Welkom to Iceland, the country of “Fire and Ice”! Pick up the car at the airport and start your Iceland experience. From Keflavik International Airport, we recommend driving the southern coast of the Reykjanes peninsula towards your first overnight stay in the charming village of Hveragerdi. This village is one of the few sites in the world located directly on top of a geothermal area and, because of its many greenhouses heated by hot water from nearby springs, it is often called the “flower village.“ If your flight arrives early in the day, you might stop at the Blue Lagoon (a short distance from the airport) for a chance to relax in the soothing geothermal mineral waters. Important:  Please note that tickets for the Blue Lagoon must be booked in advance. Overnight stay in Hveragerdi. This smart tool offers you the best hotel deals for Hveragerdi, in just 60 seconds. We have gathered all Iceland tours for you.

Today you drive to Kerlingarfjöll in the Highlands of Iceland. Kerlingarfjöll is a spectacular and picturesque mountain cluster, residing on Eastern Kjölur, offering the exploring hikers endless variety of beautiful spots. The Kerlingarfjöll mountain range stretches across a range of 367 kilometers and houses the third biggest geothermal region in the area. ​​​​​​​Visit the Hveradalir, which is the valley of the hot springs. Here you will find one of the largest and most fascinating geothermal and hot spring area in Iceland. Also worth a visit is The Jökulfall Gorge, this is a spectacular  canyon that has been created by the Jökulfall River. Overnight a the Kerlingarfjöll Mountain Resort that is offering different types of accommodation. The property consists of a variety of cabins with en-suite bathrooms and a camping ground. Some rooms have their own shower, while others have access to shared facilities in the bathhouse. Guests also have access to the Kerlingarfjöll Resort’s communal guest kitchen. Kerlingarfjöll Mountain Resort has its own petrol station and a cosy restaurant with a bar. End the day by taking a short hike to the outdoor pool, which is some 1,5 Km upstream from the highland center. You can book your accommodation at Kerlingarfjöll here, we will find the best price for you in just 60 seconds.

Spend the day driving from Lake Myvatn to the majestic Godafoss waterfall and onwards to explore Akureyri, the capital of the north. Explore the second largest town in Iceland, perhaps visiting the famous thermal swimming pool, the many museums, and the landmark church.  Activities are plentiful in the area, including horseback riding, hiking on local trails, a guided art gallery walk, fishing and whale watching. Please Note:  The Ring Road route today contains a toll tunnel. Overnight stay in Akureyri. We have an overview for you of hotels in Akureyri, our smart tool shows you the best deals in 60 seconds. You can book your tickets for whale watching here, as well as tickets for your midnight sun whale watching tour in Akureyri.

Travel across the vast Modrudalsoraefi highlands, which are renowned for their stark beauty, to the mighty Dettifoss waterfall. Explore the many wonders of northern Vatnajokull National Park, such as the strange formations of Hljodaklettar (Echo Rocks) and the impressive horseshoe-shaped Asbyrgi canyon. Continue along Tjornes peninsula at the edge of the Arctic Circle to the fishing village of Husavik. This town is known as the capital of whale watching for its excellent sightings. Perhaps you will enjoy a whale watching tour on a beautifully-restored oak boat. Overnight stay in Lake Myvatn area Looking for the best place to stay close to Lake Myvatn? Our smart tool will show you all the specials in just 60 seconds. Wanna see the whales and puffins at Husavik? You can book your ticket here.

Spend the day exploring the natural wonders of Lake Myvatn and the surrounding area. If you like to indulge in the geothermal lagoon encircled by epic Icelandic scenery, we advise you to book your ticket in advance. Visit highlights such as the surreal dark citadels at Dimmuborgir, the pseudo craters at Skutustadir, the colourful sulphurous slopes of Namaskard and the Krafla volcano area. Get closer to the region with guided tours on bikes or horseback. After a fun day, you might relax in the peaceful Myvatn Nature baths, a favorite of both locals and visitors. Overnight stay in Lake Myvatn area.

Drive through the spectacular East Fjords region, past towering mountains and through charming fishing villages, to the fertile Egilsstadir area. On the way it is possible to take a boat tour to Papey Island, where thousands of puffins nest in the summer (mid May to early August), or visit Petra’s famous local stone and mineral collection at Stodvarfjordur. In the Egilsstadir area, you can visit the beautiful Hallormsstadur forest and a river reputed to be the home of a friendly sea monster. Visit the new Wilderness Center located at the edge of the hauntingly beautiful eastern highlands. Here you can discover Iceland‘s pioneer history and highland nature in a clever interactive way. Overnight stay in Egilsstadir. In just 60 seconds this smart tool offers you your best deals for a stay in Egilsstadir.

