By Gemma Tedaldi | Published: 29th May 2019 | Updated: 14th December 2024
If you are looking at an Iceland ring road itinerary for driving Route 1 over 7 days but don’t know where to start with accommodation, sights to see and local delicacies to try, then this is the blog post for you.
We recently set off on an epic tour of the Iceland ring road, taking in the wonderful country that is Iceland from a new perspective, through driving ourselves and staying at HI Iceland hostels.
Home to 130 volcanoes, 269 glaciers and countless waterfalls, Iceland is a country that keeps you coming back for more. From the quaint churches and lighthouses that are scattered across the island, to the mountains, fjords and waterfalls at every turn, there is something new to discover every time you step outside.
Having visited Iceland previously, but with no car and in mid-winter, we knew next time we visited we would have to venture out from Reykjavík and the Golden Circle Route and explore what the rest of the country has to offer. Little did we know it would be on an Iceland ring road, road trip with the wonderful HI Iceland.
📍 Iceland Ring Road Itinerary – Day 1: Iceland’s West Coast & Snæfellsnes National Park
📍 Iceland Ring Road Itinerary – Day 2: North West Iceland
📍 Iceland Ring Road Itinerary – Day 3: North Iceland
📍 Iceland Ring Road Itinerary – Day 4: North East Iceland
📍 Iceland Ring Road Itinerary – Day 5: Iceland’s East Fjords
📍 Iceland Ring Road Itinerary – Day 6: South East Iceland & Vatnajökull National Park
📍 Iceland Ring Road Itinerary – Day 7: South West Iceland
🚐 Total driving time 24 hours / Total driving 1760km
Planning Your Trip? Use our favourite travel resources below:
Accommodation: We recommend Booking.com
Rental Car: We recommend Rentalcars.com
Flights: We recommend Kiwi.com
Tours: We recommend Get Your Guide & Viator
Currency Conversion: We recommend Wise
Travel Insurance: World Nomads
Iceland Ring Road Itinerary Map
Keeping safe on the Iceland Ring Road Itinerary
The weather in Iceland can change dramatically from one minute to the next, so to keep on top of all the weather, road conditions and any travel alerts around Iceland, we checked the following websites every morning to make sure our Iceland Ring Road itinerary plans for the day were still possible!
📍 Road.is – Road conditions & weather
📍 Vedur.is – Weather forecasts
Iceland Ring Road Itinerary:
Day 1 – Iceland’s West Coast & Snæfellsnes National Park
🚐 Reykjavík to Grundarfjörður – 3 hour 30 minutes / 265km drive
📍 Sights to see – Arnastapi sea cliffs, Snæfellsjökull, Saxhóll, Ólafsvíkurkirkja, Kirkjufell, Kirkjufellsfoss & Grundarfjörður beach
📍 Places to eat – Hrauvn in Ólafsvík for locally caught fish and chips & Bjargarsteinn in Grundarfjörður for award-winning lamb
📍 Where to stay – Grundarfjörður HI Hostel
Historic villages, snow-topped mountains and dramatic coastlines. That is the best way to describe the West Coast of Iceland. Just a couple of hours out of Reykjavík, off Route 1 and on to Route 54, you can escape to the countryside and get back to nature along the Snæfellsnes Peninsula and National Park.
From the mountain tops to the seashore, Snæfellsnes National Park is full of surprises. One moment you are driving through a vast flat landscape intertwined with streams of glacier runoff, before turning a corner where expansive mountains burst out of the land.
If you want to see a completely different side of the country, then this is the area to visit!
On the southern side of the peninsula at the base of Mount Stapsfell sits Arnastapi, a small fishing village with a beautiful natural harbour brimming with seabirds. Fulmars, kittiwakes and cormorants take to the skies around the incredible cliff formations before nesting on the columns of basalt that are found throughout Iceland.
A short walk from the village, you can fully immerse yourself in the coastal nature, with birds flying in and out of inlets and alongside the cliffs. Arnastapi is also a great place to refuel with a coffee and a cake before heading into the Snæfellsnes National Park.
Once in the National Park, there is nothing better than sitting back and enjoying the views. Snæfellsjökull, the glacier and active volcano at the heart of the park can be seen from every angle possible and is made more breathtaking with each step you take.
To get a great viewpoint over the most western edges of the park, (and Iceland!), you can climb up the side of Saxhóll, a 100-meter-high volcanic crater that seems to have risen through the moss-covered lava fields just to show its guests what Iceland is all about.
Further along the coast on the northern side of the peninsula, lies the small town of Ólafsvík, a wonderfully colourful fishing town in close proximity to Snæfellsjökull and with a rather impressive church, Ólafsvíkurkirkja. With just over 1000 people, Ólafsvík has a thriving fishing background, with many of the town’s restaurants serving the local catch of the day, and its own waterfall Bæjarfoss.
