Self Drive Tour
Visit all the major sights along the circular road, including Snæfellsnes Peninsula. In evenings, head out for a hunt of the magical northern lights
Iceland Circle, Snæfellsnes Peninsula and Northern Lights 10 days
Self Drive Tour
Visit all the major sights along the circular road, including Snæfellsnes Peninsula. In evenings, head out for a hunt of the magical northern lights
BP40 Map
Upon your arrival at Keflavik airport, you will be met by your private driver who will take you to your accommodation in Reykjavik. You will be free for the rest of the day to explore Reykjavik, visit museums, landmarks etc. Downtown Reykjavík offers excellent restaurants, cafés, bars and clubs. You might want to join an optional tour if you arrive early. You can visit one of the many Reykjavík’s excellent restaurants for dinner.
Highlights of the day:
Reykjavík
Perlan
Hallgrímskirkja Church
Laugavegur Shopping Streat
Gamla Höfnin (The Old Harbour)
Harpa Concert Hall
Overnight:
Reykjavík
Optional activity:
Reykjavik City Card
Reykjavik Food Tour
Pick up the car in the morning and leave Reykjavik. Cross the plateau Hellisheiði, with a lot of geothermal activity and plumes of steam rising from the ground. Stop at the waterfall Seljalandsfoss where it is possible to walk behind the waterfall in summer, a quite a unique experience. The impressive waterfall Skógafoss is a little further east and don’t miss the Folk Museum at Skógar, close to the waterfall. Drive to Reynisdrangar with spectacular coast and beautiful rock formations. The promontory at Dyrhólaey is a massive natural arch carved by the relentless pounding of the winds and surf with rich birdlife in summer.
For the next 7 nights you will stay overnight in the country side. This provides you with perfect conditions to hunt the northern lights. Check the northern lights forecast before heading out or ask the hotel reception.
Driving distance
200 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Hveragerði Town
Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
Skógafoss Waterfall
Reynisfjara beach
Dyrhólaey Nature Reserve
Vík Town
Overnight:
Vík area
Recommended optional activity:
Glacier Walk
Snowmobiling on Solheimajokull Glacier
LAVA Centre
ATV Black Sand Beach and Plane Wreck
Katla Ice Cave
Continue along the South Coast to Vatnajökull National Park. On your way you will pass Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon and Kirkjubæjarklaustur Village. As you reach the Vatnajökull area, you won’t miss Skaftafell National Park with its great views. There you can also find many hiking trails, for example to the beautiful Svartifoss Waterfall. Continue to the famous Glacier Lagoon, where huge icebergs, true sculptures of nature, broken off Breiðamerkurjökull glacier, float and grind together in the blue waters of the lagoon. You can also go down to the Diamond Beach before driving to the Höfn area for an overnight stay.
Driving distance
280 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Kirkjubæjarklaustur town
Skaftafell National Park
Svartifoss waterfall
Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon
Höfn
Overnight:
Höfn area
Recommended optional activity:
Crystal Ice Cave
Drive from Höfn past the colourful Lónsöræfi District, a mountainous wilderness ringed by extinct volcanoes and traversed by glacial rivers. Drive past towering mountains, and to the magnificent East Fjords, some now deserted. Enroute stop at some of the charming small fishing towns. On the east coast of Iceland you might get the chance to see herds of wild Reindeer that mostly live at higher altitude in summer seek the lowlands in winter. Reindeer were introduced to many parts of Iceland from Norway in the 18th century now only live in the eastern part of Iceland from Höfn area to Vopnafjörður in the north east.
Driving distance
260 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Egilsstaðir town
Hallormsstaðaskógur Forest
Overnight:
Egilsstaðir/Hérað area
Today you drive to the great Lake Mývatn area. On your way we recommend a detour to Dettifoss, the largest waterfall in Europe. Just before reaching Mývatn we recommend a stop at Námaskarð Pass where boiling mud pools and flashing colors of the pass merge with ash and lava from nearby volcanoes. Explore the phenomenal natural beauty of the Lake Mývatn area. The lake area is known worldwide for its exceptionally many breeding duck species and the abundance of other birdlife. The main highlights of the area include Dimmuborgir, Mt. Hverfjall, the pseudo-craters of Skútustaðir and the Krafla volcanic system. The explosion crater Víti is near Krafla and the Mývatn Nature Baths are an outstanding attraction too not to be missed.
