The Ring Road — Route 1, or Þjóðvegur 1 as it appears on Icelandic signs — is exactly 1,332 km long and circles the entire country. Most travellers take seven days to drive it, which gives you enough time to stop properly without rushing every morning. Do it in a rental car, plan your nights in advance, and you’ll see more of Iceland than most people who visit twice.
Key takeaways
- The ring road iceland itinerary works best as a clockwise loop starting and ending in Reykjavík.
- Seven days covers the full 1,332 km comfortably — roughly 190 km of driving per day on average.
- Book accommodation 6–8 weeks ahead in summer; roads can close in winter, so check road.is every morning.
- Budget around 25,000–35,000 ISK (roughly €170–€240 / $185–$260) per day including accommodation, fuel, and food.
- A 4WD is not required for Route 1 itself, but it opens up far more detours.
Why clockwise makes more sense
You can drive Route 1 in either direction, but clockwise — heading south from Reykjavík, then east and north before looping back — puts the South Coast attractions in your first two days when you’re freshest and most likely to hit good weather windows. The North and East tend to be less crowded mid-week, which is exactly when you’ll reach them.
Start early on Day 1. I mean it. The Golden Circle crowds arrive at Geysir and Þingvellir by 10am in summer. If you leave Reykjavík by 7:30, you’ll have Gullfoss practically to yourself.
Day 1: Reykjavík to Vík — the South Coast run
Distance: around 290 km. Long for a first day, but the stops break it up naturally.
The classic route hits Þingvellir National Park first, where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates meet in a visible rift valley — you walk between continental shelves. Then Geysir, where Strokkur erupts roughly every five to ten minutes. Then Gullfoss waterfall. From there, continue east through Hella and Hvolsvöllur to Seljalandsfoss, where a path behind the waterfall gets you completely soaked if the wind is up. It’s worth it. Then Skógafoss, and finally into Vík í Mýrdal for the night.
Stay at Hótel Vík or the Icelandair Hotel Vík — both are central and have parking. Dinner at Halldórskaffi on the main street is reliable and filling without being expensive.
Day 2: Vík to Kirkjubæjarklaustur — black sand, glaciers, and lava
Distance: around 110 km, but you’ll spend more time here than the mileage suggests.
Reynisfjara black sand beach is a ten-minute drive from Vík and one of the most photographed spots in the country. The basalt columns and sea stacks are extraordinary, but the waves are genuinely dangerous — sneak waves here have killed people, so stay well back from the waterline regardless of how calm it looks.
From Vík, drive east past the Eldhraun lava field — one of the largest lava flows in recorded history, from the 1783 Skaftá fires — and stop at Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon just before Kirkjubæjarklaustur. The walk along the rim takes about 30 minutes and rewards you with views down into a river gorge that looks almost unreal. Overnight in Kirkjubæjarklaustur, which locals mercifully shorten to Klaustur.
Day 3: Skaftafell, Jökulsárlón, and the East
Distance: roughly 200 km to your overnight stop near Höfn.
Skaftafell, part of Vatnajökull National Park, is where you get your first close look at a glacier tongue. The Svínafellsjökull viewpoint is free and takes ten minutes from the car park. If you want to walk on the ice itself, book a glacier hike — Icelandic Mountain Guides runs reliable departures from here, typically around 12,900 ISK (roughly €88 / $95) per person for a three-hour hike.
Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon is 55 km further east. Icebergs calve from Breiðamerkurjökull glacier into the lagoon and drift slowly toward the sea. It’s one of those places that photographs can’t quite capture — partly because of the scale, and partly because the colour of the ice, a deep blue-grey, shifts constantly with the light. The Diamond Beach directly across the road, where ice washes up on black sand, is equally worth seeing. Allow at least an hour here.
Sleep in Höfn, the lobster capital of Iceland. Humarsúpa — lobster soup — at Pakkhús restaurant runs about 3,200 ISK (€22 / $24) and is the best version I’ve had anywhere in the country.
Day 4: The East Fjords — the part most people rush
Distance: around 165 km, but this section takes longer than it looks on a map.
The East Fjords (Austurfjörðir) are where many ring road travellers put their foot down and try to get through quickly. That’s a mistake. The road winds around each fjord head with no shortcuts, which means the driving is slower but more beautiful — and the small fishing towns like Djúpivogur, Breiðdalsvík, and Eskifjörður are genuinely charming without being touristy.
Stop in Egilsstaðir, the main hub of the East, for fuel and a late lunch. The town itself isn’t much to look at, but Lagarfljót lake just outside it has the appropriate legend of a lake monster if you need an excuse to stop. Overnight in or around Egilsstaðir.
Day 5: North Iceland — waterfalls, whales, and the best town on the Ring Road
Distance: roughly 260 km to Akureyri.
Leave Egilsstaðir and head north through the highlands pass toward Mývatn. The lake at Mývatn and the surrounding geothermal area — Hverir sulphur fields, Dimmuborgir lava formations, Krafla caldera — deserve a full half-day. The Mývatn Nature Baths, a less crowded alternative to the Blue Lagoon, cost around 5,900 ISK (€40 / $44) and feel genuinely restorative after four days of driving.