As well as the beautiful natural world surrounding the town, the modern Ólafsvíkurkirkja brings charm to the town. Made entirely from triangles, from north to south it resembles a fishing boat, from above a salted cod.
On the drive into the next town along the peninsula, Grundarfjörður, the famous Kirkjufell rises out of the ocean. Well known for appearing in films and TV shows, Kirkjufell or ‘Church Mountain’, is a sight to behold, and is often called the most beautiful mountain in Iceland. There is a parking area near the bottom of Kirkjufell which gives you access to look upon the mountain in awe as well as walk around Kirkjufellfoss, a tiered waterfall overlooking Kirkjufell.
Continuing along the peninsula you arrive at Grundarfjörður, a small town of under 900 people situated between the mountains of Snæfellsnes and the sea. With a quaint church, (something you see a lot of in Iceland!), harbour and even a beach, Grundarfjörður although not the most well-known of towns is well worth a visit.
From Grundarfjörður beach you can sit and marvel at Kirkjufell away from the crowds and watch the sun go down surrounded by the sound of the waves crashing on the shore, before heading to Bjargarsteinn for traditional Icelandic dishes and award-winning Iceland lamb.
Be sure to keep an eye out for the Northern Lights overhead whilst in Grundarfjörður. We had a faint glimpse from our hostel window, and with the backdrop of the surrounding mountains, any activity will always be beautiful!
For our first night on the Iceland Ring Road itinerary, we checked into the wonderful Grundarfjörður HI Hostel, a hostel right at the heart of Grundarfjörður. With a short walk, you are in the centre of the town with access to a variety of cafes and restaurants as well as a supermarket and petrol station. You can also see Kirkjufell if you are in the right rooms!
Grundarfjörður HI Hostel – The hostel in legendary landscapes
📍 Situated on Route 54
📍 Open 15th January – 15th December
📍 81 beds in dorms and private rooms
📍 Parking just up the road
📍 Multiple buildings to stay in – we stayed in the green one!
📍 Free Wifi
📍 Washing machine access
Iceland Ring Road Itinerary:
Day 2 – North West Iceland
🚐 Grundarfjörður to Sæburg – 3 hour / 205km drive
📍 Sights to see – Seals at Illugarstaðir
📍 Places to eat – Cafe Nú in Stykkishólmur for coffee and cake & Sjávarborg in Hvammstangi for fresh fish dishes
📍 Where to stay – Sæburg HI Hostel
Journeying through northwest Iceland brings you to sleepy fishing villages, gravel roads and seal covered peninsulas galore. Largely quiet and with small villages, this area of Iceland brings with it a sense of wildness that is just waiting to be explored. If the fields and roadsides brimming with birdlife don’t entice you then the peninsulas will.
North of Grundarfjörður lies Stykkishólmur, a charming town with a quaint harbour and a bright orange lighthouse! Be sure to stop in Cafe Nú by the harbour for a coffee and cake slice, (try the apple cake and rhubarb jam carrot cake!) before setting off on the road for Route 1 and the north-west of Iceland.
Route 1 from Stykkishólmur to Borðeyri is largely gravel roads, so lots of slow driving and avoiding potholes! We drove on gravel roads that were along Route 1 as well as a couple of other main routes, but if you plan to drive a lot of them or venture into the Highlands along F-Roads you should hire a 4×4.
North of Borðeyri lies Hvammstangi and the Vatnsnes Peninsula. Home to the largest colonies in the country, Vatnsnes Peninsula is the place in Iceland to go if you want to find seals and the occasional whales! Just off Route 1 and up Route 72 / 711, the land that sits between Miðfjörður and Húnafjörður is abundant with wildlife and lighthouses alike.
Although you can see the seals at various places along the coast, (we stopped not far from Hvammstangi for a walk and spotted seals!), the two best locations are at Svalbarð farm and Illugarstaðir farm. From here walk along the coast to see the seals in their natural habitat. Early mornings and evenings are best as the seals like to flow with the tides, but we were lucky enough to catch a few sunbathers early afternoon! If you don’t see any seals in the wild you can stop by the Seal Center in Hvammstangi instead.
Hvammstangi is a tiny but bustling village just a short drive off Route 1 onto the peninsula, where you can get your fix of seals and fresh fish all at once. With incredible views, and incredible food to match, be sure to eat a fresh fish dish at Sjávarborg before heading home for the night.
For staying in the north-west of Iceland we stopped at Sæburg HI Hostel along Hrútafjörður. This hostel is in the middle of the countryside with the most wonderful views over the fjord and even has its own geothermal hot tub. Until you are greeted with the natural warming waters of Iceland in an outdoor hot spring you have not experienced Iceland!
Sæburg HI Hostel – The farm hostel by the sea
📍 Situated on Route 1
📍 Open 1st March – 31st October
📍 37 beds in dorms and private rooms
📍 Parking on-site
📍 Outdoor geothermal hot tub with incredible views over Hrútafjörður! Just a short dash from changing rooms (also heated by geothermal waters!)
