Iceland Circle Private Tour

6 days / 5 nights
The Dettifoss waterfall in autumn
Lush trees and lava formations next to Lake Mývatn
husavik-church-husavikurkirkja-cody-silver-unsplash.jpg
Icebergs in Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
A row of houses at the Glaumbær turf farm
Aerial view of Skógafoss surrounded by lush green landscape
A row of houses at the Glaumbær turf farm
Aerial view of Skógafoss surrounded by lush green landscape
The Dettifoss waterfall in autumn
Lush trees and lava formations next to Lake Mývatn
husavik-church-husavikurkirkja-cody-silver-unsplash.jpg

Experience Iceland’s Ring Road on a privately guided trip

Go on a Ring Road journey with a difference when you explore Iceland with your very own private guide.

Begin your trip in off-the-beaten-path North Iceland, where you’ll uncover ancient lava fields, geothermal lakes, and more. With your expert guide and driver at the wheel, you’ll visit the country’s top spots and discover a few hidden gems.

What’s more, your guide will share their insider knowledge and local folklore with you along the way.

Check out the itinerary to find out what mind-blowing sights you’ll glimpse on this privately guided tour package.

Travel stylePrivately guided
Trip length6 days / 5 nights
VibeIntimate
SeasonSummer
(1 Apr–31 Oct)
TransportRental car with driver
Starts fromReykjavík
Tour codePT01

On this tour you will...

  • Be amazed by the south coast’s plunging waterfalls and jaw-dropping glacier lagoons

  • Marvel at stunning scenery in Vatnajökull National Park and Skaftafell

  • Explore Iceland’s towns and villages, like charming Vík and Akureyri (the capital of the north)

  • Discover the remote Eastfjords, where jagged peaks drop straight into the sea

  • See the thundering curtain of water at Dettifoss, one of Europe’s most powerful waterfalls

  • Uncover the folklore surrounding North Iceland’s otherworldly lava fields

Top attractions

The Gullfoss waterfall in summertime

Gullfoss

Þingvellir National Park, Iceland, in autumn colors

Þingvellir National Park

The Strokkur geyser erupting in winter against a sunset

Geysir and Strokkur

A rainbow over the Skógafoss waterfall on a sunny day

Skógafoss

The Seljalandsfoss waterfall covered in icicles

Seljalandsfoss

The Tjörnin pond in Reykjavík in summer

Downtown Reykjavík

Skaftafellsjökull glacier in Vatnajökull National Park

Skaftafell

The edge of the Vatnajökull glacier

Vatnajökull Glacier & National Park

Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon at sunrise with a pink sky

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

A row of houses at the Glaumbær turf farm

Glaumbær turf farm

The skyline of Akureyri, North Iceland

Akureyri

The Hraunfossar waterfall in winter covered in ice

Hraunfossar and Barnafoss

Water coming out of colorful rocks at Deildartunguhver hot spring

Deildartunguhver

The Krafla crater on a sunny day

Krafla and Leirhnjúkur

The Dimmuborgir lava formations in North Iceland

Dimmuborgir

Lake Mývatn in its autumn colors

Lake Mývatn

The Goðafoss waterfall in summer

Goðafoss

The Dettifoss waterfall in autumn

Dettifoss

View over the Fellabær neighborhood of Egilsstaðir

Egilsstaðir

Trees in the lush Ásbyrgi canyon

Ásbyrgi

The harbor in the fishing village of Húsavík

Húsavík

The rocky Jökulsárgljúfur canyon

Jökulsárgljúfur

The town of Reyðarfjörður, East Iceland, seen from above

Reyðarfjörður

The village of Djúpivogur seen from a distance

Djúpivogur

Vik Church with Reynisdrangar sea stacks in the distance

Vík í Mýrdal

The village of Kirkjubæjarklaustur on a sunny day

Kirkjubæjarklaustur

The Eldhraun lava field showing moss-covered lava rocks

Eldhraun lava field

Why book a privately guided trip with Iceland Tours?

  • Let your own driver take you around Iceland

  • Expert local guidance in English

  • Start your tour on the date that suits you

  • 24/7 emergency helpline in Iceland

  • Secure your booking with just a 5% deposit

  • Handpicked local accommodation options

Your 6-day privately guided itinerary

Your 6-day privately guided itinerary
Staying inAkureyri area
Driving distance420 km (261 mi)

Your Iceland adventure begins today! Your private guide will pick you up at your hotel in Reykjavík and drive you towards North Iceland all the way to the capital of the north, Akureyri.

The tour starts by heading towards Borgarfjörður where you’ll make a stop by the magnificent waterfall Hraunfossar. Here the water flows out of the lava into the river below. Your guide will continue the drive towards Akureyri passing through Skagafjörður, which is known for horse breeding. Many fluffy Icelandic horses can be seen on the way.

