Our 10 Day Iceland Ring Road Itinerary
Known as the land of fire and ice, Iceland is filled with volcanoes, glaciers, waterfalls, snow capped mountains, and endless scenery. It is the most beautiful and awe-inspiring place that we’ve ever visited, almost like being on another planet.
When planning our trip, we knew that we wanted to drive the ring road that goes around the whole perimeter of the country. We only had 10 days (that includes 2 days just for traveling to and from Iceland), but that turned out to be the perfect amount of time for our family. We could have easily added 2-4 days on the trip and seen more, but 8 days driving was definitely a good starter trip for us.
I would not suggest doing it in less time because it would be very rushed. We drove on average of three hours per day once we left Reykjavík. We were able to stop every place we wanted along the way, but our days were full. We also had summer playing in our favor. We were there at the end of June when it never gets completely dark. Having twenty four hours of daylight made us not feel hurried to get anywhere and we were able to witness the magnificence of the midnight sun. The only drawback to this time of year is that the northern lights, aurora borealis, are not visible.
We also had the weather working in our favor with average temperatures around 55°F. We dressed in layers with heavy spring jackets and it was the perfect weather for hiking. We didn’t have to worry about roads being closed due to snow or ice like you might in other seasons. I definitely suggested adding at least 4 days onto your trip if traveling during colder months as we heard that roads can get shut down for days sometimes with heavy snow.
While Reykjavíc and the famous Golden Circle are amazing in their own right, if you don’t get outside of this small area of Iceland then you are missing out on 99% of the incredible beauty of this country. The landscape and the sights we saw after leaving the Golden Circle were incomparable. While I loved what we saw in the Golden Circle and definitely would not have missed any of it, a trip to Iceland would not be complete without driving at least a portion of the ring road.
If I could pick only a part of the ring road to travel, it would definitely be the southern route. The majority of my favorite sites were in the south and I feel like it was the most to see in a short distance. I also went back and forth about which direction to start, though we ended up heading south first. In hindsight, this was definitely the best for our family. We made many more stops in the south and hiked a lot more, which we had the energy for at the beginning of the trip. I think we would have been too tired by the end of the trip had we headed north first.
We hope that you enjoy our itinerary for Iceland and that it helps you plan your dream trip to the land of fire and ice.
Day 1 - Flight to Iceland
Day 2 - Arrive in Reykjavík
We had an overnight flight and arrived at Keflavík International Airport in the morning. We planned it this way so that we could have the whole day to explore Reykjavíc, which is about 45 minutes away from the main airport.
If you are planning on going to the Blue Lagoon, the famous geothermal spa and baths, it is a good idea to go on your way to or from the airport as it just south of there and the opposite direction of Reykjavíc. Update February 2024: because of ongoing volcanic activity and earthquakes in that peninsula, the Blue Lagoon has been closed on and off since December 2023. It is quite possible that it will close again temporarily, so keep an eye on the situation before arriving. I personally would not consider going there since the lava flow from the last eruption covered the road to the blue lagoon and got dangerously close to the resort, but being informed is the best option when making that choice. There are also other nearby places like sky lagoon that are amazing.
Upon arriving in the capital city, we headed to the iconic Hallgrímskirkja church located on a hill in the downtown area. Designed to resemble the landscape of Iceland, the outside looks like basalt columns, formed by cooled lava, that are common throughout the country.
Across from the church is Cafe Loki, where you will find traditional Icelandic fare like Rye bread, Plokkfiskur (a fish gratin that is a culinary staple), smoked lamb, smoked trout and pancakes. For the more adventurous traveler, they serve the Icelandic Braveheart platter that includes fermented shark and a shot of Brennivín, . We spared our palates from the ammonia filled rotted shark and instead treated ourselves to their Rye Bread Ice Cream, which I highly recommend. Check out our blog about Icelandic food for more on the foods that we loved there.
One of the streets leading up to Hallgrímskirkja is Skólavörðustígur Street, better known as Rainbow Street. While the street had temporarily been adorned in the colors of the rainbow to celebrate Reykjavík Pride through the years, it wasn’t until 2019 that the street was permanently painted. Iceland is known as one of the most LGBTQ friendly countries in the world. Standing at the end of this street provides one of the coolest (and most instagrammable) views of the church at the end top of the hill.
The summer months are Puffin season in Iceland, home to more than 60% of the world’s entire Atlantic Puffin population. Between eight to ten million inhabit the country between May and August each year when these sea birds make their way to land to lay eggs. There are different spots along the coasts where you might spot these penguin looking birds, but there are also boat tours from Reykjavík to nearby uninhabited Akurey and Lundey islands that each host large colonies of Puffins.
