Self Drive Tour of Iceland
Self Drive Tour of Iceland custom itinerary — 10 day Ring Road circumnavigation by Juniper Tours. Covers the full 821 miles Ring Road (Route 1) around Iceland: Reykjavik (2 nights, Hallgrimskirkja, Harpa, Old Harbor), Blue Lagoon on arrival, the Golden Circle (Thingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss), the South Coast (Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, Reynisfjara, Dyrholaey, Vik), Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach, the Eastfjords (Hofn with langoustine, Djupivogur, Egilsstadir), Dettifoss waterfall (Europe’s most powerful by volume), Lake Myvatn volcanic zone (Hverir, Namafjall, Grjotagja, Godafoss, Myvatn Nature Baths), Akureyri (capital of the north, whale watching option from Husavik), and the Snaefellsnes peninsula (Kirkjufell, Arnarstapi, Budir black church). 4×4 rental car arranged by specialist with full insurance, all 9 nights of accommodations pre-booked (4-star hotels in Reykjavik and Akureyri, boutique guesthouses in rural stops), all activities and entries pre-booked, detailed daily route notes with GPS waypoints, fuel stops, and restaurant recommendations, in-app itinerary accessible throughout. Designed by Juniper Tours’ Iceland specialist Taryn Harrison (25 years experience, CMSC certified, primary Iceland specialist). IATAN accredited (22-787413). 4.9★ · hundreds of verified Google reviews. Custom Iceland self-drive itineraries from $2,500 per person. Sample itinerary — all trips custom designed by our top travel specialists.
Sample Itinerary · Iceland
Self Drive Tour of Iceland
Ring Road · Reykjavik · Akureyri · Eastfjords
Duration
10 Days · 9 Nights
Accommodations
4-Star + Guesthouses
Transport
Self-Drive Rental Car
Best For
Independent · Road Trip
Plan a Similar Trip
← All Iceland Itineraries
10 Days · 9 Nights
4-Star+ Accommodations
Private Driver-Guide Throughout
Daily Breakfast Included
Sample — Fully Customisable
This is a sample itinerary — for inspiration only. Every Juniper trip is designed from scratch around you. Many clients travel a very similar route — if this resonates, book a free consultation and a specialist will build something just like it (or better) specifically for your travel style, dates, and group.
1
Day One
Arrive — Blue Lagoon + Pick Up Rental
Keflavik · Reykjavik
Welcome to Iceland. You collect your 4×4 rental car at Keflavik Airport (KEF) — your specialist has pre-arranged the vehicle with full insurance, GPS, and Wi-Fi hotspot. The first stop is the Blue Lagoon, 20 minutes from the airport: pre-booked entry with private cabana, a soak in the milky-blue geothermal water, and a bite at the Lava Restaurant.
By late afternoon you drive the 45 minutes into Reykjavik on Route 41 — a straightforward introduction to Icelandic driving (wide road, minimal traffic, the lava fields of Reykjanes on both sides). Check in to your hotel in the 101 postal code. First Icelandic dinner at a specialist-flagged restaurant. The Ring Road begins tomorrow.
Rental car pick-up
Blue Lagoon pre-booked
Arrive Reykjavik
Overnight: Reykjavik
2
Day Two
Reykjavik City Day
Reykjavik
A full day on foot in the capital before the driving begins. Walk to Hallgrimskirkja (the 243-foot church with the elevator for city views), the Sun Voyager sculpture on the waterfront, the Old Harbor, and Harpa Concert Hall. Afternoon: Perlan observation deck.
Evening: Reykjavik food scene — Dill, Matur og Drykkur, or Grillmarkadurinn. Your specialist has provided the first day’s driving notes for tomorrow’s Golden Circle loop.
Hallgrimskirkja & Harpa
Old Harbor
Perlan deck
Overnight: Reykjavik
3
Day Three
Golden Circle Loop
Thingvellir · Geysir · Gullfoss
Your first full driving day. The Golden Circle is a 143 miles loop from Reykjavik: Thingvellir National Park (UNESCO, mid-Atlantic ridge, the Althing Parliament from 930 AD), the Geysir geothermal area (Strokkur erupts every 6–10 minutes), and Gullfoss waterfall (105-foot two-stage drop with rainbow spray). Late afternoon: Secret Lagoon at Fludir.
