7 days in Iceland: Amazing Itinerary, Map & Tips for a Self-Drive Trip
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Thinking of spending a week in Iceland and wondering how to plan your time and what’s the best 7 days Iceland itinerary? We have been to Iceland eight times, in different seasons, and I can tell you that there is no one ‘best’ itinerary that covers all the nicest places in Iceland in 7 days. For that, a week is simply not enough.
That being said, with seven days in Iceland, you can see some of the most stunning scenery and have some of the most unforgettable experiences that will make you fall in love with this unique country. In this article, we’ll show you one of the best ways to do that.
Updated for 2025: This guide has been refreshed with the newest information, accommodation, and tour suggestions. Our Iceland travel guides have helped hundreds of thousands of readers plan unforgettable trips, and we hope that this itinerary inspires your Iceland adventure as well!
FEATURED READER COMMENT: I just got back from following this 7 day guide in Iceland. Had an amazing time! This was absolutely perfect – felt like I saw everything. So much so that I was sharing this link with new friends I met while on the trip who were asking how I had planned so carefully. Thank you so much for sharing your journey!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ CHRIS SCHAAL
In this guide, we share a detailed 7-day Iceland itinerary that brings you to some of the best places in Iceland in one week. In addition to the musts, it includes some lesser-visited places that will make your trip more special.
We also include information on the best places to stay each night, as well as lots of practical tips. At the bottom of this article, you will find a map to help you plan your trip – it indicates all the places mentioned in this guide.
PRO TIP: Reserve your accommodations in advance, especially in rural areas! For example, there are just a few hotels close to Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, so book those asap. For a truly unique experience, check out this floating tent on a glacial lagoon (summer months only!).
READ ALSO: Where to Stay in Reykjavik
Helpful Info to Know Before Planning Your Trip
- Car Rental: You’ll need a car for this trip! We recommend renting one at Keflavik Airport for the entire duration. Booking.com is great for comparing deals and offers affordable insurance coverage compared to local companies. We personally use it for all our trips.
- Vehicle Type: You don’t need a 4×4, but I always recommend an SUV or 4WD for Iceland, especially for added comfort.
- Best Time to Visit: This self-drive tour is best between May and September. Visiting Iceland in summer or in winter is like traveling to two different countries. If you’re visiting between October and April, check out our detailed Iceland winter itinerary for one week; it takes into account shorter days, unpredictable weather, and winter-specific activities.
- Itinerary Overview: This 7-day Iceland itinerary starts and ends in Keflavik Airport (near Reykjavik) and focuses on the southwest of the country. To fully enjoy the Ring Road, we suggest at least 9-10 days (see our Iceland Ring Road itinerary for details). With just 7 days, I recommend driving less and exploring more without trying to see ‘everything’. , we recommend driving less and exploring more—your days will be packed but manageable.
- Extra Activities: We recommend considering some activities like geothermal springs, a glacier hike, or a whale-watching tour to make your trip even more memorable.
Iceland 7 Days Itinerary:
- DAY 1: Arrival & Blue Lagoon
- DAY 2: Snaefellsnes Peninsula
- DAY 3: Golden Circle
- DAY 4: Heimaey Island or Icelandic Highlands
- DAY 5: South Coast to Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
- DAY 6: Icebergs & Glaciers
- DAY 7: Reykjavik + whales/puffins or Reykjanes Peninsula
- MAP
- Alternative itinerary – Ring Road in 7 days
Good to know: There are many ways to plan a 7-day trip in Iceland and driving times and distances will highly depend on what you choose to do and where you stay each day.
In this itinerary, we include some of the best places that we think are worth your time the most, without having to cover huge distances each day. We also share recommendations on where to stay, explaining the benefits and disadvantages of each choice.
Without further ado, this is our suggested 7-day Iceland itinerary:
DAY 1: Arrival, Blue Lagoon & drive to Snaefellsnes Peninsula
Driving distance/time depends a bit on where exactly you choose to stay. It’s about 220 km/ 3 hours drive from Keflavik airport to Snaefellsnes Peninsula or 115 km/ 1h15 to Borgarnes (more info below).
Blue Lagoon is a famous geothermal pool near Reykjavik and one of the most popular tourist attractions in Iceland. Since it’s located close to Keflavik Airport (20 min drive), many people choose to visit the Blue Lagoon right upon arrival and before continuing their trip or heading to Reykjavik city which is about 45 minutes drive.
Indeed, it’s a nice way to relax after a flight, especially if you arrive in Iceland early in the morning on a red-eye flight from the USA. Going to a hotel in Reykjavik isn’t a good option anyway as most hotels don’t allow early check-in, so Blue Lagoon can be a good place to visit on your first day in Iceland.
Good to know: Blue Lagoon is extremely popular and you really have to book your tickets in advance. Count 2-3 hours for a visit, but you can easily spend more time, especially if you decide to have lunch at their restaurant as well.
Update/ TIP: Due to recent volcanic activity on Reykjanes Peninsula, Blue Lagoon is sometimes forced to close without much prior notice. Sky Lagoon in Reykjavik is a wonderful alternative and most of our readers actually prefer the latter. Just be sure to book it well in advance because it usually sells out for weeks, especially in the high season!
After visiting the Blue Lagoon or the Sky Lagoon, you could head to Reykjavik and explore the city a bit. However, I only recommend this if your flight arrives late and you want to stay in the city on the first night. If your flight arrives early in the morning or during the day and you want to make the most of this trip, just skip Reykjavik altogether and drive straight to Snaefellsnes Peninsula on the first day already.
It’s about 1h 45 – 2 hours drive from Reykjavik city and so easily doable on the first day. We once did this even though our flight only arrived at 7 PM (but I would only risk this in summer and wouldn’t stop for a swim, of course)…
Driving straight to Snaefellsnes Peninsula from Keflavik Airport will give you a head start for the next day allowing more time to explore this beautiful part of Iceland. And you can visit Reykjavik at the end of the trip. It’s better to end your trip in Reykjavik than to start it there anyway.
Where to Stay on Day 1
If you don’t mind switching hotels every night, you could stay anywhere on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula on this day. If you like to be in nature and immediately see some stunning scenery upon arrival, we recommend staying in either Hotel Budir or Hotel Arnarstapi.
Snaefellsnes Peninsula is a beautiful place to start your Icelandic trip! Both these hotels have very good restaurants, so no need to worry about buying food upon arrival (although you may want to ask them to reserve a table for dinner in advance). For more hotel recommendations, please see our guide on where to stay in Snaefellsnes Peninsula.
Alternative option: If you rather have the same accommodation for this and the next night or if you want to be in a bigger town, consider staying in Borgarnes for two nights. It’s located along the Ring Road, just before Snaefellsnes Peninsula.
Staying here would mean that you have less driving on day 1 and you can still easily explore Snaefellsnes from here on day 2. Accommodations in Borgarnes are also cheaper than in Snaefellsnes, there are supermarkets and restaurants, and also a nice public pool with hot tubs where you could relax after a day of sightseeing.
Good to know: In Iceland, most larger towns have geothermal swimming pools, which are quiet, affordable, and often include hot tubs and saunas. Entry usually costs less than 10-15 USD, with kids often free or paying a minimal fee. These pools are typically open late, but it’s best to check the hours online.
TIP: Be sure to pack a quick-drying towel and swimwear for your trip to Iceland! For more info and tips, check out our guides on what to pack for Iceland in summer and what to pack for Iceland in winter.
DAY 2: Snaefellsnes Peninsula
Driving time/distance depends on where you stay. If you start and end in Borgarnes, the whole tour of Snaefellsnes Peninsula and back will be about 300 km. If you start in Budir and end in Akranes (Hotel Laxarbakki), you’ll cover about 225 km. As for how long it takes, be sure to start early and plan the whole day to explore all the amazing places in Snaefellsnes.
Snaefellsnes Peninsula is a wonderful place that has so much to offer – amazing scenery, beautiful coastlines with several lighthouses, stunning waterfalls, picturesque churches, and endless lava fields. You couldn’t choose a better place to start your road trip in Iceland!
Most of the main sights are located at the far end of the Peninsula, are quite close to each other, and can be visited by driving the circular loop. It doesn’t matter that much in which direction you drive, but most day tourists arriving from Reykjavik start in Budir and continue clockwise. So if you go in the other direction, you could avoid the biggest crowds in some areas. Either way, if you want to see all the main sights in a day, be sure to start early. You’ll want to stay longer everywhere!
Must-see places are: Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellsfoss, Saxholar Crater, Djúpalónssandur, Londrangar View Point, Arnarstapi Cliffs, Rauðfeldsgjá Gorge, Búðakirkja, and Bjarnarfoss. But there’s so much more than that!
TIP: For more information on what to see and where to go, please see our guide to the best places to see in Snaefellsnes Peninsula. For practical tips and a suggested one-day itinerary, please see our guide below.
LEARN MORE: Complete Guide to Visiting Snaefellsnes Peninsula
Where to Stay on Day 2
If you stayed in Borgarnes on day 1 of this itinerary, you could stay at the same hotel on day 2 as well.
If, however, you stayed in Arnarstapi or any other place on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, you may want to continue your trip a bit more in the direction of the Golden Circle. That way, you don’t have to drive too far the next day.
One of the best-rated hotels in this area is Hotel Laxarbakki. It has apartments for all group sizes and also a restaurant where you can have dinner and breakfast. The location of this hotel would fit this itinerary quite well.
In fact, it could be good accommodation for day 1 as well – everything really depends on how much you want to drive on which day and how many different hotels you want to stay in. This hotel is about a 1-hour drive from Snaefellsnes Peninsula and about 45 minutes drive from your first stop on day 3 of this itinerary.
DAY 3: Golden Circle
Driving time/distance is about 250 km, 3h of driving time not including any stops. Count an entire day for this area.
Golden Circle is the most popular destination in Iceland, after the Blue Lagoon. This is one of those places that every tourist visiting Iceland will include in their itinerary. The reason is quite simple – there are lots of really nice natural landmarks here and it’s close to Reykjavik. Some people find it too touristy and too crowded, but if this is your first time in Iceland, you’ll definitely want to see this area as well.
The three main places that you have to see along the Golden Circle are Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss Waterfall, and Geysir geothermal area with the active Strokkur Geyser that erupts at regular intervals every 5-7 minutes.
Other nice places include Öxarárfoss waterfall and Kerid Crater. If you are looking for a special place to eat, Fridheimar Tomato Farm and Restaurant is a very popular choice. If you are looking for a unique activity, you may want to consider Silfra Snorkeling in Thingvellir National Park.
There are also a few geothermal baths in this area – Secret Lagoon and Laugarvatn Fontana. This could be a nice way to end your day, but you can also just opt for a hotel with a hot tub or go to the public swimming pool in Hella town where I recommend staying on this day.
Your itinerary for this day could look like this: visit Thingvellir National Park (+ Silfra snorkeling if that’s your thing), don’t miss Öxarárfoss at Thingvellir, Geysir area, Gullfoss waterfall, late lunch at Fridheimar Tomato Farm, (maybe Secret Lagoon), Kerid Crater. Drive to Hella and visit a local pool in the evening instead of going to Secret Lagoon – see below.
If you are looking for even more details about visiting this area, please check out ‘day 1’ in our 4-day Iceland Itinerary.
Where to Stay on Day 3
There are many accommodations in the Golden Circle area, but one of the best locations for this itinerary is Hella Town along the south coast. It’s close to the Golden Circle and in the direction of the places that you’ll be visiting next.
There are several good accommodation options and other facilities in Hella, including a nice public swimming pool. This is also a great place to stay if you want to take a day trip to the Icelandic Highlands the next day – see below. So you could stay in Hella for two nights.
