One of the best and easiest ways to explore Iceland is to take on what Icelanders call Hringurinn or The Ring Road. The great advantage of following Road 1 around the island is that in a relatively short time you can see all of Iceland’s main attractions such as the glacier lagoon Jökulsárlón, national park Skaftafell the ebony beach of Vík, the lava pillars and wildlife of Lake Mývatn, the great giants of Húsavík, historic Reykholt area along with the indispensable detour “The Golden Circle” where you will find the famous Geysir, the rift valley in Þingvellir and the magnificent Gullfoss.
Day 1: Reykjavik
Arrival and a quick visit to Iceland’s capital. – Iceland in a week
One of our friendly drivers will be at Keflavík airport ready to welcome you and take you to your accommodation in Reykjavík. Our capital is a great city to explore on foot; however, if you wish to take a bus tour of the greater Reykjavík area we can certainly arrange that for yours. You could also use the day to visit one of the cities excellent museums or have a scenic view of Reykjavík from the tower of church Hallgrímskirkja.
Accommodation: Guesthouse, apartment or hotel in Reykjavík
Day 2: The Golden Circle
Driving distance approx. 350 km / 221 mi.
A day packed with the most visited and celebrated landmarks of Iceland.
After an early delivery of your rental car, the route is set for ÞingveIllir Iceland’s first National Park. There you can take a walk through one of the most amazing rift valleys in the world which also used to hold the Icelandic parliament from 930 to 1798. The next destination is the mother of all hot springs Geysir. Although Geysir now most lies dormant you will not be disappointed for its neighbour Strokkur erupts approximately every 5 minutes. Thereafter a visit to Gullfoss waterfall will close The Golden Circle (on a sunny day take care to look for rainbows in the surrounding drizzle). Then you will head back to Route 1 where you can first visit and a walk behind the beautifulSeljalandsfoss and then stop at the minuscule village Skógar famous for its folk museum and another great waterfall Skógarfoss. After such an active day rest will be needed to head for the lovely Vík; the southernmost village in Iceland for a good nights rest.
Day 3: The South Coast
Driving distance approx. 200 km / 120 mi.
The glaciers and volcanic beaches of Southern Iceland
Look forward to waking up on one of the most extraordinary beaches in the world. Although swimming is not recommended (actually prohibited and dangerous) the view on the ebony volcanic beach of Vík is more than enough to satisfy any visitor. This scenic place which faces the Atlantic on one side and volcano Katla on the other is awe-inspiring and if you get a chance to talk to one of its friendly inhabitants be sure to ask them about the regular evacuation drills performed there. After Vík you will head toSkaftafell which is a part of Vatnajökull (the largest glacier in Europe) National Park.Skaftafell is a favourite hiking and camping ground for many Icelanders and is far known for its picturesque mountain landscape. We spend the night in Skaftafell area.
Day 4: Glacier hiking
There are many great hikes you can take in Skaftafell. One of the most popular is the glacier hiking tour that we highly recommend. They can range from 2-hour hikes and up to 10 hours depending on your level of fitness.
You can also enjoy shorter hikes below the glacier in the national park. In midday, you will keep going the south coast.
The next stop after the Skaftafell is Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon which has severed as a shooting location for Hollywood blockbusters such as ‘Die Another Day’, ‘Tomb Raider’ and ‘Batman Begins’. A guided boat tour of the lake is recommended in order to get a better view of the icebergs and to learn a little bit more about the visible effects that global warming has had on the lagoon. Last stop of the day is the village of Höfn where you can stay in a hotel or guesthouse.
Day 5: East Iceland and Lake Mývatn
Driving distance approx. 380 km / 239 mi.
Tranquility, tundra and leashed and unleashed power in an Icelandic Dreamland
On the 5th day, you will undertake a little under 400 km which is actually not that much given that the entire East Coast of Iceland will be explored. This beautiful and diverse drive will take you past the lovely fishing village of Djúpivogur and the capital of East Iceland: Egilstaðir. Before reaching Egilsstaðir you will find the largest forest in IcelandHallormstaðarskógur or if you are interested in hydrothermal energy a visit to the controversial Kárahnjúkar Plant will certainly prove to educate (there exists a documentary about the construction of the plant called Dreamland or Draumalandiðwhich looks at the matter from the environmentalist’s perspective). The drive towards Lake Mývatn from the Eastfjords is a spectacular one through the rough tundra landscape of Jökuldalur and Möðrudalsöræfi Once in the Mývatn area such attractions as the pass of Námaskarð, volcano Krafla, the mystical Dimmuborgir (Dark cities) lava fields, Ásbyrgi canyon and Dettifoss (the most powerful waterfall in Europe) await your arrival. This is truly an extraordinary region which merits an overnight stay for further exploration during morning hours.
