Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle

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Use this Iceland self-drive Itinerary to plan your trip around the Ring Road and Golden Circle. #icelandtravel #icelandtrip

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post, I paid for this trip myself. All recommendations and opinions are my own.

Iceland has become the hottest ‘must see’ destination thanks to IcelandAir offering free stopovers on their flights back and forth from Europe. This strategy has massively increased their number of tourists by a staggering 40%. It now gets well over 2 million international tourists visiting each year. However, Iceland does struggle a bit to support this volume of tourist because they far out-number the very small population of just over 334,000 people.

With the number of tourists massively exceeding the national population, Iceland has quite minimal tourist infrastructure. During peak tourist periods, accommodation can be expensive and hard to find, so you really need to book early and be flexible. Thanks to its all year-round popularity, there isn’t much ‘off-peak’ time. Summer is popular because of its long light hours and the warmer weather makes it safer and easier to get around. However, winter is also a popular time, with tourists flooding in to see the Northern lights.

We travelled at the end of September, as I worked out that this is about the quietest and cheapest time. The European school holidays are over, and the weather is still relatively mild. This also meant that we could get away with driving around in a car, as we didn’t want to pay a ton of money to hire a 4WD. We also wanted to do a bit of hiking, which is rather difficult and unpleasant to do if the weather is really bad.

When planning our trip, there was so much to see and do, that we ended up putting additional time aside so we could drive the famous Ring Road which takes the route 1 road and encircles the entire island. The total length of the road is 1,332 kilometres (828 miles) and it includes some of the most stunning scenery in the world. Going through the photos it was hard to decide which ones to share with you.

We also included a trip around the Golden Circle, a popular trip from Reykjavík which includes three famous natural attractions in Iceland, including Þingvellir National Park, Geysir geothermal area and Gullfoss waterfall.

We ended up putting 9 days aside to do our road trip, as we didn’t want it to feel too rushed and we wanted time to do some hiking. However, if you are planning on using this itinerary for your own trip, it is flexible. If you don’t have as much time on your hands, then you can miss out the bits that don’t interest you. For example, if you aren’t interested in shopping, then skip Reykjavik and just head straight out onto your road trip. You may also wish to skip the horse riding and hiking parts of the trip.

Note that the start/finish points of your daily itinerary will likely be determined by where you can get accommodation each night, so consider this when planning your itinerary.

Day 1: Arrive in Reykjavík

We flew into Reykjavík from the UK, so our flight was only a few hours. We arrived in Reykjavík in the early afternoon and collected our hire car from the airport. We were excited to discover that the car had both heated seats and heated steering wheel, a luxury that we had never experienced before, but absolutely fell in love with. Since then, my own car has been nothing but a disappointment.

We parked at our accommodation, and after dropping off our bags, we walked down to Reykjavík town centre to explore. The main shopping street is Laugavegur which is lined with colourful stores. If you are planning on doing some souvenir shopping, then this is where to do it. There are loads of tourist stores selling everything from reindeer hide to Icelandic wool jumper (don’t forget to save you receipts to claim your VAT back at the airport on your way home). There are also some nice local designer clothes stores here as well, which looked expensive, but were quite reasonably priced. If you are wanting some stylish Icelandic wares, then head to Farmers and Friends (flagship store – Hólmaslóð 2, 101 Reykjavík; or down town store – Laugavegur 37, 101 Reykjavík). My husband ended up buying a really nice Icelandic wool jumper there. If you end up at the flagship store as we did, then make sure you visit the nearby delicious Cupcake Café (Mýrargata 26, 101 Reykjavík) for a sweet treat.

Reykjavík is quite small and easy to walk around. We headed over to the interesting Hallgrimskirkja’s Lutheran parish church. Its interesting architecture which was inspired by Iceland’s basalt lava flows, and height makes it Reykjavik’s main landmark. For a fee you can walk up its tower for views of the town.