Return to Reykjavik by evening. Tomorrow you leave the capital and head east along Route 1 — every night for the next 6 days is at a different location as you circumnavigate the island.
143 miles loop
Thingvellir · Geysir · Gullfoss
Secret Lagoon
Overnight: Reykjavik
4
Day Four
South Coast — Waterfalls + Black Sand
Seljalandsfoss · Skogafoss · Vik
Head southeast on Route 1. Seljalandsfoss (the waterfall you walk behind) and Skogafoss (wider, more powerful, staircase to the top) are both roadside stops within the first 2 hours. Afternoon: Reynisfjara black sand beach at Vik with its hexagonal basalt columns and the Reynisdrangar sea stacks. Watch the sneaker-wave warnings — they are real.
Check in to Hotel Ranga or a Vik-area property. Approximately 112 miles driving today. In aurora season, the Hotel Ranga has a rooftop observation deck with wake-up calls for strong Northern Lights displays.
112 miles east
Seljalandsfoss & Skogafoss
Reynisfjara black sand
Overnight: Vik area
5
Day Five
Jokulsarlon + Diamond Beach → Hofn
Jokulsarlon · Diamond Beach · Hofn
Continue east to Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon — icebergs calving from the Breidamerkurjokull glacier drifting toward the sea. Pre-booked Zodiac or amphibious boat tour (40 minutes) among the icebergs. Across Route 1: Diamond Beach, with translucent iceberg fragments on black sand. Approximately 168 miles driving today.
Evening in Hofn — the langoustine capital of Iceland (earned). Dinner at Pakkhus or a specialist-recommended harbor restaurant. Your route notes include a Vestrahorn/Stokksnes side-trip option (30 minutes from Hofn, best at low tide for the mountain-reflection shot).
Jokulsarlon boat tour
Diamond Beach
Hofn langoustine dinner
Overnight: Hofn
6
Day Six
The Eastfjords → Egilsstadir
Djupivogur · Eastfjords · Egilsstadir
The least-visited stretch of the Ring Road. The coast road from Hofn north through the Eastfjords is narrow, cliff-walled, and quietly extraordinary — small fishing villages tucked into fjords, no tourist infrastructure, and a genuine sense of remoteness. Djupivogur (470 people, the Gleðivík Eggs sculpture), Breiddalsvik, Stoðvarfjörður (the Petra stone collection), and Faskrudsfjordur (former French fishing station, bilingual signs).
Arrive Egilsstadir by late afternoon — the regional capital of the east, a small town with good hotels. Approximately 162 miles driving today on the most scenic stretch of the whole Ring Road. Optional side-trip to Seydisfjordur (the rainbow-street harbor village, 30 minutes each way from Egilsstadir).
162 miles Eastfjords coast
Djupivogur & fishing villages
Arrive Egilsstadir
Overnight: Egilsstadir
7
Day Seven
Dettifoss + Myvatn Volcanic Zone
Dettifoss · Hverir · Myvatn
A packed day of volcanic geology. Morning: drive to Dettifoss via Route 862 (gravel) — Europe’s most powerful waterfall by volume (193 m³/sec), 148 feet high, 328 feet wide. The east-bank approach is more dramatic. Continue to the Myvatn volcanic zone: Hverir mud-pot field on Namafjall ridge, Grjotagja lava cave (Game of Thrones), and the Dimmuborgir lava formations.
Late afternoon: Godafoss — the Waterfall of the Gods, named for the year 1000 AD when Iceland adopted Christianity. Check in to Hotel Myvatn or similar. Evening: Myvatn Nature Baths — the northern Blue Lagoon, fewer visitors, volcanic-landscape views. Approximately 124 miles driving today.
Dettifoss — Europe’s most powerful
Hverir & Dimmuborgir
Myvatn Nature Baths
Overnight: Myvatn
8
Day Eight
Myvatn → Akureyri
Myvatn · Akureyri
A shorter driving day — approximately 62.1 miles from Myvatn to Akureyri. Morning: any Myvatn sites you missed yesterday (the pseudocraters at Skutustadagigar, the lake birdwatching, a second pass at Godafoss in different light). Then the drive west to Akureyri — Iceland’s second city, population 19,000, the capital of the north.
