Driving the Ring Road: One Week in Iceland (2023)
If you’re going to Iceland for the first time, driving the Ring Road or Golden Circle is a great way to cover a lot of ground in the beautiful country. When I went, we had 7 days (which, of course, was not enough time when there are so many amazing sites and hikes across the country), but here’s how we made the most of it.
First, I highly recommend mapping out where you’ll want to go and the roads you need to take to access each destination on your itinerary if you’re planning on renting a car (which I would also recommend). There are many roads, called F-roads, in Iceland that require a 4x4 vehicle for safe access; you can get ticketed or even stranded if you’re driving a vehicle that is not properly equipped. If you’re really looking forward to hiking or staying in a certain area, you’ll want to make sure you’re able to get there safely and legally.
Once you figure out what type of vehicle you’ll need on your trip, you should secure a car rental as far in advance as possible to assure availability upon arrival. There are many car and camper van rentals in Iceland, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find a good company from which to rent. While I was in Iceland, we traveled in a camper van and saw several others traveling in camper rentals throughout the country. I’d say this is a great way to see the country, especially if it’s your first time, because you have your housing and your transportation rolled up into one. This will allow you the greatest amount of flexibility throughout your trip and you can make the most of your days while traveling.
I also want to take a moment to highlight how important it is to choose the time of year you’ll be traveling to Iceland based on your desires for your trip. If you want to see the Northern Lights, traveling during the summers will be the worst time for you to go because it will remain light outside for basically the whole day. This is due to the fact that the country is so far north, so it won’t be dark at all to be able to see the aurora borealis. I traveled to Iceland at the end of June and left in the beginning of July and it did not get dark outside at any point; it was basically dusk and then dawn which was great for a trip focused on hiking and activities that require sunlight.
Lastly, one great thing to note about Iceland is how safe it is! Iceland is ranked one of the safest countries, if not the safest country, to travel to in the world. As a Black woman I always see rankings or come across travel reviews regarding safety and ask: “Safe for who?” I wondered the same thing for this trip, but found it was a very safe place to travel; I did get a few prolonged glances as my friend and I were a Black woman and Asian woman traveling in a country where we’re not exactly the norm, but found people to be generally pleasant and respectful. I only experienced one person with vibes that I felt were perhaps racially off, and she seemed to be another tourist. Any tour guide, campsite directors, shop workers, and most other tourists we came across were great and we felt safe the entire time. Coming from someone who slept in a van, I’d say Iceland lives up to its safe reputation.
Moving on to ~what we did~
DAY 1
Stepping on the weeds and rocks in between. We never step on flowers or where they grow!
Our flight arrived around 5AM local time in Iceland at Keflavik airport; once our rental car company opened later that morning, we were picked up and brought to the offices so we could pick up our camper van and get started. From there, we went into Reykjavik and did a few grocery store runs as the van was equipped with a gas camping stove, pots for cooking, as well as a set of mugs, utensils, plates, and bowls. This was great as we cooked most of our food. I’m vegan, which I find to be the easiest way to maintain a low carbon footprint regardless of where I travel; cooking our meals helped remove the stress of finding vegan options while on the go.
After we got our groceries, we headed out of Reykjavik and further into the country to do a snorkeling tour at the Silfra Fissure. This tour was honestly incredible and one of my favorite activities we did during our time in Iceland, highly recommend. Upon arrival, we were given a dry suit to change into which you wear over a thin layer of clothes like leggings and a shirt. Once you have the dry suit on, you then are given a wetsuit to layer on top. All of this is to keep you warm and, of course, dry as the water is obviously extremely cold. After these layers are on, staff members provide safety briefs and perform final checks on the suits to make sure there are no gaps for the water to seep in. You’re then given the rest of your gear and taken over to the water which was so clear and clean that you could drink from it (which we did and it was marvelous). From there, you’re basically off into the water with your group; because the scuba suits are buoyant, you just float down the fissure and the current takes you at a nice pace to see everything. The water gets decently deep, but everyone stays afloat to take in the beautiful details of the fissure and all of the interesting features within. You may be tempted to bring a waterproof phone case, but there’s no need as the tour guides have underwater cameras and take photos of each person and group before and during the tour (you can purchase ahead of time or after your tour). The time in the water touring the fissure is around 30 minutes before you exit on the other side and walk back to the main lot to change. It’s then that the staff provide a treat and some hot chocolate to the members of their groups and I must say this was much needed after being in the cold waters for 30 minutes. We spent a bit more time decompressing with the other members of our lovely group and all of the amazing and funny staff before hopping back into our camper and heading toward our campsite for the night.
