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Plan your ideal Iceland Road trip – Step-by-step (+ Itinerary)

Last updated on April 18, 2020 By Claire, the Travel Planning Geek

Let's plan your Iceland Road Trip! Below is your step-by-step guide to start planning: when and where to go, renting your car, creating your Iceland itinerary, booking accommodations and getting ready to drive and travel. 

Plan Iceland Road trip guide
Quick Navigation
STEP 0 - ESSENTIALS - How to Plan an Iceland Road Trip
STEP 1 - Decide when to visit Iceland
STEP 2 - Where to go - Maps - Ring road or regions
STEP 3 - How long to plan for your road trip in Iceland
STEP 4 - Book your flight
STEP 5 - Rent the right car for your Icelandic Road Trip
STEP 6 - Create a detailed Iceland Road Trip itinerary
STEP 7 - Book accommodations
STEP 8 - Get all the equipment you need
STEP 9 - Get ready to drive
STEP 10 - Get ready to travel in Iceland
SPECIAL TIPS - Iceland Road Trip in Winter

Navigate back to the complete ICELAND TRAVEL GUIDE

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This article contains affiliate Links (info on the Disclosure page). If you purchase using my link, I get a commission at no extra cost to you.


STEP 0 - ESSENTIALS - How to Plan an Iceland Road Trip

As you go through the following steps to plan your road trip around Iceland, I recommend you keep the following in mind:

  • Many amazing landscapes are very easy to reach so don't worry! No stress, keep planning 🙂
  • Don't plan too much every day - you will get frustrated not to be able to stop as much since it is stunning everywhere
  • Don't overestimate your 4WD capacity - if you plan on going on the Central Highlands track, know that there will be river crossings and they can be quite difficult and changing during the day
  • As you are approaching your Iceland road trip, stop watching the weather forecast. It will change every day and during the day, so just go with the flow of your planned Itinerary.
  • Note - if you don't want to plan your whole Iceland road trip on your own, you can head to my article about choosing a self-drive package.
Plan Iceland Road trip guide - step by step

STEP 1 - Decide when to visit Iceland

Iceland is beautiful and magical all year around. And the weather is always unpredictable.
So, I don't think weather should be too much of a factor when deciding when to visit Iceland (except for Winter vs Summer because of the snow).
To my opinion the best time to pan your Iceland Road Trip is based on what you want to see.

Skogafoss Iceland in Summer

Skogafoss Iceland in Summer

Here is a summary (For more info, read the full article on the Best time to visit Iceland including conditions and things to see):

June-August

  • PROS - Long daylight hours, green scenery,
  • You can see - lupine fields (June-July), midnight sun in June, whales, Puffins (May to mid-July)
  • BUT Peak season: higher prices, more tourists; no chances of seeing aurora borealis (not enough dark hours)

May & September-beginning October

  • My favorite time
  • PROS - Still enough daylight hours, spring and autumn colors, roads still in good condition
  • You can see - aurora borealis, Whales between May and September (Killer whales in May), Puffins in May
  • BUT fewer accommodations are open, colder weather

Winter

  • PROS - Not too many tourists, stunning landscapes with snow, interesting low light for photography, good prices
  • You can see - aurora borealis, winter wonders such as the blue caves, frozen waterfalls, 
  • BUT Difficult driving conditions, many roads closed, not many hours of light
  • If you are planning a road trip in Winter - head to this article instead
Skogafoss Iceland in winter

Skogafoss Iceland in winter


STEP 2 - Where to go - Maps - Ring road or regions

CLASSIC - Iceland Ring Road Road Trip

Iceland Ring Road Map

Iceland Ring Road Map

The most classic road trip to do in Iceland is to tour the Ring Road, also known as Route 1. It is great to get an overview of the country.

  • The Ring Road is 1332km long (828mi) - Without stopping at all and staying only on Route 1, it would take you 16 to 17h to drive all around Iceland.
  • It is fenced on a large portion, reducing the risks of having a sheep on the road (but not everywhere, so be careful
  • A lot of the most famous sights are along the Road: Waterfalls, glaciers, lagoon, geothermal areas, volcanoes.
  • You can check out my selection of the Best stops on the Ring Road

OR - Exploring the regions

OR you can stick to a few regions either

  • if you have limited time
  • or if you want to explore them more

Below are the main regions of Iceland with the things you can expect to see in each of them.

