I was fortunate enough to be able to travel in 2021 to another country. The pandemic was still pretty rampant at the time, and so my choices were limited. But I was able to go to two countries: Greece and Iceland. I wanted to use that knowledge to make a trip plan for the latter, Iceland! Specifically a Golden Circle and Ring Road itinerary!
The Ring Road is very famous for going around the outer edge of Iceland almost entirely. It doesn’t go up into the highlands area, but you can rent a 4-wheel drive off-road vehicle for this. You will need it because of the F roads, which are dirt roads with little to no maintenance. I would recommend avoiding F roads entirely and stick to regular roads on both the Golden Circle and Ring Road. But as long as you are careful, it shouldn’t be a problem.
Just as an overview of Iceland, there are a few things to keep in mind. First is that everything is expensive! You’ll pay a lot for gas, food, & accommodations, mostly because of their location and having to import things. Also it’s best to visit in the summer, as the weather gets really unpredictable during winter & some roads are impassable at that time.
For traveling on the Ring Road, you will need to rent a car! Not necessarily a 4-wheel drive, but whatever vehicle suits your needs. For a family, I would recommend a van, for yourself or a couple, just a small car is enough. Lastly a GPS is still a must, even with a trip plan. If you’re not careful, you can get lost even on the Ring Road and Golden Circle. But I hope my guide will help you plan out your days in Iceland!
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Day 1: Arrive in Iceland and Explore Reykjavik
The start of your stay in Iceland begins with arriving, of course. Most likely you’ll arrive by plane at Keflavik Airport, the main airport for Iceland in Reykjavik, so that’s where I will start this guide. If you arrive early, consider this as the first day of your trip. If you arrive late, just relax the first day and start this guide on the following morning.
Of course any trip to another country requires a hotel to stay at. For Reykjavik, I recommend Reykjavik Residence Apartment Hotel for a lower priced option, Thingholt by Center Hotels for a moderate price option, and The Reykjavik EDITION for a more premium option.
Start the tour of the capital city by getting your rental car. You can do this at the airport, and is best done in advance. After getting a rental, you can either check your luggage at the hotel or head out onto the road with your luggage in the rental. The first stop in town will be the Árbær Open Air Museum.
The Árbær Open Air Museum is located not far outside of the city center of Reykjavik, and gives a glimpse back in time. It shows how the people used to live, shown through lots of buildings in open farmland. There are several buildings to explore and all of them are included in the price. Entrance fees are 1,800 ISK for adults.
After that head back to the city center to see Perlan. It is located on the top of a hill in a building that looks fairly plain from the outside. But the inside is truly unexpected! There are 5 floors of things to do at Perlan, all done as a science center! You’ll see a recreation of a puffin nesting cliff wall, interactive exhibits, and a theater show about the northern lights (Aurora)! The most exciting things would be the view from the domed restaurant on the top floor, and the underground frozen tunnel! And be sure to try the zipline on the observation deck as well (though you do have to walk back up from the other end of the zipline). Tickets are 4490 ISK per person for the full experience.
Next would be the most iconic place in all of Reykjavik, the Hallgrímskirkja Church. Famous for its design that is inspired by basalt rock columns, with long sweeping sides that slowly climb to the central tower. It also features a statue of famous explorer Leif Erikson in front of the church. You can go inside and go up the tower to have a view from the top, with windows on each of the 4 sides. It costs 1000 ISK to go up there, however.
The last stop of the day is in the streets of Reykjavik. There are plenty of things to see and explore in town…you’ll find a lot to do within walking distance! There are a few painted roads in Reykjavik. This includes a rainbow road that leads right to the church, one with hopscotch, and more. Also there’s the Sun Voyager sculpture, the Harpa Building, and þúfa Hill (Thufa Hill) in the harbor area. You can take a tour, or explore on your own.
Day 2: The Golden Circle
Before heading out to start this Ring Road itinerary, there’s one more thing to do around the Reykjavik area: The Golden Circle! While the actual Golden Circle is only 3 attractions, I will add a few more along the route to make it more worth a day’s trip.
