Iceland Ring Road & Snæfellsnes Winter Self-Drive - 10 Days

Daylight varies throughout Iceland's winter season. December and January offer 4-5 hours of daylight (approximately 11:00 AM to 3:30 PM), while February and March extend to 8-10 hours, giving you more time to explore.

On a self-drive trip with Iceland Tours, everything is pre-arranged before you arrive. Your rental car, accommodation, and any booked activities are confirmed in advance, so when you land at Keflíavík Airport you can collect your keys and get on the road without any logistics left to sort out. All you need to manage is your own time each day.

Every trip comes with a detailed day-by-day itinerary created by our Reykjavík-based travel team, giving you a clear route, suggested stops, and things to do and see at each stage. You can follow it closely or adapt it as you go. The important thing is staying within reasonable distance of your accommodation each night, which is already booked for you throughout the trip.

Every car also comes with a portable Wi-Fi device (Mi-Fi), so navigation and staying connected are both covered from day one. If anything comes up during your trip, a 24/7 emergency helpline staffed by our local Reykjavík team is available throughout your journey. You can explore our full range of Iceland self-drive tours to find the right length and route for your trip, or read more about how car rental in Iceland works before you book.

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.

Yes. Every self-drive trip can be extended with additional nights in Reykjavík or elsewhere along the route. If you have a particular interest or a region you want to spend more time in, we recommend getting in touch with our travel team before you book. This way we can advise on what’s possible, flag any additional costs, and make sure your preferences are built into the booking from the start. This means a smoother process and no amendment fees down the line.

The itinerary itself provides a well-tested route and daily plan, but the self-drive format gives you genuine flexibility to adjust your pace, linger at stops you enjoy, or take side routes as conditions allow. The structure handles the logistics so the day-to-day decisions remain yours.

If you are looking at a range of itinerary lengths or want to compare what is covered across different trips, you can browse the full Iceland self-drive tour collection or get in touch with our Reykjavík-based team through the contact page to talk through your options.

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.

Although Iceland’s weather can sometimes get in the way, it’s perfectly possible to have a safe self-drive trip in winter. The main roads are cleared regularly and there is good 4G coverage in most of the countryside if you need it.

That said, roads can sometimes close in winter if there are storms or heavy snowfall. When you book with Iceland Tours, you’ll get access to a 24/7 helpline while you’re in Iceland. Rest assured that help is at the end of the phone when you need it.

We’ll often contact you proactively if we think your trip will be affected by bad weather and adjust your plans accordingly. This means you’ll always stay safe and get the most out of your trip, no matter the weather.

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.

When you book a self-drive package with Iceland Tours, you choose from three accommodation levels: Budget, Comfort, or Quality. All three include continental breakfast every day.

Budget accommodation is guesthouses and country hotels with shared bathrooms, a practical and affordable choice that still puts you in well-located, locally run properties.

Comfort moves to a selection of hotels, guesthouses, and country and farmhotels with private bathrooms, offering a comfortable step up in quality and facilities.

Quality represents the best available accommodation in each area from our selection. This typically means four-star hotels or superior rooms at three-star properties, though in more remote parts of Iceland, where the options are naturally more limited, it means the highest-quality property available in that location. Breakfast is included at all levels.

All accommodations are handpicked by our team and pre-booked before your trip begins. In rural Iceland, accommodation options are more limited than in the cities, which is one of the reasons booking ahead matters. Securing your places early as part of a package means you are not left searching for availability in remote areas during peak season. For travelers who prefer something closer to nature, we also offer Iceland self-drive camping tours. Read more about all accommodation options on our accommodation in Iceland page.

Every Iceland Tours self-drive package includes the following as standard: a rental car of your choice with unlimited mileage, collision damage waiver, authorization for a second driver, and a portable Wi-Fi device. Accommodation at your chosen level is booked for every night of the trip, and continental breakfast is included daily. You also receive a detailed day-by-day itinerary built by our local travel experts, along with access to a 24/7 emergency helpline staffed by our Reykjavík-based team throughout your trip. Carbon offsetting of your tour is included, and all VAT, taxes, and service fees are covered.

What is not included: international flights, fuel and parking, personal travel insurance, the Iceland Road Tax (a small charge collected at pickup), food and drink beyond breakfast, and attraction entrance fees unless otherwise stated on your specific tour page.

Iceland Tours has been organizing self-drive trips in Iceland for over 40 years and is Travelife-certified for sustainable operations. When you book a package with us rather than piecing together a trip independently, every element of the logistics is handled in advance by people who know the country well, so you can focus on the trip itself. See our accommodation page and car rental page for more detail on what is available at each level, and visit our why book with us page for a full overview of what sets Iceland Tours apart.