A trip to Reykjavík is not complete without standing in line at the famed hot dog stand, Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur, which translates to the Town’s Best Hot Dog. Located on an inconspicuous corner in the downtown area, this tiny stand has been visited by celebrities and dignitaries alike. There are only a few tables, all of which are equipped with a wooden hot dog holder. We became obsessed with these Icelandic hot dogs, which are made from a combination of organic beef, lamb and pork. The bun is steamed or grilled, traditionally filled with ketchup (sweeter and more spiced than ours), raw onion, french fried onion, then topped with a pylsa (hot dog) and finished with brown mustard and yellow remoulade. We ate these more than anything else on our trip. They were so good!
We drove out to the most Western tip of the city to visit the Grótta Island Lighthouse. It is possible to walk from downtown, but would probably take at least an hour. If you don’t have a car, you can take a bus or taxi as ride share companies like Uber are not allowed in Iceland. This peninsula offers gorgeous views of the ocean and mountains across the water. The lighthouse island is connected to the mainland only by a very thin stretch of land, which is completely submerged by high tide. It is important to know the tide schedule if walking out there or you could get stuck for hours. It is a great place to bird watch and there are seals that occasionally wander up on the black sand shores. When we were there, the crossing was closed for the season so we could only get a long distance view of the lighthouse, but the scenery around it was so tranquil and beautiful that it was still worth the trip.
Day 3 - The Golden Circle
If you only have a few days in Iceland and don’t have time to drive the entire ring road, the Golden Circle is a must. You may take a guided day tour from Reykjavík or rent a car and drive it at your leisure. That being said, if you are in Iceland for an extended period of time and only venture out to the Golden Circle, you will be missing more than 90% of Iceland’s beauty.
Þingvellir (aka Thingvellir) National Park
Leaving Reykjavík the next morning, we headed toward the first stop along the Golden Circle, Þingvellir National Park. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is unique because it is where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. Overlooking the rift valley are views of gorges, fissures and cliffs that are formed from inter-continental drifting, as the plates move away from each other about two centimeters per year. One of the longest and deepest fissures in the valley is Silfra, which is filled by water melting off Iceland’s second largest glacier, Langjökull. Silfra is the only place in the rift valley where scuba diving and snorkeling is permitted. It is ideal due to its location and crystal clear glacial waters.
Þingvellir, meaning assemly plains, is historically significant because it is where the general assembly was established around the year AD 930 and where they continued to meet until 1798. There are a lot of areas to hike in this National Park and a great spot to take in the beauty of the rift valley while standing in between continents.
Strokkur Geysir
The next attraction along the Golden Circle is Haukadalur, a geothermal valley that is home to fumaroles, mudpots, and most notably geysers (geysir in Icelandic). The most visited is Strokkur Geysir which erupts every 4-10 minutes on average. Since active geysers are rare around the world, it is worth stopping to witness. The surrounding park is filled with steaming pools and streams, all of which are roped off since they are above boiling. There are stunning hills nearby that can be climbed to get a better view of the multi-colored soil that is dyed by minerals coming to the earth’s surface.
Across the road is a huge gift shop, a couple of cafes and a more upscale restaurant. I do not recommend eating there as it is very expensive, around $25 per person for a sandwich or soup and a beverage. Any cafes we found near major attractions were crazy expensive, so I suggest grabbing some sandwiches at a grocery store to take with you or find something further away. There aren’t a ton of options though along the road, so it is always a good idea to have some food and snacks with you.
After making sandwiches of our own, we had some cheese slices left over. Since the car was small and there were five of us, there wasn’t much room for anything else so we put the remaining cheese in the glove compartment. It wasn’t until a few days later that we remembered it was in there. Oops!
Gullfoss Waterfall
About 15 minutes down the road is the majestic Gullfoss, meaning Golden Falls. Formed by the Hvítá river, which is fed by the Langjökull glacier, Gullfoss is a two tiered waterfall. It starts in a series of smaller cascades, which lead into a dramatic angled drop into the canyon below, making it the most unique one that I’ve ever seen. There is an overlook right by the parking lot that offers a great viewpoint, which is handicap and stroller accessible. There is also a narrow trail that leads from the overlook to the cascades where you can view Gullfoss up close and personal. Once on top of the cascades and by the bigger drop, only a thin rope separates visitors from the rapids, so it is very important to keep little kids attached to you once on the trail. As you hike the trail down to Gullfoss, you won’t be able to avoid the mist spraying up from this powerful waterfall, which drops more than 450 cubic feet of water per second.
Secret Lagoon
Geothermal pools and baths are common in Iceland and are a part of the culture and history. Heated by hot springs, they are rich in minerals and have therapeutic properties. The Blue Lagoon is the most popular one in Iceland because it is so near Reykjavíc and the airport. We opted not to go there because it is very expensive and more touristy than others. We were able to visit two geothermal pools for less than the price of one visit to the Blue Lagoon. We did not visit Sky Lagoon just outside of the capital, but I’ve heard it is great.