Reykjavík, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Hallgrimskirkja’s Lutheran parish church, Reykjavík
Reykjavík, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Sun Voyager, Reykjavík, Iceland

By this time, we were hungry, so went in search of food. The restaurants in Reykjavík offer interesting local dishes including puffin, minke whale, reindeer, langoustine, and the infamous fermented shark. The fermented shark, or Kæstur hákarl, is a national dish of Iceland. The shark is buried for several weeks before being hung to dry for four to five months, leaving it with a very strong ammonia smell and fishy taste. If you are after something a bit more tame, then you can get your standard fare as well like burgers and fish and chips. However, no matter where you go, it is all very expensive, as is the alcohol.

The cheapest meal in Reykjavík is also the most popular. Surprisingly, it’s the hot dogs. I have to admit that I’m not typically a fan of hot dogs, but we decided to give it a go. They have a different flavour than American style dogs because they are mostly made of lamb, along with a bit of pork and beef. We went for the hot dog ‘with everything’ which was topped with raw white onions, crispy fried onions (my favourite part), ketchup, a sweet brown mustard called pylsusinnep, and remoulade, a sauce made with mayo, capers, mustard, and herbs. We thought they were delicious and ended up eating two each. There are lots of hot dog sellers in downtown Reykjavík (they are pretty much all the same).

Tips:

  • Groceries: If you are planning on heading out on a road trip, then I recommend grabbing some groceries whilst in Reykjavík as we did. (See my post Top Budget Travel Tips for Visiting Iceland for more tips on grocery shopping in Iceland). There are several supermarkets in town, including Bonus supermarket’s which are yellow with a large pink pig logo and has the biggest selection.
  • Accommodation: It is very common for accommodation to only offer rooms with shared bathrooms. If you want your own private bathroom, then expect to pay a lot more.

Other Activities in Reykjavík

  • Blue Lagoon – If you want a more natural and more authentic hot spring experience, then keep reading, as we do visit one during our trip.
  • If you don’t have transport and are keen to explore outside of the town, then there are heaps of tours of various lengths that leave from Reykjavík, including, hiking, caving, horse riding, 4WD trips, sight seeing waterfalls and geysers. Check out this list of tours and sightseeing from Reykjavik.
  • Free walking tour

How to Get from Reykjavík Airport to Reykjavík

If you don’t have a car, then take the bus. You can buy a convenient round trip ticket for your return, and you can even combine the transfer with a stop at the Blue Lagoon (to use in either direction). Reykjavík has an excellent public bus system with regular service to all of the top sights in the city. Bus fare can be bought on the bus. If you’re going to be riding the bus a lot, they have a Welcome Card that will save you some money.

Accommodation Options in Reykjavík

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Day 2: Reykjavík to Vík Area

We commenced our journey along route 1, otherwise known as the Ring Road, which winds its way around Iceland. We began our day with an Icelandic horse ride. I grew up with horses and used to compete when I was younger, so always ride whenever I get the chance. Horse riding in Iceland offers a unique opportunity to ride the hardy Icelandic horses and experience their two additional unique gaits which include the four-beat lateral ambling gait known as the tölt, and a Valhopp, which is a tölt and canter combination.

We chose to ride at Nupshestar, which is about 88km out of Reykjavík. On the way we drove through the charming town of Hveragerði with its natural steaming vents and greenhouses and through Selfoss town. Eventually we got to Nupshestar which sits in a beautiful rural setting surrounded by stunning mountain scenery. For a more detailed account of our ride, read my post about our horse back riding adventure in Iceland.

Horse riding in Iceland, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Horse riding in Iceland
Horse riding in Iceland, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Horse riding in Iceland

Following our horse ride, we continued up route 32 which winds through the Virar lava fields to the first waterfall of our trip, Hjalparfoss. A beautiful waterfall that splits in two. There was a short gravel road to get to the carpark, but it was easily driveable in a car at this time of year.