📍 Free Wifi
📍 Washing machine access
Iceland Ring Road Itinerary:
Day 3 – North Iceland
🚐 Sæburg to Dalvík – 3 hour 15 minutes / 245km drive
📍 Sights to see – Siglufjörður harbour, frozen seas & Dalvík port.
📍 Places to eat – Hannes Boy in Siglufjörður for the catch of the day & Gisli Eirikur Helgi Kaffihûs Bakkabrædra in Dalvík for fish soup and a beer.
📍 Where to stay – Dalvík HI Hostel
North Iceland is full to the brim with icy peaks, colourful towns and frozen seas. You can drive for hours yet still gaze in awe at the mountain passes, harbourside villages and frozen landscapes you drive through. For this leg of the trip, we decided to steer off the Ring Road and head even further north along Route 82 and Route 76 to visit Siglufjörður, Ólafsfjörður and Dalvík along the longest fjord in Iceland, Eyjafjörður.
With regular pure white snowfall set off against the bright colours of the buildings, Siglufjörður is quite possibly the most colourful fishing town in Iceland. With roughly 1300 inhabitants, Siglufjörður is about fishing first and foremost, so make sure you wander around the harbour, visit the Herring Era Museum, (herring fishing is what put Siglufjörður on the map), and enjoy the catch of the day in one of the many harbourside view restaurants.
You may also recognise parts of the town from the TV drama Trapped; if you haven’t seen it, go watch it!
Further along the route, after driving along countless cliffside roads and through mountain tunnels you reach Ólafsfjörður. Located halfway between Siglufjörður and Dalvík, Ólafsfjörður is a small village famous for being one of the first to use geothermal heating in Iceland as well as being largely isolated until the recent tunnels were built.
Most people choose to stay and explore around the capital of the North, Akureyri, but before you reach Akureyri you reach the town of Dalvík, meaning ‘Valley Bay’. With its mountain background and port-side views, Dalvík is a coastal town with great links for skiing, sea tours and hiking, so take your pick!
For our accommodation in north Iceland, we stayed with the wonderful Dalvík HI Hostel, and we can not recommend them enough. The owners are the friendliest people you could meet and run not only the main hostel but individual hostel cabins and a cafe in Dalvík called Gisli Eirikur Helgi Kaffihûs Bakkabrædra! Make sure you stop by to try the famous fish soup and Kaldi beer from a local microbrewery.
Dalvík HI Hostel – The hostel in a small town with big views
📍 Situated on Route 82
📍 Open year-round
📍 36 beds in dorms and private rooms
📍 Parking on-site
📍 The main hostel is situated on the main street of Dalvík, but we stayed in the Vegamot Old Farmhouse Cottage, originally the owner’s great grandmother’s house, then an old cow shed before being turned into the beautiful cottage it is now! It also comes with access to a Sauna and hot tub!
📍 Free Wifi
📍 Computer access
Iceland Ring Road Itinerary:
Day 4 – North East Iceland
🚐 Dalvík to Seyðisfjörður – 4 hour / 315km drive
📍 Sights to see – Goðafoss, Mýtavn, Hverir, Gufafoss & Seyðisfjörður.
📍 Places to eat – Berlin Cafe in Akureyri for breakfast & Skaftfell Bistro in Seyðisfjörður for pizza.
📍 Where to stay – Seyðisfjörður Hafaldan HI Hostel
The land filled with waterfalls, hot springs and lava fields, is the only way to explain the northeast of Iceland. You can’t take 3 steps without spotting another waterfall or steam rising out of the geothermal landscape! But before embracing the roaring nature of Iceland’s north, Akureyri is the perfect stop.
The unofficial capital of the north Akureyri is worth a visit even if you have never been to Reykjavík. The city vibe resonates with that of the actual capital and with its own landmark church, Akureyrarkirkja, alongside heart-shaped red traffic lights and unique city centre cafes and bars, it brings life and people to an otherwise expansive area of Iceland.
Upon leaving Akureyri there is a tunnel which you have to pay for within 3 hours of passing through, or an alternative longer but free route. We originally were going to take the longer route but ended up in the tunnel before we had a chance to think! Make sure you pay the tunnel fee in time as you will be landed with a hefty fee if not.
One of the most famous waterfalls in Iceland is Goðafoss, and rightly so. The sheer amount of water that cascades over the 30-meter-wide river before falling 12 meters is mind-blowing. You can most definitely hear it and feel the water spray before you see it.
Alongside Route 1 lies the volcanic Lake Mýtavn, where old lava flows and hot springs bubble away. The landscape is almost otherworldly throughout Iceland, but the area around Mýtavn is on another level, you could literally be on Mars!
