It took me weeks to properly plan the perfect Iceland itinerary, taking care to carefully choose what sights were worth driving hours for, where to stay, and how much time to spend in each region of the country.
So here’s my tried-and-tested, eco-friendly way to spend two weeks in Iceland in October, including where we stayed, and what we skipped. We hit the main spots including the Golden Circle, along with a few hidden gems and remote areas, such as the Westfjords. Two weeks is the ideal amount of time to do the Ring Road in Iceland without rushing, allowing you to relax and rest without getting burnt out from driving (there will be a LOT of driving).
Note: We rented a car and stayed in locally owned cabins and similar types of accommodation in Iceland. I’m not a fan of camping or van life (having tried both before), so this was the ideal situation for me, plus it was a way of supporting Icelandic people.
PS: Click here if you prefer to take an organised Iceland tour with everything already planned for you (usually including transportation and accommodation).
More on everything you need to know before visiting Iceland (e.g. why so many attractions end in “foss” and what it means).
We picked up our rental car from the Keflavík International Airport upon landing, and stayed in Reykjavik for 3 nights: the night we arrived, Day 1, and Day 2.
We started Day 1 in Reykjavik early to avoid tour buses in these spots. We spent the whole morning exploring the Reykjanes UNESCO Geopark, where the Blue Lagoon is located. Here’s where we went, in order:
1. “Bridge between two continents”, a footbridge over fissures caused by the tension created when the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates drift away from each other. This area lies on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a major plate boundary. The bridge represents the connection between North America and Europe.
2. Volcanir Reykjanes lava fields (where they filmed a scene in the “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga” movie with Rachel McAdams). It was nice to see the cliffs, but if you’re short on time, this is something you can skip.
3. Gunnuhver Hot Springs, a geothermal area with steam vents. It was really cool to see the hot fumes coming out of the earth, and the best part was that it did not smell strongly of sulphur, and there was almost no one there. This was before the tour bus arrived though.
4. Visit Brimketill lava rock pool to see the natural pool carved out of an eroded lava formation, and you can see waves crashing against the rocks. Skip if you’re in a rush.
5. We drove by Fagradalsfjall Volcano, which was not active at the time, but we could see the recent hardened lava that spilled over the road.
In the afternoon we had lunch in Reykjavik and strolled around town. Despite all the tourist shops, the city is beautiful and worth walking through.
1. Laugavegur Street and the famous Rainbow Street.
2. Hallgrimskirkja Church, one of the most famous landmarks in Iceland with its unique architecture. It’s free to enter but you can buy tickets to go to the top for views.
3. Drove by the City Hall and the lake, Harpa Concert Hall, and the Sun Voyager sculpture, two other popular Icelandic and Reykavik landmarks, but didn’t stop.
4. One of my favourite core memories of Iceland is the Molten Lava Show (and this is the lava show in Vik). They take actual lava from the Vik town area, where the original Lava Show was created and where the founders have permission to collect lava and melt it down to show us how lava flows and solidifies. You also learn a lot about lava, volcanoes, and Iceland’s geography and history.
5. After dinner, we went on a Northern Lights tour. I’ll be honest: in Iceland, you don’t really need a tour to see the Northern Lights if you rent a car. If the KP level is 3 and above, and there’s minimum cloudiness, just drive out of the city, and there’s a big chance you will see them. We only booked the tour because it came with photos and we didn’t have a good camera to capture the lights.
On Day 2 we focused on the Golden Circle, which includes the Silfra fissure, Bruarfoss, the Geysir strokkur, and Gulfoss waterfall.
1. Silfra Fissure, where adventurous people go snorkeling in Silfra Fissure’s freezing water. I’m glad I was merely a spectator because it did not look pleasant. Note there is a designated area for parking, and it’s paid.
2. Bruarfoss: a really beautiful, icy blue waterfall, though full of people getting dangerously close for photos. You can hike 7km total, or pay for parking right by the falls, with an easy few minutes walk away. We chose the latter.
3. Geysir strokkur. This is a cool geothermal geyser that erupts every 10 minutes or so. You can park across the street for free (we did not see any paid parking signs) by the restaurants.
4. Gullfoss. We reached this large, gorgeous waterfall just before sunset, and we were freezing, but it was worth it. There are no parking fees, and you have to walk down a few sets of stairs.
We left Reykjavik and drove towards Vik where we spent the night.
1. We drove by the recommended Seljalandsfoss and Gljufrabui nearby, where you can walk behind the waterfall, but we were put off by the paid parking, especially when you can see both falls from the road. So we just drove by and left.
Note: Do not enter the parking space if you don’t plan on staying and just want to see the falls from the road, because the cameras will see your car licence plate and you can still get charged.
2. We drove by Drangurinn í Drangshlíð 2, a historical landmark by the roadside. These stone houses are carved under a mountain, and according to Icelandic mythology, the houses were inhabited by elves who helped cows and their calves. Since it was private land, we looked and left.
