Driving around Iceland: A guide to the best Icelandic road trips
Date
01. Sep 202501. Sep 25
Reading time
7 min
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There are few places on earth with a landscape as vast and varied as Iceland. It’s a treasure trove of natural wonders, from mighty mountains to glistening glaciers, towering waterfalls, and moss-covered lava fields.
What’s more, many of Iceland’s most impressive sights are accessible from major towns like Reykjavík, which means you can drive there yourself if you want to – and we highly recommend it.
Driving around Iceland gives you a true sense of the scale and power of Iceland’s nature, boasting some of the most impressive roadside scenery you’re likely to see in your lifetime.
In this guide, learn how to plan a road trip in Iceland based on each region, the length of your trip, and the time of year you’re visiting. We also share important tips for staying safe on the roads, as well as some of Iceland’s driving rules to keep in mind ahead of your vacation. Ready to set off?
Why take a road trip around Iceland?
Exploring Iceland by car is one of the best ways to see the country. You’re quite literally carving your own path, which is a great way to immerse yourself in the Icelandic landscape.
Your own route can lead you to explore sites deeper within the landscape, such as the dramatic canyons and the unimaginable forces that created them, as well as Iceland’s many waterfalls, geothermal pools, mountains, and fjords.
The best part? You can view all these wonders from your own personal vantage point.
Whether traveling alone, with a partner, or in a group, a road trip in Iceland lets you become an active participant on a journey of discovery. You’ll also get away from the main tourist groups, the chatter of the tour bus, and enjoy the peace of both your surroundings and the drive.
Plus, we take road safety very seriously here – especially in the face of our temperamental weather conditions. Icelandic car-hire companies will advise you on the right type of car for the time of year – for example, a 4x4 in winter – and roads will be closed if there are adverse weather risks. You can learn more about this in our driving tips section later in this guide.
What’s the best Icelandic road-trip itinerary?
While there are many routes to explore, the most popular of the Iceland road-trip routes is undoubtedly the Ring Road (Route 1, or Highway 1). At 1,310km (814 miles) long, it follows the perimeter of the island – except for the Westfjords, a remote, rugged region in the northwest of Iceland.
Iceland’s Route 1 is paved, which means that you don’t need a special vehicle to travel on it, and with plenty of time up your sleeve, you can even take public transport for most of it. That is, unless you want to veer off onto the minor roads to explore for yourself.
Traveling the full length of the Ring Road requires around 10-14 days to do it justice. It covers a variety of attractions, such plenty of waterfalls, black beaches, the Mývatn region in the country’s north, and Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach in the south.
However, if you’ve already traveled the Ring Road route, or you don’t have time for this full road trip of Iceland, there are countless other routes to explore in Iceland.
Road trips in Iceland by region
Wherever you’re staying, there are some fantastic road trips in each region that allow you to explore a variety of natural wonders, attractions, and landscapes that represent the essence of Iceland.
Some road trips can take a few days, so visitors often choose a different base each time they come to Iceland, or make a series of stops around the island to allow enough time for each route. Popular bases include the southwestern capital city of Reykjavík, Akureyri in the north, Vík in the south, and Ísafjörður, the hub of the remote Westfjords.
No matter how many days you’re visiting for, or where you choose to stay or stop along the way, you won’t be short of awe-inspiring sights to discover on the road. Open the cards below to view our top picks for the best road trips in each region of Iceland.
From Reykjavík
The route: The Golden Circle
The Golden Circle route is one of Iceland’s most renowned tourist attractions, boasting unique natural beauty. It begins in Reykjavík and continues northeast to Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The route continues on to the Geysir geothermal area, where you can see the super-active geysir Strokkur erupt. A turn eastwards will take you to Gullfoss waterfall before the route loops back to Reykjavík, checking off three of Iceland’s most iconic landmarks in one journey.
Additional stops that many travelers like to make include the Friðheimar geothermal greenhouse, famous for growing juicy tomatoes and offering a fun lunchtime dining experience. There are also more waterfalls plus geothermal lagoons to check out.
You can learn more about the sights along this road trip in our guide to the Golden Circle.
Time required: 1-3 days
Car you’ll need: Standard 2WD car, although some visitors recommend a 4WD for high winds and travel conditions during the winter.
The route: The Silver Circle
Although less popular than the Golden Circle, the Silver Circle takes you from Reykjavík on a journey to impressive attractions in West Iceland, including the powerful Deildartunguhver hot spring, as well as the neighboring Krauma bathing complex. Nearby is Reykholt, a small settlement that was once home to Snorri Sturluson, one of Iceland’s most significant writers of the medieval period. He’s best known for his work Prose Edda, and his other magical tales of Norse mythology.
The Silver Circle then heads east towards the beautiful Hraunfossar and Barnafoss waterfalls, and on to the rich hiking area of Húsafell. From here, you can visit Langjökull glacier and the man-made ice cave known as Into the Glacier.
