RoadAtlas
Ring Road — Iceland — Scenic
Europe

Ring Road

Iceland

Loop / circuit
Loop from Reykjavík

In short: Ring Road is a 1,332 km scenic road trip in Iceland, typically driven over 9 days, best in Jun–Sep; winter only with specialist planning. Highlights: Reykjavík, Þingvellir, Geysir.

Distance
1,332 km
Duration
9 days
Best Season
Jun–Sep; winter only with specialist planning
LegendaryModerateSUV onlyScenicEV-friendly

A complete clockwise Reykjavík-to-Reykjavík circuit of Iceland Route 1, paced across the south coast, East Fjords, Mývatn, Akureyri and the west.

~2 refuels
~4 charges
Practical notes
This nine-day plan completes Route 1 back to Reykjavík. Check road.is and SafeTravel before every leg and again when weather changes; never use an F-road in a standard vehicle. At Reynisfjara use the designated viewpoint only while the restriction remains, check https://safetravel.is/travel-conditions/blackbeach-safety/ immediately before arrival, and obey lights, barriers and closures. Prebook only one guided glacier/lagoon activity on day 4. The Vaðlaheiðargöng toll must be paid at https://www.veggjald.is/en-gb/verd-greidsluleidir within 24 hours before or after passage; ask the rental company whether it pays or adds a surcharge. Refuel before long East Fjords and north-coast gaps, carry food, water, warm layers, offline maps and a charged phone, and reserve/check compatible fast charging before each EV leg rather than assuming every rural charger is available.

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Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1Reykjavík arrival and city orientation

Hallgrímskirkja and central Reykjavík · Fiskmarkaðurinn

Day 2Reykjavík to the Golden Circle and Selfoss

Prebooked Silfra snorkelling · Þingvellir and Geysir · Friðheimar

Day 3Selfoss to Vík via the south-coast waterfalls

Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss · Reynisfjara designated viewpoint · Smiðjan Brugghús

Day 4Vík to Jökulsárlón and Höfn

Short Skaftafell walk · Prebooked Jökulsárlón boat tour and Diamond Beach viewpoint · Pakkhús Restaurant

Day 5Höfn to Egilsstaðir through the East Fjords

East Fjords scenic pull-offs · Salt Café & Bistro

Day 6Egilsstaðir to Lake Mývatn

Dimmuborgir and Mývatn geothermal landscape · Mývatn Nature Baths · Vogafjós Farm Resort

Day 7Mývatn to Húsavík and Akureyri

Húsavík whale-watching cruise · Akureyri Botanical Garden · Kaffi Ilmur

Day 8Akureyri to Borgarnes via Blönduós

Blönduós river and church stop · The Settlement Center restaurant

Day 9Borgarnes to Reykjavík

Borgarnes Settlement Center · Complete Route 1 in Reykjavík · Matur og Drykkur

Stops along the route

Reykjavík — Departure — Ring Road — Iceland
Departure
Reykjavík
Northern Lights in winter, midnight sun in summer, geothermal pools year-round.
Hotels
Vík — City — Ring Road — Iceland
City
Vík
Iceland's southernmost village. Basalt columns rise above a jet-black volcanic sand beach.
Hotels
Höfn — City — Ring Road — Iceland
City
Höfn
The langoustine capital of Iceland. Best meal on the entire Ring Road, do not skip this.
Hotels
Húsavík — City — Ring Road — Iceland
City
Húsavík
Europe's whale watching capital. Humpbacks and blue whales spotted on almost every trip.
Hotels
Akureyri — City — Ring Road — Iceland
City
Akureyri
Iceland's northern capital. Good restaurants, a botanical garden, and ski slopes nearby.
Hotels
Blönduós — City — Ring Road — Iceland
City
Blönduós
A practical northwest break on the long Ring Road return, used for fuel and a short riverside pause rather than a full sightseeing day.
Show 2 more
Borgarnes — City — Ring Road — Iceland
City
Borgarnes
The final overnight shortens the west-coast return and leaves Reykjavík a manageable last day.
Reykjavík — Arrival — Ring Road — Iceland
Arrival
Reykjavík
Complete the full Route 1 circuit in the capital rather than ending the published route at Akureyri.

