Driving Iceland’s Ring Road
Ring Road, Iceland
There’s nothing like a good road trip. Especially when driving past active volcanoes, blue icebergs, roaring waterfalls, and northern lights on Iceland’s Ring Road.
If you’re searching for an unforgettable adventure travel experience, a road trip around Iceland’s Ring Road will not disappoint. It’s difficult to describe in words. The country is visually captivating in a way I’ve not seen elsewhere.
Lurking around every bend a stunning new landscape reveals itself.
Driving Iceland’s Ring Road will expose you to bubbling geothermal springs, sparkling rainbows, beautiful horses, tumultuous waterfalls, and rugged mountains in a single day. Oh, and you may even catch the magic of the Northern Lights a few times too.
Now repeat for 7 days, throw in the occasional glacial ice cave or erupting volcano, and you’ll start to appreciate what traveling in Iceland is actually like. However you must experience the country for yourself to understand!
In this travel guide I’ll help you get the most out of a Ring Road adventure.
7 Day Ring Road Route
Driving Iceland’s Ring Road
If you haven’t figured it out by the map above, Iceland’s Ring Road encircles the entire country covering over 800 miles on Route 1. While you could technically drive the whole thing in less than 24 hours, the reality is it will take you at least a week with stops on along the way.
This is because you’ll be stopping a lot. Like every 5 minutes!
The photography opportunities in Iceland are incredible, and you’ll find yourself constantly pulling over for photos. I gave myself 7 days to drive the Ring Road, and almost didn’t make it back to Reykjavik in time. Weather can also be a factor if you are traveling in the fall or winter, as sudden snowstorms are common, and roads can be treacherous or even impassable.
I traveled the Ring Road in October and encountered a few snowstorms up north that slowed my progress a bit.
My Happy Campers Van
A Peek Inside the Van
Camper Van Rental
Renting a car for your Iceland road trip is essential. Sure, there are bus tours that drive the route, but a self-drive tour is the way to go. You can stop anywhere you want, for as long as you want, giving you complete freedom.
The guys at Happy Campers provided me with a camper van to drive the Ring Road in Iceland. The major benefit of renting a camper is that it covers your accommodation too, enabling you to pull over and sleep pretty much anywhere. No need to set up a tent or find a hotel!
It was perfect to maximize my time exploring & photographing landscapes. My van was equipped with a fold-down bed, sink with running water, electric cooler, gas grill, heating system, and a large solar panel to help power it all.
The vans are modern & easy to drive, fitted with studded tires which came in handy for a few icy mountain passes I encountered on the route. They also have 4×4 models available.
Exploring Iceland’s Back Roads
Planning An Iceland Road Trip
Gas Stations
Gas is expensive in Iceland at $2 USD per liter ($7.50 per gallon). Gas stations are easy to find around towns, but in the countryside they are less frequent. Some foreign credit cards may need to be used inside rather than at the pump. Fill up whenever you can, especially in winter, just in case you’re stuck in a snowstorm overnight.
Groceries
Stock up on groceries before you leave for your road trip. Iceland has a famous budget supermarket called Bónus that’s perfect for this. You can’t miss it — the logo is a funny giant pig.
GPS & Mobile Phone
You can buy local prepaid Icelandic SIM cards from the Vodafone store at Kringlan shopping mall in Reykjavik. This gives you access to GPS maps, emergency services, and local weather reports.
Accommodation
If you aren’t camping or sleeping in a van, you may want to pre-book accommodation depending on the season. You can try booking a cottage with FlipKey, or browse guesthouse reviews on Trip Advisor.
What Should You See?
I’d recommend picking a few highlights and loosely planning your journey around them. Most people start their Ring Road adventure from Reykjavik or Keflavik Airport. Below you’ll find my suggested itinerary with highlights you shouldn’t miss, plus adventure activities that must be booked in advance.
