Road Trip of a Lifetime: Driving Itinerary Through Iceland

In the morning, the aroma of coffee wafts through the heart of Reykjavik from the chic cafes and quiet restaurants. Arctic terns, swans, and geese glide over the waters of Tjornin Lake, which brushes against the edges of the Old Reykjavik. The sunlight will wash over the colorful facades of the surrounding buildings, and your guide will greet you at your hotel for an introductory tour of Nordic culture and the beauty of Iceland’s capital city.

The Hallgrimskirkja Church soars over the streets and dominates the city skyline. The main tower reaches a height of 245 feet and glistens white as if covered with snow. The interior contains a pipe organ with nearly 5,300 pipes, and outside, you will find a statue of Leif Eriksson that adorns the plateau before the main entrance. The stoic, regal sculpture was a gift to Iceland from the USA on the 1,000th anniversary of the formation of the world’s first known parliament, which started in the 10th century. You follow your guide to the National Museum for a timeline of the history of Iceland.

At breakfast, you will find the aromas of cappuccino and buttery pastries with berries drifting through the doors of a nearby cafe. After indulging, you will pick up your rental car and set out along the Ring Road, a single highway that circles the island. You will first travel south to make your way towards the beautiful basalt columns and black beaches of Vik. On your way to Vik, you will stop first at Seljalandsfoss Waterfall as the mist rises from the splashing pool below and creates a rainbow that will stretch over the cliff. The cascade tumbles nearly 200 feet along a precipice once a part of the coastline.

You will make your way carefully alongside the waterfall to find a cavern at the back that offers a unique view of the landscape through the veil of water and mist. The flapping sounds of the falls echoes against the mossy walls of the cave as the remarkably flat plain leading to the sea captures your attention. You will continue on the road to the thunderous, powerful falls of Skafoss. The dramatic rushing water contrasts with the elegance of Seljalandsfoss. You will then take some time to settle into the pristine beauty and rugged charm of Iceland’s landscape at Dyrholaey, a promontory that reaches out into the sea. Wind and water broke through the cliff to create a large archway within the outcrop that reaches a height of nearly 400 feet above sea level. Finally, you will end the day’s drive in Vik, where you check into your hotel and the rest of the dat is at your leisure.

The morning breeze will carry the aroma of the sea as the sunlight glints off of the shimmering black pebbles of the basalt beaches. After an early breakfast, you will set out in the car and venture to the extraordinary landscape around Landmannalaugar. The highlands will glisten with vibrant colors created by centuries of volcanic activity that have shaped the rhyolite landscape. You can walk along the wildflower to discover the geothermal baths in view of the stunning colorful waves along Mount Brennisteinsalda. Blue, red, green, yellow, and orange resemble the strokes of pastel artwork more than the soil along the foothills.

As you are ready, you can leave Landmannalaugar behind for the marvels of Skaftafell Glacier. The body of ice stretches within the more than 1,850 square miles of the nature reserve as the low-grass plain leads to the rugged edges of the mountains that frame the pristine ice cap. Your guide will escort you to the upper regions of the glacier and help you to strap on your crampons. You will feel as though you have stepped onto a snow-covered planet, far away from the verdant grasses and colorful mountains you viewed earlier. You can hear the glacier crunch beneath your feet as you walk as from afar, the ice looks smooth on the surface but up close, you can see the crevices and cracks across the glacier that lead to a gorgeous pond hidden on the ice and glowing turquoise.

In the morning, you will set out with your guide to cruise along Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon, located along the edge of Vatnajokull National Park. The cobalt water reflects the shores and contains many pockets of icebergs. You will board a zodiac boat and begin your exploration along the nearly seven square miles of water. The cold wind will bite at your cheeks as you pass icebergs that radiate a milky blue. Arctic terns soar overhead in search of herring and salmon as water splashes into the air from the hull of the boat and lands on your cheek in small flecks.

You will get close enough to an iceberg for your guide to chip away a small piece on the surface and offer it to you. The pure water is cold and refreshing, as well as almost 1,000 years old. After the tour, you will return to your car and follow the road east towards Egilsstadir. Stop in the town of Djupivogur to view the trading traditions that date back to the late 16th century. Fishing boats wade in the marina with their masts swaying like pendulums.

The scent of the sea will sweep through the streets and over the 34 egg statues that line the promenade. The oldest home in town was erected in the late 18th century in view of the soaring peak of Bulandstindur, which reaches a height of 3,500 feet above sea level. You can stop along the mile-long trail that leads to Hengifoss, to reach a panoramic view of the more than 380-foot tall waterfall framed by the steep, wide cliffs.

The rental car and the roads of Iceland offer you the freedom to explore and stop at your preferred pace, lingering longer along the landscape that enchants you and passing the open plains at a desirable speed. After breakfast, a guide will escort you on a 4x4 jeep to Oskjuvatn, a large crater located inside the Askja caldera. A volcanic eruption in the late 19th century caused the Iceland’s second deepest lake to form within the crater when the groundwater bubbled up to fill the 720-foot depression.

The water glows turquoise against the rustic red banks, and you can continue through the highlands of Herdubreidarlindir to discover the thermal spring oases. Green moss and thick grass spread across the nature reserve as robust flowers blossom with pink and purple petals. The natural springs bubble at the foot of the highlands and offer magnificent views and natural, soothing warm water. The thermal activity beneath the landscape heats the cloudy pools bordered by the lush, soft moss and bordered by the mountaintops in the distance.

