10-Day Iceland Itinerary: Westfjords, Highlands & North Iceland

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Looking for a different Iceland itinerary or road trip ideas beyond the classic Ring Road route? This 10-day road trip covers North Iceland, the Westfjords, and the Highlands with maps, driving tips, and detailed daily recommendations based on our experience.

This Northwest Iceland itinerary focuses on some of the most scenic and least-visited regions in the country, combined with a few of Iceland’s best-known landmarks. Along the way, you’ll see dramatic coastal roads, waterfalls, geothermal areas, puffin cliffs, lava fields, hot springs, and mountain landscapes, with several unforgettable drives in between.

It’s a great itinerary for travelers who want to see a different side of Iceland, avoid the biggest crowds, and don’t mind spending quite a bit of time on the road.

We did this Iceland road trip exactly as described below. We traveled in summer and rented a 4WD car for this route. You’ll find detailed daily plans, driving distances, accommodation suggestions, and practical tips based on our experience. We also share car rental tips, alternative route ideas, and a map to help you adjust this itinerary to your interests and the time you have available.

TIP: Even if you don’t follow this itinerary exactly, you can still use parts of this route to make your Iceland trip more varied than traditional Ring Road itineraries. For example, if you also want to see the highlights of South Iceland, take a look at our 7-day Iceland itinerary as well — the two routes can be easily combined.

Overview of this 10-day Iceland Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival, visit Reykjavik (optional) and drive to Snaefellsnes Peninsula
Day 2: Snaefellsnes Peninsula
Day 3: Snaefellsnes Peninsula to the Westfjords
Day 4: Westfjords to Blönduós
Day 5: Blönduós to Myvatn
Day 6: Myvatn area
Day 7: Myvatn to Blönduós
Day 8: Blönduós via F35 to the Golden Circle area
Day 9: The Highlands (Haifoss, Landmannalaugar) or South Coast
Day 10: Reykjanes Peninsula, Blue Lagoon (optional), and departure
Map
Practical Info

Good to know: This Northwest Iceland itinerary might look busy on some days, but most stops are fairly short and it never felt rushed to us. We did this trip with three kids and there was enough variation to keep the whole family interested throughout the journey. We also included lots of hot tubs and local pools along the way, which made this Iceland road trip even more fun for the kids.

Use this itinerary as inspiration to see what’s possible in this time frame and how you can plan your time in North and Northwest Iceland. Based on our personal experience, I also included some extra recommendations for things that I would do differently to make this road trip even more special.

Here is what our Iceland Northwest Itinerary looked like:

Day 1: Reykjavik to Snaefellsnes Peninsula

We arrived at Keflavik International Airport in the evening and, after picking up our rental car, drove straight to our accommodation on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. This was a bit risky in case of flight delays or bad weather, but it worked out well for us.

If you are arriving late and want to keep things more relaxed, you may want to stay in Reykjavik for the first night. Adding an extra night there also gives you a bit more time to adjust after the flight before starting a longer road trip.

We have visited Iceland several times before, so we skipped Reykjavik on this trip. That said, Reykjavik is definitely worth seeing, especially on your first visit to Iceland. While you don’t need much time there, it’s a nice city to walk around and an easy place to start your trip.

If this is your first trip to Iceland and your flight arrives early enough, you could spend a few hours in Reykjavik before driving to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. The driving distance is manageable and you can still see some of Reykjavik’s main highlights on the same day.

You can find more information and tips for visiting Reykjavik in our articles below.

LEARN MORE:
Is Reykjavik Worth Visiting
Best Things to Do in Reykjavik
Reykjavik in One Day
Where to Stay in Reykjavik

Some people also like to go to the famous Blue Lagoon geothermal pool right after arriving in Iceland. If you are coming from the United States or Canada, this might help you to feel better after the red-eye flight. If you decide to do this, make sure to book your Blue Lagoon tickets in advance!

• Driving time/ distance from KEF airport: 2.5 – 3 hours/ 200 km (125 mi)
• Accommodation: We stayed in Grundarfjordur. Next time, I’d try to stay in Stykkishólmur, where the Westfjords ferry leaves. It would fit this itinerary even better and make it a bit more relaxing.