Things to Do

Þingvellir — Landmark — Ring Road — Iceland
Landmark
Þingvellir
Snorkel between two tectonic plates in Silfra, the clearest freshwater on Earth.
Geysir — Nature — Ring Road — Iceland
Nature
Geysir
The original geyser. Strokkur erupts every 5-10 minutes, shooting 30m into the sky.
Seljalandsfoss — Nature — Ring Road — Iceland
Nature
Seljalandsfoss
Walk behind this 60m waterfall. Bring a waterproof jacket, you will get soaked.
Jökulsárlón — Nature — Ring Road — Iceland
Nature
Jökulsárlón
A glacier lagoon filled with ancient blue icebergs. Seals play in the freezing water.
Diamond Beach — Nature — Ring Road — Iceland
Nature
Diamond Beach
Ice chunks wash onto black sand, sparkling like scattered diamonds in the low Arctic light.
Mývatn — Nature — Ring Road — Iceland
Nature
Mývatn
Volcanic craters, boiling mud pots, lava fields, and the soothing Mývatn Nature Baths.
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Hallgrímskirkja and central Reykjavík — City orientation — Ring Road — Iceland
City orientation
Hallgrímskirkja and central Reykjavík
Keep the first day in the capital; use the tower and central streets without driving back out of town.
Prebooked Silfra snorkelling — Guided activity — Ring Road — Iceland
Guided activity
Prebooked Silfra snorkelling
Start at Þingvellir at the confirmed check-in time with an authorized operator.
Þingvellir and Geysir — National park and geothermal area — Ring Road — Iceland
National park and geothermal area
Þingvellir and Geysir
Continue east once, using signed paths at Þingvellir and the Geysir boardwalks.
Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss — Waterfalls — Ring Road — Iceland
Waterfalls
Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss
Use open signed paths and allow spray, stairs and weather margin.
Reynisfjara designated viewpoint — Coastal viewpoint — Ring Road — Iceland
Coastal viewpoint
Reynisfjara designated viewpoint
Remain at the designated viewpoint, never walk the shoreline, and obey the live warning lights and barriers.
Short Skaftafell walk — Self-guided walk — Ring Road — Iceland
Self-guided walk
Short Skaftafell walk
Choose one short open trail after checking conditions; this replaces a second guided product.
Prebooked Jökulsárlón boat tour and Diamond Beach viewpoint — Guided lagoon visit — Ring Road — Iceland
Guided lagoon visit
Prebooked Jökulsárlón boat tour and Diamond Beach viewpoint
Use one timed guided activity, preserve check-in buffer, then view the beach from safe ground.
East Fjords scenic pull-offs — Scenic drive — Ring Road — Iceland
Scenic drive
East Fjords scenic pull-offs
Use only signed pull-offs and make the long transfer the day’s core experience.
Dimmuborgir and Mývatn geothermal landscape — Volcanic landscape — Ring Road — Iceland
Volcanic landscape
Dimmuborgir and Mývatn geothermal landscape
Choose open short trails and finish with a prebooked bathing slot if desired.
Mývatn Nature Baths — Geothermal bathing — Ring Road — Iceland
Geothermal bathing
Mývatn Nature Baths
Use a timed booking and follow current water and weather advice.
Húsavík whale-watching cruise — Wildlife cruise — Ring Road — Iceland
Wildlife cruise
Húsavík whale-watching cruise
Book one licensed operator and keep an Akureyri fallback for cancellation.
Akureyri Botanical Garden — Garden — Ring Road — Iceland
Garden
Akureyri Botanical Garden
Use as a short arrival visit if opening hours and daylight allow.
Blönduós river and church stop — Short road break — Ring Road — Iceland
Short road break
Blönduós river and church stop
Take one short daylight break without turning the transfer into another full sightseeing day.
Borgarnes Settlement Center — Museum — Ring Road — Iceland
Museum
Borgarnes Settlement Center
Use one substantive morning visit before the final drive.
Complete Route 1 in Reykjavík — Route finish — Ring Road — Iceland
Route finish
Complete Route 1 in Reykjavík
Return the vehicle in Reykjavík and retain airport/rental buffer.

