
Iceland is a microcosm of rugged, real, and surreal all wrapped up into one little island.
I know this sounds like hyperbole but I was overwhelmed almost to the brink of crying tears of joy from what I saw during the week I spent driving Iceland’s Ring Road, the highway 1 that circles the perimeter of the country covering 828 miles (1332 km). The landscape changed constantly, providing perfect photo ops at every turn. Really, just about every single turn!
I just couldn’t believe that scenery could really look like that on earth. There were so many waterfalls, we just stopped pointing them out to each other the third day into the drive, and the landscape changed so often, we never got bored.
One of my early goals was to find some places in Iceland that weren’t written about as much, or where I might escape other tourists. Some of the following on this itinerary are tourist favorites (and rightly so), and some you might just get all to yourself. Some are accessible with any kind of car, and some require a 4×4. Some are directly off of the ring road, and some require a (worthwhile) detour.
Keep in mind that when driving the Ring Road, you’ll want a minimum of seven days to do it. More would be even better and will allow you to see way more of the scenery. I left wishing I’d had a month on that beautiful island.
Here were my favorites from that week. Choose your own adventure:
Day One: Driving to the Highlands (4×4 needed)
There’s no right or wrong direction to head on the Ring Road. You can go north or south, but we chose to go south first because we were chasing clear skies for a chance to see the northern lights, a plan that paid off. Check the aurora forecast if you’re in Iceland at a time of year when you will have some dark skies (not in the summertime) and plan accordingly.
If you haven’t had a chance to check out Iceland’s golden circle yet, it’s definitely worth the detour and is a great way to start your Ring Road trip (check out my post on how to avoid the crowds on this popular road and some extra ideas too!). I’d already had 48 hours in Iceland so I started on the Ring Road right away, bound for Landmannalaugar in the highlands because the photos of its painted mountains looked spectacular. This is the exact car that I used and I thought it was fantastic.
We spent that day almost entirely in the car, mostly because the rain and wind were so heavy that I was terrified – honestly, terrified – to step outside for longer than a minute. Plus, driving on the 4×4 roads at 10-20km/hour takes a lot of time.
Even though we spent most of the day in the car, it was still an awesome day as the scenery was pretty incredible. We started to question if we had accidentally ended up on another planet when we came to the part of the road pictured above, which looks like a black and white photo but in reality, the landscape was black as far as the eye could see.
If you don’t have a 4×4 but still want to see the highlands, tours depart daily from Reykjavik and will take you to the same place, though you won’t have the freedom to stop for photos when you want to along the way.
Map: Landmannalaugar
Camp: The wind and rain were so scary strong that day that the road to the campgrounds closed due to flooding (check road closures here), so we had to find a dead end to hole up in until the morning. This was fine given nobody was crazy enough to drive that road in that weather in the dark, and the nice camper van had heating and kitchenette. After a cup of whiskey to chase the fear away I slept like a baby – rocking back and forth in the (strong as h$@l) wind. I’ve heard great things about the whole F-208 road, but unfortunately due to flooding and closures, we couldn’t go any further than Landmannalaugar and never got to check out the camp 30km away.
Day Two: Landmannalaugar Hike and Drive to Seljalandsfoss
I awoke to snowy surroundings and thanked the universe for letting me live through the previous night’s storm. Landmannalaugar is a great place to hike for an hour or two, though one could do so for days or even weeks, so we explored a bit, eager to see the mountains that looked like painted hills.
Hiking around took half of the day while retracing our steps and heading back to the Ring Road filled the other. We spent most of it jumping over about two dozen freezing streams of water across the valley and finding a waterfall, only to lose the trail in the snow and jump right back over them to head back to the starting point.
Our goal for the rest of the afternoon was to thaw out, dry off, and make it to Seljalandsfoss for an AM viewing of the waterfall, especially since sunrise there is particularly famous.
Technically, I didn’t really start driving the actual Ring Road in the daytime until day three. But my, what a dazzling introduction it turned out to be.
Map: Seljalandsfoss
Camp: There’s a great little campsite right next to Seljalandsfoss. Highly recommended if you’d like to catch the sunrise at the falls!
Day Three: Skógafoss, Fjaðrárgljúfur, and the Black Waterfall
Waking up to a massive waterfall is an excellent way to start the day, and I simply can’t believe I hadn’t tried it until hitting Iceland. I suppose I can credit that to few opportunities, but everyone should do it at least once!