LEARN MORE: Where to Stay in Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Day 2: Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Snaefellsnes Peninsula is one of the most beautiful places in West Iceland. Just a 2-hour drive from Reykjavik, it’s increasingly popular with day-trippers as well as people who are doing a self-drive trip in Iceland.

Nevertheless, it’s not as crowded as South Iceland and it’s easy to find some amazing hidden gems that tour groups don’t visit. Also, if you start your tour around the peninsula anti-clockwise, you have most sights almost to yourself.

Some of the most popular places to see in Snaefellsnes Peninsula are the Kirkjufell mountain and Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall, Saxholar Crater, Djúpalónssandur, Arnarstapi Cliffs, Rauðfeldsgjá Gorge, Búðakirkja, and Bjarnarfoss. But there is so much more!

Some of our other favorites were the orange Öndverðarnes and Svörtuloft lighthouses and a beautiful coastline next to them, but also the golden Skarðsvík Beach. There were just a handful of people at the lighthouses and it felt like we were alone at the end of the world…

One day is enough to see the highlights and the main landmarks here, but you could also spend 2-3 days in Snaefellesnes Peninsula. However, with just 10 days in Iceland, I suggest planning to spend one full day for this area and make the most of it.

• Driving time/ distance for the circle around the entire peninsula: 2.5 hrs/ 160 km (100 mi)
• Accommodation: Same as previous night.

For a full description of everything that there’s to see and do in Snaefellsnes, please check our detailed guide below.

LEARN MORE: Best Things to Do in Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Our practical guide to Snaefellsnes Peninsula also contains useful tips for your trip and a suggested one-day itinerary for all the best places. Don’t miss it if visiting this part of Iceland!

Day 3: The Westfjords

The Westfjords Region is Iceland’s hidden gem. Even in the high season, you hardly meet any tourists here. It has nothing to do with the scenery – it’s as beautiful as anywhere in Iceland, if not more. But the Westfjords are not that easy to reach and the roads here are not great (although rapidly improving). Therefore, most tourists driving the Ring Road don’t make an effort to visit here.

However, if you’re already staying in Snaefellsnes Peninsula, you can easily reach the Westfjords by car ferry (it’s best to reserve in advance!). The ferry leaves from Stykkishólmur and goes to Brjánslækur in the Westfjords via the island of Flatey.

The trip takes about 2,5 hours and you can enjoy the beautiful scenery from the boat. We took the ferry at 9 AM and were in the Westfjords before noon. That gave us enough time to see the main landmarks in the southern part of this region.

We visited Dynjandi Waterfall, spent several hours walking on the Raudisandur Beach, and ended our day at the local Birkimelur swimming pool. It has a very natural-looking hot tub with a great view!

It’s also very easy to visit Latrabjarg bird cliffs on this same day. Latrabjarg is one of the best places to see puffins in Iceland, so if you are traveling in the right season (June to mid August), don’t miss it!

TIP: Don’t forget your swimwear and a towel. We recommend packing a quick-drying travel towel for every member of your group. If you want to, you can go swimming almost daily when following this itinerary.

• Driving time/ distance depends on your accommodation in the Westfjords and whether you go to Latrabjarg. 3.5 hours, 180 km (112 mi) for this route: Brjánslækur – Dynjandi – Raudisandur – Latrabjarg.
• Accommodation: We stayed at Móra Guesthouse in Birkimelur. If you are also planning on visiting Latrabjarg, Hotel Breidavik is likely a better option.

Also in the Westfjords, you could easily spend at least three days and not see everything. But even if you just visit for one day, it’s absolutely worth a trip. In our detailed guide below, you can find all the details with our suggested itinerary. Check it out!

LEARN MORE: One Day in the Westfjords

Day 4: Westfjords to Blönduós via Hvitserkur

This day involves a rather long drive. The distance and time depend on where your accommodation is, but if you stay in Blonduos and start in the Westfjords, you should count at least 4 hours of driving time (without the stops). The main road along the south coast of the Westfjords peninsula is partially gravel but in good condition. The scenery is beautiful here, so it doesn’t feel like an overly tiresome drive.

