Yulia Saf 
Are you bored with your all-inclusive vacations? Did you ever picture yourself exploring the totally out of this world scenery of Iceland?
Do you want to get a bunch of friends together and have the road trip of a lifetime?
No, seriously, do you want to travel to Iceland? The answer should be yes. Yes, you do, trust me on this one! Maybe you don’t know that yet, but trust me, you do.
Whichever continent you are from, you can take my word as Miss Tourist that you haven’t seen anything like Iceland before. It’s so unique!
This article is written to give you an idea of what you can see in Iceland by making a complete circle of the country (which is an island). For more detailed practical information of how to organize each day, where to stay etc, just click the link describing each day.
This is an overview so, if you have a bit more (or fewer) days, you can simply adjust it according to the route suggested below.
Contents
Now, what do you need for your Iceland vacation?
- Tickets to Iceland
- A bunch of friends. (This is optional but highly recommended)
- And a car. (Yes! You need a car to complete the road trip, don’t act so surprised!)
- Some items you should get from home because in Iceland they are expensive
HOW TO RENT A CAR IN ICELAND
Renting a car in Iceland in the high season is tricky. It was for me, especially since I was booking for a full 2 weeks of travel. There was no luck involved here. After going through every possible rental, I found the best rates at Lagoon Car Rental.They sent this smiley guy to pick me up and take me to their office just a few minutes away from the airport. And they got my name right: check it out!
UPDATE: Sadly, the company went bankrupt during Covid time 🙁
I found RentalCars gave some interesting discounts for car rentals. If you are renting for 7 or more days, chances are you are going to get some big discount – check the rates for your dates here!
And because I wouldn’t let you go unprepared, my dear reader, I wrote a guide about how to choose a car, and about driving in Iceland!
Things To Do In Iceland – Itinerary Overview
Now, for a more in-depth look at the whole trip, I divided the route into 4 posts. I did this so it’s more easily readable for you. They are split as follows:
- Days 1-4: Reykjavik, the South and the South-East of Iceland
- Days 5-9: The Eastern Fjords, The North of Iceland
- Days 10-12: The West Fjords
- Days 13-14: The North of Reykjavik and the capital
Let’s start!
Days 1-4: Reykjavik, The South And The South-east Of Iceland
Day 1 – Relax in the Blue Lagoon
Welcome to Iceland, traveler!
First things first! Relax after your flight in the Blue Lagoon for 1-2 hours and visit the city of Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital. Get supplies and a good night’s sleep, as the adventure is about to begin! Read what, where and how, here!
Read my Reykjavik on a budget article to find more information about what to see and do in the city. Here you can find lots of hotel recommendations!
Day 2 – Let the adventure begin!
Start with the most common touristy route that you can take in one day. So, starting early from Reykjavik, this first day you will see the wonders of the so called “Golden Circle”: Thingvellir National Park, Geysir and Gullfoss Waterfall.
Do you want to see a perfect shaped crater? Then there is a bonus stop available: visit the Kerið Crater. Read more about the itinerary of day 2 and which is the best area to spend the night here.
Day 3 – Turf houses and more amazing waterfalls!
On this day you should make your way to the iconic turf houses of Keldur. Afterwards, admire the Seljalandsfoss Waterfall (try to pronounce that, huh!).
Next, drive a bit more to Skogafoss Waterfall. It’s powerful and impressive, I would have liked to stay even longer! You can finish your day after another driving session that gets you to the black sand beach of Reynishverfi. Want to know more details about this day and where to spend the night?
Day 4 – Hike a glacier!
Iceland is full of glaciers! And today you will get your first feel (and taste, if you really want to taste it) of these ice giants. You will reach Iceland’s second national park, Skaftafell. There are many activities you can do there, glacier walks being the basic one. Day 4 should also start early if you want to take advantage of these activities. You should really book your glacier activity on Skatafell ahead of time, especially in the high season. That will take up a big chunk of your day already.