Seljalandsfoss is popular with tourists, so don’t expect to get it to yourself, and you will get wet if you want to get behind it for photos. We didn’t get a sunrise that day thanks to the clouds. That said, it is impressive, and the drive from there to Skógafoss is delightful, punctuated with tons of waterfalls and green misty mountains.
Skógafoss
Skógafoss is also popular with tourists thanks to its massive flow and relative proximity to Reykjavik. It’s very close to the Ring Road and worth a quick photo stop.
I’m not exaggerating when I say that we saw hundreds of waterfalls streaming from green cliff edges and volcanic basalt columns throughout the drive. I kept wondering to myself how one waterfall could be more famous than another considering there must be thousands, no exaggeration, all across Iceland. There are tons that you’ll pass during the trip that would all be famous if they existed in other countries. But in Iceland, waterfalls are a dime a dozen.
Fjaðrárgljúfur
I got the inspiration to visit Fjaðrárgljúfur, along with most of the other places we stopped at, from a combination of looking around Instagram for suggestions and consulting a big picture book that my buddy Maksim brought (which was in German, but there’s a similar English version here). For us, the easiest way to pick and choose was visually. If one of us enthusiastically said, “Wow, I really want to go there!” we added it to the itinerary if we could possibly fit it.
Fjaðrárgljúfur is a canyon that is 100 m deep and about 2 km long and was likely created during the last ice age. I dug it because it gave me multiple opportunities to be really foolish and hang around the edge of things, something I have a habit of doing.
There were tons of places to stop along the drive, so we did just that, enjoying our first day of sunshine. Next thing I knew, we rounded a curve and there was a giant glacier, and stretching out from under it, a black sand sea that stretched onwards for miles to the horizon.
Maksim asked me what I’d do if I saw northern lights over the glacier lagoon that night as I frowned at the cloud cover above. I told him I could die happy if that happened and an hour later, he called me outside and there they were:
Maps: Skógafoss, Fjaðrárgljúfur, the Black Waterfall (Svartifoss), Jökulsárlón Iceberg lagoon
Camp: We arrived at the Jökulsárlón Iceberg lagoon just after dark and were worried when we didn’t see any camping options. Luckily after checking their website it turned out camping is allowed in a contained camper van or RV. Score!
Day Four: The Eastern Fjords
Maksim and I woke up to a glorious sunrise. It was the first we’d seen in days due to the rain but it made up for the inclement weather in the highlands when a rainbow arced down to the glacier lagoon.
This was a big driving day for us. There was a lot that we wanted to see in the north and the aurora forecast looked bleak due to cloud cover everywhere with the exception of a spot over 445km away. We wanted to see them again and figured it was our best chance. We turned out to be happily, gloriously correct.
The Eastern Fjords are lovely, and I suggest stopping whenever you see something beautiful for a photo or even taking little detours from the Ring Road for some of the coastal towns. We didn’t feel we had time for that (as it was we barely made it back to Reykjavik within the seven days we allotted), so we stuck to the Ring Road.
There’s a lot you can do that we missed out on, such as ice cave trekking, which was booked out way farther in advance than I’d bargained for, or helicopter tours of the active volcanoes, but the nature of the Ring Road trip is that you’ll have to pick and choose – you can’t do it all.
That night before the sun had even fully set, the northern lights came out and started dancing. The sky was completely clear and dark, giving us a dazzling display that beat out the first night’s, snaking across the sky and dancing like lines of classical music across the pages of a hauntingly enchanting song. How else can I describe it? It brought tears to my eyes.
Map: Asbyrgi
Camp: Asbyrgi has awesome camp grounds equipped with showers, sinks, clean bathrooms, and places to charge your electronics.
Day Five: Hiking Ásbyrgi Canyon
Most of day five was spent on foot rather than in a car, which was a welcome change from the day before which was quite the opposite.
Maksim and I elected to do the A8 trail, which takes you to the canyon view from the top and over to the river on the other side, spanning 12 kilometers. The trail was marked as red which means “difficult” but honestly I don’t know what whoever ranked that trail was smoking (a lot of weed, apparently), because the trail wasn’t difficult at all, and even those with limited fitness could do it.
What I loved about it was an aerial view of the fall foliage below, plus landscape that seriously looked like the moon. The middle part was my favorite, feeling like an astronaut for an hour, followed by fields that were so red and orange, they appeared to be on fire.
If you have time to do this and enjoy hiking, definitely squeeze it in.
Maps: Husavik
Camp: The drive from there to the campgrounds at Húsavík is a quick one, so take a dip at the bath house in the town and enjoy the evening.