There are also many nice places to see along the way – take a look at some suggestions below. Most of these do not require much time, but if you want to see everything, you’ll have to plan well.

On the way, you can stop at the Eiriksstadir – Viking Longhouse, along Road 586. It’s a nice place to learn a bit about the Vikings and the early history of Iceland. They have guided tours, so you can learn a lot in a short time.

Another nice stop is the Icelandic Seal Center in Hvammstangi. It’s a small museum that also runs seal tours nearby.

As you continue further along the Ring Road, make sure to also stop at the Kolugljúfur Canyon with a beautiful waterfall. It’s just a short detour from the main road and well worth a few minutes of your time.

One of the main highlights of northwest Iceland and one place you definitely shouldn’t miss when driving in this part of Iceland is Hvitserkur. It’s an impressive sea stack in the shape of a rhino drinking from the sea. The coastline here is stunning as well. If you make just one stop on your way from the Westfjords to Blonduos, do it here.

Near Hvitserkur, you can also find an interesting medieval fortification, Borgarviki. It dates from the 9th-11th centuries and is really interesting to see. On a clear day, the views from the top of the hill here are amazing.

LEARN MORE: Hvitserkur & Things to Do Nearby

When you reach Blonduos and check in at your accommodation, head to the local pool. Blonduos swimming pool has several hot tubs, water slides for the kids, and a sauna. It’s generally open late in the evening and it’s a great place to relax after a long day. Entrance fees for local pools are generally very low (5-10 USD and kids often free of charge).

• Driving time/ distance: 4-5 hours/ 350-450 km (220 – 280 mi)
• Accommodation: We stayed at Blonduos twice during this trip. Once on this day and then a few days later again (day 7 of this itinerary). We spent one night at Brimslóð Atelier Guesthouse and one night at Hotel Blönduós.

Day 5: Blönduós to Myvatn via Trollaskagi Peninsula

The road from Blonduos to Myvatn follows the Ring Road and, if you drive straight there, it’s about a 3-hour drive, without the stops. However, if you do this, you’d be missing one of the most beautiful places in North Iceland – the Trollaskagi Peninsula.

You can drive to the Trollaskagi Peninsula by taking Road 74 and Road 744 North of Blonduos, or you can first take the Ring Road to Varmahlíð and then drive up from there. This way, the roads are better, and you can also visit a few other nice places along the way.

First, stop at Víðimýrarkirkja. It’s a small turf church right next to the Ring Road and doesn’t require more than 5-10 minutes in order to visit it. After that, continue North along Road 75 and visit Glaumbær Farm and Museum. Here, you can easily spend an hour. The museum is located inside an old turf farm and is absolutely worth visiting.

After that, continue north to Skagafjordur. There, turn left and follow Road 76 along the Trollaskagi Peninsula in the direction of Siglufjordur. This is one of the most scenic roads in Iceland! Even if you don’t have much time to stop for places along the way, it’s well worth driving this road for the amazing scenery.

Just before you reach Hofos, you’ll see a small sign to Grafarkirkja on your right side. This turf church dates from the late 17th century and is said to be the oldest Christian church in Iceland. The surroundings are absolutely beautiful and you’re very likely to be completely alone here. Magical place!

The next stop is Hofsos swimming pool. It’s a public pool with the most beautiful views and is well worth a stop. We spent about an hour here and the whole family loved it.

LEARN MORE: Trollaskagi Peninsula: Road 76, Grafarkirkja, Hofsos

When you’ve seen all these amazing places, you think it can’t get any better than that. But it does! As you continue further north, the scenery just gets better and more impressive.

At the very tip of the peninsula, you’ll find the picturesque fishermen’s town Siglufjörður. It’s such a beautiful little town that you’ll probably regret if you didn’t book a night here (we sure felt that way). So if you have a chance to add one night to your itinerary, you may want to do it here. In that case, check out the beautiful Siglo Hotel at the harbor.