TIP: The nicest luxury hotel in this area is Hotel Ranga. On a mid-range budget, check out Stracta Hotel Hella (some rooms here have private hot tubs!), and on a lower budget – Loa’s Nest.
DAY 4: Heimaey Island or Icelandic Highlands
Driving time/distance depends on where you choose to visit. If you go to the highlands, go with a tour and they’ll do all the driving. In that case, your day trip will probably take about 10 hours in total. If you go to Heimaey Island, it’s about 45 km/ 30 minutes drive to the ferry from Hella, so 90km/ 1 hour of total driving time on this day.
On day 4 of your Iceland trip, I recommend that you get a bit off the beaten path and do something special by either taking a day trip to the Icelandic highlands or visiting Heimaey Island just off the south coast.
I have to be honest with you – most first-time visitors do not include any of these two places in their Iceland itinerary. But I think that visiting one of these places will make your entire trip so much more special. If you have 8 days in Iceland, consider visiting both of these!
Good to know: As already mentioned, this 7-day road trip is recommended in summer (+- from May to September), and that’s also a great season to visit both – the highlands and Heimaye Island.
However, the highlands are usually not accessible before mid-June, so if you are planning a trip in May or early June, visit Heimaey Island instead. It’s also an excellent time to see puffins there (they are usually around between May and August). If you are visiting later in the summer, you’ll have to choose just one of these places as they both require an entire day.
The Highlands or…
If you decide to go to the Icelandic Highlands, we recommend that you visit Landmannalaugar. It’s one of the most beautiful relatively easily accessible places in the highlands and it fits this itinerary very well. The scenery is absolutely breathtaking and it’s like no other place you’ll see during this week in Iceland. It’s well worth it!
The best way to do this is by joining this popular tour to Landmannalaugar that can pick you up from Hella. By starting here, you save about 2 hours drive each way (so 4 hours in total), so your day isn’t nearly as tiring as doing this tour from Reykjavik.
Good to know: You could also visit this part of the highlands on your own, but driving here requires a good 4×4 and insurance coverage that allows you to drive on the F roads. So because you don’t really need an expensive 4×4 for the rest of this itinerary, we recommend renting a cheaper car and visiting the highlands with a tour. Plus, these days, you have to make a reservation in order to book a parking spot at Landmannalaugar, so you may not even be able to visit without a tour (more info here).
TIP: If you have a higher budget (or if you are traveling with a bigger family/group of friends), you could opt for a private day tour instead.
Alternative option is to visit the Thorsmork area – it’s also in the highlands, but very different than Landmannalaugar. It’s located close to the Ring Road and can be visited in the colder season as well (so not only in the peak summer season). But since you have to cross a very unpredictable river, you definitely need to go by a super jeep. You can find lots of tour options. For example, this highly-rated tour starts very close to Seljalandsfoss Waterfall so it’s very easy to add it to this itinerary.
…or Heimaey Island
Heimaey Island is the only inhabited island of the Westman Islands archipelago, just off the south coast of Iceland. To get here, you’ll need to take a ferry from Landeyjahöfn, about a 30-40 minutes drive from Hella. The ferry ride also takes about 40 minutes and you need to get there about half an hour in advance as well.
Here you can find ferry schedules and prices. If you want to be sure that you can visit the island on the day and on the ferry that you want, it’s best to reserve in advance!
Once on the island, there are quite some interesting places to see – Eldheimar Museum and Sea Life Trust Beluga Whale Sanctuary are a must. You can also go hiking on Mount Eldfell, take a boat tour around the island, explore the village, or go looking for puffins.
Please note that you don’t need to bring your car to the island if you are just planning to stay close to town. So you can leave your car at the ferry terminal in Landeyjahöfn.
However, if you want to see puffins, the best location is about 5-6 km away from town. You can either walk (count more than an hour one way), rent a bike, bring your own car on the ferry (which is more expensive and spaces are limited), or go on a local tour. I recommend that you join this great 2-hour tour from Heimaey Harbor that not only brings you to the puffins but also gives you a great overview of what life is like on Heimaey Island.
In the late afternoon or in the evening, take the ferry back to the mainland.
TIP: Via the link below, you can find all the details and practical information on how to visit Heimaey Island and what to see and do there.
LEARN MORE: Complete Guide to Visiting Heimaey Island
Where to Stay on Day 4
You can simply stay in the same accommodation in Hella where you stayed last night. Driving distances aren’t big and staying at the same hotel will make your trip more relaxing.
Alternatively, if you want to minimize driving and don’t mind changing hotels each night, you could stay close to Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, for example, Brú Guesthouse. If you opt to visit Heimaey Island on this day, you can also stay in Vestmannaeyjar, on the island, but you would lose quite some time the next day.
TIP: If you visited Heimaey Island on this day, be sure to stop at Seljalandsfoss Waterfall on your way back to the hotel (see more info about it on day 5 below). It’s just on your way and it’s likely to be much less busy here in the evening than next morning.
DAY 5: South Coast to Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
Driving time/distance between Hella and Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon is about 300 km/ 3.5 hours driving time, not including sightseeing.
Iceland’s South Coast is another extremely popular region that is included in most Iceland itineraries and is also one of the most popular tours from Reykjavik.
The way this 7-day Iceland itinerary is designed, you will be driving the south coast twice – first to get to Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and then back in the direction of Reykjavik. So there are many possibilities on how you spend days 5 and 6 of this itinerary, depending on your interests, where you decide to stay, and the activities you choose. The itinerary suggested below is just an example, so use it just as an indication of what’s possible and adjust it if needed.
The main places you have to see along the South Coast are Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss waterfalls, the black sand beach in Vik – Reynisfjara, Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, Skaftafell National Park, and Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and the famous Diamond Beach next to it.
Also nice to see is the scenery at Stokksnes, Hofskirkja church, Skogar Museum, Dyrhólaey lighthouse, Eldhraun Lava Fields, and Fjallsarlon glacier lagoon. In addition, there are some nice activities like glacier hiking or ice caves that you can visit here as well. In this itinerary, we split all these areas and activities over two days.
READ ALSO: Best Things to Do on the South Coast of Iceland
So on day 5 of this itinerary, I suggest that you visit the south coast and drive all the way to Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. You could also visit Stokksnes on this day (the furthest point of this itinerary).
It might look like a lot to do in just a day, but most of these places are located right next to Ring Road and don’t require that much time to visit. And if you find that it’s too much for one day, you can also visit a few of these places on the way back in the direction of Reykjavik the next day.
Seljalandsfoss is one of the most famous waterfalls in Iceland, best known as a waterfall where you can walk behind the falling water. It’s a very popular place along the South Coast, so if you haven’t visited it on the previous day, get here as early as you can.
Just a 5-minutes walk to the left from this waterfall, you can find a real hidden gem – Gljúfrabúi waterfall. It’s indeed hidden inside the gorge, so many people miss it. Be sure to check it out!
After that, stop at Skogafoss Waterfall (also try to beat the crowds by getting there early). While it’s not a must, I highly recommend that you also pay a visit to Skogar Museum, just a 5-minute drive from the waterfall parking. It’s an open-air museum where you can see Icelandic turf houses – well worth a visit (opening times and more info here).
Continue along the south coast to Vik and visit the famous black-sand beach Reynisfjara. Also the nearby Dyrhólaey Lighthouse and Kirkjufjara Beach are worth a short visit.
Another nice stop along the Ring Road in the direction of Jokulsarlon is Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon. Also, if you are interested in visiting Stokksnes, you probably want to go there first before coming back to the Jokulsarlon area where I recommend staying for the night.
If you can time to be at Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon around sunset, that would be amazing. The Diamond Beach across the road from the glacier lagoon is usually wonderful when icebergs are lit by the evening sun.
During the day, you can also take boat tours on the glacier lagoon (the last ones run around 6-6.30 PM). So if you want to do that, be sure to book the last tour in advance and plan your day in such a way that you can get there on time. Alternatively, you can take the very first tour the next morning. Or simply walk around and enjoy the ever-changing scenery of the glacial lagoon from the shore.
Where to Stay on Day 5
I recommend spending a night close to Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. By staying nearby, you can visit this incredible place late in the evening or early in the morning when there are no day tourists around. It’s also amazing being able to see the glacier lagoon and the icebergs at sunset!
The nicest and best-located hotels in this area are Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon and Hali Country Hotel. For a truly special experience, check out the floating tent on Fjallsarlon Glacier Lagoon.
Alternative – if you prefer fewer hotels on this road trip – you could stay in the area around Kirkjubæjarklaustur, for example, Hotel Klaustur. You could stay here for two nights and visit the places mentioned for this and the next day in a somewhat different order.
Just take a look at the map, places you want to visit, and activities you want to do, and see what makes the most sense for you. Kirkjubæjarklaustur is located about halfway between Vik and Jokulsarlon and is a good base for this area.
Good to know: There are very few accommodations in this area and they tend to sell out fast. If you are traveling in the high season, booking long in advance is essential! To give you an idea, in some years, all the hotels in this area for the summer months are fully booked by February – March. So if you find something that suits your travel dates, reserve asap!
DAY 6: Skaftafell, Glaciers, Vik
Driving time/distance between Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and Vik is about 190 km/ 2.5 hours driving time, not including sightseeing.
Today, you can visit Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon (if not done yet) and then continue back along the South Coast in the direction of Vik. If there were any places that you skipped the previous day, you could stop there on your way back. In addition, you can go hiking, book a glacier hike, or go on an ice cave tour.
This is what your day could look like: visit Jokulsarlon, stop at Hofskirkja, do a short hike at Skaftafell – Vatnajökull National Park, book a glacier hike near Skaftafell OR an ice cave tour from Vik. If none of this interests you, check out Icelandic Lava Show in Vik instead.
In the morning, head to Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and explore Diamond Beach if you didn’t see it the night before. Even if you did, it’s a really special place that you’ll likely be glad to return to again, also because the scenery here changes all the time.
Good to know: If you want to do an ice cave tour, the Jokulsarlon area is the best place to do it. Be sure to reserve it in advance!
You can also take a boat tour on the lagoon (if not done the day before), just be sure to go on the very first tour in the morning so that you have plenty of time for other activities afterwards. The earliest tours usually start at around 9-9.30 AM and some of them only take half an hour, so you can easily do that if you want to.
TIP: You can also visit a smaller glacier lagoon nearby, Fjallsarlon. It’s just a few minutes drive from Jokulsarlon, but it’s less known and there are usually hardly any people there. Also, Hofskirkja turf church is a nice short stop along the Ring Road.
Next, I recommend that you choose to either visit Skaftafell, aka Vatnajökull National Park (there are many hikes in Skaftafell), go on a glacier hike, or visit an ice cave.
If you plan well – and depending on tour times and availability – you could book an ice cave tour near Jokulsarlon, visit Skaftafell, and then drive to Vik. Alternatively, do a glacier hike and afterwards decide if you also want to hike at Skaftafell NP before driving to Vik. Or start with Skaftafell, then drive to Vik, and do an ice cave tour starting from there. There are many ways to plan this day, depending on which glacier/ice cave tour you decide to do (if any).
Skaftafell – Vatnajökull National Park is about 60 km/ 45 minutes drive from Jokulsarlon, back in the direction of Reykjavik. There are many hiking trails here, of various lengths and difficulties (pop in at the visitor center and ask for suggestions).
If you are short on time, I recommend either an easy hike to Skaftafellsjökull for a nice view on the glacier (count 1-1.5 hours) or a moderate hike to Svartifoss (the Black Waterfall). This is the most popular hike, about 3 km (2 miles) total, and takes about 1.5-2 hrs.
