The Ultimate Ring Road Itinerary

Iceland's Ring Road (Route 1) is a 1,332-kilometer highway that circles the entire country. This comprehensive guide will help you plan the perfect road trip, ensuring you don't miss any of Iceland's incredible sights.

Planning Your Route

Recommended Duration

• Minimum: 7 days
• Ideal: 10-14 days
• Optimal: 2-3 weeks

Best Time to Drive

• Summer (June-August): Best weather, 24-hour daylight
• Shoulder seasons (May/September): Fewer crowds, still good weather
• Winter: Challenging but magical, requires 4x4

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Stay in Reykjavik

• Explore Reykjavik
• Visit the Hallgrímskirkja church
• Explore the sun voyager
• Visit the rainbow street

Day 2: Stay in Reykjavik

• Visit Barnafoss
• Visit the Hraunfossar waterfalls (both are next to each other)
• Visit the Glymur waterfall (hint do the hike till the top of waterfall keep around 6-7 hours for the whole hike, the hike is not too difficult but it is long)
• Visit the thorufoss waterfall it is on the way back to Reykjavik (hint do a short 15 min hike down from the parking to the base of the waterfall it is worth it)

Day 3: Stay in Reykjavik

• Go to Thingvellir national park: park for the day at the national park visitor center
• Go snorkeling in Silfra fissure: hint book in advance and be 30 mins early, this is the only place in the world were you can snorkel between the tectonic plates, this activity takes around 2 hours we did it early morning to not waste the whole day here
• Walk between the tectonic plates: hint this is the only place in the world were you can walk between the tectonic plates, keep around 1 hour to explore here
• Visit the Bruarfoss waterfall: keep 30 mins to explore here
• Visit the Geysir: keep 30 mins to explore here, go to the end of the area to Strokkur geysir it explodes every 5-10 minutes
• Visit the Gullfoss: keep around 1 hour to explore here, hike till the edge of the waterfall at the lower end, be prepared to get wet
• Visit the kerið crater lake: keep 30 mins to explore here
• End the day with visit to Reykjadalur hot springs: the road is very bad but there is a parking at the end with board explaining the hike, this is a very good hot spring, the hike is not too difficult but it is long

Day 4: Stay in Vik

• Gjáin Valley: depending on when you visit the f-327road to Gjáin Valley might be closed, if it is closed you can park the car at Hjálparfoss and walk to Stöng viking house on the f-327 road it is around 8 km. Do not miss the hike because of this walk, it is one of the most beautiful valley in Iceland. From the viking house there is around 2 hour flat hike to the valley where you can literally walk in the valley and cross the river. The water dance of Aarya was shot here and the whole area is just stunning.
• Haifoss waterfall: keep 30 mins to explore here (it is another 1 hour walk to reach here if the f-327 road is closed but it is also worth it)
• Visit Seijalandfoss waterfall: keep 30 mins to explore here it is literally on the road to Vik
• Visit the Gljúfrabúi cave: it is a 2 min walk away from the Seijalandfoss waterfall and is waterfall inside a cave and looks amazing.

Day 5: Stay in Vik

• Go to Katla Ice Cave: I would recommned to book a tour to this cave, it is a cave that is formed by the Katla volcano and is a very unique experience.
• Go to Skógafoss waterfall: keep 2 hours to explore here, hint go on to the top of the waterfall and hike a bit further this hike is around 27 km long to thorsmork, you dont need to do the whole hike but go until you can there are couple of waterfalls just behind skogafoss and the nature here is amazing so explore at your own pace.
• Visit the Kvernufoss waterfall: it is 5 min drive from Skógafoss waterfall and is a beautiful waterfall. I would keep around 1 hour to explore here.
• Visit the Sólheimasandur plane wreck: it is a plane wreck that is on the road to Skógafoss waterfall and is a very unique experience. The problem is you need to walk 1 hour from parking to get here and in the end it did not feel like it was worth it. We did it because I wanted the drone shot of the plane but otherwise it was a bit of a let down
• Go to Reynisfjara black sand beach: keep 30 mins to explore here, be careful here as people die here because of the sneaker waves, see on the beach there is a warning system based on the weather how far you should go on the beach, do not risk to go to the cave if the warning system is telling you not to go.

