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Iceland Ring Road: Route Guide

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Skógafoss waterfall thundering off the cliffs of Iceland's south coast
Photo: Jakub Hałun · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Iceland's Ring Road circles an island that still feels like it's being made. You walk behind waterfalls, watch icebergs drift onto a black-sand beach, and end long days soaking in geothermal pools. The scenery changes every hour, and it never once looks ordinary.

Iceland Ring Road is a 1332 km loop (self-drive). It works best as a 7-day trip; the plan below is the 7-day version for September, built from 322 verified places, with real road-routed transit times, opening hours and daylight checked.

7
days
1332km
distance
17
Stops
322
curated stops

Plan your own version → 7-day plan · best time to go

The route

Reykjavík→ 60 kmGolden Circle→ 3 kmSelfoss→ 37 kmHella & Hvolsvöllur→ 56 kmSkógar→ 37 kmVík í Mýrdal→ 85 kmKirkjubæjarklaustur→ 55 kmSkaftafell→ 132 kmHöfn→ 104 kmEastfjords→ 137 kmEgilsstaðir↳ 27 kmSeyðisfjörður→ 165 kmMývatn↳ 54 kmHúsavík→ 85 kmAkureyri→ 146 kmBlönduós→ 168 kmBorgarnes

What you'll see

Reykjavík Art Museum - Hafnarhús
Appreciate rotating exhibits by Erró and other local artists.
Reykjavík
Gullfoss
Feel the thunderous rush of water as you stand near Europe's largest volume waterfall.
Golden Circle
Saga Centre
Immerse yourself in the epic tales of Njals Saga in an engaging museum.
Hella & Hvolsvöllur
Seljavallalaug swimming pool
Relax in the warm geothermal waters of Iceland’s oldest swimming pool.
Skógar
Sólheimajökull
Stand near the rapidly retreating edge of the accessible Sólheimajökull glacier.
Vík í Mýrdal
Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon
Feel the rush of water in steep, winding canyon walls.
Kirkjubæjarklaustur
Icelandic Mountain Guides
Trek to Iceland's highest peak with expert glacier guides.
Skaftafell
Jökulsárlón
Glide across the serene glacier lagoon on a relaxing boat tour.
Höfn

Choose your length

7-day plan29 stops · 29.8 h transit4.1 stops/day · 4.3 h transit/daySee the full plan →

When to go

Best months: June, July, August, September

This seven-day Ring Road plan is not generated from October through April. Short daylight, snow, ice and fast-changing Route 1 closures need a winter-specific plan with live road status and more slack than this baseline can guarantee.

See the month-by-month breakdown →

Similar journeys

Plan your own version →