The Ultimate 10-Day Iceland Road Trip

Your Ring Road and Golden Circle itinerary — complete with must-see detours, travel tips and can’t-miss stops you’ll brag about for years. 

Reynisfjara Beach

Why visit Iceland? The country begs to be circled, zigzagged, detoured and lingered over — with waterfalls misting your windshield, lava fields stretching to the horizon, and hot springs steaming under the midnight sun. The best way to do that? Hit the road.

This guide maps out a wow-per-minute route that loops the island on Route 1 (the famous Ring Road), layers in the Golden Circle, and sprinkles in a few side quests you’ll be humblebragging about for years.

“Whether you go clockwise or counterclockwise, you’ll pass glacier tongues, black sand beaches, alien geothermal zones, and sleepy fishing towns that look straight out of a Nordic fairy tale.”

Below: a 10-day Iceland itinerary that balances drive time and jaw-dropping moments, plus tips on timing, packing, and how to drive like a local without becoming an accidental sheep herder.

Brimketill natural pool

Why the Ring Road (Plus a Few Smart Detours) Is “The One”

Route 1 loops the entire country in about 1,332 kilometers (828 miles). Whether you go clockwise or counterclockwise, you’ll pass glacier tongues, black sand beaches, alien geothermal zones, and sleepy fishing towns that look straight out of a Nordic fairy tale.

Sure, you could do the loop in seven days — but 10 gives you breathing room to wander, soak and say “wow” every few miles. Toss in the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, the Golden Circle, and a Highlands teaser (if roads allow), and you’ve got yourself the greatest hits album of Iceland.

Reykjavik

The 10-Day Ultimate Iceland Road Trip Itinerary

Day 1: Reykjavik Arrival and Prep

• Land, stock up and ease in. Pick up your campervan or car, grab groceries at Bónus or Krónan, and explore Reykjavik’s colorful streets (don’t miss Hallgrímskirkja and Harpa). And there’s always the Icelandic Phallological Museum if that’s your thing. 

• Overnight: Reykjavik or a nearby campground (Mosskogar, Hafnarfjörður)

• Driving: Minimal (airport to city)

Þingvellir National Park

Day 2: The Golden Circle Warm-Up

• Þingvellir National Park: Tectonic plates and Viking-age drama. Walk the rift valley. Bonus points for snorkeling between continents at Silfra.

• Geysir Geothermal Area: Strokkur erupts every 5 to 10 minutes. Perfect for slo-mo footage.

• Gullfoss: A two-tiered roar that sets the tone for Iceland’s waterfall game.

• Secret stop: Reykjadalur hot spring hike — geothermal soak with a view.

• Overnight: Campsite in Selfoss or Flúðir (the Secret Lagoon is rustic and steamy).

• Driving: About 230 kilometers / 143 miles

Solheimasandur plane wreck

Day 3: South Coast Icons: Waterfalls to Black Sand

• Seljalandsfoss and Gljúfrabúi: Walk behind one, then find the other hiding in a canyon.

• Skógafoss: Perfect rectangular power. Climb up for panoramic payoff.

• Sólheimasandur Plane Wreck: Eerie DC-3 remains in a black desert. It’s a 7-to-8-kilometer  round trip, so bring snacks.

• Vík and Reynisfjara Beach: Basalt columns, sea stacks and sneaker waves. Keep a healthy distance.

• Overnight: Vík or Kirkjubæjarklaustur.

• Driving: About 200 kilometers / 124 miles

Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon

Day 4: Glaciers, Icebergs and Lava Fields

• Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon: A mossy, winding marvel (check road access)

• Skaftafell (Vatnajökull NP): Hike to Svartifoss or strap on crampons for a glacier walk.

• Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach: Icebergs to the ocean, glittering ice on black sand. Straight-up magic

• Overnight: Höfn area (soak at Hoffell hot tubs if you’re feeling fancy).

