Iceland is mind-blowing. You’ve probably already heard that, or were lucky enough to experience it yourself. Visiting Iceland was my dream for a very long time and it finally became true! We spent eight days in the Land of Fire and Ice and it felt sometimes like a dream, because I was thinking for myself “this can’t be real”. The ever-changing scenery, beautiful surroundings, nice people, always present little goats and sheep, unstable weather… We had the best time driving around, and sleeping every night in a different place.
I summed up for you our day by day itinerary with everything what we’ve seen, experienced, how the weather was, plus detailed info about visited sites. Hopefully it’ll help you plan your own trip to this breathtaking country.
DAY 1 – Reykjavik and the Blue Lagoon
We arrived to Iceland in the early afternoon and after picking-up our car at the airport, we headed straight to our Airbnb in Reykjavik. To be honest we didn’t see much of the city, but we couldn’t miss the famous cathedral before going to the Blue Lagoon. Swimming in the milky blue waters of this famous tourist attraction had been my dream for a long time.
VISITING THE BLUE LAGOON IN ICELAND
If you are planning to visit the Blue Lagoon then you should my detailed guide in a separate article on this magical place.
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DAY 2 – Golden Circle
For our second day in the Land of Elves we planned to visit the Golden Circle. Golden Circle is only about 300km long, one-day-doable loop from Reykjavik that offers you some of the country’s most famous and popular landmarks, such as National Park Pingvellir, famous Geyser or spectacular waterfall Gullfoss.
ICELAND - GOLDEN CIRCLE SELF-DRIVE ITINERARY
For more details on the trip around Iceland's Golden Circle make sure you'll check out my guide.
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DAY 3 – Chasing waterfalls on the south of Iceland
On our third day we left Reykjavik and started our journey along south coast to the small town Vik. South of Iceland is diverse, spectacular and you can find here great amount of natural attractions. Some of the Iceland’s most famous sites are located on the South, not too far from Reykjavik. No wonder that, together with the Golden Circle, this is the most popular part of the country.
I had many plans for this day, but the weather being typical ‘Icelandic’ ruined it a bit. It was raining all day on and off, but when it started to rain, we got soaked almost immediately. Anyway, we are not made of sugar and even though we were cold, we got to explore some of the Iceland’s most famous and most beautiful waterfalls.
Seljalandsfoss
You can spot Seljalandsfoss from the Ring Road long before actually reaching the parking lot nearby. This 65m long waterfall (according to National Land Survey of Iceland) is one of the most photographed natural wonders in Iceland, not only because it is absolutely majestic, but it also hides a walking trail in the rocks behind so you get really unique view from nature’s backstage. If it rains or not, you can get soaked from the waterfall’s drizzle, so pack your raincoat and good shoes as the rocks behind the waterfall can be slippery.
Gljúfrabúi
Gljufrabui (or Canyon Dweller) waterfall is one of the hidden gems of south Iceland. Quite literally. When finishing the trail that leads you behind Seljalandsfoss, don’t go back to the parking lot, but follow the path further. In less than a kilometre you will find a massive cliff with a little creek streaming out of the cave. Jump on the rocks peaking outside the water and after few meters walking through this narrow valley, you will find yourself under the 40 m long Gljufrabui waterfall, which is so often overlooked by other people.
We didn’t know what we are going to find at the end of the trail, it was raining, but still we kept going. When we reached the cave, I was speechless. The open sky above, walls covered in green moss and soft mist created a truly magic environment. This waterfall is my favorite from all Iceland (and we saw many of them along the way).
Skogafoss
Less than 30 minutes on the road and we hit another breathtaking waterfall – Skogafoss. Skogafoss with its 60m drop and 25m width belongs to one of the biggest waterfalls on Iceland. It is amazing to stand right under it and admire the power of nature! During sunny days it creates double rainbows. Unfortunately it was very cloudy when we visited, but it didn’t lose any of its charm. Iceland self-drive itinerary
There is a set of (almost) 600 steps that will lead you up to an observation deck above Skogafoss. Although in strong wind it can be challenging to climb up all the stairs (at least I felt challenged), do it! It’s worth it! But at the same time be very careful.
