A 10-Day Road Trip Through Iceland

Taking a 10-day road trip through Iceland was one of the most memorable experiences of my year abroad. With something exciting around every corner, there was never a dull moment in the itinerary. Giant waterfalls, gorgeous coastlines, and jaw-dropping views were an every day occurrence on this jam-packed Iceland trip. Any traveler who explores outside Reykjavik and off the beaten path will certainly not regret it.

A good friend of mine flew out for this trip in September. We had done many road trips together in college so long drives were nothing new to us. Our game plan was to drive as much as possible the first few days (in case we had any problems), then take our time if everything went according to plan. Below is a list of the most memorable sights, some food recommendations, and the nightly accommodation. So here it goes – our route for an adventurous 10-day road trip through Iceland!

Day 1

Drive time – 1 hour 40 minutes

We flew into Keflavik Airport at 1:30PM. A shuttle goes between the airport and Reykjavik, which is where we picked up a campervan through Motorhome Iceland. Motorhome Iceland made everything easy, and the campervan was fully equipped with camping, cooking, and sleeping gear. Not to mention reliable wifi and a heater that could run all night.

Hraunfossar – a perfect taste of the waterfalls to come. Made a national monument in 1987, the water from Hraunfossar comes from the numerous springs that flow under the lava field Hallmundarhraun.

Accommodation – Husafell Campground. Large, grassy campground with showers, laundry, and a small camp kitchen. Go to the resort to pay for your site.

Day 2

Drive time – 5 hours

Saefellsnes Peninsula

Borgarness – last good town to stop for groceries.

Raudfeldsgja Gorge – it’s a short walk along the creek that leads into this crevice. Legend says Bardur Saefellsnes had two beautiful daughters. One day his nephews pushed his eldest daughter onto an iceberg which floated away to Greenland. Bardur was so angry he killed his nephews and pushed one off a cliff and the other into this gorge.

Hellnar – an old fishing village with a picturesque church and interesting coastal formations.

Svalpufa – get a perfect view of jagged Icelandic coastline.

Vikingaaldarkuml & Skardsvik Beach – a nice beach with some interesting history. In 1962 a grave was found at Skardsvik Beach. It is believed to be the grave of an 18-25 year old male viking.

Skalasnagaviti Lighthouse – a bright orange lighthouse that looks over bird-covered cliffs at the right time of year.

Kirkjufell – take a short stroll to the top of the waterfall. Legend has it that a woman lost two sons to the river Kirkjufellfoss. After the boys drowned she cast a spell that fish could never be caught, and nobody would ever drown in the river again.

Food – Veidistadurinn (The Fishing Spot) in Budardalur. The fish and chips are some of the best ever! Good wifi.

Accommodation – Dalakot Campground in Budardalur. Small, simple campground in the middle of town with a block of showers.

Day 3

Drive time – 6 hours 55 minutes

Westfjords

Gardar Shipwreck – built in Norway in 1912, this is the oldest steel ship in Iceland. It was beached in 1981.

Breidavik – this drive feels like the end of the world when the wind in Breidavik blows through your hair.

Food – Stukuhusid in Talknafjordur. Tasty soup and fresh pastries.

Dynjandi – translating to “thundering noise,” Dynjandi is an impressive waterfall with multiple levels.

Accommodation – Tunguskogur Campground in Isafjordur. Big campground in a beautiful, grassy setting. Great showers and large communal area with plenty of outlets. Good wifi.

Day 4

Drive time – 7 hours 38 minutes

Westfjords and Northwest Iceland

Hvitserkur – beautiful black sand beach with a 15 meter high sea stack that looks like an elephant.

Akureyri – a half day seemed like enough time to explore Iceland’s fourth largest city.

Food – Brynja ice cream in Akureyri.

Accommodation – Akureyri Backpackers in Akureyri. Spotless, trendy hostel in the middle of town. Good wifi.

Day 5

Drive time – 8 hours 42 minutes

Northeast and East Iceland

Godafoss – translating to “waterfall of the gods,” Godafoss gets its name from a chief who threw the statues of pagan gods into the river after accepting the Christian faith.

Namafjall Hverir Geothermals – the hotsprings have sulfur deposits which were once mined for gunpowder. They also create the sulfuric “rotten egg” smell.

Dettifoss Waterfall – the greatest waterfall in volume in all of Europe. There was so much spray in front of the waterfall that it was difficult to take a picture.