Later on, drive to the Jökulsárlón Lagoon, a magical place that gave me one of the best memories of Iceland. You need more info? Of course I wrote about it all in detail here, including areas where you should spend the night:
Days 5-9: The Eastern Fjords, The North Of Iceland
Day 5: Discover Hengifoss waterfall and the Eastern Fjords!
Starting from either Eglissadir, if you choose a long drive, or from the Hofn area, make your way towards the Hengifoss Waterfall. Hope you didn’t get tired of all those waterfalls already because this one is impressive and rather different than the ones you have aready seen!
If the time and weather permits it, you can go on a drive around one or more of the Eastern Fjords.
See more details about day 5 and accommodation info here.
Day 6 – Don’t (or DO?) go chasing waterfalls!
Are you ready for more?
Day 6 is particularly interesting as the road you travel will take you to many unique places. You’ll start with Dettifoss, Europe’s most powerful waterfall. It’s massive, you’ll be impressed!
You won’t be able to wake up from your admiration, as after just a 10-minute walk you will see Selfoss, which is stunning in a different way: it’s quieter, but in the shape of a horseshoe with many cascading torrents. Something like Rivendell.
Did you ever wonder what Mars looks like? I think you’ll find your answer at the sulfur smelling fields of Hverarond, a mere 20-minute drive from Dettifoss.
Just around the corner there are the Mývatn nature baths, also known as the Blue Lagoon of the North. I suggest you relax here for an hour or so. It is also cheaper than the Blue Lagoon, but I still prefer the first one!
This is a picture from my Instagram account:
Aaaaaand we’re still not done yet! Make your way around Mývatn Lake and stop to see Godafoss. The third waterfall of the day, fantastic again!
Day 7 – Have a rest in Akureyri
Tired by now? I’d say so, it has been intense! Take it easy on this day and relax in Akureyri, Iceland’s second biggest town. Click for more info about things to do in Akureyri and how to prepare for the next day.
Day 8 – Boots on, it is time for some hiking!
Hiking boots on! It’s time for a special view in Ásbyrgi.
Asbyrgi is a horseshoe canyon with many trails. Take advantage of the wild natural surroundings and fresh air and go for a hike. Here is all the info about how to get to Asbyrgi, and where to sleep next.
Day 9 – Spot some whales in Husavik!
How much do you like whales on a scale from 0 to “a whale lot” ?
Huskavik is maybe the best place to go whale watching in Iceland!
And it was one of the best activities on my trip. Find a description of how to pick a whale watching tour, pictures, info, and other options for whale watching activities in the North of Iceland at this link:
Days 10-12: The West Fjords
Day 10 – Discover the undiscovered – West Fjords
Reach the unreachable. Time to head West, are you ready?
It’s a long drive to IsaFjordur, the capital of the West Fjords, but well worth it!
Besides the ever incredible views along the road, you should be able to see some super relaxed seals. Click here and I’ll tell you exactly where they are!
Day 11 – Meet some Vikings in a fishing village
This day you can get away with only a short drive (yay!). But there are plenty of activities around Isafjordur that you may enjoy.
They include visiting the fishing villages of Suðureyri, Flateyri, taking food tours, cooking classes and learning the secrets of Viking sushi. All the info is here.
Day 12 – on the edge of Europe
You might be missing waterfalls by now, right?
There is one that you should not miss in the West Fjords and that is Dynjandi Waterfall (also known as Fjallfoss). It’s your first stop of the day and it’s of course unique and worth visiting.
If you want to, you can also visit Látrabjarg, Europe’s most western point. It is an enormous bird cliff that is also a home for puffins, adorable birds that are so close, you can almost touch them!
Beware, you do need a 4WD normally to reach it!
Find out in this link which way to go next and all the extra info you’ll need:
Days 13-14: The North Of Reykjavik
Day 13 – There is still so much to see!
Day 13 already, and still more amazing things to see and do!
