Iceland Self-Drive Ring Road: 8 Days

Eight days is enough time to drive the full Ring Road and see Iceland’s defining landscapes without rushing through any of them. The Golden Circle on Day 2, the South Coast and glacier lagoon on Day 3, the Eastfjords, Mývatn, Akureyri, and West Iceland before you’re done. It is a full circuit of the country, and the pace is deliberately chosen to make it feel purposeful rather than hurried.

Price from 1559 EUR per person

This tour can be customized for following traveler types: 

TOUR CODE
SD-01
SEASON
May - Sept
travel style
Premium Self-Drive Tours
Duration
8 days / 7 nights
Destination
Around Iceland, East Iceland, West Iceland, North Iceland, South Iceland
accessibility
Moderate

The whole island, eight days.

This is Iceland Unlimited’s eight-day Ring Road self-drive, taking you through the Golden Circle, the South Coast and Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, the Eastfjords, the Diamond Circle in the north, Akureyri, and West Iceland before returning to Reykjavík. Eight well-paced days, with enough room to actually take it in.

We’ve driven these roads many times. We know which stops reward extra time, which detours are worth the turn-off, and where to be on a clear evening. That knowledge goes into your handwritten map before you leave.

Your Travel Consultant can extend the route, add a region, or shape the itinerary around what matters most to you. This is a starting point, not a fixed product.

We’re based in Iceland. We know the roads, the hotels, the weather, and more than a few places that don’t get mentioned elsewhere. Tell us what you’re looking for and we’ll build the trip around it.

The Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Reykjavík

dAY STARTS IN
Keflavík Airport
DAY ENDS IN
Reykjavík
DRIVING DISTANCE
~50 km / 31 miles (approx. 45 min)
About your day

Your Iceland adventure begins the moment you land at Keflavík International Airport, set on the volcanic Reykjanes peninsula where lava fields stretch to the horizon and the landscape tells you immediately that you’re somewhere unlike anywhere else.

This is your gateway to the Land of Fire and Ice, and when you travel with Iceland Unlimited, you’ll have a dedicated private transfer to the capital.

The drive to Reykjavík runs alongside moss-covered lava fields, giving you your first sight of Iceland’s incredible landscapes.

Once you’ve settled in at your hotel, you’re free to roam Reykjavík’s colorful streets and discover the world’s most northerly capital.

Stroll up to the landmark Hallgrímskirkja church, wander the waterfront for marvelous sea views, pose for pictures at the iconic Sun Voyager, and gaze in wonder at glass-fronted Harpa, the city’s gleaming concert hall.

Reykjavík is home to some of the best restaurants in northern Europe, and your Travel Consultant will have recommendations ready for you, designed to suit all tastes and preferences.

If you’re keen to explore further, you can jump right in with a food tour around the city, a relaxing soak in a geothermal spa, or a whale watching trip from the Old Harbor.

Optional — book through your Travel Consultant

  • Perlan Wonders of Iceland
  • FlyOver Iceland
  • Whale Watching, Reykjavík
  • Sky Lagoon
  • Helicopter sightseeing tour
  • Puffin watching from Reykjavík
  • Inside the Volcano Tour
  • Blue Lagoon, Reykjanes Peninsula
  • Food & Culture Walking Tour, Reykjavík

Suggested hotel: Hotel Saga (Superior) or Hotel Skuggi (Classic)

Day 2: The Golden Circle

dAY STARTS IN
Reykjavík
DAY ENDS IN
Hvolsvöllur / Hella area
DRIVING DISTANCE
~225 km / 140 miles
About your day

Collect your car and head east. Þingvellir National Park is the first stop, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates pull slowly apart. The rift between them is visible, walkable, and one of the more quietly extraordinary things you can stand in front of in Iceland. The Alþingi parliament was established here in 930 AD: the site carries that history clearly.

From there, Geysir geothermal field, where Strokkur erupts on its own schedule every few minutes. Gullfoss waterfall follows: two-tiered, thundering into its canyon, and impossible to walk away from quickly. Kerið volcanic crater makes a worthwhile stop on the drive south. Your Travel Consultant will have noted the viewpoints worth your time at each. Overnight in the Hvolsvöllur / Hella area, ready for the South Coast tomorrow.