The geothermal pools were one of my favorite things about Iceland and they are an absolute must if you want a true Icelandic experience. The Secret Lagoon is about 45 minutes from Gullfoss on the way back to Reykjavíc, so it is an easy stop if you are visiting the Golden Circle. Known locally as Gamla Laugin, the Secret Lagoon is the oldest swimming pool in Iceland, dating back to 1891. Unlike the man-made Blue Lagoon, it is a naturally formed body of water that is heated by 100% by active geysers surrounding the pool. The water flows continuously through the lagoon and is naturally replaced every 24 hours, keeping it a warm 100-104°F all year round. After a long day of hiking around the Golden Circle attractions, it was the perfect way to relax with our family. It is suggested to stay in an hour at most, which turned out to be the most relaxing hour we spent our entire trip.
We suggest buying tickets ahead of time as some of these pools book up months in advance because only a certain number of bathers are allowed in at a time. It is unlikely you’ll be able to walk in and get a spot, especially during the summer when tourism is at its peak. Kids under 14 are free, which is a bonus for families on a budget. There is a certain etiquette when visiting geothermal pools in Iceland. Upon entering, there is a room where everyone must take off their shoes and store them on shelves. Men and women then go to their separate locker areas where it is required to shower nude to wash all of your body before putting on your bathing suit. There are even posters to show you exactly what bits to wash so that the pool remains clean and unpolluted. I’ve heard that some pools even have attendants to make sure you shower properly, but I never saw that at the two that we visited. The Secret Lagoon did have a few private shower stalls for those not comfortable with the communal ones.
Kerið Crater
Our last stop of the day was Kerið, a volcanic crater that is home to a turquoise blue lake. I didn’t see this on a lot of Golden Circle itineraries, but it is definitely worth the stop.
The crater is right off the main road, so it’s easy to find. It costs about 400 ISK (or $3-4 USD) per person and children under 12 are free. There is a trail around the top of the caldera if you want to hike the perimeter. We chose to take the trail down to the lake, which was a mix of a dirt path and wooden steps. Once at the lake, it is so quiet and serene looking up the steep sides that are streaked with iron red deposits and moss. There is also a trail at the bottom of the crater where you can hike around the lake.
One thing we learned on our trip is that Icelanders are very serious about protecting the natural resources and beauty of their country. There were three people who had left the trail and were standing on the cliff’s edge, blowing bubbles into the crater. An Icelandic man confronted them and was pretty upset that they were blowing chemicals into this natural habitat. It is important to Icelanders that you stay on the path if there is one marked to protect the surrounding flora and that you don’t add any pollution of any kind behind when you leave. Their air, land and water is pristine because citizens respect and protect their natural resources and environment vigorously. As responsible travelers, we should always respect the customs and wishes of those whose land we are visiting and treat it like our own.
Day 4 - Waterfalls & Vik
Seljalandsfoss
Seljalandsfoss, which translates into “selling the land of the waterfalls”, is the largest of a series of waterfalls fed from the volcano glacier Eyjafjallajökull. Erupting in 2010, Eyjafjallajökull halted air traffic across Europe due to the large amount of ash clouds it sent through the atmosphere. You can see the top of this huge volcano as you drive along parts of the Golden Circle and along the southwestern portion of ring road.
Seljalandsfoss is a unique waterfall because there is a path that stretches behind the waterfall, enabling visitors to walk around and look through the falls from the other side. It makes for some gorgeous pictures, especially with the spray coming up from below (warning: you will get wet!)
Seljalandsfoss used to be the cliff that marked the country’s coastline, but now the ocean can only be seen out in the distance due to volcanic eruptions over thousands of years adding to the coastline. From Seljalandsfoss, you may hike to the hidden waterfall Gljúfrabúi which is less visited and partially hidden by a rock face. There are also little waterfalls along a walking path nearby.
Summer traveling tip: There are camper vans for rent that have a bed in the back for two or you may also rent an RV for a larger family that has a bathroom and other amenities. Either way, this is a great way to travel Iceland in the Summer and avoid large crowds. Since the sun never completely sets during this time, you are able to visit places later at night or in the early morning hours when few people are awake. This makes for some amazing photographic opportunities without other people around. We weren’t able to do this since we had to check into hostels or Airbnbs at a certain time, but I would definitely do this next time.
Skógafoss
Just down the road from Seljalandsfoss is another waterfall, Skógafoss. Fed from the river Skóga, these falls are one of the biggest in Iceland, dropping nearly 200 feet and measuring more than 80 feet across. A lava black sandy area follows the river where you can walk right up to the bottom of the falls. It is amazing to stand there and feel the power of this force of nature. The constant mist creates a single or sometimes double rainbow over the front. It is not uncommon to see people fishing in the river below for salmon and Arctic char.
There is a walkway up the side of the hill made of 527 steps that will take you to the top of Skógafoss. It was a long and tiring hike up, but totally worth the views over the top of the waterfall to the sea in the distance.
Icelandic lore says that a Viking named Thrasi hid his gold under these falls. While many tried to find the gold, a young man is said to have found it and tried to pull out the chest by its ring. He only was able to retrieve the ring which was later used on the church door at Skogar. There is a large rock formation near the base of the waterfall that legend says is a troll, a monster who feasts on people and livestock and only travels by night because sunlight turns them to stone.