Where to Eat

Fiskmarkaðurinn — Icelandic seafood — Ring Road — Iceland
Icelandic seafood
Fiskmarkaðurinn
Reserve a Reykjavík dinner after the city walk.
Friðheimar — Greenhouse dining — Ring Road — Iceland
Greenhouse dining
Friðheimar
Reserve the tomato-greenhouse lunch and fit it around the booked Silfra time.
Smiðjan Brugghús — Burgers and Icelandic dishes — Ring Road — Iceland
Burgers and Icelandic dishes
Smiðjan Brugghús
Use as the Vík arrival dinner; the driver skips alcohol.
Pakkhús Restaurant — Icelandic seafood — Ring Road — Iceland
Icelandic seafood
Pakkhús Restaurant
Reserve a Höfn dinner after the lagoon transfer.
Salt Café & Bistro — Icelandic bistro — Ring Road — Iceland
Icelandic bistro
Salt Café & Bistro
Use this identifiable Egilsstaðir arrival meal and verify current hours.
Vogafjós Farm Resort — Farm-to-table Icelandic — Ring Road — Iceland
Farm-to-table Icelandic
Vogafjós Farm Resort
Reserve or verify the Mývatn kitchen hours.
Show 3 more
Kaffi Ilmur — Café — Ring Road — Iceland
Café
Kaffi Ilmur
Place this correctly at Hafnarstræti 107b in Akureyri; verify the current service day.
The Settlement Center restaurant — Icelandic — Ring Road — Iceland
Icelandic
The Settlement Center restaurant
Use the established Borgarnes restaurant after the westbound transfer.
Matur og Drykkur — Modern Icelandic — Ring Road — Iceland
Modern Icelandic
Matur og Drykkur
Reserve a final Reykjavík dinner after completing the loop.

Nearby and similar drives

Frequently asked questions

How long is the Ring Road drive?

The Ring Road covers 1,332 km from start to finish.

How long does the Ring Road take to drive?

Most travellers spend 9 days on the Ring Road, depending on stops and pace.

When is the best time to drive the Ring Road?

The recommended season for the Ring Road is Jun–Sep; winter only with specialist planning.

What are the main stops on the Ring Road?

The Ring Road passes through Reykjavík, Þingvellir, Geysir.

How difficult is the Ring Road to drive?

The Ring Road is rated moderate and is best handled with suv only.

Do I need a 4WD for the Ring Road?

Yes — the Ring Road includes off-road or rough sections that require suv only.

How many fuel stops are needed on the Ring Road?

Plan around 2 refuels (or about 4 EV charges) along the Ring Road, based on its 1,332 km length.

Is the Ring Road EV friendly?

Yes — the Ring Road has charger coverage along the route and works as an EV road trip.

Is the Ring Road safe to drive?

This nine-day plan completes Route 1 back to Reykjavík. Check road.is and SafeTravel before every leg and again when weather changes; never use an F-road in a standard vehicle. At Reynisfjara use the designated viewpoint only while the restriction remains, check https://safetravel.is/travel-conditions/blackbeach-safety/ immediately before arrival, and obey lights, barriers and closures. Prebook only one guided glacier/lagoon activity on day 4. The Vaðlaheiðargöng toll must be paid at https://www.veggjald.is/en-gb/verd-greidsluleidir within 24 hours before or after passage; ask the rental company whether it pays or adds a surcharge. Refuel before long East Fjords and north-coast gaps, carry food, water, warm layers, offline maps and a charged phone, and reserve/check compatible fast charging before each EV leg rather than assuming every rural charger is available.

What scenic tier is the Ring Road?

The Ring Road is a legendary drive — The world's most extraordinary drives — once-in-a-lifetime road trips with cinematic scenery, legendary roads, and unmatched cultural depth.