9-Day Iceland Ring Road Itinerary: Our Complete Campervan Route

If you’re planning an Iceland Ring Road itinerary and wondering how much you can realistically see in nine days, this is the exact route we took on our summer campervan trip.

We spent nine days driving around Iceland in late July, starting and ending near Reykjavík. Along the way, we snorkeled between tectonic plates, hiked on a glacier, drove through the Eastfjords, saw more waterfalls than I could possibly count, soaked in geothermal pools, rode Icelandic horses, finally found humpback whales after two canceled tours, and spent our last full day exploring the Snæfellsnes Peninsula.

This isn’t the itinerary we planned before leaving. It’s what we actually ended up doing.

And honestly, I think that’s an important distinction when planning a trip to Iceland.

Weather changed our plans more than once, we found some of our favorite places simply because we saw something beautiful from the road and pulled over, and there were a few famous Iceland attractions that we didn’t love nearly as much as we expected.

If you’re planning 9 days in Iceland, here’s our complete Ring Road route, the stops I’d recommend, where we spent each night, and a few things I might do differently.

Our 9-Day Iceland Ring Road Route at a Glance

1 Keflavík → Reykjavík

Reykjavík, Icelandic hot dogs, Sky Lagoon

Hotel: Reykjavík

2 Reykjavík → South Coast

Silfra, Golden Circle, Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss

Camp: Kirkjubæjarklaustur

3 South Coast → Vestrahorn

Glacier hike, Jökulsárlón, Diamond Beach, Vestrahorn

Camp: Vestrahorn

4 Vestrahorn → East Iceland

Eastfjords, Djúpivogur, Berufjörður, Vök Baths

Camp: Mjóanes

5 East Iceland → Húsavík

Hengifoss, Stuðlagil Canyon, Húsavík

Camp: Húsavík

6 North Iceland

Dettifoss, Selfoss, Hverir, Krafla, whale watching

Camp: Varmahlíð

7 North Iceland → Snæfellsnes

Icelandic horses, Hraunfossar, Barnafoss, Stykkishólmur

Camp: Stykkishólmur

8 Snæfellsnes → West Iceland

Shark Museum, Kirkjufell, Djúpalónssandur, Arnarstapi, Búðir, seals

Camp: Fossatún

9 West Iceland → Keflavík

Campervan return + flight home

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Day 1: Reykjavík + Sky Lagoon

Route: Keflavík → Reykjavík

Highlights: Reykjavík, Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur, Sky Lagoon

Overnight: Reykjavík

We landed in Iceland around 9 a.m. after getting approximately two hours of sleep on our red-eye, so we intentionally kept our first day relatively relaxed.

I tried blueberry Skyr at the airport almost immediately and loved it. This was also the beginning of us consuming a slightly ridiculous amount of Skyr over the next nine days.

After being picked up by our campervan company and getting our van, we headed to Costco and Bónus to stock up on groceries.

I came to Iceland fully prepared for it to be expensive.

The sticker shock was still real.

Once we were stocked up, we spent some time walking around downtown Reykjavík and window-shopping for Icelandic wool sweaters. I loved them, but I wasn’t quite ready to justify spending nearly $400 on a handmade sweater on Day 1.

For lunch, we tried one of Reykjavík’s famous lamb hot dogs at Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur. The toppings were definitely different from what we’re used to, but the lamb hot dog itself was really good and had the perfect little pop when you bit into it.

Sky Lagoon

The atmosphere was beautiful, and the seven-step ritual was incredibly calming after an overnight flight and a full day of getting settled.

Our take: Sky Lagoon was an easy 10/10 for us. If you arrive in Iceland on an overnight flight, I wouldn’t overload your first day. Explore Reykjavík, eat something good and spend the evening relaxing in the lagoon.

Don’t miss: Sky Lagoon

Read our complete Day 1 Iceland itinerary, including where we ate, what we spent and our full Sky Lagoon experience →(will link once posted)

Day 2: Golden Circle + South Coast Waterfalls

Route: Reykjavík → Þingvellir → Geysir → Gullfoss → Seljalandsfoss → Skógafoss → Vík → Kirkjubæjarklaustur

Highlights: Silfra snorkeling, Gullfoss, Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss

Overnight: Kirkjubæjarklaustur

Day 2 started with a cinnamon roll from Brauð & Co. before we headed to Þingvellir National Park for our Silfra snorkeling tour from Arctic Adventures.

Silfra is a fissure between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates filled with incredibly clear water.

It was also around 35°F.

We wore dry suits, which kept most of our bodies dry and made us extremely buoyant, but my hands, feet and face were still freezing. The blue water and visibility were incredible, although I’ll admit that about halfway through our time in the water, I was ready to be warm again.