We arrived at Húsafell Camping Site that evening and found a nice little corner close enough to the bathrooms for easy access, but far enough away to maintain some privacy. The showers at the campsite weren’t the most glamorous, as one would expect, but were quite nice and very private. There were two showers at the site and they weren’t at all crowded when we arrived, so we got straight to it. Each shower was in its own room that had a bench and hooks inside separate from the shower space itself, so you could keep your things dry very easily before and after showering. The door to the individual showers was also around the corner from the shower space which provided an extra level of privacy, making for a more comfortable experience. The offices were already closed for the night, so the next morning we were able to pay when a campsite employee came around for payments which was really simple and efficient.
DAY 2
To kick off our second day in Iceland, we took a fairly short drive from our campsite to Hraunfossar and Barnafoss waterfalls lookout. There is a walking trail connected to the parking lot that takes you to both waterfalls, first stopping at Hraunfossar which was absolutely breathtaking. Ropes line the edges of the small cliff side, but there is plenty of space for multiple parties to get a clear view of the site. When we went, it was not at all crowded, so we were able to view the waterfalls very easily. After seeing Hraunfossar, we went further down the trail to see Barnafoss, which is further up the river and a much more intense waterfall. There are a few sites where you can clearly see Barnafoss, all providing an excellent view. I recommend going across the bridge and climbing up the rocks where you can see Hraunfossar from a different angle as well as the surrounding landscape for another gorgeous view.
After we got our fill, we hopped in the camper van and headed to Kirkjufellsfoss mountain and waterfall. Kirkjufellsfoss is quite popular during the winter months for people to come and see the Aurora Borealis, but it was still a popular site and very beautiful during the summer. As you near the site, you’re greeted by a valley with waterfalls every which way before passing through a small town to get to the main attraction. There’s a parking lot that, like our previous stop, has a trail leading over to the waterfalls; the mountain is on the opposite side of the street. As I mentioned, there are many waterfalls in the area and the trail goes further than the first waterfall, but we spent most of our time at the first one enjoying the view from there of it and others in the area.
From there we fueled up in the town and took a lunch break in the valley before taking the next few hours driving to Hegranesviti Lighthouse. This drive is where we encountered our first dirt road as well as our first sheep road block; the sheep in Iceland are plentiful and also “have no regard for you or their own safety” as the guy helping us with our car rental so eloquently put it, so be sure to drive carefully. After a few more stops and some beautiful sites on our drive, we finally reached the trail-head for the Hegranesviti Lighthouse which was not incredibly easy to find. We parked off of the main road just passed the bridge by the black sand beach nearby in a dirt lot. From there, we walked down to the beach where we found a trail leading up the hillside and took it over the barbed wire fence to the rest of the trail toward the lighthouse. We were incredibly confused while we looked for the trail-head as many things were blocked off, but we’d seen numerous reviews for the trail; it’s possible things were blocked and closed as it was around 8PM when we began our hike. Thanks to the time of year, we had plenty of sunlight still. After taking the steps over the fence, it was clear other hikers and horse riders had taken the trail, so we kept heading toward the lighthouse. It took about an hour and a half to hike there and back (and take a ton of photos) before we spent a little time at the black sand beach, then headed to our next campsite for the night.
Varmahlíð Campsite was my favorite campsite of our stay in Iceland. The showers were one room that had a shower, sink, mirror, and mop in the bathroom and they were quite spacious. The mop was useful to dry up the floors before and after showering, so they’re quite useful if the showers are busy. Most pleasant shower I had on the trip! This campsite was a bit more crowded; there was plenty of room on a large open field, but we were still able to find a spot tucked away in a corner. The surrounding bushes and trees could provide us with a bit more shade which helped with sleeping and gave us some privacy. We were able to pay for our stay that night as soon as we arrived, so the next morning we were on our way after breakfast.
