Godafoss : A stunning waterfall that's right by the Ring Road. The name means 'Waterfall of the Gods' and derives from when statues of Iceland's Norse gods were thrown into the waterfall when Iceland decided to take Christianity as its religion. There's not a big chunk of the Ring Road in the West of Iceland. Nonetheless, there are a couple of places worth stopping for along the Ring Road itself. A short detour from the Ring Road in West Iceland is to visit Reykholt and Hraunfossar waterfalls that are well worth a visit.
These landscapes include a glacier that's also a volcano Snaefellsjokull , lava fields, waterfalls, picturesque mountains such as Kirkjufell mountain , sweeping views of beautiful coastlines with both black and white sands, caves, and fishing villages.
The Ring Road does not include the Snaefellsnes peninsula, but it's well worth it taking an extra day or two to discover what this part of the country has to offer.
Westfjords : The Icelandic Westfjords are truly stunning, and the most remote location in Iceland. Here you'll find dozens of gorgeous fjords, the stunning Dynjandi waterfall , the red beach of Raudasandur , countless hot springs to bathe in, rural villages, and the westernmost tip of Europe: Latrabjarg bird cliff. The Ring Road passes by the Westfjords, resulting in them becoming more remote than the rest of the country. If you plan on visiting the Westfjords, it's advisable to add another days to your journey.
Please also note that the Westfjords may not be accessible during the darkest winter months due to heavy snow. Deildartunguhver : Europe's most powerful hot spring, but not one you'll want to enter. Reykholt : Not to be missed by any history buffs, Reykholt was the home of Snorri Sturluson, one of Iceland's most famous writers and poets from the Viking age.
A short detour from the Ring Road, about a minute drive, or simply 5 minutes further than from Deildartunguhver. Hraunfossar and Barnafoss : Some of the most stunning waterfalls in Iceland are the lava waterfalls Hraunfossar that trickle-down directly from underneath a lava field.
They are located only minutes from the Ring Road, along the same road that goes to Deildartunguhver and Reykholt. Borgarnes : A pretty town that's just a stone throw away from Reykjavik. Often a mandatory stopover on the way North, where travelers can enjoy a hot dog or ice cream.
Mount Esja : A mountain overlooking Reykjavik that takes less than 2 hours to hike up. Reykjavik : The country's capital, filled with restaurants, art galleries, shops, nightlife, museums, and everything you'd expect to find in a capital city. You can choose between driving the circle yourself or going on a guided tour. Taking a bus from one place to another is not a good idea since the buses often only run once or twice a day and you'll want to be making a stop every 30 minutes or an hour.
By driving the circle yourself you'll have more flexibility and privacy and can choose how long you want to spend at each location. In summer this means you could be enjoying the sights until the middle of the night since the nights are bright. But in winter you will want to get to your accommodation before it gets dark, and then look up in the sky during cloudless nights in search of the aurora borealis. Only drive in Iceland in winter if you are extremely confident with driving in snow and icy conditions.
The weather conditions in winter might contain a snowstorm or two and then you'd be better off joining a guided tour. If you don't trust yourself to drive in the summertime, or simply want to get some local insight into the sights and attractions, then again you can choose to go on a guided tour. A 10 day guided tour of the Ring Road is also a great mix of free time in the city of Reykjavik and a guided tour of the Ring Road.
If you'd like to drive the Ring Road yourself, check out these summer self-drive tours and these winter self-drive tours , depending on what time of year you are looking to book for. You'll be able to find a variety of Ring Road itineraries, ranging from days in summer and from days in winter. However you choose to do it and whatever you decide to visit along the way, touring the Ring Road in Iceland is an unforgettable experience.
Share your memories of visiting Iceland in the comments below. This article has been edited by the Guide to Iceland team to reflect the latest information.
