Epic Camping Self-Drive Around Iceland Ring Road - 10 Days

On a camping trip around Iceland, you’ll have your own rental car and camping gear. Simply follow the detailed itinerary provided, adding in a few extra stops if you like.

You’ll spend the first night of your trip at a hotel in Reykjavík. The next morning you’ll enjoy an included breakfast before heading into the countryside for your camping adventure.

Each night, you’ll pitch your tent at a campsite and settle in for a sleep under the summer skies. Lots of campsites have facilities like toilets, showers, communal kitchens, and even Wi-Fi. Some even have extras like on-site hot tubs or laundry facilities.

Booking at least a few weeks before your travel date gives us enough time to confirm your preferred accommodation and finalize your itinerary. We are unable to accept bookings with less than one week’s notice.

For summer travel between June and August, booking several months ahead is strongly recommended. Accommodation in rural areas fills up quickly during peak season, and popular activity add-ons like glacier walks and whale watching can sell out well in advance. Booking early also lets you lock in your preferred car type and accommodation tier before availability narrows.

You only need a 5% deposit to secure your trip, with the balance due closer to your departure date. This low-deposit model means you can confirm your plans early without a large upfront commitment. If your plans change, our cancellation policy offers up to a 95% refund up to five days before arrival, with the retained 5% converted into a long-valid travel credit you can use on a future booking. See our how to book with us page for full details.

Most international driving licenses are accepted in Iceland. You need to be at least 20 years old to rent a standard car, or 23 years old for larger vehicles like 4x4s and vans, and you must have held a valid license for at least one year. You will also need to present a credit card in the main renter’s name when collecting your vehicle.

An International Driving Permit is only required if your license is not in Latin script, for example if it is in Arabic or Chinese characters. If you are unsure whether your license qualifies, our team is happy to advise before you book.

Iceland drives on the right, with speed limits and distances in kilometers. Roundabouts are common, especially around towns, and in rural areas you may encounter single-lane bridges, gravel roads, and sheep on the road. Our detailed itinerary includes route guidance for each day, and the portable Wi-Fi device means you can use live navigation throughout the trip. For a full overview of what to expect behind the wheel, see our guide to driving in Iceland and our page on car rental in Iceland.

Absolutely! You can extend your stay in Iceland with extra days before or after your camping trip. Use these to fit in adventure activities like ice caving, or bus tours to attractions near the city.

If you want to customize the actual itinerary of your camping tour, this is possible for an additional fee.

Optional activities are available to add during the booking process, and you will be shown exactly what is on offer for each day of your trip at checkout. Popular additions include glacier walks, whale watching, ice cave tours, lava cave explorations, horseback riding, and geothermal spa visits.

Adding activities through Iceland Tours at the time of booking means everything is coordinated with your itinerary and accommodation in advance, rather than arranging things independently on arrival. This is particularly worth considering for activities that require guides or have limited availability, since spots can fill up during peak season.

If you would like more activities built directly into the itinerary rather than added as extras, our 10-Day Active Ring Road & Snæfellsnes Self-Drive is structured with more activity inclusions as standard. You can also read more about planning your trip on our Iceland travel guide.

Iceland drives on the right, with steering wheels on the left side of the car. Speed limits are posted in kilometers per hour. The rules of the road broadly follow European conventions, but there are a few things worth knowing before you set off.

Roundabouts are very common throughout Iceland, particularly in and around towns. Traffic already in the roundabout has right of way, and if you are in the inner lane of a multi-lane roundabout, you also have priority over vehicles in the outer lane. In rural areas, you may encounter one-lane bridges, blind hill crests, and gravel roads on some secondary routes.

During summer, sheep roam freely and often wander onto the road, so be prepared to slow down and give way when you encounter them. In East Iceland during winter, you may also encounter reindeer. Your trip comes with a portable Wi-Fi device for navigation, and our detailed itinerary notes specific things to watch for on each leg of the route.

If you are planning a winter trip, our local team monitors road and weather conditions and is reachable 24/7. For a comprehensive overview of driving conditions, road types, and seasonal considerations, see our guide to driving in Iceland.

