Epic Icelandic Road Trip Ideas
There are so many amazing sights to see all over the country of Iceland. Since many landmarks are located outside the capital of Reykjavik, the best way to immerse yourself is with an Icelandic road trip! We embarked on our epic journey during the Fall/Winter months which is very distinct from a summer trip. After you’ve prepared all the essentials for your trip to Iceland, this guide will help you see some of the most amazing things to do around the country. Get ready for natural landscapes like nothing else on the planet!
The Land of Fire and Ice
Iceland is one of the most geologically diverse countries on the planet. It is filled with dramatic landscapes consisting of volcanoes, mountains, glaciers, lava fields, geysers, and other geothermally active areas. Iceland may be one of the newest places on earth, expanding about 2cm every year! One of the most popular routes for an Icelandic road trip is the Ring Road. This major highway encircles the entire Island, and includes some of the most scenic landscapes. However, due to unpredictable weather hazards we decided to traverse only the southern region of the route. Don’t worry, this path includes some of the most iconic locations for a memorable trip. Here’s some of the highlights from our amazing Icelandic road trip:
Icelandic Road Trip Overview
With much more manageable road conditions and less road closures, the southern part of the ring Road is an excellent route during the colder months. The entire Icelandic road trip extended from Keflavik airport to Jökulsárlón in the far east. Round trip the entire journey is about 11hrs, but with so many interesting stops along the way I would recommend taking at least a week to complete it. Overall, the road conditions were good with very limited instances of snow or ice. As long as you take it slow and avoid late night driving, everything should be fine. I highly recommend reserving a 4WD car in advance.
The Road to Reykjavik
Reykjavik is the nation’s capital and home to a majority of the Icelandic population. It even holds the position for the world’s most northern capital city! After you retrieve your rental car, this should be your main destination. That is of course after a few legendary pitstops along the way. About 20 minutes drive from Keflavik airport is Iceland’s most renowned hot spring; the Blue Lagoon! The opaque blue waters are geothermally heated by underground volcanic activity and is open year round. This outdoor spa contains rejuvenating waters so feel free to relax in the spiritual cleansing as long as you like. Admission comes with a free drink and a mud mask. If you you experience only one hot spring on your trip, it must be this one. Don’t forget to try the dark Rye bread!
Located nearby is the Fagradalsfjall volcano, which you can hike for some breathtaking views. Unfortunately it stopped erupting only 2 months prior to our visit. The hike is still great and over looks the cooled down lava field. Smoke and some activity is still visible brewing in the distance. You can actually walk down on some portions of the lava field! Just watch your step. Near the parking lot is a tiny food cart called Helgi’s Street Food. Here we had our first taste of the delicious Icelandic hotdog and meat soup. Reykjavik is under an hour away from here so It’s the best place to spend the first few nights.
Pre-Icelandic Road Trip: Reykjavik
Before heading out for your cross-country Icelandic road trip, consider spending some time in Reykjavik. Aside from being the most northern capital, Reykjavik is also Europe’s most western capital city, and the safest country in the world. The city center has lots of great restaurants, museums, and iconic landmarks to enjoy! It’s a relatively small city so 1 or 2 days is enough to see almost everything. Some of my favorite spots downtown include the Sun Voyager, Hallgrimskirkja, Whales of Iceland, and Perlan museum. Many other tours and excursions depart from Reykjavik as well, making it the perfect central base. Be sure to enjoy the nightlife and bar scene too! We stayed in the Galaxy Pod hostel which was super futuristic despite its questionable bathrooms. Although Reykjavik is very expensive, we managed to do a budget travel vlog with only $20 if you’re looking to save money.
The Golden Circle: Icelandic Road Trip Start!
Next stop on the Icelandic road trip is the famous Golden Circle. This world-class trifecta of prominence consists of the rocky cliffs and fissure in Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park, the daunting Gullfoss waterfalls, and the explosive geysers which are incredibly active. Þingvellir also contains the only place in the world where you can dive between 2 tectonic plates; the North American and Eurasian Continental divide in the Silfra Fissure. You can also sign up for a day trip from Reykjavik.
We booked our tickets to snorkel in the frigid waters of the Silfra fissure so drove an hour there first. Swimming in the crystal clear glacial waters in an experience like none in the world! The water temperature remains at an average of 37°Fahrenheit year-round. The dry-suit they offer you will keep everything warm, except for your hands which is still manageable. So different than diving in warmer destinations! After the swim, we headed up to the rocky overlooks for some great views of the park.
The drive between Þingvellir and Gullfoss is about an hour. Road conditions were a bit snowy so be sure to take it slow. Upon arriving we could sense the enormous vibrational energy and rushing sounds of the waterfalls. One glimpse at the waterfall and you could feel the immense power of the raging waters. Equally as impressive as the majestic Niagara Falls. We spent some time reflecting on Iceland’s natural beauty while overlooking the cascades.