Day Six: Whale Watching in Húsavík, Chasing Waterfalls (Godafoss and Aldeyjarfoss – 4×4 needed), and Checking Out the Rock in Hvitserkur
Whale watching is a popular activity in Húsavík mostly because the chances of seeing them are around 97-99%, so might as well, right?
The tour we took was around €75 and took three hours and we were able to see a Humpback Whale come up and swim around several times before heading back to the harbor. From there, Maksim and I went waterfall chasing:
We took the 4×4 for another spin on a road that is closed off to normal vehicles, because we wanted to check out what was poised to be the coolest waterfall of all with even more basalt columns than Svartifoss has:
This is Aldeyjarfoss, which was my favorite waterfall in Iceland. This, plus the highlands, definitely justified getting the 4×4 version of our camper van.
Without much of an idea where to head after that, we checked in with Instagram again and discovered Hvitserkur, a rock in the ocean that looked cool enough to check out.
That night ended up having the most active auroras of all, which I took a couple quick pictures of but then elected to just watch and enjoy:
Maps: Godafoss, Aldeyjarfoss, Hvitserkur
Camp: We spent the night at Hvitserkur, which I think is a no-no, but we didn’t have much choice after arriving long after dark and spotting the northern lights again which we, naturally, had to stay and stare at.
Day Seven: More Waterfalls (and a Return to Reykjavik)
Day seven involved a couple more detours in order to see more amazing waterfalls before finishing up the trip and heading back to Reykjavik.
We found Barnafoss on Instagram and wanted to take the chance to see if it still had the fall colors we’d seen from a couple weeks prior:
It added another hour or so to the trip and we were glad, once again, to have a car that could handle some back country roads when we took a short cut to get there.
Next, we elected to make the several-hour detour to see our final waterfall of Iceland, Kirkjufellsfoss:
It was the cherry on top of a perfect Iceland Ring Road trip.
Maps for the Iceland Ring Road
I’ve enclosed two maps below, broken up since theres a max amount of stops per map that I can embed, beginning in Reykjavik. Here’s the map for days 1-5 (ish):
And for days 5-7/8:
One to habitually look a gift horse in the mouth, I wondered, will Iceland ruin everything that comes after it? Will anything be impressive to me ever again? Of course it’s impossible as each country has its own special and unique beauty, but in Iceland, it’s easy to forget that anything else exists, you’re so wrapped up in the sights before you.
I hope you find these tips helpful and if you take this trip, let me know!
Brianna says
Wow! So many different landscapes within one little(ish) country! So glad you’ve captured them all with your camera to share with us. Definitely makes me want to make a visit of my own! Did you find the roads to be easily driven, or are road conditions something to consider when planning an Icelandic road trip?
Kristin says
Luckily for me, my friend Maksim drove and he’s used to driving in bad conditions. One day the rain and wind was so heavy I was actually terrified. I wouldn’t have been able to drive in it but he was a great captain. If you aren’t used to snow or heavy rain and wind I’d take that into consideration
Hilmar Valur Jensson says
As an Icelandic guide I wanna fill in a bid. Driving in Iceland can be weary dangeres lot of site winds, icy roads, mist and rain and cloudy and of course bliserd there are lot of dangeres korners on our roads, lot of tourist stop in middle of the road for photos and that is dangeres to so always find parking spots. If the sign says road close than it dos not mean that you can drive on it in small Yaris? Many tourists do it hehehe. Any way you have amazing photos from my country.
Sorry my spellings.
With cinde regards
Hilmar Valur Jensson tour guide
Wieke says
Hello, is it possible to visit landmannalaugar in may? Around 15/18 may? Or is the road too bad?
Kristin says
You might be able to get there with a 4×4.
mark says
Breathtaking, fabulous, surreal…
Box Canyon Mark
Nichole says
What company did you rent your camper van from? My husband and I are looking to do the same thing in September and have just started researching everything we can on Iceland.
Kristin says
Go Campers and I highly recommend them! The staff is great, the vehicle was in great condition, it had everything we needed, and the price is right. http://www.gocampers.is/
Emma says
Ah! Your photos are gorgeous! But I bet Iceland is even more beautiful in person
Kristin says
It’s pretty unbelievable
Barb says
Breathtaking! These places look absolutely beautiful, and your photos are so good I want to get to Iceland immediately!
Kristin says
Thank you so much!
Tom says
Thank you for the inspiration. Checking into adding one month in Iceland before embarking on 8 month backpacking journey in SEA. We are mid 50’s and still traveling. Never lose sight of your dreams.