Sólheimasandur Beach Plane Wreck
We had heard about an abandoned plane that had wrecked on the beach in Iceland, but we weren’t sure exactly where it was. While traveling East along the ring road from Skógafoss, we came upon a sign and a parking area. We immediately pulled over when we saw the plane on the sign. Not having researched this much, we walked from the parking lot to what looked like the start of the beach. There were a lot of people around the entrance and also a bus with huge tires waiting to take people down to the wreckage for a fee. When the bus driver asked us if we were getting on the bus (for a small fee), we said we would walk instead. Afterall, it looked like the water was just a short walk away.
After walking about 30 minutes along a vast stretch of rocky, sandy road, we realized that we didn’t seem any closer than when we started. In fact, it was a two mile walk down to the wreckage – a fact that was listed on the sign at the entrance had we stopped long enough to read it. The only thought that kept us going was that we might be able to get on the bus on the way back. When we got to the wreckage, there was a sign saying that the last bus was at 5:00 PM, 20 minutes earlier. What could’ve been a 20 minute trip via bus ended up taking our family of five not quite three hours to complete, so definitely TAKE THE BUS! All that said, the walk back was absolutely gorgeous because it was like walking on a lunar landscape with mountains all around, including a breathtaking view of Eyjafjallajökull volcano. Just don’t get stuck out there in bad weather because there is zero shelter to be found.
Once at the plane, it really is a cool sight. You can walk into this United States Navy DC 10 plane that crashed on the beach in 1973 due to low fuel. Everyone on the plane survived, but it left a cool contrasting visual of a white, wrecked plane against the stark, black sand in every direction.
Reynisfjara Black Sand Beaches, Vik
Iceland is known for its black sand beaches that have been formed from volcanic ash. Probably the most famous of them is Reynisfjara Beach just outside the town of Vik. This was one of our favorite stops and an absolute must if you are traveling in southern Iceland.
Entering the beach area, to the left is a huge cliff wall made of tall, angular basalt columns formed by cooling lava with a shallow cave underneath. Just off the coast a few hundred yards are a couple of large sea columns that are said to be trolls waiting to pull ships from the ocean to the shore.
Staring over the stretch of pristine black sand, it is easy to see why Reynisfjara has been voted the world’s most beautiful non-tropical beach many times. It has also been the shooting location for Star Wars Rogue One and Game of Thrones due to its other-worldly landscape.
It is very important to read the signs before entering the beach area as it can be very dangerous. Reynisfjara Beach, and Icelandic beaches in general, are notorious for sneaker waves. These strong waves will come out of nowhere and come onto shore much further and quicker than other waves, without notice. They have pulled sightseers into the ocean, where it is nearly impossible to get out due to forceful riptides. There have been quite a few deaths at this beach is the last few years, so it is very important to keep small children away from the waves and to never turn your back on the water.
Eldhraun Lava Fields
The interesting thing about Iceland is how often and quickly the landscape changes. As we left Vik, the beautiful black beaches and green fields were replaced with lava fields. These were formed during one of the greatest volcanic eruptions in history that lasted from 1783-1784, also known as the Skaftá River Fires. While devastating crops all across this area, it also affected parts of Great Britain and Europe due to the heavy ash that created a haze and even blocked sunlight in some areas.
What it left behind though is a landscape that you would only expect to see on another planet – miles and miles lava rock piles covered in a beautiful green moss. At Eldhraun, you may park and walk the paths through these fields. The moss isn’t the kind of moss that we have in Indiana. It’s almost like a thick, soft blanket of greenery that envelopes these rocks, creating a gorgeous backdrop. It is important in these areas not to climb on the rocks as it can damage the protected moss. From what we experienced, Icelanders are very friendly to visitors and even tolerant of the copious amount of tourists, unless somebody starts going off the path and trampling flowers or climbing in areas that are protected.
Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon
This canyon was on our list, but unfortunately we did not make it due to spending a few hours hiking out to the plane wreck and running late to check into our Airbnb for the night. It’s a gorgeous place that I’ve heard is an easy place to hike, so I would definitely go here if you have a chance.
Day 5 - Glaciers & Ice
Vatnajökull National Park
Driving along route 1, the ring road, the landscape changed once again in a dramatic fashion. From the coast, the road turns inland as large glacier covered mountains come into view. Vatnajökull is the largest glacier in Europe and covers 8% of Iceland’s land mass. At the south entrance to the National Park is Skaftafell Visitor Center where you may park and hike out to the glacier. There is also a cafeteria, gift shop, detailed maps, and nearby campgrounds. It is about a 30 minute hike each way, but well worth it to get up close and personal with Skaftafell glacier, a part of the larger Vatnajökull ice cap. From far away, the mountains look like they are just snow covered with dark tracks running down. When you get up to the lagoon at the base of Skaftafell, you see the massively deep crevasses of the glacier towering hundreds of feet high, sometimes breaking off in large pieces that float into the lagoon.