DAY 3
Day 3 was probably the heaviest driving day on our trip as we made our way from the West side of the country across the North side. And while many people might say they wouldn’t want to spend a ton of their trip driving, it was a great way for us to actually see so much of the country. Each landscape we drove through was breathtaking, especially when our drive would be picturesque and clear one minute and the next we’d be driving through a thick fog, barely able to see ahead of us. After leaving our campsite in the morning, we had clear skies and drove across a large valley, then headed through a canyon as we approached Akureyri, a town in in Northern Iceland. This is an area I would love to spend a bit more time in next time I visit Iceland; there seemed to be a lot of water sports in the port like kayaking and wind-surfing. There were also a few cruise ships in the water, so I would imagine there are plenty of lovely charms throughout the town and the nearby area worth exploring. After crossing the bridge to the other side of the town, we also noticed some spots that looked well-traveled by hikers, so again, will definitely be spending some real time in Akureyri on my next trip.
Much of our drive after leaving Akureyri was through lava fields which were very interesting as they were covered over in moss. A lot of this section of our drive was also through a thick layer of fog, so we couldn’t see too after a certain point. We did stumble across a body of water that was the most captivating blue color which got the attention of several people passing by.
Finally, we made it to Stuðlagil Canyon in the Northeastern region of Iceland. There are two places at the canyon that you can stop and park; we first parked off the main road in the lookout area of Stuðlagil where there was a bathroom (there is a fee) and small stand that sells food and drinks. The lookout point here is down a set of metal stairs; I personally have a fear of heights so it was a bit unsettling as the landing areas at the bottom of the steps are grated so you can see through to the ground. That being said, I would absolutely do it again! From there, we got back in the car and headed back out to the main road, crossed the bridge to the next parking lot, and took the walking trail to access the canyon. The trail was a short walk and passes by Stuðlagil Waterfall which has the same rock features as the canyon below on a smaller scale. I recommend doing both the lookout point as well as the hike, but if you must pick one definitely take the trail so you can walk in the canyon and see all of the rock features up close. They’re spectacular.
After we left the canyon, we had another long drive ahead of us as we made our way to our campsite for the night. On our way, we stumbled upon a lovely lake that looked like it had some tiny rental cabins along the opposite end. I imagine it would be a lovely place to stay if car camping is not your style. It was after we left the lake that we began one of my favorite stretches of driving on our trip as we headed back out towards the ocean. Everything felt truly magical on this stretch of the drive I genuinely felt like a little faerie running around the island. The skies were still clear but we came across a valley that had a low layer of fog across the ground that was absolutely breathtaking. We pulled off to the side and realized there was a stream and waterfall nearby as well. This was also one of my favorite bits of the trip because as soon as we got out of our van to look around we heard someone shout “Hey, it’s our snorkeling friends!” and it turned out to be the people who were in our tour group for snorkeling! It delighted and amused me to no end because we were already so far from where we’d met them and happened to run into them again on a random stop on the side of the road; hope they’re all doing well haha. We hung out at this spot for a bit and headed a bit further down the road, but stopped again at what was ahead of us. I’d try to describe it but luckily I don’t have to because -as they say- a picture is worth a thousand words.
After completing another faerie-esque foggy section of our drive, we neared our home for the night, the Höfn Campsite, which was a very popular campsite and definitely the most crowded campsite outside of Reykjavik. We were gifted with some gorgeous views of the mountains in the golden light of the evening which was all so picturesque, making it clear why the campsite was so popular. There were bathrooms and showers outside in their own building as well as inside the lodge where you could purchase food and drinks when it was open. The showers here were fine, but the water temperature would go from hot to ice cold when I used it, not making for the most comfortable experience. At the end of the day, we still got to shower which is always appreciated. Once we set everything up, we found a spot to pull our van into and camp for the night.
DAY 4
In the morning, we took a short drive over to Vestrahorn Mountain on Stokksnes Beach which we actually passed the night before on our way to the campsite. There, we stopped in the main lodge to pay for parking and made our breakfast in the van with a full view of the Vestrahorn Mountain and black sand Stokksnes Beach. A marvelous place to enjoy some hot tea and coffee; honestly, one of the best views I’ve had while having my breakfast. We walked around the beaches a bit before heading over to the viking village closer towards the main lodge. This village I believe was made in recent years for the TV show, The Witcher, but it was still fun to experience. The view of the mountains behind the small village elicited fairly magical feelings if I do say so myself. After we walked back from the village, we took a bit of time to sit and enjoy the lodge (as well as the dog that must’ve belonged to someone who worked there).