Kristin says
Awesome, Tom. That sounds like an epic trip! And so varied, too.
Jimmy Dau says
I’d say the star of the show was your red jacket :). Looking forward to getting there with my #greenjacket this year hopefully.
Karolina says
Your photos look like if they were taken in the fairytale! Iceland is on top of my bucket list, I hope to visit this amazing country in 2016 🙂
Ryan says
Fjaðrárgljúfur (yes I had to copy and paste that, and I won’t even try to pronounce it…) was probably my favorite photo in this itinerary, but all of it looks amazing. And It’s just so hard to believe all of this is in one country. I’ll keep all of these in mind for when I go!
Kristin says
Yeah, I couldn’t believe how varied it was too! SO much to see all packed into one island
Sky says
3 questions:
1. My wife loves your boots. What brand are they?
2. Was your camper van 4×4?
3. We are going Oct. 5th – 16th this year. Does that line up with when you went? Hoping it’s still somewhat green.
Kristin says
1) They’re Ugg brand but I bought them years ago. I found a similar style here: http://amzn.to/1UknvhJ
2) Yes
3) Yes I went from October 1-10! Great timing but it’s not AS green as during the summer. It’s red, yellow, orange, and if you ask me, way more beautiful with the fall foliage.
Itinera Magica says
I’m going to Iceland next summer, and I came here looking for some inspiration… and inspired I was! Thanks a lot for sharing my itinerary. Some of your pictures made me feel like WOW I have to see that… Iceland is magical. I’m so looking forward to this trip.
Itinera Magica says
I meant of course “your”* itinerary! I guess I was too quick to make it mine in my head, because it looks so awesome 😉
Kristin says
Haha, if you do follow this itinerary let me know! I love it when people try out my suggestions and enjoy them!
Bjorn says
Great travel advice for future trekkers to my fair country!
I can wholeheartedly recommend the stops you mentioned. Just one thing I might add for visitors to Iceland (and sorry if you mentioned it already and I missed it):
When you feel the need to stop and snap a picture (and believe me, you´ll want to do that very frequently), make sure your car is towards the side of the road, or even off the road if possible…don´t stop at a “blind” turn….and please, please, keep in mind, that off-road driving is nowhere allowed (even on the black sands on the south coast).
Enjoy your trip to Iceland!
Kristin says
Hi Bjorn, so glad to see that a local agrees with my suggestions! In my 24 things you need to know post I mention both of those things: https://www.bemytravelmuse.com/iceland-ring-road-camping/
I remember hearing a story of some tourists who went off roading on a black sand beach then had to spend hours raking it all back into place!
Christina says
Gorgeous pictures! We are planning a trip in April – I hope we can get to some of these places! How did you find navigating around on the roads? Did you use a GPS? Are the road signs in English?
Kristin says
I got a local SIM card and it had amazingly good coverage and wasn’t expensive from Vodafone and that was the best method. The signs for each place are in Icelandic. There isn’t really an English alternative.
Carl Bradley says
We are planning a 26 day trip to Iceland in August/September 2016. This will also include a 3 day stop over in Aukeryi and an overnight stay on Grimsey. Should be a great trip – thanks for the info.
Tim says
Awesome guide, I’ll be doing the same trip this summer and you’ve gotten me even more excited, if that was possible! Great post!
Kristin says
woohoo!
Helen says
My best friend and I are going to Iceland in a couple of weeks — 2-8 May — and your blog has been incredibly helpful in planning! We really want to get to Landmannalaugar but I am reading that the F roads will not be open in early May but I see you were able to access it in October. Any guess on the chances of our being able to get there in our rented 4×4 or advice on affordable alternative ways to access it? Thank you!
Kristin says
They usually close the roads due to flooding and in May perhaps they expect a lot of snow melt. I have seen tour busses go there and we took a 4×4 rental. If you’re thinking of renting one I highly recommend gocampers.is they were great and will probably be able to answer your questions!
Michael says
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and recommendations. We will be touring Iceland this July. I’m sure out trip will be most efficient and enhanced by your suggestions.
Eugene says
Very stylish boots
Jessica says
Thanks for sharing! If I’m reading right, you camped in your Camper Van each night? Where did you shower and how did you stay warm? Assuming the nights get cold. I am trying to plan a trip for late September/early October!
Kristin says
I slept in the camper van every night, yes. There are bath houses in every small town where you can shower and the van had a heater inside so we stayed nice and toasty. Details here: https://www.bemytravelmuse.com/iceland-ring-road-camping/
Ashley says
HI! Thanks for sharing your itinerary! Just wondering if you remember roughly how much you spent on gas? I’ve read that the gas prices are exhoborant and I’d just like an idea of how much we need. Thanks!!