Iceland’s weather can change quickly regardless of the time of year, so packing for multiple conditions is the right approach even in summer. The essentials are: waterproof walking boots, waterproof trousers, thermal underlayers, fleeces or warm sweaters, a waterproof rain jacket, a warm outer jacket, and a hat, scarf, and gloves. Sunglasses are useful year-round. Swimwear is worth packing since hot springs and geothermal pools appear throughout the country, and lip balm and moisturizer will be appreciated given the wind.

For practical self-drive needs, your car comes with a portable Wi-Fi device so a phone mount for navigation is useful. A portable power bank is handy for longer days out. If you are visiting in winter, ice scrapers are typically provided with the car, but dressing in proper thermal layers for time spent outside makes a real difference.

For a full seasonal packing guide covering everything from summer hiking to winter driving, see our Iceland packing list. The Iceland in winter guide and our Iceland winter weather and packing article are also useful if you are traveling in the colder months.

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 comprehensive 10-day Ring Road and Snæfellsnes winter tour represents Iceland Tours' ideal balance of complete country coverage with manageable daily distances during challenging winter conditions. Unlike shorter Ring Road tours that rush through regions, this extended itinerary allows you to fully appreciate Iceland's diverse winter landscapes - from glacier-topped mountains and frozen waterfalls to boiling geysers erupting from snow-covered ground.

The 10-day duration includes the complete Ring Road circuit plus the spectacular Snæfellsnes peninsula, often called "Iceland in Miniature," giving you access to attractions that shorter tours miss entirely. Your Iceland Tours package strategically positions overnight stays in optimal locations for Northern Lights viewing while ensuring comfortable daily driving distances. This tour combines Iceland's greatest hits with lesser-known gems, providing the most comprehensive winter Iceland experience possible in a manageable timeframe.

The Snæfellsnes peninsula addition transforms this from a standard Ring Road tour into a comprehensive Iceland exploration that showcases the country's incredible diversity. Your Iceland Tours itinerary dedicates a full day to exploring Snæfellsnes' dramatic coastline, including the mystical Snæfellsjökull glacier and volcano that inspired Jules Verne's "Journey to the Center of the Earth."

You'll discover unique attractions like the black pebble beach of Djúpalónssandur with its scattered shipwreck remains, the striking Gerðuberg basalt cliffs, and the charming hamlet of Búðir surrounded by dark lava fields. The volcanic Eldborg crater and dramatic coastal formations create photo opportunities impossible to find elsewhere in Iceland. This peninsula perfectly complements the Ring Road's inland attractions, giving you both coastal drama and volcanic wonders while maintaining the winter theme with snow-covered landscapes and potential Northern Lights viewing.

Lake Mývatn represents one of the absolute highlights of your 10-day Iceland Tours winter adventure, offering an entire region dedicated to volcanic wonders and geothermal activity that creates stunning contrasts against winter snow. Your itinerary includes the mesmerizing Dimmuborgir lava field labyrinth, featured in Game of Thrones, where dark volcanic formations create an otherworldly maze perfect for winter exploration.

The area showcases ancient Skútustaðir pseudo-craters formed by steam explosions when lava met water, plus the dramatic boiling mud pools and colorful steam vents at Námaskarð where Earth's geothermal power creates rainbow-colored mineral deposits. The nearby Krafla volcanic area, site of eruptions from 1975-1984, demonstrates Iceland's ongoing geological activity. Combined with the possibility of Northern Lights reflecting off the lake's surface, Mývatn offers Iceland's most concentrated volcanic wonderland enhanced by winter's magical atmosphere.

Your 10-day Iceland Tours adventure showcases Iceland's most iconic waterfalls transformed by winter conditions into spectacular frozen displays. The tour includes the mighty Gullfoss "Golden Falls," where glacial waters plunge dramatically into a canyon often adorned with ice formations, and the active Geysir geothermal area where Strokkur geyser shoots steaming water skyward every 5-10 minutes against a snowy backdrop.

You'll visit the powerful Skógafoss waterfall, one of Iceland's tallest at 60 meters, often creating rainbow mists in winter sunlight, and Seljalandsfoss where you can walk behind the frozen cascade. The impressive Goðafoss "waterfall of the gods" provides another winter spectacle along your route north. The Golden Circle's crown jewel, Þingvellir National Park, showcases the dramatic rift valley where North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, creating Iceland's most significant historical and geological site enhanced by winter's pristine snow cover.

This 10-day winter itinerary is expertly designed by Iceland Tours to balance comprehensive coverage with safe winter driving practices, featuring manageable daily distances and strategic overnight locations. The tour follows Iceland's best-maintained routes - the Ring Road and major regional highways - that receive priority snow clearing and are accessible with standard rental vehicles when proper winter precautions are taken.

