I planned a trip around Iceland’s Ring Road, so you don’t have to! 

This post is one in a series of blogs about Iceland, because there’s just too much information to pack into one post. And even still— this post is long, so buckle in!

I am a VERY thorough planner, some people may even say ridiculous. My husband, Evan, and I took a 12-day trip to Iceland, and I planned every day out so that we would be able to see everything and still make it to our next sleeping accommodation on time. We stayed somewhere different almost every night, so it was important to stay on some type of schedule, while still having fun!

If you prefer to skip all the details and get straight to the itinerary, click the button below:

How we spent 12 days in Iceland:

Day One

If things had gone according to my beautiful, meticulous itinerary, we would have spent our first day exploring the capital city of Reykjavik and perhaps hiking up to the active Litli Hrutur volcano eruption site. However, due to some serious travel issues, we missed out on one of our full days (spoiler: Delta really messed up. If you want to read more about that check out this post). We ended up making it to our accommodation in Reykjavik sometime around 3 AM, and went straight to bed! Although we had to skip a couple of things we had planned, we still made the most of it! We woke up the next day ready to move past our travel nightmare and have some fun.

Day Two

We began our journey along the Ring Road from the capital region. The Golden circle, one of the most popular tourist attractions, includes Þingvellir National Park, Gulfoss waterfall, and Geysir. Each of these locations along the Golden Circle are considered to be “must-see” for anyone visiting Iceland. So, of course we had to see them!

Þingvellir National Park is a gorgeous piece of land most famous for sitting on a rift valley caused by the separation of the North American and European tectonic plates. “Silfra Fissure” is a location in the park where the rift is able to be seen very clearly. Filled with clear blue water, you can see even farther down into the rift than your brain can imagine. It’s hard to wrap your mind around what you’re actually looking at, but absolutely one of Iceland’s greatest natural sites.

Gulfoss, another stop on the Golden Circle, is a massive waterfall in the canyon of the Hvítá river. It is about 105 meters tall, and has two tiers of falls, making it a sight to behold. The walk to the waterfall was fairly short, and you are able to get quite close, which we loved.

The third stop on the Golden Circle was Geysir. It is the first known geyser to modern Europeans, and the first described in a printed source. In fact, all other geysers known today are named after this one. Because of our rearrangement in schedule, we weren’t able to fully appreciate Geysir, but we did at least got to see it erupt!

Our final stop on day two was Laugarvatn Fontana. Because of Iceland’s geographical location among the tectonic plates, there is a ton of geothermal activity near the Earth’s surface. In this location, the ground is so hot that even digging a couple of inches reveals boiling water. For years upon years, the locals have been burying their bread in the ground and coming back for it 24 hours later when it has been fully cooked! We were lucky enough to experience this with Laugarvatn Fontana.

We learned about the history of geothermal bread baking before digging up the bread from the hot ground and tasting it while still hot and fresh. The bread was served to us in traditional Icelandic style, with homemade, hand-churned butter and fresh smoked trout from the lake! The balance of sweet and savory was amazing, and everything tasted so fresh. We thoroughly enjoyed a little slice of Icelandic heritage!

For night two and three, we stayed in Selfoss. We explored the little city both nights, and even tried some of the local cuisine!

Day Three

We woke up early and departed towards Kerið, which is a volcanic crater lake. This crater lake is believed to be a magma chamber that collapsed at the end of a volcanic eruption which may have happened up to 6,000 years ago! You are able to hike all around the top edge of the crater and down near the lake as well. Pictures don’t do much justice for the actual size of the crater, but the circumference of the crater is around 270 meters.

Our next stop, Háifoss, is the fourth highest waterfall in Iceland. The car park is situated so that a short walk will take you to a view point above the waterfall, but adventurers can get all the way down to the falls on a treacherous mountain hike. Naturally, we wanted to get closer, so we embarked on the hike. This trail is generally considered hard, as it has multiple VERY steep inclines and loose gravel or sand to trek on. There were spots we had to get on all fours and scale the steep ledges, but making it to the base of that waterfall was so very rewarding. This hike was only 2.7 miles, but it was definitely a challenge. 