Wake up early and go see the Hraunfossar & Barnafoss waterfalls. Believe me, they will amaze you again, even after seeing so many other impressive waterfalls.
You can choose to go to an ice cave, a lava cave, or both.
If you manage to plan it well enough, on your way to Reykjavik, stop to see the out of this world boiling (!!) river.
All are described and pictured for you here.
Day 14 – Don’t forget about Reykjavik
Day 14 concludes the tour of this island. It has been a long drive, but totally worth it.
We are heading back to Reykjavik,but do not be sad, there are still many great activities you can do before your flight back.
Your visit to the capital does not have to break the bank; check out my guide called “Reykjavik on a budget“.
UPDATE: I now also have an article that will help you book ALL hotels in Iceland in under 10 minutes – they are sorted by cities and prices for your convenience and they all have great reviews!
| 🤩 Range of activities: | Large |
| ♨️ Best hot springs: | Blue Lagoon |
| 🏛️ Best for culture: | Reykjavík |
| 🏖️ Best for beaches: | Snaefellsnes Peninsula |
| 🌋 Best for volcanic landscapes: | Golden Circle |
| ☀️ Best time of year: | June – August |
Subscribe here to get up to 35% off your accommodation for your next trip!
BONUS: Any Day, But a Must Do!
Here are some amazing tours that you should consider taking! I did not post them by a specific day because you can take them in many places, but it would definitely be a shame if you don’t do them!
1. Horseback riding in Iceland
It does not really matter to me WHERE in Iceland you will go horseback riding, but please promise me you will do it!
The Icelandic horse is a breed developed in Iceland. They are special – something in between a pony and a horse, and VERY cute! They were brought to Iceland by Viking colonists over 1000 years ago and they have not been bred with any other variety of horses since then!
You can find some Icelandic horses outside Iceland (expensive) but you CANNOT find any other horse typw inside Iceland. That is done in order to protect the breed, to keep it pure. It is illegal to import horses in Iceland. Point.
Just look at this, how can you not adore them?
No wonder why I was so excited to see them, to pet them and obviously to ride them!
I found a farm close to Reykjavik that does not have a website, so I can’t recommend to you which one it was. There are plenty of companies that offer rides, just ask your hotel or ask around.
It was great and I really can recommend the experience to anyone who likes horses! My horse knew oh-to-well what to do and I found it hard sometimes to manage it because, after all, Icelandic horses have quite a wild spirit, even if raised on a farm.
P.S. If you are afraid to ride horses, no worries, it is not a big deal. But at least stop from time to time when you see them in a pasture to look at them, and maybe you’ll find the courage to pet them!
P.S.S. If you cannot choose which Iceland horseback riding company to choose, I recommend this one or this one. They are both close to Reykjavik and you can be sure about the conditions the horses are kept in and the staff qualifications.
COST: It really depends on the company and the tour you are taking (private or in a group), but it should not be more than 40 EUR per hour for group horseback riding.
2. Whale watching
Another cool thing to do – whale watching! The best place to do it is in Husavik. I wrote quite an elaborated piece about my experience here! But, if you are not going all the way to Husavik, you can try your luck in Reykjavik. They, too, know how to spot whales. This is a good environmentally certified whale watching company.
3. Silfra Fissure Snorkeling
Don’t miss your chance to snorkel in one of the TOP 10 diving spots in the world!
Silfra Lava Fissure is the place where the American and European continental plates meet, and guess what? You can swim in between them!
I haven’t personally done that yet, but swimming in the crystal clear water between 2 tectonic plates is one of the main reasons I want to goe back!
This tour has a PADI certified snorkeling guide, all gear and admission fee included.
Conclusion:
If you are looking for road trip itinerary around Iceland, this guide will give you an idea of some of the things you can do there during two weeks.
You can use it as it is or you can make your own trip from the main points I listed here.
Either way, you are in for a wonderful adventure!
Have you been to Iceland?
Would you add something to this “Things to do in Iceland” list? What is your favorite/most desired activity in Iceland?