Hjalparfoss, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Hjalparfoss

We then drove back down route 32 to re-join route 1 and turned off at Urriðafossvegur road to visit the waterfall Urriðafoss, which is located on the river Þjórsá. The car park is not far from the road and is directly in front of the waterfall so you can’t miss it. The water was really flowing in full force and there was a really cold wind blowing off it (hence the photo of me bundled up) causing us to get sprayed with icy water.

Urriðafoss, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Urriðafoss
Urriðafoss, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Urriðafoss

Next up was the elegant Seljalandsfoss waterfall.  This is one of Iceland’s most popular falls, so it gets quite busy with all the tourist buses stopping. I loved that we could walk behind the waterfall, even though the water spraying off it was very icy. We then walked further up to see Gljúfrabúi, another fall hidden in a narrow canyon.

Seljalandsfoss, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Seljalandsfoss
Seljalandsfoss, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Seljalandsfoss

As we drove on, we came across some really cute historical houses built beneath the rocks. Our final stop for the day was the impressive 60m Skógafoss waterfall. Skógafoss is in a small village offering accommodation, including a camp ground, and some restaurants. If you are looking for somewhere to eat for dinner, then you have a few options here. If you have time, there is also the Skógasafn museum which is located only a short distance from the waterfall.

Historical house, Iceland, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle

Skógafoss, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Skógafoss

Legend has it that the cave behind the waterfall contains hidden treasure, put there long ago by one of Iceland’s first inhabitants. We started at the base of the falls and were lucky enough to see the famous vibrant rainbow which is created by the heavy water spray (prepared to get wet again!). We then headed up the 527 steps to the observation platform above Skógafoss and it was totally worth the effort because you are rewarded with beautiful views. From here we headed further along the trail and up the mountain where it was much quieter, as most tourists stop at the viewing platform. We followed the water way feeding the falls until the extent of our day began to catch up on us and we decided it was time to turn back and find our accommodation.

The top of Skógafoss, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
The top of Skógafoss
The top of Skógafoss, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
The top of Skógafoss

Accommodation Options in Vík Area

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Day 3: Vík to Höfn

(Note: If we had had more time I would have loved to have spread days 2 and 3 over three days instead of two. This is an area of outstanding natural beauty and it would have been great to spend more time hiking and exploring the area. It also ended up being a lot of driving, simply because there was so much to see and do! If time is on your side, then add an extra day in here.)

Our first stop for the day was the black lava beaches and basalt columns at Reynisdrangar. We then continued on to the seaside village of Vík, where we explored more of the black beach which stretches down along the coastline. Vík is a good place to get petrol and supplies if you need them. There is also a large Icelandic jumper shop in Vík called the Vikurprjon Wool Factory. Handy if you realise that you haven’t brought warm enough clothes with you!

Reynisdrangar, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Reynisdrangar

From Vík, we continued east over the floodplains of Mýrdalssandur. Between the Hólmsá and Skálmá rivers is a spot on the side of route 1 called Laufskálavarða, which is a lava ridge covered in stone cairns. This is where the first farm in Iceland was located before it was destroyed by an eruption from the volcano Katla in 894.

Laufskálavarða, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Laufskálavarða

Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle

We drove on and passed through the very small town of Kirkjubæjarklaustur (an unmanned petrol pump is available here) and on to Skaftafell National Park and Vatnajökull National Park, a truly stunning nature reserve with some impressive glaciers, including Europe´s largest, Vatnajökull.

We spent most of our day exploring Skaftafell. There is a visitor centre that is open all year round with toilets and a café. There is also a camping ground (if you are planning on camping in Iceland, then this is a great spot to do it in). I recommend starting at the visitor centre and planning your day from there, as this is where all the trails start from. Also, depending on your time of visit, some of the tracks may be closed, so check with staff before heading out.

Skaftafell National Park, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Skaftafell National Park
Skaftafell National Park, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Skaftafell National Park

There are several hiking trails on offer here and all of them are well marked. They offer a variety of difficulty, which include an easier paved/gravel track down to the edge of Skaftafellsjökull glacier, as well as some more challenging paths that take you up the mountain and offer amazing views of the glaziers. If you are not much of a walker, then at least visit Svartifoss waterfall which is on one of the shorter walks at only 1.5km long.

