Iceland Ring Road Express
Four days of iconic sights, Brooklyn sunsets, and pizza that'll ruin your hometown slice forever.
Manhattan → Brooklyn → Downtown → West Village (subway + walking only)
- Summit One Vanderbilt sunset
- Brooklyn Bridge walk
- 9/11 Memorial
- High Line stroll
- Juliana's Pizza
Arrival & Lava Fields
Welcome to the land of fire and ice! Pick up your 4x4 and start your journey through the Reykjanes Peninsula before heading south.
Keflavík Airport
Pick up your rental car and grab a local SIM card at the terminal.
Blue Lagoon
Blue Lagoon (Icelandic: Bláa Lónið) (BLAU-ah LONE-eeth) is a geothermal spa in southwest Iceland, that is almost mid-way between Keflavik Airport and Reykjavík, close to the town of Grindavik. Entry is expensive, starting at 9,990 kr per person for the basic package at off-peak time slots (April 2023) and rises rapidly from there.
Seljalandsfoss
Seljalandsfoss is a waterfall in Iceland. Seljalandsfoss is located in the South Region in Iceland right by Route 1 and the road that leads to Þórsmörk Road 249. The waterfall drops 60 m (197 ft) and is part of the Seljalands River that has its origin in the volcano glacier Eyjafjallajökull. Visitors can walk behind the falls into a small cave.
Skógafoss
Skógafoss is a waterfall on the Skógá River in the south of Iceland at the cliff marking the former coastline. After the coastline had receded, the former sea cliffs remained, parallel to the coast over hundreds of kilometres, creating together with some mountains a clear border between the coastal lowlands and the Highlands of Iceland.
Black Sands & Glaciers
Explore the dramatic basalt columns of Vík before heading toward the massive Vatnajökull ice cap.
Reynisfjara Beach
Witness the basalt stacks and powerful Atlantic waves.
Fjaðrárgljúfur
Fjaðrárgljúfur is a canyon in south east Iceland. The Fjaðrá river flows through it.
Jökulsárlón
Jökulsárlón is a large glacial lake in southeast Iceland where you can take boat tours to see the ever-changing ice formations. It is part of Vatnajökull National Park.
Diamond Beach
Ice chunks glistening like diamonds on the black volcanic sand.
The East Fjords
Wind through dramatic coastal roads and tiny fishing villages in Iceland's most remote region.
Vestrahorn
The 'Batman Mountain' reflected in the tidal flats.
Djúpivogur
Djúpivogur is a small town and former municipality located on a peninsula in the Austurland region in eastern Iceland, near the island of Papey and on the fjord Berufjörður. The municipality was formed by the merger of rural communities Berunes, Buland, and Geithellur on October 1, 1992. The coastline consists of three fjords Berufjörður, Hamarsfjörður, and Álftafjörður.
Seyðisfjörður
Seyðisfjörður is a town in the Eastern Region of Iceland at the innermost point of the fjord of the same name. The town is located in the municipality of Múlaþing and is notable for its artistic culture and innovation, exemplified by the LungA Art Festival and LungA School, as well as a vibrant community of local artists, galleries, and cultural events.
Power of the North
Head into the lunar landscapes of Mývatn, passing Europe's most powerful waterfall.
Dettifoss
Vatnajökull National Park in Iceland is the second largest national park in Europe (the largest is Yugyd Va in Komi, Russia) and a natural world heritage site. The park was founded on 7 June 2008 and includes the former Skaftafell and Jökulsárgljúfur National Parks. Containing 12,000 km2 (4,600 sq mi), the park covers about 14% of the surface of Iceland.
Hverir
Boiling mud pools and steaming fumaroles that look like Mars.
Grjótagjá
Grjótagjá is a small lava cave near lake Mývatn in Iceland. It has a thermal spring inside.
Mývatn Nature Baths
The 'Blue Lagoon of the North'—less crowded and very relaxing.
Whales & Waterfalls
Visit the 'Waterfall of the Gods' before heading to the whale watching capital of Iceland.
Goðafoss
Fossholl is a small town in North Iceland, best known for the impressive horseshoe waterfall of Goðafoss.
Húsavík
Húsavík is a town of approximately 2,500 inhabitants in North Iceland. It is the whale watching capital of Iceland, with whales sighted on over 95% of trips during the summer. Additionally, it gained some fame when it used to house the (in)famous Icelandic Phallological Museum, which has since moved to Reykjavík.
Akureyri
Akureyri, with a population of around 19,000 (2019), is the largest town in Iceland outside the Southwest region, and the unofficial capital of North Iceland.
The Golden Circle
A long drive south brings you to the most famous sights in Iceland for a grand finale.
Gullfoss
Upcountry Árnessýsla, or Uppsveitir Árnessýslu in Icelandic, is a rural area in South Iceland, home to many of the country's most famous attractions.
Geysir
Upcountry Árnessýsla, or Uppsveitir Árnessýslu in Icelandic, is a rural area in South Iceland, home to many of the country's most famous attractions.
Þingvellir
Þingvellir National Park (pronounced Thingvetlir) is a world-heritage national park in South Iceland. The park is home to the world's longest-running Parliament, which was established in 930 AD. It has a dramatic landscape formed as a result of sitting along the border between the North American and European tectonic plates. Parts of the Game of Thrones TV series were shot in this park.
- Subway: OMNY tap with phone/card, no MetroCard needed
- Summit One Vanderbilt: book 2+ weeks ahead
- Comfortable shoes — you'll walk 15km+ daily
- Day 2: hotel change (Vík í Mýrdal → Höfn) — allow 1-2h check-out + transfer
- Day 3: hotel change (Höfn → Egilsstaðir) — allow 1-2h check-out + transfer
- Day 4: intercity transfer (Egilsstaðir → Lake Mývatn ~126km) — allow 4-8h for travel + check-in
- Day 5: hotel change (Lake Mývatn → Akureyri) — allow 1-2h check-out + transfer
- Day 6: 6h 47m driving — plan rest stops
- Day 6: intercity transfer (Akureyri → Reykjavík City Center ~178km) — allow 4-8h for travel + check-in