“Like” and Share this article, spread the Iceland love! 😉
Yulia
Pin it for later:
Pin it for later:
Hi Yulia. Everything looks soo amazing. I have never travelled to Europe before but it is definitely on my to do list. May I know if all the places you have mentioned here, Muslim friendly? Would it be hard to get Halal certified food? Would any of the activities mentioned – swimming per say, have restrictions for Muslims?
Hello,
I think there are quite a few places with halal food and if you’re a fan of seafood, then you’ll surely have plenty of options! You’ll probably have to ask the waiters first though, to know exactly what options they have.
About swimming, as far as I know you can wear any kind of swimming suit, the only request is that everybody has to take a shower before entering the pool (the Blue Lagoon for example). But there are also private showers!
Hope this helps.
Enjoy your trips to Europe!
Travelling to Iceland is a really amazing experience, everybody should try it!
My boyfriend and I are going in September for 8 full days. (we leave early on the 9th day). I will definitely be using this guide to help determine where we will go. Any must do’s since we will not be able to do the full 14 days?
Hi, Sara! I hope my itinerary will help you plan your vacation! 🙂 Even though everybody’s itinerary and preferences might be different, I think the Blue Lagoon, Jökulsárlón Lagoon, some waterfalls, whale watching and chasing the Northern Lights are all must do’s in Iceland! If you need more inspiration, you can also check my article about tours you can take in Iceland.
Have a great trip with your boyfriend!
Hi
As you visited Iceland, kindly guide me where do we stay?
It would be nice to stay in one hotel, or we change hotels as we move from one place to another.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Hi, Sania!
I wrote an article for this purpose exactly! It is about the best hotel recommendations in Iceland and it will help you book all the accommodation you need for your trip really fast. All the hotels were handpicked and the list follows my 2-week itinerary for Iceland (this article). Alternatively, here you can find great hotels in the center of Reykjavik.
I hope this helps and have a great vacation in Iceland! 🙂
I really appreciate the work you have done, you explained everything in such an amazing and simple way.Good post. I was searched for this topic. Finally, I got the information on this blog.
Happy it was useful!
Have an amazing trip!
Hi Yulia. I am traveller from Malaysia. First if all, nice and.comprehensive of your travel blog toward iceland. May I.get some advice from you toward the suggestion of camping car or normal 2WD / 4WD for cost savings? Is that easier to allocate campsite within iceland? Thanks if you able share your valuable advise. Thanks
Hello!
I have this article about 8 Things to know before renting a car in Iceland, which I am sure will help you to decide which type of car is better for you and your trip (check section “Bonus 1 – Choosing the car in Iceland). I talk there about the different types of cars that may be suitable for each type of traveler.
About the camping: You can camp in the designated campsites in Iceland. It is forbidden to camp outside the organized campsites or urban areas. You can find all the campsites that are in Iceland here.
Have a nice trip and have fun!
Hi Yulia,
I am so so so fascinated by your blog & it just make me more certain to go Iceland despite the HIGH cost.
May I know is it advisable & economical to go around in a campervan? We can only go in June.
We are still thinking whether to rent a 4WD or travel around in campervan.
Hope to hear from u.
Thank you
Hello May!
I am not sure if it will be less expensive this way, please compare the prices for the car+ accommodation with the campervan +camp facilities prices.
You will only need a 4WD if you are going to go off-road, the road trip that you read about above did not require a 4×4 car.
Thanks for the info. Do you have any special suggestions for two 80+ year olds who love to drive on road trips but one needs assistance with a walker for any distance greater than a block? Thanks
Hi Joan,
I dont have special suggestions unfortunately. There are some places in the golden circle that will require walking (not much, but still) and there are definitely some on the Ring road.
Most of the people are very nice and I am sure they will not refuse if you ask them for walking assistance for 200 mt until a waterfall.
I might be wrong though, maybe someone else here have a similar experience and have some tips?