Thingvellir National Park
DAY 1: The Golden Circle
The Golden Circle is a short 1 day road trip which I covered in a separate article. It’s a great place to start your adventure. Some of the highlights include Thingvellir National Park where the Earth’s tectonic plates are being ripped apart, exploding geysers, and the impressive Gullfoss Waterfall.
After driving the Golden Circle, a good place to spend the night is around the town of Árborg. From here you can get back onto Route 1 and the main Ring Road route in the morning.
Rainbow at Skógafoss Waterfall
DAY 2: Rainbows & Glaciers
Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
You’re next stop is perfect for incredible sunrises, so wake up early! Seljalandsfoss Waterfall [MAP] rises some 200 feet in the air, with a short hiking trail that takes you behind the waterfall itself. Shooting photos behind the waterfall at sunrise can be difficult with all the spray though. Another good photo location is from a hill on the right, just be careful because it’s slippery climbing up.
Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
Skógafoss Waterfall
After that you can drive to Skógafoss [MAP], another massive & beautiful waterfall only minutes away. About the same height as Seljalandsfoss, but much wider and more powerful. Colorful rainbows are a common occurrence here. A wooden stairway brings you to a viewing platform on the top.
Ice Climbing with Arctic Adventures
Hiking Sólheimajökull Glacier
One activity you can’t do on your own is hiking glaciers. If you’ve never hiked a glacier before, I highly recommend it! The guys at Arctic Adventures have a few different glacier hiking trips that include ice climbing. If you’re driving the Ring Road, you can book a trip and just meet your guide at the glacier.
Sólheimasandur Plane Crash
Sólheimasandur Plane Crash
The abandoned airplane wreckage on Sólheimasandur Beach is one of Iceland’s most iconic photography locations. Back in 1973 a United States Navy DC-3 was forced to land on the beach after running out of fuel. You can drive out to the plane and explore what remains, if you know where to look. Luckily I wrote up detailed directions for you!
If you’re not camping out, the next best place to spend the night is in the coastal town of Vik. There are a few guesthouses, a hostel, small grocery store, and a restaurant.
Jökulsárlón Iceberg Lagoon
DAY 3: Icebergs & Ice Caves
Jökulsárlón Iceberg Lagoon
Breiðamerkurjökull glacier is slowly melting, with giant blue-tinted icebergs breaking off and floating into a lagoon. The ice collects on the shores while some pieces drift out to sea. Jökulsárlón iceberg lagoon is such a cool place (pun intended) that you can easily spend all day here. Don’t forget to visit the ocean nearby, where icebergs wash up on shore from the waves.
Icebergs Floating Under Route 1
Crystal Ice Caves
If you’re traveling to Iceland for photography, you can’t miss the Crystal Caves under Vatnajökull glacier. Melt water creats these insane natural ice tunnels, with sunlight filtering through the ice giving them a blue tint. The crystal caves are difficult and dangerous to reach, so you need to book a tour in advance. Safe to visit only in the winter.
The fishing village of Höfn is a good place to spend the night if you need a hotel or guesthouse. There’s also a HI Hostel in town.
Amazing Glacial Ice Caves
DAY 4: Rugged Eastern Fjords
Driving The Coastline
Ok, now you’re officially in the middle of nowhere. Eastern Iceland is an untamed wilderness of rocky mountain peaks, winding black-sand coastlines, and quickly changing weather. There’s a lot of driving here without many towns (or people). You’ll be weaving in and out of fjords all day. Pump up the jams and enjoy the beautiful Icelandic views.
Mountains on the East Coast
Beware Of Sheep & Reindeer
While there may not be many people, Eastern Iceland has plenty of sheep & reindeer. Yup. Reindeer! Make sure to keep your eyes on the road, because a herd can suddenly cross your path without warning. Pay special attention at night or in bad weather. In the winter sheep will be fenced in, but in the summer and fall they roam free.