We spent our time here hiking the trails. It was a gorgeously sunny day that became very hot as the day wore on, we ended up having to strip off all our thermals. I would love to have spent a couple of days exploring more of the park and going on the glacier tour that takes you out onto the glaciers.

Skaftafell National Park, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Skaftafell National Park
Skaftafell National Park, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Skaftafell National Park

Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle

In the late afternoon, we drove to the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, where huge ice blocks that have broken off from the glaciers, float in the deep blue lagoon. You can take a boat ride out on the lake if you have time. After exploring the lake, we followed the flow of ice out to the sea and ended up on Diamond Beach. This place is breathtaking, as huge ice chunks wash up onto the black sand beach and begin melting, creating gorgeous ice sculptures. They looked like they were made of glass and were in beautiful shapes.

Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon
Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon
Diamond beach, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Diamond beach

In the late evening we arrived in Höfn where we were staying the night. This town is famous for its lobster and seafood, so we had dinner at the local fish and chip shop, Hafnarbuðin (Ranarslod 2, Hofn). They have the most delicious langoustine sandwiches I’ve ever eaten. Whilst we were enjoying our dinner the Northern Lights appeared and danced around in the sky. It was a perfect end to the evening.

Diamond beach, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Diamond beach
Iceland
Diamond Beach

Accommodation Options in Höfn Area

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Day 4: Höfn to Egilsstaðir

(*Note: From Nov 2017, what was roads 92 and 96 became part of route 1 (the ring road). The old section of route 1 through Breiðdalsheiði became road 95)

In the morning we set off for another day of stunning scenery in the peaceful East Fjords. This is where the Ring Road starts getting much quieter, as most tourists don’t travel this far. We turned off at Breiðdalsvík onto what is now route 95* and had a fantastic drive over a gravel road that led us over an amazing mountain pass.

Route 95, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Route 95
Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Icelandic sheep

Before going onto Egilsstaðir, we detoured along road 931 to Lake Lagarfljót which is said to be the home of Icelandic Loch Ness. The lake is surrounded by Hallormsstaðaskógur Forest which looked lovely as it was changing colour with the season. There were several camping grounds along the river, but at this time of the year, they were mostly empty.

We then turned back towards Egilsstaðir, the town where we were staying for the evening. This is a reasonable sized town with both a Netto and Bonus supermarket and a petrol station. We ended up shopping at Netto since it was near to where we were staying, and we also found a small alcohol store across the road from it, tucked away in the corner of the red building.

Route 95, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Route 95
Route 95, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Route 95

After grabbing supplies, we headed out for an evening walk. The front of the town features the lovely Lagarfljót lake, but there is a peaceful park at the back of the town with paths through it that we really enjoyed. Apparently during the winter months the reindeer visit Egilsstaðir as they come down off the mountains to graze on the lower grassland.

Accommodation Options in Egilsstaðir

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Day 5: Egilsstaðir to Mývatn

Our first waterfall for the day was Yst Í Rjúkandi, which was a short walk off the main road. Keep your eyes peeled for this one as the sign for it is only small, so it is easily missed. As we drove further on, the ever changing scenery moved from grassy hills to an amazing volcanic desert with a dramatic mountain backdrop. As we travelled along route 1 we came across a large parking area off to the side of the road where we stopped to take in the amazing views.

Yst Í Rjúkandi, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Yst Í Rjúkandi

Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle

Eventually we turned up Dettifoss road, route 862, to visit the Jökulsárgljúfur canyon, in the Jökulsárgljúfur National Park, and its spectacular and powerful waterfall, Dettifoss. We parked in the large carpark just as the tour buses were leaving so we headed straight down to the waterfall before new ones arrived. Dettifoss is not far from the carpark, you can hear the amazing roar of the falls before you see it. There is a massive amount of spray that comes off it so be prepared to get wet. There is another path that takes you further up the river to see the other waterfall, Selfoss, so we headed up for a closer look. The path takes you so far, but eventually you need to clamber over rocks and streams to get a closer look.