It is very dangerous to hike or walk on glaciers without a guide. While they look like sheets of ice, the crevasses can sometimes go down a half a mile deep and the surrounding ice can break without notice
On the way to Skaftafell, we stopped alongside the road where there were large, contorted steel beams covered in graffiti. The Skeiðará Bridge Monument is all that is left of the bridge that once spanned more than a half mile across the wide valley. Surrounded by fields of rich, black lava, the Skeiðará is a glacier river that has been known to wreak havoc through flooding. In 1996, the volcano Vatnajökull erupted and melted large portions of the glacier, sending massive amounts of water and house-sized icebergs through the valley, completely wiping out this bridge.
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
The deepest lake in Iceland is Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, which is fed from Breiðamerkurjökull, a portion of Vatnajökull glacier. Huge icebergs are constantly breaking off and floating into the lagoon, which mixes with sea water at high tide.
It feels like looking into a fantasy world of pure blue water with mammoth size white icebergs bobbing around in the water. It’s fun to sit on the shores and watch the wildlife, including birds and seals. There are boats that take people through the lagoon and some people even kayak there, though we did see a huge iceberg pop up quite violently out of the water without notice and some can topple over.
Diamond Beach
Under the bridge where Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon meets the sea is Diamond Beach. Stretches of smooth, black sand beaches are dotted with icebergs that have washed ashore, sparkling like diamonds against the stark volcanic base.
We were there toward the end of June and only saw a few small pieces of ice on the beach though I’ve seen pictures where the beach is loaded with human sized icebergs. It really just varies day to day.
While we only saw one seal swimming in the lagoon, Diamond beach is home to a large seal population and is also one of the best places to spot Orca whales from the shore.
Day 6 - Eastern Fjords
Hvalnes Peninsula
On a unassuming turn in the road lies this cool, orange lighthouse in the Hvalnes Peninsula. It was rainy the day we were there, but it was fun to walk around up there and look out over the ocean and also see the mountain views behind us.
Egilsstaðir
Coming up to the Northeast side of the island is the main city of Egilsstaðir. One of the bigger cities in Iceland, there are a lot of great options for restaurants and cafes. We stopped at a bookstore/cafe at the edge of town called Bókakaffi Hlöðum to have dessert and coffee though we ended up getting some lamb chops from their daily hot buffet, too, which were delicious. These small buffets are very common in Iceland from coffee shops to gas stations.
Our favorite place we stayed was just to the north of the city on a family farm called Litlabjarg. We rented out the entire second floor and the family lived on the first floor. They were so welcoming and even let our kids feed their goats. It looks like the living area is now divided into rooms for rent with shared bathrooms, but it would still be a wonderful, peaceful place to stay.
A place we did not go, which I regret, were the Vök Baths just outside of Egilsstaðir. I did not know about them until we returned home. There are two geothermal bathing pools with an infinity view looking out over the lake and the pictures look amazing.
Gufufoss
Just before arriving in Seyðisfjörður is Gufufoss, the waterfall that was captured in the movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty as Ben Stiller’s character skateboards down the hill. Because you have to go over a pretty high mountain area to get to this out-of-the-way port city, there was nobody at the waterfall and not many people in town either during our visit.
Seyðisfjörður
This was hands down my favorite city in Iceland. We weren’t originally going to travel the entire ring road, but I had to see the port city of Seyðisfjörður that I had seen in so many Instagram posts. Once we were there, it was a couple of hours quicker to continue around the north side of the ring road, which gave us the opportunity to see more of the country.
If you are limited on time and only want to drive as far as Seyðisfjörður, it is fairly cheap to get a flight back to Reykjavíc from Egilsstaðir. For a first time visit, I would definitely take the southern route as I think it was the most beautiful stretch of the ring road.
Day 7 - Northern Iceland
Stuðlagil Canyon & Basalt Columns
This canyon is definitely a detour from ring road, but well worth the 40 minutes that it takes to drive there. Lined with basalt columns formed from cooling lava, this is one of the more instagrammed locations that I saw before our trip.
It was a foggy morning when we went and a little scary because we couldn’t see more than a few feet in front of our car nor did we know anything about this side road. The thing about Icelandic side roads is that they can turn into a dirt road without much notice that goes on for miles. They can also be perched high above the canyons below, so it was daunting not knowing what was around us.
When we arrived at Stuðlagil, there was a staircase on the west side (on the Grund farm land where we parked) to walk down that looked over the river and canyon. From all the pictures that we had seen on social media, people were standing right at the base of the river which gave a beautiful view of the basalt columns. Unfortunately from the overlook, we could only see the start of that section though it was still a beautiful view. We learned that to hike to the bottom you must be on the East side of the gorge and it is about a 45 minute hike down to this picturesque viewpoint. We definitely would have taken the time to do this, but we had to be in Mývatn at a certain time that day. I regret that we hadn’t done more research on how to get into the canyon, but we didn’t even think about it being different than the main overlook since every other place we went to see was pretty straightforward.
