7 Day Iceland Itinerary

Also known as the longest post I’ve ever written!

ICYMI, I went to Iceland at the beginning of September and it was awesome. My friend Sharon and I decided to take a road trip on the Ring Road (the main road around the country), and I spent waaaaay too long on the internet trying to piece together our itinerary. TBH, it’s hard to see all that Iceland has to offer in 7 days (I’m already dying for another trip back to visit the West Fjords and some of the stops along the way that didn’t make the cut). I like to call our itinerary the “Iceland: Highlights Edition”…we saw a TON of incredible sights, most of which came up in almost every travel guide.

We averaged appx. 4 hours of driving every day (~1-1.5 hours at a time), with our longest day being a 7 hour drive. We were dying to see Kirkjufell, which ended up not being ENTIRELY worth it (more on that later). It’s totally doable to complete the Ring Road in a week without killing yourself behind the wheel! I was very happy with how this whole trip turned out.

A few general things to note if you’re planning on visiting Iceland:

Pack smart! I posted a packing list for 7 days in Iceland, and it worked perfectly for me. I was warm, dry and well-dressed all week long.
The GPS isn’t always your friend. Sharon thought I was insane for printing out Google Maps directions for each of our planned stops, but it ended up coming in handy. At the very least, I had the correct spelling for each destination as well as addresses for our accommodations.
Food is expensive. Seriously expensive. You’re looking at $20-25 CAD for breakfast, and $35+ for an entrée. We started out trying to find the cheapest food, but by the end were happy to pay for a good meal. We bought groceries for breakfast so that we could eat at our hostel or on the road (bread, jam, bananas, snacks) and often skipped lunch. We got by on snacks and the occasional pit stop for a small treat! Dinners are expensive but delicious, so they’re worth spending a bit more money on.
Fill up on gas whenever you can. We were lucky to not have any empty-tank-scares, but this is probably because the internet scared me into filling up frequently. There are gas stations along the Ring Road, so it would be hard to run out of gas…however at times there were pretty lengthy stretches between stations. As long as you fill up in the morning before you start your day, you should be totally fine.
Be aware. There are truly sheep EVERYWHERE, and some very questionable drivers. Have your passenger be on the lookout, and try your best to obey the speed limit.
Don’t be an idiot. There are STUNNING views around every turn; don’t think you can pull over wherever you want. Be smart about where you’re stopping along the road (i.e. not right before/after a roundabout) and avoid standing in the middle of the road. You think this is common sense, but you’d be surprised.
– Cash is useless. Truly EVERYWHERE takes credit, and the cash will end up being a burden to get rid of on your last day.

A few words about WOW Air: totally worth it! As long as you’re prepared for a flight with no amenities, it’s totally fine. Despite our flight being an hour delayed on the way to Iceland, the service was good and the flight was smooth. Bring your own snacks and entertainment and you’re good to go! For the price, you can’t say no.

Regarding luggage allowances…ugh. I paid the $50 to have a larger carry-on (aka the size of a normal small carry-on suitcase). Looks like this may be unnecessary. Sharon didn’t bother, and since we checked in online ahead of time, we didn’t have to interact with WOW agents before our flight. Maybe they’re more strict at the desk, but we weren’t ever asked about our bags.

My travel buddy Sharon brought her camera and took some amazing photos- I will share once they’re edited! For now, the photos from my iPhone aren’t too shabby.

Enjoy my ramblings, and let me know if my itinerary helped you out!

Day 1 – Explore Reykjavík & the Blue Lagoon

To see/do: Hallgrímskirkja Church, Harpa Concert Hall, Sun Voyager (Sólfar) Sculpture, Heiðmörk conservation area, Krýsuvík, Blue Lagoon
Where we stayed: Hostel B47
Where we ate: Sandholt, Te & Kaffi, Eldsmiðjan

Getting off a plane at 6am is a blessing and a curse. After picking up our rental car and hopping on the road, we were off to Reykjavik. We rented our car from Ice Rental Cars…it wasn’t bad! Our car did give us a few heart attacks (ok, more like every time we started the car when it would refuse to turn over) but we had unlimited mileage and a discount gas card that also got you free coffee and wifi. Into it.