After Háifoss, we went back to our cabin in Selfoss for a quick nap. We ended up going out for a walk and some dinner at the city center later that evening, but we took it pretty easy for the rest of the day.

Day Four

Our fourth day was jam-packed with waterfalls and exploring. None of these waterfalls required much of a hike to get to, so we were able to fit more in. We started off with Seljalandsfoss, which is the first waterfall we were able to walk under. It was clearly visible from the road, but getting to walk under the falls was exhilarating. We marveled at the crashing water and the cold mist for a little while before heading to the next waterfall. 

Skógafoss is one of Iceland’s largest and most beautiful waterfalls. Because of the amount of mist coming from the waterfall, it is almost guaranteed to see a rainbow at these falls on a sunny day. Lucky for us, it was sunny, and we saw a couple of rainbows! We got as close to the waterfall as we could, but even a few seconds up close had us drenched. Don’t worry though, we got our pictures! 

Our third and final waterfall of the day was Kvernufoss. This waterfall may have been one of my favorites, mostly because we had it almost all to ourselves. We were able to go behind and under this waterfall as well which, again, was exhilarating. The cold mist from the falls just raining on me had this effect that just made me smile and laugh uncontrollably— maybe that’s what they call bliss.

From the waterfalls, we headed towards the southern coast of Iceland where we visited Dyrhólaey. This translates to “Door Hill Island” for obvious reasons, as boats and planes can fit through the opening in the rock formation. The most exciting part of Dyrhólaey, though, is the large population of Puffins! In the summer, these cute little birds travel to Iceland to spend the warmer months and do their nesting.

Dyrhólaey is located near the coastal village of Vik, which is where we were spending the night, so we went to explore the village and its claims to fame. We traveled up to Vík í Mýrdal Church, located on the top of a hill with amazing views of the entire village and its black sand coastline.

From the top of the hill, we headed back down to the black sand beach known as Reynisfjara. The contrast of the dark sand to the white seafoam on the waves is one of the craziest things I’ve ever seen. Just off the beach, the rock formation known as Reynisdragnar towers over the water. This beach was absolutely incredible, but it can be very dangerous. In fact, swimming is not allowed because of the extreme strength of the current. If you get caught in the water, it could be impossible to reach shore again. The Icelanders say never to turn your back to the water, as it can change rapidly.

Day Five

This was probably my favorite day of the whole trip. We woke up at our accommodation just outside Vik and headed further East, with our first stop being Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon. Not far off the Ring Road, this canyon boasts a landscape that looks to be straight from the Lord of the Rings. With a winding river of clear blue water flowing through it, Fjaðrárgljúfur stands about 100 meters tall, and you can climb to the edge of the cliff for the most spectacular views. However, the platform is a metal grate with an immense amount of distance below it, so we didn’t stay too long!

Our next stop was the Svínafellsjökull Glacier and Glacial Lagoon. This 1,000 year old glacier is an outlet from a much larger one, but this particular area allows you to get pretty close, if you are brave enough. There were many warning signs for breakaway ice, falling rock, and even signs warning of drowning. Glaciers, being giant chunks of ice, are unpredictable and very dangerous. It is forbidden to hike on the actual glacier without proper equipment and/or a trained guide. The crevasses and cracks in the ice have a deep blue color which makes them mesmerizing to look at. We were able to hike up the side of the mountain and see the glacier from there, and it is definitely one of the coolest things I have ever seen. Get it, coolest? You know, because it’s ice.

This glacier looks like a different planet, which is why it was actually used as the filming location for “Dr. Mann’s Planet” in Interstellar. This is Evan’s favorite movie, so obviously, he was pretty excited to see it up close. After seeing the Svínafellsjökull Glacier, we moved on to see the larger glacier it stems from. The Vatnajökull Glacier is the largest in Iceland, and the largest in Europe. This glacier is part of a national park that covers about 14% of the total land mass of Iceland.