The first stop along the Golden Circle will be Þingvellir National Park (Thingvellir National Park), which is a 50 minute drive from Reykjavik. This is actually located on the plate boundary between the North American and European tectonic plates! You can actually cross from one continent to another here, technically! And there are plenty of trails and waterfalls (including Oxararfoss) to see here as well! There’s a 1000 ISK parking fee, but the park itself is free to enter.
The next stop will be Haukadalur Geothermal Field. This is a hotspot on the surface where you will find the Geysir Geothermal Area. Its most famous features are Strokkur and Geysir, two geysers (Geysir is still active)! It’s free to park at and enter. After that head to Gullfoss, a spectacular waterfall! The name of the waterfall means ‘Golden Falls’ in Icelandic, and is actually the inspiration for the name of the Golden Circle. It has two viewing platforms that can be accessed from walkways. Both of them give great views of the actual waterfall!
The last stop will be Kerid Crater. The 3,000 year old caldera of the volcano has steep slopes, leading to the lake 61m (200 ft.) below, and the newer age of the volcano is responsible for the red color of the volcanic iron rock there. It costs 400 ISK to park at the crater and enter, but it is worth it to walk all the way around the outer perimeter of the crater!
Day 3: First Leg of the Ring Road Itinerary
Time to actually start out on the Ring Road itinerary on the third day! Make sure to pack everything you’ll need for the trip, including your GPS, some snacks, and something to drink (there aren’t many places for food along the way). Also have a full tank of gas before leaving, as gas stations are sparse once you get out of town and on the open road. But be sure to never do the “Full fill” option, as it charges upwards of $250 USD to your card, assuming you’ll use that much for a full fill! Also it’s good to know the names of the gas stations, to recognize them easily on the road. There is N1, Olis, OB, Orkan, and AO. You’ll mostly see N1 and OB though.
Once on the road, first head to the Lava Center. It’s open from 9 am to 5 pm everyday, and costs 3,990 ISK per person. It has interactive displays and a show that teaches you about how Iceland was formed by lava!
After this head back on the road to go to Seljalandsfoss waterfall. It’s 800 ISK for parking, but well worth it! You can actually walk behind Seljalandsfoss and get right under the waterfall as it comes down! Be sure to have waterproof hiking boots and clothes though, as the trails are often muddy and very rocky!
Don’t leave the area just yet, as there is a “secret” waterfall within walking distance: Gljufrabui waterfall! This beautiful waterfall is nestled between two rocky cliffs, so you’ll have to walk a little bit on the stream to get to it (trust me, it’s worth it!). Once there, you’ll see the magical waterfall in its glory! There’s a boulder in front of it where you can climb and get incredible photos of the waterfall.
The first time I ever saw a glacier in real life was at the next stop, Sólheimajökull. It’s a short walk from the parking lot…but bring warm clothes as you do get quite a chilly breeze from the glacier once there! Though you shouldn’t climb on the glacier, you can still wonder in it’s majesty from afar. There are tours that offer excursions to climb the glacier, if you really want to.
The next stop after that is one that is very famous in Iceland, the Sólheimasandur Plane Wreck! The Super DC-3 plane was operated by the US Navy and had to do a controlled crash landing presumably due to bad weather. Since it was a controlled crash, everyone survived. But the plane was a loss and left where it crashed in 1973, to this very day.
This will be a real test of endurance, believe me! There is a parking lot for it, but it’s not at all close to the plane wreck. In fact it can take upwards of 45 minutes to an hour to walk to it from the parking lot! And it is a dirt road, so again wear proper footwear! There is a shuttle which take 10 minutes each way to get you there…but don’t count on finding it as it runs at certain times only. But once there, it is something truly worth seeing! The plane has been stripped down a lot, but it still sits where it crashed all those years ago!
The next two stops are actually not terribly far apart, and are even visible from each other (but not directly connected). The first is Dyrhólaey viewpoint, where you can see some spectacular rock formations! And just a short drive away from there is Reynisfjara Beach, the black sand beach with its basalt rock columns, and towering rock pillars! Be very careful of sneaker waves though!
These will be the last stops for the day, outside of going into the town of Vik. This is nearby and a great place to find a hotel for the night. I recommend Guesthouse Carina for a lower priced option, Hotel Vík í Mýrdal for a moderate price option, and Hótel Kría for a more premium option.