(Note that all the tourist board websites in Iceland are organized by such regions)

Map Iceland destinations for blog

SOUTH WEST ICELAND

Where to go on Iceland road trip - SOUTH WEST ICELAND - geysir
  • Area - Reykjavik and the Reykjanes peninsula
  • Roads - easy, options for moderate
  • Main towns - Reykjavik, Keflavik (airport), Selfoss (gateway to South Coast)
  • Things to see - waterfalls, geothermal areas, movement of tectonic places
  • Famous attractions - Blue Lagoon, Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss, Geysir
  • Check out the top things to do in the region here

SNAEFELLSNES PENINSULA

Where to go on Iceland road trip - SNAEFELLSNES PENINSULA - Kirkjufell
  • Area - North West of Reykjavik - 'Iceland in miniature' 
  • Roads - easy around, some moderate and 4WD options
  • Main towns - Borgarnes to access the peninsula, Grundarfjordur on the North Coast
  • Things to see - Waterfalls, fjords, glacier, craters, giant lava formations, black sand beaches
  • Famous attractions - Kirkjufell mountain and its waterfalls, lava cliffs of Arnarstapi
  • Check out the top things to do in the region in this article

SOUTH COAST

Where to go on Iceland road trip - SOUTH ICELAND - fjallsarlon
  • Area - the south coast 🙂
  • Roads - Easy, mostly Road 1
  • Main towns - Vik ad Höfn
  • Things to see - waterfalls, black sand beaches, mountains, glaciers, icebergs...
  • Famous attractions - Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, Jokulsarlon, Diamond Beach
  • Check out the top things to do in the region in this article

NORTH ICELAND

Where to go on Iceland road trip - NORTH ICELAND pseudocraters
  • Area - My favorite region - as if on another planet
  • Roads - mostly easy, some moderate and 4WD options
  • Main towns - between Egilsstadir and the Northern capital Akureyri
  • Things to see - Geothermal fields, volcanic craters, Arctic ocean, waterfalls, giant lava formations
  • Famous attractions - Dettifoss, Dimmuborgir, Hverir geothermal area, Godafoss, Lake Myvatn
  • Check out the top things to do in the region in this article

EAST FJORDS

Where to go on Iceland road trip - EAST FJORDS
  • Area - Some of the oldest rocks in Iceland, on the East coast
  • Roads - easy to moderate
  • Main towns - No large towns in the fjords
  • Things to see - Forest, lush farmlands, small fjords and fishing villages...
  • Famous attractions - just driving

WEST FJORDS 

Where to go on Iceland road trip - WEST FJORDS Dynjandi
  • Area - North West peninsula - Isolated region with relatively unspoiled wilderness
  • Roads - Not easy, but open to 4WD
  • Main towns - Isafjordur
  • Things to see - Waterfalls, fjords, beaches, bird life
  • Famous attractions - Dynjandi waterfall

CENTRAL HIGHLANDS

Where to go on Iceland road trip - Central Highlands
  • Area - Wild mountains and glacier which can be explored during Summer only with a 4WD
  • Roads - F-roads, 4WD only
  • Main towns - none
  • Things to see - magnificent unspoilt nature with colorful mountains
  • Famous attractions - Landmannalaugar
  • Check out the top things to do in the region in this article

STEP 3 - How long to plan for your road trip in Iceland

The first criteria is, of course: How much travel time can you have... 

If you have no flexibility, you can jump to the next step.
If you have flexibility, here are a few facts to keep in mind:

  •  As written earlier, without stopping at all and staying only on Route 1, it would take you 16 to 17h to drive all around Iceland.
  • Speed limit on the best paved roads is 90 km/hour but unpaved sections are at 80km/h 
  • You will want to stop every 5 minutes to look at the changing scenery or take a photo – this is inevitable

Therefore, I would not recommend attempting the all-around Ring Road in 7 days, you would have to rush all the time and it will be frustrating.

From my experience and discussion with local tour guides, I think to really enjoy it you need at least:

  • Reykjavik - Golden circle: 2 days
  • Snaefellsnes - 2/3 days
  • South Iceland - 3 days
  • West Fjords - 2 - 3 days
  • East Iceland - 2 days
  • North Iceland - 5 days (including 3 around Myvatn)
  • Central Highlands - at least one day for Landmannalaugar with 4 WD but there is so much more to see!

STEP 4 - Book your flight

So now that you have chosen when to go, where to go and for how long, you are ready to book your flight.

VISA

First, check the Visa requirement for your type of passport.
Iceland is part of the Schengen Visa Agreement
Here is the list of countries where a visa is needed to visit Iceland 

AIRPORT

Note that all international flights arriving in Iceland land at the Keflavik airport. It is a 40min drive to reach Reykjavik from there. They have shuttles and private transfers if you are not renting a car right away.
Whereas the regional airport for the few internal flight options (such as going to Akureyri in the North) is located near Reykjavik.

Flying to Iceland with Iceland air

Flying to Iceland with Iceland air


STEP 5 - Rent the right car for your Icelandic Road Trip

Now that you have a rough idea of where you are going and what type of roads you are going to take, you can decide on the car to rent.