Once you have paid your deposit, we begin finalizing your accommodation, rental car, and any booked activities. As soon as confirmation is received from all partners, we will email you to let you know your travel documents are ready to access in our booking portal.

We aim to have everything confirmed within a few weeks of receiving your booking. During busy periods this may take a little longer, but you will always receive your complete documents before your departure date. Your documents include your full day-by-day itinerary, accommodation details, rental car pickup information, and contact details for our 24/7 in-Iceland helpline.

If you have questions about your booking at any point before your trip, you can reach our Reykjavík-based team through the contact page. Iceland Tours has been organizing Iceland trips for over 40 years, and our local team is available to help with any questions about your itinerary or preparations.

Your rental car can be collected from the arrivals hall at Keflavík International Airport. Your travel documents will confirm the name of the car rental company and advise you to proceed to their service desk in the arrivals hall. Have your driver’s license and credit card in the main renter’s name ready when you arrive.

Rental car desks at Keflavík operate at different hours depending on the provider. If your flight arrives outside standard desk hours, the rental company will typically have made arrangements given your expected arrival time. Your travel documents will include a contact number if you need assistance on arrival.

Your car comes with unlimited mileage, collision damage waiver, and authorization for a second driver as standard, along with the portable Wi-Fi device included with every trip. If you are planning to spend extra days in Reykjavík before your self-drive begins, you also have the option to collect your car from the city rather than the airport. See question 9 for details.

Yes. If you prefer to pick up your rental car in Reykjavík rather than at Keflíavík Airport, simply let us know in the special requests field during checkout and we will arrange it for you.

This is a practical option if you are arriving early and want to spend time in the city before your self-drive itinerary begins. Reykjavík has a lot worth exploring, from the iconic Hallgrímskirkja church and the waterfront Harpa concert hall to the city’s well-regarded restaurant scene. Our downtown Reykjavík and Reykjavík attraction pages are a useful starting point for planning those extra days.

If you request different pick-up and drop-off locations, for example collecting in the city and returning at the airport or vice versa, a one-way fee of around ISK 7,900 (approximately EUR 60) applies. This is paid directly to the rental company when you collect the car.

To give you freedom to be spontaneous and ability to choose your favorite spots, bookings at campsites are not included with our camping packages. You’ll get info on the best campsites in each area in your travel documents.

If you want to get inspired, check out this guide to camping in Iceland which is packed with recommendations.

Most campsites don’t require advance bookings. Fees are reasonable and comparable to other countries.

Good to know: Although it is possible to wild camp in Iceland, you need the landowner’s permission and camping isn’t allowed in protected natural areas. With that in mind, we strongly recommend using designated campsites.

Although Iceland is located near the Arctic Circle, it’s not too cold to camp in a tent there in the summertime. Winter temperatures and weather conditions mean it’s not a year-round activity though.

The warmest months are June and July, which see temperatures of around 12–15°C (54–59°F). It can be chillier at nighttime, but with a sleeping bag and warm clothes, you’ll stay nice and toasty.

There are no dangerous wild animals, like bears or wolves, to worry about. That said, you should be aware of natural hazards that you might not have experienced before. These include high winds, hot springs, and strong tides.

The safest way to sleep in a tent in Iceland is to stay on designated campsites, and there are plenty of these around the country.

Many campsites in Iceland have toilet and shower facilities, especially the larger ones. In more remote regions or on smaller campsites, there may be no facilities, or toilets only.

There’s no way to get closer to nature than by setting up your tent under the open sky. Travel to Iceland on a camping trip and you could:

• Take a road trip around the entire Ring Road (Route 1)
• See the Strokkur geyser erupt on the Golden Circle route
• Hop between jaw-dropping waterfalls on the south coast
• Witness the forces of nature at work at Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon
• Relax and unwind in hot springs and geothermal spas
• Discover ‘Iceland in Miniature’ on the Snæfellsnes peninsula
• Be charmed by the magic of Lake Mývatn in North Iceland
• Walk along black sand beaches, like the famous Reynisfjara
• Learn all about Viking history at Þingvellir National Park
• Explore Iceland's breathtaking scenery on foot on a day hike

If you’re after even more inspiration, check out this blog on Iceland’s summer must-sees and must-dos.