There is so much to do in Siglufjordur and the town has such a cozy atmosphere. If you are short on time, as a minimum, visit the Herring Era Museum. It’s a great place to learn more about this beautiful part of Iceland and its history. Our kids loved this interactive museum as well and they even sampled herring, which is something they would have never done at home.

LEARN MORE: Best Things to Do in Siglufjordur

Afterwards, continue further in the direction of Akureyri and Lake Myvatn. We didn’t visit Akureyri on this trip. If you like towns and have more time, you may want to include it in your North Iceland itinerary.

We opted for more nature and headed straight to the Myvatn area instead. If you stay in Akureyri, you may want to check out their local swimming pool in the evening.

On the way, we made a quick stop at Godafoss Waterfall. But you can also leave it for day 7 of this itinerary. Or you can visit it twice, as we did.

• Driving time/ distance: 4-5 hours/ 300-320 km (185 – 200 mi)
• Accommodation: We stayed at Aurora Farm Hotel for 2 nights. If there’s still availability, you can also stay in Myvatn or in Husavik – all of these places will suit this itinerary well. I recommend staying in Husavik, if possible (we were traveling as a family of five in the peak season so accommodation options were very limited).

Day 6: Myvatn Area

Myvatn – Husavik area is again one of the places where you could easily spend a few days. But you can see the main highlights in one day as well. Below, you can find our suggestions based on what we did in Myvatn in a day.

Start your day at Lake Lyvatn, where you can visit the pseudo craters at Skútustaðagígar. We then made a short Kirkjuhringur hike at Dimmuborgir, followed by a short stop at Grjotagja cave.

Visit the Hverir geothermal area, followed by a visit to the Krafla Volcano area. Then drive to the western side of Dettifoss where you can walk to Europe’s most powerful waterfall. At the same place, you can also visit Selfoss Falls.

Continue up north and visit the Asbyrgi Canyon. If you have at least an hour to spare, make sure to also stop at Hljóðaklettar.

You can then decide to drive back to Myvatn and end your day at the Myvatn Nature Baths or continue to Husavik, visit the Whale Museum, and end your day at the Geosea geothermal pool.

TIP: If I were to do this exact trip again, I’d stay in Husavik. It’s the best place to see whales in Iceland, and if you stay here, you can easily take a whale watching tour next morning.

LEARN MORE: Things to do in Myvatn

• Driving time/ distance: 4 hours/ 265 km (165 mi) – depends on your accommodation.
• Accommodation: Same as last night.

Day 7: Myvatn to Blönduós via Akureyri

Because we wanted to visit several places in the highlands of Iceland, we had to drive back to the Blonduos area, from where we could take Road F35 which connects North Iceland to the south. So we drove back from Myvatn to Blonduos via Akureyri, visiting a couple of nice places along the way that we skipped on day 5 of this itinerary.

The drive isn’t that long and, as already mentioned, you can easily start this day with a whale watching tour in Husavik. After that, continue along the Ring Road in the direction of Akureyri. If you haven’t seen it yet or if the weather is really nice, stop at the Godafoss Waterfall.

As you reach the toll tunnel just before Akureyri, turn right on Road 84 and take the mountain pass instead. It’s a scenic road and only adds 10km to your drive (and saves you toll). If you want to, you can stop at the Safnasafnið – it’s a small folk/art museum. You can’t miss it – there is a giant statue standing right next to the road.

The museum was closed when we passed, so we visited the Svalbarðseyri Lighthouse just nearby. We saw it from the road and just couldn’t resist taking a detour. After that, you can drive to Akureyri and visit the town or enjoy the geothermal pools of the Forest Lagoon.

If interested, you can also visit the Christmas House, a little shop 10km south of Akureyri. It’s always Christmas here, even in the summer.

We also stopped for a quick visit at the Botanical Garden in Akureyri. It’s free to visit and worth a quick detour.

We then continued in the direction of Blonduos with one more stop for today – Reykjafoss. This is a little-known waterfall a bit off the beaten path and there is also a natural hot tub where you can take a dip if you want to.

It’s located a bit off the main road, but it was quite well indicated when we visited. After you leave your car at the parking, it’s a 10-15 minute walk to reach the falls. The hot tub is located on the other side of the wooden bridge and over the hill to the right.