Kristin says
Wasn’t much more than at home at the time but they rise and fall so what I paid might have nothing to do with what the price is now
Neha says
Hi,
How easy it to see Icelandic horses? We are thinking of going to Iceland for 3.5 days in October and originally I was thinking of doing a horseback tour but now I think I’d rather see Kirkjufellsfoss but I still want pictures of the horses.
Thanks!
Kristin says
They’re all over. You’ll see them if you take a road trip.
Gena says
Loved this article!!! I’m planning an 8-day trip in Late September with my husband. While I love the idea of a camper van for the freedom it would allow, I’m very worried about the weather (I’m a Southerner with a low tolerance for being cold!). Even if we can stay nice and toasty inside the van, there would still be the chilly trek to the bathrooms/showers as well as having to be outside to cook (at least in the camper models I’ve seen). I fear making myself miserable, but really love the idea of not having to lock in accommodations well in advance. How did you decide that a camper van was the way to go and how did you deal with the weather? Thanks and I appreciate your advice.
Kristin says
Hi Gena, we didn’t cook outside until the last night because we were cold, too. You can cook inside if you crack the windows and just boil food instead of frying it. there’s also a ventilation thingy at the top of the van. We had a space heater so we were more than fine inside. Yes, though, you’ll have to go out to use the bathroom. That part is tough when it’s cold or rainy but I will put up with those small discomforts in exchange for the freedom of the van. SO worth it!
Gena Buff says
Thanks! I can’t wait for our 1st anniversary adventure!
Sabrina BB says
Hi ! Me and my boyfriend are going to Iceland for two weeks in july/august. Your itinerary seems perfect and I was wondering if you remember how much it cost you for gaz ?
Thank you,
Kristin says
Gas is always fluctuating so I didn’t give a figure here but it wasn’t too bad for me at the time. About like home.
Jeanne Kinkade says
I just read every word you wrote about spending time in Iceland and it made me want to travel even now, and sooner to boot! Just incredible the way you highlight everything of importance. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this! What great tips you offered! I am planning to take my two boys (I’m the mom) to Iceland for a month. We just got back from a month-long UK road trip, so next year is probably when we will be going to Iceland. I loved your descriptions of the rain storms and am actually looking forward to them! I’m wondering if Spring is as awesome as Fall, though. That’s when we usually do our traveling (we home school, so it’s cool). The Northern Lights are definitely on our bucket list, so summer is out of the question. Any way, thanks for the great summary!!
Kristin says
Wow a month there will be awesome! I wish I could have stayed that long. There was so much hiking and outdoorsy stuff to do! I’m sure that any time of year there is beautiful in its own way. Have fun!
Am says
How much did you and your friend spend in gas for the total trip? I am taking the trip in late October and was wondering how much money needed to be set aside for gas. Your trip looks like it was so amazing we just might follow your itinerary!
Kristin says
The prices rise and fall and that was a year ago which is why I haven’t given a gas price. It wasn’t so bad when we were there. About $5-6 per gallon but at other times it has been closer to $8
The Gays Abroad says
Hey Kristin!
We found you through your Easter Island guest post on Nomadic Matt’s site. Great article, btw 🙂
Reading about your road trip brings back a TON of memories. Though we didn’t have a chance to visit the highlands (nor were we lucky enough to catch the Northern Lights), we did cover a lot of the same sights. We had wondered whether we took too many photos, and included too many in our posts, but judging by your article, it seems like that’s just what happens when travelling in Iceland! Fortunately, we had two weeks for the ring road so we were able to take our time.
It looks like you had some great weather, though. The bad driving conditions were the most extreme for us on our way across the Westfjords to visit the Puffins of Látrabjarg. Bumpy, cliffside roads coupled with extreme fog can be terrifying. Glad we all lived to tell our stories!
All the best,
Adamo & Joey
– The Gays Abroad
Kristin says
Glad you guys enjoyed your time there as well! I don’t think it’s possible to take too many photos! Iceland is soooo photogenic, too. I was there with my friend Maksim who did the driving. He’s from the Ukraine so he was used to all kinds of weather while I sat there in the passenger seat terrified of the storms. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without him!
Tinus says
Hey Kristin,
I really like your Blog and I got a lot of useful information from it. So thanks a lot 🙂
A friend of mine and me are going to Iceland this late September/early October. We have car, that is not a camper, but still big enough to sleep in. However, since we have a very good and stable tent, we would love to sleep in it from time to time. Do you think that this will still be possible during the first days of October, since most sites close at the first of the month. Information for further usability is very scarce and mixed. If weather will be too heavy we will book some additional accommodations for some of the days.