When you book a camping package with Iceland Tours, there’s no need to bring your own tent, sleeping bags, mattress, or cooking equipment.

To make sure you stay comfortable throughout your trip, here’s a packing list you can follow when you're planning your Iceland trip:

• Warm thermal layers
• Wooly hat and gloves
• Sturdy, waterproof hiking boots
• Extra socks
• Flashlight
• Battery pack to charge your phone
• Washbag
• Sun lotion and midge repellent
• Sunglasses
• Sleeping mask (if you’re sensitive to light)
• Swimming gear, including towel

Carbon offsetting is already included as standard with every Iceland Tours package. We have partnered with an environmental fund in Iceland to cover the carbon footprint of the tour itself, so there is nothing extra you need to do or pay.

Iceland Tours is Travelife-certified, meaning our operations are independently assessed against sustainability standards covering environmental, social, and supply chain criteria. This certification reflects a commitment to responsible travel that goes beyond carbon offsetting, including how we select local accommodation and activity partners.

Carbon offsetting for international flights to and from Iceland is not included in the tour package, but your airline may offer offset options at the time of booking, or you can arrange this through a local or national environmental fund. For more on how we approach sustainable travel, see our sustainability policy and our article on responsible and sustainable travel in Iceland.

The main difference is time and coverage. This 10-day Iceland camping trip adds the Snæfellsnes peninsula to the full Ring Road circuit, giving you two extra days to explore one of the country's most scenic coastal regions. Often called "Iceland in Miniature," Snæfellsnes packs dramatic sea cliffs, black sand beaches, volcanic craters, and the mystical Snæfellsjökull glacier into a single peninsula. With the 8-day tour, you head straight north from Reykjavík. With this one, you go west first and take a more relaxed pace around the entire route, which means less rushing and more time at each stop.

Your package includes a rental car for 9 days with unlimited mileage, two authorized drivers, in-car Wi-Fi, and a collision damage waiver. You also get a full camping gear kit for 8 nights, which covers a tent, sleeping bags, air mattress, camping stove, coolbox, and cooking equipment. Your first night is spent at a hotel in Reykjavík with continental breakfast included. You will also receive a detailed itinerary, a road map, carbon offsetting for the tour, and access to a 24/7 emergency helpline while you are in Iceland. Campsite fees, fuel, food, and attraction entrance fees are not included.

If you have never been to Iceland before, a 10-day Ring Road camping itinerary is a great option because it gives you enough time to see all the major highlights without feeling rushed. You will cover the Golden Circle, the south coast waterfalls, Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, the Eastfjords, Lake Mývatn, Akureyri, and the Snæfellsnes peninsula. The pacing on this tour means you are not driving huge distances every single day, so there is room to take detours, go on hikes, or simply spend an extra hour at a place that catches your eye.

Campsite bookings are not included in your package, which gives you the flexibility to pick your own spots each night. Your travel documents include recommendations for the best campsites in each area. Over the course of the trip, you will camp near Snæfellsnes, in the Akureyri area, around Lake Mývatn, in East Iceland near Egilsstaðir, near Höfn, in the Vík or Skógar area, and finally in Reykjavík on your last camping night. Iceland Ring Road campsites range from larger, well-equipped sites with showers, kitchens, and Wi-Fi to smaller, more basic spots in remote areas. Most do not require advance booking.

Tent camping in Iceland during summer is surprisingly comfortable. Temperatures in June and July typically sit around 12 to 15 degrees Celsius, and with the sleeping bags and air mattress included in your gear package, you will stay warm through the night. The midnight sun means it stays light almost around the clock, which is a unique experience in itself, though a sleeping mask can help if you are sensitive to light. Many campgrounds along the Ring Road have good facilities including hot showers, which makes a big difference after a day of exploring. The main thing to prepare for is wind and occasional rain, so packing waterproof layers is essential.

