Best Iceland Itinerary: 4 Epic Iceland Road Trip Ideas

For first-timers to Iceland, the Golden Circle, Reykjavík, the Blue Lagoon, and the waterfalls along the south coast usually make the “must-see” list. With 10 days in Iceland, you have enough time to visit all of these spots plus several more. How to do this is spelled out in our Highlights for First-Time Visitors itinerary.

If you like the idea of road tripping around the entire island, check out our Ring Road Itinerary.

If this is your second or third visit to Iceland, or you just like the idea of visiting quieter, less touristy destinations, take a look at our Off-the-Beaten-Path Itinerary.

For those in search of big adventures, don’t miss our 10-day Adventure Itinerary, where you will visit Landmannalaugar, Kerlingarfjöll, and hike the spectacular Fimmvörðuháls trail.

Which one will be your favorite?

About These Itineraries

It is best to do these itineraries from May through September, when the days are long and the roads are clear of snow. During the remaining months of the year, the days are just not long enough to visit everything as we have it written.

If you are interested in our Adventure Itinerary, this needs to be done from mid-June to September. The Fimmvörðuháls trail can only be hiked during this time frame.

You will need to rent a car for each of these itineraries. For the Adventure Itinerary and the Off-the-Beaten-Path Itinerary, you will need to rent a 4×4, since these itineraries involve driving on F-roads. Ideally, you should also plan to rent a 4×4 for the South Coast Highlights Itinerary, since it involves a day trip to Landmannalaugar. However, you can visit Landmannalaugar as a tour or get there by bus, and in this case, a 4×4 would not be necessary. The Ring Road Itinerary can be done without a 4×4.

10 Day Iceland Itinerary

Here are four different ways to plan your 10-day Iceland itinerary.

• #1: Highlights for First-Time Visitors
• #2: 10 Day Ring Road Itinerary
• #3: Off-the-Beaten-Path
• #4: 10 Day Adventure Itinerary

#1: Highlights for First-Time Visitors

This is our “classic” Iceland itinerary, where you visit the most popular spots in Iceland.

Top destinations on this itinerary include the Blue Lagoon, Reykjavík, the Golden Circle, Kirkjufell on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss, Reynisfjara Beach, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, a glacier walk, and Landmannalaugar.

Day 1: Arrive in Iceland, Visit the Blue Lagoon

Flights to Iceland arrive at Keflavík International Airport, which is located on the Reykjanes peninsula. Pick up your rental car at the airport.

Instead of zipping right to Reykjavík, we recommend visiting the Blue Lagoon. From the airport, it takes 45 minutes to drive to Reykjavík but only 20 minutes to drive to the Blue Lagoon. By visiting the Blue Lagoon first, you save a lot of extra time driving and backtracking to and from Reykjavík. Plus, relaxing in the thermal waters of the Blue Lagoon is a great, low-key activity for jetlagged travelers arriving in Iceland.

Sleep near the Blue Lagoon, or if you arrived into Iceland on an early flight, you could have enough time to visit the Blue Lagoon midday and then spend the evening in Reykjavík.

Day 2: Kirkjufell and the Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Today is the first of two days that you have to spend on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. From the Blue Lagoon, it is a 3-hour drive to get to the peninsula.

Black sand beaches, waterfalls, volcanoes, remote lighthouses, lava fields, street art, some of the most dramatic coastal cliffs in Iceland, and of course, iconic Kirkjufell…these are the things you will see on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula.

Kirkjufell

Svortuloft Lighthouse

Day 3: Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Spend today touring the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, visiting the places that you did not get to yesterday.

In the afternoon, drive to the Golden Circle. On the Golden Circle, there are several small towns you can choose as your home base. We stayed in Fludir which was very handy for touring the Golden Circle and day tripping to Landmannalaugar.