Dettifoss, Jökulsárgljúfur canyon, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Dettifoss, Jökulsárgljúfur canyon
Jökulsárgljúfur canyon, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Jökulsárgljúfur canyon

Our next stop was Námafjall Geothermal Area, also known as Hverir, a geothermal spot with bubbling mud pools and steaming fumaroles emitting sulfuric gas. It’s hard to miss this site as you can see the steam rising out of the ground from a distance. Surprisingly, there is no entry fee, you can just park in the car park and explore.

Hverir, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Hverir
Hverir, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Hverir

As we continued on towards Lake Mývatn, we saw the Blue Lake to our right and not much further along was Lake Mývatn and the small village of Reykjahlíð. There is a petrol station and small local supermarket.

We spent our afternoon exploring Dimmuborgir National Park, located off route 848 at the end of Dimmuborgir road. Here we found a large car park, café, and toilets. It was pretty much empty when we arrived, which was very lucky as it can get very busy with tourist buses. This park is famous for its mysterious lava formations. There are shorter, paved & gravelled paths, but I recommend taking your time and doing the longer loop walk. Its not very challenging and you’ll get to see all of the amazing rock formations. It looked really stunning with the sun shining through the autumn leaves. It was so peaceful with no one around, we felt really lucky.

Dimmuborgir National Park, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Dimmuborgir National Park
Dimmuborgir National Park, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Dimmuborgir National Park
Dimmuborgir National Park, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Dimmuborgir National Park

Our accommodation was on the lake, so in the evening we took a walk down to visit. If you are looking for a way to relax in the evening, then I can recommend the Mývatn Nature Baths which is much cheaper than the Blue Lagoon, and way less busy. That evening we were treated to the most spectacular sunset, it was the perfect end to our evening.

Lake Mývatn, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Lake Mývatn

Accommodation Options in Mývatn

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Day 6: Mývatn to Sauðárkrókur Area

The next day we woke to strong winds and sleet. We were disappointed, as we had hoped to take a morning hike. Nevertheless, we were determined to continue our sightseeing, so we returned a short way up route 1 and turned up an unnamed road to drive past the power plant Kröflustöð (quite interesting to drive past since it is a geothermal renewable energy plant, there is a visitor centre if you want to learn more), and on towards Krafla, a large water filled crater. There are a few spots you can park just before it, as there are some interesting paths through the lava fields. We did get out and do the walk, but it was rather unpleasant due to the sleet which seemed to be driving at great force into my eyes. It was near impossible to open my eyes, so I decided to put my sunglasses on. Of course, it didn’t make visuals any easier as the glasses just got smothered in snow, and the metal frame become extremely cold, but at least I could open my eyes! We did head on to see the crater, but it was a very quick visit. We only got one photo and my eyes are closed because I really couldn’t open them due to the sleet.

 Krafla, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Krafla

We got back onto route 1 again and continued on the ring road and drove around Lake Mývatn which was really beautiful. The sleet was easing up, so we took the opportunity to pull over and walk on some tracks around the lake edge. Eventually we got to Goðafoss waterfall (waterfall of the Gods) which is just off route 1. There is a historical story that goes with this waterfall. In the year 1000, when Icelanders converted to Christianity, a law speaker named Þorkell threw pagan gods into the waterfall.

Lake Mývatn, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Lake Mývatn
Goðafoss waterfall, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Goðafoss waterfall

The scenery was stunning, and it was a relaxing drive as there wasn’t much traffic on the road. Albeit cold, the weather continued to improve as we continued onto Akureyri, the Capital of the North. We stopped in Akureyri for about an hour to look around. There is a visitor’s centre here if you need additional support with your travels.