Afternoon: Akureyri botanical garden (the northernmost botanical garden in the world), the picturesque harbor, the old-town walking streets. Optional: a whale-watching excursion from Akureyri harbor or a day-trip to Husavik (the whale-watching capital, 45 minutes northeast) if your schedule allows. Dinner in Akureyri — your specialist has flagged the best current options.
62.1 miles west
Akureyri old town
Whale watching optional
Overnight: Akureyri
9
Day Nine
Akureyri → Snaefellsnes Peninsula
Kirkjufell · Arnarstapi · Budir
The longest driving day of the trip — approximately 199 miles from Akureyri west across northern Iceland and down to the Snaefellsnes peninsula. The route crosses the Hrutafjordur and Borgarfjordur regions, with the landscape shifting from the northern farmlands to the dramatic western coast.
Snaefellsnes is often called ‘Iceland in miniature’: Kirkjufell (the most-photographed mountain in Iceland, with Kirkjufellsfoss in the foreground), Arnarstapi’s cliff walk with basalt arches carved by the sea, and the Budir black-wood church on the lava plain. Snaefellsjokull — the glacier-capped stratovolcano Jules Verne used as the entrance to the center of the earth — is visible across the peninsula. Overnight at a Snaefellsnes guesthouse or hotel.
199 miles — longest day
Kirkjufell mountain
Arnarstapi & Budir
Overnight: Snaefellsnes
10
Day Ten
Snaefellsnes → Reykjavik + Depart
Reykjavik · Keflavik
A final Icelandic breakfast with the Snaefellsnes light, then the 2.5-hour drive back to Reykjavik. Drop off the rental car at Keflavik Airport (or at the Reykjavik city office if your flight is later and you want a final city walk). Your specialist has arranged the car return to align with your departure time.
Ten days around the Ring Road is the full Iceland circuit — most self-drive guests leave with a mental list of the places they want to return to with more time (Westfjords and the highland interior are the most common ‘next trip’ requests). Your Juniper specialist remains reachable throughout departure day. Safe travels home.
Drop off rental
App support throughout
Love this itinerary? Make it yours.
This is a sample luxury custom route — a starting point, not a fixed package. Many clients travel something very close to this, customized for their travel style, group, and dates. Book a free consultation and a specialist will build from here.
Accommodations
Boutique hotels, charming B&Bs, or historic castle stays — chosen based on your preferences and travel style.
Transportation
Private driver-guide, self-drive rental, or a mix of both — all transfers confirmed before you travel.
Experiences
Pre-arranged tours and activities built around your interests — entrance tickets sorted, no queuing.
Book a Free Consultation
See All Iceland Itineraries
Activities on this itinerary
Your specialist pre-arranges the right luxury experiences based on your interests and travel style. These are the custom experience types available on this route — specific choices are made with you, not for you.
Blue Lagoon Pre-Booked EntryArrival day · private cabana
Golden Circle Self-Drive Loop143 miles · Thingvellir · Geysir · Gullfoss
Seljalandsfoss & SkogafossSouth Coast · walk-behind falls
Reynisfjara Black Sand BeachVik · basalt columns · sea stacks
Jokulsarlon Boat TourZodiac or amphibious · 40 min
Diamond BeachIceberg fragments on black sand
Eastfjords Coast DriveLeast-visited · fishing villages
Dettifoss WaterfallEurope’s most powerful · east bank
Myvatn Volcanic ZoneHverir · Dimmuborgir · Grjotagja
Godafoss WaterfallWaterfall of the Gods · 1000 AD
Kirkjufell MountainSnaefellsnes · most-photographed peak
Myvatn Nature BathsNorthern Blue Lagoon · volcanic views
Activities are selected and pre-booked with your specialist based on your interests — not all activities are included in every trip version. Availability varies by season.
