Guests ask us the same question at the desk in Keflavík every day: where should we drive? Our honest answer is that there is no bad route in Iceland. The whole country is nature, and every road has something worth stopping for. But some routes give you more for your days than others. These are the ones we send guests on, with the stops they come back talking about.
1. The Golden Circle: 1 to 2 days
The classic first loop, and close to the airport. From our desk it is about 1 hour 15 minutes to Þingvellir.
- Þingvellir National Park. Walk the path between the North American and Eurasian plates, then follow it to Öxarárfoss, the waterfall that drops into the rift. Go early in the morning and you will have it almost to yourself.
- Geysir. The big Geysir rarely erupts now, but Strokkur next to it shoots up every few minutes. Stand upwind.
- Gullfoss. A huge two-step waterfall in a canyon. Walk the lower path for the spray and the upper one for the view.
Many guests spend a night on the Golden Circle instead of rushing it in one day. Read our 3-day Golden Circle route for campsites and timings.
2. The South Coast to Skaftafell: 3 to 4 days
The route most of our guests choose, and the easiest to drive in any season. From Gullfoss it is about 1 hour 45 minutes down to the coast.
- Seljalandsfoss. The waterfall you can walk behind. Bring a rain jacket; you will get wet. A short walk further on, Gljúfrabúi hides inside a narrow canyon.
- Skógafoss. 60 metres of water right next to the road, and a staircase to the top with a view along the river.
- Reynisfjara black sand beach. A must. Black sand, the Reynisdrangar sea stacks and the basalt cave under Reynisfjall, just west of Vík. The waves here are dangerous and come much further up the beach than you expect: stay well back from the water and never turn your back to the sea.
- Skaftafell. Part of Vatnajökull National Park. The walk to Svartifoss, the waterfall framed by black basalt columns, takes about 1.5 hours return, and the glacier views are on the way.
- Jökulsárlón. About 50 minutes past Skaftafell: the glacier lagoon with icebergs, and Diamond Beach across the road.
Our realistic 7-day South Coast route lays this out day by day.
3. Further east: Vestrahorn and Stuðlagil
If you have a full Ring Road trip or a few extra days, keep going east.
- Vestrahorn. The mountain at Stokksnes, near Höfn, rising straight out of black sand dunes. It is on private land with a small entrance fee at the Viking Café. Best at sunrise or sunset.
- Stuðlagil. A canyon lined with basalt columns and a glacier river that turns turquoise in late summer. From the east-side parking it is a walk of about 5 km return down to the canyon floor.
4. The full Ring Road: 7 to 10 days
All of the above, plus the north: Mývatn, Dettifoss and Akureyri. Seven days is possible, ten is relaxed. Our 7-day Ring Road itinerary has the daily driving times and where to sleep each night.
How to plan your days
- Drive less than you think. 100 km on the map often takes 1.5 to 2 hours with stops. Three to four hours of driving a day is enough to enjoy it.
- Sleep at campsites. Overnight parking outside campsites is not allowed in a campervan. Use our campsite map, which also shows the sites open all year.
- Check roads and weather every morning on umferdin.is and vedur.is, and read our driving in Iceland guide before you set off.
- Fill up and shop in towns. See our gas stations map and supermarket map.
Which camper for which route?
Every route above is on paved or good gravel roads, so any of our 2WD campers will do. You only need a 4×4 for the F-roads into the Highlands, which open in summer. See our 4×4 guide if you are planning that.