Playing with Light Under the Northern Lights
Hunting Northern Lights
You should be searching for the Northern Lights every evening while driving the Ring Road, however on the East coast they were especially good for me. During my 7 day adventure I lucked out with 3 nights of strong aurora activity and clear skies. Night driving will actually improve your chances.
Hverir Mud Pools at Myvatn
DAY 5: Myvatn Geothermal Area
Snowy Mountain Passes
Fáskrúðsfjarðargöng tunnel (I dare you to say it out loud!) is 4 miles long and seems like it will never end. When it does, you’ll eventually be in the Highlands of Iceland. A barren stretch of flat land. In the winter it’s covered in snow, and Route 1 is the only safe road to travel on. In the summer you can explore more with a 4×4.
Snow Covered Mountain Pass
Dettifoss Waterfall
While I didn’t have time to visit this waterfall on my Ring Road adventure, you might. So I wanted to mention it here. Dettifoss [MAP] is the largest waterfall in Iceland by water volume. I totally regret not making the journey up here, and won’t make that mistake again on my next visit.
Myvatn Geothermal Vents
Námafjall Hverir
Pulling back onto Route 1 you’ll soon get to the Myvatn Lake area in Northern Iceland. Volcanic activity is high, with some fun hot springs & other geothermal features to explore. One such place is Námafjall Hverir geothermal area [MAP]. You can get up-close-and-personal with boiling blue mud pits or steaming fumaroles.
Spend the night in Iceland’s 2nd largest city and capital of the North, Akureyri. Or if you have a camper van like me, pull over anywhere.
Holuhraun Volcanic Eruption
DAY 6: Erupting Volcanoes
Holuhraun Volcano Flight
Akureyri has tons of activities to keep you busy, but one in particular was pretty special. Flying over Iceland’s most recent volcanic eruption, Houhraun. On August 2014 lava broke through the surface here and has been spewing rivers of molten rock ever since with no signs of stopping. Flying over the volcano in a small plane is reasonably priced.
Flying Over the Volcano
Whale Watching
Because I was waiting for weather to clear up for my volcano flight, I didn’t go whale watching. But it’s a very popular thing to do in the fjords around Akureyri. The whale season here is from June to October, where you can spot bottlenose, humpbacks and minky whales. You can learn more about whale watching in Akureyri here.
Kirkjufellsfoss Waterfall
DAY 7: Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Kirkjufellsfoss Waterfall
Depending on how much time you have left, you’ll either want to head straight for Reykjavik, or drive around the Snæfellsnes Peninsula (sometimes called “Little Iceland”). I drove all night in order to make time for the peninsula. It’s where you’ll find Kirkjufellsfoss, the most photographed waterfall in Iceland just West of the town of Grundarfjörður.
Old Abandoned Bus
Tips For Driving The Ring Road
How Long Does It Take?
Seven days is the minimum, but you’ll be pushing it. In fact I’d recommend 10 so you don’t feel rushed and have time to relax, maybe spend 2 days in one spot.
When Should You Go?
The best weather is during the summer, July & August. But the shoulder season of September & October can be good too. Prices are cheaper, less people are on the road, and days start to get shorter, giving you more chances to see the Northern Lights if it’s clear out.
Check The Weather
Weather changes quickly in Iceland. A sunny morning can turn into a snowstorm the same day. Bookmark the website Vegagerdin.is for real-time road conditions. They even have a smartphone app. ★
More Information
Location: Ring Road, Iceland
Car Rental: Happy Campers
Useful Notes: The Ring Road is paved with plenty of signs, so four-wheel drive is not needed unless you head off-road or are driving through heavy snow. My itinerary above is only a guide, actual driving time may vary for you (longer or shorter). There are tons of other activities & landmarks along the Ring Road, these are just some highlights.
READ NEXT: Iceland Photography: Land Of Fire & Ice
Are you planning a trip to Iceland anytime soon?
Experience made possible in partnership with LifeProof & Happy Campers. Content & opinions are my own.
This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.