Alternatively, head to Blonduos and take a warm dip at the local pool in town.

• Driving time/ distance: 3.5 hrs/ 270km (170 mi)
• Accommodation: Stay in Blonduos, same as on day 4. We stayed at Hotel Blönduós on day 4 of this trip and at Brimslóð Atelier Guesthouse on day 7.

Day 8: F35 to the Golden Circle via Kerlingarfjöll

After spending time in the west and the north of Iceland, it’s time to head back down to the south. You can take the Ring Road or you can opt for the gravel road F35, as we did. Just make sure that you have the right car that is allowed to drive on the F-roads!

Driving the F35 is easy. It’s a rather good gravel road and there are no major river crossings. At one point, there is a small stream you have to drive over, but it’s usually not more than 20-30cm (one foot) deep.

The road F35 goes through a very barren landscape and in all honesty, it’s not a scenic route at all. The reason we took it is because I wanted to take my family to Kerlingarfjöll which I had visited on the Icelandic highlands private tour a few years ago. This area is so beautiful and so special that it quickly became one of my favorite places in Iceland.

There are a couple of stops along road F35. Don’t miss the Afangafell viewpoint. One of the main places you should try to visit when driving this road is the Hveravellir geothermal area.

There are wooden boardwalks from which you can explore this area with boiling mud pools and steaming geothermal features. It’s not an absolute must, but it’s just a small detour and a good place to stretch your legs after a long drive. There is also a small café here, bathroom facilities, and they even have a natural hot tub that you can use for a small fee.

After that, continue further out on F35 until you reach the intersection with the road F347 to Kerlingarfjöll. The first part of the road is usually quite manageable and you’ll reach Highland Base Kerlingarfjöll before you know it. If there’s availability, consider staying here for a night (book well ahead!). You can hike to the Hveradalir geothermal area directly from the hotel or continue further by car.

Good to know: The last stretch of F347 between Highland Base and Hveradalir can still be quite rough and bumpy, depending on recent weather conditions and road maintenance. A 4WD vehicle is required and a higher-clearance vehicle is definitely more comfortable. We drove this section in a Kia Sorento 4WD and found some parts fairly challenging at the time of our visit.

The distance is not very long, but the drive can feel slow because of the road conditions. Still, it’s absolutely worth the effort. Once you reach Hveradalir, there’s a parking area and several walking trails through the colorful geothermal valley. There are boardwalks, staircases, and multiple hiking options ranging from short walks to longer hikes.

If the weather is nice, you can easily spend several hours here exploring the area. On our first visit, we hiked around for quite a while. On this trip, however, the weather was terrible, with freezing temperatures and strong wind, so we only did a shorter walk before heading back.

READ ALSO: Kerlingarfjoll (Iceland Highlands Road Trip)

If you are not staying at Kerlingarfjoll, you have to drive to the Golden Circle area, where you’ll find plenty of hotels, private accommodations, and restaurants.

If you still have energy after a long day in the car, make sure to visit two of the main attractions of the Golden Circle – Gullfoss waterfall and the Geysir area with Strokkur Geyser which erupts every 5-7 minutes. This is, however, the busiest place in Iceland, and so it will be quite a shock after spending the day in the highlands.

• Driving time/ distance: 4hrs / 200 km (125 mi) via F35. If you do not want to visit the highlands, take the Ring Road to the Golden Circle. The driving distance is about 320 km (200 mi), but the driving time is about the same – 4-4.5 hours.
• Accommodation: We stayed at Blue View Cabins. If there’s availability, Hotel Gullfoss, between Strokkur Geyser and Gullfoss Waterfall, is a great base for exploring this popular area without the biggest crowds of day trippers.

Day 9: Landmannalaugar, Haifoss Area or Golden Circle

On this day, you can choose what to do based on your interests and also depending on the weather. You can explore the Golden Circle, visit some of the lesser-known places nearby, or drive to the Landmannalaugar area in the highlands.