There is also a popular glacier hiking tour that starts at Skaftafell. It takes about 3 hours and it runs daily, with multiple departure times throughout the day. If you decide to do this tour in the afternoon, you can easily do a short hike in Skaftafell before that.
If you rather go in the morning, then be sure to plan your Jokulsarlon visit very early (and skip the boat) so that you can get here in time. For more information and practical tips, please check our detailed guide via the link below.
LEARN MORE: Glacier Hiking in Iceland
Alternatively, instead of glacier hiking, you can also opt for an ice cave tour. You also get to walk on a glacier, but it’s a different experience than a glacier hike.
While the majority of natural ice caves in Iceland can only be visited in winter, there are a few that are accessible the whole year (just remember that it’s a natural phenomenon, so the situation can change at any time).
Good to know: You can only visit ice caves with guided tours! Some of the recently discovered ice caves near Jokulsarlon are now accessible in the summer as well – see here for more info. Alternatively, you can visit Katla Ice Cave near Vik.
Depending on the season, these tours have several departure times every day and they take just 3 hours.
If you do a tour near Jokulsarlon, book the earliest available time slot! It would be very easy to fit it in this itinerary.
If you do a tour near Vik, you should be able to catch the late afternoon tour even if you go hiking in Skaftafell first (Vik is about 1.5 hours drive from Skaftafell NP). If you aren’t interested in hiking, you could even drive to Vik for an earlier tour or simply do the drive in a more relaxed way, stopping at some other attractions that we mentioned on day 6 of this itinerary.
On the way to Vik, stop at Eldhraun Lava Field. It’s a nice photo stop and a good place to stretch your legs a bit. Just be respectful of nature and stay on walking paths.
TIP: If none of the glacier tours interest you and you have some time to spare on this day, you can visit the Icelandic Lava Show in Vik. It’s open until 8 PM and is great for the whole family. The Katla Ice Cave tour starts and ends here as well, so you could definitely combine the two.
Where to Stay on Day 6
In theory, you could just drive straight to Reykjavik in the evening (about 2.5 hours drive from Vik). However, if you do one of the glacier tours mentioned above, you’ll likely be quite tired. So we suggest that you stay in Vik for a night. You can easily drive to Reykjavik the next morning and still have plenty of time to explore the city.
There are many accommodations in Vik. Some of the nicest hotels are Hotel Kria and Hotel Katla.
TIP: If you are in Vik at around sunset, I suggest that you go (back) to Reynisfjara Beach which we also mentioned on day 5 of this itinerary. It’s spectacular at sunset – a great way to end your day!
DAY 7: Reykjavik or Reykjanes Peninsula
Driving distance/time from Vik to Reykjavik is about 190 km/ 2.5 hours. If you decide to drive to Reykjanes Peninsula instead, it’s pretty much the same distance. In that case, don’t drive to Reykjavik, but leave the Ring Road in Selfoss and take the road next to the coast (due to recent volcanic activity, be sure to check here if all roads are open on Reykjanes Peninsula!).
On the last day of your week in Iceland, you can drive to Reykjavik and visit the city or explore the Reykjanes Peninsula (where also Keflavik Airport is located for your flight back home). Below, you can find our recommendations for the two options. If you have a full 7 days in Iceland and your flight departs on the 8th day, you can visit both or spend more time in the city.
Reykjavik & Sky Lagoon or…
You can see the main highlights of Reykjavik in one afternoon. Take a walk along the waterfront and check out the Sun Voyager statue and Harpa Concert Hall building. Check out the FlyOver Iceland Experience in this area.
Then, head in the direction of Lake Tjörnin and check out the tiny building of the Icelandic Parliament. There are also several museums in this part of town.
Next, explore the Laugavegur and Skólavörðustígur Streets in the old town. Don’t miss Hallgrimskirkja Church and take an elevator to the top of the church tower for amazing views over the city and its surroundings.
PRO TIP: No matter what you choose to do during the day, reserve tickets for Sky Lagoon in the evening. It’s one of the nicest (if not the best) geothermal pools in Iceland and the ocean views are stunning. Their 7-step ritual is a must. This is a great place to end your trip in Iceland!
Additional suggestions:
- Perlan – Wonders of Iceland Museum. It’s located a bit outside the city center, so you could also drive there upon arrival, before going to the center, or before visiting the Sky Lagoon. Count at least 1.5-2 hours for a visit.
- Whale-watching tour from Reykjavik harbor. Most tours take 2-3 hours and there are multiple departures during the day. In the summer, you can even go on a midnight-sun whale-watching tour.
READ ALSO: Best Things to Do in Reykjavik & Itinerary for 1 Day in Reykjavik
or… Reykjanes Peninsula
Important ! If you want to visit Reykjanes Peninsula or the Blue Lagoon, be sure to check the most up-to-date information on recent volcanic activity! Most places are not impacted at all, but some roads around Grindavik are closed and the Blue Lagoon has been closed on several occasions recently.
Reykjanes Peninsula is another really nice area to see before you leave Iceland. It’s like the whole country in a nutshell. If your 7-day Iceland trip indeed ends on this day, then you could visit a few places here on your way to the airport. Alternatively, if you have a few hours to spare, you could also come here before your flight the next day.
There’s a lot to see and do on Reykjanes Peninsula, so you can always find something interesting depending on how much time you have. Some of the main highlights include Valahnúkamöl Cliffs, Reykjanes Lighthouse, Gunnuhver, Bridge Between Continents, Seltún Geothermal Area, Krýsuvíkurberg Cliffs, Strandarkirkja, and Garður Lighthouse. However, there have been many more eruptions in this area in recent years, so the landscape is changing all the time…
The famous Blue Lagoon is located on Reykjanes Peninsula as well. If you haven’t visited it on your first day in Iceland, you’ll probably want to do it on the last day. Be sure to book your timed tickets in advance and plan 2-3 hours for a visit.
For more information about all these places, please check our detailed guide to this area via the link below.
LEARN MORE: Complete Guide to Reykjanes Peninsula
Where to Stay on Day 7
If you decide to stay in Reykjavik, we recommend Eyja Guldsmeden Hotel – it’s one of the few hotels in the center with parking. For more recommendations, please check our guide to where to stay in Reykjavik.
If your flight leaves early the next day, you may want to stay close to the airport. Aurora Hotel is the best option since you can simply walk to the terminal. Alternatively, check out Konvin Hotel; it offers a free drop-off shuttle service.
7 Days in Iceland Itinerary on the Map
To make your trip planning easier, I also created this map, indicating all the places mentioned in our detailed 7-day Iceland itinerary above.
We gave each day a different color so that you have a better idea of where everything is and how it all fits in this itinerary. Only for the last day of the trip, we split Reykjavik attractions and Reykjanes Peninsula attractions by indicating them in another color.
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.
Alternative Itinerary: Ring Road of Iceland in 7 Days
Because so many of our readers ask for an itinerary for Iceland’s Ring Road in a week, below is an overview of a suggested itinerary.
Once again, you can drive the entire Ring Road in 7 days, but I really recommend that you opt for fewer places and explore more rather than spend the majority of your time in a car.
If you absolutely want to see ‘everything’ in Iceland in one week, then you could use this alternative 7-day Iceland Ring Road itinerary:
- Day 1: Arrival, Blue Lagoon/Sky Lagoon, Reykjavik.
- Day 2: South Coast to Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon.
- Day 3: Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and the Eastfjords.
- Day 4: Lake Myvatn area.
- Day 5: The North Coast of Iceland (don’t miss Hvitserkur).
- Day 6: Snaefellsnes Peninsula.
- Day 7: Back in Reykjavik and departure.
If you decide to do this, keep in mind that it will be very rushed and you’ll have to plan very well in order to be able to see just the main places everywhere. We recommend this 10-day Iceland Ring Road itinerary instead.
So, this is our suggested self-drive itinerary for one week in Iceland. It’s based on our various trips to Iceland and is not a standard copy-paste itinerary that you’ll find described anywhere else, but I have no doubt that you’ll absolutely love it! Furthermore, you can easily adjust it depending on your flight times and interests, and you can also flip it around if you prefer.
When you do this trip, please come back to our blog and leave a comment under this article telling us how it went – we love to hear feedback from our readers! In fact, if you scroll through the comments below, you will see that some of our readers already shared their experiences following this itinerary.
If you have any questions about this 7-day Iceland itinerary, feel free to leave a reply below and I’ll try to help. Alternatively, please join our Facebook group for Iceland & Scandinavia Travel – it’s a great place to meet other travelers, ask questions, and share experiences.
TIP: If you are looking for more information for your trip to Iceland, practical tips, clothing advice, etc. please check our complete travel guide to Iceland. It contains an overview of all our articles based on our many visits to the country.
READ ALSO: Iceland Travel Tips
More tips for your trip to Iceland:
- Must-sees:
- Practical info:
- More itinerary suggestions:
- Winter trip:
If you found this post helpful, don’t forget to bookmark it and share it with your friends. Are you on Pinterest? Pin these images!
Images: personal collection and Depositphotos.com
Junga,
My husband & I decided to plan a trip to Iceland with family members. Probably at least 8 members including an 11 year old. I found your website while looking for information on where to even start. So helpful for someone who has never been to Iceland to help with planning. Is this doable? Can I plan this for mid October of this year? Obviously would need at least two cars. Or are there 8 person vans for rent? Do any of the hotels that you recommend have family accommodations? Any advice is most welcome!
Hi Betty, the days are a lot shorter in October, and the weather is even less predictable, so I recommend that you take a look at our suggested Iceland winter itinerary instead.
For cars, we always use Booking.com. Just search your travel dates and see what you find. There are usually some vans for 8-9 people, but they can be a lot more expensive than two regular cars. Either way, be sure to take full insurance – it’s really a must in Iceland.
For accommodations, there are some apartments and houses available here and there, especially around the Golden Circle, but – in general – most hotels in Iceland don’t have big family rooms. Again, check Booking for your travel dates, and you’ll see what’s available. If you want to make the most of your visit, it’s better to make a road trip and not stay in one place for more than a few nights.
We have tons of articles about visiting Iceland on our blog – take a look at our Iceland page for an overview.
Good luck with the planning and have a great trip!
Hi Jurga,
Thank you so much for the information on ICELAND. It has been so helpful to us in planning our trip in June.
We would like to follow your itinerary for 7 days in Iceland and will go Heimaey Island on Day 4.
We have an additional day so could you help to suggest what should we add in.
Hi Michelle, if the roads in the highlands are open already (this will be weather/snow dependant), you could take a day tour to the highlands as described in the article. Otherwise, spend an extra day on the South Coast – there is so much to see and do. Take a look at our Iceland South Coast guide for some additional ideas. You could stay in Vik for an extra night. Just book things ahead – June is the high season.
PS Be sure to check our Iceland summer packing list and don’t forget sleep masks ;).
Hi Jurga. I am planning a 7 day trip to Iceland in mid June, and following your itinerary. I will be traveling solo. Any advice ?? I know Iceland is very safe, but didn’t know if you have any pointers. Thanks!
Hi Aimee, Iceland is indeed very safe, but be careful in nature. Don’t go too close to the edges, don’t attempt hiking on glaciers without a guide, and stay far away from the water on Reynisfjara Beach. For the rest, it’s always a good idea to let someone know what your exact plans are each day.
Have a great time!
Hi Jurga. I will be following your itinerary the first week of July. Thank you! I had a question…our flight will get in very early in the morning. If we go straight to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula on arrival day what would be the best itinerary for the remainder of the arrival day and then the day “1” the following day? I don’t want too much time with two full days using the day “1” itinerary? Also, are public restrooms pretty accessible in all places on your seven day itinerary?