The beauty of the Myvatn region contains a contrast of beauty and desolation, stunning avifauna, and puffing fumaroles. Mud pool gurgle and burst and lava formations rise out of the black soil-like statues. After breakfast, you will set out to the region with the car to discover the renowned and enchanting character of the landscape for yourself, beginning at Dimmuborgir. The lava field was formed more than 2,000 years ago when pools of magma cooled from the marshland. The lava formed captivating pillars that feel like images from a fairytale. The trail winds around the black, rugged formations lead you to structures formed by a collapsed lava tube.

Scattered caves open the hills, and the columns demand your attention through their unique skyline. The light pierces the cave from the opposite side, and you can walk through the lava formation of the church to find a high-dome like a roof towering above you.  You can follow the path to the geothermal spring of Grjotagja as the indigo blue water reflects the rocks that arch over the pool. At the Skutustadir Pseudo Craters, you will find phenomena once more formed by the lava flow. The steam added pressure to the drying magma and shaped the unique rootles crevices that look like craters. You can walk around the rims of the risen formations to look inside the sunken landscape.

After breakfast, you will board a boat and set out into the Atlantic in search of humpback, minke, and blue whales. Your captain will point to a large fin stretching out of the water, and you will barely have time to see the tip of the fin before it disappears. The tail of a humpback breaks the surface water and slaps down near the boat, spraying thin specks of water onto your cheeks. Enjoy a heartwarming lunch and then make your way through Jokulsargljufur National Park to explore the landscape that was shaped by volcanic activity more than eight millennia ago. The eruption caused glacial ice to melt, sparking floods across the valley and foothills while leaving special coloration along the walls of Asbyrgi Canyon. You will find the aroma of pine drifting through the air as the steep cliffs reach heights of more than 300 feet tall. Fir and pine brush against the base of the precipices and wrap around the reflective waters of Botnstjorn Lake. Your drive will take you to the edges of Dettifoss waterfall, and you will hear the thunderous crash of the cascade before you see the water.

The falls trundle nearly 150 feet into the river below and bring a mist that rises above the bluffs. Dettifoss surges with the largest volume of water flow in Iceland, averaging more than 6,800 cubic feet per second. The crater plugs at Hljodaklettar and adds to the layers of Iceland’s dramatic and unique natural rock formations. The basalt columns swirl and spiral out of the mounds along the walkway while the pillars lead to the rocks that are shaped like rosettes and honeycombs. The rugged promontories rise from the hills to create pockets of hidden caves that will cause your footsteps to echo. You will find the lingering sounds of a rushing river in the air bouncing off of the cave walls around you.

The pastel facades on the homes of Husavik shine against the morning light as the fishing boats return to the harbor after an early morning in search of Atlantic salmon and sea trout. The sunlight glints off of the snow-capped peaks that roll across the bay. The aroma of strong, fresh coffee drifts out of a small café near the harbor while outside of town, Icelandic horses graze on the sweeping plains.

Set out on your drive to Hvítserkur where you will embark on a spectacular bird watching tour. Your guide will point out several species of indigenous birds. After, you will make your way to your hotel to enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure.

In the morning, the scent of fresh water fades beneath the luscious aroma of fresh coffee that fills the dining room. When you are ready, you will make your way towards the Snaefellsjokull Peninsula. The national park encompasses the western edges, rugged slopes, and shimmering tundra of Snaefellsjokull glacier. Lava tubes run beneath the countryside and moss grows over the mounds of historic lava fields.

The ice caps that glint in the sunlight overtakes the peak of the stratovolcano at an elevation of nearly 4,750 feet. For a relaxing and unforgettable discovery of the park, you will meet your guide at the stables in Ishestar before setting out onto the trails on horseback. Your horse will gently stroll along the golden sands at the edge of the peninsula and leave hoof prints beside the water. You can splash in the gentle waves of the Atlantic Ocean at low tide in view of the opulent icecaps in the distance.

The sunlight will wash over the farmsteads at Reykholt that give insight into the sagas of Snorri Sturluson in the Museum of Snorrastofa. The medieval study center celebrates Iceland’s famous poet and historian within the confines of his 12th-century farm. Exhibits showcase the sagas of Norse Kings and medieval literature. When you are ready, you can then venture past Hraunfossar Falls and find the marvels at Thingvellir National Park. This important Viking historical site also features captivating landscape, including the point at which the tectonic plates of Europe and the Americas converge. Upon reaching the site, you will find the Althingi along the boardwalk, where the world’s first documented parliament met.

The speaker would stand along the boulder known as Law Rock to recite the existing rules and regulations of Iceland. After the island converted to Christianity, the assembly would meet at the base of the cliffs that allow the speaker’s voice to reverberate off of the surrounding walls for all in attendance to hear. Walk along the dramatic fissures that break open the prairie to discover the heart of the continental drift. The Oxara River cuts across the edges of the western plate and leads to the Chasm of Coins, named for the glint of the sunlight off of the coins people have thrown into the crystal clear pool.

The streets of Reykjavik will feel like a metropolis after your time spent exploring the unfettered countryside and the small towns throughout Iceland. The morning air always erupts with the enticing aroma of frothy cappuccino as it drifts out the cafes with windows overflowing with displays of decadent chocolate cake and creamy cheesecake. The Settlement Museum opens its doors to visitors eager to see uncovered remains of a Viking Longhouse, one of the oldest homes discovered within the borders of Reykjavik. Wind your way through early life in Iceland, dating back to the 10th century as a panorama offers a wraparound display of life in the longhouse, along with interactive multimedia exhibits explaining the excavation process. Iron axes represent the strength of warriors, and a spindle whorl contains ancient runes. When you are ready, you will make your way to Keflavik Airport to return your car rental and check in for your flight home.