South Coast & Westman Islands Self-Drive - 7 Days

The Westman Islands represent one of Iceland's best-kept secrets and a truly unique addition to your Iceland 7 day itinerary. This volcanic archipelago sits just off the South Coast, with only Heimaey island inhabited by around 4,000 resilient residents. Westman Island holidays offer experiences you simply can't find on mainland Iceland, including walking on lava fields from the dramatic 1973 eruption that nearly destroyed the town, visiting the world-class Eldheimar museum that tells this incredible survival story, and witnessing one of Iceland's largest puffin colonies. The island's dramatic cliffs shelter thousands of seabirds, and the stunning coastal formations create perfect photo opportunities. Your tour includes ferry transportation with your rental car, making island exploration convenient and flexible.

Your Iceland 7 day itinerary dedicates a full day to exploring the Westman Islands, giving you ample time to experience Heimaey's highlights at a relaxed pace. The ferry crossing from Landeyjahöfn harbor takes approximately 30 minutes each way, and you'll take your rental car aboard for complete freedom once you arrive. This full day allows time to visit the Eldheimar museum and learn about the 1973 volcanic eruption, walk through buried streets beneath the lava fields, drive to the southern tip for puffin spotting opportunities, and explore the dramatic cliff formations and coastal scenery. Many travelers on Westman Island holidays also enjoy hiking up Eldfell volcano for panoramic views or exploring the charming harbor town with its local shops and cafes.

Puffins are one of the main attractions for Westman Island holidays, and timing is crucial for viewing these charming seabirds. Puffins nest on the Westman Islands from approximately mid-May through mid-August, with peak viewing typically occurring from June through early August. During these months, millions of puffins inhabit the island's cliffs, making this one of the largest and most accessible puffin colonies in Iceland. Driving to the southern cliffs of Heimaey offers excellent viewing opportunities, and the birds are often remarkably close to viewing areas. If your Iceland 7 day itinerary falls outside puffin season, the Westman Islands still offer incredible volcanic landscapes, dramatic coastal scenery, and fascinating history worth experiencing.

The ferry to the Westman Islands departs from Landeyjahöfn harbor, which you'll reach by turning off the Ring Road near Seljalandsfoss. Your Iceland 7 day itinerary includes return ferry transportation for both you and your rental car, providing complete flexibility for island exploration. Ferries run multiple times daily during operating season (typically April through October), with the crossing taking approximately 30 minutes each way. Weather can occasionally affect ferry schedules, as the Westman Islands are exposed to Atlantic conditions, so it's wise to check conditions and have flexibility in your daily plans. Taking your car aboard means you can explore Heimaey independently, visiting attractions at your own pace and timing visits around optimal puffin viewing or museum hours.

The 1973 volcanic eruption on Heimaey represents one of the most dramatic events in modern Icelandic history and is central to understanding Westman Island holidays. On January 23, 1973, a volcanic fissure opened without warning just outside the main town, eventually creating the new volcano Eldfell. The eruption lasted five months, burying much of the town beneath lava and ash while residents fought heroically to save their harbor by spraying seawater on advancing lava flows. Today you can walk directly on top of the cooled lava fields with streets and buildings buried beneath your feet. The world-class Eldheimar museum preserves houses excavated from the ash, telling this incredible survival story. This history makes the Westman Islands more than just beautiful scenery, it's a testament to human resilience against nature's power.

Yes! Your Iceland 7 day itinerary includes comprehensive Golden Circle exploration, ensuring you experience Iceland's most famous attractions alongside the South Coast and Westman Island holidays. You'll visit all three Golden Circle highlights: the powerful Gullfoss waterfall where the Hvítá river plunges 32 meters in two stages, the Geysir geothermal area where Strokkur geyser erupts every 5 to 10 minutes, and historic Þingvellir National Park where you can walk between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. The tour also includes a stop at Kerið volcanic crater with its striking red rock and aquamarine lake. This combination ensures you don't miss Iceland's greatest hits while exploring the lesser-known Westman Islands gem.