Hi Kris, there is plenty to see and do in Snaefellsnes Peninsula to fill two days in that area – please see this guide for some ideas.
Alternatively, you can also visit the area around Reykholt/Husafell nearby. For example, Hraunfossar and Barnafoss Waterfalls and/or stop at Krauma Baths to relax after the flight.
As for bathrooms, it really depends on the place. At the most popular sights, yes, but if it’s just some random waterfall or so, then usually not. But you can also use bathrooms along the way (at petrol stations, cafes, etc.).
Enjoy your trip!
We are on day six of this itinerary and it has been perfect! Thank you for all the details. It got us off the beaten path a few times and those ended up being her favorite spots, eg Snaefellsnes peninsula and Heimaey Island. FYI one of the hotels you reference in Borgarnes is now new owner and renamed Hotel Vesterlund- nice, clean and convenient to both Golden Circle and Snaefellsnes. Other lodging – we stayed at Stracta in Hella, Vik apartments and Klettasel Villa (Airbnb near glacier lagoon -a gorgeous home)
Glad to hear this, Sarah. Enjoy the rest of your trip!
Hello, your 7 day itinerary is very helpful, thank you. I am confused as to where to stay during the 7 days. But I see you also have some suggestions. We were thinking of a last minute trip to Iceland around August 25th. Is that a good time to go? Would a 22, 21 and 15 year old enjoy it?
Hi Emily, yes, late summer/early fall is a great time to visit Iceland, just book your accommodations in advance. And yes, it’s a wonderful country for all ages, as long as you know what to expect (=natural attractions). You can make the trip more exciting for everyone in your group by booking some activities like glacier hiking, ice cave visits (now also available in the warm season), quad tours, etc. Good luck with the planning and have a wonderful trip!
@Jurga,
Thank you so much for responding!
Hi Jurga, If this 7 day trip is done the first week of September do you think there’s a chance to see the Northern Lights or does it need to be later in the month? Also, do you think the puffins are still around the first week in September? Thank you.
Hi Lori, yes, early September is already the Northern Lights season in Iceland, but the days are still rather long, so you would likely have better chances from about mid-September. That said, you really can’t predict this in advance. There were some dazzling aurora displays around 3-4 September in some years, but it’s never guaranteed. You just have to go outside and wait. Install some aurora apps, keep an eye on the forecast, and you might get lucky. See our guide to Northern Lights in Iceland for more info.
As for puffins, in most places, they are gone by mid-August, but a few years ago someone said they saw puffins on Heimaey Island at the beginning of September. Again, you never know, but I wouldn’t count on it at that time of the year.
@Jurga, Thank you so very much!!
Thank you for this itinerary! It is VERY helpful! We will be travelling in September for 9 full days with a 5 and 3 year old. I prefer to stay 2 nights minimum in each city so I am thankful you have given that as an option. Do you have any recommendations on what city we could add on the 2 extra nights, to slow our pace down a bit or reduce drive time, since we have young kids? Or is there another city we should stay 2 nights? If possible, any insight would be greatly appreciated:)
Hi Lauren, for starters, there is no cities in Iceland apart maybe from Reykjavik which I guess could qualify as a city ;). The rest are pretty much tiny villages and small towns. So if you expect more action and things to do, you might want to spend some extra time in Reykjavik. But if you prefer to be in nature, I would probably add an extra night in Vik and either on Snafellsnes Pensinsula or around the Golden Circle. It really depends on what exactly you want to see and do. So maybe look at that first and then decide based on that. Here are some guides to help you out a bit:
Best things to do in Reykjavik.
Best things to do on the South Coast.
Best things to do in Snaefellsnes Peninsula.
Thank you for such a thorough review of touring Iceland in 7 days! It is overwhelming for sure. Can you comment on how much the current volcano activity would impact your suggested itinerary? It is hard to tell if this itinerary allows much time for hiking. What hikes are must do’s for the best scenery? We are planning a trip in July and hoping we can find hotels/cottages at this point.
Hi Natalie, the recent volcano activity shouldn’t influence most travelers visiting Iceland. It’s concentrated in Reykjanes Peninsula around Grindavik, so if you follow this itinerary, you may want to skip Reykjanes Peninsula and visit Reykjavik instead (see day 7). The only major tourist attraction that you may not be able to visit is the Blue Lagoon which has been closed on quite a few occasions due to the volcanic activity recently. So to be safe, I would book Sky Lagoon instead (or book both and see how the situation is when you visit).
As for hiking, so much depends on your interests and when you visit. But yes, there are some possibilities for short hikes in various places in this itinerary, especially if you are visiting in summer and don’t mind staying up late (it stays light all the time in the early summer). However, if you want to do longer hikes (half a day or longer) then I recommend planning some extra time in Iceland.
In this itinerary, you could do a hike between Arnarstapi and Hellnar on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula (day 2), a short hike to Öxarárfoss Waterfall on the Golden Circle (day 3), there are quite some hiking possibilities on both – Heimaey Island and Landmannalaugar (day 4 – or add another day and visit both places), you can also hike a bit along the Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon (day 5) and there are a few nice 2-4 hour hikes to choose from at Skaftafell National Park, plus, you can do a glacier hike in this area (day 6).
Hope this helps. Good luck with the planning and yes, book accommodations asap.
Have a great trip!
This post has been my North Star in my planning. Thank you for the wonderful information! Would you recommend langjokull ice cave over Katla? or maybe Katla over Langjokull? doing both is a bit outside our price range, but we do have time.
Hi Marina, the ice cave that most tours visit at Langjokull is a man-made ice tunnel inside a glacier (see the pictures of this tour) except for this tour which goes to a recently-discovered natural ice cave.
Katla Ice Cave is also a natural cave – see the pictures here.
At Langjokull, you know more or less what to expect whereas natural ice caves might look quite different depending on when you visit them. Having said that, my personal preference always goes to natural ones, but that’s also because we have visited dozens of man-made ice tunnels in our travels and they all look similar.
I’d say take a look at the pictures, see what appeals to you the most, and also check which tour you could best fit into your itinerary (check availability!) and decide based on that.
You can’t really go wrong with any of them – it will always be worth it.
PS If you want to see a more affordable man-made ice tunnel in Iceland, you can also visit the Perlan Museum in Reykjavik. The tunnel they have there is made of real ice. Plus, they have an amazing Arora show as well.
Hope this helps!
@Jurga, Thank you! We are following your advice on staying Borgarnes the first night, thinking of stopping at the Perlan after Blue Lagoon on our way to the airbnb. What would you say is the minimum amount of time to enjoy the Perlan?
Hi Marina, as a minimum, I recommend 2 hours for the Perlan Museum (the Arora show alone takes more than 20 minutes, plus you’ll want to visit the observation deck, the ice tunnel, and the main collection). We spent 3 hours, but we took our time to really explore all the exhibits more in detail.
Hello! Thank you so much for this! I’ve seen lots of information for one week in Iceland and yours seems to really hit all the marks! We have 7 nights, so I’m trying to decide how to space everything out…we were thinking we might do the food tour and Blue Lagoon when we land on Saturday in July. Then drive to Snaefellsnes. Would 2 nights there be too much? Then, 2 nights in Hella, and two nights in Vik? Then, drive back for our 5pm flight the following Saturday (maybe hitting the Sky Lagoon before our flight). Thanks!
Hi Katy, your plan sounds good if you want to minimize the number of hotels during the trip. Just a few things. First, because of the location of the Sky Lagoon (in the city) and the Blue Lagoon (close to the airport), I would switch those two around. So visit Sky Lagoon on the first day and the Blue Lagoon at the end of your trip. Also, be sure to book both of these well in advance because they always sell out. Second, book your accommodations and car rental asap. Especially hotels outside Reykjavik!
Hello,
Thank you for this helpful itinerary. I am trying to plan one of the date in the south coast (Vatjankul National Park). I am still debating if it is worth it to do the Katla ice cave tour and the Jokulsarlon Glacier lagon zodiac tour (which i believe this one is nice) or any other must seen tours/places?
So far thats my itinerary. Any advice will be highly appreciate it.
– katla ice cave tour? (3h)
-Fjaorargljufur canyon
-Skaftafell-Svartifoss
-jokulsarlon glacier lagon ( book a zodiac tour) any compagnie in particular?
-diamond beach
Thank you in advance.
Hi Ornella, you forgot to mention when you are traveling, where you are planning to stay, and where you are going the next day, so it’s a bit difficult to give tailored advice. But if you are traveling in the summer when the days are long and can get to Vik in time for the morning tour to Katla (this tour starts at 9.30 AM, at least for the days I checked), you should be able to do all this in a day. If you stay close to Jokulsarlon at the end of that day, you can also do the boat trip on the lagoon the next morning. It doesn’t matter which company you choose – the main difference is the type of boat you choose – an amphibian boat or a speedboat. In some seasons, there are also kayak tours, but those take longer and cost even more.
Hope this helps.
Just book any tours you want to do and especially accommodations asap.
@Jurga, yes so we are going in summer. My only concern is that we wont make it to the boat tour the last one i checked available was at 4:45pm.
how I calculate it with some buffer time in case of delays or anything
-9:30 am to 1:30pm Katla ice cave
around 2 hours buffer to arrive and have a stop for snack
-3:30-4:40pm: Fjaorargljufur Canyon
-6pm Skatafel and Svartifos
-7:30 or 8pm:Jokulsarlon glacier lagon
-8:30-9pm diamond beach
1) Do you know any zodiac boat tour that starts at later time like 8pm?
2)It might be a stupid question but if we do not do the zodiac boat tour can we still go see the jikylsarlon glacier lagon by ourselfs?
3)Knowing the following itinerary which one would you give up the Katla ice cave or the Jokulsarlon glacier lagon zodiac tour?
thank you!
Hi Ornella, I think your itinerary looks good. Just a few things: you’ll likely need less time at Fjaðrárgljúfur and it’s just 1 hour drive from Vik, but you’ll need more time at Skaftafell if you want to hike to Svartifoss. I would just skip the boat on the lagoon. You can easily see the same incredible landscapes and icebergs from the shore and the boat trip – while nice to do – isn’t a must. And no, I don’t think there are boat tours that late in the evening. Whereas Katla Ice Cave is something more special and a place you wouldn’t be able to visit on your own. Of course, you never know what it will look like in the summer, but still – it’s a unique experience and you’ll see some amazing landscapes.
Also by not having to worry about making it to the boat, you can have a much more relaxing day and enjoy the sights along the way as long as you like. And once you get to Jokulsarlon and Diamond Beach, you can walk around the area as much as you like at any time of the day. It can be very nice later in the evening because there will be very few people around compared to the daytime. Once again, if you absolutely want to do the boat trip, you can still do it first thing the next morning.
And – once again 😉 – book your accommodations asap. There are very few hotels in that area and for the summer months they always sell out months in advance. Last year, by March people couldn’t find anything for July anymore…
Have a great trip!
@Jurga, Thank you so much for your help really appreciate it.
I have one more questions regarding the Snaefellsness Peninsula we are going for one day and I made a rough draft:
-arrival at 1pm to Stykkisholmur
-3pm Kirkjufell and kirkjufellsfoss waterfall
-5pm Bjarnarfoss buoir
-6:30pm Arnarstapi
-8:30pm Saxholl crater
1)Is it a good one?
2)is there places that we must see that I did not put?I just want to make sure we are seeing the must sees in our time there
Thank you so much for all your help. I really appreciate it. Planning Iceland is so exciting but also overwhelming. It is the first trip that I planned that took me a long time to finish the planning haha. Your blog helped me significantly Thanks again!