Day 4: Next Leg of the Ring Road Itinerary
This day of the Ring Road itinerary will have a lot of waterfalls! The first waterfall is actually the first place once you leave Vik; the Skogafoss waterfall. This is actually one of the easiest waterfalls to get to, as there is a parking lot literally within view of the waterfall. Of course I recommend getting closer to it for better views, though.
Next up is another waterfall a short drive away called Kvernufoss. This is a lesser visited waterfall, but no less exciting! It’s another one you can see from in front of or from behind, like Seljalandsfoss. After that head out to the Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon. The canyon is very big, but you don’t need to explore the entire thing: There are some small trails leading from a car park nearby to the main viewing areas.
Up next is the third and final waterfall of the day, located at Skaftafell Nature Reserve. The waterfall here is called Svartifoss, and it is very far away from the parking lot! You’ll need to do a lot of uphill walking for a long time to even get a glimpse of the waterfall from far away…so be prepared for a long, tiring hike to actually reach it! But there is a lot to the Skaftafell Nature Reserve, including a restaurant, and visitor center near the parking lot. If you head in the opposite direction of Svaritfoss (from the parking lot), you’ll eventually get to the Skaftafell Glacier! This is also a long walk, but it is thankfully across flat land instead of uphill.
If you’re looking for a unique experience, check out the last turf church in Iceland, Hofskirkja church. It’s a short drive away from the Skaftafell Nature Reserve and worth taking a trip to see! The last stop will be Jökulsárlón, where you can find Diamond Beach. At Jökulsárlón you’ll see some floating ice and you can watch the ice float down the river. If you follow it along you’ll reach Diamond Beach. There are actually 2 sides to it; and each side has some “diamonds” on it (actually just ice chunks). It’ll vary from time to time which side has more because of the nature of ice, but you can easily get from one side to the other thanks to a small driving bridge nearby. There is also black sand here as well, giving a great contrast to the glistening ice chunks!
Since this will be the last stop of the day, I suggest going to the nearby town of Höfn to stay for the night. I recommend Old Airline Guesthouse for a lower priced option, Hotel Edda Höfn for a moderate price option, and the Milk Factory for a more premium option.
Day 5: The Ring Road Itinerary Continues
To start the next day of the Ring Road itinerary, you’ll head out from Höfn on a 20-minute drive to the Viking Café. However this stop will not be to get food (even though you can); instead you’ll get some tickets there. You’ll be getting tickets that are sold exclusively there for the black sand beach of Vestrahorn and the abandoned Viking village movie prop. The tickets are 800 ISK per person.
Once you get your ticket you’ll drive through a gate which has you present your ticket to open. There’s a few places to park, some are closer to different places in the area owned by the café. The village is a short walk away from one of the parking lots, and you’ll be able to easily see it from there. The site is usually open (check with the café in advance, just in case). Once inside you’ll see a recreation of a traditional Viking village, made for a movie! Everything looks realistic, and the attention to detail is really impressive! And from another parking lot you can see the black sand beach of Vestrahorn, which has a towering mountain in the distance!
Now this next place I can’t really recommend unless you need a break, like camping or just want to see the largest forest in Iceland, since forests are rare in the country. The Atlavik campground in Hallormsstadaskogur Forest is along the way, but it is really only a small rocky beach by a lake. You can set up a camp site here, but it’s basically just open plots for tents with no infrastructure. Instead I would recommend going to a new town instead: Seydisfjordur!
There are a few things to note about Seydisfjordur: First is the road to it. It is a 3 hour drive away from the Viking Café, but that’s not the problem. The problem is the road itself: It goes up hill and can be very foggy and hard to navigate at times! So be careful and drive slowly! The other thing to note about the town is that it is in a fjord inlet, so you’ll have to drive out the same way you came in. But trust me…the town is worth it!
In Seydisfjordur you will come to a quaint village that is very rustic and charming. Sometimes you can see a cruise ship docked at the port (the Viking Jupiter was there when I was visiting)! There are some great spots to check out like the Fancy Sheep and Bistro Skaftfell. Also there’s a rainbow road; an homage to the one in Reykjavik, that also leads to a church! After visiting the town, head out and go to Egilsstaðir 30 minutes away.