Stephen (Sondheim), the bane of my existence. Stephen (Sondheim), the bane of my existence.

The drive from Keflavik to Reykjavik is only about 40 minutes, and it FLIES by as you try to decipher Icelandic road signs! We couldn’t check into our hostel until 3pm, so we parked, did a quick freshen-up out of our trunk, and set out to explore the city. First stop was a croissant from a local bakery- I forgot how much better pastries are in Europe.

PS- we found THE BEST bakery in Reykjavik. Sandholt is a must-try if you’re in the city. Their pastries are to die for, and I also loved their veggie quiche.

Hallgrímskirkja Church is stunning, and if we had more time & money I would have liked to go up and see the city from above. Buuuut I’m cheap and have done a thousand and one of those church visits in Europe…I say go for it if you’re so inclined! On our first morning, we basically did a loop of the city on foot. We walked by the stunning Harpa Concert Hall, popped in and out of shops, and grabbed a latte at Te & Kaffi.

Hallgrimskirkja Church Hallgrimskirkja Church

Harpa Concert Hall Harpa Concert Hall

I love fun doors... I love fun doors…

The Sun Voyager The Sun Voyager

We decided that since it was only 10am, we would hop in the car and find somewhere pretty to start off our day. We found Heidmork on Google Maps and went to explore! This conservation area is so cool, and had we felt more alive we may have done more exploring. The volcanic rock truly looks like another planet, and was our first encounter with the otherworldly nature of Iceland. We did some precarious climbs and tried not to fall off of tall stuff (as you do).

After our exploration and a quick nap in the car, we checked into our hostel. B47 is your typical mediocre hostel- not the cleanest or nicest, but it does the trick. Since we had some time to kill before the Blue Lagoon, we decided to find another fun stop along the way. This is where we discovered Krysuvik, and on the way saw one of the most stunning views of our whole trip. We drove by Kleifarvatn, where the yellow ground in contrast with the blue water was breathtaking. Want to know what else is breathtaking? The sulfuric smell of the mud pits at Krysuvik. Super cool to look at, but I almost died from the smell. #dramatic

Heidmork (ft. Sharon's infamous cow hat) Heidmork (ft. Sharon’s infamous cow hat)

Kleifarvatn Kleifarvatn

Krysuvik Krysuvik

I read mixed reviews on the Blue Lagoon; that it’s stunning and a must-see, but also that it’s a tourist trap and not worth the hype. While it is obviously a draw for tourists and it was a bit crowded, I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. This was the PERFECT intro to our trip, and we had the best time! We bought the Comfort package, which gave you 2 face masks, towel rental and a drink ticket. To be honest, they were giving face masks to everyone, so that was a bit annoying…but the towel rental is well worth it. The air was SO COLD! The water is nice and warm, the saunas are lovely, and there is plenty of room to move around. It didn’t feel nearly as crowded as it may have been, and we could have spent forever soaking in the water. The mineral water can do a number on your hair, so just know that before you dunk your head. I wasn’t about to miss out on getting the most of the water! I lathered up in conditioner before going in, and did the same on the way out. My hair was noticeably strawlike and tangly for a few days afterwards, but nothing a few washes can’t fix!

Blue Lagoon Blue Lagoon

We were exhausted after the Lagoon, and this was our first experience with the car not wanting to start…exhaustion + anxiety + hunger makes me an unhappy Carly. Please note that many restaurants stop serving dinner at 9 or 10 on weekdays in Reykjavik. We had a hell of a time finding somewhere to eat dinner, and at this point we were still attempting to be frugal (lol oh how that changed…). We finally settled on Eldsmidjan for pizza, and it was delicious. After dinner we passed out immediately in our hostel…on to day two!

