PERFECT 10 Day Road Trip of Iceland

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Languages:

In Iceland they speak Icelandic and English but there are some Polish and Spanish speakers as well.

Is Iceland Safe?

Yes, very safe and there are no dangerous animals.

Things to know:

You do need a passport but not a visa.
The drinking water (tap) is safe to drink and you don't need to buy bottle of water, it is a tourist trap. Instead bring a water bottle on the plane (empty of course) and fill up when you get to Iceland especially from the many waterfalls or glaciers. https://a.co/d/eZHvMnp or this collapsible one making it easier to fit in your bag here: https://amzn.to/3U1aVf1
You can bring back meat (Icelandic Hotdogs) from Iceland according to agricultural customs in USA. They said Iceland doesn't have any diseases in their meats and you're allowed to bring it back with you.

Best Time of Year to Visit:

All year is beautiful for different reasons

1. April-May: Spring time where the weather is starting to warm up, more daylight,

northern lights not as much, and puffins are arriving.

2. June-August: is the warmest months, you can see puffins, and most roads will

be open to explore. However, it is a popular time so very crowded, lots of

sheep to disrupt the roads, and it is more expensive.

2. September-October: Fall time, weather is cooling down, and less crowds.

Puffins are leaving by September but you can start to see the northern lights

since daylight hours are less. Starting in October is the cheapest time (flights,

hotel, food) to go.

3. November- March: Winter time, less crowds, ice caves, snow, road closures,

and you will definitely need a SUV to get around especially on the F-roads that

are open. In November, daylight decreases to 5 hours a day.

Car Rental:

You will definitely want to rent a car. It is the best way to get around the island.
We used Fair Car ( https://www.faircar.is/ ). They provided transportation to/from the airport and were reasonably priced. Get the premium insurance so you don't have a deductible or worries especially if you are going off-roading. The only thing is you have to wash the car off before returning it. The gas stations have them for free.
You can do a cheaper option by renting a camper van stay over at camp sites instead of booking at hotels. You will want to do this in advance as they book up fast.

Day 1: Stay in Reykjavik for 2 nights

Arriving at Keflavík International Airport
Get through customs and get your car rental
Get some breakfast and coffee at Kökulist Bakery and Cafe.
Then head over to Valahnukamol which is 30min from the airport and you have to pay for parking online.
Then head over to the Fagradalsfjall Volcano that erupted. This is about 35min away and you can pay for parking via online.
Head over to the Blue Lagoon to relax before you check into your hotel in Reykjavik. You need a reservation but you can stay as long as you want. You have to shower before you enter the lagoon and use a lot of conditioner or put your hair up because of the sulfur in the lagoon your hair will dry out. They have food located there and it is expensive and just okay. Depending on the time you choose the price varies but the comfort package is more than enough.
If you have a layover and want to still go to the Blue Lagoon without the hassle or stress. Click our Get Your Guide Link which includes transfers and entrance here: https://gyg.me/fCniWiDd

Comfort Package Includes

Entrance

Silica Mud Mask

Use of Towel

1st drink free

Premium Package Includes

Entrance

Silica Mud Mask

Use of a Towel

1st drink free

2 additonal masks of your choice

Use of bathrobe

1 glass of sparkling wine if dining at the lave restaurant

Head over to Reykjavik and check into your hotel. We stayed at 22 Hill Hotel. It was a good price, free parking which is hard to find in the city, and breakfast included. Get some dinner and explore the city (See below for lists of restaurants and activities to see).

Reykjavik Food/Sweet Places

Valdis Ice Cream- (get the licorice it is AMAZING)

Reykjavik Röst- (for coffee, dessert, and food)

Seabaron- (soup spot)

Loo.koo.mas- (donuts)

Svarta Kaffið- (Cheap spot for bread bowl soup and Beer Special)

Íslenski barinn- (BEST Whale Shark Steak and Reindeer Burger Ever!!! A must eat at spot. Make a reservation if you can)

Café Babalú- Good coffee but Reykjavik Röst was better.

Omnom Chocolate- They only have soft served ice cream so I prefer Valdis but their chocolate is really good but cheaper to buy in the grocery store.

Reykjavik Activities

Reykjavik Parking

Day 2:

Get some breakfast and head over to Gullfross Waterfall (1hr and 35min drive away)
Then See the Strokkur Geyser (a 9min drive away)
Eat some lunch at Supa Geysir right across the street or Restaurant Mika if you have time and if they are open.
Head over and see öxarárfoss waterfall and Nikulasargja Gorge at the Thingvellir National Park (51min ride away)
A must do any time of year in Iceland is Snorkeling between tectonic plates in Thingvellir national park with Tröll Expeditions Company. Click the link: Get your Guide

a. I'd recommend afternoon it is a lot warmer in the day if your going in October or

later. (I felt the cold on my face only but then after a few seconds I didn't.

b. They definitely make sure you are warm. The suit is tight with the goggles, and

they put a tie around your neck so water doesn't enter but it was way too tight

for me and I had them loosen it. I could barely breathe but then after they

adjusted it I was fine.

c. They take Go Pro pictures for you and send you them all, provide hot chocolate

and a snack after. I would definitely recommend bringing your own Go Pro

though.