Day 4: The Golden Circle

The Golden Circle is a 300 km (186 mile) loop that connects three of Iceland’s most popular spots: Gullfoss, the Geysir Geothermal Area, and Thingvellir National Park. To visit all three of these places, it takes about 5 to 7 hours, depending on how quickly you move.

Gullfoss

The Golden Circle doesn’t fill an entire day. You can either use the remaining time to relax or add on one or more of these destinations:

• Brúarfoss is waterfall that is famous for its sky blue color.
• The Kerid Crater is a 3,000 year old volcanic crater that is filled with water. This is a quick and easy add on to your Golden Circle tour.
• The Secret Lagoon is a hot spring that has become so popular that it’s no longer a secret. But if you like hot springs, this would be a relaxing way to end the day.

Day 5: Landmannalaugar Day 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.

If you are a hiker, this will be one of your highlights on a trip to Iceland. But you don’t have to be big into hiking to enjoy this day trip. The landscapes at Landmannalaugar are extraordinary, and to journey into the highlands of Iceland will most likely be one of the most memorable days of this trip.

On the drive back to the Golden Circle, don’t miss Sigöldugljufur and/or Háifoss waterfalls, gorgeous waterfalls that are relatively easy detours to add on to today.

Sigöldugljufur

Day 6: South Coast

Today you will tour the highlights of the south coast of Iceland. This is the day where you will visit several of Iceland’s most famous and recognizable spots.

Here are the top places to visit, in order as you drive from the Golden Circle towards Vik:

• Seljalandsfoss
• Gljúfrabúi
• Skógafoss
• Dyrholaey Lighthouse and Arch
• Reynisfjara black sand beach

Seljalandsfoss

Tonight, sleep in Vík.

Day 7: Walk on a Glacier

Glacier hiking was one of our favorite experiences in Iceland. There are a lot of ways to do this, depending on your activity and adventure level. Tours can range from short, 3-hour, easy walks to all day hikes where you use crampons, an ice axe, and even do a little ice climbing.

On the south coast, there are two places to walk on a glacier. Sólheimajökull is a popular spot for day trippers from Reykjavík. But for an epic experience, walk on Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Europe.

To do this, you will drive to Skaftafell and spend the day on the glacier. We did a five-hour tour with Arctic Adventures where we got to spend three hours on Vatnajökull glacier. We walked through crevasses and climbed up and over huge chunks of ice.

Afterwards, you can add on the hike to Svartifoss, a beautiful waterfall that features black, volcanic basalt columns.

Tonight, sleep near Skaftafell.

Day 8: Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

In the morning, make the short drive to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. This is a beautiful place and hopefully you will have better weather than we did.

You can view the lagoon from the parking lot, but for a better experience, consider joining a kayaking or zodiac boat tour of the lagoon.

Just a short drive away from Jökulsárlón is Diamond Beach. Chunks of ice from Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon wash up onto this black sand beach, creating an extremely photogenic spot.

Fjallsárlón Glacier Lagoon, a lesser known but arguably more beautiful glacier lagoon than Jökulsárlón, is also worth a visit. It’s just a short drive from Diamond Beach and free to visit.

From Fjallsárlón, drive back to Reykjavík. On the way, stop at Fjaðrárgljúfur, also called the Feather River Canyon.

Drive to Reykjavík and get settled into your hotel. You will spend two nights here.

Day 9: Reykjavík

Spend the day exploring Reykjavík. Places to visit include Hallsgrímkirkja church, Harpa concert hall, go shopping on Laugavegur Street, see the Sun Voyager sculpture, visit Perlan Museum, and check out the colorful graffiti.

The view from Hallgrímskirkja

We had some great meals in Reykjavík. 101 Reykjavik Street Food was one of our favorite spots. Eat stews and fish and chips that are delicious and budget friendly. Ostabudin and Messinn are also very good.

Sleep in Reykjavík.

Day 10: Fly Home

Drive to the airport, return your rental car, and fly home (or continue on to your next destination).