Get a vacation. Book your tours. Rent a car. Find stays. Read info. Book your trip now. Guide to Iceland. Verified Expert. Iceland has one main road that encircles the island. This is known as Route 1, or the Ring Road. Top Ring Road Tours. Conditions of the roads vary greatly between summer and winter. To make the most of the drive, take at least a week to drive it in summer or up to 2 weeks in the winter.
See more. The Best Attractions by Iceland's Ring Road Unlike in most countries where the main roads are big highways with multiple lanes, the Ring Road in Iceland is a fantastically picturesque 2 lane road with impressive views all around. Ring Road Attractions in South Iceland The Southwest of Iceland is mainly composed of flat, green farmlands, with the occasional rivers and mountains, including the Hvita river and Hekla volcano, which can be seen from the Ring Road.
Hveragerdi is only a minute drive from Reykjavik. From Reykjavik, it takes about 2 hours to drive to Seljalandsfoss without stops. Main Attractions in Southeast Iceland 1. This area is surprisingly green and lush even though it's right next to a glacier.
However, most of the fjords are not by the Ring Road. Here are the main attractions in East Iceland: 1. Here you can see them posing in front of Brunnhorn, or the Batman mountain.
Iceland has hardly any trees, so seeing a forest is quite unusual in its own right. Here are two unique Iceland adventures to add to your trip.
Landmannalaugar is famous for its colorful rhyolite mountains and epic day hikes. Geothermal hot springs, lava fields, and unique hiking trails attract adventurous travelers all summer long. Click here to read our Landmannalaugar Guide and learn how to get here and which hikes to do. Hikes range from short, easy strolls to strenuous mountain climbs, so there is something here for everyone. Visit Landmannalaugar as a day trip from the Golden Circle.
This adds one day onto this Ring Road itinerary. This was our favorite day in Iceland and one of the best day hikes we have done in the world. It will take up the entire day, but what a memorable day it will be!
On day 10, drive to the Golden Circle and resume this itinerary as it is written. This adds one day to this Ring Road itinerary. If you have a full two weeks to spend in Iceland, take a look at our 14 Day Iceland Itinerary, which is a slightly longer version of this Ring Road itinerary.
For this Ring Road itinerary, you will need to reserve:. A rental car or campervan. A 2WD car is sufficient for this itinerary. There are many places in Iceland where you will drive unpaved roads that are suitable for a 2WD vehicle. We have not camped in Iceland, but from what I have read and learned from talking to other travelers is that you do not need to reserve your campsites in advance. To save money, we only dined in restaurants once per day and bought groceries at the Kronan or Bonus grocery stores.
You will find these grocery stores throughout Iceland. If you have any questions about this Ring Road itinerary, let us know in the comment section below! Read all of our articles about Iceland in our Iceland Travel Guide. Note: This post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links, we get paid a small commission at no extra cost to you.
We plan to visit for 7 days in September, arriving on Saturday, September 11 and leaving on Saturday, September At the end of this article, we have a 7 day itinerary listed. I recommend following this because it works perfectly with the amount of time you have. On day 8 the 18th , fly home.
This 7-day itinerary is the day itinerary, I just removed a few days to turn it into 7 days. For each corresponding day, you can get recommendations on where to stay each day from earlier in the article.
I hope you have a great time in Iceland! Cheers, Julie. Thank you for your itinerary. Is this type of itinerary possible or would you recommend different cities to stay in? Yes, your itinerary works fine. But you will have more time on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula if you include it on the Ring Road loop, rather than driving back and forth from Reykjavik.
I recommend adding Snaefellsnes in between the airport and Akuyeri. For suggestions on where to stay, check out our Snaefellsnes Peninsula Guide. Hi Julie, we are planning our trip to Iceland and following your 10 day ring road itinerary. My question is how do I add Landmanalaugar to my itinerary. We really want to do this one. Do you think it is possible if I skip the glacier hike or we can skip the whale watching? To add Landmannalaugar in to the Ring Road itinerary, the best place to add it is just before the Golden Circle.