Just east of Mýtavn Lake is the Mýtavn Nature Baths or the blue lagoon of the north. With the naturally heated pale blue waters that the blue lagoon is all too famous for, but with, in our opinion, more beautiful surroundings and fewer tourists due to being so remote.
You can easily spend a few hours soaking away in the mineral-rich waters, before heading a short distance down the road to hot springs you wouldn’t want to get in!
Hverir is home to bubbling hot springs and mud pots, with steam forcing its way out the ground faster than you can say wow, all in the shadow of Námafjall a giant volcano lake spring. You can walk up to the lake spring, but as we were now cooling down after our dip in the lagoon we chose to explore Hverir and the colourful hissing ground that surrounded us.
After taking in Hverir, leave Route 1 and head down, (well more like up and over!), Route 93 to Seyðisfjörður. The road goes up to an altitude of 600 meters, so even in the summer and with sunshine, it is cold with a lot of snow. On the drive into Seyðisfjörður, you will be surprised how many waterfalls there are.
One worth stopping at is Gufafoss, ‘Gufa’ meaning steam in Icelandic, which is one of 25 official waterfalls that flow along the River Fjarðará in the area. There are countless more cascading over the cliff faces higher up but if you counted them all you’d be there for years!
Seyðisfjörður has to be Iceland’s most colourful artistic town with its pretty blue church, Seyðisfjarðarkirkja at the end of a rainbow-painted road and beautifully decorated homes, murals and sculptures dotted throughout the place and all along the harbour front. It is a far cry from the snowy roads above!
Whilst in Seyðisfjörður we opted to stay at the Old Hospital HI Hostel. There are 2 HI Hostel you can pick from in Seyðisfjörður, but we chose the Old Hospital as it is situated within walking distance of so many attractions around the area and it is full of little quirks from being a hospital – we actually stayed in an old infirmary room! The arched windows used downstairs are also from the blue church in the town, so this hostel is all about history.
Seyðisfjörður Hafaldan Old Hospital HI Hostel – The historic hostel at the artistic town of the fjörds
📍 Situated on Route 93
📍 Open 1st April – 15th October
📍 60 beds in dorms and private rooms
📍 Parking on-site
📍 Situated in an old hospital with the new hospital next door
📍 Massive modern kitchen and dining area
📍 Beautiful timber clad walls
📍 Sauna
📍 Free Wifi
📍 Washing machine access
Iceland Ring Road Itinerary:
Day 5 – Iceland’s East Fjords
🚐 Seyðisfjörður to Vagnsstaðir – 4 hour 20 minutes / 320km drive
📍 Sights to see – Eggin í Gledivík, Hvalnes Nature Reserve & all the fjords!
📍 Places to eat – Sesam Braudhus in Reyðarfjörður for bagels & Vid Voginn in Djúpivogur for fish and chips.
📍 Where to stay – Vagnsstaðir HI Hostel
Fjords galore, nature reserves and scenic coastal drives is what the East Fjords of Iceland are all about. From the colourful Seyðisfjörður back to Route 1 at Egilsstaðir, the east of Iceland seems similar to that of the west coast, but then you reach Reyðarfjörður. The longest and widest of all the east fjords, Reyðarfjörður is one of the largest towns in the region yet still only has a mere 1100 people living there!
After stopping in Reyðarfjörður to grab breakfast, fill up the car and admire the first fjord of many, the driving just gets more incredible, more scenic and more coastal. Through Fáskrúðsjörður, Stöðvarfjörður and Breiðdalsvík every turn of the road leaves you wanting more.
The urge to park up at every pullover and go for a walk amongst the open grassy scenery is huge, (and believe me, we did a few times!), especially when you see your first glimpse of wild reindeer!
We made it to Djúpivogur before we had to give in and stop for a proper wander. Djúpivogur is a small town in the southernmost tips of the East Fjords, with boat links to the island of Papey, which is famous for its puffins. A pretty little harbour sits at the centre of the town, where you can sit and watch seabirds diving and sunning themselves before heading off around the coast.
Djúpivogur and the area surrounding it is full of seabirds, so much so that a sculpture by Sigurður Guðmundsson has been created called Eggin í Gledivík, or the ‘Eggs at Merry Bay’. It consists of 34 eggs, one for each seabird species of the area, with the largest egg created for the official bird of Djúpivogur the red-throated diver. From Eggin í Gledivík you can also spot the bright orange Æðarstein lighthouse if you haven’t seen enough already!
Just before the ring road starts heading north, is Hvalnes Peninsula, or ‘Whale Peninsula’, with its large beach, three horn mountains and of course a lighthouse. In the middle of the peninsula sits Hvalnes Nature Reserve, a vast (and extremely windy!), black pebble beach.
It is often teeming with whooper swans, which can be seen all over the country in April. Not only can you enjoy the crashing waves on the beach with next to no one but you also get a great view over the spiky horn mountains Vestrahorn, Brunnhorn and Eystrahorn.