• Driving: About 270 kilometers / 168 miles

Seyðisfjörður

Day 5: The Eastfjords: Switchback Beauty and Tiny Towns

• The drive: Narrow roads cling to fjords, with surprise tunnels and gasp-worthy views.

• Stops: Djúpivogur’s giant eggs, Petra’s Stone Collection, maybe a reindeer cameo near Egilsstaðir

• Optional detour: Seyðisfjörður, a rainbow-road artsy escape in a deep fjord

• Overnight: Egilsstaðir or Seyðisfjörður

• Driving: About 260 kilometers / 162 miles

Hverir

Day 6: Northbound to the “Capital of the North”

• Dettifoss and Selfoss: One’s raw power, the other’s elegance. Use Route 862 if you prefer paved.

• Hverir: Bubbling mud pots and sulfurous steam. Welcome to Mars, Iceland edition.

• Lake Mývatn: Lava labyrinths, pseudocraters and the blue Grjótagjá cave

• Godafoss: Horseshoe-shaped and heavenly

• Overnight: Akureyri

• Driving: About 300 kilometers / 186 miles 

Whale watching at Húsavík

Day 7: Whale Tails and Turf Roofs

• Morning in Akureyri: Coffee and a botanical stroll

• Húsavík Whale Watching: Prime humpback territory. Book ahead.

• Glaumbær Turf Farm: Sod-roofed time travel

• Overnight: Varmahlíð or Blönduós

• Driving: About 260 kilometers / 162 miles

Snæfellsnes

Day 8: West Iceland & Snæfellsnes Teaser

• Short hikes: Glanni Waterfall and Grabrok Crater

• Snæfellsnes (optional start): Kirkjufell, Arnarstapi cliffs, Djúpalónssandur beach and the glacier-capped Snæfellsjökull

• Overnight: Stykkishólmur, Grundarfjörður or Hellissandur

• Driving: About 300 kilometers / 186 miles (less if you save Snæfellsnes for tomorrow)

Vatnshellir lava cave

Day 9: Finish Snæfellsnes & Return to Reykjavik

• Catch anything you missed: Vatnshellir lava cave, the moody Búðir black church

• Optional soak: Krauma Baths — steamy serenity powered by Europe’s most powerful hot spring

• Overnight: Reykjavik or Keflavik

• Driving: About 250 kilometers / 155 miles

Reykjanes Peninsula

Day 10: Blue Lagoon, Reykjanes, and Farewell

• Lagoon of your dreams: Sky or Blue Lagoon. Yes, they’re touristy. They’re also glorious.

• Reykjanes Peninsula: Lava cliffs at Brimketill, bubbling Gunnuhver, and a bridge between tectonic plates

• To do: Return your ride. Ooh and ahh over your photos. Cry a little.

• Driving: About 80 to 120 kilometers / 50 to 75 miles 

Hveravellir

Bonus Detours (If You’ve Got Extra Days) on Your Iceland Road Trip

• The Westfjords: Rugged, wild and crowd-free. Dynjandi waterfall, Látrabjarg puffins, Rauðasandur’s red beach. Add 3 to 5 days.

• The Highlands: Summer only, 4x4 required. Rhyolite mountains of Landmannalaugar, steamy Hveravellir. Check F-road status before you go.

• Thórsmörk Valley: Epic hikes and glacier views — reached via rough roads and worth every bump.

Godafoss

When to Go on Your Iceland Road Trip (And What That Means)

• Summer (June to August): Midnight sun, most accessible, priciest and busiest. Reserve everything early.

• Shoulder Seasons (May and September): Fewer crowds, lower prices, decent daylight. Road conditions can vary.

• Winter (October to April): Northern lights, snow-globe vibes, but also storms and limited daylight. Consider shorter loops unless you’re a seasoned winter driver.

The Ring Road

Island Road Trip Logistics: Campervan vs. Car

My take: campervans = ultimate freedom + a rolling kitchen. If you want to be spontaneous, cook your own meals and sleep by waterfalls, this is the way. Iceland’s campsites are everywhere, and a fully equipped premium campervan makes logistics easy-peasy.