From Mývatn, it’s about 100 km west to Akureyri, Iceland’s second city. It’s small by most standards — around 20,000 people — but it has real cafés, good restaurants, and a compact downtown centred on Hafnarstræti that feels lived-in rather than built for tourists. Stay two nights here if your schedule allows; most people only stay one and regret it.
Dettifoss waterfall is a possible detour from Mývatn — Europe’s most powerful waterfall by volume, about 60 km north on Route 862. It adds time but is genuinely worth seeing if waterfalls are your thing. The east-side road (Route 862) gives the better view and is now fully paved.
Day 6: Akureyri to Snæfellsnes or West Iceland
Distance: around 310 km to Borgarnes, or 380 km if you head toward Snæfellsnes.
This is the longest driving day on most ring road itineraries. The road runs west through Varmahlíð and the Skagafjörður valley — horse country, genuinely — then down through Borgarfjörður. You’re passing through some of Iceland’s best farmland here, with the highland interior visible to the south the whole way.
If you have an extra day, the Snæfellsnes Peninsula branches off the ring road near Borgarnes and is worth the detour — Snæfellsjökull glacier, Arnarstapi, the Londrangar basalt stacks. But on a strict seven-day itinerary, push on toward Borgarnes or Mosfellsbær and rest up for the final day.
Day 7: The final stretch back to Reykjavík
Distance: around 75 km from Borgarnes, less from Mosfellsbær.
If you stayed near Borgarnes, stop at Deildartunguhver hot spring — the highest-flow hot spring in Europe — on your way back. It’s roadside, takes five minutes, and costs nothing. Then the Hraunfossar waterfalls near Reykholt, where water seeps out of a lava field along a 900-metre stretch. Both are easily missed by people who skip this section, and both are better than most bigger-ticket attractions further east.
You’ll be back in Reykjavík by early afternoon, which gives you time to return the rental car without the airport panic. Car drop-offs at Keflavík International Airport (Keflavíkurflugvöllur) take longer than people expect — allow at least 90 minutes before your departure.
What does renting a car for the Ring Road actually cost?
A basic 2WD compact rental in summer runs roughly 12,000–18,000 ISK per day (€82–€123 / $90–$135), not including insurance. A 4WD automatic — which I’d genuinely recommend for the flexibility — starts around 22,000–35,000 ISK per day (€150–€240 / $165–$260). Fuel is expensive: expect to pay around 290–310 ISK per litre for petrol as of 2024. Fill up whenever you see a station in the East and North — gaps of 100+ km are normal.
Book your rental early. Summer availability tightens fast, and the price difference between booking three months ahead versus three weeks ahead can be significant — often 30–40% cheaper for the same vehicle class.
When is the best time to drive the Ring Road?
June through August is the most reliable window. Roads are open, days are long (essentially 24-hour daylight in June), and all services are running. The downside is that popular spots — Jökulsárlón, Seljalandsfoss, Reynisfjara — are busy. May and September are genuine sweet spots: fewer people, lower prices, and the light is better for photography than the flat summer noon.
Winter driving on Route 1 is possible but requires real respect and preparation. Sections of the Ring Road in the East can close for days during heavy snow. Check Vegagerðin (the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration) at road.is every morning before setting out. No view is worth driving into a whiteout.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive the Ring Road in Iceland?
The Ring Road is 1,332 km, and seven days is the minimum to do it without feeling like you’re racing. Most travellers drive 150–250 km per day on average, with 5–7 hours of total time between driving and stops. Ten days gives you room to slow down, take detours, and actually stay in places rather than just sleep there.
Do you need a 4WD to drive Route 1 Iceland?
No — Route 1 itself is fully paved and doesn’t require a 4WD. But the moment you want to leave the ring road for any F-road (highland routes marked with an F prefix), a 4WD is legally required and practically essential. Even on Route 1, a 4WD gives you confidence in winter conditions and on unpaved detour roads that aren’t marked F.
How much does the Ring Road trip cost in total?
Budget roughly 25,000–35,000 ISK (€170–€240 / $185–$260) per person per day for a mid-range trip covering accommodation, food, fuel, and a few paid attractions. A week-long trip for two people typically comes to around 350,000–490,000 ISK (€2,400–€3,350 / $2,600–$3,640) total, excluding flights. Camping with a campervan reduces this significantly.
Can you drive the Ring Road in winter?
Yes, but it demands more preparation and flexibility than summer. Some stretches close after heavy snowfall, particularly in the East. You’ll need a car with winter tyres (all rentals come equipped from November through April), travel insurance that covers road disruptions, and the habit of checking road.is each morning. The payoff is near-empty roads and a real chance of seeing the northern lights.
What’s the best place to stop on the Ring Road in North Iceland?
Akureyri is the obvious base, and for good reason — it has the best concentration of restaurants, accommodation, and services outside Reykjavík. But Mývatn is worth a night on its own if you want to explore the geothermal area at dawn before the tour buses arrive. The combination of both, with a day at Dettifoss in between, is the strongest two-day stretch of the entire ring road itinerary.
