Iceland Ring Road In 7 Days – Here’s Your Step By Step Itinerary

This is a long post, so I’ll keep the introduction short. Here is my complete guide on driving the Iceland ring road in 7 days. I’ve written it so you can load it when you start your trip, then follow along step-by-step as you drive the ring road (Route 1). I hope it can take the stress out of planning for you and help you to plan your own road trip.

Iceland Ring Road In 7 Days – Here’s Your Step By Step Itinerary

Disclaimer:

I am an affiliate with Booking.com.

Renting a campervan

I chose to rent a campervan from Kuku Campers because of their prices, reviews, and sense of humor on their website.

Here’s my complete guide to renting a campervan in Iceland for more information.

When is the best time to go?

If you want to drive the Iceland ring road in 7 days, it’s best to do it when you have a lot of daylight. This will give you more time each day for seeing the sights so you don’t spend all your time driving and seeing sights in the dark.

Summer (June – August) is the peak season. During this time you’ll get the most daylight, but the highest prices and the biggest crowds.

If you can visit on the shoulder season like I did in May, it’s a good way to get long days but avoid the high cost and crowds.

Which is the best way to drive the ring road in Iceland?

It doesn’t matter too much which way you drive the ring road.

I recommend checking the recent weather conditions with the van company when you pick up your van though. You can let the weather decide which way you go.

For example, when we picked up the van, the staff recommended driving towards Vík because the weather going the other way was bad at the time. This dictated which way we drove the ring road.

Read these tips for driving the Ring Road before your trip to prepare.

How much does it cost to camp?

Most campsites were around $20-$30 USD for an overnight stay for two people.

Creating your itinerary

There’s a lot to see on the road trip and you could easily take a lot longer to experience it all. Annual leave is not endless though, so sometimes you gotta squeeze the whole Iceland ring road in 7 days for your holiday.

My itinerary is focused more on outdoor adventures.

If you like museums, there are a lot in Iceland, but I didn’t visit any on this trip. It would be worth looking up some of the museums to add them to your itinerary if you want to visit them.

If you enjoy being in nature, this is the itinerary for you.

Day one

Since the goal is to drive the Iceland ring road in 7 days, you want to maximize your time.

It might be worth having your travel days outside of the 7 days that you will be driving the ring road if possible. If that’s not possible, try to book flights to arrive in Iceland in the morning and depart at night.

Depending on when you arrive, you might need to adjust the itinerary a little, but I’m writing it as if you will arrive in the morning.

Pick up your van

First thing’s first, you’ll need to get your van sorted. I booked with Kuku Campers and booked an airport pickup to maximize time. They took us directly to the office in Reykjavik to pick up the van and our sleeping gear.

Groceries

From there, stop at a grocery store and get your food organized. If you rent with Kuku, there is a Kronin grocery store about a 2-minute drive from where you pick up the van. After you get your groceries, you’re ready to get on the road.

We mostly bought breakfast and snacks for during the day, then went out for dinner most nights to make sure we were putting money into the local economy. But you could also make your own meals at each campground at night.

We stopped at SaeGriffin first to get one of the famous Lobster Soups before we made our way to the first stop. If you have the time, it’s a great idea to stop and try one. Otherwise, you could just get started on the ring road.

Seljalandsfoss

The first stop is the mighty Seljalandsfoss which is just under 2 hours drive away.

It’s a popular waterfall on the Golden Circle route just off the side of the ring road. You can stop here to simply take a photo of it, and you can also follow the path to stand behind the waterfall. It can be a little slippery, but it’s an easy path to walk.

Skógafoss

The next stop is another impressive waterfall, only a short drive down the road. Skógafoss is another stop where you can walk up to take a photo of the roaring falls or go for a short hike.

If you are facing the waterfall and look to your right, there is a hike up the stairs to the top of the waterfall to give you another perspective.

Solheimasandur Plane Wreck

After your double waterfall adventure, you can visit the iconic Solheimasandur Plane Wreck which is about 15 minutes drive down the road.

There is a parking lot on the side of the road, then you will walk along a flat, gravel path to the plane itself.

It’s an easy hike and takes about an hour to walk each way.

Read my full review for the Solheimasandur Plane Wreck with safety tips before going.