#2: 10 Day Ring Road Iceland Itinerary

The Ring Road is the main road that makes a loop around the entire island. It is 1,332 km (828 miles) long and can be driven in just a few days. However, you will need more time for detours.

On this itinerary, you will spend 10 days road tripping around the circumference of Iceland. It’s a busy itinerary with a lot of one night stays in hotels or campgrounds, but you will get to see a lot of Iceland.

Places you will visit on this itinerary include Reykjavík, the Blue Lagoon, the Golden Circle, Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss, Reynisfjara Beach, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, a glacier walk, Höfn and the Stokksnes Peninsula, east Iceland, Mývatn, Dettifoss and Selfoss, whale watching in northern Iceland, Godafoss, Kirkjufell, and Glymur Waterfall.

A 4×4 is not necessary for this itinerary, but if you have one, you will be able to get to a few off-the-beaten-path destinations that we mention in this itinerary.

Day 1 & 2: Blue Lagoon, Glymur, Snaefellsnes Peninsula

This itinerary starts off the same as our South Coast Highlights itinerary (above). Spend your first day in Iceland at the Blue Lagoon with the option to spend the night in Reykjavík.

On day 2, drive north towards the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. On the way, you have the option to add on the hike to Glymur waterfall or visit Glanni, Hraunfoss and Barnafoss waterfalls. Spend the remainder of the day touring the Snaefellsnes Peninsula.

Gatklettur Arch on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Day 3: Drive to North Iceland

This is a big driving day, with it roughly taking 5 hours to get from the Snaefellsnes Peninsula to Akureyri.

In the morning, you can visit any remaining sights on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula that you did not get to yesterday, but just be mindful of the time.

On the drive to Akureyri, make the quick detour to Hvitserkur, a wild, unique looking chunk of black rock on the beach that makes an interesting photo spot.

In Glumbaer, you can visit the historic turf houses.

Spend the remainder of the day exploring Akureyri. Sleep in Akureyri.

Day 4: Godafoss and Whale Watching

Spend the morning at Godafoss, one of Iceland’s most famous waterfalls. A visit here typically lasts about an hour and you can see the waterfall from both sides of the river.

If you want to go off-the-beaten-path and have a 4×4, consider adding on a visit to Aldeyjarfoss and Hrafnabjargafoss. These two waterfalls are spectacular and they are located in an ancient lava field in what feels like the middle of nowhere. This detour adds on 3 hours and 90 km to this day. Click here to learn more.

Aldeyjarfoss

In the afternoon, go whale watching from Húsavík, the best place in Iceland to go whale watching.

Sleep in Mývatn.

Day 5: Myvatn & Dettifoss

In the morning, I recommend visiting Dettifoss and Selfoss, before they get overly crowded.

Dettifoss is Europe’s most powerful waterfall. Selfoss is a smaller but more elegant waterfall located just upriver. Click here to learn more.

Dettifoss

Selfoss

Spend the rest of the day touring the sights in Mývatn. Visit the Mývatn Nature Baths, the geothermal area of Hverir, walk through the Dimmuborgir lava field, hike to the top of Hverfjall crater, visit the Grjótagjá Cave (a Game of Thrones filming site), or walk among the pseudocraters of Mývatn.

Grjótagjá Cave

Sleep in Mývatn.

Day 6: East Iceland

This is one of the longest driving days on this itinerary. Essentially, you drive from north Iceland to southeast Iceland, with the option for several detours along the way.

This is a very pretty drive, especially once you hit the coast between Djupivogur and Höfn. Here are three detours you can add to the day.

Stuðlagil Canyon. Before and during our visit to Iceland, we kept seeing photos of this amazing canyon. While we were in Iceland, we never could figure out the name or the location of this canyon. Well, now we know, and I’m sad we missed it, since it is just a short detour off of the Ring Road. Stuðlagil Canyon is located on Route 1 before you get to Egilsstaðir.