The Vatnajökull glacier is unbelievably massive, and as chunks of ice break off, they fill the Glacier Lagoon. There is opportunity to get close to these icebergs and closer to the glacier on boat tours, but most of the glacier is surrounded by water so it is hard to access otherwise. The icebergs floating in Vatnajökull are monochromatic shades of blue with the contrast of black sand among them, offering another otherworldly scene. We stood and stared at the ice for at least an hour, just completely awestruck. We were even lucky enough to see a big chunk of iceberg break off and crash into the water, which was honestly an eerie sight and sound, but also truly extraordinary. 

As the icebergs break into smaller pieces, they float down a short channel and right into the ocean. This part of the coast is called Diamond Beach, another black sand beach, named for its look. When the chunks of ice wash back up on the black sand, the beach looks to be littered with diamonds. Yet again, the stark contrast created a magnificent sight. After admiring the scenery, we got back on the road to our next accommodation in Höfn.

Day Six

On day six, we did a few things off the beaten path, which was a nice change of pace. Our first stop: Viking Village. In the Eastern region of Iceland, this village was built as a set for a movie that was never filmed. Now, the set is a small tourist attraction at the base of Vestrahorn Mountain! Although it is entirely fabricated, the village is a fun insight to how the vikings may have truly lived.

Another black sand beach can be seen just on the other side of the mountain. We were able to sit on a rock and take in the view after a brief hike down the rocks. It was an extremely tranquil and calming experience because there were only one or two other people on the entire beach. We were even lucky enough to see a harbor seal along the shoreline and spent a considerable amount of time watching it swim back and forth.

We were mindful that we had a 2-hour trip ahead of us as we departed the beach, but we agreed to pull over and explore anything intriguing we came across while driving. So we did in fact do that! Just a glimpse of a waterfall and a few parked cars were enough to make us to stop. This waterfall, Nykurhylsfoss, had a lovely viewing area, but we saw a small trail on the other side of the lake that appeared to lead up closer to the falls. Once we figured out how to cross, we went up and saw the waterfall in its most breathtaking form. Best of all, it was just the two of us up there!

For night six, we were staying in the Hallormsstaður area. This area is near another small town known as Eglisstadir, where the East Iceland Heritage Museum can be found. This museum was a wonderful way to learn about Icelandic history, and the newest installment— reindeer of Iceland! Not only was the museum incredibly informative, there were translations of each exhibit in English. It gave me an even deeper appreciation for such an already beautiful and sustainable country.

After the museum, we decided to head to our accommodation for the night. When we arrived, our host, Elsa, was super welcoming and showed us around the property. She had a small studio for her “handkrafts” and two lambs in the backyard who loved people. This was a very special part of our trip, and she made our stay there the most memorable!

After a short nap and dinner, we made the decision to go for one more walk. The sun never sets, after all! There was an easy trail  that ran through the Hallormsstaur Forrest to a little waterfall called Ljósáfoss. Luckily, the trail was only about 10 miles from our lodging. Once more, it was only the two of us near the waterfall, so we enjoyed the seclusion. Before returning to our overnight accommodation, we took a seat on the grass and simply enjoyed listening to the water stream by.

Day Seven

Elsa had freshly baked bread waiting for us when we woke up, and it was fantastic! I just have so many wonderful things to say about her and our time there. We were off to a terrific start after such a delicious breakfast. The first attraction on day seven was located in the midst of rolling farmland. In fact, the parking lot was roughly 2.5 miles away and the location could only be reached on foot.

Basalt columns abound in the canyon known as Stuðlagil, situated in the glacier valley of Jokuldalur. With the contrast of bright blue glacier water running through the canyon, this is a hidden gem. In our opinion— this is a must see. Walking, scaling the basalt columns, and simply taking in the scenery took up almost three hours of our time in Stuðlagil, before we even realized it. By the time we left, we were looking forward to some relaxation at our next stop. 

The Lake Mývatn Nature Baths were up next! “Nature baths” are outdoor baths with a milky blue color, caused by a high concentration of minerals in the water. The baths are naturally heated by hot springs, and they maintain temperatures between 36 and 40 degrees Celsius. In Fahrenheit, the temperature would be 97 to 104 degrees. This makes them the perfect place to relax, and reap the benefits! The minerals found in these nature baths, such as silica, sulfur, and calcium, can do wonders for some people. Because of the rich minerals, the baths are believed to help ease muscle tension, reduce stress, and improve skin and even respiratory conditions! We spent around 3 hours relaxing here before heading to our accommodation for the next two nights, in the Lake Mývatn area. 