If you have more time on day one

If you have more time on day one, I recommend seeing more of the Golden Circle sights while you are in the area, and you can find these on day 7 of this itinerary.

Day one campground

Vík is a great place to camp on your first night of driving the ring road and we camped at Vík Camping. It was closed so we didn’t get to use the facilities, only the site to park our van.

If you prefer hotels, here’s the Vík page on Booking.com where you can usually find a good deal.

Other ideas

If you’d like to soak in a naturally heated river and don’t mind a hike, you could start with Reykjadalur Hot Spring Thermal River as your first stop of the trip.

Alternatively, you could visit the Seljavallalaug thermal pool, Iceland’s oldest man-made pool, in between the waterfall stops.

I recommend skipping the Blue Lagoon – I have a better option for you further in the itinerary.

Day two

Black sand beach

I recommend visiting the black sand beach with views of the Reynisdrangar rock formations before leaving Vík.

You can park near the N1 gas station and walk to the beach from there. The rock formations are easy to see from the beach and you’ll be able to find a spot along the black sand to get a nice photo of them.

Don’t get too close to the water though as the waves and currents can be strong here.

Wool shop and Lamb soup

Before you leave this rest stop area, I recommend the traditional Icelandic Lamb soup at the cafe joined to the gas station.

There is also an Icewear wool store in the same lot. If you need any winter gear for the trip, they have a lot of good quality options.

Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon

The next stop is the Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon which is a short drive off the ring road. We took the drive, but it was closed when we visited due to the weather. It looks impressive from the photos I have seen.

At the canyon, you can observe it from the viewpoint or take a short hike to the top.

Svartifoss

The next stop will take you into the Skaftafell National Park about an hour from the canyon.

There is a visitor center which is a good place to start because they have the latest weather updates and information on the trails. There are a few hikes to do so you could spend more time here, or choose a different hike depending on which trails are open.

I chose to do the Svartifoss trail to the most unique waterfall I’ve ever seen. It was an easy hike, just a little steep, and took just under 1 hour each way. The waterfall was nestled in a huge, dark Basalt backdrop that has been naturally chiseled in a way that looks like a huge organ.

After the waterfall, you can go back the way you came or follow a long loop trail back to the visitor center with impressive glacier views. I did this and spent some time exploring the area.

Diamond Beach

The next stop is Diamond Beach about 45 minutes away.

Diamond Beach is a really cool place because you can walk along a black sand beach that is lined with icebergs. It is a magnificent sight to see and you can easily spend some time walking along the beach and soaking it all in.

Jökulsárlón (Glacier Lagoon)

After Diamond Beach, you can head across to Glacier Lagoon. Both Diamond Beach and Glacier Lagoon are popular spots and you can expect a crowd there.

This is another place where you will be reminded that you’re in Iceland. It’s a beautiful, blue lagoon filled with large icebergs. You can be looking at the water and see a big block of ice float by which is like nothing I’ve ever seen. Keep an eye out for seals swimming in the water too.

There are a couple of snack shops in the parking area here.

Day two campground

We camped at Camping Höfn overnight. It had a heated common area with basic kitchen facilities and bathroom block with toilets and showers. We even saw a Reindeer grazing here at breakfast time!

Let me warn you that you have to pay for hot water though, so take some coins with you to the shower. The staff didn’t let us know when we checked in so I was unprepared and this was the coldest shower I’ve had in my life!

If you’re not camping, here’s the page for hotels in Höfn on Booking.com.

Other ideas

For seafood lovers, I recommend trying some Langoustine while you are in the Langoustine capital.

Day three

Vestrahorn

The first stop of day 3 is only about a 15-minute drive away where you will be exploring around the pointy Vestrahorn mountain.

You will go off Route 1 and on private land to park. The owner charges a small fee so after you park, go into the cafe to pay your fee and get your ticket.

You can spend a good amount of time here. We walked towards the mountains first and marveled at the epic scenery, walked amongst horses, and explored one of the first settlements.

Afterward, we walked back to the cafe then through the gate and walked away from the mountain to do more hiking at the cliffs, beach, and saw even more epic views.

Before you leave, stop at the cafe for a coffee and cake (I recommend the caramel apple cake – it’s delicious), and check out the huge whale bones on the ground outside.