Monument to Porbjorn Arnoddsson – the drive up this pass is fun and steep. The stop has an interesting stone sculpture, a waterfall, and a lovely view of Seydisfjordur.

Hvalnes Nature Reserve Beach – gorgeous black sand beach and a great place to take ominous pictures.

Accommodation – Camping Hofn in Hofn. The least favorite campground we stayed in. Large and busy with unfriendly staff. Not enough restrooms or kitchen space for the size of the campground. Wifi was “switched off until further notice.”

Day 6

Drive time – 1 hour 50 minutes

East Iceland

Jokulsarlon Iceberg Lagoon – glacial lake with icebergs liberally scattered on the surface. Great place to take 1,000 pictures of the same thing over and over.

Diamond Beach – black sand beach with melting icebergs glittering in the sunlight.

Fjallsarlon Glacier – an iceberg lagoon and glacier that spawns from the great Vatnajokull Glacier.

Accommodation – Svinafell Campground in Svinafell. Pretty campground surrounded by grassy meadows full of grazing sheep. Large common area with lots of outlets. Good wifi.

Day 7

Drive time – 2 hours 41 minutes

South Iceland

Svartifoss – hike 1.5 kilometers to a waterfall surrounded by lava columns.

Skaftafell Glacier – get up close and personal to the base of this glacier. No guide necessary.

Accommodation – Thakgil Campground. A 15km dirt road will take you to this gorgeous campground. After reading reviews about a “treacherous drive” my friend and I were baffled by how easy it was to drive the campervan on this road (perhaps it had to do with the season?). The campground is very basic with cold showers and no wifi. Common area is inside a large cave. The quiet beauty of this campground makes up for what it lacks in amenities.

Day 8

Drive time – 2 hours 56 minutes

South Iceland

Reynisfjara/Reynisdrangar – a black sand beach with really cool basalt columns. The waves at “Iceland’s most dangerous beach” are not to be taken lightly.

Solheimasandur Plane Crash – hike 4 kilometers to see this surreal abandoned plane.

Solheimajokull Glacier – a glacier melting into black sand and bright green moss.

Skogafoss Waterfall – known as one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland, legend says a settler hid a chest of gold behind it.

Seljalandsfoss Waterfall – walk behind these falls for a unique view. Note: we did not walk to Seljalandfoss because parking was $10 usd and we had seen enough waterfalls.

Accommodation – Gesthus Selfoss. Large campground with friendly staff. Kitchen and common room are not quite big enough for the campground. Good wifi.

Day 9

Drive time – 2 hours 29 minutes

Golden Circle

Kerid – walk around the rim of this turquoise crater. Pay $4 usd to park.

Gulfoss – a touristy, but incredibly impressive waterfall. A large visitor’s center is located on-site.

Geysir – where “geysers” get their name. This was the first ever geyser discovered by Europeans.

Thingvellir National Park – interesting geology where two tectonic plates collide. Also the location for several Game of Thrones scenes.

Accommodation – Reykjamork Hveragerdi Campsite. Decent campground with a small outdoor kitchen area and not enough showers. Friendly staff and good wifi.

Day 10

Drive time – 1 hour 24 minutes

Southern Peninsula

Reykjadalur Hot Springs – hike 3 kilometers uphill, through fly-infested hills, to sit in wonderfully relaxing hot springs. Changing rooms on-site.

Hotel Eldhestar – ride an adorable Icelandic Horse which has a gait unique to the breed.

Blue Lagoon – spend half the day drinking a cold beverage in the warm spa waters of the Blue Lagoon.

Accommodation – Grindavik Campsite in Grindavik. Modern, clean campground with a nice kitchen and common room. Good wifi.

Other Ideas

Here are some places I did not visit due to budget restrictions, the season, or just not knowing it existed.

Hengifoss Waterfall – while there are plenty of waterfalls on this itinerary, the geology at Hengifoss looks very interesting. It’s a 2.5 kilometer hike to the falls.

Thrihnukagigur Volcano – climb into the center of an intact, inactive volcano. $400 for a 5-6 hour tour.

Diving Silfra Fissure – dive between two tectonic plates. $380 for a 6-8 hour tour, and dry suit certification is required. Snorkeling is also available.

Hiking Hornbjarg in Hornstrandir Nature Reserve – it’s difficult to plan and hard to get to, but looks amazing.

Puffins – I missed Puffin season by one month. Hopefully you get a chance to see these strange looking birds.