Day 6 Stay near Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon

• Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon: keep 2 hours to explore here, it is a beautiful canyon and very easily accessible.
• Thakgil canyon: it is around 1 hour drive from Vik. The drive is a bit tricky there is a camper van parking at the end of the road. The valley is absolutely the best thing I saw in my life. At the camping parking you can see multiple hikes depending on how much time you have. Ask the person at the counter of parking, we did the purple one which is not mentioned on the map, but gives the best views, the ascent and the descent is very steep especially if you have fear of heights but it is worth it. The other side of the valley looks like a different planet. Just trust me and go there. The purple hike was supposed to be 2 hour long we ended up spending 7 hours, there is just so much to see on the route and so many pictures to take.

Day 7 Stay in Hofn

• Skaftafell National Park: go to svartifoss (keep 2 hour to explore here)
• Múlagljúfur canyon: The canyon is not marked on the road but you will find it in google maps. The hike is around 4-5 hours to the top of the mountain, don't stop at the viewpoint of the waterfall and the canyon, there are 3 more waterfall and at the end there is a glacier view. Basically go until the top of the mountain, you will not see the glacies until you are literally at the last 20 m of the hike but it is so worth it.
• Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon: keep 1 hour to explore here and the diamond beach. Also try to spot some seals if you can. If you are in time you can also do canoeing in the lagoon but you need to book in advance.
• Go to Hofn

Day 8: Hofn to Myvatn

• Go to Stokksnes: keep 1 hour to explore here, it is a beautiful beach with that famous mountain and the mirroring on water.
• Eastfjords scenic drive: This is the best drive you will ever do. Keep enough time to just get off the car and explore a lot.
• Visit Klifbrekkufossar: keep 1 hour to explore here, it is a multilayered waterfall and the road and the fjord are just stunning.
• Visit Studlagil canyon: it is the most instagramable canyon in Iceland. With blue water and the basalt columns on the side. You need 45 mins from the parking to reach the canyon. Visit it from the West side and not on the east side. As from the west side you can get down at the bottom of the canyon.
• Go to Myvatn

Day 9: Stay in Myvatn

• Go to Dettifoss waterfall: keep 1 hour to explore here, it is the most powerful waterfall in Europe.
• Go to Godafoss waterfall: keep 1 hour to explore here, it is the most beautiful waterfall I have ever seen.
• Go to Grotagja cave: GOT was shot here.
• Explore the Myvatn geothermal area

Day 10: Myvatn to Búðardalur

• Go to Akureyri: It is the most beautiful city in Iceland. It is located inside the longest Fjord in Iceland.
• There is a small waterfall in Akureyri it is literally called 'Foss' it is a warm waterfall with view of Akureyri, if you have time I would definitely visit it.
• Go Whale watching in Akureyri: We saw many humpback whales here, the best time is from April to September.

Day 11: Stay in Búðardalur

• Go to Kirkjufell waterfall: The most instagrammed mountain in Iceland.
• Go to the black church
• Go to Dritvik Cove: It is a unique beach (I would keep around 1 hour to explore here)
• Go to Ytri Tunga beach: It is the best place to watch seals.

Day 12: Back home

• Our flight was in the evening
• So in the morning we went Lava caving at Vidgelmir: You need to book in advance but you get to see the rock formations because of a lava chamber and it was an amazing experience.
• Then we went to the airport and flew back home.

Essential Tips

Car Rental

• Book a 4x4 car
• Consider gravel insurance
• Check fuel prices and station locations

Accommodation

• Book in advance, especially in summer
• Consider guesthouses for local experience
• Camping is popular in summer

Food and Supplies

• Stock up in Reykjavik
• Bring snacks and water
• Try to cook your own food as much as possible, as food is expensive and this is the best way to save money.

Safety Considerations

• Check road conditions (road.is)
• Monitor weather forecasts
• Fill up gas when possible
• Have emergency contacts

Conclusion

The Ring Road offers an incredible journey through Iceland's diverse landscapes. Take your time, be flexible with your schedule, and enjoy the adventure!