We had planned to visit Landmannalaugar, but the weather was again really bad on this day. Horizontal wind, rain, and mist are not the best conditions to take a gravel road into the highlands of Iceland. Since the weather was so bad and I had been to this beautiful area before, we decided to stay at a somewhat lower altitude and closer to the paved road.

Good to know: If you decide to drive to Landmannalaugar (and have a 4WD), make sure to take Road F26 followed by F208. It’s a gravel road with no river crossings. The alternative road via Friðland að Fjallabaki is a thousand times more beautiful, but there is at least one major river crossing there that usually requires a super jeep and is therefore forbidden to regular 4WD and 4×4 vehicles. You also have to take the same road back! F208 south of Landmannalaugar is not the road you want to attempt in a small 4WD either.

If you go this way, you can also stop at the Sigoldufoss Waterfall and Sigöldugljúfur Canyon, just a bit off the road F208.

LEARN MORE: Landmannalaugar & Sigöldugljúfur

Alternatively, you can visit Thingvellir National Park, Kerid Crater, and many other attractions of the popular Golden Circle. And you can also opt for some less-known places nearby where there are practically no tourists at all.

We visited and highly recommend the following places: Hjalparfoss waterfall and Þjóðveldisbærinn Stöng, a replica of a Viking-era farm. Both are Game of Thrones filming locations and really nice to see. We were completely alone at the Viking house and it was a perfect place to be when it rains.

Another really beautiful place to visit here is the Haifoss waterfall. It’s also in the highlands, but the road to get there is good and it’s not that far. The scenery is incredible – it’s one of my absolute favorite waterfalls in Iceland.

If you have a good 4×4, you could also attempt to drive to the nearby Gjáin area. It’s a real hidden gem with lush green scenery and waterfalls, but not very easy to get to.

LEARN MORE: Haifoss Waterfall

You can end your day at one of the natural hot tubs in the area or at one of the geothermal pools nearby. I recommend either Secret Lagoon or Laugarvatn Fontana.

• Driving time/ distance: Depends on what you do. If you drive to Landmannalaugar and back, count at least 2 hours 125 km (80 mi) one way. It doesn’t look far, but you have to take some gravel roads in the highlands, so it takes longer than you’d expect.
• Accommodation: Same as the day before.

Day 10: Reykjanes Peninsula & the Blue Lagoon

On the last day of this 10-day trip in Iceland, you could potentially visit some attractions of the South Coast (or continue following our South Coast itinerary), go to Reykjavik, or visit Reykjanes Peninsula, as we did.

We started our day with a visit to the small church Strandarkirkja, followed by the Seltún Geothermal Area. We then drove to the Krysuvikurberg Cliffs and also visited Selatangar.

We also took an ATV tour at Reykjanes Geopark. At the moment of the last update, this tour is not running, but if you’re interested, you can find ATV tours in various other locations in Iceland.

After that, we drove to the far west end of the Peninsula and visited Gunnuhver, Reykjanesviti Lighthouse, and Valahnúkamöl Cliffs. On the way to the airport, we also stopped at the Bridge Between Two Continents.

LEARN MORE: Reykjanes Peninsula

Depending on your interests and flight times, you could also visit the Blue Lagoon, located close to Keflavik Airport. If you plan to go, be sure to book your tickets well in advance since it often sells out.

• Driving time/ distance: 2.5 hrs/ 170 km (105 mi)
• Accommodation: Your best option depends on your flight schedule. Since we had an early flight the next morning, we returned our rental car the evening before and stayed at Konvin Hotel, which offers an airport shuttle. Another nice option is Hotel Berg in Keflavik town. It has a pool, a hot tub, and airport shuttle service as well. If you want to stay right at the airport, Aurora Hotel is the only hotel within walking distance of the terminal.

Map of Our Northwest Iceland Itinerary

To give you a better idea of where everything is located, I created this map showing all the places mentioned in this 10-day Iceland itinerary.

How to use this map: Use your computer mouse (or fingers) to zoom in or out. Click on the icons to get more information about each place. Click the arrow on the top left corner for the index. Click the star next to the map’s title to add it to your Google Maps account. To view the saved map on your smartphone or PC, open Google Maps, click the menu and go to ‘Your Places’/’Maps’. If you want to print the map or see it in a bigger window, click on ‘View larger map’ in the top right corner.