Daily driving typically ranges from 2-4 hours between accommodations, allowing ample time for stops, photography, and flexibility around weather conditions. Your Iceland Tours package includes 24/7 emergency support, collision damage waiver, and proactive weather monitoring - the team will contact you if conditions require itinerary adjustments to ensure safety. The 10-day duration provides built-in flexibility for weather delays while still covering the complete route, making this Iceland's most comprehensive yet manageable winter Ring Road experience.

The Eastfjords section of your Iceland Tours adventure offers one of Iceland's most scenic and culturally rich winter experiences, featuring dramatic fjord landscapes and authentic fishing village culture enhanced by winter's serene atmosphere. Your route includes the historically significant Reyðarfjörður with its fascinating World War II museum, and Fáskrúðsfjörður where French street names reflect the area's maritime heritage from 19th-century fishing operations.

Winter transforms the Eastfjords into a wildlife viewing paradise - you'll have excellent opportunities to spot reindeer herds that migrate to lower elevations during cold months, plus potential Arctic fox sightings in this remote region. The winding coastal roads provide spectacular mountain and fjord panoramas, while the journey through these authentic fishing communities offers insights into traditional Icelandic life. The Eastfjords' relative isolation also creates excellent Northern Lights viewing conditions away from any light pollution.

This comprehensive 10-day Ring Road and Snæfellsnes tour offers significantly more thorough exploration than shorter Iceland Tours packages, providing the optimal balance between complete coverage and comfortable pacing for winter conditions. While 7-8 day Ring Road tours require rushing through regions or skipping attractions, this extended itinerary allows proper time to appreciate each area's unique character and winter beauty.

The critical addition of Snæfellsnes peninsula sets this tour apart from basic Ring Road packages, adding coastal drama, volcanic formations, and cultural sites that shorter tours cannot accommodate. You'll experience Iceland's full diversity - from the volcanic highlands of Mývatn to the coastal villages of the Eastfjords to the glacial wonders of the southeast. The 10-day duration also provides better Northern Lights opportunities across multiple regions and weather patterns, while extra time allows for spontaneous discoveries and weather flexibility essential for safe winter travel.

Your 10-day Iceland Tours package includes strategically selected accommodations positioned for optimal Northern Lights viewing while providing comfort after winter exploration days. You'll stay in countryside locations including the Snæfellsnes peninsula, Akureyri area, Lake Mývatn region, Eastfjords, and south coast - each offering different aurora viewing advantages and minimal light pollution.

The extended itinerary means multiple nights in prime Northern Lights locations, significantly increasing your chances of witnessing spectacular displays. Mývatn's high altitude and clear skies, the Eastfjords' remote positioning, and south coast locations near glacier lagoons all provide excellent aurora viewing potential. Your accommodations range from Budget to Quality levels, all featuring continental breakfast and countryside positioning that places you perfectly for stepping outside to witness the dancing lights whenever solar activity permits.

This self-drive format provides excellent flexibility to enhance your 10-day Ring Road and Snæfellsnes adventure while maintaining the core itinerary that ensures optimal winter routing. Your Iceland Tours package already includes numerous suggested stops and activities - from visiting the preserved turf farmhouse museum at Glaumbær to exploring the various volcanic formations at Mývatn to hiking opportunities at Skaftafell surrounded by glaciers and black sand plains.

The tour's comprehensive nature means you're positioned near many optional experiences throughout your journey - you might choose to spend extra time at specific attractions, explore additional hiking trails where conditions permit, or pursue spontaneous wildlife viewing opportunities for reindeer and Arctic foxes. The 10-day duration includes natural flexibility for weather adjustments and personal preferences, while Iceland Tours' 24/7 support ensures any modifications maintain the tour's strategic flow and accommodation schedule.

This comprehensive 10-day Ring Road and Snæfellsnes tour operates during Iceland's winter season, typically November through March, when you can combine complete country exploration with Northern Lights viewing opportunities. Peak booking time aligns with Northern Lights season - November through February offers the longest darkness hours but also the most challenging weather, while late February through March provides a good balance of aurora potential and improving road conditions.

Iceland Tours recommends booking this popular winter itinerary well in advance, especially for travel during peak aurora season when accommodation availability becomes limited in remote regions like the Eastfjords and Mývatn area. Early booking ensures access to optimal rental vehicles equipped for winter conditions and preferred accommodation levels across all regions. The 10-day comprehensive nature means this tour requires more advance planning than shorter packages, but provides the most thorough winter Iceland experience possible with excellent Northern Lights opportunities throughout the complete Ring Road circuit plus unique Snæfellsnes attractions.