This Iceland camping vacation runs during the summer season from June 1 through August 31. These are the only months where tent camping in Iceland is practical, as the weather is mild enough and you get extended daylight. June and July offer the warmest temperatures and the full midnight sun experience. August is also excellent, with slightly cooler evenings and the chance of seeing the Northern Lights toward the end of the month as the nights begin to darken again.

The 10-day format keeps the daily driving distances very manageable. Your shortest days are around 50 kilometers between the airport and Reykjavík, and your longest day is roughly 340 kilometers. Most days fall in the 130 to 300 kilometer range, which typically means 2 to 4 hours behind the wheel with plenty of stops along the way. Having 10 days rather than 7 or 8 to complete the Ring Road and Snæfellsnes means the pace is comfortable and you are not spending the entire day driving just to reach your next campsite.

Day 2 of this camping tour takes you to the Snæfellsnes peninsula, and it is one of the highlights of the entire trip. You will see the iconic Kirkjufell mountain, dramatic coastal cliffs, black sand beaches at Djupalonssandur, the fishing village of Arnarstapi with its basalt rock formations, and the Snæfellsjökull glacier that sits at the tip of the peninsula. The area is incredibly diverse for its size, which is why locals refer to it as "Iceland in Miniature." It is a fantastic way to start your camping adventure before heading into the wider Ring Road circuit.

Campgrounds in Iceland vary, but the ones along the Ring Road generally have decent facilities. The larger, more popular sites near places like Akureyri, Vík, and Mývatn typically offer toilets, hot showers, communal cooking areas, and sometimes extras like Wi-Fi and laundry. Smaller campgrounds in more remote areas, particularly in the Eastfjords, may only have basic toilet facilities. Your travel documents will give you specific recommendations so you can plan ahead if having good facilities matters to you.

Yes, you can extend the trip with extra days before or after, and optional activities are available to add during the checkout process. Popular add-ons include whale watching in Húsavík, a boat trip among the icebergs at Jökulsárlón, a soak at the Mývatn Nature Baths, and various Reykjavík experiences like the Sky Lagoon or horse riding. If you want to adjust the actual route of the itinerary, that is also possible for an additional fee.

Most campsites in Iceland operate on a first-come, first-served basis and do not require advance reservations. This is actually one of the nice things about a camping tour, because it gives you the freedom to adjust your plans as you go. If you find a spot you love, you can stay. If you want to push on a little further, that works too. Campsite fees are reasonable and comparable to other European countries. Your travel documents will include a list of recommended sites for each area of the Ring Road.

All essential camping gear is provided, so you do not need to bring a tent, sleeping bags, or cooking equipment. What you should pack includes warm thermal layers, a waterproof jacket, sturdy hiking boots, extra socks, a woolly hat and gloves, sunglasses, sun lotion, midge repellent, a battery pack for your phone, swimming gear for hot springs and pools, and a sleeping mask if you are sensitive to light. The key is layering, because Iceland weather can change quickly and you might experience sunshine, wind, and rain all in the same day.

This is actually a great introduction to camping because so much is taken care of for you. All the gear is provided and ready to go, your itinerary maps out where to go each day, and the 24/7 emergency helpline is there if you need any help along the way. Your first night is in a Reykjavík hotel, so you ease into the experience gradually. Icelandic campsites are generally well maintained and welcoming, and the camping community in Iceland tends to be friendly and helpful. If you have never pitched a tent before, a quick look at a tutorial video before your trip is all the preparation you really need.

The biggest difference is how close you get to the landscape. Camping in Iceland means waking up surrounded by nature rather than inside four walls, and the experience of cooking a meal with a glacier or waterfall in view is hard to beat. It is also significantly more affordable than a hotel-based self-drive, making it a great option for travelers who want to spend more on activities and less on accommodation. The tradeoff is comfort. You will not have a private bathroom every night, and you need to be comfortable with variable weather. But for many travelers, that is exactly the appeal of an Iceland camping trip.