Practical Information

Here are some practical tips and useful information to help you plan this 10-day Iceland road trip, including driving advice, car rental tips, and route recommendations.

How to Add South Iceland to This Itinerary

This itinerary starts and ends near Reykjavik, so it’s easy to extend your trip and add a few days on Iceland’s South Coast. It combines particularly well with our 4-day South Iceland itinerary. If you do both routes in one trip, you’ll see many of Iceland’s most famous landmarks together with some of its more remote regions.

You can add the South Coast either at the beginning or at the end of this trip. For example, if you continue after days 8-9 of this itinerary, simply keep driving toward Vik after visiting the Golden Circle and the Highlands.

Who Is This Trip For

This self-drive Iceland road trip is ideal for travelers who love nature and want to see a different side of Iceland beyond the most popular tourist routes. It also includes some rougher gravel roads, especially on days 8 and 9, but nothing overly extreme. Overall, this is a fairly easy soft-adventure itinerary.

We did this trip with kids and found it very manageable. There’s enough variation to keep the journey interesting, without making every day too demanding. Most places can be visited with short walks and basic hiking, so anyone in a reasonable physical condition should be able to do this trip.

This itinerary also has a nice mix of scenery, from coastal landscapes and waterfalls to geothermal areas and mountain roads. Plus, we included lots of local pools and hot tubs along the way, which made the trip even more enjoyable.

TIP: If this is your first trip to Iceland and you mainly want to see all the classic highlights in 10 days, then a traditional Ring Road itinerary may be a better choice. In that case, take a look at our Iceland Ring Road itinerary covering all the main landmarks.

When to Go

If you want to follow this road trip exactly as described, you’ll need to visit in summer, usually between June and September, when the Highland roads are open. We did this trip in the second half of August.

September can be an especially nice time for this itinerary because you also have a good chance of seeing the Northern Lights. Since this route includes many remote places with very little light pollution, the chances of spotting auroras can be quite good if the conditions are right.

LEARN MORE: Tips for the Northern Lights in Iceland

Rental Car

Because this itinerary includes several F-roads in the Highlands, we rented a 4WD vehicle that was allowed to drive on those roads.

If you are not planning to visit the Highlands or drive the F-roads, you could also do most of this trip with a regular car. However, there are quite a few gravel roads in North and Northwest Iceland, so a 4WD vehicle will make the trip much more comfortable.

TIP: Book your rental car as early as possible, especially if you are traveling in summer. Prices tend to increase quickly and the best vehicles sell out first. We usually compare rental cars on Booking’s car hire website because it allows you to check offers from several major providers in one place. We’ve been using it for rental cars all over the world for years, also because they offer very affordable insurance options.

PRO TIP: Always check current road conditions and weather forecasts before driving in Iceland, especially if you plan to visit the Highlands. Road conditions can change quickly, even in summer. We always use the official road website and the Icelandic weather forecast website when traveling in Iceland.

READ ALSO: Iceland Travel Tips

This Northwest road trip was one of the most varied self-drive trips we’ve done in Iceland. From remote fjords and mountain roads to geothermal areas and local hot pools, this itinerary gave us a completely different perspective on Iceland. At the same time, we also (re)visited some of the most popular areas along the Golden Circle and in the North of Iceland, which are famous for a reason.

If you decide to do this trip, I hope this guide helps you plan an unforgettable Iceland adventure.

More Iceland Travel Guides

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• Iceland Ring Road Itinerary
• 7-Day Iceland Itinerary
• 4-Day Iceland Itinerary

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• Best Time to Visit Iceland – Summer vs. Winter
• How Expensive is Iceland (& How to Save Money)
• What to Pack for Iceland in Summer
• How to Get to Reykjavik from Keflavik Airport

More Iceland Inspiration:
• Best Things to Do in Iceland
• Best Tours and Day Trips in Iceland

For more destination guides and travel inspiration, check our Iceland travel guide hub.

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