At first glance, Iceland can be a bit deceptive; it often doesn’t seem as big as it actually is, but above all: the local landscape is so beautiful that you’ll literally be spoilt for choice as to where to go first, where to stop and what to see.

If you set off on a trip without a plan and unprepared, you risk missing out on lots of beautiful places that you simply won’t have time to visit.

Finding accommodation in Iceland

We’ve put together some tips for the most famous routes and excursions that canrealistically be covered without stresswithin a specific timeframe. Most people visit Iceland for 7, 10 or 14 days, but with the rise of low-cost airlines, many travellers are now heading there for long weekends.

Length of stay	Our top route	Pace	Best time of year
4 days	Golden Circle + South Coast to Vík	brisk	all year round, subject to weather conditions
7 days	South Coast to Jökulsárlón and Höfn	leisurely	all year round, with adjustments in winter
10 days	The entire Ring Road	brisk	best from June to September
14 days	Ring Road + Snæfellsnes	leisurely	best from June to September
Without a car	Reykjavík + day trips or multi-day trips	relaxed	All year round

Most itineraries assume you’ll pick up a hire car at Keflavík Airport. We describe car selection, insurance and the rules for driving on F-roads in detail in the section on hiring a car in Iceland.

We recommend booking accommodation in Iceland as soon as you have chosen your route. The cheaper rooms on the south coast, near Jökulsárlón and in the eastern part of the island, are the first to go. You’ll find general advice in the section on accommodation in Iceland, whilst specific places to stay are listed for each itinerary.

Iceland in 4 days

In four days, there’s no point in pushing on further than the town of Vík. The ideal plan is to combine the Golden Circle with the waterfalls and black sand beaches of the south coast.

• Pace: brisk
• Total distance: approx. 600–700 km
• Car: a standard 2WD is sufficient in summer; in winter, we’d pay extra for a 4x4
• Accommodation: Reykjavík and Selfoss

Itinerary day by day

• Day 1: Arrival, car collection and Reykjavík. If you arrive in the morning, you can visit the Blue Lagoon on the way
• Day 2: Thingvellir, Strokkur geyser, Gullfoss and overnight stay in Selfoss
• Day 3: Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Dyrhólaey, Reynisfjara and Vík. Return to Selfoss or Reykjavík in the evening
• Day 4: Departure, or perhaps a short stop on the Reykjanes Peninsula or at the Blue Lagoon

🛌 Where to stay: hotels in Reykjavík and accommodation in Selfoss

Entry to the Blue Lagoon is sold for a specific time slot. If you wish to visit after arrival or before departure, book your ticket in advance.

Iceland in 7 days

A week is the most common length of time for a first trip to Iceland. In our opinion, the best option is to drive along the south coast as far as the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon and the Vestrahorn mountain range.

It is possible to drive the entire Ring Road in a week, but we do not recommend it. Just one day of bad weather is enough to throw your whole plan into disarray.

• Pace: relaxed, with one long return journey
• Total distance: approx. 1,100–1,300 km
• Car: a standard 2WD is sufficient in summer; in winter, we recommend a 4x4
• Accommodation: Reykjavík, Vík, the Skaftafell area, Höfn and Selfoss

Check car hire prices: Keflavík Airport

The South Coast, day by day

• Day 1: arrival and a tour of Reykjavík
• Day 2: Drive to the town of Vík via the Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls
• Day 3: Dyrhólaey, Reynisfjara and the Sólheimajökull glacier. Second night in Vík
• Day 4: Drive through the Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon to Skaftafell National Park
• Day 5: Jökulsárlón, Diamond Beach, the town of Höfn and, if there’s enough time, Vestrahorn
• Day 6: Return to Selfoss or Helly. From Höfn, allow for more than 400 km and around 5 hours’ driving time, so we wouldn’t add Reykjadalur
• Day 7: Departure; either Reykjavík or the Blue Lagoon, depending on your flight time

🛌 Where to stay: Reykjavík → Vík → the Skaftafell area → Höfn → Selfoss

What to book in advance

The waterfalls, beaches and viewpoints themselves do not require a booking. However, before you travel, we recommend booking any activities that require a guide or have limited capacity.

• Hike on the Sólheimajökull glacier
• Katla Ice Cave from Vík
• Boat trips and excursions at Jökulsárlón
• Tickets for the Blue Lagoon

Alternative: The Golden Circle and Landmannalaugar

We would choose this route mainly for the hiking. It is only suitable in summer once the mountain roads have opened.

• Day 1: Arrival and Reykjavík
• Day 2: Thingvellir, Strokkur and Gullfoss, overnight stay in Selfoss or Hella
• Day 3: Háifoss waterfall and transfer to Landmannalaugar
• Day 4: Hiking in the Rainbow Mountains
• Day 5: Return to the south, possibly with a swim in Reykjadalur
• Day 6: Reykjavík or the Reykjanes Peninsula
• Day 7: Departure

You may only drive to Landmannalaugar in a hire car via open F-roads, and only in a vehicle whose hire agreement permits driving on these roads. A standard SUV is not suitable for a winter journey – outside the summer season, special super-jeeps are used for this route.