Hi Ornella, please take a look at our guide to Snaefellsnes Peninsula featuring a suggested one-day itinerary. We also have an article with the best things to do in Snaefellsnes if you are looking for more ideas of places to see.
Hope this helps.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and tips !
trying to opt for the 7 day itinerary in september, do you still recommend the same places if a toddler aged 2 yrs is going to tag along or shall we omit from visiting a few places?
Hi Christiana, it’s hard for me to say what you can/can’t do – so much depends on your family, and how you guys like to travel, but also how you visit certain places. For example, you can visit the highlands with a young kid on your own (in a 4×4), but it’s probably not the best idea to book a hiking tour with a group. Yet another thing to consider is accessibility and whether you will be taking a stroller. Many places in nature will be hard to impossible to access with a stroller.
Also, you won’t be able to do some excursions like e.g. glacier hiking. Sky Lagoon in Reykjavik doesn’t allow little kids either. So you’ll have to do a bit more research based on your interests, but as far as nature sights go and general itinerary, yes, you can do it with a young child as well.
Hope this helps.
Trying to decide between Thorsmork and Landmannalaugar. Do both have an option to take a tour from Hella (or another town that is not Reykjavik)? And if yes, what are the approximate driving times to get to the highlands for Thorsmork and for Landmannalaugar? Don’t want too much time inside. And do you recommend one of these over the other? Thank you! Lin
Hi Lin, Thorsmork is rather close to Seljalandsfoss Waterfall (one of the main waterfalls that everyone visits on the South Coast). But since you have to cross a very unpredictable river, it’s best to go with a local (and a proper vehicle). For example, this tour starts very close to the waterfall, just off the Ring Road AND it runs even in this season. Whereas Landmannalaugar is quite a long drive and since it’s much deeper and higher in the highlands, you can only visit there in the warmest months.
The two are very different experiences and sceneries. Landmannalaugar has the colorful hills (but you will also need to hike quite a bit in order to see the most impressive scenery), whereas Thorsmork has vast, open landscapes, and the more typical ‘rough’ beauty of Iceland. Take a look at some of the pictures in the tour descriptions to get a better idea of what to expect.
Hope this helps.
@Jurga, Thanks so much for your helpful answer. Last question: leaving from closest tour pickup for each of these: how much round trip travel time to and from the area is there total for Thorsmork and for Landmannalaugaur?
Hi Lin, it’s really hard to say exactly because Thorsmork is not one specific place you are going to, but a rather large valley where you’ll likely make multiple stops.
That said, Thorsmork is much closer to the main roads, so the drive to get there from the place of the tour I linked to is maybe 30-40 minutes, plus some extra driving inside the valley (maybe another half hour – depending on the exact stops your tour takes). Whereas Landmannalaugar is about 2 hours drive from Hella, one way, just to get there.
Hope this helps.
@Lin Saberski, thank you so much! Tough choice!
Hi Jurga,
I just got back from following this 7 day guide in Iceland. Had an amazing time! This was absolutely perfect – felt like I saw everything. So much so that I was sharing this link with new friends I met while on the trip who were asking how I had planned so carefully. Thank you so much for sharing your journey!
Just following FullSuitCase on Instagram. Next up on my list – Japan/Sinagpore next spring ’24 and then hopefully a road trip through Scotland fall ’24. Do you have any blog links for either?
Warm regards,
Chris
Thank you for your kind feedback, Chris. Happy to hear that your trip went so well!
We have a few articles about Scotland, you can find them all listed on our UK page. Unfortunately, I cannot help you with Japan and Singapore.
Happy travels!
I would love to do this itinerary when I am in Iceland from 22-27 December. Do you think it will be achievable, or will most things be closed?
Hi Steve, this is a summer itinerary. Please take a look at our winter itinerary for a better idea of how you could plan your time in December. The main issue is not that things are closed (it’s nature, so most places are always open), but the fact that you have very little daylight. In addition, you never know how the weather and the roads will be. You may also want to read our guide to driving in Iceland in winter.
Hi, Jurga!
I wanted to thank you for your 7-day itinerary and your list of what to pack. Our trip was so well-planned, and the variety of activities each day kept us interested and excited to see what the next day would bring!
Thank you so very much for sharing your knowledge and experience!
Glad to hear that, Kathryn!
Happy travels!
Dear Jurga,
My boyfriend and I just returned from Iceland. Your 7-day itinerary was very helpful to us! We planned our trip as close as we could based on your suggestions, and there is still so much more to see. We are already thinking about what we would do if we come back again!
We started with Sky Lagoon/Borgarnes/Snaefellsnes (2 nights), then drove to Golden Circle and the Highlands (2 nights), one day in the south coast and Vík, and ended in Reykjavik (2 nights) to help us “ease back” into city life before returning to New York. What a unique, magnificent country full of beautiful nature and friendly locals! I’m not a hiker, but I challenged myself to climb up three volcanoes. I feel very accomplished!
So thank you for your recommendations and photos. Thank you thank you thank you.
Debbie
Good to hear that you had such a wonderful time in Iceland, Debbie, and glad to help.
Thank you also for taking the time to leave this kind feedback. It always brightens up my day!
Happy travels!
@Debbie,
Can you share where you stayed? Im trying to find affordable places. Hoping to go soon.
Thank you!
Dear Jurga,
Thanks so much for your time and efforts! We just made 7 days tour based on your plan, loved it so much! Thanks again and wish you more fascinating travelling 🙂
Best wishes from Baltics,
Anna
Thank you for your kind feedback, Anna. Glad to hear that you had such a great time in Iceland!
Happy travels!
Hi, your website is fabulous – so much information (and the maps are great). I am wondering if you can advise me about the various sights. Basically we would need to be able to see the sights from very close to parking areas (as I can’t do very many stairs nor much walking). From looking at various photos it appears this severely limits what we can see. I would not like to drive to somewhere and then find out I can’t actually get to see the view. Any information you could help me with would be great. Going (hopefully) next July.
Hi Sheryl, many of the main sights in Iceland really do not require much walking at all. Skogafoss or Seljalandsfoss waterfalls can be seen from the parking, Strokkur Geyser is 3-10 minutes walk depending on where you park. Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon can also be seen from the car parking, etc.
I’m afraid I cannot provide this info for every single place, so you’ll have to do some research. But you can really see a lot without much walking at all.
Hope this helps.
Hello and thank you for the Iceland tips.
Following your 7 day itinerary, where do you rec staying ie which towns and how long for each place to base out of ? Trying to look and book accommodations. Thank you kindly.
Hi Rita, all this information is already in the article. See our recommendations in the ‘where to stay’ sections on each day of the itinerary.
Not including flights, what is the approximate cost of the 7 days of food, lodging, car rental and activities for 2 people? Not holding you to the amount. Just trying to get a general idea.
Thanks, Jen
Hi Jennifer, unfortunately, there is really no way to give an accurate estimate. So much depends on the season when you travel AND how long in advance you book.
Car rental for a not too big car can be 600-1,000$ per week + insurance + fuel, a hotel – 200-400$ per night, plus excursions, food. Some activities like geothermal baths or glacier hiking can be around 80-100$ per person, while others like snowmobiling can be up to 300$.
In the low season, you might still be able to do a trip without too many extra activities and dining out for 1500-2000$ per person, but in the summer, it can easily be 2500-3000$ and more.
You may want to take a look at this guide that should give you a slightly better idea of what to expect.
One tip – I hear from so many people that they couldn’t find any accommodation options for the summer and September in the area around Skaftafell – Jokulsarlon. So you really have to plan ahead if visiting in the warmer months. This year, in March already there was hardly any lodging left for July – August in that area.
The best way to make an estimate is check car rental and accommodation prices for your travel dates. For both, check Booking – it’s really the best place to find all accommodations and nowadays also rental cars in one place. For activities/tickets, check GetYourGuide. Add it all up, and you have a rough idea of the cost.
Hope this helps.
Hi! We are headed to Iceland this October and following this and your winter itinerary closely. I am about to reserve our rental car and am curious if you think we need a vehicle that can go on the “F-roads” or do you think a regular vehicle will suffice?
Thank you! And also, thank you for such informative posts.
Hi Nic, you won’t be driving any F roads in Iceland in October since they will likely all be closed for the winter already, so no, that doesn’t matter. You may want to rent an SUV or a 4×4 however as it can be quite wintery already (you never know in advance what kind of weather you get and snow is not uncommon in October, especially in the second half of the month).
Have a great trip!
As far as the rental car.. do you have any companies specifically you recommend or to stay away from? Also, does the final price on that site include all those extra costs you mentioned above that you have to pay with local companies?
Hi Whitney, no, I don’t have any company names to stay away from. And if you read reviews online, you might end up not booking a car at all… 🙂 Remember that most people write reviews only when things don’t go as planned…
We personally always use a car hire aggregator website like this for our rentals – every time from another company, depending on which deal we find – and never had issues. We use them a lot, this year alone already 4 times (not just in Iceland – everywhere we travel).
As for what’s included, you always have to read all the small letters because it differs a lot per supplier and sometimes you also have some special deals like e.g. second driver included, or a full fuel tank included, etc.
We always take the ‘full insurance’ option during the booking process – that way, the ‘deductible’ amount that local companies don’t have included in the rental contract (which is also different per company) is covered by their insurance.
You really have to read all the details when booking a car and this is not different in Iceland from anywhere else. Also, it’s always a good idea to take pictures or even a video of the car when you pick it up, so that there are no discussions later about some scratches which may or may not have been there.
Hope this helps.
@Jurga, Hi Jurga, is it safe to assume that by taking the Full Coverage on the website you recommend, you are insured for gravel and ash/sand cases as well (which usually come separate when booking directly with the rental companies?
Hi Nate, you would have to read the small letters when you choose a specific car/ car hire company. With the website we use, normally insurance is already included in the price, except for a small own-risk part, which varies a bit per car hire company (usually 1500-2500 eur – you can find all that info when you choose a specific car).
The ‘full insurance’ option that you can add to your booking is meant to cover that last part, your own risk. We always take it and had to make a few claims in the past, and always got everything paid back without any issues. But we never had any trouble specifically with sand/ash so I can’t guarantee that 100%.
Once again, read the details and if it’s not explicitly mentioned that it’s excluded then I think it should be fine. Our experience with Booking is that they are very easy to deal with in case of damage if you stick to the rental terms.
It’s also common knowledge that car hire companies charge ridiculous amounts for all kinds of extras and insurance. And even if you take full insurance or have your own insurance via a credit card or similar, they always try to trick you into paying yet more at the counter. It happens to us almost every time. Just a few weeks ago, we rented a car in Portugal and paid about 70 euros for the full insurance, so we knew we were completely covered. But then the car rental company tried to convince us that it wasn’t the case and asked us to pay another 290 eur (4x the price we paid :)) saying that ‘no other company can give full insurance, only we’. They just try to take advantage of people, so be sure you don’t pay for the same thing twice.
What will happen, however, is that the car hire company will block a certain amount of money on your credit card when you pick up the car. If there is damage to the car, they will hold (part) of it in. You will then have to make a claim directly with your insurance to get that money back. So you also need to check your credit card limits especially if you use the same card for other purchases/payments during the trip.
Oh, and always take pictures/video of the car when you pick it up, and make sure they note every scratch on paper before you sign it.
Hope this helps. Have a great trip!
Hi,
Thanks for this helpful website. Will be in June 23 and seeing if you can help us with your guides :
1) family glacier hike – will we need waterproof hiking boots? As well as gloves and hats. Regular gloves or waterproof.
2) your recommendation for volcano tour?
