Camping Around Iceland - Ring Road Self-Drive - 8 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.

This Iceland camping tour covers the entire Ring Road over 8 days, with all essential camping gear provided as part of your package. That includes a tent, sleeping bags, air mattress, camping stove, coolbox, and cooking equipment.

You also get a rental car with unlimited mileage, two authorized drivers, in-car Wi-Fi, and a hotel stay with breakfast in Reykjavík on your first night. From there, you spend six nights camping at sites around the country while following a detailed self-drive itinerary.

Yes, an 8-day itinerary gives you enough time to complete the full Ring Road circuit while still having room to stop and explore along the way. This Iceland 8-day tour is designed so you are not just rushing between destinations. You will have time to hike at Skaftafell, explore the Lake Mývatn area, visit the Golden Circle, and take in the Eastfjords without feeling like you are constantly behind the wheel.

That said, some driving days are longer than others, so having a flexible mindset helps.

This camping tour runs during the summer season from June 1 through August 31. June and July are the warmest months, with temperatures around 12 to 15 degrees Celsius, and you will experience the midnight sun, meaning nearly 24 hours of daylight. August is also a great option, though the nights start getting darker toward the end of the month. Winter camping in Iceland is not practical for tent-based trips like this one, as weather conditions and temperatures make it unsuitable for sleeping in a tent.

Campsite bookings and fees are not included in your package, which gives you the freedom to choose where you stay each night. Most campsites in Iceland do not require reservations, and your travel documents will include recommendations for the best sites in each area.

Fees at Icelandic campsites are reasonable and comparable to other European countries. If you want to plan ahead, you certainly can, but most travelers on this Iceland camping trip just show up and find a spot without any issues.

The Golden Circle is Iceland's most popular sightseeing route, and yes, it is included on Day 7 of this 8-day itinerary. You will visit Þingvellir National Park, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, watch the Strokkur geyser erupt every 5 to 10 minutes at the Geysir geothermal area, and see the powerful Gullfoss waterfall.

Camping in the Golden Circle area is a highlight for many travelers, and experiencing these landmarks as part of a full Ring Road trip gives you a much broader perspective of Iceland beyond just the popular southwest corner.

You get to choose your rental car during the booking process, and two authorized drivers are included as standard with every package. The car comes with a collision damage waiver and unlimited mileage, so you do not need to worry about tracking kilometers. Having two drivers is especially helpful on longer driving days, like the stretch from the Mývatn area to East Iceland on Day 4, which covers around 330 kilometers.

Campsites in Iceland vary quite a bit. Many of the larger, more established ones have toilets, showers, communal kitchens, and sometimes even Wi-Fi or hot tubs. Smaller or more remote sites might only have basic toilet facilities.

On this Iceland camping tour, you will stay at sites scattered around the Ring Road, from the Akureyri area in the north to the Vík and Höfn regions in the south and east. Part of the charm of an Iceland camping trip is the variety. One night you might be near a glacier, the next beside a quiet fjord.

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.

Since all camping gear is included with your package, you do not need to bring a tent, sleeping bags, or cooking equipment. What you should pack are 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 charging your phone, swimming gear for hot springs and pools, and a sleeping mask if you are sensitive to light. The midnight sun means it never really gets dark during summer, which can take some getting used to.

The daily driving distances vary throughout the 8-day itinerary. Day 1 and Day 8 are short drives of about 50 kilometers between Keflavík Airport and Reykjavík. Day 2 is the longest stretch at around 460 kilometers as you head north to Akureyri. Day 3 around Lake Mývatn is a relatively easy 130 kilometers.

Days 4 through 7 range from about 260 to 330 kilometers each. In total, you will cover the full Ring Road and Golden Circle route across 8 days in Iceland, which is a manageable pace that leaves time for sightseeing along the way.

Absolutely. You can add extra days before or after the trip, and optional activities are available to select during checkout for each day of the tour. Popular add-ons include whale watching in Húsavík, a boat trip on Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, a soak in the Earth Lagoon near Mývatn, and various activities in Reykjavík like the Sky Lagoon or horse riding. If you want to change the actual routing of the itinerary itself, that is possible for an additional fee.

Days 2 through 4 of this tour take you through North Iceland, with camping near Akureyri and the Mývatn area. Highlights include Goðafoss waterfall, the volcanic landscapes around Lake Mývatn, the lava formations at Dimmuborgir, geothermal activity at the Krafla volcano area, and the charming whale-watching town of Húsavík.

Camping in the Akureyri area puts you in a great position to explore the region at your own pace, and the campsites up north tend to be quieter than those in the more heavily touristed south.

Only a continental breakfast at your Reykjavík hotel on Day 2 morning is included. For the rest of the trip, you will be preparing your own meals using the camping stove and cooking equipment provided. Most travelers stock up on groceries at supermarkets along the route. If you want a break from camp cooking, towns like Akureyri, Höfn, and Vík all have restaurants. Höfn is particularly known for its lobster, so many campers treat themselves to a restaurant meal there.

This camping self-drive works well for couples, friends, families, and solo travelers alike. The tent accommodates up to four people, and the self-drive format means you set your own schedule each day. Families with kids who enjoy the outdoors will find plenty to keep everyone entertained, from waterfalls and glaciers to spotting Icelandic horses and possibly reindeer in East Iceland. Solo travelers benefit from the detailed itinerary and 24/7 emergency helpline, so you always have support if you need it.

You spend your first night at a budget hotel in Reykjavík with a continental breakfast included the next morning. This gives you a chance to settle in after your flight, explore the city, and pick up any last-minute supplies before heading into the countryside.

You can collect your camping gear either on Day 1 when you arrive or on Day 2 after breakfast, whichever works better for your schedule. After six nights of camping around the Ring Road, you return your gear and head back to Reykjavík on Day 7 to camp one final night in the capital area.