Head Back to the city for dinner and the sights or after dinner head back out to Thingvellir National Park (a 40min drive from the city) to see the Northern Lights.

a. Make sure you have clear skies, darkness with no for exact times of the

northern https://en.vedur.is/weather/forecasts/aurora/ for exact times of the

northern lights.

b. We saw them at (9p.m. and 6a.m. in October/November)

Day 3- Check out and head to Vik for 2 nights.

Head out to Selfoss town (about a 50min drive) for some coffee at Kaffi Krús or you can grab some locally in Reykjavik.
Then explore Seljalandsfoss Waterfall (About an 1hr away). You can walk behind this waterfall but make sure you have good grip hiking boots and a waterproof jacket or poncho because you will get soaked. Then you can walk a max of 5min to Gljufrabi Waterfall. You can walk to it but will have to cross random rocks and your shoes might get soaked if you don't have proper footwear. Don't forget a lot of places have cameras and require you to pay for parking but you can do it from an app on your phone (Parka app).

Check out Skogafoss Waterfall (another 25min down the road). If you are hungry you can eat some lunch at Skogafoss Bistro Bar or get take out like we did and sit at the picnic tables or back of your car and enjoy the waterfall. Remember you have to order your food first at the counter then sit down at most restaurants in Iceland. Head over to Solheimajokull Glacier (about a 37min drive away). You will have to hike a little bit but you can't go into the Glacier itself unless you have a tour. You can enter at your own risk but I wouldn't recommend it. You can see the glacier from the outside which is beautiful.

Finally, if you planned accordingly head to Reynisfjara Beach (29min drive away) for some sunset shots. Then Grab some dinner at Halldorskaffi but don't get the pizza. Check into your airbnb or hotel in Vik which is only 5min away. We stayed at Götur Cottage from Airbnb and it was the BEST place plus we saw the northern lights outside our door. You can book them from Airbnb itself (https://abnb.me/y0IvtKqJkwb) and check out their Facebook page: (https://www.facebook.com/people/G%C3%B6tur-Cottage/100063753274106/)

Day 4- Explore Vik

Book Katla ice cave in the morning from Tröll Expeditions Company Click the link: Get your Guide
Be prepared it is a bumpy ride so definitely take some Dramamine before or nibble on some ginger chews. It is good for families, couples, or solo travelers. They make you feel safe and provide spikes for your shoes prior to entering the ice cave so you have some grip. You need to wear snow pants and hiking boots.

After your tour get some food at the Soup Company which is your drop off and meeting point. They give you a second bowl of soup for free and can be a different kind. This is definitely an affordable place to eat if your on a budget but also want to be full.
Head over and explore the Yoda Cave which is only a few minutes from town of Vik. It is a bumpy road with a lot of pot holes but really awesome side trip you can do on your own without a tour. Be considerate of others when your inside the cave as everyone is taking pictures.
If you aren't interested in the Yoda Cave you can check out Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach during the day and stay for sunset if you didn't get a chance to on Day 3. Whichever you choose definitely grab some coffee and sweets at the Lava Bakery and Coffee.
Don't leave Vik without getting brick oven pizza at Black Crust Pizza with an option to have black crust. It was AMAZING and DELICIOUS.

Day 5:

Leaving Vik today and heading towards Hofn. Definitely get some snacks in Vik at a local market called Kr in case your hungry and if you want to be on a budget.
Stop at the Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon which is about a 55min drive. There are two parking lots. The one to the left is for cars and an easier drive but once you park you will have to hike up a little bit but not too far. The second parking lot to the right is better with 4 wheel drive or SUV vehicles due to the road conditions but it is a shorter hike and straight with no uphill.

