Grand tour around Iceland including the Westfjords self drive 14 days
Self Drive Tour
The grand tour of self drive Iceland covers all the sights and attractions along the main circular highway around the country, as well as Snæfellsnes and the Westfjords. Enjoy self drive holidays in Iceland with this 2 weeks grand tour of Iceland that promises a great vacation with cheap car hire for Iceland circle.
BP03 Map
Upon your arrival at Keflavik airport, a meet and greet service by a TOURIS representative who will take you to your Reykjavik hotel.
Highlights of the day:
Reykjavík
Overnight:
Reykjavík
Optional activity:
Reykjavik City Card
Pick up a car in the morning and leave Reykjavík to head to the West. Visit the famous Settlement Centre at Borgarnes. The prime objective of the Icelandic Settlement Centre at Borgarnes is to dramatically recreate the fascinating sagas surrounding the birth of this island nation. Continue towards Snæfellsnes Peninsula to explore the countless natural wonders of the area Snæfellsnes peninsula divides the west coast of Iceland into two large bays, Faxaflói and Breiðafjörður. Cross the lowland plains of Mýrar, drive to the south coast of Snæfellsnes and head towards the tip of the peninsula. In the northern part of Mýrar, pass a number of volcanic craters on both sides of the road, Eldborg being the largest and most beautiful shape. Continue to Arnarstapi and Hellnar to view the beautiful and spectacular coast with it´s rich birdlife. Continue around the tip of the peninsula at the foot of Snæfellsjökull, a glaciated volcano, the backdrop for the famous novel "The Journey to the Centre of the Earth". Much of interesting geological phenomena and many historic sites can be found in the Snæfellsjökull National Park, the most recent one in Iceland. Among many places of interest are Dritvík, Djúpalónssandur and Öndverðarnes a former fishing station. Make a short detour to Djúpalónssandur and take a short walk along a marked path to the beach. Continue to the east along the north coast of the peninsula to the charming village of Stykkishólmur.
Driving distance
280 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Borgarnes town
Stykkishólmur Town
Snæfellsjökull Glacier
Hellnar hamlet
Arnarstapi
Lóndrangar rock formation
Overnight:
Stykkishólmur area
Recommended optional activity:
The Settlement Exhibition and The Egil Saga Exhibition
In the morning, take a ferry across Breiðafjörður Bay with its countless islands to Brjánslækur, a port on the south coast of the Westfjords. Enroute to Brjánslækur, the ferry will make a short stop at Flatey Island to drop off and pick up passengers. Drive from Brjánslækur to Rauðisandur Beach. Continue to Látrabjarg, one of the most crowded bird cliffs in the world. In summer the 444 m high sea cliffs are occupied by millions of Puffins, Gannets, Guillemots, Razorbills and other species of seabirds. Enroute, stop at the interesting folk museum at Hnjótur.
Driving distance
100 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Breiðaförður Bay
Látrabjarg Cliff
Overnight:
Patreksfjörður / Látrabjarg area.
Continue to the north towards Ísafjörður town. The drive to Ísafjörður, the largest town in the West fjords is characterized by stunning steep sided mountain scenery with narrow and deep fjords in one of the most remote regions of the country. Stop at the waterfall Dynjandi after crossing Dynjandisheiði Pass. Continue through a tunnel from Flateyri to Ísafjörður town. Explore Ísafjörður and its surroundings, the neighboring towns of Bolungarvík and Suðureyri. In summer Kayak tours on the Ísafjörður fjord are available and the Natural History Museum of Bolungarvík is also worth a visit.
Driving distance
220 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Dynjandi Waterfall
Ísafjörður Town
Overnight:
Ísafjörður / Suðureyri area
In summer an interesting boat tour to the picturesque Vigur Island is available from Ísafjörður. This is a great experience. Drive along the shores of the numerous and some uninhabited, fjords of Ísafjarðardjúp with beautiful coastlines, teeming with seals and bird life and towards Hólmavík. At Drangsnes, a small fishing village at Steigrímsfjörður fjord is a hot outdoor pool with natural hot water, - popular for bathing, where you can take a dip and relax after a day of driving through the Westfjords.
Driving distance
240 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Hólmavík town
Overnight:
Strandir area
Continue to the fertile valley of Skagafjörður, renowned for horse breeding. The Icelandic Seal Center at Hvammstangi town is an interesting place to visit. It is a research and exhibition center investigating the lives of seals found in and around Iceland. Around Vatnsnes peninsula you have a unique opportunity to watch both harbour seals and grey seals in their natural habitat. The main watching locations are Svalbarð and at Illugastaðir on the west coast and and at Ósar on the east coast. The Icelandic Seal Center at Hvammstangi gives more information about these locations and how to approach the seals with care. It is usually best to see the seals at low tide since seals usually rest ashore during low tide but feed during high tide. Enroute to Skagafjörður, pass the service center Blönduós, situated on the banks of Blanda glacial river. Continue and cross Vatnsskað pass to the Skagafjörður district. Popular horse riding tours for beginners and experienced riders are available in the Skagafjörður district. Some of the best White Water Rafting in Iceland is available there too. See Glaumbær Folk Museum, open during the summer and the old church at Víðimýri. Hólar is an interesting historical place to visit and the town Hofsós with its old buildings and the Emigration Center.