Another question I have is whether you think we will be able to do a circle around Iceland alongside the Ringroad, without having a 4X4? We are not planing on heading towards the Highlands away from Road1…
Would be very happy to hear some further advice from you 🙂
Kristin says
The campsites were still open for use when I was there even though there was nobody there to run it or collect a fee. Sometimes it was just me and a few other people there.
You’ll be really cold sleeping in a tent. It’ll be around freezing or below each night. If you have really good sleeping bags and gear then it might work. You can do the ring road without a 4×4 but not the highlands and not all the waterfalls. Have fun!
Christel says
I am planning one of my next road-trip to Iceland. So thank you for your help with this post. Very helpful.
Braden says
Kristin,
I’m heading to Reyk Aug. 31 – Sep 7 and I’m so so happy to have stumbled on this entry. We’ve rented a non 4×4 so I know some of this will probably be difficult or even impossible. Also, we’re planning to tent camp almost every night as there are four of us. Did you sleep in the van every night, or did you camp outdoors from time to time? As you went a month later than we’re planning, we hope that the weather will be a bit more friendly but who knows.. Did you see a lot of outdoor camping available? We are hoping to be able to hike from wherever we park the car and camp out in the earthy areas and not necessarily super established campsites. Do you think that would be possible? Also, very curious as to what kind of camera you are shooting with here. Any other tips? Thanks again for your awesome itinerary.
Kristin says
I only slept in the van and we used the van’s space heater. It was needed since we got snow. You can’t go to the highlands and just one of the waterfalls we went to without a 4×4 so you’ll still see a lot. You can camp at the same places that I parked for camping. This is my camera info: https://www.bemytravelmuse.com/how-to-improve-my-travel-photography/
Brit says
Love your blog! Your tips are so helpful. My dad and I will be visiting Iceland October 2-10, we rented a happy camper for the trip. Your post makes me feel better about the cold, I was worried we would freeze in the camper. Do you have a suggestion for planning the road trip? I love your itinerary, I’m just concerned about timing as the days will be shorter in August. Do you just map out your trip prior and try your best to estimate the timing?
Kristin says
We went at the same time of year and had the same daylight. Just aim for where you want to get to and amend the itinerary as you go, that’s what I always do everywhere I go 🙂
Shelley says
Hi Kristin,
Do you mind me asking what your rough budget was for this trip? I’m looking to do one very similar and want to get an idea of how much to save/bring etc. I haven’t had a chance to read all of your posts, so maybe you have one with this information that I missed.
Thanks!
Kristin says
Here you go! https://www.bemytravelmuse.com/what-does-it-cost-to-travel-in-iceland/
Suzi says
Hi Kristin – my husband and I have hired a 4×4 campervan to travel round Iceland in April 2017. We are however just discovering that the majority of campsites are only open 1 July – 1 September! I note that you went in October, so also “out of season”. Where did you park your van to sleep? (I have read that going off road etc is illegal). Similarly, where did you shower?! Our draft itinerary is very very similar to yours by the looks of things, so if you are able to let me know where you parked up to sleep and where you showered that would be really amazingly helpful!
Thank you!x
Kristin says
The campsites are closed but they leave the parking lots open so that people have somewhere to go. almost every town, no matter how small, has bathhouses so you can shower there 🙂
Suzi says
Thanks Kristin. Did your van have a toilet then (as I assume the toilet facilities at the campsites are also closed)?
Kristin says
The toilets were open and no the van does not.
Suzi says
Thanks Kristin – that’s super helpful!! 🙂
Nina - Where in the World is Nina? says
I’m going to end up doing some of this next year! So stoked! My friend is getting married in Iceland, so I mean… As if I needed more of an excuse to go. 🙂 Thanks for all the tips, Kristin!
Emily says
This was a great post! My boyfriend and I are travel photographers and will be traveling to Iceland in November! Only 1 month away!!!!! Crazy! It sounds absolutely stunning and other worldly! Thanks for the blog post…it gave us some great ideas!
monching says
Thanks for this info-loaded article. Am planning a road trip there for 2017. Would I lose out on a lot of the sights if I rent a bigger campervan vs the smaller 4×4 that you rented?
Thanks!!
Kristin says
The highlands and Aldeyjarfoss, which was my favorite waterfall in Iceland. You’ll still be able to see tons of amazing things, though.
