Venture around the Ring Road and beyond
On this 12-day self-drive tour, you’ll visit every corner of Iceland. As well as completing the full Ring Road route, you’ll venture off it to the wild Westfjords and spectacular Snæfellsnes peninsula.
This is a dream road trip around Iceland – in fact it’s hard to pack more of the country into 12 days. You’ll have the freedom to set your own pace and stop wherever you like. And you’ll combine popular must-see attractions with places that are more off the beaten path.
On this tour you will...
Get to explore every corner of Iceland
Head off the beaten track in the Westfjords
See ‘Iceland in Miniature’ on the Snæfellsnes peninsula
Marvel at glaciers and waterfalls on the south coast
Complete the classic Golden Circle touring route
Visit spectacular North Iceland and the Eastfjords
Top attractions
Látrabjarg
Dynjandi
Ísafjörður
Akureyri
Lake Mývatn
Dettifoss
Ásbyrgi
Kirkjufell
Arnarstapi
Hraunfossar and Barnafoss
Deildartunguhver
Djúpivogur
Vík í Mýrdal
Vatnajökull Glacier & National Park
Seljalandsfoss
Skógafoss
Þingvellir National Park
Geysir and Strokkur
Gullfoss
Downtown Reykjavík
Why book a self-drive trip with Iceland Tours?
Start your tour on the date that suits you
24/7 emergency helpline in Iceland
Secure your booking with just a 5% deposit
New rental cars with 2 drivers as standard
Handpicked local accommodation options
Best Price Guarantee
Your 12-day self-drive itinerary
Your memorable Icelandic adventure begins the very moment you arrive at Keflavík Airport. After picking up your rental vehicle, you head for the capital for your first night in Iceland.
Highlights
Downtown Reykjavík
Extra activities
ExtraFlyOver Iceland
ExtraSky Lagoon Pure Pass
You start the day today by visiting the culturally and historically rich Borgarfjörður area. The landscape is made of vast fields and waterfalls which water seems to magically flow from the lava bed into the river below. Heading now to the Snæfellsnes peninsula many exciting visits await you along the way: from Gerðuberg an impressive wall of basalt column, Arnarstapi, Djúpalón and its pebble beach famous to Hellnar and many more on the way to your accommodation in the Snæfellsnes area.
Your day begins with a 3 hours ferry ride from Stykkishólmur across the Breiðfjörður bay to the reach the south coast of the Westfjords, where you visit Rauðisandur among others, a beautiful and unique beach where the reddish colour of the sand contrast with the landscape around. You head to Patreksfjörður at the end of the day where you spend the night.
Today you continue up north along the Westfjords, one of the most remote regions of Iceland. The landscape is breathtaking as you cross mountains and heaths driving along the dramatic fjords at the foot of amazing cliffs. You stop along the way at the majestic Dynjandi waterfall that lies in the northern arm of the fjord Arnarfjörður. You continue your route towards the north until you reach the village of Flateyri and onwards to reach your accommodation near the Ísafjörður town.
Today your journey through the most remote places in Iceland continues. Next up is Strandir, the eastern part of the Westfjords. You experience the spectacular landscape while driving along the numerous small fjords of Ísafjarðardjúp and passing Vigur island along the way.
Your next day’s journey continues toward the northern part of Iceland, ending in the north’s capital Akureyri passing through Skagafjörður, known for exceptional horse breeding. You might see a lot of Icelandic horses along the way in the many farm lands during your drive.
In the morning you can spend some time in Akureyri before heading towards the Lake Mývatn area. It is undoubtedly one of Iceland’s most renowned areas due to its volcanic activity and its amazing bird life.
On the way to Mývatn, we recommend visiting the impressive Goðafoss waterfall known as “the waterfall of the gods”.
Your day starts with a visit of the charming fishing village of Húsavík before driving along the coastline of the Tjörnes peninsula. You might like to make a quick stop on the way at the extremity of the peninsula to enjoy the view and spot some seabirds. The journey then continues to the eastern part of Iceland with a few stops on the way for your next evening’s stay.
Today is the day to discover the Eastfjords. Start towards the fjord Reyðarfjörður where a small-but-fascinating World War II history museum is located, and continue along the fjords toward southeast Iceland. At times, the road hangs high on the mountain slopes offering spectacular view. Finally, you drive through the tunnel of Almannaskarð to arrive in the Höfn region where you will spend the night.
Your next stop is Iceland’s scenic southeast. After passing various outlet glaciers belonging to Vatnajökull, which is Europe’s largest ice cap, you’ll arrive at the stunningly surreal beauty of Jökulsárlón, a glacial lagoon. This exceptional sight sits at the foot of Iceland’s highest mountain, Hvannadalshnúkur.
Skaftafell Nature Reserve is another area definitely worth a visit. This oasis surrounded by glaciers and black sand plains offers a broad range of options for great hiking. Continue through Kirkjubæjarklaustur village, the Eldhraun lava field and the Mýrdalssandur plain before you arrive in the Vík area.
Continue westbound to the south coast of Iceland and explore the Golden Circle, which takes you to the most popular tourist attractions in Iceland: Gullfoss, Geysir and Þingvellir National Park. On your way you will pass the magnificent waterfalls, Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss.
Your day will end in Reykjavík where you will spend your last night in Iceland.
It seems as if your journey to fabulous Iceland only began a moment ago but now it is time to head back home driving back to Keflavík Airport for your flight. Depending on your flight’s time, you may be able to squeeze in a last day in Reykjavík to experience all the amazing things that the city has to offer.
What’s included?
Detailed itinerary
Budget, Comfort, or Quality accommodation every night
Continental breakfast every day
Rental car of your choice for 11 days
2 authorized drivers as standard
Unlimited mileage
Unlimited in-car Wi-Fi
Collision damage waiver
Tickets for Baldur ferry to Westfjords
24/7 emergency helpline when you’re in Iceland
VAT, taxes & service fees
Flights to Iceland
Fuel & parking charges
Food & drink, unless otherwise stated
Attraction entrance fees, unless otherwise stated
Personal travel insurance
FAQs about our self-drive trips
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.
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.
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 your travel documents to you.
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.
Don’t take our word for it
See what hundreds of fellow travelers have to say about their trips with Iceland Tours.
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