Optional — book through your Travel Consultant

  • Silfra Snorkeling or Diving, Þingvellir
  • Snowmobiling on Langjökull
  • Geothermal Bread Baking Tour, Laugarvatn
  • Fontana Geothermal Baths
  • Laugarás Lagoon

Suggested hotel: Hotel Lóa (Superior) or Hotel Stracta / Hotel Lækur (Classic)

Day 3: The South Coast & Jökulsárlón

dAY STARTS IN
Hvolsvöllur / Hella area
DAY ENDS IN
Höfn area
DRIVING DISTANCE
~365 km / 227 miles
About your day

The longest driving day of the trip, and the one with the most to show for it. Seljalandsfoss comes first: walk behind it if the conditions allow, which in summer they usually do. Skógafoss follows, wide and powerful. Dyrhólaey headland is worth a stop for the views across the black sand coast before you reach Reynisfjara black sand beach is where the basalt columns rise in perfect stacks and the Reynisdrangar sea stacks stand offshore. Your Travel Consultant will make sure you know the wave rules before you arrive.

Across Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon, a narrow river gorge worth a short stop, then into Skaftafell in Vatnajökull National Park, the glacier tongue of Svínafellsjökull is visible from the road. Then Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon: icebergs the size of houses drifting in silence, blue-white and luminous. Diamond Beach is just across the road. Tonight, Höfn, Iceland's lobster capital. The drive is long; the destination earns it.

Optional — book through your Travel Consultant

  • Glacier Walk on Sólheimajökull
  • Katla Ice Cave Tour from Vík
  • Horseback Riding or Stable Visit, South Iceland
  • Caves of Hella
  • Lava Show, Vík
  • Glacier Walk, Skaftafell
  • Zodiac Boat Tour, Skaftafell
  • Amphibian Boat Tour, Jökulsárlón
  • Zodiac Boat Tour, Jökulsárlón
  • Kayaking on the Glacier Lagoon

Suggested hotel: Hotel Jökulsárlón (Superior) or Hotel Höfn (Classic)

Day 4: The Eastfjords

dAY STARTS IN
Höfn area
DAY ENDS IN
Egilsstaðir area
DRIVING DISTANCE
~250 km / 155 miles
About your day

As far away from the capital city as you can get, the Eastfjords promise peace and tranquility, breathtaking scenery, pretty fishing villages, and a unique mix of Icelandic culture and tradition.

The Ring Road hugs the shoreline as it winds up and down the steep-sided fjords, passing little farmsteads along the way.

The Eastfjords are ideally suited for slow travel, and you’ll find yourself yearning to stay here longer, to soak up the magnificent views.

Our itinerary takes you from Höfn to Egilsstaðir with scenic stops at Djúpivogur with its astonishing bird egg sculptures, Petra’s Stone Collection in Stöðvarfjörður, home to a unique geological exhibition built over decades by one local woman, and Fáskrúðsfjörður, where you’ll see signs of a surprisingly longstanding connection with French sailors.

The Eastfjords offer even more treasures for those who slow down to find them.

Many visitors miss these marvels. Our Travel Consultant will make sure your itinerary includes time to explore all that Austurland has to offer.

If your choices allow, you’ll also discover that Seyðisfjörður is worth the side trip, well-known for its beautiful Blue Church, colorful wooden and ironclad houses, waterfalls, and hiking trails.

The lakeside town of Egilsstaðir, the largest in the east, is a welcoming place to spend the evening, with a selection of great restaurants for dinner.

Optional — book through your Travel Consultant

  • Vök Baths, Egilsstaðir

Suggested hotel: Lake Hotel or Hotel 1001 Nótt (Superior), Hotel Hallormsstaður or Hotel Valaskjálf (Classic)

Day 5: The Diamond Circle

dAY STARTS IN
Egilsstaðir
DAY ENDS IN
Húsavík or Mývatn area
DRIVING DISTANCE
~240 –310 km / 149-193 miles
About your day

North Iceland has its own answer to the Golden Circle, and the Diamond Circle delivers it on a grander scale.

Leaving Egilsstaðir, the first stop is Stuðlagil canyon: a gorge of perfectly formed hexagonal basalt columns rising from a turquoise river, one of the most photogenic and least-crowded sights in the country. From there, head north toward Dettifoss and Ásbyrgi.

Dettifoss is the most powerful waterfall in Europe, a wall of water dropping into a mist-filled gorge. Ásbyrgi follows: a horseshoe-shaped canyon of such scale it takes a moment to understand what you’re looking at.

Húsavík is Iceland’s whale watching capital, with some of the best sighting records in the North Atlantic. Your Travel Consultant can arrange a boat trip before you arrive.