Continuing further down Route 1 you reach the famous Vatnajökull National Park. Even driving along you get a real sense of how much life is within the park, with fields full to the brim with barnacle and greylag geese and with oystercatchers and common redshanks darting across the sky left, right and centre!
If you are looking to stay within the Vatnajökull National Park then Vagnsstaðir HI Hostel is a fantastic place to book. Situated on a working farm and with incredible views over the surrounding landscape, it is a piece of tranquillity to rest your weary head at.
Vagnsstaðir HI Hostel – The hostel at Vatnajökull National Park
📍 Situated on Route 1
📍 Open year-round
📍 76 beds in dorms and private rooms
📍 Parking on-site
📍 Expansive views over the surrounding landscape of the national park
📍 Free Wifi
📍 Breakfast option
Iceland Ring Road Itinerary:
Day 6 – South East Iceland & Vatnajökull National Park
🚐 Vagnsstaðir to Vík – 2 hour 30 minutes / 220km drive
📍 Sights to see – Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, Diamond Beach & Svartifoss
📍 Places to eat – Sudur in Vík for local Arctic Char
📍 Where to stay – Vík HI Hostel
After waking up in the Vatnajökull National Park, what better way to spend the penultimate day on the Iceland Ring Road itinerary than exploring all the natural wonders it has to offer? Glacier lagoons, rugged mountains and reindeer herds fill the area alongside waterfalls and more views than you could shake a stick at!
Jökulsárlón is one such view that you have to experience in south-east Iceland. Jökulsárlón, or ‘Glaciers River Lagoon’, with its clear waters and bright blue icebergs floating and cracking on top is astounding to see.
The main car park is just before the bridge if you are coming from the east, but we would highly recommend you carry on and stop at the third pull-in after crossing the bridge. From here you can walk through, what seems to be nothing other than rocks, and straight towards the lagoon… You will not be disappointed, the views are so much more fulfilling with the glacier in the distance and the icebergs up close, and plus you are away from all the tour buses!
After visiting Jökulsárlón you can cross the bridge and stop at Diamond Beach, left after the bridge from the east. It can be quite cold and windy, but it is oh so worth it! With crystal clear pieces of ice washing up with the waves onto a black sand beach, it is a sight to behold.
Following along Route 1 you begin to pass through open flat black lava landscapes, with towering mountains topped with Vatnajökull and numerous glacier tongues. Both Skaftafellsjökull and Svínafellsjökull can be seen from Route 1, but due to the spring thawing access was closed due to ice calving and landslides.
To the west of Skaftafellsjökull lies Svartifoss, which can be accessed via a 30 minute trail walk. It is uphill and quite exposed at the top, but with views over the glacier tongues and landscape below, it is worth a wander up. There are also lots of other walking routes in the area, so if you’re into your hiking this is a great place to visit.
By now we had been chasing our first glimpse of puffins in Iceland for nearly a week. Everywhere we had been said they were about this time of year, but even at places we knew they should be, they weren’t. So as a last-ditch attempt to find the elusive puffin, we set out in the wind and the rain to Vík beach in the hopes of finding them…
It wasn’t until we noticed them all sat up on the cliff that we realised they had been flying around above our heads!
Vík is often the last place guides visit on a south coast tour, but why not stay a night or two and enjoy the wonderful black sand beaches? We did just that and stayed with Vík HI Hostel, on the edge of the town.
Vík HI Hostel – The hostel with village charm
📍 Situated on Route 1
📍 Open year-round
📍 37 beds in dorms and private rooms
📍 Parking on-site
📍 Breakfast option, made from local Icelandic breakfast of moss, herbs, veg and farm produce – including the eggs from the chickens at the hostel!
📍 Discount at the restaurant down the road, Sudur, and with the local zip line activity.
📍 Free Wifi
📍 Computer access
Iceland Ring Road Itinerary:
Day 7 – South West Iceland
🚐 Vík to Reykjavík – 2 hour 30 minutes / 190km drive
📍 Sights to see – Reynisfjara beach, Dyrhólaey, Sólheimajökull glacier & all the waterfalls!
📍 Places to eat – Gudni Bakkari in Selfoss for baked goods, The Hot Dog Stand in Reykjavík for an Icelandic hotdog with all the trimmings & Sky Restaurant in Reykjavík for the catch of the day.
📍 Where to stay – Reykjavík HI Hostels
From this point onwards the crowds start getting bigger and the roads more busy as you hit the Golden Circle Route and tourists doing trips from Reykjavík on the final day of the Iceland Ring Road itinerary. But that shouldn’t stop you from visiting the black sand beaches, crashing waterfalls and puffins that this area is so well known for.
Having spent the night in Vík, the most southerly village in Iceland, it’s time to explore what the area has to offer. The first stop is Vík í Mýrdal Church which has quite possibly the best views over the village. Even on a grey day, you can see the colourful rooftops of the town spreading towards Vík Beach and out to the Reynisdrangar Seastacks.