Eggin í Gleðivík

Next stop will take you to the coastal village of Djúpivogur. It’s a little over an hour’s drive but will probably take longer because there are a lot of good rest stops where you can take some photos of the awesome coastal views.

In Djúpivogur, you can see the Eggin í Gleðivík. This is an interesting monument of egg sculptures along the water. Each large egg represents a different bird in Iceland and the birds are listed on the front of the egg.

It’s a unique work of art and interesting to see.

There is also a local handicraft and stone garden nearby.

Sveinsstekksfoss

If you had been having waterfall withdrawals, you’re in luck because Sveinsstekksfoss is just a 20-minute drive away.

It’s up a steep road and there is a small parking area, then it’s just a short walk to see the falls.

Folaldafoss

Folaldafoss is about 10 minutes away on the same road and also has a small parking area.

You can see the falls from a short walk from the parking area as well, so these are fairly quick waterfall stops.

Petra’s stone collection

Make sure you go back onto Route 1 and follow the coastal drive to Petra’s Stone Collection which is just under an hour away.

As usual on the drive, you’ll probably be stopping along the way to take photos. We saw some fish drying out on the side of the road which was cool to see.

It costs $12USD to enter Petra’s Stone Collection and it’s an attraction that started from one woman’s hobby of collecting stones. The collection is held at her home, and you will walk through the garden to view the stones. She has since passed away but the site remains open in her memory.

If you want to see this, you’ll want to budget your time earlier in the day because it closes at 6pm. We spent so much time hiking at the first stop that we were too late to visit the stone collection.

Day three campground

We camped at Camp Egilsstaðir which is an amazing campground.

It had a heated common area with laundry machines (for a fee), kitchen facilities, hot showers, toilets, and free wi-fi.

It was closed when we visited but the facilities were open and there was an honesty box for payment. It’s best to have some cash on you for places like this.

For a hotel, check out the deals on Booking.com here.

Salt cafe

If you are looking for a place to eat, I recommend Salt Cafe & Bistro which is only a couple of minutes away from the campground. Never thought I’d find BBQ in Iceland, but I had a great pulled pork burger here.

Day four

Rainbow path

The first stop of day four is to the town of Seyðisfjörður which is a scenic 30-minute drive away.

The drive into town is referred to as one of Iceland’s most extraordinary roads and is the road Walter Mitty longboards down in the movie ‘The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty’.

Seyðisfjörður is a small town on the edge of a fjord surrounded by mountains so it’s a gorgeous area.

Here you’ll find the rainbow path that leads to the church, which is a popular ‘Instagram’ spot.

It’s crowded and overrated in my opinion, but it’d be silly to not see it while you’re there. It’s a small town so it’s easy to spot as soon as you walk towards the water.

There is a craft store by the rainbow path, as well as a couple of cafes and restaurants.

Waterfalls

As you drive in or out of Seyðisfjörður you can stop at a few waterfalls along the way, like Gufufoss or Fardagafoss.

They’re easy to see and you’ll see the signs and parking area to pull off.

After you’ve seen those, you’ll link keep going on the scenic road and link back onto Route 1.

Rjukandi waterfall

Rjukandi is about an hour’s drive from Seyðisfjörður and is your next stop on the ring road. It’s easy to see from the side of the road, and there is a short walk up a steady incline to a lookout point to see it.

The drive from Rjukandi was very scenic and we stopped at a few of the viewing areas on the side of the road to look out at the landscapes and take photos.

I remember the lookouts by Hólsfjöll seemed especially other-worldly.

Dettifoss

The next stop was Dettifoss. This waterfall was about 90 minutes from the Rjukandi waterfall and is a short drive off Route 1 using either the 864 (gravel road) or 862 (paved road).

Dettifoss is an awesome one to see because of the sheer size of it. This roaring waterfall is Europe’s largest waterfall in terms of volume.

This is one of the main stops of north Iceland’s Diamond Circle so it is quite popular. You can expect a bit of a crowd and perhaps a tour bus or two, but there’s enough space to not be too cramped.

There are a few viewpoints for Dettifoss and walking paths to follow so it’s easy to spend a couple of hours here.

Hljóðaklettar rock formations

After Dettifoss, you could drive an hour further on the 864 to see the Hljóðaklettar rock formations. The road looked a little rough for this drive and we had already had the van break down once so we skipped this one.