🙏
Hi Kim, waterproof hiking boots are recommended for any visit to Iceland. And yes, I would advise sturdy shoes for a glacier hike. We had a few people in sneakers in our group and it’s really not ideal. They can’t fit the crampons very well, plus, you can get wet feet.
As for gloves – yes, you definitely need gloves. Not necessarily waterproof at this time of the year unless you are planning on touching ice/snow all the time.
Hats – not absolutely necessary in June, and you’ll get a helmet anyway.
You may want to read our guide to glacier hiking in Iceland for more information.
There are no actively erupting volcanos in Iceland at the moment, but you can visit the sites of the most recent eruptions and see lava flow. You can find the best tours here.
Hope this helps.
Have a great trip!
Hi – What is the advantage of flying into Keflavik for the 7 day trip instead of Reykjavik?
Hi Brad, Keflavik is Iceland’s main international airport; it’s located about 45 minutes drive from Reykjavik.
Reykjavik Domestic Airport in the city center is only used for local flights and you can fly to Greenland from there, but all other international flights go to Keflavik. So unless you find some kind of a charter flight that brings you straight to Reykjavik city center, you will always start and end your trip in Keflavik.
Hope this helps.
Could we fly from Husavik to Berlin or do we have to make it back to Reykjavik? Ideally we would like to make it to Husavik but maybe it’s pushing our time if we only have 6/7days.
Hi Donna, there is no international airport in Husavik. There is an airport in Akureyri and – in the summer – some airlines now have direct flights to Akureyri from Western Europe, but those are usually charter flights so you have to book the entire trip through them. Plus, I really don’t know if there are any flights to Berlin.
You could start your trip with a domestic flight from Reykjavik to Akureyri, rent a car there (with a drop off in Reykjavik), and then do a road trip clockwise and end in Reykjavik.
A lot also depends on the season when you travel. I wouldn’t recommend this in the winter.
Hope this helps.
Hi Jurga,
First of all thanks for sharing this well planned Itineraries. It saved a lot of our time in searching and planning our trips. I am planning to visit Iceland with my family around 1st week of July for 8 days. I want to do ring road withSnaefellsnes peninsula. Your ring road itinerary is perfect . We also want to do the landmannalaugar tour. We don’t want to drive . Will take the guided tour. I want to know if we can do golden circle and south coast important attractions on day 3 and do the highland on day 4 and go to Jokulsaron glacier on day 5 and finish all the the sightseeing of day 6 on this day so I can save 1 day and move to egglistadr on day 6. We also want to do Katla ice cave tour and 1 Glacier walk. So which day can we do this. Your advice would be of great help before booking my trip. Last thing I want to know if there is any app to download for the best routes and attractions nearby. Thanks and regards.
Hi Anuradha, you should take a look at the map when deciding where to go each day. Use Google Maps to estimate driving times/distances.
The days are long in July so you can do a lot more than in other seasons. However, many of South Coast attractions are located further east than where you’d need to be for the Highlands day trip, so it would be difficult to see a lot on the same day as the Golden Circle.
Another thing – if you are just now starting to look into booking accommodations for July, then you should really start with that. A few months ago we had readers complaining that they couldn’t find anything anywhere near Jokulsarlon for July. That was in March if I recall well. So a lot depends on available accommodations for the days when you travel. You may want to check that first – for all the places on the Ring Road, not just around Jokulsarlon, and book ASAP!
For the glacier hike and Katla, see the map, and it will become clear when to do it, based on the rest of your itinerary. You do need to book all excursions in advance too.
Once again, we recommend using Google Maps for all the places/attractions/driving routes.
Hope this helps.
Hi Jurga,
I took your advise and am driving out to Arnarstapi for the first night of my 7 day trip. I am a little worried about how tired and jet-lagged we are going to be upon arrival. In your personal experience do you usually get a hotel near the airport and nap for several hours or push through the day, make the drove and go to sleep early?
Hi Hattie, I really don’t know how you’ll feel when you arrive. Some people sleep on the plane and are ready to go sightseeing the whole day, others arrive exhausted.
We normally just start our days if arriving somewhere early and try to adjust to the new time zone asap, but it works better at some places than others.
If you would like to relax after the flight a bit, you may want to consider a visit to the Blue Lagoon or the Sky Lagoon upon arrival. Many of our American readers like to do that after the red-eye flight. Alternatively, you could simply drive straight to your hotel (it’s about 3 hours drive from Keflavik airport to Arnastapi), hope that you can check in early, and then sleep a few hours before doing any sightseeing.
It all really depends on your personal situation and what you prefer and also, on the season when you visit (the roads can be unpredictable in the winter).
Hi Jurga
We have 9 days on the ground in Iceland. I’m looking at the 7 day itinerary. We’re going 23SEP-02OCT. Is this time of year good for Heimaey Island and the Highlands? If not do you have alternate suggestions as I was thinking two nights in Hella. Or I can just move down to the Jokulsarlon area and tack on Reykenes at the end of the trip. Thank you for your time and suggestion. Best regards Kathy
Hi Kathy, the end of September is normally too late for the highlands. Heimaey Island should be ok, but it’s not the same as in the summer either, definitely if the weather doesn’t cooperate. Plus, you have to keep in mind that the days are already quite a lot shorter at the end of September (look for the Northern Lights every evening!).
There is a lot more to see and do on the South Coast (see for ideas via this link), so you can easily fill a day extra in the area. It all really depends on your preferences. Just one example, you could visit the Raufarhólshellir Lava Tunnel which is perfect in any weather and it takes just an hour of your time.
Alternatively, indeed, you can spend some time on Reykjanes Peninsula which is also very nice, or even just stay in Reykjavik a bit longer. Once again, it all comes down to what kind of activities you like.
Hello Jurga!
1st of all, congrats for this wonderful itinerary 🙂
I will go to Iceland for 7 days in the last week of this April.
Should I follow the Summer Itinerary or the Winter? If I follow the Summer itinerary, is there anything from the Winter that I should follow?
Thanks a lot for your help and kindness!
Hi Filipe, you should indeed do the summer itinerary since the days are much longer in April. You won’t be able to do winter-specific activities anymore and it’s too early for the highlands, but all the rest should be suitable for this time of the year.
Traveling in early August. Our dates are during the Westman Camping Festival. Would you recommend flipping the Irene tart to avoid the crowds?
Hi Person, I guess I would switch some days around, yes. Either way, be sure to prebook your ferry tickets in advance!
Hi Jurga, we are extremely grateful for your 7 day itinerary and will be following it as closely as possible when we visit in July. Thank you! We will be in the country from July 3-11 and are having trouble finding any accommodations east (north ?) of Kirkjubaejarklaustur unless we go all the way to Hofn for the first night of our southern coast tour. We have a great little B&B near Vik for the second night, but are wondering if you recommend that we drive all the way up to Hofn for the first night, or should we just stay in Kirkjubaejarklaustur and back track a bit? Options there aren’t great and are more expensive, so we are wondering if it’s worth the extra drive and time to venture up to Hofn for the night. We really appreciate all of your advice!!
Hi CherryAnn, in our itinerary, we recommend that you spend a night closer to Jokulsarlon because that saves you a lot of driving and is the most logical way to do it. But, indeed, accommodations there are very limited especially if traveling in the summer. Hofn is a good alternative especially if you want to spend more time in that area and also visit Stokksnes. Vik is quite far – about 2.5 hours drive to Jokulsarlon (one-way), so Kirkjubæjarklaustur is somewhat better (1.5 hrs each way). It’s definitely doable though, you’ll just have to adjust this itinerary a bit and visit some places in a different order.
The good thing is that in July you have constant daylight so – if you don’t get too tired and don’t mind staying up late – you can try to see a lot more in a day than this itinerary suggests.
So just see which accommodations you can find, secure them asap, and then figure out how to best adjust this to make it work.
Good luck with the planning and have a great time in Iceland!
@Jurga, Thank you so much for this advice! We really appreciate your help!
-CherryAnn
This tour looks amazing! We are using your itinerary for a trip in June. We are also looking for a whale watching excursion that works with this itinerary. Most of the trips I have found are from the north. There are a few in Reykjavik but wondered if you had any recommendations.
Thanks so much!
Hi Sandy, for this itinerary, you could either do a whale-watching tour on Snaefellsnes Peninsula or from Reykjavik. In Reykjavik, you have many more companies and better offers + more chance that they’ll actually run a tour.
As for which tour to take, it really depends on your boat preference (regular boat, speed boat) and also on the itinerary and when it fits you best. In the summer, you can even opt for a Midnight-sun whale-watching tour in the evening.
Hope this helps.
Hi Jurga,
Thank you for fantastic 7 days itinerary. Is Glacier hike and ice cave tour worth in end of August time? And which glacier is good to hike?
Thanks!
Hi Arpita, glacier hike is definitely worth it (at any time of the year). Glacier cave – there is just one that you can visit in the summer and nobody knows now what it will look like in August. Usually, people find it’s worth it even in the summer. But if you have to choose between the two, I think I would opt for a glacier hike in August.
In any case, it’s not something that you can do on your own – you can only go hiking on a glacier with a guided tour.
I already included recommendations for the best tours that suit this itinerary on day 6 in the article above. If you need more information and more tour options, you can find it all in our detailed guide about glacier hiking in Iceland.
Hope this helps. Have a great trip!
@Jurga,
Thank you so much for your response. Do we need to book tour reservation ahead of time or we can wait until August? Again this is wonderful itinerary to follow with all major information. Thank you.
Hi Arpita, normally you can wait and book later. However, if you already make an itinerary and know which day/time you’ll want to do a tour, I would book it. Otherwise you risk not being able to do the things you want to at the time that suits you best.
Also, the links to the tours on our site are for the tours that normally have free cancellation option. Plus, for many tours, you can now choose to pay later. So you have nothing to lose by doing it in advance. And you don’t have to worry about things not being available anymore.
June-August is the peak season in Iceland.
thanks, this is fantastic 7 day road tip. We are going in Sep. Is it still a good time for visiting the highlands and Heimaey island?
thanks
wei
The beginning of September should be fine for both. Second half – maybe Heimaey Island, but the highlands will likely be inaccessible already.
Hello, Jurga! What a wonderful itinerary! Can’t wait to apply it to our Iceland trip in July. Is it possible to download this itinerary as a file?
Thank you and all the best!
Hi Katya, you can always print whatever info you need (Ctrl +p) or you can save to pdf instead of printing.
But we don’t offer a printable version anymore. It’s impossible to keep everything up to date if we have to keep printable versions available for all our guides, so we just concentrate on providing as much useful info as possible on our website.
Hope this helps.
Have a great trip!
@Jurga, thank you so much for your answer! I will do just that- I found so many useful tips and suggestion on your site. Really appreciate it and find it extremely helpful!
Hello. I was trying to plan my trip according to your seven day road trip, however, I think I may have gotten confused on where to stay on certain days. Can I send you the our tentative schedule?
Hi Jennifer, unfortunately, I really have no time to help all our readers with individual trip planning. Our articles already have so many details and information that you can basically just follow it to the t and you are sure to have a great trip.
That being said, if you post your brief itinerary overview (just where you start/end each day), I might be able to take a look. Alternatively, please join our FB group for Iceland/Scandinavia travel and ask any questions you have. We have thousands of members and lots of great advice there!
This is FANTASTIC! I don’t know how I missed it earlier, but have been spending hours and hours trying to work out how to fit in Westman islands and here it is! Thank you
Have a couple of questions….. we were going to go to Langjokull ice tunnel and glacier and then dropping down onto the GC. Any thoughts on accommodation or if it’s worth visiting? We were hoping it might be less busy than Vatnajokull 🤷🏻♀️
We are also looking for horse riding somewhere….. do you have any recommendations along the way?