Driving distance
190 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Dettifoss Waterfall
Lake Mývatn
Dimmuborgir
Skútustaðagígar Pseudo Craters
Hverfell Crater
Námaskarð
Overnight:
Mývatn area
Recommended optional activity:
Nature Baths
Head towards Akureyri, the capital of the North. We recommend a stop at the beautiful waterfall Goðafoss on your way to Akureyri. One of the most extraordinary aspects of Akureyri is its warm climate. Although its sits only 60 miles from the Arctic Circle, it has some of the best weather in the country. See the Botanical Gardens and some of the many museums and art galleries. The newly opened Forest Lagoon is a great attraction as well. Leave Akureyri and drive to Skagafjörður, renowned for horse breeding.
Driving distance
200 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Goðafoss waterfall
Akureyri
Hvítserkur Cliff
Overnight:
Northwest area
Recommended optional activity:
Forest Lagoon
Head for Borgarfjörður district. In Borgarfjörður you will be able to see Deildartunguhver hot spring, the historic site Reykholt and the beautiful Hraunfossar and Barnafossar waterfalls. Make the waterfalls a turnaround point and head back to Borgarnes town where we recommend a visit to the Settlement Centre.
Driving distance
300 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Vatnsdalshólar mounds
Hvítserkur Cliff
Reykholt town
Deildartunguhver
Hraunfossar
Borgarnes town
Overnight:
Borgarnes area
Recommended optional activity:
Krauma Baths
Into the Glacier - Langjökull Ice Tunnel
Continue towards Snæfellsnes Peninsula to explore the countless natural wonders of the area. Enroute you will be passing a number of volcanic craters on both sides of the road, Eldborg being the largest and most beautiful shape. We recommend a visit to Búðir, a pretty site located on a natural inlet. Other sites on the south coast are Arnarstapi and Hellnar with a spectacular coast and interesting birdlife and Djúpalónssandur. Much of interesting geological phenomena and historic sites can be found in the Snæfellsjökull National Park, the most recent one in Iceland. As you continue around the tip of the peninsula you will be met with a few small fishing towns. Just outside of Grundarfjörður you will find Kirkjufell Mountain, the most picturesque mountain in Iceland. Continue to Stykkishólmur town, the main town of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Return to Borgarnes for an overnight stay.
Driving distance
330 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Stykkishólmur Town
Snæfellsjökull Glacier
Hellnar hamlet
Arnarstapi
Lóndrangar rock formation
Kirkjufell
Overnight:
Borgarnes area
Drive to Reykjavik before heading to the Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the start of the famous Golden Circle. The faults and fissures of the area are evidence of the rifting of the earth's crust. Thingvellir is one of the most historical sites in the country and a place of exceptional beauty. Explore the great Geysir hot spring area on foot and see the famous Great Geysir and Strokkur, a geyser that spouts every few minutes. Continue onwards to the majestic Gullfoss waterfall, one of Iceland’s most beautiful waterfalls. Make Gullfoss your turnaround point ahead for the waterfall Faxi. Continue to the volcanic crater Kerið. Proceed to the main circular highway and head for Hveragerði, a small town where hot spring water is harnessed to heat greenhouses for cultivation of decorative flowers. Cross Hellisheiði heath again and close up the circle in Reykjavik and drop off the car.
Driving distance
290 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Þingvellir
Geysir
Gullfoss Waterfall
Kerið
Hveragerði Town
Overnight:
Reykjavík
Recommended optional activity:
Sky Lagoon
Private transfer from the hotel to Keflavik International Airport.
Transmission: Manual
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 3
Doors: 5
Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 3
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: 3