Driving distance
300 kilometers
Highlights ofn the day:
Hvítserkur Cliff
Vatnsdalshólar mounds
Glaumbær Folk Museum
Overnight:
North-west Iceland
Recommended optional activity:
Horseback Riding
Beer Spa
Continue to Akureyri, the largest town in the North. Explore the fascinating town on the shores of the Eyjafjörður Fjord. One of the most extraordinary aspects of the town is its mild climate. Although Akureyri is situated only about 60 miles south of the Arctic Circle, it enjoys some of the best weather in the country. See the Botanical Gardens and some of the many museums and art galleries. Overnight in the Eyjafjörður area.
Driving distance
130 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Akureyri
Overnight:
Eyjafjörður area
Different options:
Explore Tröllaskagi Peninsula. Drive along the eastern shore of Skagafjörður Fjord to Hofsós and further to the north to Fljót District. Continue to Siglufjörður, a remotely located fishing town that during the herring boom in early 20th century used to be the most prosperous fishing town in Iceland. Visit the award-winning Siglufjörður Herring Era Museum. It charts the rise and decline of the former "Herring Capital of the World" and the great Herring Adventure that lasted until 1968. Take the Lágheiði Pass to Ólafsfjörður, a fishing town on the shores of Eyjafjörður Fjord. A short (15 min.) ferry ride is available several times daily (every 1-2 hours) during summer from Árskógssandur to the small Island Hrísey. Hrísey has earned a reputation as a bird watching destination. There are no natural predators on the island, making it an ideal bird sanctuary.
Leave the Akureyri area and head for Lake Mývatn. Stop at the pretty waterfall Goðafoss. Spend the day exploring the numerous natural wonders of the Lake Mývatn area and its surroundings. The lake area is known worldwide for abundance of birdlife and great number of duck species, breeding in one place in summer. The lake's surroundings show amazing formations of geological interest and great variety of landscapes. Visit the numerous highlights of the area: Dimmuborgir lava formations, Námaskarð geothermal area, Skútustaðagígar pseudo craters, the Nature Baths, the volcano Krafla, and numerous other interesting and scenic spots.
Proceed to Húsavík, sometimes called "The Whale Watching Capital of The World". Húsavík was the first place in the country to offer very successful Whale Watching cruises. The Whale Museum in Húsavík is an educational centre on marine wildlife.
Driving distance
150 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Goðafoss waterfall
Lake Mývatn
Dimmuborgir
Nature Baths
Hverfell Crater
Skútustaðagígar Pseudo Craters
Námaskarð
Húsavík Town
Overnight:
Húsavík/ Lake Mývatn area
Recommended optional activity:
Nature Baths
Whale Watching From Húsavík
Leave Húsavík and drive to the north towards the Öxarfjörður Bay to Ásbyrgi canyon is a strange and spectacular horseshoe shaped canyon by the main road, - not to be missed. Head back to Vesturdalur and Hljóðaklettar, the Echo rocks, an extremely beautiful canyon carved by the river Jökulsá á Fjöllum. This area offers many interesting hiking trails to explore the many wonders of the Jökulsárgljúfur National Park. Continue to the south to Dettifoss waterfall, the largest waterfall in Europe. From Dettifoss proceed across the highland plateau to Egilsstaðir town, the largest town in east Iceland. Near Egilsstaðir is Hallormsstaðaskógur, the largest forest in the country and the legendary Lagarfljót River. A short and scenic drive from Egilsstaðir across Fjarðarheiði Pass is Seyðisfjörður, a small and picturesque fishing town and a ferry port, certainly worth a visit.
Driving distance
310 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Hljóðaklettar rock formations
Ásbyrgi Canyon
Jökulsárgljúfur National Park
Dettifoss Waterfall
Egilsstaðir town
Hallormsstaðaskógur Forest
Seyðisfjörður town
Overnight:
Egilsstaðir / Seyðisfjörður area
Drive to the scenic East Fjords, each of them a world of its own. The stone collection of Petra at Stöðvarfjörður is interesting to visit to see beautiful stones collected in this area. Continue to the south and past Lónsöræfi and to top of Almannaskarð pass for a great view over the surrounding area. Continue through a tunnel to Höfn, a blooming fishing community in the realm of Vatnajökull, the greatest glacier in Europe. The fishing town Höfn, famous for its lobster catch is located at the foot of Vatnajökull, and the scenery is breathtaking.