After seeing your post, I can’t stop myself to plan a trip to Iceland. It’s very informative and interesting blog. Thanks for sharing it!
Hi Melissa, thanks for all the details tips and info.
I was wondering which month were you at Iceland? We are planning to go this end of September and wanted to know if we need a down jacket and wear warmer clothing?
Also, do you have a post for Snaefellsnes area? We are planning to spend a night there and drive back to the city and head to the airport the next day. Thanks very much.
Well, my name is Yulia actually 🙂
I went in August, the warmest month of them all and warm clothes were definitely useful even back then. Please check my packing list section in this post for more info – https://misstourist.com/8-things-you-should-know-before-renting-a-car-in-iceland/
No, unfortunately I havent been to Snaefellsnes (yet)
Have a great trip!
Hi Yulia, so sorry I got your name wrong :p
Thanks again for the packing tips. Cheers!
No worries!:)
Wow! This is a great write up on touring Iceland! This is a dream trip for me. Seeing all of your photos and ideas for places to visit is rekindling my fire to tour there. My plan is to rent a bike through to cruise around on. I don’t think there is anything that will beat that environment than cruising it on a motorcycle. Snorkeling through the tectonic plates is an amazing idea! I never even knew this was possible! Did you go to any of the thermal power plants? Such an amazing way to create their power. Also- who doesn’t love puffins?! Never knew you could get that close to them in Iceland either.
This post was extremely helpful to me. I appreciate all the work you have put into providing links for all of my questions.
Happy tours!!
hey Ryan,
I am happy the post was helpful!
I have stopped by some thermal power plants on the way, it was very interesting!
Hey dear thankyou so much for comprehensive details and i will religiously follow this but just one clarification needed we family of three will be travelling in may 2019 what will you suggest that if we hire camper van will it work out economical or hotel stay plus car rental
Hello Deepika,
awesome you are going to follow the itinerary!
As for your question, you can totally get a camper van, you will need to calculate the cost and compare, I cant say for sure if it will worth it because I didnt do it and the price really depends on the season.
You still have a lot of time, so I would suggest to make a sample calculation to what would be best for you.
My article about hotels in Iceland where you can easily find economical ones, is coming in a week, so it will be easy for you to estimate.
Stay tuned! 🙂
Hi Yulia,
Your Iceland trip looks amazing and I’m thinking my husband and I are going to follow it to a tee! We have booked flights and rented a car for 2 weeks at the end of July/beginning of August but that’s all we’ve done and we obviously need to get on this
So here are a few questions:
1. Are there certain tours we should book in advance? (I notice you say a few times that the tours were full.) And we definitely want to do whale watching.
2. Hotels. I’m a little confused as to which days you stayed in which places, how long you stayed in each place and in which towns did you stay overnight in. (Obviously if you didn’t like where you stayed, please let me know.)
3. Restaurants. Do you have any suggestions? And, do I need got make reservations for any of them beforehand?
Thanks so much!
Melissa
Hello, Melissa!
I’m so glad you liked my Iceland itinerary and you want to do it too! I actually receive a lot of questions about this subject but your concerns are so well structured that I decided to transform this much-needed information into a new article that I will post soon!
Until then, here are the answers for the question you asked. Let’s take them one by one:
1. Of course, I recommend booking any tour you find and like in advance, as there’s always the risk of them selling out and then there will be nothing to do to change this. Yes, it happened to me too so that’s why I advise anyone to book in advance. If you don’t know what to book just yet, I have some suggestions for tours that are a must-do in Iceland. First, you mentioned whale watching – I totally recommend it and you should book it as soon as you can! Here is one good option: Húsavík: Original Big Whale Safari & Puffin Island Tour (I advise taking a speedboat to enhance your chances of seeing the whales). Of course you cannot miss the glaciers in Iceland – they’re a real landmark. Even though you can easily get to Skaftafell glacier by car, I recommend South Coast & Jokulsarlon Sightseeing Tour if you want to take a walk and visit lots of glaciers in the same tour, including the famous Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon. Some other things that I consider to be a must-do while in the country are the ATV tours in Reykjavik, the Horse Riding tour and the Lava Caves. And a super awesome activity that I unfortunately didn’t do (but I would go back in Iceland just for this!) is the Silfra Fissure Snorkeling Half-Day Tour! All these activities are in my Iceland articles too and you can search for more fun stuff to do on this website.
