The Iceland Grand Circle 11 days

The Iceland Grand Circle 11 days

This tour includes the full circle plus the Snæfellsnes peninsula.

BP19 Map

BP19 Map

AVAILABLE:
April 1 to October 31

DURATION:
11 days / 10 nights

CAR RENTAL DAYS:
9 Days

AVERAGE DRIVING:
228 / 142 mi per day

TOUR ID:
BP19

Included

Not Included

Itinerary

Day 1. Arrival

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:

Overnight:
Reykjavík

Optional activity:

Day 2. The Great Golden Circle

Pick up your car in the morning and head for the beautiful 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.

Driving distance
200 kilometers

Highlights of the day:

Overnight:
Hella / Hvolsvöllur area

Recommended optional activity:

Day 3. The Beautiful South Coast

Continue to the east heading for the Eyjafjöll district and 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. Continue to Vík, a small village on the black beach. 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.

Driving distance
170 kilometers

Highlights of the day:

Overnight:
Kirkjubæjarklaustur / Síða area

Recommended optional activity:

Day 4. Skaftafell National Park & The Impressive Glacier Lagoon

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
200 kilometers

Highlights of the day:

Overnight:
Höfn area

Recommended optional activity:

Day 5. The Tranquil Eastfjords

From Höfn continue to the tranquil East Fjords, and be sure to stop at Djúpivogur town where thousands of puffins nest in summer. Continue to Stöðvarfjörður, an alluring town where you might want to visit the Petra stone collection; it contains thousands of stones and minerals deposited by nature and collected by a fascinating woman named Petra.
After a morning of fjord scenery, continue to Egilsstaðir town located by the attractive Lake Lagarfljót, said to be the home of the Loch Ness of Iceland. This "lake worm" is an enormous creature only seen on rare occasions, so make sure you have your eyes open and you camera ready if it decides to reveal itself. The lake is up to 130 meters deep, so there are plenty of places for the worm to hide underneath the surface.
Continue along the lakeside to Hallormsstaður village surrounded by the lush Hallormsstaðarskógur forest. You might want to go on a picnic on one of the small stone beaches in the area sheltered by the thick forest. After you explore Hallormsstaður village and its surroundings, head back to Egilsstaðir town for an overnight stay.

Driving distance
250 kilometers

Highlights of the day:

Overnight:
Egilsstaðir area

Day 6. Jökulsárgljúfur National Park and Húsavík town

Cross over a deserted highland plateau to Jökulsárgljúfur National Park where you will witness the awesome power of Dettifoss Waterfall, the most powerful waterfall in Europe. Standing next to the noisy waterfall will leave most people humbled by the awesome power of nature.
Continue to Ásbyrgi Canyon, a monument to the devastating power of nature; the canyon came into existence during a major flood originating from Vatnajökull Glacier.
Continue to Húsavík town, the “whale watching capital of the world”, where you can join a whale watching tour or simply relax after a day of sightseeing.

Driving distance
260 kilometers

Highlights of the day:

Overnight:
Húsavík / Mývatn area

Recommended optional activity:

Day 7. Lake Mývatn and Akureyri ‘‘The Capital of The North‘‘

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.

Driving distance
200 kilometers

Highlights of the day:

Overnight:
Akureyri area

Recommended optional activity:

Day 8. North West Iceland

Take a leisurely drive through the Northwest region. One of the best-known horse farms in Iceland is located in this region, and a short horseback riding tour would be a great way to get to know the Icelandic horse. You might want to stop at Hvammstangi and walk down to the shore to see if you can spot any seals, - they are frequent visitors here and short tours are available should you want to go out to sea to look for them. Continue to the inspiring town of Stykkishólmur, a charming ocean-side town with a relaxing atmosphere.

