8 days – Self Drive Ring Road Iceland

On your arrival, you will easily be able to pick up your vehicle and drive through the lava fields to reach your accommodation in the capital city of Reykjavík. Depending on the time of your arrival, you could make a stop at the Blue Lagoon or simply explore the Reykjanes peninsula.

Your first evening will be spent in the capital of Iceland – Reykjavík, which will welcome you with a cozy downtown area filled with many restaurants, shops, and museums.

Perlan Exhibition

Harpa Concert Hall

Hallgrímskirkja Church

Summary:

Accommodation: in Reykjavík
Driving distance: approx. 50 km
Optional activities: Blue Lagoon, Guided City Tour, Food Tour, FlyOver Iceland

Highlights:

Reykjavík – explore the city
Reykjanes Peninsula & Volcano Fagradalsfjall (optional)

Today we will explore Golden Circle. It consists of Þingvellir National Park, Geyser Geothermal Area, and Gullfoss waterfall and will follow with some other interesting stops on the route.

Þingvellir National Park

The first stop of the day is Þingvellir National Park, where you will have a chance to walk on the tectonic plates rift that splits Iceland into two parts and the Öxaráfoss Waterfall that flows into the rift. Also, you will have the chance to see the site of the first parliament in the world. That’s actually where the name Þingvellir (e. Fields of the parliament) comes from.

Laugarvatn Fontana Spa

This is a quick but interesting stop to explore how traditional, geothermal steamed bread is made. If you are lucky to arrive there when the bread is ready, you purchase some to taste. It is best with butter.

Efstidalur Dairy Farm

The next stop is Efstidalur farm where we will see cattle and locally made yummy ice cream. This farm has been running by the same family since 1750. If you like ice cream, it is on us. Choose whatever flavor you want ?

Geysir Geothermal Area

From there we will head to a very active place Haukadalur (Geysir) geothermal area, where you will find Strokkur hot spring. It is the most active geyser in Iceland that shoots hot water as high as 20-30 meters (65-98ft), approx. every 5-10 minutes. There are over 20 other sleeping geysers and the small cute Litli Geysir that looks like a boiling pot. Watch out of getting to close to it, its water temperature is about 100°C (212°F).

Gullfoss Waterfall

To cool down, we continue the drive to Gullfoss waterfall, the second largest waterfall in Iceland. In the summer, if you stand close enough to the falls, you will feel fresh mist touching your face.

At this point, we have covered all three main attractions of the famous Golden Circle route. But it is not over yet, we like to show you more.

Fridheimar Tomato Cultivation Farm

We will continue this journey towards the south to visit the Fridheimar tomato cultivation farm, where you get a chance to taste various meals and desserts, with tomato as their main ingredient. Some people say that this place offers the best Bloody Mary cocktail in the world.

Kerid crater

And last but not least, we stop at Kerid to see a beautiful view of this beautiful crater, which is approx. 5000 years old.

To your knowledge, our private Golden Circle tour is very flexible. Our driver is able to change the itinerary and make sure that you will see all the sights and take a lunch break at your requested time and place. In general, the tour will take about 7 hours. If the tour exceeds that time, the additional fee will apply.

Summary:

Accommodation: Hvolsvöllur
Driving distance: approx. 215 km
Optional activities: Snorkeling, Secret Lagoon

Highlights:

Þingvellir National Park
Geysir & Strokkur
Gullfoss Waterfall
Kerið Crater

On our private South Coast tour, you get to see the magical Seljalandsfoss waterfall, where you will be able to literally walk behind it without getting completely wet. In the same area, we will also find a beautiful waterfall, which is hidden inside the mountain. Of course, on this tour, if you are willing we would take you to this secret place

After enjoying these two amazing waterfalls, we will be heading to see another beauty. The Skógafoss waterfall, is 60m (197 ft) high. Even from the distance, we will still feel its power of it. If you like to see it from above, you can take a little hike on the wooden stairs all the way to the top, where you can enjoy the view from above. According to the legend, the Vikings hid treasures behind the fall. Do you dare to go behind and get it?!

The next stop is the least fluid- it is the Eyjafjallajökull glacier view. Where we can witness climate change, the glacier is getting less and less every year. Probably everybody might recognize the name of the glacier, it is the one that erupted in 2010 and troubled the air traffic for a week in Europe.

