Those who know us know that we have always fancied the idea of putting 4 t-shirts and 2 pairs of pants in our backpack and heading off to Asia. But we are increasingly craving the coolness of the north and the road trip vibe, and if we put these two elements together there is an obvious answer: ICELAND.
For many years it has been rumbling around in our travel diary, without materializing, until we got together with two other backpackers to make this dream come true. In this post you will find the10-day route in Iceland that we did, together with our friends Claudia and Jairo, following the Ring Road . In our opinion, this is the most complete itinerary to see the essentials of Iceland in a circular route .
We will take back wonderful memories of Iceland, epic landscapes and scenic roads , finding cheap restaurants and happy hours , and songs that will never be heard on Spotify. But let's get to what interests you... With 10 days you will have more than enough time to meet two essential objectives: leave with the feeling that you have seen a unique country, and be certain that you will return. Iceland creates dependency, just so you know.
Best 10-day itinerary in Iceland
First of all, time. Why 10 days? We think it's the minimum and sufficient time to complete a circular tour of the entire island, visiting the main points of interest, but without running out of steam (or at least not too much). Also, if you travel in late spring or summer, you can take advantage of the long days to have very productive days in terms of travel.
Secondly, transportation. Why rent a car? It is certainly the most efficient and cheapest way to travel around Iceland. We had read that a 44 is recommended, but for the type of trip we did, we dont see it as essential either. Many travelers, due to the high costs of food and accommodation, choose to rent a van . It is something we do not rule out doing in the future and, however, we recommend doing it well into spring, summer and early autumn. If you travel at other times, the car + accommodation combo is much better.
And finally, the itinerary. Why take a circular route? In Iceland, there is a main road (Route 1) that circles the island and makes it much easier to plan your itinerary. After the thaw, you can also take excursions to the central areas, but we do not recommend this for short trips or for a first experience in Iceland. In our case, we took the Ring Road in an anti-clockwise direction.
At the end of the article we leave you a map with the complete route , divided into stages with different colors, and in which we mark all the points of interest so that you can use them on your trip.
Ring Road
Popularly known as the Ring Road, Route 1 is a road that encircles most of Iceland and is the countrys most important transportation artery (which is why it is always kept in good condition). It is approximately 1,332 kilometers long and connects many of Icelands main attractions, so following it in different stages is an excellent option when planning a 10-day trip through Iceland .
Now that these aspects are a little clearer, let's look at the day-to-day of our 10-day route through Iceland:
Day 1
Arrival in Iceland
We left from Barcelona and landed at night at Keflavik airport , so the first day was really just arriving, picking up the car, going to the accommodation and praying for good weather the next day. But you have to start somewhere hehe.
- Accommodation in Keflavik: Kef Guesthouse
Day 2
Golden Circle
After a surprising breakfast literally, since we didn't know we had breakfast included, that's it! we set off for the first stop of this trip, and what a stop it was: the Golden Circle . This is a circular one-day route, one of the most touristic in the country, which offers a perfect preview of what we will find throughout the trip.
Waterfalls that will leave you speechless like Gullfoss, geothermal areas with geysers and fumaroles and a few other surprises, like the ingvellir National Park , where you will not only see the first Icelandic Parliament but also walk between the tectonic plates of North America and Eurasia. As this is one of the most popular excursions from Reykjavik , we recommend leaving early to avoid crowds.
We tell you which are the essential stops on Iceland's Golden Circle .
Before going to the hotel we made a stop at the Urridafoss waterfalls and we also went to buy some things at the Bonus supermarket , known for being the cheapest in Iceland (although we saw similar prices at Netto or Krnig) and some beers at Bu Din to celebrate the first day of the route!
- Accommodation: Riverfront Lodge Hella
Day 3
South Waterfalls + Vik (and surroundings)
The third day of the Iceland route was one of the most beautiful of the trip and full of emotions. It took us to visit lots of waterfalls (some of the most beautiful in the country, such as Seljalandsfoss, Gljufrafoss, Skgafoss, Kvernufoss and Stjrnarfoss) and to see the remains of the DC-3 airplane wreck , an old Cold War plane (less famous and more accessible than the one in Solheimasandur).
We also went through the town of Vik and its surroundings , which have some of the most iconic images of southern Iceland. Among them, for example, are the black beach of Reynisfjara or the cliffs of Dyrhlaey Cliffs . This day, take advantage of the opportunity to eat at the Pizzeria Black Crust. We recommend pizza number 5, with activated charcoal dough and Icelandic cheeses (and currant jam on the side).
In our post about what to see in southern Iceland you will find the descriptions of this part of the route.
- Accommodation: Fosshtel Npar
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Day 4
Southern Glacier Zone
This day started with an eye on the weather forecast, and we weren't very lucky with the weather. Although we were able to see most of the planned sites ( Skaftafell National Park , Svnafellsjkull glacier tongue , Fjallsrln Glacier , Jkulsrln Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach ), we had to skip the hikes in the Fjadrrgljfur and Mlagljfur canyons .
Still, we found the southern glacier area to be one of the craziest, most impressive and overwhelming we've seen in the country. Being able to see icebergs floating in a deep silence with your own eyes, having a gigantic glacier in front of you and finding yourself surrounded by ice everywhere, is not something you experience every day. We even saw seals swimming *_*. If you're feeling adventurous, there are several recommended tours in the glacier area, such as a glacier trek , a trek + visit to one of the ice caves or boat and kayak tours.
In the same article about what to see in southern Iceland you have the information about this part.