2. Now for hotels. I know I don’t mention specific hotels for each day, but I did my best to create now a day-by-day list with hotel recommendations in every city. Here is the list:
DAY 1 – city: Reykjavik – you can find an article with Reykjavik hotels right here
DAY 2 – city: Hella – I stayed in Stracta Hotel
DAY 3 – city: Vik or Skaftafell. I recommend staying in Vik at Einarsstadir Homestay (very good location)
DAY 4 – city: Hofn, hotel: Hotel Jökull has an accessible price and the breakfast is included
DAY 5 – city: Egilsstadir, hotel: Icelandair Hotel Herad
DAY 6 – city: Akureyri, hotel: Hotel Ibudir Apartments
DAY 7 – rest day in Akureyri so you’ll sleep there again
DAY 8 – city: Husavik, hotel: Fosshotel Husavik
DAY 9 – city: Varmahlid, hotel: I stayed at Hotel Varmahlíd
DAY 10 – city: Ísafjörður -> make it the headquarters for 2 nights, I stayed at Hotel Horn
DAY 11 – same as day 10
DAY 12 – you go all the way near Reykjavik and you stay in Husafell (or anything near it) until the last day (which is day 14). I stayed at Husafell Hotel (this was the best one I stayed in Iceland, honestly)
DAY 13 – same as day 12
DAY 14 – same as day 13
-> Then you can go back to Reykjavik and stay in the city to discover it if you want. If not, you can just stay in an airport hotel like 41 – A Townhouse Hotel and leave without spending more time in the city.
3. You won’t have to book the restaurants in advance in the small towns, maybe just in Reykjavik if you want to go somewhere in particular. Unfortunately, I don’t have any personal restaurant recommendations to give you, but I’m sure you can find some great ones on Tripadvisor.
That’s it. I hope I answered your questions and concerns regarding the trip and I wish you’ll have lots of fun in Iceland. I wish to go back there one day too!
Thank you for your post! My husband and I are traveling this June and your guide is excellent. I think we will follow it -so much more clear than the lonely planet and rough guide books we have been looking at! It is my first trip to Iceland with my husband.
Awesome post! Question! What is the minimum number of days to drive around Iceland? Thank you!
i would say the minimum is 4 (the Golden circle) and 10-14 is an optimal time.
Hi Yulia,
Awesome post!!
I am going to Iceland in the first week of May. I am planning to cover the ring road. May I know which Nissan model you rented for your trip. I am thinking of renting the same as I will be covering the same places. Is it 2WD ?
it was a Nissan Pulsar 🙂
I just love your blogg, i think Iceland is one of the most beutiful countries and places to visit for holidays 🙂
Your travel tips really helped me out in iceland cheers 🙂
Hi Yulia
I am planning a trip to iceland for 7-8 days in the 1st week of November 2018. Do you think its practical to stay in Reykjavik and do day tours every day? Would this be very tiring? My husband is not keen to drive around in winter conditions:)
We want to see the South and West parts of Iceland:)
Hello Cecilia!
Sorry, I though I replied to your comment.
Staying in Reykjavik and doing day tours will only be practical if you will go around the city. You will miss a lot of great places that are 4 and more hours driving, so i recommend choosing at least one more base. I have a detailed articles on both West side and South Side of the island, check them out here.
Hi Yulia!
What an epic trip!!!!
I’ve been to Iceland last may-june and I got to do the Ring Road but I was a little tight on time so I couldn’t do everything I wanted, sadly. I absolutely LOVE your whale watching adventure and the West Fjords part (those puffins…aaahh!! so adorable!!)
