Iceland Ring Road in 10 Days

Stops on this route

Day by Day

1. 1

   Reykjavik

   • Day 1

     Arrive in Reykjavik — Hallgrímskirkja & Laugavegur

     Fly into Keflavík International Airport and pick up your pre-booked 4WD rental — essential for any gravel F-roads you may detour onto. Drive 45 minutes northeast on Route 41 to Reykjavik and check into a guesthouse in the 101 postcode near Laugavegur. Climb the elevator of Hallgrímskirkja church (1,000 ISK / ~€7) for a panoramic view over the colorful tin-roofed cityscape and distant Esja mountain. End the evening on Laugavegur street with a lamb soup at Svarta Kaffið or a skyr bowl at Café Loki before an early start tomorrow.

2. 2

   Golden Circle

   • Day 2

     Golden Circle — Þingvellir, Geysir & Gullfoss

     Transit

     Leave Reykjavik by 8 AM on Route 1 east, then Route 36 north to Þingvellir National Park, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates visibly split apart — the rift valley walk is free and takes about 90 minutes. Continue on Route 365 to the Geysir geothermal area: Strokkur erupts to 20–30 m every 5–10 minutes and entrance is free. End at Gullfoss waterfall, whose two tiers thunder into a 70 m canyon — the spray is soaking, so keep your rain jacket accessible. Overnight in Flúðir or Selfoss to position yourself for the South Coast.

3. 3

   South Coast

   • Day 3

     Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss & Vík Black Sand Beach

     Head east on Route 1 and stop first at Seljalandsfoss — you can walk behind the 60 m curtain waterfall on a narrow path (slippery, use traction cleats if early season). A further 30 minutes east, Skógafoss is equally dramatic and a hidden staircase on the east bank leads to a viewpoint above the falls. Reach the village of Vík by early afternoon and walk Reynisfjara black-sand beach — the basalt column formations and Reynisdrangar sea stacks are striking, but heed the warning signs about sneaker waves. Overnight in Vík at Puffin Hotel or a nearby guesthouse.

   • Day 4

     Glacier Hiking, Jökulsárlón & Diamond Beach

     Transit

     Book a guided glacier walk on Sólheimajökull or Skaftafell (Tröll Expeditions or Icelandic Mountain Guides, from ~8,000 ISK / €56) — crampons and ice axes are provided. Continue east to Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, where house-sized icebergs calve from Breiðamerkurjökull glacier and drift silently to the sea — a boat tour (5,500 ISK / ~€38) gets you among the ice. Cross Route 1 to Diamond Beach, where wave-polished ice chunks glitter on black sand; sunset light here is extraordinary. Overnight in Höfn, the lobster (humarsúpa) capital of Iceland.

4. 4

   East Fjords

   • Day 5

     Drive the East Fjords — Djúpivogur & Egilsstaðir

     Leave Höfn northbound on Route 1, which threads through a series of narrow fjords with sheer walls plunging into the sea — this stretch takes longer than the map suggests, so allow 3–4 hours of driving. Stop in Djúpivogur to see Eggin í Gleðivík, 34 oversized granite bird eggs on the shoreline. In Stöðvarfjörður, Petra's Stone Collection (1,500 ISK / ~€10) is an eccentric private museum of volcanic minerals that fills an entire house and garden. Overnight in Egilsstaðir, the regional capital with the largest supermarket you'll see since Reykjavik — stock up.

5. 5

   Lake Mývatn & Akureyri

   • Day 6

     Dettifoss & Goðafoss on the Way to Mývatn

     Transit

     Take Route 1 north from Egilsstaðir, then detour on Route 862 (paved) to Dettifoss — Europe's most powerful waterfall by volume, 44 m high and 100 m wide, thundering with glacial grey water from Vatnajökull. Continue to Goðafoss (Waterfall of the Gods), where in the year 1000 AD Iceland's lawspeaker flung his Norse idols into the water to mark the country's conversion to Christianity. Reach Lake Mývatn by late afternoon and walk the Námaskarð sulphur fields for steaming mudpots and fumaroles. Overnight at Vogafjós Farm Resort on the lake shore.

   • Day 7

     Mývatn Nature Baths, Grjótagjá Cave & Akureyri

     Transit

     Morning: soak at the Mývatn Nature Baths (Jarðböðin), a blue geothermal pool with sweeping lake views — arrive early (9 AM opening) to beat tour groups; admission is 5,500 ISK / ~€38. Peek into Grjótagjá, a lava cave with a turquoise thermal pool inside (now too hot to swim, but hauntingly beautiful). Drive 100 km west on Route 1 to Akureyri, Iceland's second city — visit the surprising Arctic Botanical Garden (free) and browse the pedestrianized Hafnarstræti street for local lamb burgers at Hamborgarafabrikkan. Overnight in Akureyri.

6. 6

   Snæfellsnes Peninsula

   • Day 8

     Drive to Snæfellsnes — Kirkjufell & Grundarfjörður

     Transit

     Drive south from Akureyri on Route 1, then west past Borgarnes onto Route 54 to enter the Snæfellsnes Peninsula — allow 4–5 hours of driving. Your first stop is Kirkjufell, the arrowhead-shaped mountain made famous by Game of Thrones, with Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall in the foreground — best photographed in the golden-hour evening light (which in summer barely sets). Check into a guesthouse in Grundarfjörður or Stykkishólmur, the charming fishing town with colourful houses and excellent fresh langoustine at Narfeyrarstofa restaurant.

   • Day 9

     Snæfellsjökull Glacier & Djúpalónssandur Beach

     Drive to the tip of the peninsula and Snæfellsjökull National Park — the glacier volcano inspired Jules Verne's Journey to the Centre of the Earth and on clear days is visible from Reykjavik 120 km away. Walk Djúpalónssandur's black pebble beach littered with rusted wreckage of the British trawler Epine, lost in 1948, and try lifting the four 'strength stones' once used to test fishermen's eligibility. Stop at Arnarstapi for lunch at the café overlooking the dramatic lava arch coastline. Return on Route 54/1 toward Reykjavik, overnight in Borgarnes or push on to the capital.

7. 7

   Reykjavik

   • Day 10

     Return to Reykjavik — Blue Lagoon & Departure

     Transit

     Pre-book a Blue Lagoon slot for the morning — the silica-rich geothermal waters are at 37–39°C and the Comfort package (~€70) includes a towel, drink, and silica mud mask. The Blue Lagoon is conveniently located 20 minutes from Keflavík Airport on Route 43, making it the perfect final stop before returning the rental car and flying out. If your flight is late, browse Laugavegur for last-minute lopapeysa (Icelandic wool sweaters) and volcanic salt at Kraum design shop. Return the car 2 hours before departure.

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Further reading

• Europe on Wikipedia
• Europe travel guide on Wikivoyage