Iceland: Around The Ring Road

When planning a route around Iceland there are a lot of variations that you can select based on how much time you have.  There appears to a general consensus around the route in southern part of the island.  However in other parts of Iceland it seems like everyone takes a different route.  This was the route we finally settled on :

It starts with a day on the “Golden Circle”, a loop that begins and ends in Reykjavik.  After that it mostly follows the Ring Road with a few side trips off and back on, including out to the end of the Snaefell Peninsula.  The goal was to fit in as much as we could in two weeks while limiting daily driving time to around four hours or less.  The route worked out great, and the trip was amazing.   Here is a breakdown of each days activities:

Day 1 – Keflavik to Reykjavik

  • Blue Lagoon

Day 2 – The Golden Circle

  • Thingvellir
  • Efstidalur 2
  • Geysir
  • Gullfoss
  • Kerið

Day 3 – Reykjavik to Vik

  • Urriðafoss
  • Keldur Turf House
  • Seljalandsfoss
  • Gljúfrabúi
  • Skógafoss
  • Sólheimajökull
  • Reynisfjara Beach

Day 4 – Vik to Höfn

  • Fjaðrárgljúfur
  • Svartifoss
  • Diamond Beach
  • Jökulsárlón

Day 5 – Höfn to Seydisfjordur

  • Eggin í Gleðivík
  • Petra’s Stone Collection
  • Gufufoss
  • East Fjords

Day 6 – Seydisfjordur to Lake Myvatn

  • Dettifoss
  • Hverir
  • Myvatn Nature Baths

Day 7 – Around Lake Myvatn

  • Grjótagjá Cave
  • Dimmuborgir
  • Hofdi
  • Skútustaðagígar
  • Goðafoss

Day 8 – Lake Myvatn to Akureyi

  • Húsavík
  • Whale Watching
  • Akureyi

Day 9 – Akureyi to Sauðárkrókur

  • Akureyi Downtown
  • Sundlaug Akureyrar
  • Glaumbær

Day 10 – Sauðárkrókur to Grundarfjörður

  • Kolugljúfur
  • Eiriksstadir
  • Kirkjufell

Day 11 – Grundarfjörður to Reykjavik

  • Snæfellsnes
  • Snæfellsjökull
  • Vatnshellir

Day 12 – 14 Reykjavik Sights

  • Harpa Opera House
  • The Sun Voyager
  • Hallsgrimkirkja
  • Perlan
  • Laugavegur
  • Saga Museum