Other attractions on the Silver Circle include the lava cave Víðgelmir, horse farms and a goat farm, and the town of Borgarnes with its impressive Settlement Center dedicated to the Icelandic sagas.
Time required: Up to 2 days
Car you’ll need: Standard 2WD car, although, as with the Golden Circle route, some visitors recommend a 4WD in winter.
Other options
You can easily plan a road trip to the Reykjanes peninsula and Iceland’s South Coast from Reykjavík, too. Here are directions to each:
Reykjanes: Take Route 41 south from Reykjavík. It should take 45-60 minutes by car.
South Coast: Take Route 1 (the Ring Road) east from Reykjavík. You’ll travel through Hveragerði and on to Selfoss, where the South Coast begins.
Reykjanes peninsula
The route: The Reykjanes peninsula
The Reykjanes peninsula is a significant point of interest for many visitors, due to its smorgasbord of geological sites as well as its proximity to Keflavík International Airport.
From your starting point by Kleifarvatn lake, with its dramatic landscape, drive to Seltún, an area of geothermal activity with bubbling mud pools and thermal vents.
From here, head south then west and you’ll drive past the Fagradalsfjall volcano area, active in 2021-2023. The route then takes you towards the town of Grindavík, where you turn north to reach the iconic Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa with milky blue water.
Next, head west towards the Brimketill rockpool. Continuing further west, you’ll reach the Gunnuhver hot springs with more mud pools and steam vents.
You can choose to head out to Reykjanestá to see the lighthouse and cliff formations, or start heading north to the Bridge Between Continents, marking a dividing point between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.
The final stop (or the first, if you’d prefer to go straight from Keflavík airport) is the Garður lighthouses on the northwestern tip of the peninsula.
Time required: 6-8 hours, up to a full day
Car you’ll need: Standard 2WD vehicle year-round. You’ll need to hike to visit the lava fields of Fagradalsfjall.
South Coast
The route: South Coast tour
Iceland’s classic South Coast road trip is one of the most popular traveler routes due to its breathtaking waterfalls, black-sand beaches, glaciers, and glacial lagoons.
It follows Route 1, the Ring Road, out of Reykjavík before delivering you to the waterfalls of Seljalandsfoss and Gljúfrabúi, then Skógafoss, then further onwards to the landmark Dyrhólaey promontory, the black beach of Reynisfjara, and the pretty town of Vík.
Continuing east, brilliant pit stops include Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon, then you enter the realms of Vatnajökull National Park, named for the mammoth ice cap that’s the dominating feature here. Stop at the Skaftafell area for national park hikes, including to the dramatic waterfall Svartifoss. Back on the road, the views are of glacial tongues that carve a path down from the ice cap, until you reach the spectacular Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach.
Jökulsárlón is the most common turnaround point, and you can make your way west back to Reykjavík along the same route, with the stunning views in reverse. (You might like to detour from Selfoss to cover the Golden Circle before you return to the capital.) You could also opt to press east from Jökulsárlón to the town of Höfn and make a stay there.
Time required: 3-5 days
Car you’ll need: Standard 2WD car for summer, but a 4WD is recommended in winter.
West Iceland
The route: Snæfellsnes peninsula loop
If dramatic volcanic landscapes, cascading waterfalls, and black beaches sound like the Icelandic experience you’re looking for, take a drive around Routes 54 and 574, which circle the Snæfellsnes peninsula. The peninsula is known as ‘Iceland in Miniature’ precisely for its ability to demonstrate a stunning variety of Iceland’s geography in a single place.
The route will take you to the charming town of Stykkishólmur, then past Berserkjahraun, with its ancient lava field. This connects to Grundarfjörður and landmark Kirkjufell mountain and Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall, before circling Snæfellsjökull National Park, with Snæfellsjökull glacier at its heart.
Along the peninsula’s southern shore you’ll find Djúpalónssandur with its black pebble beach, Lóndrangar’s basalt sea stacks, the walking trails of scenic Hellnar and Arnarstapi, the photogenic black church at Búðir, and finally seal-watching at Ytri Tunga’s beach.
Time required: 1-3 days
Car required: Standard 2WD car in summer. 4WD is recommend in winter.
Westfjords
The route: The Westfjords Way
The Westfjords Way, with its panoramas of towering fjords and steep sea cliffs, is nothing short of spectacular.
The route is a 950km (590-mile) loop around the Westfjords, snaking around the rugged peninsula from Reykhólar in the south, reaching out west to Rauðasandur’s red-golden sandy beaches, to Látrabjarg, where puffins nest from April to early August, and over to Bíldudalur.
It then moves on to the highlight of Dynjandi, a 100-meter-tall cascading waterfall; Ísafjörður, the largest town in the Westfjords; and Súðavík, where you’ll find the Arctic Fox Center.