Selfoss

Driving and Safety Tips for Iceland

• Weather: Vedur.is and road.is are your new besties. Wind can literally rip doors off.

• Single-lane bridges and blind hills: Yield, go slow, stay alert.

• Gravel and F-roads: That F stands for fjall (Icelandic for “mountain”). Most insurance won’t cover damage. Know what you’re driving.

• Sheep patrol: If one crosses, assume more are on the way.

• Fuel: Fill up when you can — especially in the East and North.

Diamond Beach

Iceland Road Trip Budget Snapshot (Per Day for Two)

• Campervan: $150 to $300+

• Fuel: $60 to $100

• Campsites: $15 to $25 per person

• Food: $30 to $50 (DIY), double if you eat out

• Activities: $60 to $200 per tour

• Pro tip: Tap water = glacier-fresh and free. Bring a refillable bottle.

Glaumbær Turf Farm

Packing Essentials for Your Iceland Road Trip That You’ll Actually Use

• Clothing: Waterproof shell, warm layers, quick-dry everything, swimsuit, gloves — even in July.

• Shoes: Waterproof boots, camp shoes, microspikes for shoulder season.

• Electronics: Car inverter, USB hubs, offline maps, camera batteries (the cold eats them).

• Comfort: Spices, condiments, a French press, headlamp (winter) or eye mask (summer).

• Safety: First aid kit, emergency blanket, paper map backup.

Iceland Campsite Etiquette and Rules

• No wild camping (unless a farmer says yes). Use official sites.

• Leave no trace. Seriously. Iceland’s fragile — pack it in, pack it out.

• Keep quiet hours: Usually 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. The midnight sun doesn’t excuse middle-of-the-night karaoke sessions.

Dettifoss

Take the Road, Not Just the Photo

Iceland is a photographer’s dream, but the real magic happens in between the snapshots — chatting with locals about elf rocks, soaking in a secret hot pool, or pulling over because the sky just exploded in green fire.

So start your engine. Keep your plans loose. And let Iceland do what it does best: Surprise you around every bend. –Jeremy Albelda

The Icelandic Phallological Museum and Other Strange Delights: Off the Beaten Path Iceland

The buildings in Reykjavik, Iceland are covered with street art

Some of the more bizarre things to do in Reykjavik include the Big Lebowski Bar, a penis museum and street art tours. Plus: Iceland food, from hakarl to hotdogs with lamb meat.

Iceland has never been on our list of places to travel to. We just never really thought about it before. Sure, the Northern Lights sound pretty cool, and who wouldn’t like the chance to randomly run into that delightfully kooky Bjork?

But we’re not fans of cold and were wary of any country with the word “ice” in its name.

“They have a penis from every animal, including humans.”

So no — we never really considered visiting Iceland. That is, until I chatted with Lindsay and Shaun.

Read the first part of our conversation here, in which they talk about their initial reaction to the surreal landscape and what motivated them to visit, including a spa called the Blue Lagoon and the aforementioned Aurora Borealis. –Wally

Iceland is famous for its natural beauty. But it shouldn't come as a surprise that the country that brought us Bjork also has a quirky side.

What was the most surprising thing about your trip to Iceland?

Shaun: One is that there’s graffiti everywhere in Reykjavik. There’s some really cool graffiti.

Lindsay: I’d say like 20% are beautiful murals.

Shaun: Everything else is bad name tags.

Lindsay: We asked our tour guide about it. I thought he’d say, “Yah, it’s a problem.” But no. He was like, “Some people think it’s just graffiti, but it’s really a mural.” I wanted to tell him, “I’m an art director. I know the difference between graffiti and murals.”

Shaun: The other surprising thing is trash. It’s everywhere. I’d get up early in the morning to go to Dunkin’ Donuts — there was one, and I like Dunkin’ Donuts — and the street sweepers do not do a good job. They don’t pick up anything.