Hverir

Hverir is seriously cool!

Here you will be able to walk through a geothermal field with boiling mud pits and steam vents spread out over the area. It’s very similar to Rotorua in New Zealand but with a different landscape.

While Rotorua has more greenery, Hverir feels like you’re on Mars.

Both have a distinct thermal rotten egg smell too.

You can also hike Mount Námafjall while you are here which you will see at the back of the geothermal field.

Day four campground

We camped at Hlid Camping (when you put that in Google Maps HLÍÐ FERÐAÞJÓNUSTA will come up). It was another great spacious campsite with all the facilities you need for your stay.

They also have cottages if you’d like to have a night off from the van life.

Gamli Bærinn

If you’re looking for a place to eat dinner, the Gamli Bærinn serves up tavern-style meals and in a cozy atmosphere. I got some awesome smoked trout here and a great fish and chips. Tomorrow will be a big hiking day, so make sure you get a good meal tonight.

Mývatn Nature Bath

Remember when I said to skip the Blue Lagoon because there’s a better option? This is it.

I recommend checking into the campground, then ending the day with a visit to the Mývatn Nature Bath. This was one of my favorite stops of the whole trip along with Hverir.

Mývatn Nature Bath is just as beautiful and just as blue as the Blue Lagoon, but half the price.

There are a few different pools to soak in and it was so nice that we stayed until they closed – they’re open until midnight from May – September.

Later in the evening, it started snowing and it was a magical experience to be in the warm water with snowflakes falling on your face while listening to others laugh and find it all just as magical.

Even though you’re driving the Iceland ring road in 7 days, you still have time to relax. Book your ticket online if you are visiting during a peak time and bring your own towel and swimwear to save money.

Here’s my full guide for visiting Mývatn Nature Bath.

Day five

Storagja cave

The first stop of the day is a look at the Stóragjá Cave.

It is only a couple of minutes away from the campsite and a short, flat hike to reach the cave. The path is easy to follow, then you will take the stairs down to the section below to reach the cave.

You will be able to peak through the rocks to see the warm, blue water and there is a rope to go in and get a closer look.

Swimming is not recommended here because of E-coli bacteria in the water, but it’s a cool spot to see.

The Grjótagjá cave is another one about 10 minutes away that you cannot swim in but you can go and see. Most people take a quick stop at this one because it was in a scene of Game of Thrones.

Hverfjall crater

The next stop is Hverfjall where you can hike a huge crater. It’s about 10 minutes away from the caves.

The hike takes you to the very top of the crater and is quite steep. It only takes about 20 minutes though and once you’re at the top, you can catch your breath and walk around the entire rim of the crater. The views, both of Mývatn and the inside of the crater are magnificent.

There is a toilet block at the bottom of the hike and it costs about 2 Euro to use them.

Dimmuborgir

The next stop is Dimmuborgir which is only 10 minutes away. If you are using Google Maps, use ‘Dimmuborgir Parking’ to get you there.

Here you can hike the easy walking paths through the lava field to see rock formations, caves, and lava pillars. You can also learn about the Yule Lads who are said to be found here during Christmas time. We were able to hike all the paths fairly quickly. The landscape all around you is incredible and you’ll probably take a lot of photos here!

After the hiking of the morning, it’s worth stopping at the cafe by the parking area for a coffee and cake. There is a souvenir shop there as well.

Hofdi

A little down the road is the next stop of the Hofdi nature reserve. Here you will be able to walk the flat, peaceful trails through the woods and by the lake.

The lake area is very scenic and you can also see rock formations that emerge from the water which is cool.

After this, you can head to Skútustaðagígar to see more craters, but the weather was starting to turn on us so we skipped it and went straight to Goðafoss.

Goðafoss

Goðafoss is a 30-minute drive away and is a beautiful waterfall that’s in the shape of a ‘u’.

After you park you can follow the trail to the lookout points to view it from the top. There is also a trail that takes you down to the bottom of the falls which is really cool.

I saw Goðafoss in a snowstorm and it was still an awesome experience, so I imagine it’s even better on a clear day.

Day five campground

We camped the night at Camping Hamrar which was another awesome campground.

The campground had great facilities and I even saw some cute bunnies hopping around the grounds in the evening.