Day 8 

On day eight, we woke up rejuvenated! We had a loose idea of what we planned on doing for this day, but we needed to fill up on fuel which led us into the nearest town of Húsavik. If you’ve ever seen Eurovision, this is the town it was based in.

As soon as we drove into the city, we knew we wanted to spend the day exploring here. The first thing we noticed was the color pink on everything. And yes, I mean everything. There were wooden cutouts of famous characters, streamers, balloons, flags, and everything in between, but they were all the color pink. As we continued driving we noticed the color green, and then the color orange as well. We later found out that we had stumbled into town just as the locals were preparing for the annual Mærudagar festival, which means “Candy Days.” This is a very popular festival that draws in people from all around Iceland. The town is divided into three color districts and everyone gets involved, making it even more charming! 

While in Húsavik, we enjoyed the Whale Museum which was probably one of the most well put-together museums I’ve ever been to. Húsavik is a coastal city, and is the whale-watching capital of Iceland. The Whale Museum is super educational and had tons of information on the history of whales around Iceland. Within the museum, there are 16 genuine whale skeletons that have been carefully preserved including one of a blue whale! If you didn’t know, a Blue Whale is the largest mammal on Earth! Of course, the skeletons are all from those of whales who passed away due to natural causes. I highly, highly recommend visiting this museum if you are taking a Ring Road trip.

After The Whale Museum, we grabbed a late lunch and headed back to our accommodation for a quick nap. Since we had so many hours of daylight, we went back out in the evening for a little more adventure. Our first stop on the evening adventure was Grjótagjá, a small lava cave near Lake Mývatn. For the Game of Thrones fans out there, this was definitely a must-see! This is THE cave, if you know what I mean. There is a small thermal spring inside the cave, which was used as a nature bath for many years. However, due to volcanic activity, the springs became too hot for people to use. Since the 1970s, “bathing” in the cave has been strictly prohibited. Even entering the cave is at your own risk! 

Our next evening stop was a short trail around the lake, called Höfði Loop. This little trail has spectacular views of the lake, the mountain ranges, and even a little flower garden. This trail only took us about an hour, and that included our frequent stops to watch the baby ducks swim around. We left Höfði Loop feeling very relaxed and serene, so we decided to turn in for the night. Plus, we had an exciting morning ahead!

Day Nine

On day nine, we started early and made our way back to Húsavik to embark on our Whale and Puffin Watching excursion. All three of the major sailing companies take part in conservation efforts and whale safety. We sailed with North Sailing, and we were quite fortunate to spot a pod of White-Beaked Dolphins and at least 4 Humpback Whales! And, of course, more puffins. To avoid interfering with the whales’ natural acoustics in the bay, they don’t utilize sonar or tracking devices. This indicated that every sighting was solely dependent on nature.

As we cruised along, the crew members were actively providing education on the whales in the Skjálfandi Bay. This tour was fairly long, giving us the best chance to see as much as possible. North Sailing also provided us with thick overalls and raincoats to keep us warm and dry throughout the duration of the cruise. However, even with our own layers and the layers provided, it was still very cold on the water. If you plan to go on a whale watching cruise, even in the summer, I recommend dressing very warm. Overall, this tour was amazing, very educational, and we were able to see tons of wildlife! 

From Húsavik, we had another couple of hours to drive in order to reach our next accommodation, but we had one stop to make along the way! Goðafoss, located in northern Iceland, Goðafoss is a sizable waterfall. The water of this waterfall is a stunning pure blue and is twice as long as it is tall. The term “The Waterfall of the Gods” refers to the breathtaking magnificence of these falls. We returned to the road after taking in one last spectacular waterfall. We passed through Akureryi, one of the biggest cities in the nation, but we were unable to make a stop. Despite our sadness, we determined that it would only serve as motivation for us to go back to Iceland!