3. The best part of Day 3 on our Ring Road itinerary was the hiking trail Skogar, starting with the famous curtain waterfall, Skogafoss.
Most people see Skogafoss and leave, but I recommend going up the stairs (note that it’s very windy on the stairs and can get slippery depending on the season) and walking along the flat paved trail to see the other waterfalls, mainly Hestavaðsfoss, Fosstorfufoss, and Steinbogafoss. It’s worth to take your time and spend a few hours at this stop.
There’s free parking, toilets, and a restaurant next to the parking space.
We stayed at Kosy Vik. The owner of our accommodation lives upstairs and was lovely, and we had direct views of the ocean and rock formations. There’s also plenty of restaurants within walking distance.
1. In the early morning, we drove to Víkurfjara Black Sand Beach in Vik, where you can see the black sand which resulted from the lava cooling as it reached the ocean, and the Reynisdrangar basalt formations from afar.
2. We then drove about 15 minutes to Dyrhólaey cliff arch, where we got picturesque views of the sea, rock formations, and Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach (which we skipped).
None of these two places have paid parking.
3. After that, we drove to our highlight of the day: an ethereal rock canyon, Fjaðrárgljúfur. The canyon is so beautiful, and the hike to reach the end was only 30 min and relatively flat (note there’s a parking fee). There’s also a free bathroom there.
We stayed at Guesthouse Skalafell, a family-owned place with individual ensuite cabins and rooms by a small river and waterfall. Breakfast is free. And they have sheep and a beautiful Icelandic sheepdog on the premises.
Day 5 was a fulfilling, exciting day, but also chill because we only spent time around one spot.
1. We had an incredible experience ice-cave hiking in Vatnajökull National Park in the morning, and this was one of the highlights of the trip. We chose to go to Vatnajökull National Park, particularly Breiðamerkurjökull glacier, which is Europe’s largest glacier. We chose this rather than the “ice tunnel caves” because this is a natural glacier, not man-made.
2. After our hike, we walked around the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon viewpoint. We thought about kayaking in the glacier lagoon but decided to just walk around after the ice cave hike.
3. From the Glacier parking lot, we walked 6 minutes to Diamond Beach (real name is Fellsfjara in Icelandic).
We spent 2 days in the East Fjords of Iceland. It was a long drive from where we were (about 4 hours) but it’s part of the Ring Road in Iceland, and fit perfectly in our 2-week itinerary. Plus the goal of this two-week trip in Iceland was to also visit the untouched, remote parts of the country.
Along the way towards the East Fjords, we saw dolphins by the coast near a fishing farm.
1. Folaldafoss. The waterfall is an easy, short walk from the free parking lot, and there was no one there besides us.
2. Did you know that Iceland has a national forest called Hallormsstaðarskógur? We stopped by and walked around for a bit among the colourful fall foliage. We had the whole forest to ourselves.
3. Before heading to our accommodation, we went to the nearby Egilsstaðir town for pizza, gas, and groceries.
We had the loveliest stay at Asgeirsstadir holiday homes: a family-owned business in the middle of nowhere but close to a small town (Egilsstaðir) with gas stations, restaurants, and supermarkets. You get your own individual, fully-equipped cabin with a fully functioning kitchen and living room, bathroom, and separate bathroom.
1. We drove over the gravel, snowy mountain roads to reach Klifbrekkufossar, a 7-tier waterfall. You can see it right from the road, there’s no need to even get out of the car.
2. We drove by the WWII US Navy LCM shipwreck, a historical landmark, but there was not that much to see.
3. We drove back around to see Gufu waterfall and Búðareyrarfoss, they were on the way, by the roadside, otherwise, we would not have gone out of the way to see them.
4. We stopped by Seydisfjordur town where there’s a cute rainbow street leading up to the town church, and had lunch there before cruising along the fjord towards the waterfall Vestdalsfossar. We saw a bunch of curious seals in the fjord.
Day 8 was a long day. We left the East Fjords and drove all the way to the North of Iceland, with multiple stops in between. I’m a huge advocate of slow travel, but it just did not make sense to drive a few hours to see some attractions, then drive back to the East Fjords to spend the night and drive back the same route the next day. So we kept driving til we reached a town where we could spend the night, Akureyri.
1. We left early in the morning and drove towards Jökuldalur Valley, where we stopped by Stuðla waterfall and Stuðlagil Canyon, a popular river lined by basalt columns, for about 2 hours total.
2. After the canyon we drove back up to the main street, passing by the Námaskarð geothermal area.
3. We went to Grjótagjá lava caves, an ancient subterranean cavern, with geometric rock formations and hot springs, though the hot springs are no longer swimmable. The water is clear blue but the cave is very small, you can only walk down one by one (make sure to remind people of this if you see a group all trying to go in at the same time). It was a fun stop to stretch our legs, and it’s also free to visit, and there’s no paid parking.