This comprehensive Iceland 7 day itinerary covers all the essential South Coast highlights. You'll visit Seljalandsfoss where you can walk behind the waterfall's curtain, discover the hidden Gljúfrabúi waterfall tucked in a narrow canyon, and witness powerful Skógafoss with options to climb stairs for aerial views or approach the thundering base. The dramatic Reynisfjara black sand beach features stunning hexagonal basalt columns and the famous Reynisdrangar sea stacks offshore. At Vík, you can explore charming coastal villages beneath towering cliffs. The tour continues to Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon where massive icebergs drift through crystal-blue waters, and nearby Diamond Beach where ice chunks wash up on black sand creating a surreal landscape.

Yes! Your Iceland 7 day itinerary includes a full day exploring Reykjanes Geopark, home to the recent volcanic eruptions at Fagradalsfjall and surrounding areas that have occurred in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. You'll witness freshly formed lava fields alongside ancient volcanic formations, offering a rare opportunity to see Earth's newest landscapes. The Reykjanes peninsula showcases Iceland's incredible geological activity with bubbling hot springs, steaming vents, dramatic coastal cliffs, and the striking contrast between black lava and blue ocean. This geological wonderland provides the perfect bookend to your Westman Island holidays experience, showing both recent volcanic activity and the dramatic 1973 Heimaey eruption's lasting impact.

This Iceland 7 day itinerary provides comfortable pacing that balances comprehensive sightseeing with flexibility and rest. After your arrival day in Reykjavík, you'll spend a day on the Reykjanes peninsula exploring recent volcanic sites before heading to the Golden Circle. Days three and four cover the spectacular South Coast including waterfalls, black sand beaches, and Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. Day five is dedicated entirely to your Westman Island holidays adventure with ferry crossings and full island exploration. The return journey allows time for any attractions you want to revisit or additional stops. This structure ensures you never feel rushed, leaves room for spontaneous discoveries, and provides the flexible timing necessary for ferry schedules and potential puffin viewing opportunities.

On a self-drive trip with Iceland Tours, you’ll be at the wheel of the rental car of your choice and free to go pretty much where you want, whenever you want.

We provide a detailed itinerary to help you plan your route and where you want to stop along the way. But it’s up to you whether you want to stick to it or go your own way. If you do take detours, make sure that you aren’t too far from your accommodation on any given night.

That said, it’s a good idea to stick to the suggested itinerary if you’ve never visited Iceland before. Created by our Reykjavík-based travel experts, it contains plenty of things for you to and see and do on each leg of your trip. One thing’s for sure: you won’t be short on ideas!

You also get unlimited in-car Wi-Fi, so you can stay connected and use maps on your phone for navigation.

It’s best to book your trip at least a few weeks before you travel. This gives us enough time to organize your preferred accommodation and itinerary. For this reason, we’re unable to accept bookings with less than 1 week’s notice.

In the summer, which is the most popular time of year, booking a few months ahead is a good idea. In certain parts of the countryside, accommodation options are more limited and can be booked up well ahead of your trip.

You have to be at least 20 years old to rent a car in Iceland, or 23 years old for larger vehicles like jeeps and vans. You’ll need to have held a valid driver’s license for at least 1 year and present a credit card when you collect your car.

You don’t need an International Driving Permit unless your license is not in Latin script (for example, Arabic or Chinese).

Find out more about car rental in Iceland.

Yes! It’s possible to add extra activities or extend your trip with additional nights in Reykjavík or the countryside. Check the itinerary above to see what activities are available on what day.

Of course you can add extra adventures! We want you to be able to get the absolute most out of your trip to Iceland, so you can pick optional extra activities at checkout. You’ll be shown exactly what’s on offer for each day of your trip.

And if you feel like you just don’t have enough time to fit it all in, you can also add extra days.

The rules of the road in Iceland are similar to most other countries, although there are some local quirks that you might not be familiar with.

Iceland drives on the right and steering wheels are on the left side of the car. Distances and speed limits are given in kilometers only.