If you won’t be camping, there are a lot of hotels in Akureyri. Find a great deal on Booking.com here.

Dinner

We went to Akureyri Fish and Chips for dinner and it was fabulous! It was also nice to walk around the town afterward and check out all the cool shops.

Day six

Hvitserkur

Day 6 had longer drives and fewer stops. First, you can take the just under a 3-hour drive to Hvitserkur with a couple of stops for photos along the way.

Here you can see the beach and huge rock arch from the top lookout point, or hike down the trail to walk along the beach. I recommend taking the trail and hiking because you might get lucky like we did and see a family of curious seals swimming in the water.

We took our time here and did a lot of walking around the beach area.

Kolugljúfur Canyon

The next stop was the Kolugljúfur Canyon which was about 45 minutes away.

The deep, waterfall-filled canyon is very cool to see and you can do some hiking on each side of it to get a closer look at it from different angles.

Day six campground

We backtracked an hour and a half on this day but it was for good reason – to camp at the coolest campground of the trip.

The facilities were not as modern here compared to the other campgrounds, but it had outdoor pools on site.

We spent the night soaking in the heated pools while it snowed around us, showered at the outdoor shower, then made dinner in a rickety grass-roof hut. It was a little rugged so I understand it may not be for everyone, but I loved it.

It’s a little out of the way, so you will want to have your own food to make for dinner. It looked like there was a cafe on-site, but it was closed when I was there so I would make sure you bring your own food just in case.

In Google Maps use ‘Grettirs Pool’ to get there. It was closed during our visit, but there was an honesty box for payment. If you just want to use the pool, you can pay the pool fee and swim, otherwise pay the camping fee to stay the night.

Alternative campground

Backtracking to stay at this campground meant that we moved through the rest of the Golden Circle at a faster pace. If you don’t want to do that, I recommend driving through to Borgarnes or even around Þingvellir National Park for the day 6 campground.

Day seven

You made it! Unfortunately, it’s the last day, but after today you will have driven the Iceland ring road in 7 days.

Our plan was to get started early and finished the rest of the Golden Circle. We were still able to see a lot, but we went through it at a faster pace. Our priority while driving the Iceland ring road in 7 days was to spend more time on the other hikes and less crowded areas.

Depending on the time of your flight and preferences, you may need to adjust the itinerary.

Kerið Crater

We drove through to the Kerið Crater which was a 4 and a half-hour drive.

This is another crater that you can walk around the rim of and you can also walk down the inside to the base of it. The colors make it quite a spectacle to see. There’s a small entrance fee to visit Kerið.

Geysir

Half an hour away is the Geysir Hot Spring Area. Here you will able to walk the grounds to see the hot springs and even watch the Strokkur erupt. It shoots water high into the air frequently so you won’t have to wait long.

Gullfoss

Gullfoss waterfall is 10 minutes away and is the last waterfall of this itinerary. It’s a large, popular waterfall that you can see from a couple of viewpoints.

Þingvellir National Park

Þingvellir National Park is a UNESCO heritage site and it’s here that you can stand on two different continents!

During my last trip, I snorkeled the Silfra and I absolutely recommend that if you have more time, but if not you can still walk to see the Silfra.

We walked the main loop to see where the first Parliament was held, the Silfra, and the drowning pool.

There’s much more to see here and you can also camp on the campgrounds there if you have an extra night.

Reykjavik

Lastly, visit Reykjavik to see the fish scale-like Harpa Concert Hall, Sun Voyager, Hallgrimskirkja, Lake Tjornin. You can also walk Laugavegur – the main street of the city and pick up any last souvenirs.

There’s obviously a lot more you can do in Reykjavik, but if you’re pressed for time, these are the main spots I recommend.

Here’s my guide on free and cheap things to do in Reykjavik for more ideas.

For parking, I recommend parking by the Concert Hall in the outdoor lot, or in the covered Kalkofnsvegur lot to avoid wasting time driving through town.

It would be quicker to park and walk in the city.

If you have time and didn’t get a lobster soup at the start of the trip, I recommend visiting SaeGriffin to get one before you leave.

For your Kuku Campervan, you can either drop it off at the office in Reykjavik and take the bus to the airport or pay extra to leave it at the airport to maximize your time (you need to arrange this ahead of time).

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