Arctic Iceland Self Drive

Collect your rental car and start your journey. Your first stop may be the Blue Lagoon – or, simply drive along the southern coast of the Reykjanes Peninsula to the charming village of Hveragerdi for your overnight.

Visit Thingvellir National Park, site of the ancient Icelandic Viking parliament and a jewel of nature. Continue to the amazing sites of Gullfoss waterfall and the Geysir hot spring area. Explore Thjorsardalur valley and its ever-changing landscapes of birch woods, sandy lava fields, rivers and waterfalls.

Drive along the scenic South Shore and the area near the infamous Eyjafjallajokull volcano. Enjoy stops at the beautiful Skogafoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls. Your route will take you past Myrdalsjokull glacier. Stop by the seafront village of Vik.

Visit the awe-inspiring Skaftafell area of the park and continue to the shimmering icebergs of Fjallsarlon Ice Lagoon and Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. Pass through Hofn, perhaps stopping to visit the harbour and watch the fishing boats. Carry on to the charming town of Djupivogur. Overnight in the East Fjords area.

Drive through the spectacular East Fjords with towering mountains and charming fishing villages to the fertile Egilsstadir area. Head to Egilsstadir and experience one of the local specialities – reindeer. Perhaps stop at Vok Baths at nearby Lake Urridavatn, where you can unwind in untouched nature in distinctive floating geothermal pools. Then it’s time to leave Road 1 and turn onto Road 85, the entry to the Arctic Coast Way. Pass by Vopnafjordur village, with its spectacular coastline and natural hot springs. Continue on to Langanes Peninsula, an outdoor paradise for birders, hikers and nature photographers. A nice place to take a break is Thorshofn, a pleasant fishing town that is a perfect spot to connect with the area’s culture.

This morning see Raufarhofn village, Iceland’s northernmost town. Perhaps take one of the several easy walking trails to the beach and the Raufarhofn lighthouse. There are several options of where to go next. You can take Road 870 and drive across the exotic Melrakkasletta the “Arctic Fox plain”, Iceland’s most isolated region. The naturally stacked driftwood on the shoreline and the old ruins of farmhouses are a photographer’s dream. You can also drive directly between Raufarnhofn and the fishing village of Kopasker. Visit Asbyrgi, a magnificent horseshoe-shaped canyon, and time permitting, see Dettifoss, the most powerful waterfall in Europe. Drive along the scenic and fossil filled Tjornes peninsula at the edge of the Arctic Circle en route to the fishing port of charming Husavik. A great way to end the day is a soak in the GeoSea Baths where you can relax in naturally heated sea water and enjoy views of the Arctic Circle and Husavik lighthouse.

Start the day by exploring the lava citadels, pseudo-craters and colourful sulphurous slopes of the Lake Myvatn area. Then drive westward, visiting Godafoss (the Waterfall of the Gods) and Akureyri, the country’s colourful northern “capital”. Carry on to Siglufjordur fjord and the region of the Troll Peninsula, where the steep Icelandic mountains drop towards the sea. The town of Siglufjordur itself has many beautifully restored, colourful buildings as well as friendly local restaurants, a microbrewery and splendid fjord views.

Today explore both beautiful landscapes and Viking legends as you thread around the peninsula, heading from the Siglufjordur region into Skagafjordur, a renowned area for horse breeding. Possible stops today include the cultural centre at Holar, covering nine centuries of Icelandic history; a boat trip out to Drangey Island to see puffins (best mid-May to early August); the 18th century turf home of Glaumbaer; and the Lytingsstadur horse farm near Varmahlid town. Head on to Laugarbakki, a peaceful area steeped in old legends of outlaws, sorcerers and medieval battles.

The Vatnsnes Peninsula, where the ocean seems to meet the sky, is one of the best sites in Iceland for seal watching. Learn more about seals and where to see them at the Seal Centre in Hvammstangi town. Visit Borgarvirki, a natural rock formation that has been used as a citadel since Viking times. Leave the Arctic Coast Way and head into Western Iceland. Stop in Dalir, the region of Eric the Red and birthplace the great explorer Leif Eiriksson, before driving to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and the eco-friendly town of Stykkisholmur.

Today you will explore the ever-changing beauty of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and the Snaefellsjokull National Park. Pass the small fishing villages of Grundarfjordur and Hellissandur and keep an eye out for Kirkjufell, Iceland’s most photographed mountain. Make a stop at the rocky beach of Djupalonssandur as well as the magnificent columnar basalt rock formations at Arnarstapi. After a beautiful day on the peninsula, head through scenic Borgarfjordur and Hvalfjordur fjord to Reykjavik.

Drive back to Keflavik International Airport and return your rental car.