Rjúkandi Waterfall. This waterfall is located right on the Ring Road, near the turn off for Stuðlagil Canyon.

See the puffins at Borgarfjörður eystri. Walk on boardwalk trails and viewing platforms, allowing you to get up close with the puffins without damaging their burrows. Click here to learn more.

Just before arriving in Höfn, you will pass the small but incredibly scenic Stokksnes peninsula. If you are doing good on time, this is a great little detour. 

Your day ends once you reach Höfn. Check into your hotel and have dinner. We had an amazing dinner at Pakkhus Restaurant but Otto Restaurant and the Ishusid Pizzeria are also great options.

Sleep in Höfn.

Day 7: Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Glacier Walk

Today you will spend the day at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Skaftafell. While here, you can go kayaking or take a zodiac boat tour of Jokulsarlon, walk on a glacier, visit Diamond Beach and Fjallsárlón Glacier Lagoon, and hike to Svartifoss waterfall. If you do everything on this list, it will be a big day, but with some advance planning, it is possible.

Tonight, sleep near Skaftafell.

Day 8: South Coast Highlights

Today, road trip down the south coast, visiting the highlights. These include:

• Fjaðrárgljúfur
• Reynisfjara black sand beach
• Dyrholaey Lighthouse and Arch
• Skogafoss and Waterfall Way
• Gljúfrabúi
• Seljalandsfoss

Skogafoss

Fjaðrárgljúfur

Tonight, sleep on the Golden Circle.

Day 9: The Golden Circle

Spend the day touring the three main sights on the Golden Circle: Gullfoss, Geysir, and Thingvellir National Park. If you have the energy, you can add on the Secret Lagoon, Kerid Crater, or Brúarfoss waterfall.

Strokkur geyser

Tonight, sleep in Reykjavík.

Day 10: Reykjavík

Visit the highlights of Reykjavík and end the day with a nice dinner. Ostabudin and Messinn were our two favorite dinner spots.

Sleep in Reykjavík and fly home (or continue your travels) tomorrow.

#3: Off-the-Beaten-Path

This itinerary is perfect if you have already been to Iceland and hit the highlights. On this 10-day Iceland itinerary, you will visit the Westfjords, go on a scenic drive along the north coast, and drive through the center of Iceland, visiting Kerlingarfjöll on the way.

Day 1: Reykjavík

Pick up your rental car from the airport and spend your first day in Reykjavík.

Day 2: Snaefellsnes Peninsula

In the morning, drive north to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and spend the day road tripping around the peninsula.

Black church of Budir

Port Arnarstapi on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Days 3 and 4: Westfjords

The Westfjords are a remote, underrated area of Iceland. Dramatic scenery, quiet roads, and amazing hiking trails can be found here.

On your first day, drive up from the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, drive the scenic coastal roads and visit the amazing Latrabjarg cliffs (a great place to spot puffins in the summer months), Raudisandur beach, and Dynjandi waterfall. Spend the night in Ísafjörður, the largest town on the peninsula.

On day 2, you can take a tour into Hornstrandir Nature Reserve, where you go hiking, spot more puffins, and even see Arctic Fox. Click here for a great one-day tour of Hornstrandir Nature Reserve.

Sleep in Ísafjörður.

Day 5: North Iceland

Today you start in the Westfjords and end in Akureyri. On the drive, make the detour to the rocky formation of Hvitserkur and the turf houses at Glumbaer.

For a beautiful drive, take the scenic route around the Tröllaskagi Peninsula, where you will see mountains and glacial valleys, small coastal towns and fishing villages.

The road trip ends in Akureyri where you will spend the next two nights.

Day 6: Whale Watching in Húsavík

From Akureyri, it is just a short drive north to Húsavík, one of the best places in Iceland to go whale watching.

After whale watching, you could explore Ásbyrgi canyon, visit Dettifoss and Selfoss, visit the sights in Mývatn, or see Godafoss. Aldeyjarfoss and Hrafnabjargafoss and two wonderful off-the-beaten-path waterfalls to visit.