Explore the quaint village of Seydisfjordur, the port for the ferry from Europe. Here you can visit an artistic display where the wind makes a beautiful singing sound. Also explore Borgarfjordur Eystri, steeped in the folklore of elves. This area also has excellent hiking paths. Both villages are known for their friendly locals and rich artistic communities. Drive 6 km onward to Hafnarholmi a small peninsula were in season (April – 15 Aug) the puffin birds nest. Overnight stay in Egilsstadir area or in Borgarfjordur Estri (Blabjorg guesthouse) if you want to see the puffins returning to their nests at the end of the day.

Today you will be in the area of Vatnajokull National Park, a vast area named after Europe‘s largest glacier. You will have many amazing views of this glacier as you head along your route. Visit the park‘s awe-inspiring Skaftafell area, a green oasis which is set between glaciers and offers many hiking possibilities. On your way to the shimmering icebergs of Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon and the harbour town of Hofn, you will pass the small town Hof. Make a stop here to see the Hofskirkja Church .  This wooden church with a roof of turf and grass, was built in 1883.  Continue to Höfn, also known as the lobster capital of northern Europe. Overnight stay in Höfn. This smart tool offers you the best value for money deals for Höfn, in just 60 seconds.

Drive along the spectacular south coast, viewing highlights such as Skogafoss waterfall, Myrdalsjokull glacier, the bird cliffs of Dyrholaey and the black sand beaches of Vik. After Vik you see the turn off to Hjorleifskofði Cave and promontory (piece of land that sticks into the sea). This is the burial place of one of the first Vikings dated 874AD.  At the base of the promontory you will find the photogenic Gýgagjá cave, nick named Yoda Cave.  Continue across the vast Eldhraun lava field to the village of Kirkjubaejarklaustur, which is known for its fabulous trout fishing. Overnight stay in Southeast Iceland i.e. Hrifunes Guesthouse or in Hrifunes Nature park itself. You can find a full list here of all available accommodations in the area. In just 60 seconds we find the best deal for your stay.

Enjoy the day exploring this little known area. We recommend a hike in magnificent Fjadrargljufur, one of the most spectacular canyons in Iceland. If you are traveling in June, July, or August a longer detour to the volcanic Laki craters (Lakagigar) is a great option. The drive, for which you’ll need a rental car category 5.0 or higher, takes you to the site of a catastrophic eruption in 1783-84, and includes beautiful sights such as Laki, the largest of the craters, which is 818 metres (2684 feet) high and affords a breathtaking view over the craters. Overnight stay in Southeast Iceland.

An unique experience in the Borgarfjordur area is the chance to go into the very heart of a glacier with an Into the Glacier experience. Tours depart from Husafell village. Take a ride in a monster-sized vehicle up the sides of Langjokull Glacier and into a glacial ice tunnel.  Here you can learn about glaciers and how they formed in a setting with a great focus on environmental conservation and education. Borgarnes is located near the homestead of a famous Viking saga hero, Egill Skallagrimsson. You can learn more about him and the first Viking settlers in Iceland at the Settlement Museum in the town of Borgarnes. Continue via Hvalfjordur fjord, a scenic fjord where you might stop to visit Glymur, the highest waterfall in Iceland.  Then continue to Reykjavik and experience the Fly over Iceland in the harbour of the city. Overnight in Reykjavik. This smart tool offers you the best hotel deals for Reykjavik, in just 60 seconds. Would you like to have dinner in Reykjavik with a local? Dadi a local artist will cook his favorite Icelandic dish for you.

Today it is time to say goodbye to this beautiful country Iceland. Drop your rental car off at the airport before departure of your flight. We hope that you can look back on an unforgettable and relaxed journey along the highlights of Iceland. Our aim is that travellers take the most out of their road trip with the use of our travel app on the smartphone. With our day to day itinerary in the palm of your hand, we make sure you won’t miss out on anything! Thank you for booking your hotels through our system, this generates some income for us and enables us to continue creating more awesome itineraries in the future. Please leave a review on our Google Business page. This will help us to grow our business and encourage other globe trotters to experience this new way of travelling. Thank you! Ingrid Gorter & Team selfdriveroutes.com Keep on discovering The famous writer  J.R.R. Tolkien once said: “Still around the corner there may wait, a new road or a secret gate”