If you don’t want to hire a more expensive 4x4 just for a single trip, look into organised tours to Landmannalaugar. Some depart from Hella as well as Reykjavík.

🛌 Where to stay: Selfoss or Hella. There is a mountain hut and a campsite right in Landmannalaugar, which must be booked separately.

Alternative: Snæfellsnes and the West Fjords

We’d recommend saving the West Fjords for a future visit to Iceland. You can cover them in 7 days, but the trip will be at a faster pace and you’ll miss out on most of the best-known sites in the south.

This option makes the most sense from June to September. In winter, we wouldn’t plan a fixed loop via Látrabjarg and Dynjandi.

• Day 1: Arrival and Reykjavík
• Day 2: Snæfellsnes Peninsula and Kirkjufell
• Day 3: Arnarstapi and other places on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula
• Day 4: Ferry from Stykkishólmur to Brjánslækur and drive to Látrabjarg
• Day 5: Dynjandi waterfall and Ísafjörður
• Day 6: The long journey back to Borgarnes or Reykjavík
• Day 7: Departure

Always check the current timetable and ferry prices at seatours.is. Services do not run on the same days every day, and we recommend booking your car in advance.

🛌 Where to stay: Stykkishólmur → Patreksfjörður → Ísafjörður → Borgarnes

A whole week from Reykjavík

If you don’t want to change accommodation every other day, you can stay in Reykjavík for the whole week. However, be prepared for repeated journeys along the same road and a significantly higher number of kilometres.

By car, it makes sense to take trips to the Golden Circle, the south coast as far as Vík, Snæfellsnes, Reykjanes and to the Glymur or Hraunfossar waterfalls.

We’d tend to opt for the single-accommodation option for a shorter stay or when travelling without a car.

• 🛌 View accommodation in Reykjavík

Iceland in 10 days

We consider ten days to be the minimum required for the entire Ring Road. The circuit is no longer a real rush, but there won’t be time for the West Fjords, Landmannalaugar or longer treks.

We recommend this route mainly from June to September. In winter, we wouldn’t plan a fixed ten-day circuit around the whole island.

• Pace: brisk
• Total distance: approx. 1,700–1,900 km
• Car: a 2WD is sufficient in summer, provided you do not plan to take any F-roads
• Accommodation: in a different place every day or almost every day

The Ring Road day by day

• Day 1: arrival and Reykjavík
• Day 2: Thingvellir, Strokkur, Gullfoss and an overnight stay in Hella or Selfoss
• Day 3: Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Dyrhólaey, Reynisfjara and Vík
• Day 4: Fjaðrárgljúfur, Skaftafell, Jökulsárlón and overnight stay in Höfn
• Day 5: Vestrahorn, the Eastern Fjords and Egilsstaðir
• Day 6: Hengifoss or Seyðisfjörður and drive to Lake Mývatn
• Day 7: the area around Mývatn, Dettifoss and the journey to Húsavík
• Day 8: whale watching, Goðafoss and Akureyri
• Day 9: Long drive to Reykjavík. If time permits, Hvítserkur can be added
• Day 10: Departure and, if time permits, the Blue Lagoon

🛌Where to stay: Reykjavík → Hella → Vík → Höfn → Egilsstaðir → Mývatn → Húsavík → Akureyri

As well as accommodation, we particularly recommend booking a whale-watching trip in Húsavík, or perhaps a glacier hike or a boat trip at Jökulsárlón.

Iceland in 14 days

In our view, two weeks is ideal for your first major trip around Iceland. You’ll still be changing accommodation frequently, but there’ll be time for longer stops, walking tours and even a day or two of bad weather.

We’ve added the Snæfellsnes Peninsula to the standard Ring Road itinerary. We’d only include the West Fjords on the same trip if you’re prepared to adopt a significantly faster pace.

• Pace: leisurely
• Total distance: approx. 2,000–2,200 km
• Car: in summer, a 2WD is sufficient, provided you don’t turn off onto F-roads
• Buffer: in bad weather, skip Snæfellsnes and use day 13 as a buffer

The Ring Road day by day

• Day 1: Arrival and Reykjavík
• Day 2: The Golden Circle and overnight stay in Selfoss or Hella
• Day 3: Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss and overnight stay in Vík
• Day 4: Dyrhólaey, Reynisfjara, Sólheimajökull or the Katla ice cave. Second night in Vík
• Day 5: Fjaðrárgljúfur, Skaftafell and overnight stay near the national park
• Day 6: Jökulsárlón, Diamond Beach, Höfn and Vestrahorn
• Day 7: The East Fjords, Seyðisfjörður and Egilsstaðir
• Day 8: Hengifoss and the drive to Lake Mývatn
• Day 9: A full day in the Mývatn area
• Day 10: Dettifoss, Ásbyrgi Canyon and Húsavík
• Day 11: Whale watching, Goðafoss and Akureyri
• Day 12: Drive to Borgarnes, with an optional stop at Hvítserkur
• Day 13: Snæfellsnes, Kirkjufell and return to Reykjavík
• Day 14: Departure and, if possible, the Blue Lagoon

We wouldn’t consider a trip to Grímsey Island an essential part of the itinerary. The ferry doesn’t run every day at the same times. If the connections work out for you, you could swap Grímsey for a day at Mývatn or for Snæfellsnes.