Here are a few tips to consider when renting a car in Iceland:

  • ​TIMING - Iceland is a popular destination - for choice and good price, book as early as possible
  • 2WD / 4WD - If you plan on driving on F-roads, a 4WD is mandatory - Otherwise 2WD is sufficient but a simple 4WD allows you to enter any road that looks inspiring without worry 🙂
  • RENTAL COMPANIES - When choosing the company, don't just look at price, consider the age of the fleet, included mileage, 24/7 customer service, servicing availability...
  • INSURANCES - Check all types of insurance and decide on the level of risk you are ready to take. For peace of mind, I strongly recommend the Gravel Protection one
  • BOOK - There are some great quality local companies; For example I really like Route 1 car rental for their great service
    Compare the vehicles and price offers from local companies on this website or Compare offers from well-known international rental companies on this website

For more information, head to my complete guide to selecting your rental car of Iceland (car types, companies, insurance, tips...)

rent a car in Iceland for road trip

STEP 6 - Create a detailed Iceland Road Trip itinerary

Ok now it is time to dig deeper and create a more detailed itinerary. This will help you decide where to sleep and for how many nights.

As before, to help you plan your itinerary you can:

  • Check out my 5 suggested Iceland itineraries
  • Go through my 60+ articles on Iceland
  • Get one of my eBooks with practical maps and structured information made to facilitate planning:

Be overwhelmed by the beauty, not the planning!

small The Road trip guide Iceland eBook

8 Maps, 100+ locations
110+ photos
LEARN MORE

small cover Road trip guide - Iceland Ring Road eBook

2 Maps, 30 stops, 10 detours
70+ photos
LEARN MORE

When planning your itinerary don't forget to consider the following essentials:

  • DRIVING TIMES - Always plan more time to go from point A to point B than what Google says. You will want to stop all the time to admire the scenery, so if you plan too much you will feel frustrated not to be able to.
  • DAYLIGHT HOURS - Check out the daylight time you have available when you are traveling. Because of the latitude, the length of days varies greatly. Check out how long you have to see all the sites during the days 
  • ROAD CLOSURES - Know that F-roads (difficult non paved tracks with river crossings most of the time) are only opened from mid-June to sometime in September. Dates change every year depending on the conditions. Most of those roads lead to the central highlands.
  • ROAD CONDITIONS - Know that in Winter, road conditions can change abruptly, with sometimes snowstorms. Really don't plan too much
  • ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS - You can't just stop your itinerary on one day in the middle of no-where, you might not find accommodation. So, try to plan around the big hubs as listed in the next step.

STEP 7 - Book accommodations

As one of my taxi drivers mentioned, with the boom of tourism in Iceland, accommodations are appearing everywhere, especially guesthouses. The options are as usual: camping, minivan/motorhome, hostels, guesthouses, hotels, farm stay.

A few points to keep in mind:

  • During peak season, accommodations fill up quickly especially those well located
  • Off peak season, many are closed so it can also be hard to find accommodation if you look at the last minute (I looked at it 6 weeks beforehand and options were limited for the Myvatn area)
  • A lot of rooms in Guesthouses have to share bathrooms – I have seen many reviews by people who were surprised. So, when you book, check the details!
  • Renting a campervan or camping is also a great option to save money, stay closer to nature. But know that it is cold at night, so be mindful of how you are willing to travel. In September I still saw a lot of campers. Layers Layers Layers! - Check out some Mini-camper and van options
accommodation options on road trip around Iceland

Practical accommodation hubs to stay at around Iceland:

  • SOUTH-WEST - Reykjavik of course - Check out the best rated accommodations in Reykjavik
  • SOUTH-WEST - another option is to stay near the airport at Keflavik. It is also nice - Check out the best rated accommodations in Keflavik
  • SNAEFELLSNES PENINSULA - Grundarfjordur is the most sought after specially for photographers since it is 5 min away from the magnificent Kirkjufell - Check  out the best rated accommodations in Grundarfjordur
  • SOUTH ICELAND - Vik is the main touristic hub on the South Coast. Located between the waterfalls and the Lagoons, it has its own interest with basalt columns and black sand beach - Check  out the best rated accommodations in Vik
  • SOUTH ICELAND - at the East end of the South Coast is Höfn. A good place to stop along the Ring Road before or after the East Fjords - Check  out the best rated accommodations in Höfn
  • NORTH ICELAND - Lake Myvatn has so much to offer. It is a fascinating place to explore. I recommend staying several night in the vicinity to be able to see all it has to offer -​ Check  out the best rated accommodations around Lake Myvatn
  • WEST FJORDS - The main touristic town in the west fjords is Isafjordur at the end of a magnificent fjord - Check  out the best rated accommodations in Isafjordur
  • However you can of course find accommodations in between 🙂

FULL ARTICLE  ==> For information about where to stay in Iceland and for suggestions, check out my Iceland Accommodations Article.