Just a short drive away along Route 215, around the other side of the cliffs you come across Reynisfjara.
Reynisfjara Beach is quite possibly the most photographed black sand beach in Iceland, if not the world. With views out to the Reynisdrangar Sea stacks and to Dyrhólaey at the other end of the beach, you can embrace the wind and rain, (of which it does a lot in Vík!) and see the incredible basalt columns, that can be found throughout Iceland, lining the beach.
Make sure you watch out for sneaker waves around here though, the seas around Iceland are harsh and you do not want to get dragged in.
At the other end of the beach lies Route 218 and Dyrhólaey, or ‘Door Hill Island’. Often home to lots of nesting seabirds, (including puffins!), the volcanic land is known for its arch that juts out into the North Atlantic. The area has an interesting history with submarines and volcanic explosions, and with incredible views over the south coast of Iceland, it is well worth a visit.
Back onto the ring road and from crashing waters to frozen waters. Sólheimajökull glacier tongue is a part of Mýrdalsjökull, the fourth largest glacier in Iceland. It is one of the most easily accessible glacier tongues in the south of Iceland, and although global warming is making it retreat an Olympic-sized swimming pool each year it is just as magnificent to visit.
Situated bang smack between the volcanoes of Katla, (which has been bubbling over for a few years now), and Eijafjallajökkull, (which had a rather large eruption back in 2010), makes Sólheimajökull and the surrounding area incredibly dangerous to visit alone. So check safetravel.is for any eruption of earthquake activity, stick to the designated paths, and do not walk on the glacier unless with a guide.
Further along Route 1, you start hitting up some of the most well-known waterfalls in Iceland. First up is Skógafoss, which is easily seen from the road so expect some other people here!
A quick drive further and you will reach Seljalandfoss, quite possibly our favourite waterfall in Iceland. Although not as big as Skógafoss it draws in the crowds as you can walk up to and then behind the waterfall. Just be prepared to get soaking wet!
A short walk from Seljalandfoss you can find Gljúfrafoss. Incredibly difficult to actually see unless you are willing to get wet, climbing through a stream and cave this waterfall is stunning purely as it falls between and behind a cliff face.
After all that water it’s time to hit the road and head to Reykjavík via Selfoss, an industrial town on the banks of the largest river in Iceland, Olfusá. With close links to the surrounding Golden Circle area, Selfoss is a great place to base yourself if you don’t want to stay in Reykjavík, and as Route 1 goes through the centre of the town, it is also a great place to grab a bite to eat for the road ahead.
Soon the waterfalls and mountainous lands give way to flat expansive built-up areas and the suburbs of Reykjavík. Although the capital is wonderful to visit and explore, we have to admit we were missing the roads less travelled in Iceland. However, Reykjavík has a way of bringing the Icelandic culture to life with modern architecture, incredible street art and of course the famous Icelandic hotdog.
So once in Reykjavík explore the capital until your heart is content, marvel at the murals and sculptures and enjoy the cafe culture. Wander the vibrant town and harbour before settling down in front of parliament or at Tjörnin, (The Pond), before grabbing a bite to eat with a view at Sky Restaurant.
There are so many options when it comes to accommodation in Reykjavík, from the high-end to the hostels. We stayed at two of the three HI Hostels in Reykjavík, (Downtown & Loft) and they are nothing like hostels! Loft HI Hostel has the biggest rooms we have ever seen in a hostel, and being so central it feels like a hotel more than a hostel.
Reykjavík Loft HI Hostel – The super-central hostel
📍 Situated on Route 1
📍 Open year-round
📍 92 beds each with ensuite bathrooms
📍 Street parking only – first come first serve
📍 Rooftop bar
📍 Central location to the main shopping area in Reykjavik
📍 It can be quite noisy with the neighbouring bars (especially Fridays and Saturdays!) so make sure you bring some earplugs!
📍 Breakfast option
📍 Free Wifi
📍 Computer access
Planning an Iceland Ring Road Itinerary
Rental car or campervan?
This depends on whether you want to spend your time in campsites or at some rather wonderful hostels. There are some stunning campsite locations around the ring road, but we would recommend renting a car and staying in hostels for your first trip.
Where to start
Pick your vehicle up from Keflavik Airport then head into Reykjavik. This is the best location to start your Iceland ring road itinerary as it gives you a chance to get some shopping for your road trip as well as see the capital city before you head off.
Groceries
Bonus is the cheapest and most affordable grocery store in Iceland, (it is similar to Aldi in Europe), and it has locations across Iceland. Kronan is also a great budget store to stop in, but with a larger selection of fresh food. If you are after things other than just food then Netto is a great option.