Driving distance
360 kilometers
Highligthts of the day:

Overnight:
Stykkishólmur area

Recommended optional activity:

Day 9. The Countless Wonders of Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Explore the Snæfellsnes peninsula and the many small fishing hamlets situated around the peninsula. Spectacular rock formations, mountains, lava fields, and the magnificent Snæfellsjokull glacier that towers over the tip of Snæfellsnes peninsula are among the things to explore. The peninsula is sometimes referred to as “Iceland in miniature” because it offers so many of the things found all over Iceland. The Snæfellsjokull Glacier is the main attraction in Snæfellsnes National Park. It is said that the glacier has mysterious powers, and that people are drawn to the glacier by these powers. From the Snæfellsnes peninsula, head towards Borgarnes where you will find the Icelandic Settlement Centre, whose main objective is to present the fascinating sagas from the settlement times as well as a special exhibition of the famous Viking poet, Egill Skallagrímsson.

Driving distance
230 kilometers
Highligthts of the day:

Overnight:
Borgarnes area

Day 10. Borgarfjörður and Blue Lagoon

Continue traveling through Borgarfjörður district and stop at the hot spring area of Deildartunguhver. There you will find the Krauma baths with numerous hot & cold tubs and stem baths heated with the geothermal water originating from the Deildartunguhver hot spring. Head further inland to see the beautiful Hraunfossar waterfalls,where the water creeps from underneath the lave fields into the Hvítá River. On your way to Hraunfossar you will find the historic Reykholt the former home of Snorri Sturluson a great writer, poet and chieftain in Iceland who was assassinated by the order of the Norwegian king in 1241. Make the waterfalls your turnaround point and head back towards Reykjavik. If you would like to visit the Blue Lagoon drive through Reykjavik and continue towards the amazing Blue Lagoon. Here you can enjoy a relaxing bath in the mineral rich waters and apply some of the silica mud to rejuvenate and your soften skin. At the Blue Lagoon, you can enjoy a stroll, dine at the Lava Restaurant, get a massage, and visit the Blue Lagoon Café. It's a great place to collect your thoughts after your days exploring Iceland. Head back to Reykjavík.

Driving distance
180-280 kilometers

Highlights of the day:

Overnight:
Reykjavík

Recommended optional activity:

Day 11. Departure

Private transfer from the hotel to Keflavik International Airport.

ACCOMMODATION

CARS

01.SA - Hyundai i10 or similar - Manual -

01.SA - Hyundai i10 or similar - Manual -

Transmission: Manual
Seats: 4
Suitcases: 1
Doors: 5

02.SB - Hyundai i10 or similar - Automatic -

02.SB - Hyundai i10 or similar - Automatic -

Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 4
Suitcases: 1
Doors: 5

03.SC - Hyundai i20 or similar - Manual -

03.SC - Hyundai i20 or similar - Manual -

Transmission: Manual
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 2
Doors: 5

04.SD - Hyundai i20 or similar - Automatic -

04.SD - Hyundai i20 or similar - Automatic -

Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 2
Doors: 5

05.SG - Hyundai i30 or similar - Manual -

05.SG - Hyundai i30 or similar - Manual -

Transmission: Manual
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 2
Doors: 5

06.SH - Hyundai i30 or similar - Automatic -

06.SH - Hyundai i30 or similar - Automatic -

Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 2
Doors: 5

07.SN - Toyota Corolla station or similar - Manual -

07.SN - Toyota Corolla station or similar - Manual -

Transmission: Manual
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 4
Doors: 5

08.SK - Suzuki Vitara 4WD or similar - Automatic -

08.SK - Suzuki Vitara 4WD or similar - Automatic -

Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 3
Doors: 5

09.ME - Skoda Octavia Station AWD or similar - Automatic -

09.ME - Skoda Octavia Station AWD or similar - Automatic -

Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 4
Doors: 5

10.SL - Dacia Duster 4WD or similar - Manual -

10.SL - Dacia Duster 4WD or similar - Manual -

Transmission: Manual
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 3
Doors: 5