The Jökla river that separates this canyon was one of the most dangerous rivers in Iceland before a reservoir took much its the water. At certain times of the year though, water levels can be higher and the currents can still be swift and dangerous. I’ve seen people dive into these waters on social media, but it is definitely not advised to get into the river nor even attempt to cross it.
From the beginning of June to the middle of August are the best times to visit Stuðlagil as the weather is the best and the water is the most turquoise. Just make sure that you map yourself to the East side and carve out two hours to hike down to the bottom.
Hverir Fumaroles & Mud Pots
Hverir was not on our radar, but we had to stop when we saw this Mars-like landscape that was emitting pillars of steam across the base of Namafjall volcanic mountain.
A completely barren red-orange landscape, this geothermal area is filled with smoking fumaroles and boiling mud pots. While most of Iceland looks otherworldly, Hverir definitely took the prize of appearing like a completely different planet.
As we walked from the parking lot, the smell of sulfur was overwhelming at first. There were also a lot of little gnats everywhere, which we also ran into again in Western Iceland, so bring some bug spray with you if you visit here in the Summer.
It was cool to walk around and see the heat of the earth coming to the surface in such powerful displays. Some people had built rocks over the smaller fumaroles which made little mounds of smoking chimneys. Even if you only have 15 minutes to stop, the parking lot is right off the main road so it’s an easy and very worthwhile detour.
Mýtvatn Nature Baths
Our first bathing experience was at the Secret Lagoon, which is a naturally made swimming pool. We had made reservations at Mývatn Nature Baths for our second geothermal soak, which is located just on the other side of the mountain from Hverir. These baths were quite different: man-made, much larger, more crowded (but still not bad), and definitely much more sulfuric smelling.
It also had some perks too though. There was a swim up bar where you could order water, sodas, beer, wine and cocktails. The floor was concrete and the water was clearer. There were some saunas located above the pools as well as a super hot pool you could sit in if the main pools weren’t quite warm enough for you.
As with all public baths, I highly suggest making a reservation, especially if you are traveling in the Summer. It is not out of the ordinary for these baths to be booked solid during that time of year due to the high volume of tourists. While I did enjoy the Mývatn Nature Baths, I did prefer the natural pools to it mainly because they felt more authentic and were smaller and more intimate. I would still go back to Mývatn though when given the opportunity. Soaking in these geothermal pools were one of my favorite parts of our trip to Iceland and I would’ve done it every day if that had been possible.
Mýtvatn Lake & Vogafjos restaurant
Off the shores of Lake Mývatn is a true farm to table restaurant and resort called Vogafjós. The menu is traditional Icelandic fare from Arctic Char to Geysir Bread Ice Cream. While enjoying our delicious meal in a glass enclosed dining room, we could sit and watch the cows outside grazing in their corrals.
After dinner, we went next door to the stables where the cows were being milked. Our son was able to pet one of the baby cows, which made his day. There are guests rooms and a little gift shop, which carries locally made items like lambs wool blankets.
Hverfjall Volcano Crater
On the Eastern side of Lake Mývatn sits Hverfjall Crater, which measures 1 kilometer in diameter. Hverfjall was a high tephra explosion, which projected rock and earth across the Mývatn area and blew off the top of the mountain completely, leaving the impressive rim and crater.
Entering on the visitor center side, there is a path to use to ascend the side of the volcano. It is a somewhat steep climb and a challenge climbing on loose volcanic gravel and not much to hold onto, but it’s not a dangerous climb as long as kids stay on the inside of the path. Our 9 year old did just fine with the hike, even though it was tiring. It took about 20 minutes to reach the top of the crater. Once on top of the volcano, the views of the crater are breathtaking as well as the surrounding views of Lake Mývatn, lava fields and more.
Due to the conservation of this crater and for safety reasons, guests must use the designated paths located on the north and south of the volcano. Once at the top, visitors may walk the perimeter of the crater’s rim.
Goðafoss Waterfall
Less than an hour drive West of Hverfjall is Goðafoss, which translates to the waterfall of the Gods. One of the biggest and most well-known waterfalls in Iceland, these horseshoe shaped falls are iconic as rock formations make it look like they are three to four separate waterfalls flowing down together.
In Icelandic lore, Viking leader Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði declared Christianity the official religion of Iceland around the year 1000. It is said that he then took all of his pagan statues and threw them over the waterfall, thus giving it the name Goðafoss.
Day 8 - Akureyri & Western Iceland
Akureyri Fishing Village
Driving West on the ring road, we entered a fairly lengthy tunnel which opened up on the other side to a picturesque view of the fishing town of Akureyri, the fifth largest city in Iceland. Akureyri is nestled between the mountains and the Eyjafjörður fjord. It is a quaint city, though sizable by Icelandic standards, and has a very different vibe than other cities we had visited.