Keane says
Hi Kristin!
Cheers to 2016 & Happy 2016 to you!
I’m wondering if you’re able to share your itinerary map with me?
Thank you!
P.S. Your post is awesome!
Kristin says
Hi Keane, there’s a link to each place on Google maps right before the camping suggestions under each place where it says ‘map’. Have fun!
Linda says
Hi Kristin!
My husband and I are planning to follow your trip in September. We also looked at the gocamper site, but a 4×4 camper van for 2 weeks costs over 4000€. Thats quite insane in my opinion 🙁 Due to budget restrains we are looking t rent a normal 4×4 which is about 800€ and then combine that with a tent. However you also wrote, that its quite windy, so not sure what to do. Any tips from your end?
Loved your itiniary by the way, and AMAZING fotos!!!
Kristin says
Hi Linda, a few people have been saying lately that the price is really high for the camper vans. It seems like they raised it. I’m surprised that it’s 4,000, though! However, I only rented it for about a week, so my cost was much lower. I do think that the wind could be a factor in a tent. However I camped in that kind of weather in Patagonia and survived, it just wasn’t pleasant. You could always opt to do guesthouse rooms if you see that the weather is too heavy for you.
Joy says
Driving the ring road at the end of May in five days. Do you have suggestions on an itinerary to cut it down to five days and which cities to stay in (Hotel)? We know…. not enough time, but it’s all we have.
Kristin says
You could head south then backtrack. That’s a beautiful part. I didn’t stay in any hotels but Vik is a good one with lots of options.
Siggi Einarson says
Beautiful post and beautiful photographs. I grew up in the East Fjords and you captured the beauty and contrast perfectly. I do think that 7 days on the ring road is pretty fast-I traveled the whole road in 10 days and feel like it was a bit of a whirlwind. But with Icelandair’s 7 day stopover this is perfect!
Kristin says
Glad you like the photos! 7 days is super fast and I would have loved more time!
wouter says
He Kristin, we are just back from agreat trip, thanks for all the info, … regards Wouter
Yemina says
Hi! Im going to Iceland with my boyfriend on September 21 for about 10, 15 days (havent booked the ticket back)
Our plan was to rent a campervan and do the ring road, but some Icelanders kind of scared us saying its really dangerous if we are not used to it. Is this so?
Would it make ant difference just renting a car and stay at hotels?
Should it definitely be a 4X4 car?
Also, when you talk about all the hikings you did, were they on your own or with tours?
I would prefer a self-travel more than an organized one.
Great post!!, thanks for all the info and the amazing pictures!!!
Kristin says
Why would it be dangerous? I don’t really get that. A 4×4 is necessary for some of the spots, like the highlands. I didn’t do any tours in Iceland.
Rebecca says
Hi – I read this post last year (which is just so helpful) and followed the comments but have just come back to it as I’m sending it to a friend who is due to go to Iceland later this year. Can I ask what camera you used to shot the amazing photos?
Kristin says
It’s here! http://amzn.to/2m16fTu
(affiliate link)
Katie - Round the World Magazine says
What an incredible journey! We loved Iceland and we’re off again for New Year this December. We’d love to drive the ring road but have been advised against it in winter.
What camera did you use to capture the Northern Lights? We struggled with our Nikon D3300.
Kristin says
I used a Sony A6000 for these and just upgraded to the A7S and it’s incredible how much better the latter is in low light. I’ve found that you kind of have to pay up if you want great low light cameras.
Daniel G says
I love that you did the whole road! I recognized a lot of the photos. I’m really glad someone else would describe it as nearly causing tears.. I felt the same way. There can’t possibly be a place with more chances for scenic photography than Iceland.
I was especially amazed at some of the places you don’t hear about often, like the unpaved interior roads of Snaefellsnes, and the incredible thousands of tiny waterfalls everywhere descending to the coast on the eastern side of the country near Djupivogur. For 90% of the time we were there (mid september with even days/nights hours), we felt like we were the only people around.. it was rare to see other cars or people!
Kristin says
I was surprised by how uncrowded it seemed as well!
Reuben says
HI Kristin, amazing photos and a detail blog. We are planning to take a road trip in late july for 7 nights and I am wondering how did you organize the direction from one place / attraction to other. We have decided what to see in each place but little nervous we might get lost. Is Google map reliable or will the car rental place will help us program in GPS. Please advise. If you happen to have a detail direction map please share with me.
Reuben
Kristin says
I used Vodafone the whole time for my GPS and it was great. It’s just the one major road so it’s hard to get lost.