Driving distance
250 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Egilsstaðir town
Höfn
Overnight:
Djúpivogur / Höfn area
Continue to the west and head for the Glacial Lagoon, Jökulsárlón, one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country. Huge icebergs, true sculptures of nature floating and some stranded in the blue glacial waters of the deep lagoon at the foot of the Breiðamerkurjökull Glacier. An extremely popular boat trip is available from here during summer to sail among the icebergs. Continue along the south coast and head for Skaftafell National Park, nestling at the foot of the glacier with many hiking options in the area. The natural beauty of Skaftafell is a result of very favorable weather conditions and the interaction of ice and fire. An interesting hiking trail takes you to Svartifoss, one of Iceland’s most picturesque waterfall, famous for the pretty basalt columns which surround it and the hiking trail to Skaftafellsjökull Glacier is an easy walk. Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Europe is to the north from here. In the afternoon of 21. May 2011, a sub-glacial eruption started in the Grímsvötn volcanic system underneath Vatnajökull Glacier. Later the same day, the eruption broke the ice cover of the glacier and began spewing volcanic ash into the air. The amount of ash fall was the greatest close to the village Kirkjubæjarklaustur. The eruption went on for about a week. It came to an end on 28. May 2011. Drive across Skeiðarársandur floodplains and to Kirkjubæjarklaustur. See Kirkjugólfið (the Church Floor), a protected natural monument just east of Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Kirkjugólfið is columnar basalt, eroded and shaped by wind and water, only a few minutes’ walk from the road. Fjaðrárgljúfur is a beautiful canyon a few km. to the west from Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Then across the black sandy floodplains of Mýrdalssandur to the village Vík for an overnight stay in the area.
Driving distance
280 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Höfn
Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon
Skaftafell National Park
Svartifoss waterfall
Kirkjubæjarklaustur town
Kirkjugólf Basalt Columns
Vík town
Overnight:
Kirkjubæjarklaustur / Vík area
Recommended optional activity:
Amphibian boat Tour on Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
Drive to Reynishverfi with a spectacular coast and beautiful rock formations. Thousands of seabirds nest here in almost every crevice in summer. Head west towards Reykjavík and stop at the beautiful waterfall Skógafoss and don’t miss the Folk Museum at Skógar. On March 20th 2010, a volcanic eruption started on Fimmvörðuháls, a mountain ridge between the glaciers, Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull. The eruption on Fimmvörðuháls lasted a couple of weeks. After this eruption came to an end a new and bigger eruption started underneath the nearby icecap of Eyjafjallajökull Glacier. This eruption came to an end on 23. May 2010.
It is possible to walk behind the pretty waterfall Seljalandsfoss in summer. This is an interesting experience. Continue to the village Hvolsvöllur where you will find the Icelandic Saga Centre. The surrounding area is the scene of Njáls Saga, one of the most famous Icelandic Sagas. Continue to the volcanic crater Kerið. Drive further inland and to the waterfall Faxi. Continue to the Geyser area to see the famous Great Geysir and Strokkur, a very active geyser that spouts every few minutes, as well as numerous other hot springs. From Geysir, continue a short distance further to the majestic waterfall Gullfoss, one of Iceland’s largest and most beautiful waterfalls. Make Gullfoss a turnaround point and head back to Geysir area.
Driving distance
200 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Vík Town
Reynisfjara beach
Dyrhólaey Nature Reserve
Skógafoss Waterfall
Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
Kerið
Gullfoss Waterfall and Geysir Hot Springs
Overnight:
Golden Circle area
Recommended optional activity:
Glacier Walk
Snowmobiling on Solheimajokull Glacier
Horse Riding Tour South
LAVA Centre
Head to the National Park Þingvellir, a unique place from a geological point of view. Research has shown that Thingvellir is a natural wonder on an international scale where evidence of continental drift and the rifting of the earth's crust can clearly be seen at your feet. Thingvellir is also the most historical site in the country and a place of exceptional beauty. From the National Park head back to Reykjavík. Drive to the Blue Lagoon. Enjoy a relaxing bath at the Blue Lagoon in an otherworldly setting where lava and geothermal water complement each other to prepare you for your journey home. Filled with mineral rich warm water, the Blue Lagoon has become famous for providing soothing relief for sufferers of skin disorders, as well as for others simply looking for a sensational bathing experience. Soak in the refreshing waters of the lagoon and have a wonderful last experience of Iceland, that ensures you will be relaxed when you leave the country. If you plan to take a bath at the Blue Lagoon, we strongly recommend that you book your ticket in advance. It can be booked at www.bluelagoon.com Return to Reykjavík and drop off the car.
Driving distance
160 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Þingvellir
The Blue Lagoon
Overnight:
Reykjavík
Recommended optional activity:
Snorkeling in Silfra Fissure
Private transfer from the hotel to Keflavik International Airport
Transmission: Manual
Seats: 4
Suitcases: 1
Doors: 5
Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 4
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Transmission: Manual
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Doors: 5
Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 2
Doors: 5
Transmission: Manual
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Suitcases: 2
Doors: 5
Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 2
Doors: 5
Transmission: Manual
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Suitcases: 4
Doors: 5
Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
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Doors: 5
Transmission: Manual
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Suitcases: 3
Doors: 5
Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
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Doors: 5
Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 3
Doors: 5
Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 4
Doors: 5
Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 4
Doors: 5
Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 3
Doors: 5
Transmission: Manual
Seats: 9
Suitcases: 4
Doors: 4
Transmission: Manual
Seats: 9
Suitcases: 4
Doors: 3
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