4. Instead of going back up the main road, we continued on down for a small detour and drove by Lake Myvatn, Hverfjall volcano, and Dimmuborgir (lava fields). This place inspired Icelandic folklore and is believed to be where the earth connects with the infernal regions. We eventually joined the main road again.
5. Our last stop, right before sunset, was the powerful Godafoss (nicknamed the “waterfall of the gods”). A stunningly beautiful waterfall with only a small crowd, you can see the northern lights there at night, weather conditions permitting. If you have time, walk to each side of the falls to get different angles.
We stayed at a lovely hotel, Hotel Akureyri, with free breakfast. It’s conveniently located right in the middle of the town with direct views of the fjord, and also within walking distance of the old town.
We could not do the Ring Road in Iceland without going to the West Fjords. On Day 9, we left the north of Iceland, and originally planned to make a few stops along the way but decided to just drive the 5 hours to the West Fjords and rest. We spent 2 nights there.
Tip: The West Fjords is incredibly remote, and you won’t see supermarkets, restaurants, or gas stations for hours. Remember to stock up in Akureyri before starting the journey.
We stayed at Mora guesthouse: it comes with a fully equipped kitchen, a separate living room, a bathroom, and a bedroom. There is a natural pool across the street, and you can book local activities like visiting farms and retrieving sheep.
The West Fjords was our time to relax and see very remote parts of Iceland, and really just enjoy the calm and untouched places. So we spent Day 10 casually driving around, went to Dynjandi waterfall, and had lunch before heading back to our accommodation.
Dynjandi (7-tiered waterfall). This is a huge waterfall and has paid parking, but you can also see it from the road and not enter the parking spot. If you decide to get up close, you will need good-grip hiking boots.
We spent the next 2 days in West Iceland, home to the most famous mountain in the country, Kirkjufell.
1. On the way to West Iceland, we drove 2.5 hours to Eiríksstaðir, the home of Erik the Red, a famous Viking (the tour costs around €18 per person). I recommend it if you’re curious about Viking history and want to sit in a replica of a Viking house. You can even try on the props.
2. After another two-hour drive, we reached Kirkjufell Mountain right before sunset. To be honest, I was not very impressed by the mountain itself, but the view with the waterfalls in the foreground is much better.
We stayed at Kast Guesthouse. We had free breakfast at the restaurant on site, there was a nice sweet cat greeting us everyday, and you could see the neighbours’ horses hanging out daily across the field.
We casually drove through the Snæfellsjökull National Park and its coast. It’s a great spot to see Northern Lights and orcas in winter, though we saw neither.
Our main stops were
1. Djúpalónssandur beach and viewpoint, which is beautiful but windy and raining heavily.
2. Londrangar: rock towers and cliffs overlooking the ocean.
We also saw Elf houses. Elves are a popular part of Icelandic culture, with many people still believing in them, thus making little houses for them next to their own homes. We were incredibly lucky to see them.
We stopped by the Viking history at the Settlement Centre in Borgarnes. We didn’t visit the exhibitions, it was €23 per person, and we had already learned quite a lot about Viking history when we stopped at Eiríksstaðir on Day 11. It has a cute shop with artisanal crafts though, and clean bathrooms.
We spent the night at Lighthouse inn, a lovely hotel with free breakfast, a beautiful restaurant on-site and the lighthouse and beach nearby. We saw the northern lights at night there.
On our last day in Reykjavik, we had a chill morning near our accommodation. We took a walk along the beach by the Garður Old Lighthouse and had lunch there before our flight.
Two weeks in Iceland was the ideal timeframe to visit the country, based on our budget, the things we wanted to do and see, and without getting burnt out from driving or getting “waterfall fatigue”.
While there were many attractions we decided to skip based on reviews and our personal preferences, I also don’t feel that we missed out on much by skipping them, aside from Hraunfossar near Reykjavik and maybe Landmannalaugar, which is only open in the summer. I guess this means I’ll have to go back.
Also called Route 1, the Ring Road in Iceland is the main road that circles the whole country.
The Golden Circle is a route that takes you to a few major attractions in Iceland that includes waterfalls (Gullfoss), geysers, and Thingvellir National Park. It can be done on a day trip from Reykjavik.
Personally, I found two weeks to be the perfect amount of time to do the Ring Road at a decent pace, without rushing and being able to see most (but not all) of the main attractions. However, I have friends who did it in about 4-5 days (in summer), but they skipped a lot of things and spent about 14 hours driving daily.
If you only have a few days in Iceland and are not renting a car, you can do the Golden Circle easily with an organised tour. For the Ring Road, you will require a much longer trip, and will likely need to rent a car. You can fit in the Golden Circle tour when doing the Ring Road.
This is the average budget breakdown for one person doing the Ring Road in Iceland on a 2-week itinerary:
The total would be about €3500 for 1 person, excluding flights.
For two people, the extra costs would be meals and activities, totalling about €4500 for 2 people, excluding flights.