The final stop of the Golden circle is the infamous Geysir, where all other geysers derived their name from. However, the original Geysir seldom erupts. Fortunately the smaller yet reliably consistent Strokkur erupts every 4 – 6 minutes. Located only about 10 minutes from Gullfoss, it’s a great geothermic area that reminds me much of the geysers in Yellow Stone National Park.
On the way home, we stopped at the Fontana hot springs nearby, for some well deserved relaxation. We stayed the night about an hour south in a town called Selfoss which conveniently runs through Route 1. This area has significantly less light pollution than Reykjavik, so we decided to try our luck in hunting the elusive Northern lights. Check out our entire Aurora experience with tips on how to maximize your chances to see them here!
The Road to Vik: Iceland’s Infamous Southern Coast
The next 2 hour drive was to the infamous beaches of Vik’s southern coast. Perhaps the most notorious is Reynisfjara black sand beach, which is comprised of tiny volcanic pebbles. This beach is renowned as one of the most beautiful non-tropical beaches in the world, and has a blocky basalt rock cliff and some dramatic monolithic spires bursting out of the sea. However, the powerful currents and riptides make it the most dangerous beach on the Island, and an impossible place to swim. The waves have been known to sneak up on unsuspecting visitors and drag them out to a watery death so don’t get too close!
A 20 minute drive down the road lies another interesting landmark; the Solheimasandur plane wreck. The dilapidated ruins of a US Navy plane remain since its crash back in 1973. Miraculously everyone survived and the empty chassis has been a tourist attraction ever since. To get to the crash site, you have to walk a 2 mile stretch of a rocky path. It’s possible to pay a shuttle about $20USD for a ride though.
Close by another 10 minutes is one more of Iceland’s prominent landmarks; Skogafoss. This is one of the largest waterfalls in the country, towering at an astounding 60 meters (almost 200 feet). You can walk right up to it and even behind it if you wish, but be prepared to get drenched. Head to the top of the waterfall for some amazing views of the surrounding valleys. There’s a ton of stairs to get there though. The path alongside the river is also great for walking and taking in the scenery.
After heading back into town, we stopped at an interesting school bus turned into a café for some warm drinks and ambiance. We went to the Soup Company to try some of Iceland’s most popular soups for lunch. It shares the same building with the incredible Icelandic Lava Show. This is the only show in the world where you can experience the heat from real flowing lava and learn all about its intrinsic properties first hand. The room really heats up so get ready to shed some layers. The drive around Vik was very windy and it seemed to snow a bit more here.
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
About 2 and a half hours from Vik lies the glacier lagoon of Jökulsárlón. The still blue waters are filled with a plethora of drifting icebergs and is one of the most iconic places in Iceland. Huge chunks of ice from the nearby Vatnajökull glacier float blissfully into the Atlantic sea. Around noon some of the food carts start opening up for lunch. Stop by Heimahumar for some of the best lobster rolls and langoustine soup I’ve ever had. If you have enough time, I would recommend trying the boat tour.
Right across the street rest the elegant Diamond Beach, where countless glacial fragments lie scattered across the black sand beach. The sun glistens off the glaciers as the waves wash over the glass-like shards. Maintain a safe distance from the waves as they can be quite vicious.
The main attraction in this region is Breiðamerkurjökull Glacier, which is a crystal blue ice cave. This magnificent wonder is inside the Vatnajökull National park, which can only be accessed by a heavy duty pressurized 4-wheel truck. We signed up for the glacier cave tour and had an amazing time. Our guide shared so much information about the history and formation of glaciers in Iceland. Exploring the caverns was probably one of the best attractions in the country. We spent the night at a guest house in Kalfafell, directly in the middle of nowhere 1 hour west of the lagoon.
End of the Icelandic Road Trip
Our Icelandic road trip took us along the ring road to the far eastern part of the country, where we decided to turn back. The entire ring Road is better saved for the warmer months, when weather conditions and roads are more accessible. To complete the whole circle, I would recommend spending at least 10 – 15 days. Returning to Reykjavik was about a 5 hour endeavor. Note that there are very limited rest stops and restaurants along the route outside of the bigger cities and towns. All the roads are in excellent shape and there were only a few occurrences of inclement weather. Overall, this one of my favorite road trip experiences and I would highly recommend it! There’s so much variety to see in Iceland it seems like the only option for visiting is a road trip. Thanks for reading and keep leveling up!
Here’s our first part of the trip, where we explore the best things to see on Iceland’s firey side!
Find out why the call it the land of Ice as we explore the best of Iceland’s icy side!
Here’s our adventures to the infamous Southern coastal city of Vik!