Once again, so grateful for this 😊
Hi Diane, yes, Langjokull Glacier is worth seeing if you have a few hours to spare in the Golden Circle area. Just be aware that you have to go with a tour – snowmobile or similar (see tours here). If you want to stay in that area, there are a few really nice options close to Geysir/Gullfoss. For example, Hotel Geysir or Hotel Gullfoss.
For horse riding, there is a popular place close to Reykjavik – see here. Also on Golden Circle, there are a few places, but I’m not sure where exactly – you can find it online. Further, on the South Coast, Hotel Eldhestar has lots of horses and runs tours all the time.
Hope this helps.
Have a great trip!
hello!
tons of good info! – question – we’re there for a week in april with 16 year old boys – just starting to do research – would love to visit an (ideally active) volcano – fagradalsfjall? – is that possible to fit in in a 7-8 day visit?
thanks so much!
jim bachor
Hi Jim, there are two volcanos that have recently been active (Fagradalsfjall and Merdalir). They are both located on Reykjanes Peninsula.
I know that there are quite some tours (also by helicopter), but you can also visit the sites on your own. There is probably at least 2-3 hours of hiking, no matter where you decide to go.
But I haven’t been myself and the situation has changed a few times as you can imagine, so you would have to do some research about where exactly to go and how long it takes. But yes, it’s certainly something you can add to this itinerary – at the beginning or at the end of the trip, since it’s close to the airport.
Since you are going in April, you may want to skip day 4 of our recommended itinerary (it’s not the time for the highlands and also Heimaey Island is probably not the best place to be at that time of the year). This would give you more time in the Reykjavik area. You may also want to check our guide to Reykjanes Peninsula for more ideas of what to see there and also our guide to the best things to do in Reykjavik.
Hope this helps. Have a great trip!
@Jurga, thank you! i truly appreciate your help!
Happy New year and thanks for this wonderful itinerary. Wanted to get your input on a modification to this trip. We will be arriving in Iceland on March 23. 2023 at 4:40 AM from New York (5.5 hour flight). We will stop at duty free store, pick up rental car and thinking we would be out of the airport around 7:00 AM. What would be your thoughts on flipping the itinerary since we arrive so early? Start to head straight to Jokulsarlon (5.5 hour drive to hotel w/out stops according to google maps) and then work our way backwards to South Coast, Golden Circle, Snaefellsnes, Reykjavik. I know we would be tired but it gets the longest day of driving out of the way and we wouldn’t make any stops/sightsee along the way.
Hi Anthony, in principle, it’s definitely possible. However, March can still be quite wintery and so you never know how the weather and the road conditions will be. I’ll let you decide if you want to take the risk, but yes, purely distance-wise and taking into account your flight schedule, it’s definitely possible. Also, the days are quite long at that time of the year already, so at least you shouldn’t have to worry about driving in the dark.
Also, you can’t visit the highlands at that time of the year and Heimaey Island can be a bit less pleasant if the weather isn’t great. So you may want to look for an alternative for that day – you could spend more time on the South Coast, take a fun tour, or maybe add a day in Reykjavik…
Good luck with the planning. And – whatever you decide – remember that safety should always be your top priority. Drive carefully and stay flexible!
Fantastic info, really appreciate all the time that’s gone into this Jurga! We’re booked to visit on the 1st April for 7 days. I can’t work whether this or the Winter itinerary is the one to follow as April seems like it could go either way? We’re travelling with teenagers who will want adventure / activities if that make a difference. Thanks!
Hi David, the days are much longer in April and so you could probably go with the summer itinerary. You won’t be able to visit the highlands and I’m not sure if Heimaey island is a great option at that time of the year, but you could replace that day by either spending more time in Reykjavik or maybe doing some extra activities along the South Coast. See here for some suggestions.
@Jurga, Thanks for the info!
how can i get a copy of this information would love to use this.
I am planning to go to iceland in the winter for 5-7days
For a winter trip to Iceland, we recommend this itinerary. At the bottom of that page, you can find a form where you can download a printable version. We only have a few printable pdfs on our site and that’s one of them. Otherwise, you can just use Ctrl+p and print whatever page you want.
Have a great trip!
Hi Jurga
We are visiting Iceland from the 1st of November for 7 days. We will be hiring a car (would you advise a 4×4) we want to do more than the golden circle, but I am not sure we will be able to do all the Ring road that time of year and do it justice.
I am also struggling to put an itinerary together. we would like to do an ice cave ( which would be the best one) and also the Jakulsarlon glacier lagoon, along with the usual waterfalls & Geysers.
Any of your expertise would be greatly appreciated.
Great informative blog. 😍
Hi Hayley, we have just the right article for you – a 7-day Iceland winter itinerary. It’s a trip we did mid-November, so it should work just perfectly for you too.
For the car, you don’t absolutely need a 4×4, but many people recommend it, or an SUV as a minimum. A small 4×4 like Dacia Duster usually doesn’t cost more than a big SUV, but so much depends on when you travel and when you book.
For the ice caves, the best place to visit natural ice caves is in the area close to Skaftafell – Jokulsarlon, but you have to book a tour and you have to do it in advance. This tour is a very good option and combines ice caves with a glacier hike leaving from Skaftafell and could be done on day 3 of our itinerary. Alternatively, this tour is one of the best options from Jokulsarlon, and could probably be done either on day 3 or 4 of our itinerary, depending on how you schedule the rest of the trip.
Hope this helps.
@Jurga, Hi👋
Thank you so much for your very quick response.
Your winter itinerary looks great, I have made lots of notes🤪
I had priced up a Darcia Duster, what do you think of Suzuki Jimny, as in the past I have heard not so good things about their handling of the roads?
Thank you once again for a brilliant informative blog.
🤗🤗
Hi Hayley, we always travel with 5 and luggage and need bigger cars, so I don’t have personal experience with any of these. From what I saw, Suzuki Jimny is really tiny. But it’s a very popular car for rentals in Iceland (Duster too), so I’m sure it should be fine if you are with just 2 people or so. In reality it all comes down to the weather that you get.
Have a great trip!
Thank you so much for your trip schedule, we will be celebrating our honeymoon this September 17- 26th so we are doing a mix between your 7 day and the full circle itinerary. Couple of questions, in these two itineraries at what time do you start your day? Sometimes I feel there are many activities in one day, but probably they don’t take that long or are very close to each other.
At what time you go to bed? What is the best time to search for Auroras?
The 25th will be new moon , do you believe we have good chance to see them?
How much do you think we’ll be spending daily in food? we are in a tight budget, willing to buy food from supermarket and cooking.
Thank you for your beautiful site!! Very, very useful!!!
Big hello from Mexico
Hi Karen, you can start/end when you feel like, but if you want to take it easy and see most places decently without having to rush, I’d start no later than 9 am on most days.
For auroras, any time is good, as long as it’s dark. You have to be lucky and the new moon can be better than the full moon, but you need good conditions either way. See our guide to the Northern Lights in Iceland for more info and tips.
As for when you sleep, it’s really up to you. 🙂 If the aurora forecast is good at midnight, you may want to stay up longer, whereas if it’s cloudy and rainy, maybe you’ll want to go to bed at 9 pm…
I really can’t comment on the budget since everyone travels so differently. You can find some information in this guide: how expensive is Iceland. If you want to cook, be sure you rent accommodations that have a kitchen. If you plan to camp, be sure your camper has a heater.
You also can check our guide to Iceland in September so that you know what to expect.
Have a great trip!
Hello,
I plan to visit Iceland in late September for 7 days. Where is the best place to see the northern lights if I’m lucky? Also where are those accommodations with the see through some?
Hi Lee, please see our guide about the Northern Lights in Iceland – it should answer your questions and we have some accommodation suggestions in that article too.
But in short – no, there’s no best place – it’s pure luck. And no, you don’t have to stay in some glass bubble in order to see them. If auroras are active, you’ll likely want to go outside rather than watch them through a window anyway. Plus, September isn’t that cold.
PS You may also want to read this guide: Iceland in September.
Good luck!
Good Day, I am unable to download the Iceland 7 day itinerary. Has the link changed to download? Please advise. Many thanks for the great information.
Hi Lynn, we used to have the printable version of this itinerary, but don’t offer it anymore (it’s just too difficult to keep up with all the changes and updates). I’m not sure where you still found the link? I thought I removed them all.
You can still simply print this itinerary straight from your browser.
Hope this helps.
Is this available for purchase? (So, I can print it out, take notes, look at my maps, compare with my travel books, show pics to my family at dinner, etc.).
Thank you so much.
Linda
Hi Linda, we used to have a printable version of this itinerary, but it’s just not feasible to keep it somewhat up-to-date as we try to do with our articles. So no, now you only have access to this online version. You can always print it (or save to pdf) straight from your browser, however.
Have a great time in Iceland!
Hi there! If you only have 7 days in Iceland, how would you recommend doing this trip? Thinking a campervan + camping but wondering what to take out. Thinking we’d skip Blue Lagoon.
Hi Kendra, this Iceland itinerary is for 7 days already, and includes all the info you might need to plan a great trip. You can do it just the same if you are camping too, and – depending on the season – you might actually have quite a lot of extra time to add more things or explore deeper if you aren’t bound to a specific place/hotel.
And yes, if you feel like skipping the Blue Lagoon, there are plenty of other local pools down the road that will be just as nice. It’s really your choice. I hear from many people that they love the new Sky Lagoon, so maybe that’s a good option (although it’s also in Reykjavik, so planning-wise, it won’t make much difference).
We are planning to follow your 7 day Iceland trip. We are 2 adult couples traveling to Iceland for the first time. IF we do not do Blue Lagoon during the first day, would you suggest another place along the 7 day trip. WE are going in mid-June.
How far and can we add to the first or second day the Krauma GeoThermal Spa near Reykholt.
If you think this is a good idea?
Hi Elana, it all depends on when you arrive. The days are endless in June (it doesn’t get dark), so you can see/do a lot. The only thing to keep in mind are the opening hours of the geothermal pools.
If you don’t go to the Blue Lagoon, you could go to the Sky Lagoon in Reykjavik or drive to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and indeed, a stop at Krauma is possible as well. If you go to Krauma, visit the Reykholt area as well, and then leave the Snaefellsnes Peninsula for the next day. You could stay in Borgarnes, so that it’s a bit central for all the places you want to visit on day 1 and day 2.
Hope this helps. Good luck with the planning!
Hi Jurga
I would like a contact of an agent or a person who can drive two of my guests ( husband and wife ) on a seven day tour recommended by you .
We are looking to stay in the best of the hotels and if the prices are good need a chauffeur driven vehicle to take us around Iceland in the 1st week of January 2022.
Hi Ashok, we run a travel blog and do not organize any trips ourselves. Furthermore, this itinerary is really not ideal for a winter trip. For that, I’d recommend this Iceland winter itinerary and only for people who have some serious winter driving experience.
For your clients visiting in January, a private guide would be a better choice indeed. I can highly recommend contacting Kjartan from Glacial Experience with all your wishes. Tell him I recommended his services and he should be able to help you plan the most amazing trip!
Good luck!
Hi Jurga,
This is a great itinerary and we’re planning to follow it. We are actually there for 8 full days – we need to be at Reykavik the day before we fly out because we need to get our covid antigen test done prior to going home the following day. Since we have an extra day, where do you think we should stay for an extra night? It’d be nice not to pack up and go every night.
We also love hiking – around 4-5 hours would be max 🙂
Thanks!
Priscilla
Hi Priscilla, a lot depends on when exactly you travel (how long the days are, etc). If you have an extra day, I’d spend it on the South Coast. You could either visit both – Heimaey Island AND the highlands (see day 4 of the itinerary above), or add another day in the area around Vik – Jokulsarlon and maybe do some more hiking in Skaftafell NP, book a glacier hike, or similar.