The route then moves back east to Hólmavík, home to the Museum of Icelandic Sorcery & Witchcraft; and to Drangsnes, a small village with natural hot pools along the shore.
A worthwhile extension to this Iceland Westfjords road trip is the Strandir coast. It’s the winding coastal route from Hólmavík to Drangsnes and up to Norðurfjörður, where you’ll find Krossneslaug, a remote geothermal pool with spectacular views.
Time required: 7 days to fully experience the route, with additional time for the Strandir coast
Car you’ll need: 4WD recommended.
North Iceland
The route: The Diamond Circle
The Diamond Circle takes you from the whale-watching area of Húsavík, past Goðafoss waterfall, and around the shores of lake Mývatn, rich in geological wonders.
You can also drive a full loop around Mývatn lake as an extension of the Diamond Circle route. This loop takes Routes 1 and 848 to circumnavigate the lake – a distance of just 40km (approx. 25 miles) but with plenty of sights along the way. Without the detour, you can head directly to mighty Dettifoss waterfall, and finally Ásbyrgi canyon, before heading back to Húsavík.
Time required: Up to 3 days
Car you’ll need: A 4WD if traveling in winter due to icy conditions.
The route: Arctic Coast Way
Iceland’s northern frontier offers a wealth of ocean views, traced by steep cliffs that hug the waterfront. The Arctic Coast Way is a wondrous 900km (560-mile) stretch that follows the coastline from Hvammstangi in northwest Iceland to Bakkafjörður in the northeast.
Following it for its entirety would see you navigating six peninsulas, including places renowned for skiing (the beautiful Tröllaskagi peninsula) and remote headlands named for arctic fox visitors (Melrakkaslétta). You could whale-spot as you follow the shoreline of Iceland’s longest fjord (Eyjafjörður, with Akureryi at its head). And you could potentially pop over to one or more of the five small islands that are part of the official route, including storied Drangey, or Grímsey, a crossing point for the Arctic Circle.
But you don’t need to follow the entire Arctic Coast Way: you can explore sections it by detouring from the Ring Road circuit (off Highway 1). Easy options include traveling from Húsavík to East Iceland via Route 85, stopping at the remarkable Ásbyrgi canyon. Or, by taking a loop from Akureyri around Tröllaskagi (roads 82 and 76), stopping at Siglufjörður for its excellent Herring Era Museum and at Hofsós for its stunning swimming pool.
Time required: Up to 12 days
Car you’ll need: In summer, a 2WD can manage most stretches, but a 4WD is more comfortable and recommended in winter.
East Iceland
The route: Around Lagarfljót lake
If you’d like to punctuate your stay in East Iceland with a day trip, Lagarfljót lake is perfect. It’s a long and narrow lake, famous for its folklore of a lake-monster inhabitant. It’s perfect for shoreline hikes, picnics, and forest exploring.
Driving in a 140km (87-mile) loop around Lagarfljót takes you through Hallormsstaðaskógur, Iceland’s largest forest, to a great lunch or afternoon-tea stop at Skriðuklaustur museum and cultural center. Walk off lunch at stunning Hengifoss waterfall (reached by a one-hour uphill hike and well worth a stop), and ends with a geothermal soak at the relaxing Vök Baths, built atop a lake.
Time required: 1 day
Car you’ll need: A regular 2WD vehicle is fine for this route, although a 4WD is more comfortable in winter.
The route: The Eastfjords
The Eastfjords is another gem that you can explore in a relatively short amount of time. Two or three days is perfect to enjoy meandering the coastal roads and sights along the way.
The Ring Road (Route 1) weaves you around (or close to) many panoramic fjords between Djúpivogur in the south and Reyðarfjörður to the north, before heading inland to lakeside Egilsstaðir. Worthwhile detours will take you to the colorful houses of stunning Seyðisfjörður, and to Borgarfjörður Eystri, one of the best places in Iceland for up-close puffin-viewing.
Time required: 2-3 days
Car you’ll need: A regular 2WD is enough for staying on the main roads, but a 4WD is recommended in winter.
When’s the best time to do a driving tour in Iceland?
You can take a road trip at any time of year, but it’s important to consider that Iceland has vastly different road conditions in summer and winter.
Summer road trips
It’s generally considered safer to drive in spring or summer. More roads will be open, particularly the interior mountain roads (F roads), which close in winter, and with less chance of ice, snow, and stormy winds, your driving experience is likely to be more pleasurable – and less risky overall.
Summer’s longer daylight hours allow for greater exploration and visibility of the landscape, which makes Iceland a fantastic destination for road trips during the season.
However, these longer days also need to be approached carefully. Tourists are often tempted to make the most of the daylight and pack as much as possible into a single day. However, it’s easy to become fatigued on long drives. Certain attractions can be several hours’ drive away (and back), and it’s important to plan enough rest stops along the way to ensure you stay attentive on the roads.