Overnight in Húsavík or at Lake Mývatn: your Travel Consultant will set the right option based on your pace and plans. Earth Lagoon at Mývatn makes an excellent evening add-on if you push through.

Optional — book through your Travel Consultant

  • Whale Watching, Húsavík
  • Midnight Sun Sailing, Húsavík
  • Earth Lagoon, Mývatn
  • Brewery Tour, Mývatn Öl

Suggested hotel: Hotel Laxá (Superior or Classic), or Fosshótel Húsavík if staying in Húsavík

Day 6: Lake Mývatn & Akureyri

dAY STARTS IN
Mývatn
DAY ENDS IN
Akureyri
DRIVING DISTANCE
~90–140 km / 56–87 miles (depends on overnight)
About your day

Mývatn rewards time. Spend your morning working through a landscape that looks assembled from a different planet.

The burnt earth of Námafjall, the pseudocraters at Skútuastaðir, the volcanic lava formations at Dimmuborgir, and the vivid Krafla crater with the bluewater lake of Víti: each one is worth a stop on its own.

 

Heading west, Goðafoss is the first major stop before Akureyri. The Waterfall of the Gods gets its name from a pivotal moment in Icelandic history: the chieftain Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði threw his Norse idols into the falls when Iceland adopted Christianity in the year 1000. Viewing platforms sit on both banks.

 

Akureyri sits at the end of Iceland’s longest fjord and punches well above its size for food. It’s a good place to spend an evening.

Optional — book through your Travel Consultant

  • Lofthellir Lava Cave, Mývatn
  • Horseback Riding, Akureyri area
  • Forest Lagoon, Akureyri
  • Whale Watching, Akureyri

Suggested hotel: Hotel Kea (Superior) or Hotel Akureyri (Classic). Note: Hotel Skáld expected to become preferred Superior option once open.

Day 7: West Iceland & Reykjavík

dAY STARTS IN
Akureyri
DAY ENDS IN
Reykjavík
DRIVING DISTANCE
~395 km / 245 miles
About your day

West Iceland is the Ring Road’s last stretch and one of its most rewarding. The route back to Reykjavík passes through some of the country’s most underrated landscapes, and there are stops along the way that are worth building time around. None of them are mandatory: your Travel Consultant will help you pick the ones that suit your pace. Before heading back to Reykjavík, West Iceland earns a few stops.

 

If you have time, Hvítserkur is worth the detour: a 15-metre basalt sea stack rising from the water off the Vatnsnes peninsula, one of the most striking rock formations in the north.

Kolugljúfur canyon is a short detour from the Ring Road: a narrow gorge with a waterfall at its head that most people driving past never find. Easy to miss, easy to add.

Grábrók volcanic crater sits close to the road and rewards a short climb: wide views across ancient lava fields in every direction.

Hraunfossar and Deildartunguhver are five minutes apart near Borgarnes and worth combining: hundreds of springs seeping from beneath a lava field into the Hvítá river, then Europe’s most powerful hot spring steaming beside the road.

From Borgarnes, the Ring Road brings you back to Reykjavík and your last night in Iceland.

Return your rental car, check in, and make the most of your last night in Reykjavík.

Optional — book through your Travel Consultant

  • Hvammsvík Hot Springs, West Iceland

Suggested hotel: Hotel Saga (Superior) or Hotel Skuggi (Classic)

Day 8: Departure Day

dAY STARTS IN
Reykjavík
DAY ENDS IN
Keflavík Airport
DRIVING DISTANCE
~50 km / 31 miles (approx. 45 min)
About your day

It’s your final opportunity to wander the colorful streets of the coolest capital city in the world, or to pick up a souvenir from one of its eclectic design stores. If you’d like to make the most of your last day, your Travel Consultant can arrange a visit to the Blue Lagoon on the way to the airport, or an extra night in Reykjavík if you want to go at your own pace.

If you have a late flight, enjoy a coffee and breakfast with a view from the Old Harbor, or take a last walk along the shoreline, gazing at Esja, Harpa, Hallgrímskirkja, and the Sun Voyager one more time.

When the time comes to leave, your private transfer will convey you to Keflavík in good time for your homeward flight.

There's only one question: when will you return?