From Akureyri we headed on to Skagafjörður, an area which is well known for its horse breeding and horsemanship. If you if you get to this point and haven’t had the chance to ride the gorgeous Icelandic horses, then this is the perfect place to do it. We even stayed in accommodation in Viðvík called Magical Horses B&B!


Accommodation Options in Sauðárkrókur Area

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Day 7: Viðvík to Laugavartn – Driving the Golden Circle

In the morning we drove through Sauðárkrókur to visit Sauðárkróksbakarí (Aðalgata 5, Sauðárkrókur) a really delicious café and bakery where we picked up some yummy sandwiches and baking. There were too many yummy things to choose from, so we ended up picking up something for both afternoon tea and dessert!

We visited Glanni waterfall which is a short drive off route 1 to the left. A little bit further up the road is a crater covered in moss that is just on the side of the road. There is a walking path that takes you around its edge.

Crater, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Crater
Crater, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Crater

 

We stopped in the seaside village of Borgarbyggð for supplies (you’ll find Bonus and Netto supermarkets here) and to stretch our legs. We then continued along route 1 which eventually took us to the 5,770m long Hvalfjörður Tunnel, most of which is beneath the seabed. The lowest point of the tunnel is 165 m below sea level. If you want to avoid the toll, or the idea of driving through an underwater tunnel is too much for you, you can avoid it by driving the longer route around the 47 or 52.

After the tunnel, our journey along route 1 ended as we turned off onto route 36 to drive Iceland’s famous Golden Circle. We drove past Skálafell ski field and into Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park, a beautiful spot with dramatic rocky scenery, lakes and mountain backdrop. We pulled off route 36 to park in the large carpark to explore the area. It is packed with sites including the basalt rock formations of Lögberg, the spectacular waterfall Öxarárfoss, and the pool of water with a dark history, Drekkingarhylur. Called the drowning pool, Drekkingarhylur was used to drown women as a form of death sentence for love affairs. The last woman was drowned in the cave in 1749. The men didn’t get off light either, they were usually flogged, hanged and burned.

Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle

Öxarárfoss, Thingvellir National Park, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Öxarárfoss, Thingvellir National Park

Following our afternoon exploring the park, we drove onto our accommodation in Laugavatn, which is near the Laugarvatn Fontana hot spring. However, in the evening we drove to Flúðir to enjoy the Secret Lagoon Hot Spring. During the day it gets very busy with tourist groups, so it is recommended to book in advance online. Apparently, it gets very busy up until about 6pm due to the large tour buses visiting, so the best time to visit is either first thing in the morning, or late in the evening as we did. Check the opening hours before you go, as they do vary depending on the season. As it was open until 10pm, we got there about 7pm for an evening dip. I was really impressed with the facilities as there is even an onsite café where you can buy alcoholic drinks. The hot spring was lovely and got extremely hot in some areas. I don’t have any photos of this sorry, as I was focused on relaxing, but to plan your hot spring svisit, you can read my guide to the best hot springs in Iceland including where to find the best luxury, budget, and free hot springs.

Öxarárfoss, Thingvellir National Park, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Öxarárfoss, Thingvellir National Park

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Day 8: Laugavatn to Reykjavík

This was sadly our final full day in Iceland, as the following day we were due to fly home in the morning. We headed off to visit the great Geysir geothermal area and the famous powerful geyser, Strokkur. Every 8 minutes or so it sprays hot water jets into the air.

Gullfoss, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Gullfoss
Thingvellir National Park, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Thingvellir National Park

A short distance from the geyser area we found Gullfoss, also known as The Golden waterfall. This is one impressive and powerful waterfall. In the afternoon we headed back down to Thingvellir National Park to explore the trails. Some of the paths lead to the historical remains of ancient settlements.

Thingvellir National Park, Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle
Thingvellir National Park

Self Drive Iceland Itinerary: Driving the Ring Road and Golden Circle

In the evening we returned to Reykjavík for the night. Our final meal was at Icelandic Fish and Chips. The fish and chips here were not only delicious, but they were also reasonably priced for Iceland.