The people who will design your Iceland trip
You work directly with a specialist who has driven the Ring Road in every season — not a call center or booking agent. Every consultation is with someone who knows which Eastfjords pass closes in winter storms, which fuel stop you cannot skip between Egilsstadir and Myvatn, and which guesthouse on the Ring Road serves the dinner that makes the drive worthwhile.
Iceland · Ireland · Scotland · UK
Taryn Harrison
Juniper Tours’ most tenured specialist with 25 years of experience designing Iceland itineraries across every season. CMSC certified and a former Peace Corps volunteer. Taryn knows which South Coast hotel has the best geothermal hot pot for aurora-watching, which Golden Circle day-order avoids the coach-tour peaks at Gullfoss, and which booking needs to be made six months out or it won’t happen.
25 Yrs
CMSC
Iceland Specialist
Book a Consultation
About this itinerary
A 4×4 is strongly recommended even though Route 1 (the Ring Road) is paved throughout. The 4×4 handles the gravel side roads to sites like Dettifoss (Route 862), Stokksnes, and Snaefellsnes comfortably, gives better clearance for winter conditions, and provides the confidence for unpredictable weather. Your specialist arranges the rental through a vetted Icelandic provider (typically a Toyota RAV4, Dacia Duster, or similar) with full insurance including gravel protection, sand-and-ash coverage, and CDW. GPS and a Wi-Fi hotspot are included. Automatic transmission is standard. Pick-up is at Keflavik Airport on Day 1; drop-off is at Keflavik on Day 10.
Yes, but with caveats. Route 1 is maintained year-round and snow-cleared regularly, but winter driving in Iceland requires experience with ice, snow, and sudden weather changes. The Eastfjords section between Hofn and Egilsstadir has mountain passes that can close temporarily in storms. Your specialist provides daily weather and road-condition briefings via the app, and the itinerary has built-in flexibility for weather-delay days. If you are not confident driving in winter mountain conditions, the private driver-guide option (our Fire & Ice Tour or Waterfalls & Wildlife itineraries) is the better choice — no shame in that decision. Summer self-driving (May through September) is straightforward for any experienced driver.
The Ring Road is approximately 821 miles total, spread across 8 driving days at an average of 103 miles per day — but the daily distances vary. The shortest driving day is Day 3 (Golden Circle loop, 143 miles from Reykjavik and back). The longest is Day 9 (Akureyri to Snaefellsnes, approximately 199 miles). Most days involve 2 to 4 hours of actual driving with multiple stops; the Ring Road is not a highway — the speed limit is 56 mph and you will want to stop constantly because the landscape between the named sites is itself extraordinary. Your specialist provides detailed route notes with driving times, fuel stops, and GPS waypoints for each day.
Everything except the driving. Your specialist arranges the rental car with full insurance, books all 9 nights of accommodation (a mix of 4-star hotels and guesthouses depending on location — Reykjavik and Akureyri have full hotels; the Eastfjords and rural stops have boutique guesthouses), pre-books the Blue Lagoon and Myvatn Nature Baths with timed entry, arranges any activity add-ons (whale watching from Akureyri or Husavik, Jokulsarlon boat tour, glacier walk at Solheimajokull), and provides detailed daily route notes with GPS waypoints, fuel-stop locations, restaurant recommendations, and the in-app itinerary. You drive; they handle everything else.
Other trips worth considering
Fire & Ice Tour
Reykjavik · Golden Circle · South Coast · Snaefellsnes
The 7-day Iceland flagship with a private driver-guide. For travelers who prefer someone else to handle the driving while they focus on the landscape.
View Itinerary
5 Days
Golden Circle
Reykjavik · Golden Circle · Blue Lagoon
A 5-day Reykjavik-based introduction. For travelers who want the Golden Circle essentials without the full Ring Road commitment.
View Itinerary
8 Days
Waterfalls & Wildlife
South Coast · Jokulsarlon · Eastfjords
An 8-day photography and wildlife tour with a private driver-guide extending to the Eastfjords. Covers some of the same ground as the Ring Road but with a wildlife and photography focus.
View Itinerary
“The trip to Iceland for our family of 11 was incredible. Many thanks to Taryn for her patience, kindness, and guidance in making this trip a wonderful experience.”
Debra W. · Iceland Self Drive Family Tour · Verified Google Review
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