Self-Drive – Iceland Complete Itinerary

Arrival at Keflavík Airport. Pick-up of rented vehicle and drive to Reykjavík for your first night’s stay in Iceland. Depending on your arrival time, we recommend that you make a stop at the famous Blue Lagoon on the way and have a swim in the geothermal warm water.

Highlights:
Hraunfossar Waterfalls
Reykholt
Deildartunguhver
Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Snæfellsjokull National Park
Búdir
Arnastapi
Hellnar

Today you will be discovering an interesting area, rich with cultural and historical heritage. In Borgarfjörður you must visit the splendid waterfalls of Hraunfossar, where the water flows out from beneath a lava field into the river below, Reykholt, where the 13th century author Snorri Sturluson lived, and Deildartunguhver, Iceland’s largest hot spring (in terms of water production per second). Heading to Snaefellsnes peninsula you should visit the beautiful places all around the peninsula; for example, Búðir, Arnarstapi and Hellnar on the way to your accommodation in the Snæfellsnes area.

Highlights:
Breiðafjördur Bay
West Fjords
Látrabjarg Cliffs
Patreksfjördur

From Stykkishólmur you take the car-ferry Baldur across the scenic Breidafjörður bay to the West Fjords. Today you start your visit of some of the most secluded places in Iceland, where steep mountains and deep fjords are predominant. Visit Látrabjarg, a huge bird cliff and on the way back you can stop at the folk museum of Hnjótur. Carry on along the fjords passing white sandy beaches and bizarre cliffs heading to your accommodation near Patreksfjörður.

Highlights:
The West Fjords
Dynjandi Waterfall
Ósvör museum
Isafjordur

Today you continue up north along the West Fjords, one of the most remote regions of Iceland. The landscape is breathtaking as you cross mountains and heaths and drive along the dramatic fjords at the foot of steep cliffs. Dynjandi is a beautiful waterfall that lies in the northern arm of the fjord Arnarfjörður. You continue toward the north until you reach the village Flateyri and from there you drive on to reach your accommodation near the Isafjordur town.

Highlights:
The West Fjords
Vigur Island
Hólmavík
Hrútafjördur

From Isafjordur you continue your journey of the West fjords. You drive along the numerous small fjords of Ísafjarðardjúp passing the Vigur Island on the way. After Steingrímsfjarðarheiði heath you reach the Northwest region. You arrive in the village of Hólmavík where you can visit an interesting museum dedicated to the ancient Icelandic magic. Continue along the Hrútafjörður fjord until you arrive at your accommodation in the region.

Highlights:
Skagafjördur
Vídimýri Church
Varmahlíd Glaumbaer museum
Eyjafjördur Fjord
Akureyri

You continue your journey along Húnaflói and Skagafjörður region which is known for horse breeding and many Icelandic horses can be seen grazing in the fields of the Skagafjörður valley. Just before arriving at the village of Varmahlíð you can make a stop at Víðimýri church, a small traditional turf church. Then, you can make your way just north of Varmahlíð to visit the Glaumbær museum, which is one of the best-preserved turf farmhouses in Iceland. Heading towards Eyjafjörður fjord, the road takes you through the deep valleys of Northern Iceland before you arrive in Akureyri´s area for your night’s stay.

Highlights:
Akureyri
Mývatn Lake
Goðafoss Waterfall
Skútustadir
Lava formations of Dimmuborgir

Heading to Mývatn from Akureyri you stop at Goðafoss, the waterfall of the pagan gods, a place which is closely connected with one of the most important events in Icelandic history, the conversion to Christianity from heathendom in the year 1000. The rest of the day is dedicated to the marvels of Lake Mývatn Nature Reserve. One of its main attractions is Námaskarð geothermal area where you will find bubbling mud pools and hissing steam vents. You must not miss the Krafla area with the crater Víti and Later on we take a walk through the Dimmuborgir Lava Labyrinth.

Highlights:
Husavik
Tjörnes Peninsula
Ásbyrgi
Dettifoss Waterfall
Egilsstadir

You drive around the attractive stretch of the coastline of Tjörnes peninsula until you arrive at Ásbyrgi, a horse-shoe-shaped gorge reputed to be the hoof print of Odin’s eight-legged horse Sleipnir. Take a short walk in the canyon before heading to your next stop: the mighty Dettifoss, Iceland’s and Europe’s most powerful waterfall, which thunders 44 meters into a deep gorge. Continue your trip through the desert highlands of Möðrudalsöræfi to the village of Egilsstaðir, located in the centre of East Iceland, on the banks of Lake Lögurinn.

Highlights:
The East Fjords
Petra’s stone collection
Djúpivogur
Almannaskard
Höfn

From Egilsstaðir you drive south through the sheltered East Fjords and their small fishing villages and pass through the villages of Reyðarfjörður, Fáskrúðsfjörður, Stöðvarfjörður and Djúpivogur. In Stöðvarfjörður you can visit the stone and mineral collection of Petra, a lady from the region whose name predestined her to devote her life to the collection of beautiful stones and minerals. Further away you discover Hvalnes, the “Cape of the Whales”, and the never-ending stretches of beaches in Lónsvík.

Highlights:
Vatnajokull Glacier
Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon
Skaftafell National Park
Svartifoss Waterfall
Kirkjubaejarklaustur
Eldhraun lava field
Vík

After passing various outlet glaciers of Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest ice cap, you will arrive at the glacial lagoon, Jokulsarlon. This is an exceptional sight at the foot of Iceland’s highest mountain, Hvannadalshnúkur. You can walk along the banks of the lagoon or take a 30-40 min boat trip to admire the fantastically-shaped icebergs. Skaftafell National Park is another area worthy of your attention. This oasis surrounded by glaciers and black sand plains has many hiking possibilities. Continue through Kirkjubaejarklaustur village, the Eldhraun lava field and the Mýrdalssandur plain before you arrive in the Vík area for your night’s accommodation.

Highlights
Reynisfjara black sand beach
Dyrhólaey
Skógar museum
Skógarfoss Waterfall
Seljalandsfoss Waterfall

Today you can start by looking at the black sand Reynisfjara beach, famous for the Reynisdrangar rock stacks that rise from the sea and its basalt columns. You might like to make a stop at Dyrhólaey cape which is the southernmost point of Iceland. A small road takes you to the top of this 120 m high sea cliff where you often can see many puffins. (Please note that Dyrhólaey is closed during nesting season from May 15 til June 23 and from mid-August the puffins will have gone to sea!). Continuing westbound you arrive at Skógar and pass Skógafoss waterfall, one of the highest in Iceland. As you continue towards Selfoss you pass Seljalandsfoss waterfall, and you can actually walk behind it.

Highlights:
Golden Circle
Geysir hot spring
Gullfoss Waterfall
Thingvellir National Park

Now it is time to visit some of the most interesting and famous areas of Iceland. You drive through the village of Flúðir to reach the famous geothermal area of Geysir where the Strokkur hot spring ejects its water column high into the air every 5 – 10 minutes and where numerous small springs boil and bubble. Close by is Gullfoss, surely the country’s most famous waterfall. Continuing towards Thingvellir (Þingvellir) consider one of the geological wonders of the world where you can see the effects of the tectonic plate movements which have opened various cracks and fissures in the earth’s crust. It was here that the Icelandic Parliament was founded in the 10th century. Continue to Reykjavík for your overnight stay.

Drive back to Keflavík airport for your flight back home.