Once we finished our hot beverages at the cafe, we hopped back in the van and headed to the incredibly popular and breathtaking Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and the neighboring Diamond Beach. The glacier lagoon seemed to be the main attraction as it was much more crowded than the beach which was just across the main road. Perhaps this was due to the fact that the glacier lagoon had bathrooms and places to buy food and drinks as well as tours that operated on the lagoon, but who am I to say. There is a small hill at the lagoon where you can get a slightly better vantage point of the glacier and the gigantic chunks of ice in the waters; I’d recommend going up there simply because you’ve already come so far to see the site, might as well take the extra 30 yards for another view. We drove the car to the far emptier parking lot to see the Diamond beach, which was an incredibly unique instance in nature. The ice that lined the beaches broke off from larger pieces in the lagoon and contrasted with the black sand at the beach making for such a unique sight. I did have some thoughts wondering about climate change at these locations specifically because it just makes you wonder if the glacier was ever larger, how much bigger were the ice chunks in the lagoon and across the beaches, etc. Just some food for thought.
Anyway. Moving along on our journey for the day, we made our way over to Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon where I believe there are 3 different lookout points plus a bridge at the very bottom where you can look into the canyon. We only went to the bridge and first two lookout points before we were tired, so we went back. However, if you have the energy, I’d recommend going to the furthest lookout point because the views do change as you climb higher up and farther back into the canyon. This was a location that had such a specific energy to me and it just felt powerful being there. Maybe that’s just me, but I definitely felt a very unique vibe here and absolutely loved it. Gorgeous, stunning, revolutionary.
From the canyon, we headed to the hands down, without a doubt, absolute best campsite on the trip, the Þakgil Campsite. This campsite is located a few miles off of the main road, but the drive provides some of the most expansive and jaw dropping views we’d experienced on the whole trip and in such a short amount of time. Granted, this might’ve been the furthest off of a main road we’d driven on the trip, so that likely has something to do with it, but if you can make it to this campsite, it’s such a gorgeous place to experience. We briefly stopped on the road a few times on our way in and out the next day, and learned that some locations along the drive were used in Game Of Thrones shoots, which was kind of cool. The campsite itself is nestled at the end of the road in basically a cove. There are two main areas where people camped with the bathrooms in the middle; the showers here were in a separate room to the toilets which was nice, but I think these were my least favorite showers on the trip. Still fine, of course, but they felt more muggy and cramped than other showers on the trip. The site was also fairly packed, not overly so at all, but it made the showers even harder to air out. Outside of that, the site itself was so gorgeous; there were short walks/hikes that you could do at the site. One took you very high up the mountainside; it was quite steep and we didn’t have the energy (or courage) to do that, but I’m sure you’re rewarded with an incredible view at the top. The other is a short walk that leads you to a stream and small pool/lake that’s fed by a small waterfall. Again, this was by far the most gorgeous campsite we’d been to, and I’d highly recommend staying at least one night here despite the showers not being my favorite.
DAY 5
It was in the morning before leaving that we took the short walk over to the small pool and waterfall at the end of the campsite before we headed out and continued on our journey, leaving Þakgil Campsite. We took the same beautiful road back out to the main highway, enjoying the views, and headed further south. First, we stopped for gas and picked up a few more groceries, then made our way over to Reynisfjara Beach. This beach was interesting because of the geometric rock structures in the caves and hills that ran along the coastline; they reminded me of the rock features at Stuðlagil Waterfall and Canyon. Be careful here at this beach, especially if it’s high tide, because the currents are incredibly strong and can sweep people out into the water. We had zero issues (and honestly I didn’t even know to look out for this at the time), but there are signs posted in the area and on the beach warning visitors not to turn their backs to the water or walk too close. Stay safe.