Sleep in Akureyri.

Day 7: Kerlingarfjöll

Kerlingarfjöll, located in the central highlands of Iceland, is a geothermal wonderland of steaming vents, boiling mud pools, and rainbow-colored hot springs.

To get here, you will drive on empty, gravelly F-roads into the center of Iceland. Hike some of the most unique trails in the country and spend the night in the quiet, remote hamlet of cabins and campgrounds.

Kerlingarfjöll Mountain Resort

Today, drive down to Kerlingarfjöll, go hiking and exploring, and spend the night here, either in a cabin or at the campground.

Day 8: Kerlingarfjöll

Spend the morning at Kerlingarfjöll and then continue the journey to the south coast of Iceland. You will pass through the Golden Circle, so you have the option to visit sights on the Golden Circle along the drive.

Sleep on the south coast between Hvolsvöllur and Skógar.

Day 9: Westman Islands

Heimaey Island is the largest of the Westman islands and it is the only island that is inhabited. This makes a great day trip destination from the south coast.

The main reason why people visit Heimaey Island is to see the puffins. More Atlantic puffins nest here than anywhere else in the world.

While you are here, see the puffins, hike to the top of Eldman Mountain, take a boat tour around the island, and visit the Eldheimar Museum

How to get to Heimaey Island: Take the ferry from Landeyjahöfn, on the south coast, to Heimaey Island. It takes 35 minutes to get to the island. Book your tickets in advance because they do sell out.

Sleep in Reykjavík or near the airport.

Day 10: Fly home

Fly home or continue your travels.

#4: 10 Day Adventure Itinerary

This is the ultimate adventure itinerary for Iceland. Journey into the remote Highlands, go hiking in Landmannalaugar, walk on the largest glacier in Europe, and hike the amazing Fimmvörðuháls trail. You even get to visit a few of Iceland’s biggest highlights, including the Golden Circle, south coast sights, and spend a little bit of time in Reykjavík.

This 10-day itinerary includes our four top experiences in Iceland: the Fimmvörðuháls hike, Landmannalaugar, a glacier hike, and Kerlingarfjöll.

This itinerary needs to be done between mid-June and September. You will also need to have a 4×4. Renting a 4×4 is more expensive than renting a car, but on this itinerary, you will get your money’s worth. There will be several times where you will drive on remote gravel roads.

Day 1: Arrive in Iceland, Visit Reykjavík

At the airport, pick up your rental car and drive to Reykjavík.

On this itinerary, you don’t get to spend much time in Reykjavík, just this evening and the final evening of the trip. Reykjavík is a cool city, but the best of Iceland isn’t found in its cities and towns. The best of Iceland is found in its landscapes and waterfalls and glaciers and hiking trails, and that’s where you will spend the majority of your time on this itinerary.

Spend the night in Reykjavík.

Day 2: Glymur Waterfall

In the morning, hike to Glymur Waterfall.

In the afternoon, you will have enough time to visit some or all of the sights on the Golden Circle, depending on how fast you move. I recommend saving Gullfoss, since you will drive right past it on the way to Kerlingarfjöll, so it’s more time efficient to visit this later on this itinerary.

Sleep on the Golden Circle. You will spend three nights here, as this area makes a great home base for the day trips we have planned.

Day 3: Landmannalaugar Day Trip

Today, day trip into Landmannalaugar, one of Iceland’s best places to go hiking. The landscape, with the multi-colored rhyolite mountains and lava fields, looks like something from another planet.

On the drive back to the Golden Circle, we recommend making a detour to Sigöldugljufur and/or Háifoss waterfalls.

Haifoss

Day 4: Scuba or Snorkel at Silfra

Iceland is the only place in the world where you can dive between two tectonic plates.

Silfra is a crevasse that has opened between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. This fissure is filled with crystal clear (and very cold!) glacial water. With a visibility of over 100 meters, Silfra attracts snorkelers and scuba divers from around the world.