A legend says that behind Skogafoss there is hidden treasure chest filled with gold. It belonged to the Viking settler Prasi, who put it there around 900 AD and it is said that you can see it shining on a sunny day from behind the waterfall. Whoever retrieves it, will find amazing fortune. Unfortunately we didn’t come on sunny day and didn’t find the chest, but I feel fortunate enough to be able to visit Iceland with all its natural treasures.
After Skogafoss we continued our journey to Vik. Because it was raining and was very cloudy, we just chilled in out wooden hut, located right on the famous Black Sand Beach.
DAY 4 – Black Sand Beach and Glaciers
Black Sand Beach
Staying over-night at the Black Sand Beach was a great idea, because we got there before the crowds arrived. In the morning, there was no one around, only us. Apart from the soft black sand, the beach is famous for its unusual rock formations on the shore and in the water. We spent the whole morning just walking around and soaking in the beauty of nature. This is truly one of my favorite beaches of all times.
Dyrholaey
After breakfast we said farewell to our cute wooden beach cottage and left Vik in search of puffins at Dyrholaey. Dyrholaey is a small peninsula near Vik with scenic views, light house and a large arch of volcanic rock in the sea. I’ve read you can spot puffins there, and our whole Iceland road trip was about seeing them.
Have you heard of these little birds that kind of look like mix of penguin, toucan and duck? They are super cute and their population on Iceland is one of the world’s largest colonies. They come out from their ‘holes’ (no nests for puffins) early in the morning or in the evening at golden hour. Unfortunately we didn’t see any at Dyrholaey, but the views from this place are spectacular. Iceland self-drive itinerary
On the way from Vik to Hofn, there are any stops not to be missed. Here are few that we could fit in one day.
Eldhraun
Vast area of old lava covered in moss. Iceland’s landscape is, nicely said, insane! You will just want to stop and stare and you’ll feel like on different planet (cliché but true!). We stopped at Eldhraun without knowing that this place is actually famous, we just wanted to soak in the amazing landscape.
Few kilometres later, and we were stopping again, this time at massive rock past little town Kalfafell. I am actually wondering how we made the whole circle, when stopping every couple of kilometres. But the day was beautiful, so we wanted to make the most of it, because you never know what the sky’s going to look like few minutes later.
Svinafellsjokull glacier
Svinafellsjokull glacier is really impressive mass of ice sprouting of Vatnajokull, Europe’s largest ice cap which covers 8% of total surface of Iceland. You can see Svinafellsjokull from the Ring Road, it requires only little bit of extra driving on a non-asphalt road. I’ve never seen a glacier before so this was our obvious stop. Even though it wasn’t as blue as some of the other blogs described, it was still spectacular! (Obviously the blue colors are enhanced in winter and in misty weather).
Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
Famous Jokulsarlon most probably appears on everyone’s itinerary. The lagoon is filled with icebergs that calve from the glacier’s edge and calmly float around with the tide, occasionally breaking with a mighty crash. The icebergs here are bright blue, nothing the like the one big mass of ice that we saw just moments before.
Jokulsarlon is actually a glacial lake, the deepest on Iceland (the deepest point is at 248 m) and it is popular spot for tourists, photographers and Hollywood movie makers – you could see this place in multiple blockbuster movies, for example Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, James Bond – Die Another Day or Batman Begins.
Jokulsarlon is a recent natural formation – created only about 80 years ago due to rapidly increasing temperatures. The glaciers and snow caps in Vatnajokul NP started to shrink in size and suddenly the lagoon was filled with beautiful floating icebergs and it is expected that in near future the lagoon will keep growing. Although it is a bad sign for the glaciers on Iceland, as they are getting smaller, Jokulsarlon is absolutely stunning and it belongs to one of my favorite stops along the Ring Road.
Diamond Beach
When the icebergs in Jokulsarlon finally make it through the lagoon, they continue their journey to the sea or are washed out to the beach. The crystal clear icebergs on the black sand truly look like diamonds, therefore the name – Diamond Beach.