Head over to the Skaftafell National Park to see Svartifoss Waterfall (about an 1hr drive). You can stop at Systrakaffi before you get here which had the BEST and I'm not exaggerating THE BEST fried camembert! YUM! But I wouldn't recommend their lobster bisque soup, it was just okay and their bread tasted stale. Or once you get to the National Park they do have a food truck, campground and different hiking trails. Since you were sitting for a little bit the hike is really refreshing. It will take you a bit and has some uphill and steps but beautiful view. You can return the same way you came or go a different way around to the parking lot but it is a longer hike back. Plan your day accordingly since this is a longer hike.
After the hike we wanted some coffee and traditional Icelandic dessert so we stopped at Cafe Vatnajökull before they closed. They have BEAUTIFUL photos of Iceland by a well known photographer that you can buy but the food and coffee were on point!
Next stop is a MUST SEE! It is Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon (about a 46min drive. You will see some glaciers in the lagoon but we stopped in October of 2022 and not sure because of COVID or maybe they just weren't open but there were two food trucks that said they were open on Google Maps but weren't. There was a place there that sold some food but by the time we got there they were sold out of most things. Thankfully we had snacks to tie us over and we weren't far from our hotel. If you don't stop here definitely come back at night if the sky is clear and you'll be able to see AMAZING northern lights.
Across the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon is Diamond Beach. There are two parking lots to see this. We liked the one before the one way bridge. It literally looks like Diamonds on black sand. The scenery with the snow capped mountains in the background was breathtaking and we made it there around sunset. I would definitely recommend sunrise as well if you want some good photos.

We didn't head to the town Hofn to stay because there were mostly hostels with some hotels but were really pricey especially is you wanted your own private bathroom. If you are a solo traveler and don't mind then this town is for you and plenty of food options. We wanted a cheaper more home like place to stay. We stayed a Hali County Hotel which was on their farm and they served breakfast and dinner with locally grown food including their lamb. It was authentic Icelandic food. The food was DELICIOUS and REASONABLE. The hotel was PERFECT. You can book your stay on their website here: https://hali.is/ or on booking.com

Day 6:

We started our day a little earlier then unusually because we had a long drive ahead of us and a few stops. After breakfast we headed over to see Skútafoss Waterfall (about an 1hr drive). You can make a pit stop at Stokksnes if you have time before this waterfall. It was raining when we went so the parking and drive off the main road wasn't super clear. We walked a good bit and finally stood at the top of the waterfall which was pretty but hike down and you will see a mini cave where the waterfall is and you can actually go behind the waterfall as well. You will get wet but we were already wet from the rain so it didn't matter to us. The water was super clear too. A lot of these places are beautiful and you will want to spend more time then you think so don't rush and just enjoy the landscape.
We were a little hungry and drove another hr to get some food at Við Voginn but I recommend getting snacks from a local grocery store. This was place was just okay. The fish n chips weren't crispy at all almost soggy. I couldn't eat it but the fries were good.
You can stop at Eskifjordur or Borgarfjordur which are cute small towns. If you are traveling in the Spring/Summer you will see Puffins at Borgarfjordur. We traveled in October/November so we didn't make the drive up.
If you didn't do the Blue Lagoon you can relax in the Vok Baths. I think the Blue Lagoon was better only because of what you got for the price. If you do go try to go at night when there is a clear sky because you will be able to see the Northern Lights, but again it depends on the time of year you go.
We decided to do more hiking and drove to Hengifoss which is the 3rd tallest waterfall in Iceland but unfortunately the trail wasn't safe and they closed it once we got there but the waterfall is unique and different from all the waterfalls because it has some red layers of clay. It takes about 40-60min to hike. We will definitely be back to explore this.
Once you traveled around, explored or relaxed in the Vok Baths head to Seydisfjordur where you can stay the night.
Seydisfjordur is a small town with very few places opened at night for dinner. A lot of things close early depending on the time of year. It is situated between the mountains and ocean. Absolutely stunning. We stayed in the Old Music School Airbnb: https://abnb.me/xvDNmHBMkwb It had a bedroom and 2 day beds in case your traveling with friends downstairs and upstairs was a huge and clean kitchen and living area. It was charming and literally perfect for us to wash/dry some clothes and get everything together for another week.

We ate at Kaffi Lára El Grillo Bar which is now temporarily closed unfortunately. You can eat at the Nordic Restaurant inside a hotel or the Skaftell Bistro. But for breakfast you have to eat at The Filling Station. Yes I know it is a gas station but nothing like you think. They make the food with fresh ingredients right in front of you. The breakfast was FANTASTIC!!!

Famous Rainbow Street Near Kaffi Lára El Grillo Bar

Day 7:

We wanted to explore Stuðlafoss Basalt Column Waterfall, Stuðlagil Canyon (the popular IG spot), and Dettifoss but unfortunately because it was November and the day we got up in these areas the roads were closed due to being unsafe. If you are going in the Spring to Fall time these are a must to add to your list. You can check road closures and avoid wasting your time by checking this website: https://www.road.is/travel-info/road-conditions-and-weather/
If you need coffee or some dessert or some food stop by Beitarhúsið before heading to Mývatn Lake. They have a Geothermal Area and plenty of landscapes that your camera will LOVE!. We ate at Vogafjós Farm Resort which is now temporarily closed. I can understand why because despite being able to see cows and sheep nearby with a pretty view the food was pricey and very small portions. Definitely felt like a tourist trap but we were starving so we just got something small and then headed on.
We went to Goðafoss Waterfall which was very powerful and peaceful at the same time. It was breathtaking. We stopped for the famous Hot Dog Iceland is known for at the Godafoss Café-Bistrot-Gift Shop but it was DISAPPOINTING! Honestly it was just okay but the gift shop had reasonably priced gifts if you are shopping for family or friends.