I really want to go back again now!!
Thanks for sharing this post, loved it!
You are more than welcome! 🙂
Hi Yulia
how much it cost you for spending 14 days in Iceland (Excluding flight tickets)
It has been a long time ago and we have lost all the calculations, thats for sure. My case will be definitely different from yours because now the prices are different, we shared the car expenses for 4 people for 1 week and 2 people for 1 more week etc.
Keep in mind, it will most probably not be cheap! 🙂
Hi Yulia,
WE are four ladies planning a self drive using the circular road,Any recommodation?, We plan to travel in september 2018 but we are starting our research now.
We would like to take in the golden circle, the east and west fjiords and other interesting attractions along the way.
Hello MannLee!
Sounds like a great plan!
First of all, i definitely recommend getting a car for 4 of you, my tips on that here.
All of the sides of the island that you mentioned are described in details here, check it out!
Hello,
Which time of the year did you go ?
Thank you 🙂
August
Could you people please not go to Iceland? You are ruining it. Iceland used to be so nice, small, quiet and just nice. Now you can`t turn around withouth bumping into a ****** tourist taking a dump in someones garden. You throw trash everywhere and behave as if Iceland is your personal amusment park. I miss Iceland so much, in the 70-, 80- and 90s it was so nice. But that`s gone now, gone forever because foreigners are *******.
I wonder how many people from Iceland travel abroad as well and create havoc int he countries they are visiting or do you all stay permanently in Iceland and never venture out of the country – I would say not. Your post sounds ridiculous. People travel and yes permanent residents can get annoyed but it affects everyone everywhere. People from Iceland also rely on tourists or do you wish your fellow countryman to starve.
it is a pity some of the tourists behave this way unfortunately. Everyone should travel responsibly no matter what country he is in – foreign or his own.
Te reality is, your country is amazingly beautiful and unfortunately you cannot keep it just for yourself. 😉
Hi Yulia,
Would be nice for people reading your blog to indicate the exchange rate you had during your trip as it boomed +25% (euro-wise) in last 12 months meaning +25% cost on everything for europeans (and i believe it is the same for the dollar). Just came back and hopefully we booked everything a long time ago! Also prices have gone up terribly for tourist attraction -> example in husavik where the whales watching tour is around 10000 islandic krones meaning close to 90€ 😮 (due to increase in price and exchange rate)
Always good to know i think as i heard a lot of tourists are canceling their trip due to those very recent increases 🙂
Hello Nicolas!
Thank you very much for the comment, I will edit the posts where I do the conversion.
Yes, unfortunately, Iceland is far from cheap nowadays and, if I remember correct, 2 years ago when i visited, the whale watching tour was also about 90 eur.
Yes, the best way is to book everything in advance and probably, go slightly off-season!
Thank you for your post! My daughter and I are traveling this June and your guide is excellent. I think we will follow it -so much more clear than the lonely planet and rough guide books we have been looking at!
Aww, thanks a lot! This made my day! 🙂
Hi Yulia! My friend and I are thinking of going to Iceland in May and basically following this full 14 day road trip! We will be 20 and we were wondering if there is any trouble with people our age renting a car? Also do you hve any recommendation to maybe to the road trip in a few less days by still hitting all the key spots? Lastly, how many night do you recommend for REYKJAVIK? Thank you this trip looks amazing!
Hi Elisa!
Sounds like a great adventure! You should read terms and conditions of each individual car rental company. Some have it from 21 yo, some from 25, most will allow the rental from 18 but with extra charge. It really depends on the company in this case.
If you are intro shopping, night life and art, I would maybe stay for 2 nights, otherwise, if you are in Iceland for nature, 1 night in the capital is enough.
Lastly, if you would skip something, i would maybe skip one of the fjords- either eastern, either western.
Hope that helps!
Have a great trip!