From there, we continued around the Golden Circle, stopping at Öxarárfoss, Geysir and Gullfoss—all while getting absolutely poured on.

Geysir was probably the most skippable stop of the day for me. It’s cool to see once, but after standing in the wind and rain waiting for Strokkur to erupt, I wasn’t blown away.

Gullfoss was the complete opposite. The size and power of the waterfall are incredible in person.

Seljalandsfoss + Skógafoss

Seljalandsfoss became one of my favorite waterfalls of the entire trip. You can walk behind the waterfall and then continue along the path to several additional falls, including one tucked inside a narrow canyon.

Don’t take your picture at Seljalandsfoss and immediately leave. Give yourself time to explore the trail. One of the most beautiful falls we saw was tucked in a cave at the end of the trail.

Our first impression of Skógafoss was surprisingly underwhelming. The rain had completely washed out any chance of us seeing the falls straight on.

Then we climbed the hundreds of stairs beside it.

Our opinion completely flipped.

The view over the waterfall and surrounding landscape is incredible. You can also continue beyond the main viewing platform onto a trail that passes additional waterfalls.

We stopped in Vík for pizza at Black Crust before deciding to keep driving late into the evening so we’d be closer to our glacier hike the following morning.

Our take: This was one of our busiest days. If I were prioritizing the waterfalls, I’d give myself plenty of time at Seljalandsfoss and make sure to climb the stairs at Skógafoss. Personally, Geysir would be the first thing I’d cut if the day became too packed.

Don’t miss: Silfra, Gullfoss, Seljalandsfoss and the top of Skógafoss

Read our complete Day 2 Golden Circle and South Coast itinerary → (will update with link once posted)

Day 3: Skaftafell Glacier Hike + Jökulsárlón + Vestrahorn

Route: Kirkjubæjarklaustur → Skaftafell → Jökulsárlón → Diamond Beach → Vestrahorn

Highlights: Glacier hike, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, Diamond Beach, Vestrahorn

Overnight: Vestrahorn

After getting absolutely drenched the day before, we woke up to sunshine.

The difference was crazy. Mountains and massive bluffs that had been completely hidden behind fog the previous day were suddenly visible around us.

Our main activity was a guided glacier hike near Skaftafell with Arctic Adventures.

We were fitted with helmets, harnesses, crampons and ice axes before heading toward the glacier. Once on the ice, our guide taught us about the glacier while showing us crevasses, moulins and streams.

We even filled our water bottles directly from the glacier.

Possibly placebo, but that water tasted fantastic.

The glacier hike was one of our favorite paid experiences of the entire trip and absolutely worth it for us.

Jökulsárlón + Diamond Beach

We continued east toward Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach.

Since we were visiting in late July, I had lowered my expectations about how much ice we’d actually see.

There was plenty.

Icebergs floated through the lagoon, and pieces of ice were scattered along the black sand at Diamond Beach.

It was also incredibly windy, so come prepared.

Vestrahorn

We finished our day beneath Vestrahorn.

That evening, we walked onto the black-sand beach, where shallow water can create an almost perfect reflection of the mountain.

We also explored the Viking village film set on the property before ending our night with Hamburger Helper cooked from our campervan while looking at Vestrahorn.

Not exactly fine dining.

Pretty hard to beat the view, though.

Our take: If you’re debating whether to spend the money on a glacier hike, ours was 100% worth it. I also loved staying at Vestrahorn because camping there felt like part of the experience rather than simply somewhere to sleep.

Don’t miss: Glacier hike, Jökulsárlón, Diamond Beach and Vestrahorn

Read our complete Day 3 itinerary and glacier hike experience → (will link once posted)

Day 4: Driving Iceland’s Eastfjords

Route: Vestrahorn → Djúpivogur → Berufjörður → Egilsstaðir → Vök Baths → Mjóanes

Highlights: Eastfjords drive, Djúpivogur, Berufjörður, Vök Baths

Overnight: Mjóanes

Day 4 was supposed to be primarily a driving day.

It ended up being one of the most beautiful days of our trip.

We took our time that morning enjoying Vestrahorn before getting back onto Route 1 and beginning the drive through the Eastfjords.

This section of the Ring Road was seriously impressive.

Mountains dropped toward the ocean, waterfalls seemed to pour from every bluff, sheep lined the roads, and we even spotted reindeer.

We stopped in the small fishing village of Djúpivogur for coffee and a chance to stretch our legs before continuing north.

Our Favorite Unplanned Stop

At one point, we saw a waterfall from the road and essentially decided:

That looks pretty. Let’s stop.

What we thought would be a quick stop turned into a beautiful two-mile hike in the Berufjörður area, with waterfalls, blue pools, canyons and views across the fjord.