Petrol stations / gas stations
There are manned petrol stations, some with unmanned pumps, across Iceland. The main ones are N1 and Olis and they often have a small selection of groceries as well as fresh hot dogs. Always be sure to stay topped up on fuel as once you are away from the main towns they aren’t as easy to find.
Internet access
If you are in the main towns and cities along the ring road you will get internet access, however, wifi can be spotty elsewhere. The best option is to download Google Maps for along your route and ensure that you have a satnav with the car.
East Iceland South Iceland West Iceland North Iceland
Affordable Iceland City Guide – Reykjavík
The Do’s and Don’ts along the Iceland Ring Road
📍 Do eat petrol station hotdogs, they’re cheap and a great snack if you don’t know where you will be able to stop for food next.
📍 Don’t stop on the side of the road, not only is this really dangerous to do in Iceland due to the fast-moving traffic in places and quite often dangerous locations you might end up being, but it will damage the wildlife which Icelanders try so hard to protect.
📍 Do fill petrol every time you see a petrol station, you don’t know how far down the road the next one will be, and you don’t want to end up in the middle of nowhere with no fuel and potentially no help for a long time.
📍 Don’t take cash, most places we visited took card only so why bother with taking cash that you will probably forget about and accrue an obscene amount of change from!
📍 Do plan for the weather, there is a saying in Iceland that if you don’t like the weather wait 5 minutes. Now we didn’t have horrendous weather whilst we were doing our Iceland ring road itinerary but boy if it’s warm and sunny one minute you can bet it’s freezing wind blowing the next! Just be prepared and take lots of layers / wet weather gear just in case.
Where to stay on the Iceland ring road – Accommodation on the Iceland ring road
For our trip, we were travelling around with HI Iceland, a non-profit organisation that is part of the world-renown Hostelling International network but with an Icelandic difference.
Staying in hostels often gets a bad reputation as being full of young student types who stay up to ungodly hours partying the night away. Well, you can put that reputation to one side when staying at the unique hostels around Iceland! They are the most well kept, quiet and family-friendly hostels we have had the pleasure of staying in.
We visited during April so although they may have been quieter than peak seasons, we can not imagine them getting particularly rowdy!
HI Iceland have also made it their mission to support sustainable tourism across their 34 hostels around Iceland, including introducing a car-sharing scheme for travellers without access to a car and including locally grown produce in their breakfasts. Each hostel also helps to minimise any negative environmental impact through responsible tourism and cultural diversity at all hostels.
The HI Hostels are called ‘Farfugla-heimili’ which means ‘Home of migratory birds’ in Icelandic, so do as the birds do and migrate your way around the country staying at the hostels as you go!
Iceland Ring Road Itinerary FAQs
What is the Iceland ring road?
The Iceland Ring Road, also known as Route 1, is a road that encircles the entire island of Iceland. It is approximately 1,332 kilometres or 828 miles, long and connects between most of Iceland’s major towns and regions. Starting and ending in Reykjavik, it is the perfect road to road trip around Iceland.
How to get to Iceland
Getting to Iceland is fairly easy, it’s the getting around Iceland that can be a bit more difficult, especially in the winter. The main international airport to fly into is Keflavík, which is where nearly all the tourists will fly into. You can however also arrive at Akureyri the capital of the north. We opted for Keflavík as we wanted to start in Reykjavík and then loop around the Ring Road for our Iceland road trip.
Driving in Iceland / Hiring a car in Iceland
Getting around Iceland we decided on hiring a car and staying at various HI Iceland locations along the way as it was still quite cold in some places in the north, so we didn’t fancy trying to keep warm in a campervan.
Hire your car through Rentalcars.com for the best deals.
During the time of year that we were visiting, (mid-April), we only encountered snow on the roads in the very east of the country over the high mountain passes before descending into Seyðisfjörður. This is fairly typical of this time of year, but Iceland has very changeable weather, so be prepared in case you do need to drive in snow or extremely windy conditions.
Best time to visit Iceland
Having visited Iceland a couple of times now, (with more trips planned!), we would have to say there isn’t a ‘best month’ to visit. Our first trip was in December and our second April, and both gave us such a different feel to the country and experiences that we really couldn’t suggest one over the other.
Best time to drive the Iceland ring road?
If you want to drive the ring road though, we would suggest visiting when the snow isn’t at its worst as it can often shut parts of the route. For context, there was no snow when we visited in December but there were still areas of snow in April. The late spring, summer or early autumn are the best times to drive the ring road in Iceland.
Why road trip on the ring road in Iceland?
The land of fire and ice is somewhere you have to visit at least once in your lifetime, and a road trip across the whole country is the perfect way to do it.
Iceland is unlike any other place on earth. There are literally volcanoes popping up that you can watch forming new land and glaciers so large you can hear them groaning from their own weight. Plus, the food is amazing and the people even more so.
Are 7 days enough for the ring road in Iceland? How many days do you need on the ring road in Iceland?
