9 Day Self Drive Iceland Ring Road Classic with Snæfellsnes
This is a classic circle tour around Iceland, including all the major sights of interest along the ring road with the addition of the beautiful Snæfellsnes peninsula.
Over the course of your journey you will come across highlights such as the Golden Circle, Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon, Lake Mývatn and Dettifoss waterfall, just to name a few. This tour is a best-seller for good reason: travelling at an even pace gives you the chance to enjoy the serenity of Icelandic nature and having plenty of options each day to fit your interests.
Highlights
- Snæfellsnes Peninsula
- Lake Mývatn
- Goðafoss and Dettifoss Waterfalls
- Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon
- Black sand beaches and waterfalls of the South Shore
- The Golden Circle
Daily itinerary
Day 1 – Tuesday or Thursday: Arrival in Iceland – Reykjavík (ca. 50 km)
Arrival in Iceland. Pick up the rental car at Keflavík international airport and drive to your accommodation in Reykjavík.
Day 2: The Golden Circle – Hvolsvöllur (ca. 320 km)
Start the drive around the country by visiting three of Iceland’s best known sights in the Golden Circle: Þingvellir national park, the site of the first parliament, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a place of great geological interest; the Geysir geothermal area with where the geyser Strokkur spouts a column of water into the air every 5-10 minutes; the Gullfoss waterfall which drops in two cascades deep into the deep gorge of Hvítá glacial river.
Continue towards the southern coast and end the day in the area of Hvolsvöllur.
Optional tours:
- Fontana Geothermal Baths
- Snorkeling in Silfra fissure at Þingvellir National Park
- Snowmobile tour on Langjökull Glacier from Gullfoss Café
Day 3: Seljalandsfoss – Skógar – Reynisfjara – Vík – Kirkjubæjarklaustur (ca. 200 km)
Drive east along the south coast of Iceland with possibilities to stop at the waterfalls of Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss. Driving along the Eyjafjöll mountains there are good views of Eyjafjallajökull glacier, under which rests the infamous volcano of the same name that caused disruption in air traffic all over Europe in 2010.
Continuing east you can stop for an easy short hike at Reynisfjara black beach with a view of the cliffs of Dyrhólaey. Drive on to the village of Vík with its black sandy beach stretching as far as the eye can see, with impressive views of the Reynisdrangar cliffs rising out of the ocean. Continue across the sand and moss-covered lava fields towards Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Accommodation in the area.
Optional tours:
- ATV Tour on a black sand beach
- Horse back riding on a black sand beach
- Glacier Walk on Sólheimajökull glacier
- Snowmobile tour on Mýrdalsjökull glacier
- Zipline adventure
- Katla Ice Cave Tour
Day 4: Skaftafell – Jökulsárlón – Eastfjords (ca. 400 km)
The drive to Skaftafell national park crosses the volcanic sands of glacier rivers. Skaftafell is a green oasis surrounded by glacial outlets where you can take a walk through the park to Svartifoss waterfall or go on a glacier hike. Driving further east along the ring road with a view of Iceland’s largest glacier Vatnajökull will bring you to Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon where you can take an optional amphibian boat tour among the icebergs. If you get lucky, you might spot a seal near the shore of the so-called “Diamond Beach” or even in the lagoon itself. Drive further towards Höfn and continue along the Eastfjords towards Djúpivogur/Breiðdalsvík for the next overnight.
Optional tours:
- Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon Zodiac boat tour
- Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon kayaking
- Heinabergslón Glacial Lagoon kayaking
- Glacier Walk from Skaftafell
- Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon amphibian boat tour
Day 5: Egilsstaðir – Dettifoss – Húsavík (ca. 480 km)
Drive further along the Eastfjords to Egilsstaðir – the largest municipality in East Iceland. The route then passes through the green Jökuldalur valley with numerous waterfalls dropping from the top of the hills alongside the road and crosses the desert land of Möðrudalsöræfi. Take the road to Dettifoss, Europe’s most powerful waterfall in the gorge of Jökulsárgljúfur national park and continue north towards Ásbyrgi – the horseshoe-shaped canyon. Finally, drive around the Tjörnes peninsula to Húsavík for the next overnight.
Optional tours:
Day 6: Mývatn – Goðafoss – Akureyri (ca. 200 km)
We recommend visiting either the Whale Center or the Exploration museum in the morning or going on a whale watching tour. Then start the drive to Lake Mývatn where you spend the day exploring the numerous natural wonders of the Mývatn volcanic area with several possibilities for short hikes and a chance for a relaxing bath in the Nature Baths geothermal lagoon.
Late afternoon drive to Goðafoss waterfall, then crossing the Víkurskard mountain pass and along the eastern coastal road in Eyjafjörður towards Akureyri where you stay overnight.
Optional Tours:
- Puffins and Whales from Húsavík
- RIB whale watching from Húsavík
- Mývatn Nature Baths
- Whale Watching from Akureyri
- RIB Whale Watching from Akureyri
Day 7: Akureyri – Skagafjörður – Borgarfjörður (ca. 400 km)
Drive north along the western coastal road of Eyjafjörður with panoramas of the alpine landscape with high mountains, glacial valleys and Hrísey Island. Driving through Dalvík, Ólafsfjörður and three tunnels, we reach the charming fishing village of Siglufjörður where we recommend a visit to the award-winning Herring Era museum. Continue to Skagafjörður with views of the Islands of Málmey, Drangey, then to Blönduós and further south along the fjords and across the Holtavörðuheiði heath towards Borgarfjörður. Accommodation in Borgarfjörður area.
Optional tours:
Day 8: Snæfellsnes peninsula – Reykjavík (ca. 420 km)
Drive to one of the most beautiful parts of Iceland, the Snæfellsnes peninsula. Here we can observe most of the natural phenomena that can be found around Iceland – only on a much smaller scale: lava fields, volcanic craters, Snæfellsjökull glacier, waterfalls, sandy beaches, charming fishing towns, bird cliffs and more. One of the landmarks you pass is Mt. Kirkjufell – one of the most photographed mountains in Iceland; another spot not to be missed is Arnarstapi. From Snæfellsnes continue through Borgarnes and via Hvalfjörður submarine tunnel to Reykjavík for overnight.
Optional tours:
Day 9: Departure day (ca. 50 km)
Drive to Keflavík airport in time for check in for your international flight. If your flight departs late afternoon, then you have a chance to add an optional whale watching boat tour in the morning, drive around the Reykjanes peninsula or visit the Blue Lagoon before dropping off the rental car at Keflavík airport.
There is also a possibility for even more adventure: Greenland or the Faroe Islands.
Departures: All days
Included in the package price:
- 8 days car rental with unlimited mileage, GP, TP, CDW, SCDW, tax; pick up/drop off at Keflavík airport
- 8 nights accommodation in double/twin rooms with private facilities, breakfast included
- A detailed itinerary with multiple daily options based on pre-booked accommodation
- Service and VAT
Not included in the package price:
- Optional tours
- Admission to museums
- Meals others than specified above.
Single room supplement: ISK 117.000
Please note: accommodation for some departure dates may follow the route in the opposite direction which offers flexibility and will not affect the quality of your Iceland experience.