Then we headed to Akureyi town. Our mistake was that there was a tunnel and it was dark and the sign is super small that tells you the payment for crossing the tunnel. There is no one there to pay or a place to pay period. You have to pay online and you have 24hrs to pay it. Unfortunately we had no idea and when we returned the car rental we had to pay the ticket for the tunnel and a fine which we weren't happy about.
We stayed at the Lava Apartments and Rooms which was really reasonable, close to everything, and very clean. You can book this on: https://lavaapartments.net/ or go on booking.com to book.
We walked around the town even though it was drizzling and there is plenty of shops, food, and bakeries to explore. (See list below)
You can stay 2 nights in Akureyi but we only stayed one. If you stay another night take a drive to a small fishing town called Siglufjörður where the town is shrinking but the picturesque beauty is worth it.

Food and Bakery in Akureyi

Pylsuvagninn á Akureyri

Cafe Berlin

Kurdo Kebab

Indian Curry House

Blaa Kannan Cafe

Turninn

Centrum Kitchen & Bar

Axelsbakari

Brauðgerðarhús Akureyrar

Day 8:

We grabbed some breakfast and coffee at Brauðgerðarhús Akureyrar which was in some mall and outside of the town but definitely use your GPS to get here.
We headed over to Reykjafoss Waterfall about an 1hr 30min away. The GPS got us lost a little but looking at the map we were able to find the car park. We even saw Icelandic horses there. The lady escorting a couple was super sweet to let us take pictures of them. The waterfall is very muddy at least when we went around October/November time just just be careful and have good footwear.
Then head over to Hvitserkur about an 1hr 30min drive. Once you turn on the main road to here you can make it in a sedan car but you will have to go slow because of all the pot holes in the road. Make sure you have a clear day and bring warm clothes because it gets really cold.
I wanted an authentic wool clothing item and was undecided on what exactly but everywhere in the cities the clothing was super expensive. We stopped at Sjávarborg Restaurant for food but they were closing within 15min and instead of turning us away they said if we order quickly we can eat there because the chef was leaving and then they were re-opening a few hours later. So we ordered fast and quickly ate but the waitress wasn't rushing us at all. We really appreciated it and would totally recommend just because of how AMAZING they were to us plus the food was FANTASTIC! After we ate we headed over to KIDKA Wool Factory Shop and I got the warmest sweater that was reasonably priced and you can actually see them making the clothes from scratch through a window. You will not be disappointed. To note: The owners have 2 dogs that roam around the shop. They are friendly and me being scared of dogs was totally fine.
Stopped off at Glanni Waterfall, took some amazing photos but needed coffee so we drove to Blómasetrið - Kaffi Kyrrð before we headed to check in at Grundarfordur Bed and Breakfast. This was one of our TOP places for coffee, hot chocolate and dessert. It was a cute little lounge area with plenty of seats and it felt like you were home. It was very comfortable. They even had a shop when you first walked in with decently priced items if you want souvenirs for people.
Checked into our bed and breakfast which was conveniently locates between attractions, local store, and food. We arrived super late and our place had a restaurant to eat and it was extremely affordable.

Day 9 and 10:

We stayed in this area 3 nights because we drove so much and just wanted to end our trip relaxing and sleeping in a little. You don't have to do this at the end, you can add an extra day anywhere else in this itinerary that you want to explore more.
See below for food and activities to explore in your stay in this area.

Things to see/do:

Gerðuberg Cliffs

Sheep's Waterfall

Selvallafoss

Grundarfoss

Kirkjufellsfoss especially for the Northern Lights

Hálsaból Sumarhús

Kerlingarfoss

Svöðufoss

Svörtuloft Lighthouse

Lóndrangar/Lóndrangar View Point

Bárður Snæfellsás Statue

Icelandic Horses

Gatklettur

Stone Bridge

Places to eat

Day 11: Depending on your flight time you can head to Reykjavik and explore more and get a good lunch before your flight or head straight to the airport. When you are at the airport you won't be allowed to go through to the terminals because the airlines don't release where to go until like 15-30min prior to boarding time, you wait in this lobby area until you see where to go. It is a small airport and you will have plenty of time until you board.

HOPE THIS HELPS AND YOU HAVE A GREAT TRIP!

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PERFECT 10 Day Road Trip of Iceland

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