Diamond beach is bit tricky though, because the icebergs come there with the tide. I read several travel blogs, when bloggers were coming back day by day to see the real beauty of Diamond Beach. We were quite lucky and the beach was covered with its little diamonds. Even though they were little, it was still magnificent (if you are really lucky, they are going to be the size of those in the lagoon).
After Diamond Beach we continued on our way to Hofn, where we spent the night. We arrived to the town around 10pm and didn’t even realize it was so late (because the sun barely sets in May on Iceland). With all the shops long closed, we ended up in the local pizza place. Although it was the most expensive pizza I’ve ever had, it was also one of the most delicious ones!
As we were going further east and north, we met less and less tourists. Just a house here and there, fewer cars, more Icelandic horses and untouched nature… We truly felt like in the middle of nowhere. Here’s how we spent our last days on Iceland – exploring little bit of east fjords, hanging out with puffins, getting lost in northern mountains, admiring traditional way of life in open air museum and climbing up an old volcano while driving back to Reykjavik.
DAY 5 – Fjords and puffins
West fjords
We woke up in Hofn into an ugly morning and started our way through fjord land on the east of Iceland. The fjords are supposedly stunning but unfortunately we barely saw anything of them as they were covered in thick mist. Because we wanted to cut our way a bit and not having to go all around the fjords that we couldn’t see anyway, we decided for a “shortcut” through route ‘939’ (instead of following route 1). Iceland self-drive itinerary
Now maybe I’m over-estimating “route” 939 by calling it a route. It was just a very narrow dusty road through mountains where we experienced all 4 seasons in couple of hours – starting with rain and mist that quickly changed into a snow blizzard. On top of the mountain, very (very!!) strong winds came out of nowhere and uncovered little bit of sunshine and on our way down we were passing through some of the most stunning rainbows I’ve ever seen in my life. By the time we got down to a ‘normal’ road, it was raining again. We made to Egilsstadir, the biggest town on the east of Iceland, but it wasn’t our final destination. Shortly after we left Egilsstadir, we followed bumpy gravel road again all the way to Borgarfjordur Eystri, where we had our Airbnb booked for the night.
Borgarfjordur Eystri
The day in Borgarfjordut Eystri was my favorite day on Iceland (so totally worth the uncomfortable journey). We came in rain, but by the time we unpacked, the mist and the clouds completely disappeared. The small town with only 150 inhabitants is located north-west of Iceland and sits in one of the smaller fjords. I fell in love with the surroundings – little houses, snowy mountains, calm and easy atmosphere that you can feel only in villages. After having a quick dip in the outdoor hot tub with the views over the water, we went on the mission to see the puffins!
Borgarfjordut Eystri is one of the best places to see and get really close to these cute little birds on Iceland. They live in a colony on an islet Hafnarholmi, approximately 5 km from the town center. I was praying to see at least one… We’ve seen hundreds! It was windy and really cold, yet we didn’t want to leave. Puffins are too cute and soon became my favorite animal!
If you are visiting Iceland and want to see them, this place is guaranteed. However, they go out right after sunset and at sunrise, so plan your visit around these times. Borgarfjordur Eystri is very charming anyway, if you want to see puffins or not. The mountains surrounding it are majestic and there is a camp site for tents and campervans right next to the church. Be aware though that there isn’t any shop and the closest one is in Egilsstadir 70km away (and half of the journey on the gravel road).
DAY 6 – The North
I had so many plans on the north! Lake Myvatn, Krafla volcano and lava fields, the most powerful waterfall in Europe – Dettifoss… But the north prepared for us a sand storm. I’ve never seen anything like that. The wind was super strong that even though we had a big car, we could still feel it, and we couldn’t see anything outside, only sand everywhere! We were all worried that something will happen to the car (if a car hire company suggests taking “sand” insurance, consider it!). It was really crazy. Iceland would be the last place on Earth I’d guess to have sand storms. In that moment I really felt like on Mars.