Optional — book through your Travel Consultant

  • Extra night in Reykjavík or Blue Lagoon area – ask your Travel Consultant
  • Sky Lagoon, Reykjavík
  • Blue Lagoon, Reykjanes Peninsula

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What's included in the tour

Included

  • 7 nights accommodation (Classic, Superior, or Luxury) with breakfast included
  • Rental car of your choice for 6 days, unlimited mileage, CDW and SCDW included, VAT
  • One additional registered driver per rental car
  • WiFi hotspot in your rental car
  • 2 private airport transfers
  • Optional private meeting with your Travel Consultant in Reykjavík
  • A hand-drawn map of your route, personalized with recommendations, local tips, and your accommodations
  • 24-hour support while you travel
  • Taxes and service fee

Not included

  • International flights
  • Meals and drinks at restaurants (unless otherwise agreed)
  • Entrance fees unless listed above
  • Personal travel insurance
  • Gasoline
  • Road tax fee (charged separately by rental car company)

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Discover local activities and adventures

Let your personal travel consultant know what other activities catch your eye and we’ll add them to your custom-made trip itinerary.

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Your route

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Unsure and want to talk to a specialist?

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Unwind in the perfect accommodations

We handpick accommodations to ensure memorable stays for every type of traveler.

Comfort

Experience a higher level of comfort with our carefully selected comfort accommodations, each offering private facilities including a shower and toilet for your convenience and privacy. These lodges fall under the 3-star hotel category, providing a perfect blend of quality and value. Most properties boast an on-site restaurant where you can enjoy a variety of meals without needing to venture far. In Reykjavik, all comfort accommodations are ideally situated in central locations, giving you easy access to the city’s main attractions, shopping districts, and vibrant cultural spots. This category represents a significant upgrade in both comfort and service compared to budget options, making it an excellent choice for travelers seeking a cozy yet affordable stay. To make your mornings hassle-free, a delicious breakfast is included with your stay.

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Quality

Our quality accommodations feature spacious private rooms with en-suite bathrooms, offering the choice of a relaxing bath or a refreshing shower, along with a private toilet to ensure maximum comfort and privacy. These rooms represent the best available lodging options, found within prestigious 4-star hotels or the finest, highest-quality lodges across each region. In Reykjavik, all quality accommodations are centrally located, placing you within easy reach of the city’s key attractions, shopping areas, and vibrant dining and cultural scenes. These accommodations provide an elevated experience with superior comfort, thoughtful amenities, and attentive service designed to make your stay truly memorable. To enhance your visit, a complimentary breakfast is included each morning, helping you start your day well-nourished and ready to explore.

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Luxury

Our luxury accommodations feature exquisite suites and premium rooms within top-tier lodges and resorts, offering an elegant and sophisticated ambiance. Designed with refined decor and upscale touches, these accommodations provide a seamless blend of style, comfort, and exclusivity. Personalized services cater to your every need, ensuring a truly indulgent and tailored experience. In Reykjavik, all luxury accommodations are centrally located, placing you at the heart of the city’s vibrant cultural scene, fine dining, shopping, and key attractions. Whether you’re seeking a tranquil retreat or an immersive urban experience, these upscale lodgings deliver the perfect base. Classy, elegant, and supremely comfortable, our luxury options strive to provide a first-class stay marked by exceptional amenities, impeccable service, and attention to detail. Every aspect is carefully crafted to make your visit not just memorable, but extraordinary.

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Good to know

Prepare for your adventure with these essential tips and information for a smooth journey.

Contact us

Yes. Visitors can drive in Iceland with a valid driver's license from their home country. If your license is not in Latin script, an international driving permit is recommended.

We regret that we are unable to offer a full refund in the case of cancellation. The cancellation fee depends upon the length of notice and type of booking. Please refer to our Booking Information section “Cancellations.”

When you have submitted your booking and personal details through icelandunlimited.is a travel consultant will view the booking. They will crosscheck your booking and send you confirmation within 48 hours. Your credit card will be charged with a 20% deposit at that time. If our travel consultant is unable to obtain confirmation then an alternative will be offered. If you do not accept the alternative or Iceland Unlimited is not able to offer you an alternative, no charge will be made on your credit card. When your booking has been confirmed and your credit card has been charged, Iceland Unlimited will issue vouchers for your travel arrangements. Travel documents will not be delivered until full payment has been made. It’s optional whether we post your travel documents or arrange for you to pick them up on arrival to your holiday destination.

Absolutely. Iceland has some of the purest and cleanest drinking water in the world—straight from natural springs. No need to buy bottled water.

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