Heidmork Heidmork

Heidmork Heidmork

Krysuvik Krysuvik

Day 2 – The Golden Circle and the road to Vík

To see/do: Þingvellir National Park, Strokkur, Geysir, Gulfoss, Seljalandsfoss, Reynisfjara
Where we stayed: Hotel Edda
Where we ate: Sudur Vik

Off on the first leg of our road trip! After fuelling up, the first destination was Thingvellir National Park. Had this day been warmer, we may have made plenty of stops. Buuuut it was FREEZING…it made us not want to stick around anywhere. The national park is beautiful for hiking and exploring, and we watched some scuba divers suit up for a dive in Silfra (between the North American & Eurasian tectonic plates!). Silfra really is beautiful and is probably well worth it if you have the time.

This drive was the prime spot for one of my favourite things Iceland has to offer…horses! (Don’t call them ponies. For real.) These little guys are everywhere along the side of the road, and are happy to pose for your endless photos. I’m insanely allergic to horses so tried to keep my distance, but I couldn’t resist giving this guy a few pets on the nose.

Thingvellir National Park Thingvellir National Park

Silfra Silfra

♡

Next stop, Strokkur & Geysir! Geysir is the OG geyser that all others are named after. It is no longer active, but Strokkur sure is…SO COOL! You stand there thinking it’s never going to blow. Then in the blink of an eye it bubbles over and…BOOM! There are plenty of pools nearby that are so blue they look fake- this country is bizarre.

We stopped at Gulfoss waterfall, and honestly we could have skipped it. Tons of tourists, and in our words: “it’s no Niagara Falls…” There are plenty of waterfalls that are much more impressive, but if you only have time on your trip for the Golden Circle, Gulfoss is a beautiful sight to see.

Geysir Geysir

Strokkur Strokkur

Litli ( Litli (“Bubbling with Enthusiasm”)

Gulfoss

The next stop was Seljalandsfoss. Such a beautiful waterfall, and in warmer weather it would be amazing to walk behind it! Again, we were frozen. A few snaps and we were over it. We blew right by Skogafoss…honestly just not worth it for us, we had so many waterfalls to see on our trip. The cool thing that we stumbled upon by accident was Eyjafjallajökull, the volcano that erupted a few years ago. It was pretty surreal to think of all the trouble it caused, and to see how beautiful it is. This was the first of many times on this trip that I realized how small and insignificant I am, and how incredible nature is! (#HippieMoment)

I was pretty disappointed that we didn’t make it to the Seljavallalaug pool, a “secret” hot spring off the ring road. It would have been a 30 minute hike in the rain, and would have meant changing into a bathing suit outdoors. I was dying to go, but my dislike for the cold trumped my wanderlust. Next time, I WILL make it there!!!

We finally made it to our accommodation, which was a tiny guesthouse attached to the Icelandair hotel. There was no wifi in the room (ugh) which was pretty much the only downside. After warming up and a quick nap, we decided to brave the cold and visit Reynisfjara to see the black sand beach. The wind threatened to throw us into the terrifyingly strong waves, but we powered through and took some photos near the stunning cliffs. I was SO hoping to see puffins on this trip, but no such luck. With sand galore in my shoes, we retreated to Sudur Vik for dinner.

After our freezing cold day, we were happy to treat ourselves to a pricier meal. We had to wait about 15 minutes to get a table, but it was well worth it! I had a steak sandwich and Sharon had the char…both were awesome and came with some much-needed vegetables. I highly recommend this restaurant (as does TripAdvisor)!

Thingvellir National Park

Eyjafjallajokull

Beautiful colours at Strokkur

Manmade caves on the road to Vik

Our adorable guesthouse in Vik

Reynisfjara

Day 3 – A sketchy drive, Skaftafell, Jökulsárlón and Höfn

To see/do: Fjaðrárgljúfur, Skaftafell National Park, Svartifoss, Jökulsárlón
Where we stayed: Dilksnes Guesthouse
Where we ate: Homemade dinner

Fjaðrárgljúfur was the first stop on our list! We made it to the entrance of the canyon, but after a short drive along the gravel road, we realized our car wasn’t made for this kind of road. It’s important to note that many small rental cars aren’t allowed on “F Roads”, so be aware of where your driving! We decided to park at the bottom of the hill and walk the 2.5km to the canyon. It wasn’t a bad hike at all, and we loved the view!

Thennnnn it started hailing. Welcome to Iceland!

We decided the walk down the hill would suck, so we flagged an older couple to give us a ride. Turns out they were from California and were on a 5 week camping trip through Iceland! Way braver than me.

After the canyon, we made our way to the national park. Please note that this drive seems like you’re going the wrong way. Part of it is through what I can only describe as barren wasteland, and had there been no other cars, I would have questioned where we were going. Nevertheless, we made it and chose our hike! We chose S2, which is an easier hike…I still managed to get winded. SPORTS! Once we made it to Svartifoss waterfall, it was all worth it. This waterfall was my favourite of the whole trip. The basalt columns are beautiful, and it is one of the few waterfalls that you can get up close to. Such a stunning view.

Fjadrargljufur

Svartifoss

No clue what this place was called, but it was stunning! En route to Skaftafell.

After getting completely drenched by rain on our hike back down (which we didn’t even mind, it was kind of a nice relief) we hopped in the car to find Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. Our GPS wouldn’t recognize the location (as is a common trend…) so we just decided to wing it. You’ll drive by a different lagoon, and I almost panicked and just went to that one. Sharon made fun of me for my mini freak out, but I don’t do well without a map!

Juuuust up the road is the beautiful glacier Lagoon we were looking for. You can stop periodically along the way to the main entrance and get a less crowded view of the lagoon. It truly makes you feel so small and so insignificant to see these massive chunks of ice. A woman told me that the older the ice is, the bluer it is. Not sure if that’s true, but it’s a cool fact!

After the glacier Lagoon we made our way to Hofn, where we stayed at the Dilksnes Guesthouse. Our room was in the basement and was beautiful- very clean, and had access to a kitchen and shared bathroom with one other room. The tenants of the other room were also from California (go figure) and we had breakfast with them the next day.

We decided to make our own dinner that night, and went to the grocery store for supplies. We decided on some fish, however it was SO SALTY. Not sure if that’s just how they preserve fish in Iceland? We rounded it out with some roasted potatoes and some fresh veggies. So much easier than finding an affordable restaurant!

An adorable chocolate lab also came by our window, and I obviously lost my mind. Best way to wake up!!

Jokulsarlon

Day 4 – Also known as the scariest day of my life. Oh and the cutest town ever, Seyðisfjörður

To see/do: Djúpivogur, Egilsstaðir, Seyðisfjörður
Where we stayed: Hafaldan Harbour Hostel
Where we ate: Kaffi Lára El Grillo Bar

I blame Stefan for this. He told me over FaceTime that he had heard about a really scary drive up a mountain. I was like yeah as if, we haven’t seen that yet.

Thats because it was right around the corner.

Our drive started out okay, with some stunning views of the ocean. We stopped for a quick leg-stretch in Djupivogur, which is the perfect rest stop. It has a few places to get food, and a beautiful marina with mountains in the background.

Djupivogur

There was a fork in the road to take us to Egilsstadir: following the ring road, or hopping on a different road. Our GPS told us to take 931, and there were no signs to suggest that our car couldn’t handle it (as there had been at the canyon the day before). We decided to follow the GPS…I don’t know if the ring road route is any better, but this was a HUGE MISTAKE. This drive was the single scariest experience of my life.

Let me set the scene: station wagon. Gravel road. Up a mountain. No guard rails. In a cloud. Pot holes at every turn. 25km.

You couldn’t see more than a few feet in front of the car, and pot holes popped up out of nowhere. We could have been headed over a cliff and I would have had no idea. While we usually sang and talked the whole drive, this stretch left us silent and rigid in our seats. I thought it would never end.

Spoiler alert: we survived.

Shortly before the drive from hell.

After regrouping at a gas station in Egilsstadir (and having a hot dog, which are awesome in Iceland) we decided to give up on exploring and just make it to our hostel. Another less-scary-but-still-surreal drive through the mountains brought us to a destination that was totally worth it. Seydisfjordur is the cutest town on earth.

Between the beautiful mountains circling the town, the little blue church, and the light up sign in the hills declaring the town’s name, we fell in love. We walked around for hours in and out of shops, and eventually settled on Kaffi Lara for dinner. Another TripAdvisor recommendation and another 5 star review. Not too expensive, and lots of vegetables available! We both had lamb, and I had a much-needed beer after our near-death experience. Our hostel was quaint, clean and simple. If you’re going to visit eastern Iceland, you can’t miss Seydisfjordur.

Seydisfjordur

The most adorable church in Seydisfjordur

Day 5 – Dettifoss, Mývatn and Akureyri

To see/do: Dettifoss, Mývatn Nature Baths, Góðafoss, Akureyri
Where we stayed: Acco Hostel
Where we ate: Kaffi Borgir, Akureyri Fish & Chips

After the day from hell, this drive seemed like a breeze. It was a long ass drive from Seydisfjordur to Dettifoss, but it ended up being well worth it. I was determined to see this waterfall; it’s featured in the opening scene of Prometheus, and I LOVE that movie. Driving note: you can take either road 864 or 862 to get to Dettifoss. 862 is paved, and that’s the road we took. 864 is a bumpy, windy road, but it gets you right up next to the falls. You can see some crazies in this photo right next to the insanely powerful water. You do you, but I’m happy to stay on the safe side.

After Dettifoss, we made our way to Myvatn. The lake area is absolutely stunning, with so many sights to see. We stopped in at the visitor centre, but nothing quite caught our eye. We decided after a long drive, we’d check out the Myvatn Nature Baths. Boyyyy am I glad we did! This hot spring was half the price of the Blue Lagoon, much warmer, less crowded, and had a better view. Granted, you didn’t get the same amenities as you did at the Blue Lagoon (no drinks and masks, boo). BUT, the water was toasty warm and the view in itself was worth the $40. I’m so glad we did both nature baths, and I’m glad we did the Blue Lagoon first; it was amazing, and then we found something even better!

Dettifoss

Rainbow at Dettifoss

Myvatn Nature Baths

After getting super zen at the nature baths, we stopped at Kaffi Borgir for lunch. It was $20 for unlimited soup and bread, so that was nice. Be warned: Icelandic meat soup tastes like sheep smell. Sharon said this, I laughed at her, and then experienced it for myself. Also, Sharon started feeling really sick after lunch; I felt fine and she has a sensitive stomach, but keep that in mind! Kaffi Borgir also looks out onto Dimmuborgir, a national park. The fall colours were just starting to come in, and the sights were stunning. Sharon got the good photos; mine don’t do it justice.

With Sharon passed out in the back seat, I took on the drive to Akureyri. We stopped briefly at an area with a bunch of craters (idk, it was windy & cold and I didn’t read the sign) but were focused on getting to our next destination. You could probably spend a whole day in the Myvatn area…there is plenty to see and explore around the lake. We did stop at Godafoss, or the “waterfall of the Gods”; it was cool, but not my favourite!

It was so refreshing to get to Akureyri. After a few days in rural towns, it felt good to be in a bigger city. We did quite the walking tour of the city, and popped in and out of so many cute shops. There’s a stunning church on top of a hill, but tbh there were a LOT of stairs and we weren’t up for that. The Acco Akureyri Hostel is amazing; our room felt like a hotel room. So clean and so cute! We had dinner at Akureyri Fish & Chips, which was underwhelming at best. My fish truly had no taste. I wish we would have splurged on seafood somewhere else, because as a harbourside town, I’m sure that there is great fish to be had.

If you have time, go whale watching! Akureyri and Husavik are apparently the best places to sign up for a whale watching tour. I was hoping to see a whale or two from land, but no such luck.

 Seriously stunning view at the nature baths

Travel buddy 

Godafoss

Day 6 – Unnecessary off-roading, Kirkjufell and back to Reykjavík

To see/do: Blönduós, Grundarfjörður, Kirkjufell
Where we stayed: Galaxy Pod Hostel
Where we ate: Laki Hafnarkaffi, Gló

Akureyri Harbour

The last leg of the trip! Sharon and I knew that we were in for some serious driving, but we were dying to get to Kirkjufell. I have heard amazing things about the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, and in hindsight would have sacrificed other things to make room for it in our itinerary. When planning, definitely try to squeeze that part of the country into your schedule.

After a LONG drive and a stop in Blonduos, we started getting closer to Kirkjufell. We ended up on a dirt road for most of the trip; this was HELL. It made me so nervous, it made Sharon carsick, and it felt like it was never going to end. All we needed was to get our car stuck on the last day. Eventually we made it past the terrible roads and back onto paved ones. Now that we’ve completed the drive, you are better off sticking to the Ring Road and taking the slightly longer route; take a look at Google Maps before you go and pick the longer path. It ain’t worth it to be nervous for 2 hours.

We stopped in Grundarfjordur for lunch and had a small buffet at Laki Hafnarkaffi. It was pretty good, can’t complain. Lots of potatoes. We saw Kirkjufell from town and thought “…that’s it?” It’s not THAT impressive, guys. The internet leads you to believe that it’s a life-changing sight. MEH. Once we got up close, I’ll admit that it was a bit cooler. You can stand near the waterfall and get a beautiful view of the mountain and the water. After a few photos and some staring, we decided to pack it in and head back to Reykjavik.

We wanted to stop along the way to check in to our flight online (so that Sharon could avoid baggage costs again). We found a gas station and successfully checked in, and continued on the way. The route from Kirkjufell to Reykjavik involves a tunnel under the ocean. SO COOL! And freaky.

Our hostel on this night was one of my favourites by far. Galaxy Pods make you feel like an alien. You have a little control panel with outlets and lights within your pod, and it is incredibly cozy without making you claustrophobic. We popped back into town to have dinner at Glo, a vegan restaurant. Huge portions and very yummy, definitely worth checking out! Nothing like a chill night at the end of a busy trip.

Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellsfoss

Day 7 – Enjoy the city and head home!  

The last morning! Our flight wasn’t until 3:20pm, so we had some time to kill. Sharon decided to go horseback riding, something she was dying to do the whole trip. As I mentioned, I am crazy allergic to horses (and my last name is Clydesdale. Go figure.) so I decided to stay behind. I’m happy I didn’t have to hold Sharon back…I’m so glad she got to go ride tiny horses! While Sharon was off galavanting through Iceland, I spent the morning bopping around Reykjavik. I bought the last of my souvenirs for family, had more pastries at Sandholt, and enjoyed the beautiful marina views.

And just like that, our trip was over! We safely made it back to Canada with no major delays and only minor jet lag.

 Some of the stunning art in Reykjavik

Pretty details on every corner 

Nothing quite like a $6 latte!

I highly recommend taking a trip to Iceland in the near future. It may be pricey once you’re there, but the incredible sights are worth every penny. If you are able to see puffins, whales, the Northern Lights, or any “off-the-beaten-trail” sights, it makes the trip that much more memorable.

Let me know if you’ve ever been to Iceland and what your must-sees are. Also, let me know if you use my itinerary and have any feedback! I’d love to know if our schedule worked for you.