For more sightseeing ideas check our Best things to see on the South Coast.

Our final area of the tour is the most picturesque and unique to Iceland – the Dyrholaey arch, the mystical Reynisfjara – the world-famous black sand beach with a basalt column cave, and Vik town which oversees Reynifjara’s basalt stacks.

By the time we finish with all the beautiful sights, now we are heading back to the city.

Summary:

• Accommodation: Vatnajökull area
• Driving distance: approx. 225 km
• Optional activities: Glacier Hiking, Jökulsárlón Boat Tour

Highlights:

• Seljalandsfoss & Skógafoss Waterfalls
• Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
• Vík Village
• Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

The route takes you through some small fishing villages and finally to Iceland’s largest forest area, Hallormsstaður, where the unique Hengifoss waterfall awaits you. Hengifoss is a 420 ft (128 m) high waterfall, it cascades elegantly over a curved ‘cliff’ that embraces the flow, but it is the horizontal bands of red clay passing through it that make it unique. These bands, or paleosols, were formed by successions of volcanic activity. Words cannot do justice to the loveliness of this waterfall. After this impressive experience, you will spend the night at the largest city in the Eastfjords – Egilsstaðir.

Summary:

• Accommodation: Egilsstaðir
• Driving distance: approx. 310 km
• Optional activities: Vök Baths

Highlights:

• Vestrahorn Mountain
• Eastfjords with Picturesque Stops Like Djúpivogur & Fáskrúðsfjörður
• Lagarfljót Lake
• Hallormsstaðaskógur Forest

Hengifoss Waterfall

From the raw power of tumultuous Dettifoss Waterfall to the serene vistas around Mývatn lake,  moon-alike Námaskarð Geothermal Area,  the mesmeric lava formations of Dimmuborgir, and the stunning drama of Ásbyrgi Canyon, the horseshoe-shaped canyon, you will be bewitched. With so much to do and see, I can promise you your time in the north will be varied, entrancing, and if you so desire, action-packed.

Summary:

• Accommodation: Mývatn
• Driving distance: approx. 265 km
• Optional activities: Mývatn Nature Baths

Highlights:

• Dettifoss Waterfall
• Námaskarð Geothermal Area
• Lake Mývatn
• Dimmuborgir Lava Field
• Ásbyrgi Canyon
• Skútustaðagígar Pseudocraters

Welcome to Akureyri city, the second-largest town in Iceland, and an extremely pleasant location to re-enter civilization before continuing west. As you approach Akureyri, you don’t want to miss Goðafoss Waterfall. Goðafoss means Waterfall of the Gods. It is said the last Pagan leader, Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði, hurled his Pagan idols into the falls when Iceland became Christian in 1000 CE. You can get a great view of Goðafoss from Highway 1 – but you simply must stop!

Further along the road, you can visit Glaumbær Museum, where the peat-roofed farmhouses invite you to step back in time to Iceland’s more rural past.

Summary:

• Accommodation: Skagafjörður
• Driving distance: approx. 190 km
• Optional activities: Whale Watching, Horseback Riding

Highlights:

• Goðafoss Waterfall
• Capital of the North: Akureyri
• Glaumbær Museum
• Hofsós Swimming Pool

Today, the road takes you back to Reykjavík through the West of Iceland. From the bubbling hot spring Deildartunguhver to the twin waterfalls of Barnafoss and Hraunfossar, where the porous lava rock oxidizes the glacial water as it churns into electric blue rapids.  You can also take a walk around the Grábrók crater and visit Glanni Waterfall which is located within one kilometer of the crater, then finally return to the capital.

Whilst your adventure may be over, we know you will have made memories to last a lifetime. You will drop off your rental car at the airport and, depending on your flight time, you can use this last opportunity to visit the famous Blue Lagoon, making this final day even more special!

• If the package tour has been paid in full, the 20% deposit is always non-refundable.
• 80% of the total payment will be refunded if the client cancels more than 30 days before the first day of the arrival date.
• A 50% cancellation fee will be charged for cancellations made between 7 and 14 days before the first arrival date.
• A 100% cancellation fee will be charged for cancellations made within 7 days before the first day of the arrival date.