For night nine, we stayed in the Skagaströnd area, which was another coastal community. This area was pretty rural, but we did enjoy the restaurant here the most out of any others on our trip. We went to a local place called Harbor Restaurant and Bar, which was in walking distance from our accommodation. We both got fresh, local cod and were absolutely blown away by the taste and quality.

Day Ten

On day ten, we were making our way back to the western region of Iceland. Our first stop of the day was Kolugljúfur Canyon. This canyon was smaller than some of the others we had seen along the trip, but was well worth stopping. There were multiple waterfalls and the familiar, refreshing sound of rushing waters. One of the best parts of this canyon is the ability to get as close as you want, which makes the experience very personalized! While there are plenty of viewpoints, you can get adventurous and travel deeper into the canyon if you want. After spending some time exploring the canyon, we got on the road again towards the Selasetur Íslands.

On the Selasetur Íslands we were able to visit the Icelandic Seal Center and multiple seal watching sites. The Icelandic Seal Center claims dedication to developing sustainable wildlife tourism and research and education on the status of the seal populations of Iceland. Buying a ticket to this small museum helps support their cause, and was also very educational. We were able to learn about the seal population in Iceland before going on to the seal-watching site. 

We spent the night in Buoardalur area, which is pretty remote. There was not much to see, as far as famous attractions, but we were still able to find a little gem. Located about 15 minutes from our accommodation, we found a local creamery where you can meet the dairy cows! 

Erpsstaðir Creamery sat on a large farm, where there was a small park and the opportunity to see the production area. Since Iceland was settled, over 1,000 years ago, the cows have not been crossbred! The characteristics of these cows are different than American dairy cows, as they are much smaller and more colorful. These cows also live 98% freely in the summer months. They are able to roam the land and graze all day and night, and are able to come into the barn and “milk” themselves whenever they want! We grabbed some ice cream, and met the makers to thank them, of course. Along with the cows, there were some horses, ducks, pigs, and even some bunnies on the farm. This was such a fun little excursion off the beaten path!

Day Eleven

On our last day, we got up extra early. We initially planned another waterfall hike, but because we missed our first day in Reykjavik, we decided to spend the day there instead. We got back into the city around 9 AM, so we beat the crowd for a few hours. Most of the things we wanted to see were in the main downtown area of Reykjavik, so we took a self guided tour on foot. The main stops on our self-guided tour included “Rainbow Road”, the famous cathedral Hallgrimskirkja, and Harpa Music Hall. We also went in and out of several stores as we passed them, which was a lot of fun.

Once we had explored all the historical sites, we headed to a very ~interesting~ museum, known as The Iceland Phallological Museum. According to the website, the museum is “the worldʹs only genuine penis museum,” and “is dedicated to collecting, studying and presenting actual phalluses and all things phallic.” And, boy, were they serious. This museum had specimens from everything from land mammals, to sea creatures, to primates, to even humans! Aside from the undoubtable comedic value, there was actually quite a bit of educational material in the museum. While we giggled most of the way through, we did also learn some new things! Overall, I think this museum is an absolute must-see if you’re going to Iceland. I mean, where else could you go to a museum like this?

After our once in a lifetime museum experience, we decided to do something a little more relaxing. We made our way to the Grasagarður Botanical Garden, which is large open-air museum showcasing the plants and flowers of Iceland. The botanical garden was actually free, so if you are looking for budget friendly things to do, this is a great option. There were so many beautiful flowers and lush green plants to see.

While we could have soaked up the beauty forever, we only stayed at the garden for about an hour, before heading to dinner. For our final dinner, we ate at Iceland’s oldest restaurant, Kaffivagninn. And for dessert, we got some Rye bread ice cream! This was a perfect, sweet little end to our trip.

Day Twelve

The day finally came to head home. We woke up at 4 AM and headed to the airport, reminiscing on the last 11 days. Iceland was so much more beautiful than we could have ever imagined, and more than we can ever tell you. If you ever get the chance to visit this amazing country, DO IT!

If you enjoyed reading this, take a look at our other posts and keep an eye out for more trips coming soon!