire and Ice

Approximate Distance:

50 km / 30 miles

Once you have landed at Keflavík Airport, collect your rental car and head for Reykjavík, Iceland’s colorful capital. If your flight gets you in early, we suggest making the most of it with a visit to the Blue Lagoon or the newer Sky Lagoon. There’s no better way to ease into Icelandic time than a soak in geothermal water before you’ve even checked into your hotel. Important: admission to both lagoons needs to be booked in advance, and we’re happy to help you with that.

Please note check-in for most hotels begins between 14:00 and 16:00.

Overnight in Reykjavík

Optional Tours

Blue Lagoon Entrance

Sky Lagoon Pass

Whale Watching Classic from Reykjavík

FlyOver Iceland

The Golden Circle and South Coast

Approximate Distance:

300–370 km / 186–230 miles

Drive to Þingvellir National Park, one of the geological highlights of any trip to Iceland, where you can walk through the rift between the North American and European tectonic plates and see the cracks and fissures left behind by their slow, steady drift. From there, it’s on to the Geysir geothermal area, where Strokkur puts on a reliable show every five to ten minutes, sending a column of water skyward among a field of smaller bubbling holes. A short drive brings you to Gullfoss, the “Golden Waterfall,” and one we’re always happy to recommend as a highlight of the Golden Circle.

Continue along the South Coast, with stops at Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls, before reaching Reynisfjara and its black sand beach. We always recommend keeping a good distance from the water here, as the waves can be unpredictable and far more powerful than they look.

Overnight in the Vík or Kirkjubæjarklaustur area.

Optional Tours

Secret Lagoon

Fontana Geothermal Baths

Laugarás Lagoon Entrance

Approximate Distance:

200–280 km / 124–174 miles

Drive across the Mýrdalssandur sand plains and the Eldhraun lava field, the legacy of the Laki eruption of 1783 and one of the largest single lava flows on Earth. If you have a little extra time, we suggest a detour to Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon near Kirkjubæjarklaustur, one of Iceland’s most beautiful canyons. Further east, you’ll pass beneath the towering cliffs of Lómagnúpur and across the Skeiðarársandur plains before reaching Skaftafell, a green oasis tucked between the glacial tongues of Vatnajökull.

Continue to Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon, where icebergs break free from the glacier and drift quietly out to sea, many washing ashore at the nearby Diamond Beach.

Overnight in the Höfn area.

Optional Tours

Amphibian Boat Tour on the Glacial Lagoon (meet at Jökulsárlón)

Zodiac Boat Tour on Fjallsárlón Ice Lagoon

Glacier Wonders – Glacier Hike in Skaftafell

Approximate Distance:

250–325 km / 155–202 miles

Today’s drive takes you between Höfn and Egilsstaðir through the Eastfjords, one of Iceland’s most scenic and least crowded regions. Between the headlands of Stokksnes and Hvalnes, the road follows the beautiful Lónsvík bay, where you might spot reindeer or swans depending on the season. Along the way you’ll pass through small fishing villages such as Djúpivogur and Breiðdalsvík, each with its own quiet charm. In Stöðvarfjörður, we recommend a stop at Petra’s Stone Collection, a wonderfully eclectic lifetime’s gathering of local minerals and stones.

Overnight in Egilsstadir area

Approximate Distance:

250–325 km / 155–202 miles

Drive through the dramatic Möðrudalsöræfi highlands towards Dettifoss, Europe’s most powerful waterfall, where you’ll feel the sheer force of the water through the ground beneath your feet. Continue to Ásbyrgi, a horseshoe-shaped canyon with an easy walking trail leading to a peaceful lake tucked beneath its cliffs.

The route then follows the Tjörnes Peninsula to Húsavík, a charming fishing town and one of our favorite places in Iceland for whale watching.

Overnight in the Húsavík or Mývatn area.

Optional tours:

GeoSea Geothermal Sea Baths in Húsavík

Whale Watching from Húsavík

Húsavík Silent Whale Watching (Carbon Neutral)

Approximate Distance:

200–250 km / 124–155 miles

Spend the day getting to know Lake Mývatn, a region full of surprises. Walk among the pseudo-craters at Skútustaðir, wander the otherworldly lava formations at Dimmuborgir, and take in the steaming, colorful slopes of Námaskarð. We also recommend the Krafla volcanic area, where the Víti crater and the geothermal field of Leirhnjúkur tell the story of eruptions that shaped the landscape between 1975 and 1984.

On the way to Akureyri, stop at Goðafoss, where the Skjálfandi River spills over in a graceful, wide curve. Once you reach Eyjafjörður, take some time to enjoy Akureyri, the “capital of the North.”

Overnight in the Eyjafjörður or Skagafjörður area.

Optional Tours

Earth Lagoon Mývatn

Approximate Distance:

300–380 km / 186–236 miles

Skagafjörður is one of Iceland’s great horse-breeding regions, and you’ll likely spot plenty of Icelandic horses grazing along the road. We suggest a stop at Glaumbær, a beautifully preserved turf farmhouse, and the nearby Víðimýri turf church, built in 1834 and one of the few of its kind still standing.

Cross the Holtavörðuheiði mountain pass into Borgarfjörður, where we recommend stopping at Grábrók crater and Glanni waterfall. Visit Deildartunguhver, Europe’s most powerful hot spring, and Hraunfossar, where the water seems to flow straight out from beneath a lava field. If you have time, the Icelandic Goat Centre in Háafell is well worth a visit, dedicated as it is to preserving the country’s native goat stock.

Overnight in the Borgarfjörður area.

Optional Tours

Krauma Nature Baths

Approximate Distance:

200–250 km / 124–155 miles

From Borgarnes, head to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, home to the glacier-topped Snæfellsjökull volcano and often described as “Iceland in miniature” for good reason. We suggest visiting the basalt columns at Gerðuberg, the picturesque wooden church at Búðir, and the fishing village of Arnarstapi, where seabirds nest along dramatic, wave-worn cliffs. Take a walk on the black sands of Djúpalónssandur and the white sands of Skarðsvík, then continue along the north shore past Kirkjufell mountain and the ancient Berserkjahraun lava field. We also recommend a stop at the Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum, where the brave among you can try Iceland’s traditional fermented shark.

Overnight on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula or in the Borgarfjörður area.

Optional Tours

Vatnshellir Caving (from Snæfellsnes Peninsula)

Approximate Distance:

150–200 km / 93–124 miles

After exploring Snæfellsnes and Borgarfjörður, head back to Reykjavík, where the rest of the day is yours to enjoy the city’s restaurants, museums, and lively culture.

Overnight in Reykjavík.

Optional Tours:

Whale Watching Classic from Reykjavík

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FlyOver Iceland

Inside the Volcano

Approximate Distance:

50 km / 30 miles

Drive back to Keflavík International Airport, returning your rental car ahead of your flight home. We recommend departing your hotel no later than three hours before departure, allowing time to return the car and complete check-in. Depending on your flight schedule, you might also have time for one last stroll around Reykjavík.

Notes