Route 1, with its nearly 800 miles of well-maintained tarmac road, circles Iceland, making road trips a stress-free experience. With road trips, you can set your own timetable and choose your own route, following whatever catches your interest. Iceland is a fascinating country where rolling mountains, smoking volcanoes, lava fields, glaciers, glacial lakes, and even spouting geysers all provide photo-opportunities.
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Road Trips in Iceland: Top Holiday Lettings
An Itinerary for the Perfect Road Trip in Iceland
There are two ways to plan road trips in Iceland. One way is to plan a route that takes you right around the country over five to seven days, stopping off somewhere different each night. Alternatively, take different road trips, each day or more days in length. To whet your appetite here are our top three road trip suggestions.
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1. The Golden Circle and the Blue Lagoon
Spread this road trip over two days for time to really immerse yourself into the landscape. Start at Strokkur, Iceland's most active geyser. Wait patiently for seven minutes or so as the ground bubbles, and then hot water shoots metres into the air! From Geysir, head to the rainbow-covered Gullfoss Waterfall, where you can really see the power of water as it cuts through the landscape. The Thingvellir National Park is an atmospheric landscape of lakes and mist. This rugged area was the site of the world's first parliament. Finish your road trip with a reviving visit to the Blue Lagoon, immersing yourself in the hot geothermal waters that really are blue.
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2. The Highlands of Northern Iceland
This road trip should be taken in the summer months only. Driving through the highlands of Iceland you'll pass black deserts of gravel and lava with the awe-inspiring glaciers of Hofsjökull and Langjökull looming over you. Take a dip in the Hveravellir geothermal area (checking the water temperature first!) before continuing to the largest town in the northwest, Blönduós. The next stop is Akureyri, where you are almost guaranteed to spot whales and dolphins when taking a boat trip along the fjord. Continue your road trip, taking in the basalt columns at Skagafjörður, before finishing at the charming herring fishing town of Siglufjörður.
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3. A dip into the East Fjords
A trip to this remote and little-visited part of Iceland also has to be made in the summer. It's a region of sleepy villages, clear lakes, and an abundance of wildlife from whales to puffins, seals to seabirds. Travel through the tiny village of Djúpivogur with its strange egg-shaped sculptures, and head to Iceland's largest forest, Hallormsstaðaskógur: perfect for stretching your legs with some long hikes. Finish the road trip with some time in the beautiful village of Seydisfjörður. Visit in July to catch the lively Lung-A Festival of music and art.