If you are a certified scuba diver, you can dive in Silfra. To stay warm, many divers wear a dry suit, so you will either need a Dry Suit Diver Certification or take a course once in Iceland. If you do not have a scuba certification, you can snorkel in the fissure while wearing a dry suit.

People who do this rave about it. This is still on our bucket list for Iceland, but it sounds so interesting that I couldn’t leave it off of this itinerary.

However, if swimming in icy cold waters does not interest you, you can eliminate this day and use the time to give yourself an extra day in Reykjavík or on the south coast of Iceland.

Day 5: Kerlingarfjöll

Like Landmannalaugar, Kerlingarfjöll is one of Iceland’s most interesting spots to go hiking. Hike past rust-colored mountains, steaming fumaroles, and bubbling mud pools in this very unique landscape.

Even getting here feels like an adventure, with a drive on empty F-roads into the central highlands of Iceland.

Spend the night at the Kerlingarfjöll Mountain Resort.

Day 6: Kerlingarfjöll

Spend as long as you like at Kerlingarfjöll. Once you have had your fill, it is a long drive to south coast of Iceland.

Rest up and eat well today…tomorrow is the amazing Fimmvörðuháls hike.

Day 7: Fimmvörðuháls Hike

This was our favorite experience in Iceland and one of the best day hikes we have done in the world. 26 waterfalls, 1 volcano, 2 glaciers, and 3 unique landscapes all combine for one of the most extraordinary hiking experiences on the planet.

The Fimmvörðuháls hike is a massive hike. It’s 25 km (15.5 miles) in length and done as a point-to-point hike from Skógafoss to Thórsmörk. It will take up the entire day, but what a memorable day it will be!

Since it is a point-to-point hike, you will have to prearrange your transportation. In our guide, get all of the details and learn exactly what to expect on this hike.

Day 8: Glacier Walk

For another epic adventure in Iceland, spend part of the day walking on a glacier. You can drive out to Skaftafell if you want to walk on Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest glacier. Or, keep your driving to a minimum and book a glacier walk at Sólheimajökull. Learn all about what to expect and how to book the best tour in our guide to glacier hiking in Iceland. 

Day 9: South Coast Highlights

Spend the day road tripping along the south coast, visiting Seljalandsfoss, Gljúfrabúi, Skógafoss, Dyrholaey Lighthouse and Arch, and Reynisfjara black sand beach.

Reynsifjara Beach

Tonight, spend one last night in Reykjavík, or, if you have an early flight tomorrow, consider staying near the airport.

Day 10: Fly home

Fly home or continue to your next destination.

Planning Your Iceland Itinerary

Here are links to our three 10 day Iceland itineraries:

• 10 Days in Iceland for First-Time Visitors
• Iceland Ring Road Itinerary
• 10 Days in Iceland: The Ultimate Adventure Itinerary

Planning a longer trip? Take a look at our two-week itinerary: Two Weeks in Iceland: The Ultimate Iceland Road Trip

More Information about Iceland

TRAVEL ADVICE: Iceland Travel Tips: Things to Know Before Traveling to Iceland
REYKJAVíK DAY TRIPS: 10 Best Day Trips from Reykjavík
BEST OF ICELAND: Iceland Bucket List: 40 Epic Things to Do in Iceland
MUST-SEE WATERFALLS: 20 Beautiful Waterfalls in Iceland and How to Get There
BEST HIKING TRAILS: 10 Amazing Hikes in Iceland to Put on Your To-Do List
SNAEFELLSNES PENINSULA: 20 Best Things to do on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula
LANDMANNALAUGAR: The Essential Guide to Landmannalaugar for First-Time Visitors
GLACIER HIKING: The Complete Guide to Glacier Hiking in Iceland

If you have any questions about these itineraries or planning a trip to Iceland, let us know in the comment section below.

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