We spent a total of 7 days doing our Iceland ring road itinerary, and it was perfect. Firstly, yes, a week may seem like a short amount of time to explore the entire ring road, and yes if you have longer to travel then, of course, do it, but we had limited time and never felt rushed to get anywhere. We enjoyed the open road and beautiful landscapes that filled our view every day to their full potential.
Should you drive the Iceland Ring Road clockwise or counterclockwise?
You can drive the Iceland ring road both clockwise and counterclockwise, neither is better than the other in our view. For our Iceland ring road itinerary we drove the ring road clockwise as we had previously visited the south coast of Iceland and figured if we loved other areas as much, we could just cut a couple of days along there, (spoiler alert we didn’t cut the days, Iceland is too beautiful to just drive straight through!).
Can I drive the Iceland ring road in winter?
The best time to drive the Iceland ring road is from May through to September. Out of these months it isn’t impossible to drive the Iceland ring road, (we did in April), but you have a much higher chance of coming across snow and the weather that is more unpredictable, which could mean last-minute change of plans or even turning back the way you have come.
Do I need a 4×4 to drive the ring road in Iceland?
No, you won’t need a 4×4 to drive the ring road in Iceland. You will only need a 4×4 if you plan on going into the Highlands, or down any long gravel roads.
How far in advance should you book your Iceland ring road trip?
We booked our Iceland ring road trip 9 months in advance of going to Iceland as we wanted to ensure that we were able to stay in all the various locations across Iceland as well as get a hire car. We needn’t have worried as we were travelling in the shoulder season and a few of the hostels only had us staying! Iceland is however getting more and more popular with tourists, not all venture all the way around the ring road, but you should book your trip as soon as you can so as not to be disappointed.
What are the regions of Iceland?
Iceland has eight regions varying from the rugged terrain of the Westfjords to the Capital Region home to Reykjavík. We visited six of the eight regions during our Iceland road trip and each one was a joy to discover. Starting in the Capital Region we drove to the West, Northwest, Northeast, East and South before returning back to Reykjavík.
There is often another region that is talked about called the Highlands, which actually overlaps many of the other regions. It is seen as the true heart of Iceland, free from many people and often quite difficult to get to without the use of a very good 4×4!
Is Iceland expensive to visit?
We’ve covered this topic a lot more in our Affordable Trip to Iceland post, but the jist of it is, yes Iceland can be expensive to visit, but only if you don’t know some really useful tips and tricks to make it a whole lot cheaper. If doing an Iceland road trip, it actually seemed to be cheaper than if we had stayed put in the capital as we managed to get out and visit places that the tourists often don’t so there aren’t as many expensive options.
Which is better the Golden Circle or Ring Road?
The Golden Circle and the Ring Road are two very different types of experiences to have in Iceland, both of which we would recommend. For a first trip to Iceland, (and especially if you have only a few days), then a tour around the Golden Circle route is a fantastic way to spend a day experiencing Icelandic landscapes and learning about Icelandic culture. If you have more time then that is when you drive the Ring Road.
Personally, we much preferred driving the Ring Road, but only as we had visited the Golden Circle on a previous trip to Iceland so had some idea about the history and nature of the country. It is also much less touristy as many visitors to Iceland don’t venture past South Iceland.
How long is the ring road in Iceland?
The Ring Road in Iceland, also known as Route 1, is approximately 1322km or 820 miles long.
Conclusion: Iceland Ring Road Itinerary
After driving 2040km, we have well and truly explored the entire ring road of Iceland and everything in between! Our trip to Iceland has been the most incredible journey we have been on. From snowy mountain peaks to black sand beaches, lava fields to glaciers, you can NEVER get bored of Iceland!
So a massive thank you to HI Iceland for helping put this together and thank you to all of our wonderful hosts across the country, I’m sure we will be seeing you again! And yes, it is possible to drive Iceland’s Ring Road in 7 days, especially with our Iceland ring road itinerary to help!
Be sure to check out our other Iceland posts for even more tips and suggestions!
All Our Iceland Content
Here are a few other articles you may find useful for planning your trip:
📍 Why Is Iceland So Expensive: How To Have An Affordable Iceland Trip
Planning your own Iceland Ring Road itinerary? Make sure you check out our Travelling Tedaldi Amazon Store Travel Guides for all your guidebooks and maps. (We’ve done the hard work for you and linked all the things we used to plan our trip!)
This post has been produced in collaboration with HI Iceland. Although we were gifted the accommodation (and a few breakfasts!) during our time in Iceland, our opinion of HI Iceland and the individual hostels we stayed at is our own and has not been influenced.
Gemma Tedaldi
Gemma is the owner and author of The Travelling Tedaldi, a travel blog helping travellers to discover the best road trips and travel itineraries throughout the UK and Europe. When she isn’t writing about her favourite travel destinations, she can often be found out exploring local hikes or planning future trips.
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