On day 8, check into your Golden Circle hotel. Landmannalaugar then becomes day 9. At the end of Landmannalaugar, spend night 2 on the Golden Circle. Then follow our day 9 Golden Circle day, ending in Reykjavik. This makes the Ring Road itinerary 11 days long. If you need to keep it at 10 days, you are going to have to combine some of the northern Iceland days into one day, which will be a lot of driving but is entirely possible.
I would recommend combining day 3 and day 4 into one big day. From the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, drive to Myvatn and visit Godafoss on the way. Then, resume the itinerary as it is written, until day 8, and follow the changes above. Have a great time in Iceland!! Hi Julie! I love your website and all your helpful tips!
We are going to Iceland next week and I am really on the fence about doing a whale watching tour. Do you think it was worth it? We have done whale watching tours in Washington state and in Norway and both times we did not have any luck. I am considering doing the midnight sun rib boat tour out of Dalvik. I am also worried it is going to be really cold.
But so many people rave about them that I felt I should include it in this itinerary. If you have done it before and you have gone whale watching in some amazing places , this is tough to answer. My first thought was to say skip the whale watching tour and do something else in the area instead. In Iceland, there are so many waterfalls and short hikes and scenic drives, and skipping the whale watching tour would free up some of your time. However, it sounds like you picked out a cool tour, going at midnight.
It will be cold, but how many people can say that they have gone whale watching under the light of the midnight sun? If there is something else you want to do in the area, skip the tour. Thank you for this wonderful itinerary and your valuable insights. We were disappointed to learn that we could not visit the Vatnajokull ice cave during this time of year, but saw that the Katla ice cave can be visited year around.
I did not see any mention of this in your recommended itinerary and was wondering if you have visited this or done a tour with Arctic Adventure, for example of it before. We have not visited Katla ice cave yet. I have seen photos and I just looked at the Arctic Adventures tour and it looks great. You can do Katla cave if you add another day to the itinerary. But I also recommend keeping the glacier hiking tour…we had a lot of fun doing this and I think that it is an essential Iceland experience.
As you plan your trip, feel free to write back in if you have more questions. Thank you so much for your response! Assuming we were to follow your itinerary on Day 8, do you think adding a three-hour trip through Arctic Adventures beginning at a. Would it still be possible to visit all of the recommended sites on that day in the south coast?
If not, what if we skipped the plane wreck, which you seemed to suggest might be the one attraction worth missing? Yes, that would work. On the drive from Skaftafell to Vik, visit Fjadrargljufur. If you have the time and the energy, walk part of the Waterfall Way. And definitely skip the plane wreck…it was the most boring thing that we did in Iceland. You will have a long day but it will be awesome. Hi, Julie- Thank you for sharing your itineraries! We took much of your advice on a trip to Ireland and it was unbelievably helpful.
We are planning a trip to Iceland for Summer , traveling with 5, 9 and 10 year olds as well as my in-laws who are in their 70s. My question is centered more around food. The towns you recommend staying look rather desolate that is the appeal of Iceland, after all! Will we have difficulty finding restaurants while traveling lunch or in the evening dinners. Any other tips, for younger kids and older folks, that come to mind? Thanks much! Hello Kristin. You will have no problems whatsoever finding food in these towns.
Your options may be limited but you will definitely be able to find restaurants and grocery stores. I recommend looking at Trip Advisor for recommended restaurants.
Iceland Review February 5, Mariska Moerland October 29, Ask Iceland Review a Question. Your Question. Latest news. Privacy Overview This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. The best part about the endless days during the Icelandic summer is that you can go sightseeing during the night! You need to plan your travels better for winter in Iceland.
Firstly, the road conditions are often worse with the possibility of snow, black ice, drifting snow, and complete white-out.
Secondly, depending on when you arrive, the hours of the day are between 4 and 12 hours. You will need to plan your sightseeing pretty well if you come in November, December or January. You will also not be able to visit the highlands ; they are closed during the winter months. Despite the short days during the darkest months, we do benefit from very long twilights.
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