After some strolling along the beach, we made lunch in the parking lot and headed off to Seljalandsfoss which is a huge waterfall you can walk behind. There is a trail you can walk along to see other neighboring waterfalls close by but Seljalandsfoss is definitely the largest. We parked and bundled up, because with the wind you’re almost guaranteed to get wet. People mainly walk around from the right side, loop around the backside of the waterfall, then come out on the left where the pathway can either lead you back to the parking area or out further toward the other waterfalls.
From here, we headed out towards the lava fields for our longest hikes of the trip. This is where I cannot stress enough to make sure the car that you rent is capable of getting you through the route and activities you’ve chosen on your trip. We made it all the way out to the lava fields and were nearing our destination when the road became extremely rocky (more intense than any of the roads we’d been on throughout the trip by far) and realized we were on an F-road. Since our camper was not meant to drive on F-roads, we had to turn back (though I will applaud myself for not getting stuck where I saw a Jeep get stuck lol). We did stop by a nearby hotel on our way back out to the main roads, The Highland Center Hrauneyjar, which offers transportation into the area so visitors can hike even if their vehicle is not built for F-roads. We didn’t go this route because it felt like paying double for housing, but we’ll definitely be sure to plan better for the next trip.
That being said, we decided to head to Reykjavik a day early and camp at the Reykjavik campsite for 2 days. Because the camp here is so popular and in the city, it was very well tended to. The bathrooms were clean and spacious, there was a share system for food where people could leave the food they didn’t use on their trip and other travelers could take what they needed, and the site itself was quite nice. It had been a long day of driving, so we took the evening to regroup and chill at the campsite.
DAY 6
The next morning, we had breakfast and headed out to hike Mt. Esjan which was a short drive from our campsite. The hike was around 5 miles, but was one of the most intense hikes I’ve done just because of the wind. We completed the whole hike just because we were stubborn, but many people turned back because the higher up you went the windier it got, of course. There were plenty of older folks who had far less trouble completing the hike than we did, but it just helps to be prepared: make sure you have the right shoes and walking sticks would be helpful (I’m not kidding about the wind it was pushing us around quite a bit).
After being sufficiently exhausted by the hike, we rested at our camp for a bit before heading into Reykjavik to see Hallgrímskirkja which is a very well known church in the city. It is gigantic and the architecture evokes the rock features we saw at both Stuðlagil Canyon and Reynisfjara Beach which was pretty cool. From there, we just walked around the area: tried the hotdogs (they had a vegan hotdog which I was happy about), went into a couple of shops, and took some photos on the rainbow road. I don’t believe the rainbow road in this part of the city is the original, but it was a good time regardless. From there, we strolled back to where we parked our van to see a bit more of the city before driving back to the Reykjavik campsite for the night.
DAY 7 (Last Day)
Our final day in Iceland was very easygoing as it was our last day in the country and our flight left around midday. Because of this, we got up relatively early, made breakfast, cleaned up our car and site, and headed to The Blue Lagoon. The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal hot spring and is a very popular place to visit when traveling to Iceland; it’s picturesque vibrant waters are super captivating and it’s a fairly relaxing experience overall. Many people decide to visit as their very first or very last stop in Iceland for exactly that reason: it’s refreshing and relaxing. We obviously decided to visit as our last activity before our time in Iceland came to an end.
When you arrive, you sign in and get a bracelet that you can use for purchases in the pool/to redeem anything you might have pre-purchased (booking ahead is highly recommended, it can get very crowded). After checking in, you get a locker and have to take a shower before entering the lagoon. There are stalls that provide privacy between the showers, so it’s still a comfortable experience for anyone who might not want to shower in front of others. The lagoon provides body wash, shampoo, and conditioner and all of them smell lovely so it’s already a relaxing experience before even entering the actual lagoon. Once you’re all showered and clean, you can head outside and get in the nice hot water of the lagoon and it’s absolutely gorgeous. There are two bars in the lagoon: one for face masks, and one for drinks. After getting a drink and following it up with a face mask, we relaxed for about an hour or two before heading back inside to shower off.
Two important things I would note are first, to try to go in the morning. It can get very crowded and was starting to get quite crowded even around 10 in the morning. Second, if you have longer hair, make sure you tie it up because the properties of the water in the lagoon can change the color of your hair if you let it soak, so be careful!
After we were dressed, we filled our van back up with gas and did some final checks before dropping the van back off to the rental company and heading to the airport to catch our flight.