europe · 7 days · 22 stops

Iceland's Ring Road — the Full Loop

Route 1 all the way round Iceland in seven days: waterfalls, glaciers, ice lagoons, lava fields and fjord towns, with the Golden Circle on day one.

Days
7
Stops
22
Driving
1,320 km
Behind the wheel
17h 38m

Driving figures are measured road distances between the stops listed for each day, not straight lines. The transfer from wherever you sleep to the first stop of the day is not included.

Daylight on this route, by season

The single number that decides whether a self-drive day works. Almost every guide tells you to "check the daylight hours"; here they are for this route, on the solstices and equinoxes.

Day Driving 21 Jun21 Sep21 Dec21 Mar
Golden Circle 1h 24m 21h 15m 12h 26m 4h 3m 12h 20m
South Coast Waterfalls 1h 7m 20h 35m 12h 25m 4h 31m 12h 19m
Glacier Lagoon 2h 19m 21h 2m 12h 26m 4h 12m 12h 20m
East Fjords 2h 14m 21h 38m 12h 27m 3h 49m 12h 20m
North East & Akureyri 2h 22m 23h 11m 12h 28m 3h 8m 12h 21m
North West 5h 33m 23h 11m 12h 28m 3h 8m 12h 21m
Snæfellsnes to Reykjavík 2h 39m 21h 31m 12h 26m 3h 53m 12h 20m

Measured at the midpoint of each day's stops. "Midnight sun" means the sun does not set; "polar night" means it does not rise.

Day by day

Day 1: Golden Circle

3 stops · 108 km · 1h 24m driving · 5h at stops

In winter: About 1h 24m of driving inside 4h 3m of daylight — comfortable.

  1. 1

    Reykjavík

    Pick up the car and stock up; the next real supermarket run is Vík.

    Allow about 1h

  2. 2

    Þingvellir National Park

    Walk between the American and Eurasian plates in the old parliament plain.

    Allow about 2h

  3. 3

    Geysir & Gullfoss

    Strokkur erupts every few minutes; the two-tier waterfall next door is the bigger sight.

    Allow about 2h

Legs and times
  • Reykjavík → Þingvellir National Park: 47 km, 0h 37m
  • Þingvellir National Park → Geysir & Gullfoss: 60 km, 0h 47m

Day 2: South Coast Waterfalls

4 stops · 77 km · 1h 7m driving · 4h 15m at stops

In winter: About 1h 7m of driving inside 4h 31m of daylight — comfortable.

  1. 1

    Seljalandsfoss

    You can walk behind the water — you will get wet.

    Allow about 0h 45m

  2. 2

    Skógafoss

    Climb the 527 steps for the view down the coast.

    Allow about 1h

  3. 3

    Dyrhólaey

    Cliff-top arch and puffins in summer; closed to cars in nesting season.

    Allow about 1h

  4. 4

    Vík

    Black-sand Reynisfjara beach nearby — never turn your back on the waves.

    Allow about 1h 30m

Legs and times
  • Seljalandsfoss → Skógafoss: 30 km, 0h 24m
  • Skógafoss → Dyrhólaey: 28 km, 0h 25m
  • Dyrhólaey → Vík: 19 km, 0h 18m

Day 3: Glacier Lagoon

3 stops · 136 km · 2h 19m driving · 6h at stops

In winter: About 2h 19m of driving inside 4h 12m of daylight — doable, but the stops have to be quick.

  1. 1

    Fjaðrárgljúfur

    A 100-metre-deep canyon that looks computer-generated.

    Allow about 1h

  2. 2

    Skaftafell / Vatnajökull

    Glacier hikes leave from here; book ahead.

    Allow about 3h

  3. 3

    Jökulsárlón

    Icebergs drifting to the sea; the Diamond Beach is across the road.

    Allow about 2h

Legs and times
  • Fjaðrárgljúfur → Skaftafell / Vatnajökull: 78 km, 0h 55m
  • Skaftafell / Vatnajökull → Jökulsárlón: 58 km, 1h 24m

Day 4: East Fjords

3 stops · 189 km · 2h 14m driving · 3h 15m at stops

In winter: About 2h 14m of driving inside 3h 49m of daylight — doable, but the stops have to be quick.

  1. 1

    Höfn

    Langoustine town and the last fuel before the fjords.

    Allow about 1h

  2. 2

    Djúpivogur

    Quiet harbour village with the Eggin í Gleðivík sculpture.

    Allow about 0h 45m

  3. 3

    Egilsstaðir

    Fjord crossroads; Vök Baths are worth the detour.

    Allow about 1h 30m

Legs and times
  • Höfn → Djúpivogur: 103 km, 1h 11m
  • Djúpivogur → Egilsstaðir: 86 km, 1h 3m

Day 5: North East & Akureyri

3 stops · 154 km · 2h 22m driving · 6h 30m at stops

In winter: About 2h 22m of driving inside 3h 8m of daylight — doable, but the stops have to be quick.

  1. 1

    Dettifoss

    Europe's most powerful waterfall, reached on a gravel road.

    Allow about 1h 30m

  2. 2

    Mývatn

    Pseudo-craters, lava fields and the Mývatn Nature Baths.

    Allow about 3h

  3. 3

    Akureyri

    Iceland's second city; botanical garden and the fjord view.

    Allow about 2h

Legs and times
  • Dettifoss → Mývatn: 79 km, 1h 23m
  • Mývatn → Akureyri: 75 km, 0h 59m

Day 6: North West

3 stops · 473 km · 5h 33m driving · 3h 45m at stops

In winter: About 5h 33m of driving against 3h 8m of daylight — you will be driving in the dark. Start before sunrise, or split this day.

  1. 1

    Siglufjörður

    Herring-era fishing town at the end of a tunnel.

    Allow about 1h

  2. 2

    Hvítserkur

    Sea-stack shaped like a drinking dragon; seals on the beach.

    Allow about 0h 45m

  3. 3

    Snæfellsnes

    Arnarstapi cliffs and the glacier that Jules Verne sent his travellers into.

    Allow about 2h

Legs and times
  • Siglufjörður → Hvítserkur: 204 km, 2h 26m
  • Hvítserkur → Snæfellsnes: 269 km, 3h 7m

Day 7: Snæfellsnes to Reykjavík

3 stops · 184 km · 2h 39m driving · 2h 45m at stops

In winter: About 2h 39m of driving inside 3h 53m of daylight — doable, but the stops have to be quick.

  1. 1

    Kirkjufell

    The most photographed mountain in Iceland; the waterfall is opposite.

    Allow about 1h

  2. 2

    Borgarnes

    Settlement museum and the last coffee before the capital.

    Allow about 0h 45m

  3. 3

    Reykjavík

    Loop closed — drop the car and find a hot dog at Bæjarins Beztu.

    Allow about 1h

Legs and times
  • Kirkjufell → Borgarnes: 108 km, 1h 41m
  • Borgarnes → Reykjavík: 75 km, 0h 58m

When to drive it

21 Jun

21h 31m

of daylight

21 Sep

12h 26m

of daylight

21 Dec

3h 53m

of daylight

21 Mar

12h 20m

of daylight

Longest days are around 21 June, shortest around 21 December. On this route the swing is large enough that the same day's driving can be comfortable in June and entirely after dark in December — which is why the table above is per day.

Plan this route with the daylight in view

Tseril builds the multi-day route on a map, warns you about the legs you would drive at night, and shows the snow and weather at every stop. Free to use.

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