There is not much diversity in Icelandic fare outside of Reykjavík, but we noticed an Asian influenced food scene upon arriving in this northwestern city where there a number of Japanese and sushi restaurants. We, of course, found the hot dog stand right away.
Pylsuvagninn a Akureyri is a food truck situated in the heart of downtown. While having the traditional Icelandic toppings, they also offer other styles like a Pizza Dog and Volcanic Dog. In addition to Icelandic Hot Dogs, or Pylsa, they also serve dessert waffles topped with fruit, chocolate and whipped cream.
This harbor town has a great art gallery, a cool shopping and eating district, some fun sidewalk paintings, but it was the heart shaped red lights on all of their stop lights that really got me.
If you do not plan to go off the ring road and venture into the Western fjords, Akureyri is a great spot to board whale watching tours.
Hraunfossar & Barnafoss Waterfalls
Going along the Western portion of ring road was quite different than the rest. Along the Southern, Eastern and Northern stretches of road, there were a lot more things just off the highway to do (especially in the South!). The stretch between Akureyri to Reykjavíc seemed much less accessible. I know there are a ton of things to do in the Western Fjords, the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, and inside the ring road near the Langjökull glacier, but they were all pretty far off the highway. By the time we reached the Western portion of our trip, we were so tired and more on a time crunch to get back to the capitol for our flight home. When we do go back to Iceland, I would love to spend a week just exploring the Western side of the island because I know there a lot of remote treasures there.
Driving the perimeter of a country that has over 10,000 waterfalls, the magic and newness might start to wear off after the first 20. I will say though that the majority of the ones we visited were all very unique in their own way, including Hraunfossar & Barnafoss. Just northeast of Reykholt, the same walking path will take you by both of these. Barnafoss is the first along the path and is less of a traditional waterfall and more of a narrow rushing rapids carrying the bluest glacier water you can imagine. The currents are so strong and powderful as it races through the narrow gorge it follows.
Just a short distance down that same path is Hraunfossar, a series of serene waterfalls flowing over the edge of lava rock. It is fascinating to see the juxtaposition of the wild and narrow Barnafoss next to the peaceful and expansive Hraunfossar.
Reykholt
Just north of Reykholt is Háafell Goat Farm. Icelandic goats are an ancient Viking breed and were near extinction at the end of the 19th century. Due to preservation efforts by farms such as Háafell, the goat population is recovering and being maintained.
This farm is only open for visitors during the months of June, July and August from 1-6 PM daily. It is a great place for families. Our kids loved being there and walking through the pasture with the goats and sheep while being able to pet and hold the babies. Three of their goats were featured in Game of Thrones episodes, though only one of them is still alive.
There is a barn beside the pasture with chickens as well as a farm store where visitors can taste the amazing goat cheese they make. It was a harder goat cheese, tasting more like feta, and each flavored with different fresh herbs and spices. They also sell their homemade goat milk soap and body products, goat milk foods, and Icelandic herb and flower jellies (we were able to bring some of these home). The family was very warm and welcoming and were happy to share their farm and goats with us.
Day 9 - Reykolt to Reykjavíc
On our last day before heading home, we returned to Reykjavíc to spend some more time in the capitol city before our departure.
We spent most of our time that day walking along the waterfront among the shops and restaurants near the shipping harbor. We had heard of a restaurant called Sægreifinn, or Sea Baron, that is famous for it’s Lobster stew, called humarsupa. While we didn’t indulge in the putrified shark that Iceland is notorious for, Toby and I shared a bowl of the most velvety, perfect Lobster bisque that I have ever tasted. It definitely had red pepper and herbs in it, which gave it almost a Thai red curry taste, but just a hint. They put small chunks of fresh lobster in the bowl and then pour the bisque over the top, which cooks the lobster to perfection. It was so good that I forgot to even take a picture before devouring it.
We ventured down the waterfront past a cool food hall to find OmNom, an ice cream and chocolate shop located in the industrial area of the harbor. They specialize in sundaes with their chocolate which is infused with Icelandic flavors like licorice and barley.
Day 10 - Flight Home
It has been about eighteen months since we drove the ring road of Iceland and I can say that I still think about it all of the time. It is the most memorable trip that I have taken in terms of natural beauty and wow factor. Every turn was a different landscape, a natural wonder, a view that seemed like it had to be from another planet.
If you ever have the chance to visit this magical country, DO IT!! The Icelandic people take such pride in their country and heritage and protect their natural resources fiercely. It is evident in the incomprehensible beauty of every place that you visit and I am just glad that my family and I were able to share in that. Takk Ísland! (Thank you, Iceland!)
Tips for visiting Iceland
Getting around Iceland is fairly easy since there are not a lot of roads and there is only one main road that goes around the whole island. Here are a few traveling tips that I learned along that way to help make your trip a little smoother.
Book as much as you can in advance
This is especially true if you are traveling during the summer, which is peak tourist season. Things fill up quickly, especially lodging, so be sure to book your rental car (if needed), lodging, and even geothermal pools ahead of time. I would suggest making reservations at restaurants if there is one you really want to try. We made the mistake of not doing this and missed out on a couple of places that we really wanted to try because they were fully booked the one night we were in that town.