Egilsstaðir will be the final stop for the night, where you can check in to a hotel. For Egilsstaðir I recommend Lyngás Guesthouse for a lower priced option, Icelandair Hotel Herad for a moderate price option, and Greystone summerhouse for a more premium option. Egilsstaðir is a fairly modern town, so you’ll be able to find plenty of dining and gas station options there as well.
Day 6: The Ring Road Itinerary Heading to Akureyri
This day of the Ring Road itinerary will ultimately end up in Akureyri, but before that make sure you head to a gas station and fill up your car. The first stop after leaving Egilsstaðir will be Hverir, 2 hours away. If you have ever seen any pictures of Hverir, it does not prepare you for what you will experience there. The smell! Hverir is an active geothermal area with sulphureous mud springs. That means it will reek like rotten eggs; very potent ones!
Assuming that you can stand the smell, you can see some spectacularly colorful vents there! After checking it out head about 20 minutes away to the viewpoint from Hverfjall volcano. You can actually walk up to the rim of the caldera, but it is a somewhat steep ascension. But the view is really breathtaking from atop the crater rim in all directions! You can even hike around the rim in about an hour (though I didn’t do that).
Another short 20 minute drive from there takes you to Skútustaðagígar near Myvatn Lake. Here you will find a bunch of small pseudo craters and lakes. But be ready for the bugs! At least at the time I went, there was a TON of these tiny bugs flying everywhere! I recommend bringing bug spray or a bug net hat! After checking out the trails there, head back onto the road for about 30 minutes to reach Goðafoss.
Literally meaning, “Waterfall of the Gods” in Icelandic, it’s easy to see why Goðafoss got this name. The falls have a beauty that is surreal, with misty spray coming from the cascading waters. It has a horseshoe shape and can be viewed from multiple places! You can walk down to the water’s edge by a small trail and staircase, or along the upper trails. There are trails on both sides of the falls, accessible by a bridge further down. But, again, beware of the tiny bugs! They are just as bad there as at Myvatn Lake!
After visiting Goðafoss, you’ll head out to Akureyri. You can check into a hotel right away, as tomorrow will be for exploring the city. I recommend Hafnarstræti Hostel for a lower priced option, K16Apartments for a moderate price option, and Acco Luxury Apartments for a more premium option.
Day 7: Exploring Akureyri
The Ring Road itinerary will take a brief one-day detour in the 2nd largest city in Iceland, Akureyri! This city has a lot to offer, starting with the downtown area. There’s a mall there called Glerartorg Mall, which has some fine shops and restaurants in it! Not too far away you’ll find the Akureyrarkirkja. It is a church with a very distinctive twin towered design. Nearby you’ll find some shops along the downtown streets with plenty of variety! Be sure to try the cakes at Blaa Kannan Café, at the blue Victorian style building. But be sure to watch the parking here…you could end up with a ticket if you don’t use a card that has a timer on it. You can ask for one of these cards (or where to get one) from your hotel before you leave.
There is more to check out in town, including the Botanical Gardens of Akureyri. This is a great place just to take it easy and relax as you stroll through the paths and see all sorts of flora! After the gardens, you can go to the harbor area and and take a stroll where you can see a sculpture called ‘Sailing’. It is actually a sister sculpture to the Sun Voyager back in Reykjavik! Also there are sweeping views of the harbor and mountains from this point too. If you have some spare time you can also check out Nonni’s House. It is one of the oldest buildings in Akureyri and features a statue of Jon Sveinsson outside of it.
Day 8: Back to the Ring Road Itinerary
You’ll want to get an early start today! On this part of the Ring Road itinerary, you’ll take an hour drive away to Húsavík. Here you will be able to partake in a once-in-a-lifetime experience: Whale watching! I suggest picking the option with the traditional Icelandic fishing boat for a more authentic experience. You’ll have to book this in advance, but there are several options to choose from. First you can just go with only whale watching. Or you can go for also seeing a puffin nesting island as well! Each of them will take a couple of hours, so this is why you will need an early start today.
After seeing the whales (and puffins possibly), you’ll head back onto the Ring Road towards Siglufjörður. This is about 2 hours away and will provide you with a good chance to get out and stretch your legs. You will even find another rainbow road here that is near another church, like Reykjavik and Seydisfjordur. Once you leave Siglufjörður, you can take an hour drive to Hofsós. There you will see Grafarkirkja, the oldest church in Iceland! And the last sight to see along the Ring Road before heading to your next hotel is the Hvítserkur rock formation.