Winter road trips
Winter is a popular time to travel, especially for those wanting to hunt for the northern lights. If you’re planning an Iceland winter road trip, your vehicle will need to be able to handle the conditions. The strong winds, snow, and ice mean you’ll need to consider a 4WD car, with studded tires or appropriate winter tires, to give you enough traction on the road.
There are, of course, some recommended road trips for each time of year.
The Golden Circle and south coast are good options in winter due to their accessibility from well-maintained roads. You can travel to many of these sites from the Ring Road, which only requires a regular car to travel on.
Parts of the Westfjords and the Highlands are some of the most remote and difficult-to-reach locations, often closed in the winter, so these are traditionally considered to be summer-only routes.
Note that it’s now easier to travel around the Westfjords out of season. The new Dýrafjarðargöng tunnel links the north and south parts of the Westfjords. It’s 5.6km (3.4 miles) long and lets drivers bypass Hrafnseyrarheiði, the difficult mountain route that’s often closed in winter due to ice or heavy snowfall.
Tips for how to drive in Iceland
Exploring Iceland by car is a whole lot of fun. However, there are a number of rules and unique obstacles to be aware of on Icelandic roads, and we’ve created a practical driving guide covering all the things you need to know – the rules of the road, the different road types and conditions you’ll encounter, how to choose the right vehicle, and the wildlife and hazards worth keeping an eye out for.
Iceland road-trip FAQs
Below we answer some of the most frequently asked questions about hitting the road in Iceland.
The number of days you need for an Iceland road trip depends on where you’re based and the attractions you’d like to visit from there.
You can take a sightseeing trip from Reykjavík to the Golden Circle, the Silver Circle, or the Reykjanes peninsula in one day. Visiting the Snæfellsnes peninsula requires around 2 days, and a trip to the South Coast (driving to the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and back) will ideally need 3-4 days.
It’s possible to travel around all of Iceland using the Ring Road in about 6-7 days in summer, but this would be to drive the trip only.
Realistically, a longer trip of 10-14 days is needed to allow for sightseeing, rest stops, and hiking deeper into the landscape if you want to.
During the winter, you’ll need to plan greater flexibility into your schedule as the driving conditions and weather can be more unpredictable.
You have several options for a 7-day road trip in Iceland. You can take the Ring Road around the island for a quick pit stop at each location, although you’ll gain a richer experience with an extended timeframe of 10 days.
With 7 days, we recommend exploring one of the following options:
- Reykjavík, the Golden Circle, Reykjanes, and the South Coast
- The West, Snæfellsnes, and the North
- West Iceland and the Westfjords in more detail
- The Highlands in summer with a 4x4 vehicle
If you’re staying in Reykjavík, combining the Golden Circle and South Coast makes an excellent 5-day road trip.
This lets you tick off some of the country’s most amazing sights, including Þingvellir National Park, exploding geysers, majestic waterfalls, black sand beaches, glacier lagoons, and more.
If you’re short on time and staying in Reykjavík, the Snæfellsnes peninsula, which includes Snæfellsjökull National Park and the black beach at Djúpalónssandur, is a great option.
Or you can spend the 2-day period on an extended Golden Circle and Highlands trip, which, as well as the Golden Circle’s top attractions, such as Þingvellir National Park and Gullfoss waterfall, allows you to explore some of the Kjölur route and hike the geothermal area at Kerlingarfjöll.
You need a valid driving license from your home country with full driving privileges. If it’s not in English, it must be written in Latin letters as well (this applies to languages like Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Hebrew, Russian etc).
If your driving license does not have any English information, then you'll need an international driving permit.
The driving license must have a photo of the driver. It must have an issue and an expiry date. This way, the staff at the office can see it is a full driver’s permit. Provisional ones are not acknowledged.
You should have held your license for at least one year. This period is tallied from the original issue date.
In Iceland, most car rental agencies have an age requirement of 20 to hire a car; there may be additional age restrictions to hire a larger car.
Plan your Iceland road-trip itinerary with Icelandair
If you’re heading to Iceland to hit the open road, check out our fly and drive vacation packages. If you’d prefer to start your road trip somewhere other than the capital, you can select a regional pick-up location for your car – Akureyri in North Iceland, Egilsstaðir in East Iceland, or Ísafjörður in the Westfjords – and our fly-drive package includes internal flights to/from Reykjavík and the domestic destination.
Alternatively, our motorhome package allows you ultimate flexibility on your road trip. You can stop and explore each site as long as you need without rushing to check into your hotel, as there are around 200 campsites you can visit across Iceland.
If you’d prefer to hire a car without an accompanying travel package, make sure you tell your car-hire representative about your planned road-trip itinerary to help them understand the type of car you’ll need for the specific terrain.