11.MC - Kia Sportage 4WD or similar - Automatic -

11.MC - Kia Sportage 4WD or similar - Automatic -

Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 3
Doors: 5

12.MJ - Kia Sorento 4WD or similar - Automatic -

12.MJ - Kia Sorento 4WD or similar - Automatic -

Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 3
Doors: 5

13.LB - Toyota Landcruiser 4WD or similar - Automatic -

13.LB - Toyota Landcruiser 4WD or similar - Automatic -

Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 4
Doors: 5

14.LM - Land Rover Discovery 4WD - Automatic - Limited Availability -

14.LM - Land Rover Discovery 4WD - Automatic - Limited Availability -

Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 4
Doors: 5

15.LH - Land Rover Defender 4WD - Automatic - Limited Availability -

15.LH - Land Rover Defender 4WD - Automatic - Limited Availability -

Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 3
Doors: 5

17.XE - VW Transporter 2WD or similar - Manual - Limited Availability

17.XE - VW Transporter 2WD or similar - Manual - Limited Availability

Transmission: Manual
Seats: 9
Suitcases: 4
Doors: 4

18.XG - VW Transporter 4WD or similar - Manual - Limited Availability

18.XG - VW Transporter 4WD or similar - Manual - Limited Availability

Transmission: Manual
Seats: 9
Suitcases: 4
Doors: 3

Optional Extra: Would you like to do some extra activities? Below activities can be added to this tour.

Useful Information: Here you will find other information for this tour.

Why book your Self Drive Tour with Tour.is?
  • Highly competitive prices
  • We include more
  • Outstanding response time and customer care
  • Knowledgeable and motivated team of travel agents
  • Great reviews from visitors
  • We offer cancellation insurance


  • Pick up of rental car is the morning of day 2.

    Drop off is in Reykjavík the day prior to your departure – day 10.

    An extra day will be charged if the car is returned later.

    Due to road conditions routes may have to be altered without prior notice.
    The highland tracks of Iceland are usually not expected to be open until early in June and due to road conditions some routes may temporarily not be passable without prior notice.

    Types of car recommended: Any. During September, snow and ice can be expected. Although the route of this tour is usually passable by any car type , we strongly recommend 4x4 during September.

    Accommodation is according to your choice in Budget, Comfort, Comfort PLUS, Quality or Quality PLUS including breakfast. Due to limited availability of accommodation in the Icelandic countryside and a great demand for summer 2043, we are only able to confirm specific category but not a specific hotel in each locality until booking has been made and confirmed.


    Early morning arrival: Check in time at hotels is usually between 14:00 - 16:00. If you arrive early morning, you may not be able to check in immediately on arrival.
    A credit card imprint will be taken at the start of all rentals for security reasons, even when a voucher covers the cost of the rental. Cash and debit card deposits will not be accepted. This credit card imprint may be used to pay all extra charges, including extra driven kilometres if applicable, extra insurance, parking fines, damages or any costs due to the car rental company as a result of the hirer's use of the car.

    Self Drive tours can often be modified according to the client’s wishes. If you want to change or extend the tour, add days etc, please contact our office.

    Travel Insurance: To avoid dispute in case of cancellation, we strongly recommend that our clients purchase a comprehensive travel insurance in their home country, that covers your cost should you have to cancel your tour. This kind of travel insurance is usually not expensive and it frequently covers other risks too.

    Price Calculator: There are several factors that determine the price of self drive packages:

    1. Time of the year.

    2. Number of people traveling together

    3. Type of car (we offer more than 15 different types of cars)

    4. Type of accommodation (we offer 3 different categories of accommodation)

    There is a special Price Calculator button at our website with every self drive tour package where you can enter your choice of type of accommodation and car, number of people and when you want to begin the tour (arrival date) and the Price Calculator will calculate and display the price of different options.

    Note: Day(s) can be added before and / or after if your arrival and departure does not fit the itinerary of this tour. Additional day tours can be added for the additional day/s. If you have any questions please don´t hesitate to contact us by email to tour@tour.is and we will be more than happy to advice.