The Express Iceland Road Trip: Around Iceland in 7 Days
Want to get an express but detailed look at all of Iceland? Take the Express Iceland road trip and see the best of the land.
Iceland is a place made for road trips, thanks in part to the Ring Road 1, which runs along the Icelandic circle. This road makes it easy for anyone to drive all around Iceland and see everything there is to see. These trips usually take up to – or even longer than – 2 weeks, but there are many shorter routes that you can finish in a week, as long as you stick to the more popular attractions. The Express Iceland road trip is an example of the latter. This trip will take approximately 7 days but will bring you around the whole land.
Reykjavik
The road trip will follow the wonderfully scenic Ring Road. The best place to start is Reykjavik, where you will find many rental car suppliers such as Hertz and Avis that we can supply you with. It would be a good idea to rest for a night when you get to the city and head out the next day; this way, you can also see the city during the day and the Northern Lights at night. There are also many museums, shops, and cafes that beckon to the excited traveler there.
The Golden Circle
On the second day of the trip, you will follow the classic route around the Golden Circle. This route has most of Iceland’s top attractions, such as the Pingvellir National park, the Gulfoss waterfall, the old Kerio implosion crater, and the Haukadalur geothermal hot springs. Before you spend the night in the Vik area, make two additional stops along the south coast to see the Seljalandsfoss waterfall and the Skogafoss waterfall.
Vik
On the third day of the trip, you will be treated to some icebergs and glaciers. First, start out from Vik and stop at the black volcanic beach near the town. From there, you will also see the Dyrholaey and Reynisdrangar rock formations, the expansive Vatnajokull National Park, and finally the Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon. Boat rides are allowed and are quite exhilarating as you ride alongside the floating icebergs.
East Iceland
On the fourth day, you will traverse along East Iceland, which is composed mainly of rolling landscapes and interesting fjords. This drive is a bit more scenic and relaxing; in fact, you’ll even be acquainted with some sleepy fishing villages along the way.
On the same day, you will arrive at the Lake Myvatn, one of the most unusual natural wonders in Iceland. Driving on, you will also see the Krafla volcano, the Namaskaro pass, the Skutustaoir pseudo-craters, and the lava formations at Dimmuborgir. Day 4 is hands down the most interesting day in this trip.
Akureyri
From Lake Myvatn, you can drive towards Akureyri, dubbed as the capital of North Iceland. It is also best known as being the original settlement of the Norse Viking Helgi magri Eyvindarson. If you have time, stop in Akureyri and check out its myriads of museums and botanical gardens. The most notable attractions, however, are the Flugsafn Islands or Aviation Museum and the motorcycle museum.
From here, you will have a scenic drive going to Reykjavik; it’s a short trip that will take you less than a day, but it is full of wonderful sights and attractions. Along the way, you will see the Gooafoss waterfall, the Borgarnes Icelandic Settlement Centre, the Hraunfossar waterfalls, the Barnafoss waterfalls, the Deildartunguhver hot spring (the largest in Europe), and the Snorrastofa medieval research institution at Reykholt.
The road between Akureyri and Reykjavik are mostly paved and easy to drive, and service areas are scattered throughout. The trip usually takes five hours and offers a lot of wonderful scenery as you drive along the western coast. Most travelers admit to making several stops, which can lengthen the drive.
Back to Reykjavik
When you’re back at Reykjavik, you can return your rental car and easily board a plane to your next destination. The Keflavik Airport is a bus ride away from Reykjavik.