🛌Where to stay: Reykjavík → Selfoss → Vík → Skaftafell → Höfn → Egilsstaðir → Mývatn → Húsavík → Akureyri → Borgarnes

Glacier tours, activities at Jökulsárlón and whale-watching trips in Húsavík tend to sell out first.

How to adjust your itinerary in winter

Iceland in winter isn’t just a summer itinerary with shorter days. The weather can change your plans within a matter of hours, and some side roads will be impassable.

In winter, we’d stick to Reykjavík, the Golden Circle and the south coast.

We wouldn’t plan a fixed circuit around the whole island, a trip to the West Fjords, or a drive to Landmannalaugar in our own car.

For a week-long stay, the following makes sense:

• Day 1: Reykjavík
• Day 2: The Golden Circle
• Day 3: Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss and Vík
• Day 4: Depending on the weather, Reynisfjara or the Katla ice cave
• Day 5: Skaftafell and Jökulsárlón
• Day 6: Return to the west with an overnight stay in Selfoss or Reykjavík
• Day 7: Departure or the Blue Lagoon

A 4x4 vehicle will help with traction and stability, but it will not shorten the braking distance nor allow you to drive on a closed road.

Check the current conditions daily at umferdin.is, warnings at safetravel.is and the forecast at vedur.is.

From autumn to spring, you can add a trip to see the Northern Lights to your itinerary. Details on the season and conditions can be found in the chapter on the Northern Lights in Iceland.

Iceland without a car

It is possible to visit Iceland without a car, but regular bus services do not go to most waterfalls, glaciers and viewpoints. The easiest option is to stay in Reykjavík and go on organised day trips.

Reykjavík and day trips

This option is particularly suitable for 4 to 7 days. You won’t have to worry about driving, the weather or moving between hotels every day.

• Day 1: Reykjavík
• Day 2: organised tour of the Golden Circle
• Day 3: Trip to the south coast
• Day 4: Blue Lagoon, including transport

For longer stays, you can add a trip to Snæfellsnes, whale watching or an evening trip to see the Northern Lights.

• 🛌 View accommodation in Reykjavík

Multi-day organised tours

If you also want to see Jökulsárlón, the east or north of Iceland, a multi-day tour with accommodation makes more sense than a few extremely long day trips from Reykjavík.

The price will be higher than for a standard coach tour, but it includes transport, a guide and usually accommodation as well. You won’t have to worry about car hire, insurance or driving in Icelandic weather.

• 🚍 Compare multi-day tours around Iceland

Compare tours from Reykjavík – GetYourGuide.com

Regular buses

Regular buses are mainly used for travelling between towns.

However, they aren’t very practical for exploring Iceland in the traditional sense, as they don’t stop at most natural attractions at all.

In summer, there are also special tourist buses to Landmannalaugar and Þórsmörk. However, these are not part of the regular year-round public transport service, and we recommend booking seats in advance.

What did we sort out before travelling to Iceland?

In my view, Iceland is a destination where it’s worth putting a bit more effort into planning before you go.

How many days do you need for Iceland?

For your first trip, we recommend at least 7 days. In this time, you’ll comfortably cover Reykjavík and the south coast.

Allow at least 10 days for the entire Ring Road; two weeks is ideal.

Is it possible to drive round Iceland in 7 days?

Yes, technically it’s possible. But in our opinion, it doesn’t make sense. You’ll be driving for long hours every day, and any deterioration in the weather will throw your whole plan off course.

Do I need a 4x4 in Iceland?

On the Ring Road and the south coast, a standard 2WD car is sufficient in summer. A 4x4 vehicle is essential on F-roads, and we’d also recommend one for winter travel. However, even a 4x4 does not authorise you to drive on closed roads.

• 🚙 Check prices for 4x4 cars at Keflavík Airport

Is it better to drive the Ring Road clockwise or anti-clockwise?

First, check the weather forecast and head in the direction where the weather is expected to be better.

Our itinerary follows the south coast first, as this is where most of the well-known sights are located and it’s easier to gauge whether the pace you’ve chosen suits you.

Do I need to book accommodation in advance?

Definitely in summer. Availability tends to be lowest around Skaftafell, Jökulsárlón and in the East Fjords. Waiting until the last minute often doesn’t lead to lower prices, but only to longer journeys.

• 🛌 Book your hotel in Iceland in advance

What should you book first in Iceland?

First, sort out your car hire and accommodation along the route. Then book the Blue Lagoon, a glacier hike, ice caves, a boat trip at Jökulsárlón and whale watching.

💬 Have you travelled any of these routes recently and come across any changes, road closures or other practical information? Please share it in the comments. You’ll help us keep the itineraries up to date for other travellers too.