It became one of my favorite spontaneous stops of the trip.

Afterward, we opened the back of the campervan and ate PB&Js with the view in front of us.

This was exactly why I loved traveling Iceland by campervan.

Vök Baths

When we eventually reached the Egilsstaðir area, the weather had become windy and rainy, so we headed to Vök Baths on Lake Urriðavatn.

The geothermal pools extend out over the lake, and if you’re feeling brave, you can alternate between the warm pools and cold lake water.

I was not feeling brave.

I stayed firmly in the warm water.

Our take: Don’t treat the Eastfjords as just a section you need to drive through to reach North Iceland. This was one of the prettiest driving days of our entire Ring Road trip, and leaving time for spontaneous stops made it even better.

Don’t miss: The Eastfjords drive itself and Vök Baths

Read our complete Day 4 Eastfjords itinerary → (will link once posted)

Day 5: Hengifoss + Stuðlagil Canyon + Húsavík

Route: Mjóanes → Hengifoss → Stuðlagil Canyon → Húsavík

Highlights: Hengifoss, Litlanesfoss, Stuðlagil Canyon, Húsavík Whale Museum

Overnight: Húsavík

We started Day 5 with a hike to Hengifoss, one of Iceland’s tallest waterfalls.

The hike is steep.

It’s generally considered moderate, but if steep inclines are difficult for you, I’d be prepared for a workout.

The good news is that the scenery gives you plenty of excuses to stop and “admire the view” while actually catching your breath.

On the way up, you’ll pass Litlanesfoss, surrounded by dramatic basalt columns, before Hengifoss eventually comes into view.

The hike was absolutely worth the climb.

Stuðlagil Canyon

From there, we drove to Stuðlagil Canyon, where blue water cuts through towering walls of basalt columns.

You can explore from above and descend closer to the canyon depending on which access point you choose.

After Stuðlagil, we continued toward Húsavík for a whale-watching tour.

Iceland had other plans.

Our evening tour was canceled because of weather.

Then our attempt the next morning was canceled too.

Instead, we visited the Húsavík Whale Museum, which turned out to be a really interesting backup plan.

Our take: Iceland weather is going to do whatever it wants. Build some flexibility into your itinerary, especially for activities like whale watching that are weather-dependent.

Don’t miss: Hengifoss and Stuðlagil Canyon

Read our complete Day 5 itinerary, Hengifoss hike and Húsavík experience → (will link once posted)

Day 6: Diamond Circle + Whale Watching in Akureyri

Route: Húsavík → Dettifoss → Selfoss → Hverir → Krafla → Akureyri → Varmahlíð

Highlights: Dettifoss, Selfoss, Hverir, Krafla, humpback whales

Overnight: Varmahlíð

With our Húsavík whale-watching plans canceled, we shifted things around and spent the day exploring part of North Iceland’s Diamond Circle.

Our first stop was Dettifoss, one of the most powerful waterfalls in Europe.

The amount of water rushing over the edge is unbelievable.

But here’s my potentially unpopular opinion:

I liked Selfoss even more.

Selfoss spreads across a horseshoe-shaped canyon with multiple cascades surrounded by basalt formations. Definitely give yourself time to see both.

Hverir + Krafla

Next was Hverir, a geothermal area filled with bubbling mud pots, steam vents and orange-red earth.

It genuinely feels like you’ve been transported to another planet.

It also smells SO bad.

Not normal Iceland sulfur smell.

When the wind blows in your direction, this is an entirely different level.

Still worth seeing.

We continued toward the Krafla area, where bright-blue crater water and enormous lava fields show just how geologically active this part of Iceland is.

The lava fields were actually my favorite part of this stop.

We Finally Found Whales!

After having two tours canceled in Húsavík, we managed to book a last-minute whale-watching tour in Akureyri with Whale Watching Akureyri.

The beginning of the trip was calm.

Then the waves started picking up.

I’ve been on quite a few boats, and I didn’t realize a boat could rock that much and still be perfectly fine.

Eventually, though, we found what we’d been waiting for:

Two humpback whales feeding.

We watched them surface, blow and raise their tails from the water before eventually having to head back.

After two canceled tours, finally seeing them made the experience even better.

Our take: Don’t give up immediately if weather cancels an Iceland experience. Having a campervan gave us enough flexibility to rearrange our plans and try whale watching somewhere else.

Don’t miss: Dettifoss, Selfoss and—if conditions cooperate—whale watching

Read our complete Day 6 Diamond Circle and Akureyri whale-watching itinerary →(will link once posted)

Day 7: Icelandic Horses + Hraunfossar + Stykkishólmur

Route: Varmahlíð → Lýtingsstaðir → Hraunfossar & Barnafoss → