Iceland has always been a dream destination for us! When Manuel turned one year old, we felt it was the perfect time to embark on our Icelandic adventure. Renting a van and circling the country seemed like the ultimate getaway. We just had 10 days for this adventure, and while we could find plans for many more, it was a right amount of time to go around the island with no rush and enjoying all the natural wonders.
Check this full guide with everything you need to know for your own unforgettable 10-day journey.
Best time to visit Iceland? How to explore Iceland? Are 10 days enough to drive around Iceland? Which direction should we go? Plan for 10 days The map
Best time to visit Iceland?
There’s no right answer to this question because it depends on what you want to do. If you want to see the Northern Lights you should go between September and April. If you want to watch the midnight sun you need to go in the peak of the summer in July. July is also the high season, so everything is more expensive (flights, hotels, car rentals) and you should expect more crowds.
We wanted to go during summer, but try to avoid the crowds and peak of prices. So we searched when was the best time to rent the campervan and to book the flights. We found a good compromise in the beginning of June.
How to explore Iceland?
If you are just planning to visit Reykjavik and places nearby, such as the golden circle, you can book a tour with transportation included. However, if you want to go around the island, you definitely need to have some sort of transport, either a car or a van.
If you rent a car, you’ll need to plan where to stay. And if you go during high season you should book those places in advance, since the more remote places don’t have that many options.
If you rent a van or campervan, besides saving costs on accommodation, you’ll also have additional flexibility on where to stay. There are plenty of campsites around the island and you can plan where to stay depending on how your day goes.
We rented a campervan with Indie Campers and loved this flexibility.
Are 10 days enough to drive around Iceland?
This was one of our main questions. The Ring Road (or Road 1) is the main road that goes around Iceland and has a total of 1332 km. So it’s totally feasible in less than that. However, you don’t want just to drive around, you want to explore and enjoy the different places.
In our experience, 10 days was more than enough, and we were traveling with a 1-year-old. Basically, we had our map with the points of interest we wanted to visit plus all the campsites. Then we tried to adapt our day to explore some places in the morning, drive longer periods after lunch (during nap time), and then explore more in the afternoon closer to where we were planning to stay.
Which direction should we go?
The Ring Road goes around the entire country, so you need to decide which direction you want to start. From our research there is no one way better than the other, the only recommendation that is given is that if you’re going at the end of summer you should probably start going north first since the warmer weather might stay for a little while in the south.
Plan for 10 days
Day 1 – flight and logistics
Our main tip for the first day is: don’t make a lot of plans for day 1.
Plan at what time you’ll be arrived and how much time you’ll have on day 1. We flew with Play airlines, which has 2 direct flights from Lisbon per week. But we arrived in the middle of the night, so we booked a place to rest on that night near the airport. Plus, if you’re renting a campervan, the first day will probably be full of logistics, so don’t include many different places to visit.
Pick up your van, fill up the tank and get familiar with how everything works.
Make sure you get familiar with how everything works (water, kitchen, heating, etc.) and that you have the contact from the rental company for additional questions or problems with your van along the way. There will always be questions after you hit the road. With Indie Campers we used WhatsApp and it was super convenient to get quick answers to all of our beginner doubts.
Go shopping and stock up your van with some food and essentials for the next few days.
We went shopping in the morning to have some food and essentials for the next days (don’t forget your toilet paper!).
Best places for shopping in Iceland are Bonus and Kronan (only on bigger towns, check on Google Maps).
Every little town has at least one little store but options might be limited and it might not be open by the time you arrive (it’s not a 7-Eleven). Most of the campsites don’t have food or supermarkets nearby.
This is also valid for gas. Our rule was, if the tank was close to half and if we passed one gas station, we filled it.
The one thing you don’t need to buy is water, water in Iceland is great and you can fill your water bottle in every tap basically.
Drive to the first campsite
Drive to Ulfljotsvatn, a beautiful campsite, really well located to start exploring the Golden Circle on the next day.
Day 2 – the Golden Circle
Start the day exploring the most touristic places: the Gullfoss waterfall and the Geysir
The Gullfoss Waterfall and the Geysir Geothermal Area, together with the Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park are called the Golden Circle. It’s a very touristic tour to do from Reykjavik due to its proximity, so it’s also the place where you’ll probably find more people.
Try to arrive in the early morning to avoid the crowds. We arrived around 11am and it was already crowded with a lot more buses arriving. We planned to visit the Þingvellir National Park on our way back to Reykjavik but didn’t have time.
Walk around the Kerid Crater
Kerid crater is a volcanic crater filled with bright turquoise water. There is a 400 ISK entrance fee but it is right on the way back to Rind Road, so definitely worth the visit! You can walk around the crater and even go down to the water level.
Admire the beauty of Seljalandsfoss waterfall
Make sure you have some time to spend here! You can walk behind the waterfall (bring waterproof clothes), visit the cave, and do some of the trails to other nearby waterfalls. This place is absolutely beautiful! The park is paid (700 ISK per day) and there’s no campsite here.
Sleep by the Skógafoss waterfall
The waterfall is free to visit any time of the year, and if you want to sleep there you just park your van/car and somebody comes at night to collect the fee. The campsite is not the one with the best facilities, but you have sheep around living their life, you have plenty of birds and an amazing 60-meter tall waterfall. What else do you need?
Day 3 – the sunny south coast
Go up to the Skógafoss viewpoint
There are stairs up to the viewpoint, and it just takes 10/15 minutes, so totally worth going up there and enjoying the views of the waterfall, mountains, and ocean. This is the start of the path for a bigger trail for the more adventurous.
Feel the wind at the Dyrhólaey viewpoint
This place is absolutely stunning, but be prepared for the wind! It was the windiest place we’ve been to in Iceland! It’s one of the places where is common to see puffins, but we were not lucky this time.
Visit the basalt columns at Reynisfjara beach
The basalt columns are one of the popular postcards from Iceland. Probably due to that, we thought it was bigger. It’s still an impressive landscape and worth the visit! Be aware of the waves, the sea is quite unpredictable, and while we were there a group of people took an unexpected bath. There’s a cafe in the parking lot that’s convenient for a quick lunch or just a coffee.
Be amazed by the size of the lava fields
Iceland has hundreds of vulcanos, so you’ll find lava everywhere in every shape and form. On the ring road, between Vik and Skaftafell there are a couple of places where you can stop to just admire the landscape and read more information about it.
Sleep by the glaciers
We stayed at the Skaftafell campsite that is right near the national park full of glaciers. It’s a huge campsite with great facilities. There’s a cafeteria (that was closed at the time), a food truck, and plenty of companies that start tours to the glaciers here.
Day 4 – the glaciers
Start the day with a hike to Hundafoss waterfall
There is a longer trail to the Svartifoss waterfall, a beautiful waterfall in the middle of a wall of basalt columns. But Hundafoss is just 20 minutes from the campsite, on an easy and beautiful trail good to do with babies and toddlers.
Walk to the Skaftafell glacier
It’s a 10-minute walk on a flat path from the Skaftafell Visitor Center, and you’ll be nearly the biggest mass of ice in Iceland. A lot of tours to the glacier and ice caves start here.
Quick stop at the Fjallsárlón glacier lake
This lake is a 5-minute walk from the parking lot and gives you another view of the glacier. There’s also a café if you need to take a break.
Watch the wildlife at the Jökulsárlón lake
All the seals and birds, the ice, and the water colors make this place a beautiful living postcard. There are boat and kayak tours on the lake and trails around it. Do you know that this place was the setting for James Bond and Tomb Rider movies?
Walk on the famous Diamond beach
The ice that breaks from the glacier at Jökulsárlón ends up in this famous black sand beach
You can stop at the beach before and after the bridge. There are diamonds on both sides, just stop on the side with fewer cars in the parking lot 😅
Sleep in the Fossardalur mountains
After a long drive along the coast, stop at the Fossárdalur campsite for the night. Enjoy the fantastic views of the river and the mountains.
Day 5 – the mountains to the little blue church town
Take a slow breakfast at Fossardalur campsite
This campsite is surrounded by mountains and the river, creating this calming and unique atmosphere. So, make sure you enjoy your time here. We took our breakfast outside and had some playtime as well.
Take a walk and visit the nearby waterfall
You’re in Iceland, so there’s a waterfall in every corner! Before you hit the road, take a small walk and visit the waterfall that is just 5-minute from the campsite.
Hit the road and enjoy the scenery
And enjoy all the different views, from ocean, to snowy mountains to lava fields. It really seems that you are in a movie where they keep changing the set.
Visit Seydisfjordur
It is considered one of the most charming towns in Iceland, and we couldn’t agree more! To get there, count with a 30-minute detour from the ring road, crossing a beautiful mountain completely covered in snow.
On the other side of the mountains, we found a sunny and picturesque town by the bay, with its famous rainbow crosswalk up to the little blue church.
Have dinner at Fjalladyrd and stay for the night.
Take a break from the vanlife and spoil yourself with a dinner at the super cozy restaurant from Fjalladyrd. The have the best setting to entertain the kids, amazing local food and a great service! The place is also a guesthouse and a campsite. So you can just park your van and enjoy!
Day 6 – the volcanos
Visit the Víti crater
This volcanic crater filled with blue water is beautiful. It is also easily accessible since you can park right on top of it. A must-visit if you are in the region.
Take a walk to the lava field in Leirhnjúkur
This lava field is still fuming! There are smoking fumaroles, bubbling pools, and huge lava fields. It’s such an impressive landscape that it seems you’re on another planet. What’s not that impressive? The smell and the mosquitos! If you brought repellent, here is the place to use it. Also, don’t leave your van doors open for too long, or they will take a ride with you.
Hike to the top of Hverfjall
This volcano seems to be made of just black sand. And it’s huge, its crater has 1 km in diameter. The hike up to the top takes about 15 minutes, and from the top you have a privileged view over the Myvatn area.
Relax at the Mývatn Nature Baths
If you’re in the Mývatn region, you should enjoy a relaxed afternoon in this naturally heated blue mineral-rich water. This is a less crowded and less expensive option compared to the famous Blue Lagoon.
Recharge at CJA camping
This camping has all places well delimited, and has fewer spots with electricity. In the main house there’s a kitchen and bathroom with hot water. It even has lockers to leave the phones charging. It also has wifi, but the owner turns it off at night 😅. The owner raises chickens in the farm and sell their eggs (we bought it for 50kr /unit which was a great price). In the kitchen besides recibclinb and composting bins, you could also leave the vegetables leftovers for the chickens.
Day 7 – the north
Start the day at the Goðafoss waterfall
The name translates to the “waterfall of the gods”. It’s always impressive to see the amount of water these waterfalls have. This one is right off the Ring Road, very well marked with a big sign and a good parking lot.
Find love in Akureyri city
Iceland’s second-largest city and the city center is easy to explore on foot. We stopped near the water to have lunch and do some shopping.
Visit the small Hofsós
It’s a tiny seaside village, and it’s now getting famous for its swimming pool by the ocean, overlooking the island of Drangey. The day we visited was super windy, and the village seemed quite empty, so we explored around and decided to stay in the next city.
Stay at Skagafjordur
The area of Skagafjörður is known for its horse breeding, so this is the place to do it. We wanted to do a tour to Drangey island, which is home to thousands of birds, but when we tried to book it was already sold out. We decided to stay at Sauðárkrókur campground which is right in the middle of the town.
Day 8 – the famous rhino
Visit the traditional turf houses.
We stopped at Glaumbær, a lovely turf farm, that is now a museum. People lived here until 1947, so not that long ago! The access to the farm costs around 12€ for adults (+18 years old) and is free for everyone younger than 18 years old. There is plenty of space outside to run and explore, and the houses inside are super well preserved, so it’s really interesting to visit (and we are not typically fans of museums).
Watch the rhino
Hvítserkur is a famous basalt rock in Iceland. It’s located in the Vatnsnes Peninsula and it’s a 30-minutes from the main road on an unpaved road.
So why is this rock so famous? Due to its shape! The legend goes that it is a petrified troll. For us, it looks like a rhinoceros drinking water by the sea. Either way, the place is beautiful, and with all the birdlife Manuel loved it too!
Stop by a random waterfall.
You’re in Iceland, so there are a waterfall at any corner, and sometimes more than one! If you need to stop and take a break just go to Google Maps and check what’s nearby. In this case, we were driving, Manuel woke up from his nap and of course he wanted to eat! So we spotted Glanni waterfall in the map and it was a beautiful surprise! It was near a golf camp, there was a café, and 5 minutos walking flat from the parking lot there was this beauty.
Play and have fun!
Especially when traveling with babies and kids it’s really important to plan time for them. To let them play and explore freely. So instead of packing your days with tons of musts sees or dos, keep it slow, and enjoy all the moments!
Sleep with the locals at Mosskogar Camping
Being closer to Reykjavik you’ll see plenty of locals in this campsite. It was also the one that had more people, so in high seasons you should probably book your stay. The campsite is quite well organized, has a farm and there are horses nearby. So there will be plenty of entertainment for all.
Day 9 – Reykjavik
Hop on a Puffin tour
We did a morning tour with Specialtours and it was amazing! Tons of puffins everywhere and the crew was amazing ❤️
Admire the Sun Voyager sculpture
As the artist described it is a dreamboat and an ode to the sun. It symbolises the promise of undiscovered territory, a dream of hope, progress, and freedom. It will always look different depending on the time of day and weather.
Check the view from the Höfði lighthouse
It’s yellow and cute, and near the sun voyager. So, of course, it’s a must on your list. It will brighten up your day! If you’re into history, check the Höfði house on the other side of the street.
Take a break in a local café
We typically choose a café outside of the main street. We stopped at Kaktusespressobar, and it was a great choice. Relaxed environment, super friendly staff, homemade food, and baby chairs.
Visit the famous Hallgrímskirkja
The tallest building in town and one of the city postcards is this church that seems to be made of the basalt columns that you find everywhere around the country. You can go up to the tower and enjoy the view of the city, but only on certain schedules (depending on the church service). Visiting the church is free, and there is a fee (7+ years old) to access the tower.
Walk on Rainbow Street
It’s one of the main streets downtown, so it’s difficult to miss it! It’s colorful, and surrounded by cafes, shops and life.
Sleep by the Blue Lagoon
Even if you’re not coming for the bath experience, you can still visit the outside of the Blue Lagoon for free. There’s a path you can take outside of the spa area. You should plan to visit it either at the beginning or end of your trip due to its proximity to the airport.
We decided to sleep at the Grindavík campsite close to the Blue Lagoon and airport area. The campsite has all the facilities, plus a playground which is always the cherry on top of the cake.
This area is currently closed due to the Grindavik volcano eruption. Stay up-to-date with the latest news if you’re visiting soon.
Day 10 – flight back home & dream about coming back
Há Sol e Mar 