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Day 9: Fly home

I was particularly sad to be leaving Iceland, as we had had such an amazing time. There is so much to see and do on this small island, that I feel that we could of easily spent another few weeks exploring. As I write this post, I’m remembering how nice it was to soak in the hot springs. In the meantime, I’ll be looking out for an opportunity to return in the future.


Practical Tips for for Visiting Iceland

  • Planning your route: Please note that parts of the Ring Road can sometimes close due to weather and flooding, so do check the Iceland Road website road.is before heading out. Most of the Ring Road route 1 is sealed, but there are some small parts that aren’t. Also, some of the detours you may wish to take will be on unsealed roads. Don’t panic, we managed OK in our hire car, although, being at the end of the tourist summer season, some parts of the roads were very rough, so we just took those parts slowly. Growing up in New Zealand, we used to driving gravel roads, however, others of you may not be as confident. But that’s OK because the roads in these areas are really quiet, so you can just take your time and pull over to let locals past you.
  • F Road Warning: Don’t drive on F roads unless you have a 4WD and actually know how to drive it off road. Also, be aware that most car hire companies won’t insure you if you drive on them, so check before heading out.
  • Driving: You need to leave your headlights on at all times whilst driving.
  • Hiring a vehicle: During the cold months, hire cars are fitted with snow tyres. When you arrive to collect your hire car, you will be pressured into taking out sand and ash damage insurance cover. That’s because severe winds, mostly on the south shore, can cause damage to vehicles. This is something that you will just need to make a personal decision on. Maybe consider checking the weather forecast when you arrive to help you make a decision.
  • Signage: The sights, including all of the falls, are quite well signposted and have well maintained car parks at them.
  • Accommodation: Shared bathrooms is very common in accommodation in Iceland. However, new hotels are being built due to the tourism boom, so there are more hotels with private ensuites becoming available.
  • Buying alcohol in Iceland: Alcohol is really expensive in Iceland. Alcohol which is stronger than 2.25% isn’t sold in the grocery stores, you can only buy it in the state-owned liquor stores named Vínbúdin which have limited opening hours.
  • Language: Icelandic. Although most people we came across spoke some English, do try your hand at a few Swedish words: ‘Foss’ means waterfall, so every time you see a sign with ‘foss’ at the end of it, it’s a waterfall.
    Yes = Já (yaw)
    No = Nei (nay)
    Please = Vinsamlegas (vin-saam-leh-gast)
    Thank you = Takk (tak)
    Hello = Halló (Hah-loh)
  • Currency: Icelandic króna
  • Tipping: Not required, but people usually round up.
  • Electricity: The electrical current is 220 volts, 50 Hz. Wall outlets generally take the European two round prong plugs. However, you are better off purchasing a worldwide adaptor that can be used in Iceland as well other countries. At least then you can potentially get some further use out of it on future vacations. If you’re taking a number of electronics with you, then I would recommend purchasing a couple of these adaptors.
  • Navigating: We used Google’s free Offline Maps. Google Offline Maps allows you to access free maps for navigating that can be used offline i.e. you don’t need WIFI, data, or roaming to be able to use them. Follow this detailed guide on how to use Googles Offline Maps. Even if you have a data plan in Iceland, DON’T rely on being able to access the mobile networks to access Google online maps. Make sure you download a map to use when you find yourself without internet.
    • Using your phone as a GPS will drain your battery quickly, so use a portable battery charger which you can use to charge your phone and any other USB chargeable devices.
    • If you prefer a paper map, then purchase a Iceland road map before you go. At least it’s reliable and won’t run out of battery or malfunction like the electronic options!
  • Fuel: Fuel is expensive in Iceland. If you are driving out of the less populated areas, then make sure you plan your fuel stops accordingly, there may be quite a distance between petrol stations. Most fuel stations are unmanned, so you will need an international debit or credit card with a PIN.
  • Wondering what to pack? This is a list of essential items that I packed for my trip to Iceland.

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