This rock formation is 15 meters tall (49 ft.) and has a very unique, alien-like shape! It is easy to spot, just a short walk away from a parking lot for it. And that will lead you to the hotel stop for the night in Hvammstangi. I recommend the Hvammstangi Cottages for a lower priced option, the Mörk Superior Cottages for a moderate price option, and Hotel Hvammstangi Guesthouse for a more premium option.
Day 9: Winding down on the Ring Road Itinerary
On the 2nd to last day of the Ring Road itinerary, you’ll first head out to the Stykkishólmur village. It’s about 2 1/2 hours away from Hvammstangi, but has a lot to offer! The most striking sight to behold in Stykkishólmur is the Stykkisholmskirkja! It’s a beautiful church with an iconic shape and is easy to spot from the road going into town. After that check out the Norweigan House, the first 2-storey wooden house in Iceland! Then head to Súgandisey Island to see the lighthouse. You’ll have to climb up a short series of stairs to get to it, but it’s not much. Once you are done head out of the village and onto the next stop, Ölkelduvatn Mineral Spring.
This is just a small mineral spring in the middle of nowhere (it feels like it). The water is supposed to have healing properties…but it tastes like iron when you drink it. There is a small tip box for it, which is how the owners of the spring make their money from it (it is free to visit and drink from). From there head to Ytri Tunga Beach. This beach is famous for seal watching, and I did see some seals there, but they were really far away. You can see them from the beach with a good zoom lens, but you can’t get close to them. Ironically there was a dead whale on the beach at the time I went there (and it smelled really bad!).
Take a 20 minute drive from there to the next place, Búðakirkja. This is also known as the Black Church, due to its color. From there it’s a 30 minute drive to the final sight to see for the day, Kirkjufell. A famous landmark of Iceland, Kirkjufell has an instantly recognizable shape! The mountain is curved and looks like a cone or a wizard’s hat (at least that’s what I would call it). It is said to be the most photographed peak in all of Iceland! Also there is a waterfall nearby with the same name.
Take a 5 minute drive to the hotel stop of the night in the town of Grundarfjörður. You can still see Kirkjufell from the town (assuming it is not obscured by fog, like it was when I was there). In Grundarfjörður, I recommend The Old Post Office Guesthouse for a lower priced option, Kirkjufell Hotel by Snæfellsnes Peninsula West Iceland – Grundarfjordur for a moderate price option, and Hellnafell for a more premium option.
Day 10: To the Blue Lagoon and Back to Reykjavik
Time for the last day of the Ring Road itinerary! There will be a lot of driving initially, taking a 3 hour trip down to the Bridge Between Continents. This 15 meter (50 ft.) footbridge is actually a place where you can step between the European and North American plate boundaries! This is similar to Þingvellir National Park, but the boundary is much more pronounced here! As it is so short, you can walk down into the gap between plate tectonics and walk across it with the bridge as well.
After that head to Blue Lagoon! It’s about 30 minutes away, and it will take the rest of the day (if you want). At this point you can either just visit the Blue Lagoon for a while, or choose to stay the night. If you stay the night, I recommend the Volcano Guesthouse Grindavík for a lower priced option, the Northern Light Inn for a moderate price option, and Silica Hotel at Blue Lagoon Iceland for a more premium option.
At the Blue Lagoon you will find a resort with a geothermal spa! The water is milky blue in color and you can soak in the waters of the Blue Lagoon too! The waters are said to have healing powers, but I did not personally go into the water myself. As for the resort, you can find a first-class restaurant there called the Lava Restaurant at Blue Lagoon Iceland. If you choose to stay the night, you can leave for Reykjavik in the morning. If you don’t stay the night, take the 40 minute drive to Reykjavik the same day. Either way, it’ll be a memorable end to a magical tour of Iceland’s best sights!
And that’s it! You’ve made it through 10 days in Iceland! You’ve seen some of the best places in Iceland along the Ring Road and Golden Circle! I hope I was able to help you along your journey and give you some helpful advice! Thanks for reading and let me know, have you visited any of these places before? Which was your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!