Have a great trip!
I am taking my elderly parents to Iceland for 7 days and there won’t be many hikes or things of the nature on the itinerary I am trying to build.
Are there any places you’d omit on your 7 day Alternative Ring Road schedule based on this?
Thanks again!!!
Hi Jewon, Iceland is all about nature! Sure you’ll find some museums, turf houses or churches, and a few villages, but if you’re not interested in nature then perhaps you’re looking at a wrong country…
I suppose it’s possible to make any itinerary, but you’d be missing the very best of Iceland if you don’t see its natural sights, so I really don’t recommend that and I don’t have the time to help you with this. Check out our guide to the South Coast of Iceland – it has some suggestions of attractions and sights that might interest you.
Good luck with the planning!
@Jurga, Thanks! Agreed it will be unfortunate they will not be able to do long or strenuous hikes but it is their dream to go to Iceland so doing so before it’s too late! I am sure they will enjoy regardless as it is so beautiful.
Thanks again, Jewon
Hi once again Jewon, please note that this itinerary has no strenuous hikes, unless maybe the one in the highlands (not really challenging, but a moderate hike) or hiking on the glacier (also not strenuous), but you can easily skip these altogether and still follow this itinerary.
Most places in this itinerary are just a short easy walk from the car parking and you can see a lot of natural beauty in Iceland without having to hike at all.
Hope this helps.
This is amazing and very helpful, thank you for putting this together!
Glad you found this itinerary useful, Jewon. Hope it helps you plan a wonderful trip to Iceland!
My wife and I will arrive at Keflavik early morning on July 26 for 7 full days and nights. We have followed your itinerary very closely in planning our trip and booking tours and hotels. We recently learned that we need to arrive a day earlier in Reykjavik than planned so that we can get tested for covid. Hence, we will be there for one and a half days. Is this too much? Should we tour the city on July 31 afternoon and then book the volcano tour for the full day on August 1? The tour you link to is 6 hours. Is it exhausting? We are fit 70 year olds, but can’t really do very steep climbing.
Two days earlier, we will drive from Vik to the Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon, then back to Skaftafell for an afternoon glacier walk. Also a walk to Svartifoss if we can. Is this a reasonable day? Should we take a boat ride at Jokulsarlon or is it enough to see the lagoon from shore?
Reading you blog has provided endless entertainment, valuable tips, and encouragement for our trip. I am very grateful for your work.
Hi Gary, we’re traveling right now and I will not have the time to look into your questions in detail. Just wanted to let you know so that you can go ahead with your own research. We have so much of this covered on the blog already, the rest is really up to you and what you think is worth it for you
P.S. I hear that the volcano isn’t that active anymore (but this might still change- nobody knows), so maybe it’s not worth it. Reykjavik and also Reykjanes Peninsula have a lot to offer, so I’m sure you can fill 1.5 days there.
Have a nice trip!
What a wonderful itinerary! I was so overwhelmed trying to plan our trip for August until I found this. Now I can really see our trip coming together. One question: we are interested in seeing the active volcano as well. What would you substitute to add that into our trip? Wish we could just add one more day!
Hi Rachel, if you are thinking of going to the volcano on your own, you could do it either on the first day or on the last day of this itinerary. It’s located on Reykjanes Peninsula quite close to the airport, so – depending on your flight times – you could probably squeeze it in between the other things. Just keep in mind that the situation at the volcano is changing all the time, so where and how much exactly you can hike will depend on how the conditions are at the time you visit.
If you have time, I think I’d do it immediately after arrival, on day 1, followed by the Blue Lagoon, potentially. Once again, see how your flight schedule is and how you can best fit it in.
Going with a guided tour would make it more difficult for you because most tours depart from Reykjavik and that would be tough to combine with this itinerary unless you have a day extra, or – maybe – on the last day. But many people just visit on their own, so if you do your research (ideally see what people say a few days before you go), you can probably better go on your own.
Good luck and have a great trip!
Hello Jurga
Thank you very much for the 7 day Iceland Itinerary! Depending on the Covid situation, my wife and I would like to visit Iceland sometime between mid August and early September. If we could spend more than 7 days, would there be major new experiences by doing the entire Ring Road or would we be better off by taking our time visiting the places in the 7 day itinerary? Since we are both in our early 70’s and in good physical condition, could you provide any details about the level of difficulty with hikes? We enjoy nature much more than visiting cities and probably would not spend much time in Reykjavik. Once again, thanks for sharing your itinerary with all.
Hi Frank, I’m not sure I understand your question. If you wonder if Iceland is worth a longer trip than 7 days, then yes, my answer is absolutely, yes! If you can take at least two weeks and do an entire Ring Road, you’ll be able to see so many more amazing places. Even if you just add a few days more to this itinerary, you could spend a day extra at Snaefellnes Peninsula, take a trip to Heimaey Island AND the highlands. From Snaefellsnes, you could also take a ferry to the Westfjords and even if you just stay there for one night, it’s worth it too. There are just so many amazing places to see all over Iceland, so if you have more time than a week, definitely take a longer trip!
Here you can see our top suggestions on the best places to see and things to do in Iceland and here you can find some suggested Iceland itineraries for trips for up to 2 weeks.
Just one thing – I really don’t recommend doing the entire Ring Road in a week. It’s possible, but if you only have a week, I think it will be more enjoyable by following this itinerary rather than trying to see it all and spending all the time in the car.
For hikes, I think I already included some of the best suggestions in Skaftafell. These are all really not difficult hikes and very enjoyable. Also, take a glacier hike – those aren’t difficult and healthy people of your age can definitely participate. There are many more hikes all over Iceland, some very short, many others are quite long and so a lot depends on your interests and how much time you have at each place. If you can hike for about 1.5-2 hours, you may also want to take a tour to the currently active volcano near Reykjavik. Nobody knows if it will still be active by the end of the summer, but otherwise, it’s really a bucket list experience! And even if it’s not active anymore, it might be interesting to see the volcano and all the lava.
So, as you can see, there are really many places to see and many ways to plan a trip. Try to decide how many days you can spend and then plan how to best do it based on your interests. You can easily add 3-5 days to this itinerary without even driving all around the Ring Road and you’d find plenty to see and do that’s different than the other places. And if you go all around, then definitely don’t miss Myvatn – Husavik area and I also recommend driving to Siglufjordur as well. But only do all this if you can spend enough time there, plus the driving isn’t fast either.
Hope I didn’t confuse you more. 🙂 Good luck with the planning!
@Jurga,
Thank you for the suggestions and comments. Looks like I need to do some more “homework “ and then decide on the length of stay-even perhaps consider doing the entire Ring Road. If you don’t mind, I may be back in touch later with additional questions.
Hi there! Thank you for this wonderful itinerary! I am arriving in Iceland on June 1, and we’ll need to allocate one day to waiting on our COVID test result — meaning our actual adventure time is cut to six days. What would you recommend skipping from this itinerary to make it 6 days? We arrive at 8 AM, so if we get our result quickly, we could potentially do something in the afternoon!
Hi Casey, if you read the details of day 1 of the itinerary carefully, you’ll see that I didn’t foresee much on that day, except the Blue Lagoon and driving to Snaefellsnes. So even if you stay in Reykjavik that day, you can still continue with this itinerary pretty much unchanged, just be sure to get up very early the next morning so that you can make the most of your day in Snaefellsnes.
Or you could take it easier and skip Heimaey Island and have a more relaxing trip that way – it really depends on how much driving and sightseeing you want to do each day. The days are very long in June (it doesn’t get dark), so you can do a lot, but it’s also tiring…
You could also visit the (currently active) volcano since it’s close to the airport. It requires a hike of 2-3 hours though…
Anyway, here’s how you could adjust the itinerary, make it more relaxing, and still see all the main sights:
Day 1: Wait for test results and walk around Reykjavik or go to the Blue Lagoon in the evening.
Day 2: Early morning tour to the volcano (if that interests you, but that will take the biggest part of the day). Then drive to Snaefellsnes Peninsula and – if you didn’t do the volcano tour – you can already see most of the sights there already. If you have the whole day here, you could start your visit with the northern side of the peninsula and drive anti-clockwise and end in Arnastapi. Stay in Arnarstapi. The easy coastal hike between Arnarstapi and Hellnar is beautiful too! Otherwise, stay in Arnastapi and visit the peninsula clockwise the next day.
Day 3: See the rest of the sights of Snaefellsnes Peninsula and drive all the way to the Golden Circle. Try Litli Geysir hotel or Hotel Gulfoss for a more special experience. By staying here, you could already visit the geyser and Gulfoss waterfall in the evening without the crowds.
Day 4: Visit the rest of the Golden Circle and follow our itinerary as described above, but with one day off. From here on, you could just continue with our itinerary as it is, except for the last day. It’s doable, but depends also on when your flight back home departs, and might become a bit too rushed at the end. If you want to take it easier, skip day 4 of our original itinerary (Heimaey Island (and the highlands aren’t accessible yet anyway)). See my suggested itinerary below and on this day already drive on further down the south coast, maybe stay in Vik. Go to the black sand beach or to Dyrholaey lighthouse to see midnight sun.
Day 5: Drive all the way to Jokulsarlon and visit all the sights along the way, you could also visit Skaftafell NP on this day since you’re starting in Vik and have long days. Stay somewhere close to Jokulsarlon and go to the lagoon in the evening when the day tourists are gone. If you want to do a boat tour here, you could still do it first thing next morning.
Day 6: Take a glacier hiking tour or an ice cave tour from Vik (see suggestions on day 6 of our itinerary) and slowly make your way back to Reykjavik already.
Day 7: Depending on where your flight leaves, see some of the city or go to the Blue Lagoon if not done on day 1, or visit some of the sights of Reykjanes Peninsula before heading to the airport.
Hope this helps. Have a great trip!
PS If you think of it, please leave a reply here after your trip and tell us what you decided to do and how it went. It can help others in a similar situation. Thank you!
Dear Jurga,
I have followed your wonderful blog since my first trip to Iceland in 2019.
Now I have friends wanting to go to Iceland and they just subscribed to your newsletter yesterday, 5/2/21. My question is, will they receive your Iceland trip that you detailed here?
Please let me know and safe travels!
Donna
Hi Donna, thanks for reading and for recommending our blog to your friends.
This article is available to everyone and you can just share the link with your friends if they haven’t seen it yet. If you are subscribed to our newsletter, you can just forward our latest email to them. It’s possible they didn’t get it yet as it was only sent to people who were on our list when it was scheduled.
At this moment, I have no time to make a printable itinerary for this trip – it already took me days to create it. I have shared all the tips and all the details in this article. In combination with the map we created (and that people can easily save to their phone), it should be quite easy to plan an amazing trip to Iceland following this itinerary.
Hope this helps!
Dear Junga great article on Iceland gets me excited to go now that they are letting .U.S citizens in if we are vaccinated. It was my birthday trip to myself last year but that didn’t happen so maybe I can make it this year, might not be so crowded with Europe being still under restrictions.
Always appreciate all your articles on places to go.
Just got back to Denver after 2 months camping in Arizona Texas and New Mexico..
Ready for more travelling.
Hope you can make it to Iceland this year, Yvonne! It should definitely be less busy than a few years ago. But the last time we visited, it was the busiest summer ever and we hardly saw any people at all – if you pick the places you visit wisely, it’s never a problem to avoid the crowds in Iceland. That being said, the South Coast and the Golden Circle are the places that everyone goes to, so there, it will be busier no matter when you travel.