- Accommodation: REY Stays Small & Cozy Studio
Day 5
East Fjords
The East Fjords were one of the biggest surprises of the trip: we knew little about the area, but what awaited us instantly made us fall in love. The day started well: we saw a reindeer walking near the sea surrounded by snowy mountains in what was a totally unreal moment, but hey: welcome to Iceland!
We drove along scenic roads along the coast and others that crossed mountain ranges accompanied by huge walls of snow, on the way to Borgarfjararhfn , one of the best fjords to spot puffins. Although we were not lucky, and the season to spot them is between May and September, when they come to the coast to nest.
But what a surprise , the road to get there is absolutely beautiful , the surroundings leave you breathless and on the way back to Egilsstair , the town where we would spend the night, we stopped at a little green cabin that turned out to have one of the most amazing vending machines in the world And on top of that we met its owner (Mr Vending, we called him) who came to collect the coins. Everyone is able to see puffins in season, but catching Mr Vending is almost impossible!
And to top off the day, we went to Vk Baths , a thermal bath on the shores of a lake that was frozen at the time and where you can take a dip in its cold waters. For us, without a doubt one of the best thermal baths in Iceland .
Here is our detailed route through the East Fjords of Iceland .
- Accommodation: Skipalkur Guesthouse
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Day 6
Start of the route through the North (Myvatn)
If the road to get to the East Fjords drove us crazy, the one that took us to Myvatn , our first stop in the north, left us speechless. We had to cross a high plateau, surrounded by extreme peaks , all completely covered in snow except for the snake of black asphalt that marked the only escape route to the west. Seriously, the landscapes in this part of Iceland are out of this world.
On the way we stopped first at Stulagil Canyon , which we visited only from the main viewing point, and then at Dettifoss , the largest waterfall in Europe. And we arrived at Myvatn, which with its volcanoes, fumaroles, pseudocraters and blue hot springs also seems like another planet. We only stayed one night, but it is a good place to stop if you have more time.
In the post about what to see in the north of Iceland you have detailed everything to see in Myvatn and surroundings.
- Accommodation: Berjaya
Day 7
North (Akureyri + Vatnsnes Peninsula)
We have completed a week in Iceland and what better way to celebrate it than by visiting Akureyri , the most important city in the north of the island, the majestic Godfoss , the waterfall of the Gods, wooden Viking churches like Vimrarkirkja and wild peninsulas like Vatnsnes , where we ended the day watching the sunset with a group of seals.
We decided to skip Hsavk for several reasons, but basically because we didn't have enough time for more. But if you manage to find an extra day and spend it in Myvatn, keep in mind that boat tours to see whales leave from this town in the north . We also ruled out going into the Trllaskagi Peninsula , or "the trolls' peninsula", which apparently has some very cool landscapes, so make a note of it!
Remember that you have detailed information about each point in the article about northern Iceland .
- Accommodation: Guesthouse 46
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Day 8
Snaefellsness Peninsula
It was time to visit one of the places that, for many, is one of the most beautiful places to see in Iceland: the Snaefellsness Peninsula . It is often described as Little Iceland , since this small strip of land has a bit of everything (glaciers, waterfalls, volcanoes, picturesque villages, wooden churches, basalt columns). We were not very lucky in terms of the weather (although at least it didnt rain) and yet it was clear to us that the landscapes in this area are on another level.
Although in terms of kilometres they are not great distances, it is highly recommended to dedicate a whole day to it since there are various plans , from small treks to volcanoes, getting on an abandoned fishing boat, putting together a mini-street art route, or spotting seals taking a good dip.
Here we tell you everything to see and do on the Snaefellsness Peninsula .
- Accommodation: Vatnss 10
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Day 9
Reykjavik
The four of us arrived without much enthusiasm, and who wants to visit Reykjavik, a city that is boring and dull on paper, after having spent the previous 8 days climbing volcanoes, bathing in hot springs, seeing glaciers and powerful waterfalls Well, not many. But hey, maybe it was because we coincided with the first day of Icelandic summer, the sun was shining brightly and half the city was out on the streets, but Reykjavik seemed to us to be a colorful, fun and welcoming city .
We arrived at midday and in one afternoon we had time to see the basics of the city, and finish at the Lebowski Bar toasting with some white Russians .
In the post about what to see in Reykjavik we tell you everything you can do to have a great time.
- Accommodation: Hotel Odinsve
Day 10
Krysuvik Geothermal Area + Blue Lagoon
Oh, the trip is coming to an end, but if, like us, your flight is in the afternoon, you better start the day early and visit two places that are very close to Keflavik airport. The first is the Krysuvik geothermal area , to walk once again in a Dantesque setting of fumaroles, mud lagoons and stones of a thousand shades of yellow and brown.
And the second is the legendary Blue Lagoon , the most popular hot springs in Iceland. We didn't have the time (or the desire to pay the expensive entrance fee, to be honest), but if you have the desire and the budget, we think it's the perfect way to end this great trip.
And you know what? Iceland had one last explosive surprise in store for us: when the plane took off, we flew over the Grindavik area and could see its volcano spewing smoke and lava. It was one of those moments that gives you goosebumps!
Map with the 10-day itinerary for Iceland
Even though the Ring Road is nothing more than a circular route, it is much easier to imagine it if you see it drawn on a map , especially if it includes all the stops you will make during the trip. So to help us (and help you) plan this complete itinerary through Iceland, we have made this map, with different colors for each section :
As we said: 10 days in Iceland are a lot of fun, but they will also leave you wanting more. We are sure that we will return and on our next trip we would love to explore the forgotten western fjords, visit a waterfall in the south again and the glacier area with better weather (if Odin listens to us hehe). Did you like our 10-day itinerary in Iceland ? If you have any questions, we are here.
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