STEP 8 - Get all the equipment you need

Wondering what to take with you to Iceland?

What type of clothes and shoes would be the most practical? What you should not forget?
The main things to know is to bring Layers, Layers, Layers.
This way, whenever the weather changes during the day you can easily adapt what you are wearing - layers to get warm, to protect against the wind or to protect against the rain/snow

​Check out my complete article with detailed suggestions and tips on what to wear and pack for Iceland - detailed lists for both Summer and Winter.

Travel Notebook for your Iceland Road Trip
Get your Travel Notebook for your Iceland Road Trip

STEP 9 - Get ready to drive

Driving in Iceland

The main driving rules to know are:

  • Alcohol limit = 0
  • Lights shall be turned at all times
  • Do not use cell phone while driving
  • Speed limits is 50 km/h in urban areas. Outside towns, it is 90 on paved roads and 80 on gravel roads (although I rarely was driving at 80 on those…)
  • Seatbelts are mandatory for all

You can learn more and get ready with my article about driving in Iceland 

Below is a video to give you an idea of what driving in Iceland looks like:

Fill your GPS with the coordinates

What I hate most when traveling is wasting time. Turning around to find a place, missing an exit.
Sometimes it leads to adventure, but most of the time it just leads to frustration.

This is why I don't rent a GPS with the car. I have my own Tom Tom. This way I can use the MyDrive system on my computer to add all the hotel GPS coordinates as well as the carpark coordinates for all the attractions I would like to see.

This way I just pick the favorite and follow the directions!!!

Get it on Amazon

NOTE - All the locations in my eBooks include the GPS coordinates of the nearest carpark, exactly for that reason 🙂

Be overwhelmed by the beauty, not the planning!

small The Road trip guide Iceland eBook

8 Maps, 100+ locations
110+ photos
LEARN MORE

small cover Road trip guide - Iceland Ring Road eBook

2 Maps, 30 stops, 10 detours
70+ photos
LEARN MORE


STEP 10 - Get ready to travel in Iceland

Of course, like in any country, it is always appreciated when you try a few words in their language (which is called Icelandic by the way).

  • Hello – Halló
  • Thanks – Takk or Takk fyrir
  • Cheers! – Skál!
  • Yes – Já.
  • No – Nei

For more, check out the wikitravel phrasebook page

To understand the name of places

Also, there are a few words that are useful to be recognized so that when you see a sign you can realize what type of scenery it will be, and you can decide if you want to explore:

  • Jökull – Glacier
  • Kirkja – Church
  • Sarlon – Lagoon
  • Fell – Mountain
  • Foss/Fossar – Waterfall
  • Hraun – Lava

SPECIAL TIPS - Iceland Road Trip in Winter

An Iceland Road Trip in Winter is quite different from one in Summer.
So here are a few things to keep in mind:

  • December, January and February are the coldest months - but they are not as cold as we imagine!
  • Don't plan too much. The days are short! for example in January you have only 4h30 to 7h of daylight
  • Beginning of March is often a popular month because the days are longer and you can see a bit more, the nights are still long enough to see Northern lights, and the ice caves are accessible
  • Early winter can be wet, but you can have beautiful clear road with the top of the mountains covered in snow. I love those types of moments!
  • If one of your main goals is to admire the aurora Borealis and you have the possibility to pick your dates, look at the moon calendar, and avoid the days where the moon is big and bright because it will reduce how well you can see the northern lights.

Learn more on my article about planning a Winter road trip around Iceland or the options to visit Iceland in Winter

Driving in Iceland in Winter

Want to see more of ICELAND?

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What to pack for Iceland

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HOW TO RENT A CAR IN ICELAND

Tourism Iceland Travel Guide

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Comments

  1. Mrs.Banumathi Janarthanan says

    December 7, 2018 at 10:38 AM

    Very nice writeup. Useful. I am in India, aged 70. I love to visit iceland. Not self driving. Can you suggest a good tour company- reliable & affordable. Mine will be a customized itinerary.Want to do Golden Crcle & South coast Iceland- with snowmobiling in Longjokull glacier & see glacier tongue of Svinafelsjokull glacier.Can you please help.

    Reply
    • Mrs.Banumathi Janarthanan says

      December 7, 2018 at 12:45 PM

      Sir
      It is me ; Mrs.Banumathi Janarthanan again.
      Can you suggest the best month for the tour I have mentioned. Consider my age too.

      Thank you

      Reply
      • Claire, the Travel Planning Geek says

        December 7, 2018 at 5:08 PM

        Hello
        I recommend May or September to have long enough days, good driving conditions but less tourists around.
        Regarding companies, I don’t have have a recommendation. You can contact Guidetoiceland, They work with a lot of local companies and they may have suggestion for what you need.
        However note that a private driver in Iceland is a significant budget for someone looking for affordable.
        Happy travels!

        Reply

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