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Iceland itineraries: 5, 7 and 10 days by car

Kirkjufell mountain and Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall on the Snæfellsnes peninsula, Iceland, with a rainbow
Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellsfoss, Snæfellsnes peninsula. Photo: Jakub Hałun, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).

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Three plans, from short to full loop. They describe sensible daily stages, not exact drive times. Visit Iceland's rule of thumb: plan in hours and always add an hour [1]. Check road and weather each morning (links in the box below).

Before you pick a plan

  • Season matters. From September to May, the Ring Road's mountain passes in the north and east can close [2]. The 5 and 7-day plans stay in the south, which avoids those passes.
  • Arriving on an overnight flight? The Icelandic Transport Authority's material for rental drivers points to rest options before you drive, such as "Nap and Go" [3]. Consider making day 1 a Reykjavík day.
  • Sleeping: campervans and cars may only be used overnight at campsites, unless the landowner allows otherwise [4].

5 days: Golden Circle and South Coast to Vík

Base: Reykjavík, then one or two nights in the south. No highland or mountain-pass driving. Works all year if you keep day 4 flexible.

  1. Arrive, Reykjavík Pick up the car, or take the airport bus and collect a car the next morning (see airport bus fares). Evening at a public swimming pool.
  2. Golden Circle Þingvellir, Geysir/Strokkur and Gullfoss, a loop of approx. 250 km from Reykjavík [5]. Sleep in the south (e.g. around Selfoss or Hella) to shorten day 3. Guide.
  3. Waterfalls and black sand Seljalandsfoss and Gljúfrabúi, Skógafoss, then Reynisfjara (obey the warning lights) and Vík [6]. Guide.
  4. Back west Drive back towards Reykjavík with any stops you skipped. In winter, this is your buffer day.
  5. Reykjavík and departure Leave time for the drive to Keflavík Airport and returning the car.

7 days: South Coast to Jökulsárlón and back

Our pick for a first week: more time at fewer places, and no northern passes. If you would rather drive the full Ring Road in a week, Visit Iceland names 7 days as the minimum [2]; expect long driving days.

  1. Arrive, Reykjavík Rest, short city walk, pool.
  2. Golden Circle Approx. 250 km loop [5]; sleep in the south.
  3. Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Vík Reynisfjara only from a safe distance: at orange lights, stay at least 25 m from the sea [6].
  4. Vík to Skaftafell Hike in Skaftafell (Vatnajökull National Park). Regional parking fee applies [7].
  5. Jökulsárlón and Fjallsárlón Glacier lagoons, optional boat tour [8]. Same-day second fee area is half price [7]. Start heading back west.
  6. Back towards Reykjavík A long driving day; break it with stops you missed on the way out.
  7. Departure Return the car and fly out.
Icebergs in Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, Iceland
Icebergs in Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. Photo: Jakub Hałun, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).

10 days: the full Ring Road

Counterclockwise, starting with the South Coast. Best from late spring to early autumn. Between September and May, keep at least one spare day for pass closures on Holtavörðuheiði, Öxnadalsheiði or Möðrudalsöræfi [2]. The Ring Road is 1,309.70 km [9], before detours.

  1. Arrive, Reykjavík Rest after the flight.
  2. Golden Circle Loop of approx. 250 km [5], then on to the south.
  3. South Coast waterfalls to Vík Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Reynisfjara (warning lights) [6].
  4. Vík to Skaftafell Hike, overnight nearby. Book this stretch early in summer [2].
  5. Jökulsárlón to Höfn Lagoons, then Höfn on the new Hornafjörður section of Route 1 [10].
  6. East Fjords to Egilsstaðir In summer, the Öxi gravel road (939) is a shortcut that saves 68 km; check its status first [2].
  7. Egilsstaðir to Mývatn Across Möðrudalsöræfi; side trip to Dettifoss on a side road.
  8. Mývatn to Akureyri Lava fields and geothermal areas, then Akureyri.
  9. Akureyri to Reykjavík A long day: over Öxnadalsheiði and Holtavörðuheiði. Break it in Borgarnes if you need to.
  10. Departure Return the car, fly out.

Want Snæfellsnes too? It is reached by a branch road from the west [11]; add one or two days between day 9 and day 10.

Make it yours

FAQ

Can I drive the whole Ring Road in 7 days?

Visit Iceland gives 7 days as the minimum for the Ring Road, so it is possible but leaves little slack for weather. With 7 days, many travellers prefer the Golden Circle plus the South Coast. [2]

Do these itineraries work in winter?

The routes are year-round, but in winter keep spare time: mountain passes on the Ring Road can close from September to May, and Visit Iceland advises flexibility. [2] [1]

Sources

  1. 5 golden rules for planning a trip to Iceland
    Visit Iceland · accessed 2026-10-24
  2. The Ring Road – Route Number One
    Visit Iceland · accessed 2026-10-24
  3. Educational material for car rental, for foreign drivers
    Icelandic Transport Authority (Samgöngustofa) via Ísland.is · accessed 2026-10-24
  4. Where can you camp?
    Environment Agency of Iceland (Umhverfisstofnun) · accessed 2026-10-24
  5. What is the Golden Circle?
    Visit Iceland (Icelandic Tourist Board / Business Iceland) · accessed 2026-10-24
  6. Black Beach Safety (Reynisfjara)
    Safetravel / ICE-SAR · accessed 2026-10-24
  7. Pricelist
    Vatnajökull National Park · accessed 2026-10-24
  8. The South coast
    Visit Iceland · accessed 2026-10-24
  9. Vegir (roads): road categories, Ring Road length, F-road types
    Vegagerðin (Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration) · in Icelandic · accessed 2026-10-24
  10. Nýr Hringvegur (1) um Hornafjörð opnaður 24. júní
    Vegagerðin · in Icelandic · accessed 2026-10-24
  11. The Ring Road
    Vegagerðin · accessed 2026-10-24
  12. Umferdin.is: road conditions map (road.is redirects here)
    Vegagerðin · accessed 2026-10-24
  13. Opening of mountain roads
    Vegagerðin · accessed 2026-10-24
  14. Icelandic Met Office (Veðurstofa Íslands), English site
    Icelandic Met Office (IMO) · accessed 2026-10-24
  15. Travel conditions (alerts)
    Safetravel / ICE-SAR · accessed 2026-10-24
  16. Travel plans
    Safetravel / ICE-SAR · accessed 2026-10-24
  17. 112 – When in need of assistance
    Neyðarlínan (112 Iceland) · accessed 2026-10-24