Highlights

Water coming out of colorful rocks at Deildartunguhver hot spring

Deildartunguhver

The Hraunfossar waterfall in winter covered in ice

Hraunfossar and Barnafoss

A row of houses at the Glaumbær turf farm

Glaumbær turf farm

Town of Borgarnes from above

Borgarnes

The skyline of Akureyri, North Iceland

Akureyri

Extra activities

People bathing at Forest LagoonExtra

Forest Lagoon Geothermal Spa

Staying inAkureyri area
Driving distance250 km (155 mi)

The whole day is dedicated to the marvels of the Lake Mývatn Nature Reserve, known as one of Iceland’s most fascinating areas of natural beauty. On the way to Mývatn, you’ll make a stop at the impressive Goðafoss “The waterfall of the gods”. At the end of the day your guide will drive you back to Akureyri for a second overnight stay.

Staying inEgilsstaðir area
Driving distance340 km (211 mi)

This morning’s drive takes you to the charming fishing village of Húsavík. After a stop here you will continue along the coastline of the Tjörnes peninsula. Your guide will take a short stop at the extremity of the peninsula so you can enjoy the view and spot some seabirds. The journey will continue to the eastern part of Iceland, with a few stops on the way including the magnificent Ásbyrgi canyon.

Staying inHöfn area
Driving distance270 km (168 mi)

Now it is time to discover the East Fjords. You’ll start by heading to Reyðarfjörður, where you can visit the small history museum about World War II. Your guide will continue the drive along the fjords towards south-east Iceland. At times, the road hangs precariously high on the mountain slopes, providing excellent views. Finally, you’ll pass through the tunnel of Almannaskarð to arrive in the Höfn region where you will stay the night.

Staying inVík/Skógar area
Driving distance300 km (186 mi)

Your guide will take you along the south-east of Iceland. After passing various outlet glaciers of Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest ice cap, you will arrive at the famous glacier lagoon, Jökulsárlón. This is an exceptional sight nestled at the foot of Iceland’s highest mountain, Hvannadalshnúkur.

Later, you’ll continue towards Skaftafell, another area worthy of your attention. This oasis surrounded by glaciers and black sand plains has many good hiking trails. You’ll then journey through Kirkjubæjarklaustur village, the Eldhraun lava field and the Mýrdalssandur plain before arriving in the Vík area.

Driving distance300 km (186 mi)

Today, be amazed by the gems of the south coast of Iceland with the magnificent waterfalls Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss. Then, your guide will take you around the famous Golden Circle route, which includes the most popular attractions in Iceland, Gullfoss, Geysir, and Þingvellir National Park.

After these spectacular days in the countryside, it‘s time to head back to Reykjavík and say goodbye to your guide. If you are staying extra nights in the capital, we can help you plan some optional activities. Please contact your travel consultant for more information.

What’s included?

Comfort or Quality accommodation every night

Continental breakfast every day

Rental car of your choice for 6 days

Private driver-guide

Unlimited in-car Wi-Fi

24/7 emergency helpline when you’re in Iceland

VAT, taxes & service fees

Flights to Iceland

Airport transfer

Accommodation in Reykjavík

Food & drink, unless otherwise stated

Attraction entrance fees, unless otherwise stated

Personal travel insurance

Don’t take our word for it

See what hundreds of fellow travelers have to say about their trips with Iceland Tours.

Read customer reviews

FAQs about our private guided trips

All of our private guided tours start in Reykjavík. Here your driver-guide will pick you up from your accommodation and you’ll hit the road.

With your enthusiastic guide leading the way, you will head out into the Icelandic countryside. As you’re immersed in the country’s incredible nature, you’ll learn from your guide about the places you’re visiting.

Once you’ve arrived at your accommodation for the night, you and your guide will say goodbye until the morning. You’ll have time to yourself to enjoy dinner and recharge before the next day’s adventure.

At the end of your tour, you’ll be dropped off back at your hotel in the capital.

Good to know: Our private tour packages do not include hotel stays in Reykjavík at the start or end of the tour, or a transfer from the airport as standard. If you’d like us to arrange this for you, please let us know in the ‘Special requests’ box at checkout.

You’ll get to meet your guide for the first time when they collect you from your hotel in Reykjavík. Over the course of your trip, you’ll have the chance to get to know them and swap stories and jokes!

Guidance is in English as standard, although if you would like a guide that speaks a different language, please let us know in the ‘Special requests’ box at checkout.

We can’t guarantee that a guide that speaks a language other than English will be available for your selected tour dates, but we’ll do our best to honor your request.

It’s normally possible to book a guide that speaks Spanish, French, Italian, German, Dutch, or a Scandinavian language. Note that there may be an additional charge for a non-English-speaking guide.

In Iceland, tipping is not commonplace in restaurants, hotels, taxis, and the like.

That said, if your guide goes above and beyond to make your tour extra special, they would graciously receive a tip. Just know that it’s not expected, so it’s totally up to you.

You can customize your trip to Iceland with extra days in Reykjavík at the start or end of your trip. This is your chance to pack in day tours and activities like snowmobiling and ice caving.

If you want to customize the itinerary of your actual guided tour, contact us and we’ll be happy to help. Just so you know, there’s an extra fee for this service. See our terms and conditions for all the details.

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Ages 12+

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