Roundabouts are very common in Iceland, especially in towns. If you’re not familiar with these, make sure you understand how to give way (yield) to other traffic.

In the countryside, you might encounter sheep on the road, or even reindeer in East Iceland. You may also come across gravel roads, single-lane bridges, and blind summits.

For all the info on how to handle these, see this guide to driving in Iceland.

Once you’ve paid your deposit for your trip, we’ll finalize bookings for your accommodation, rental car, and any activities. As soon as we receive confirmation of everything, we’ll email you, letting you know your travel documents are available in our portal.

We aim to finalize everything within a few weeks of receiving your booking request, but in busy periods this might take longer. That said, you’ll always receive all of your documents before your departure date.

You’ll be able to pick up your rental car at Keflavík International Airport from the arrivals hall. Before your trip, we’ll send you information about where to go in the terminal to collect your keys.

Make sure you have your driver’s license and credit card ready when you collect your vehicle.

If you land late at night, you can use the out-of-hours phone at the pick-up desk to contact someone who will be able to help you.

You also have the option to collect your rental car in Reykjavík, if you’re planning to spend some extra days in the city before your trip starts. If you’d like to do this, please let us know in the ‘Special requests’ box at checkout.

Yes, you can easily collect your rental car from Reykjavík instead of Keflavik Airport.

During the booking steps on our website, just let us know you'd prefer your pick-up/drop-off location to be in the city centre. We'll take care of it for you, no problem.

Just a quick heads-up: if you request different pick-up and drop-off locations (e.g. collect from the airport, drop off in the city, or vice versa) there's a one-way fee of around ISK 7.900 ISK (EUR 60). You'll pay this directly to the rental company when you pick up the car.

All of our self-drive tour packages include the following as standard:

• Rental car of your choice, with unlimited mileage
• Basic liability insurance coverage
• Collision damage waiver
• Authorization for second driver
• Unlimited in-car Wi-Fi
• Accommodation level of your choice
• Breakfast every day
• Detailed itinerary crafted by local travel experts
• 24/7 helpline in Iceland, just in case you need it

When you book your vacation on our website, you’ll be able to choose your preferred rental car and accommodation level.

You can see what vehicles are available on this car rental page.

On a self-drive package with Iceland Tours, you can choose from 3 levels of accommodation:

• Budget – Guesthouses and country hotels, with shared bathrooms
• Comfort – Hotels or guesthouses of around 3 stars, with private bathrooms
• Quality – Hotels or guesthouses of around 4 stars, with private bathrooms

Each accommodation level offers different types of rooms. We’ve described them below to help you choose the best one for you. Just keep in mind that not every hotel has all these room types available.

• Single room: one single bed in a room, perfect for solo travelers.
• Double room: a full-sized double bed for 2 people.
• Twin room: a room with 2 single beds that fit 1 person each.
• Triple room: these vary in size and layout, but are designed to fit 3 adults. Triple rooms feature a combination of double, single or sofa beds, depending on the hotel.

No matter which accommodation level you pick, breakfast is included. Read more about the differences between the levels on this accommodation page.

Feel like getting closer to nature? Check out these self-drive camping tours.

In Iceland, you can expect all weathers no matter what time of year you visit. With that in mind, it’s good to make sure you’ve got everything you need to stay cozy, warm, and dry.

Here’s a packing list to help you get ready for your trip:

• Tough, waterproof walking boots
• Thermal underlayers
• Sweaters or fleeces
• Waterproof raincoat
• Warm winter jacket
• Scarf, hat, and gloves
• Sunglasses
• Swimwear (for pools and hot springs)
• Lip salve and moisturizer

For more tips on what to bring with you, see this Iceland packing list.

No worries! Iceland Tours is already offsetting the carbon footprint of your tour package. We've teamed up with an environmental fund in Iceland to cover the carbon offset for all our tours.

Carbon offsetting for international flights is not included, but we suggest checking with your airline or through a local environmental fund for options.