I don’t know if they’re allowed to, but people will walk through the streets drinking openly. Glasses from the pubs litter the streets in the morning. And there are beer bottles everywhere.

Anything you skipped on your visit?

Shaun: The one thing we didn’t do was the museums because there’s so much natural beauty. I was told the one museum you have to go to is the Icelandic Phallological Museum.

Lindsay: They have a penis from every animal, including humans.

That’s one I would have gone in!

What’s the nightlife like?
Lindsay: We didn’t go out out. But we did go to the Lebowski Bar. Twice.

Shaun: The first time we walked in, we didn’t even know what to make of the place. All the tables had “reserved” on them, but I don’t think they were actually reserved. So we went upstairs.

There are themes for different parts of the movie. There’s the Playboy lounge, where there’s a bunch of Playboys on the wall, and the diner. They have a bowling lane on the wall. Sideways, with a bowling ball stuck to it and all the pins.

Lindsay: The bar is covered in the rug.

Shaun: There are awesome Big Lebowski quotes everywhere. Like, “I can get you a toe by 3 o’clock.” I had to explain to Lindsay what that was.

The second time we went, they were playing ’80s movies on the big screen. They were playing Twins. Which we both realized we had never watched, and how ridiculous it is.

And in the front of the bar, they have this giant spinning carnival wheel with various types of white Russians, black Russians, Caucasian Russians…

Lindsay: They have like 15 different white Russians.

Shaun: The wheel would spin and you’d hear everybody screaming.

And this is right down the street from the Chuck Norris bar.

Lindsay: Which we didn’t go in.

What was the weirdest thing you saw to eat?

Lindsay: We went into this thinking the food will be terrible. We’re not going to find anything we can eat. And then we came to find out, the Icelandic people don’t actually eat the traditional foods, like fermented shark and whale [hákarl].

Shaun: Seriously, it’s rotting shark.

Lindsay: But we found food we could eat everywhere. It’s very American bar food.

Did you learn any expressions?

Shaun: By the end of the trip, we figured out how to say our hotel name. Poorly, but still.

We tried to be like, sound it out. And we’d listen on an app Lindsay downloaded — and it wouldn’t be anywhere close.

The Icelandic language has a kind of bounce to it.

Lindsay: They really pride themselves on their language. They want it to last forever. Even though they do use English a lot more.

We tried to say “thank you.” Our driver to and from the airport said it was “tikka tikka” — but it’s spelled with Ps.

Shaun: That’s what we’re saying — you can’t sound out anything in that country.

Any strange customs?

Lindsay: The service is not the same. You don’t pay gratuity. There’s a lot of self-service.

Shaun: If you’re at a restaurant and you order a soda, you go up and get it yourself at the fountain machine — even if it’s sort of in the kitchen.

And no one will bring you a check. You have to go get it.

Did you buy some cool souvenirs?

Shaun: They have these big Icelandic wool sweaters, which apparently are the thing you have to buy when you’re there. And then right next to them would be old American hair metal band shirts.

Anything else you’d say fellow travelers must experience?

Shaun: I do have to say that if you go to Iceland, you will hear about the hotdogs. [Dramatic pause] Have the hotdogs.

Lindsay: The best hotdogs I’ve ever had in my life.

We read about this hotdog stand in downtown Reykjavik, right near the club district.

They’re mostly made of lamb.

Shaun: In the countryside, they get so excited that it’s lamb season.

Lindsay: For three months, lambs roam pretty much the entire country.

Shaun: They’re so adorable — we make sweaters from them, and then we eat them.

Lindsay: They slaughter them in the fall after they’ve spent the whole summer gallivanting around.

Any Bjork sightings?

Shaun: We had a driver who mentioned he once picked up Bjork from the airport.

Lindsay: She was going to a holiday party and she had all the gifts she was giving out on her dress.

Shaun: And he said it took him half an hour to get her and her dress into the cab.