Pick up the car in and leave Reykjavik city and head for Hveragerði and the village Selfoss, in Hveragerði geothermal water is harnessed to heat greenhouses for cultivation of decorative flowers and vegetables. From Selfoss proceed east along the south shore, heading for Vík. See the Saga Centre at Hvolsvöllur and stop at the waterfall Seljalandsfoss, where a walk behind the falls is possible during summer, which can be a quite a unique experience. A little further east is Skógafoss, another pretty waterfall, the largest on the south coast and don’t miss the interesting Folk Museum at Skógar, close to the waterfall.
The glaciers Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull are towering above, capping the Eyjafjöll mountain chain. 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.
Make a detour to the glacier Sólheimajökull (passable only during summer) before continuing to Dyrhólaey natural reserve and a nesting colony of numerous seabirds (closed for all traffic during the nesting period until June 25th).
Make a short detour to the glacier Sólheimajökull (passable only during summer). Continue further east and make a short detour to the headland Dyrhólaey, a natural reserve and a nesting colony of numerous seabirds. Next visit Reynisdrangar with spectacular coast and beautiful rock formations.Drive across the Mýrdalssandur floodplains and Eldhraun, the largest lava field ever to flow on Earth in historical time, and to the small village Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Fjaðrárgljúfur is a narrow and beautiful canyon a few km to the west from Kirkjubæjarklaustur, worth taking a look at. At Kirkjubæjarklaustur, see Kirkjugólfið (the Church Floor), a protected natural monument just east of the village. Kirkjugólfið is columnar basalt, shaped and eroded by water and wind. From Kirkjubæjarklaustur, continue over Skeidarársandur, vast tracts of black sandy desert washed down by numerous torrential glacial rivers. Stop at Skaftafell National Park, an oasis wedged between glacier and sand. Its natural beauty is a result of unusually favorable weather conditions and the interaction of ice and fire. Beneath the Vatnajökull ice cap, towering above Skaftafell is Grímsvötn, one of Iceland’s most active volcano. 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 started 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 ceased on 28. May 2011. See the interesting Visitors Center where you can learn the history of fire and ice in the region and a video of the volcanic eruption and the catastrophic flood in the area in 1996 can also be viewed. An interesting hiking trail takes you to Svartifoss, one of Icelands most picturesque waterfall, framed in by beautiful basalt columns that surround it. In the Skaftafell area are many other interesting hiking trails. Continue to Jökulsarlón, the Glacial Lagoon where huge icebergs, sculptures of nature, float and grind together in the deep blue waters of the lagoon. An interesting cruise among the icebergs on the Lagoon is available in summer. Return to Kirkjubæjarklaustur.

Driving distance
500 kilometers

Highlights of the day:

Overnight:
Kirkjubæjarklaustur

Recommended optional activity:

Return to Selfoss. Continue to the volcanic crater Kerið to stop for some pictures. 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 to the majestic waterfall Gullfoss one of Iceland’s largest and most beautiful waterfall. Make Gullfoss a turnaround point and drive back and head to the National Park Thingvellir, (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. Thingvellir is also the most historical place in the country and a place of exceptional beauty. From the National Park head back to Reykjavík.

Driving distance
360 kilometers

Highlights of the day:

Overnight:
Reykjavík

Recommended optional activity:

Private transfer from the hotel to Keflavik International Airport.