Dress in Layers
The weather of Iceland can and will change in an instant. It can be raining one minute, sunny the next and then snowing 5 minutes later, so be prepared. We went in the summer, so we took a heavy coat, a rainproof lighter jacket and also wore hoodies over short sleeves. I recommend wearing a warm hat and waterproof hiking boots even in the summer since it only gets in the mid 50’s for highs and can feel really cold when it gets rainy and windy, which is often.
Follow the signs and paths
Icelanders are very proud and protective of their land, as they should be. It’s stunning and they don’t want it to get ruined or trampled on. Be sure to stay on marked paths and follow the directions on signs. I saw some people going off the path and trampling the beautiful wild flowers and plants and even picking flowers. To be a respectful traveler, leave what is there and take away only what you bring in (making sure not to leave any trash behind). When we were visiting Kerið crater, there were three people who had ventured off the path and were standing on the edge of the crater. Not only was it dangerous, but they were also blowing bubbles over the side. An Icelandic man saw them and was very upset that they were not only off the path but were adding chemicals to the natural habitat. Instead of caring, they just ignored him and kept blowing bubbles. It is important to be respectful visitors and remember that we are guests in their country.
Make sure your credit & debit cards are activated for use in Iceland and you have a 4-digit PIN
Iceland is almost a 100% cashless society. The only time we needed cash was for the occasional public restrooms (which only take coins), but otherwise everything is credit or debit. This is very important for gas stations. Many are unmanned and some are just gas pumps in the middle of nowhere, so you have to use a credit or debit card and usually a PIN.
Always have at least a half tank of gas
Get gas any chance you have if you are driving the ring road. After leaving Stuðlagil canyon, we stopped at an unmanned gas station and we found that neither our credit nor debit cards worked at this particular gas station for some reason. We had to backtrack 30 minutes to a different station because the next one was a few hours away and we would’ve run out of gas by then (and you will get fined if you run out of gas on the road).
Take bug repellent
This seems weird because it so cool there in the summer and cold the rest of the year, but there were lots of gnats and little bugs in areas of the north and west when we were there in June.
Be prepared to pay a lot for food and especially alcohol
Iceland is generally more expensive than the states. We were able to find some great deal on campsites, hotels and airbnbs since we were traveling as a family, but it can get costly. Food and alcohol are no exception. A basic meal was around $20-25 USD. Cocktails at restaurants are typically $15-20. While it’s cheaper to buy retail alcohol, you can only purchase it at Vínbúðin, which are government owned liquor and tobacco stores. Alcohol is not available for purchase in grocery stores.
Daylight hours change drastically by season
We visited Iceland in June during the midnight sun and it was amazing. I loved being there during that time because it never got dark, like ever! The sun would kind of glide along the horizon between midnight and 1:00 AM though never actually drop below the horizon, then start rising again. It was hard the first couple of nights to go to sleep just because I wanted to see everything and I felt like I was wasting time sleeping when it was light out, but after that we were so tired and wore eye masks so it was less of an issue than I had anticipated. On the contrary, during the dead of Winter, expect only about 4 hours of daylight. We traveled with our family, so we stayed in places where we had to be a certain place at a certain time each evening. If Toby and I ever go back alone, I would absolutely rent a sleeping camper van (which are everywhere and very common) so that we could stop wherever and whenever we wanted. I would also go to popular places after midnight to have less of a crowd and get better pictures during the summer.
Be prepared for road closures
If you are traveling during colder months, give yourself extra traveling time as it is not uncommon for roads to close due to snow and hazardous conditions, sometimes for days. Every road in Iceland is lined with yellow markers on each side every 25-50 meters so that drivers know where the road is even when it is covered in snow. Since the weather can change suddenly, it is not uncommon for roads to become snow covered very quickly. When traveling during colder months, download an app that tells you the driving conditions of the roads along your path and one that will also explain road signs and colors for you.
Be Aware & Follow Road Rules
In Iceland, it is mandatory that you always drive with your headlights on, no matter the time of day nor weather conditions. Seat belts are also mandatory and you may only use your phone while driving if it is hands free. Highway 1, which is the ring road that circles the entire country, is the main road. It is only a two line highway (one lane each direction) and rarely has much if any of a shoulder. You will get a ticket for speeding in Iceland (I’m not going to mention how we know that…) and vehicles are not allowed to stop on the side of the road, unless there is a designated parking lot or pull off area. Even the main roads are narrow, so be extra careful when passing other cars or crossing a one lane bridge, which are quite common. Only 4 wheel drive vehicles are allowed on “F” Roads, which are generally rougher, not paved and can get quite steep and muddy.
Don’t buy bottled water
Iceland has some of the cleanest, purest water on the planet and it is a point of pride for Icelanders. Don’t waste your money on buying bottled water when the tap water is fresher and better.