Anyway the wind and sand didn’t stop us from at least a little bit of exploring – we got out of the car to see Krafla, but we could walk maybe 20m up the hill, when the wind became unbearable and we couldn’t move any further. (It may sound crazy, but Iceland is very intense!) When the weather calmed down a bit, we went to see the cave Grjotagja, famous for its appearance in Game of Thrones, and dramatic lava maze Dimmuborgir that is often referred to as a getaway to Hell. Iceland self-drive itinerary
Our final stop for the day was Akureyri, the second largest town on Iceland with important cultural scene, but by the time we got there, only pubs were open, so we spent the evening trying local beers.
DAY 7 – Exploring traditional turf houses, Stone Rhino and a volcano crater
Last full day of our epic Icelandic road trip! We woke up into a beautiful sunny morning and started our journey back to Reykjavik. As we were passing through the mountain range which surrounds Akureyri, it started to snow! But it wasn’t a crazy blizzard that we experienced couple days before. It was nice calm snow, when everything turns blue and white and you can hear cracking under your feet. Naturally, we replied to the calling of inner kids inside us, stopped the car and built a snowman who we called František.
Turf houses in Skagafjordur
After we said goodbye to our new cold friend, we continued to Skagafjordur, a small town in the North of Iceland. Nearby is an open-air museum where you can get an idea of how Icelanders used to live in the past. The open-air museum consists of little turf houses (houses covered in grass basically) and each of them was used for different purpose – one was for living, one was kitchen, one was pottery barn etc.
The admission was free, but if you want to have a look to the biggest house that was used for living, you will have to pay a fee. People lived this way until 1945 and since 1958 it became a museum. It was very interesting so definitely a place worth to stop by.
Hvitserkur
Hvitserkur is a famous monolith rock formation in North-west Iceland. It’s 15 m tall, raising from the sea very close to the shore and reminding a massive rhino. Legend has it, that Hviserkur is a petrified troll, who lived in the West fjords and intended to tear down the bells from a nearby church (Icelandic trolls are not Christian and they don’t enjoy sight of churches or sounds of their bells). But before he could do it, he got caught by daylight and turned into stone. What Hviserkur truly is, is little bit less poetic – it is actually hardened lava plug of an ancient volcano. Anyway, it is still majestic!
Hviserkur is located on remote coastline of Vatnsnes peninsula. The whole area offers many places of interest and it is famous for its recreational and outdoor activities. As soon as you get off the main road, you’ll find yourself on gravel path once again, which goes around whole Vatnsnes. Once you get the parking lot, you can either admire Hvitserkur from above or walk down to the beach. And if you are wondering why it is partially white, you’re right thinking that it’s birds’ poop.
Grabrok
Our last stop along the Ring Road was an old volcanic crater Grabrok. It’s surrounded by moss-covered lava fields and the whole area is protected nature preserve. You can find many hiking trails here for all sorts of hikers, but the Grabrok itself is very easy to reach right from the car park by the road. The views from the top are particularly scenic and once again you will be in awe of breathtaking Icelandic nature.
DAY 8 – Goodbye Iceland
We spent the last night in Reykjavik, finished rest of the food, packed all the souvenirs, dropped the car at the airport, prayed that the sand storm didn’t damage it (it didn’t!) and caught afternoon flight with Wow Air back to London. When waiting at the airport, a terrible storm came and I was thinking if we can fly at all. I swear I’ve never been so scared while sitting in the plane, waiting for the take-off. We could feel the wind shaking the plane! Well, Icelandic pilots must be used to fly in bad conditions, because the take-off was smooth and I left my worries on the ground. Iceland self-drive itinerary
When looking at the photos I still cannot believe that my dream to visit this place came true, because sometimes it felt unreal. Iceland is absolutely amazing! I hope you enjoyed reading about our adventures and that this itinerary will be at least a little useful for you when planning your own road trip. For more detailed travel advice, tips and tricks, check out my other article here where you find everything from weather to food to car hire.
Do you have Iceland on your bucket list? Or have you already been there? What was your favorite place? Please let me know in comments below! Iceland self-drive itinerary
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