Hi again Yulia,
Just another quick question, how much ISK would you recommend bringing for the 14 days?
Hi Yulia!
I’m looking at renting a car for my trip to Iceland this summer. Unfortunately, I don’t have two weeks so I’ll only be doing the first few days of your suggestions. Some cars can go on the “F Roads” and some can’t. Are any of your recommendations F Road places?
Also, since I’m flying in and out of KEF, and I only have a few days, do you recommend the stuff to the south of KEF or to the north more? I’ll only have time to do either Days 1-4 or 10-14. Which are better?
Thanks,
Al
Hi! None of my recommendations need an F Road capable car, maybe in the future when I’ll go again :).If you don’t have many days I suggest the 1-4 itinerary, and if you have one extra day you could go see the waterfalls I described north of Reykjavik. They are less than 2 hours drive from the city!
Wow that is really quite a tour you’ve done! We’ve done diving in SIlfra and that was an incredible experience, it is certainly one (if not the most) expensive dive one can do but certainly worth it!
Thanks Dennis!
Yes, one of the reasons I d like to come back is to do that dive! 😉
May I know the total expenses for this whole trip? 🙂
I am 16 years old now planning a trip to Iceland maybe just myself or just one more friend at the age of 20-25
Hope you could reply! 😀
Hey Daniel!
The basic cost of renting a car and accommodation for 14 days was about 2000 Eur altogether for 2 people, if you want to do some tours etc, you should add that as an extra cost.
You can always diminish your expenses if you stay in camping, the final price really does depend on your budget
Hi Yulia!
Thanks for the post. I’m gooing to Iceland in two weeks and I would like to know if you had any problem getting to any of the places you visited with the Nissan you rented? I’m trying to decide if I need a sedan or a 4×4 car.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Roy
Hi Roy! Thank you for your question!
No, I had absolutely no problems getting to the places mentioned in my itinerary, you only need 4×4 if you go off-road. Notice howver, that some roads might be closed if you are going in the winter time.
Check this post how to choose the best car in Iceland.
Also, i recently teamed up with Sixt, here is your 10% discount for any booking, or even 35% if you book for 1 week or more! Check them out, it is a great deal and the service is more than reliable.
I enjoyed reading your blog. It’s very informative and it does help me to get an idea on how to plan for my coming trip. May i know which month that you go in your blog? I saw quite a lot of blog going in winter. I’m quite petite and i’m afraid i can’t the cold. I heard driving during winter is difficult. My initial planning to Iceland is probably end of September or beginning of October. Do you think i will be able to catch the aurora?
Hi Yvonne, thanks for your comment!
I have visited in August, which is the busiest but also the warmest time of the year in Iceland.
End of September/beg of October sound great to me! There is a chance (no guarantee of course) to catch the aurora lights. The weather will be colder, but still not that cold and dark as in, say, January, and the prices for car renal/accommodation will be much lower.
Very nice post. We went to Iceland last month but we had time only for Reykjavik and for The Golden Circle. Next time we are planing to go to Akureyri.
Yes, you should not miss out the North of the country, it is stunning!!
Hi Yulia, I heard that is hard to get a restroom when you are on the move. Is this true?
all gas stations have free toilets to use, never encountered this problem 🙂
Very informative post Yulia! Iceland has always been on my travel bucket list, and seeing your post makes me feel like going right away.
How about the food by the way? Did you find any vegetarian food? Being a vegetarian, I am always concerned about finding something to eat.
what can i say about the food in Iceland – it is expensive. It definitely wont be a problem to find a vegetarian place in Reykjavik or Akureyri (cities).
There are cafes in touristic stops and many gas stations on the way to them, but they sell hot dogs and chips, no normal food. Thus, you might want to stock up with vegetables etc. from the supermarket before just in case, so that you dont eat too much junk food! 🙂
Thank you so much for your reply Yulia! Those are some valuable suggestions. For me, it’s time to start looking for flights now! 😀
Do it! 😉