Day 6: Akureyri and the great giants of Húsavík
Driving distance approx. 250 km / 156 mi.
Lake, rivers and the sea – along with a second touch of Icelandic city life
If yesterday was not enough for you to explore the surroundings of Mývatn then today can also be employed e.g. to examine pseudo craters or even for fishing. However, if you want to see something more impressive than the gorgeous salmon of Laxá (note “Salmon River”) the perfect next stop would be Húsavík the whale capital of Iceland. A whale watching tour is recommended there; however, if you prefer to stay on dry landHúsavík boosts of an excellent whale museum or an interesting alternative the renowned Phallological Museum which contains specimens of all the mammals of Iceland (including humans and whales). From there the road lies to Iceland’s second largest urban area Akureyri after a quick stop at the waterfalls of the gods; Goðafoss.Akureyri is a vibrant city which has a vibrant nightlife, plenty of restaurants, museums and swimming pools, a variety of hotels and guesthouses as well as a spectacular view.
Day 7: West Iceland
Driving distance approx. 239 km / 149 mi.
Take your pick of the varieties of the West
The last day of driving offers various possibilities. There are many detours which you can take on the way back from Akureyri; however, it is probably best to stick to only one. The first option would be to explore the beautiful Tröllaskagi (“Troll-peninsula”) where a must-see is the historic Siglufjörður and its award-winning Herring Museum. A second option would be to take a tour of Snæfellsnes the home of the enigmaticSnæfellsjökull which has supposedly attracted aliens, universal forces and of course visitors to the centre of the Earth! The largest town on the peninsula is Stykkishólmurwhich is definitely worth a visit and if you stop there make sure to hike the short distance up to the village’s lighthouse. The third option would then be to take on the so-called “Saga Circle” which includes a visit the historic site of Reykholt, the “Lava waterfalls” Hraunfossar and Barnafoss along with Deildartunguhver, which is the largest hot spring in Europe. Other sights along the way include e.g. the craterGrábrók and the Settlement Exhibition in the town Borgarnes. After a long and exciting day head for Reykjavík where you can stay in a hotel or guesthouse and perhaps have a late night swim.
Day 8: Departure
Thank you for your stay!
On the last day, we will provide transfer to Keflavik airport with FlyBus. If your flight is in the afternoon you can explore the city further, visit shopping mall Kringlan or what we would recommend would be to stop at the Blue Lagoon and get to know this unique place while treating yourself to some relaxing spa treatment after a week full of activities. Thank you for your stay and we look forward to seeing you again!
Different accommodation choices
There are 2 different types of accommodation we provide. Simple (private) and Comfort. These are aimed to fit most travellers needs. The reason for which we have 1 category without private facilities is that when travelling in Iceland you spend almost no time at the hotel. Our most common accommodation is Simple (private) but that gives you the privacy you want but still for a very reasonable price.
Comfort
The Comfort Class is for those who like to travel comfortably and with a touch of exclusivity whenever possible. The accommodation will always be at a respected hotel or guesthouse with a private room and private facilities. Breakfast included.
Simple Class
The Simple Class is for the traveller who would like a reasonable amount of privacy, but who also isn’t concerned with all the frills. This option is the ideal compromise between economy and luxury. Accommodation is provided in a hotel, guesthouse, or hostel in a private room without facilities. Breakfast is included.
Seasons
We divide the travel season in 3 different seasons. We are more flexible on the price in the low and shoulder season so please contact us for an offer if you are travelling in these 2 seasons.
The Summer season is from 1st of June-31st of August.If you are ordering outside that timeframe then contact us for a better price
Our rental cars
We offer wide variety of rental cars and can provide cars that are note listed below on request: If you are interested in driving in the highlands of Iceland the smallest car you can take is the Suzuki Jimny, That is also by far the most common car but you have to know that it only fits 2-3 persons since there is now space for luggage when four persons are travelling togather.
Additional Equipment
-GPS navigation system (Free of charge)
-Mobile phone (Free of charge)
-Ipad with 3G internet (Free of charge)
Service Included
-Pickup from Keflavik Airport and transfer to your accommodation in Reykjavik
-Meeting with your travel consultant
-Map of Iceland
-24-hour service phone
-Free dropoff at Keflavik airport at departure.
-Taxes and service fees
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We have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to visit many countries around the world, and, for many of these excursions, we have done our own planning. We did self-drives across Italy and around southern South Africa, so with that experience, we thought Iceland...More