Carly says
Me and my husband are planning a trip to iceland for our anniversary in October. Do you have a map of the campsites?
Kristin says
You can camp at all the stops I suggested and there are google maps linked for each 🙂
Azian says
Your post are exactly what I need to plan for my next trip! This is awesome and I thank you for that. Catching Aurora is one of my ultimate bucketlist! Wishing you all the best on your future adventures.
Antony says
Why did you say:” We spent the night at Hvitserkur, which I think is a no-no”. What is wrong with spending a night in the Hvitserkur?
Thank you.
Kristin says
It’s the parking lot of the rock arch that I don’t think you’re supposed to camp at.
Keri says
HI Kristin,
Loved this post. My husband and I are going in October. Was wondering where your awesome red coat was from? Thanks!!
Kristin says
It’s a Swedish brand called Saki and I wish that they sold them online! So many people have asked. I can only find them for sale within Sweden when I look at their site. I bought it at a department store in Berlin.
Matt says
Hi Kristin, the trip sounds amazing! I’m hoping to do the ringroad in the winter (January/February) next year. I’ve seen a few sites that advise against doing the ringroad in the winter (due to possibility of road closure/snow etc) and was wondering what your thoughts were on this? Did you experience any road closures or get caught out in snow storms?
Kristin says
I went in October and there was a road closure due to flooding but it wasn’t on the ring road, it was in the highlands. I am sure it’s always a possibility that roads can be closed but at least in those months you have a good chance of seeing the northern lights!
Evie says
What clothing did you bring!?
Kristin says
Here you go! https://www.bemytravelmuse.com/iceland-packing-list/
MIke says
Thank you! your article was very helpful in planning out our 12 day visit next year. Last year we toured the golden circle and we cant wait to return and travel with a 4×4 in the highlands.
Kristin says
Awesome!
Linda says
I LOVE your blogs! Just got back from 10 days on the Iceland Ring Road. Relied heavily on your blog. So informative! And FUN to read! Your pictures are gorgeous! We took a Campervan for flexibility and to get out of the weather. Your packing list is fantastic!
I am so greatful that you write these blogs. My niece is headed to Patagonia in January and I recommended your blog to her.
Thank you for all your hard work to make it easy on the rest of us!
And, most of all, thank you for your iinspiration!
Kristin says
Thanks for coming back to comment and let me know, Linda! So glad you found it helpful and had a good time!
Sharon says
Did you need to rent a sleeping bag from Go Campers since there is a space heater in the van?
Kristin says
They provided bedding if memory serves.
Mary-Kaye Pepito says
HI! We are travelling for 5 days in iceland in the next two weeks. We rented a camper van volkswagen caddy so not a 4×4. on your iterinary list, which area area are we good to visit without to worry of not having a 4×4 vehicle?
Kristin says
Just the highlands and Aldeyjarfoss. I updated the post to reflect that. Thanks for asking – others were probably also wondering!
kathero.com says
I love your blog. it’s so stuffed. I feel like I’m ready to go to Iceland. Lols!
Thank you for all the info you shared.
James says
Nice article and itinerary, similar to ours this July. My favorite part of Seljalandfoss was the falls about 300m down the trail. It is hidden in a crevice and we had to wade in a creek a short ways into the crevice. It was like water falling from the high ceiling of a cavern.
Violet Lam says
Hi there, was so impressed with your itinerary of iceland. I am planning a trip to iceland this sept/oct 19 and hope you can give me some tips.
My plan is to do the golden circle route 190km from Reykjavik to the Thingvellir National Park to Vik to Hof and than to Hofn, stay for 2 -3 nights in Hofn before driving the same route and making a detour to Blue Lagoon before Reykjavik.
Hope you can advise me on the number of days and where to stay on this route.
Many thanks
Kristin says
I’m really not sure – it depends on how often you stop and what you want to see.
Paul says
Hi Kristin,
Loving this travel blog! My girlfriend & I are planning a similar itinerary at the end of June (just after riding bikes around the Ring Road at Wow Cyclothon) and can’t wait to witness this beautiful place. Question: Do you need to plan for & reserve camping spots? From your itinerary, it seems that wasn’t necessary but I want to make sure we have everything taken care of before we arrive.
Thanks again!
Paul
Kristin says
Hi Paul, glad you’ve enjoyed the blog! I would reserve in June, since it’s high season then. Have fun!
Gemma says
This is the first Iceland itinerary I’ve read that I actually enjoyed! Loved the photos too, so beautiful!
Kristin says
yay!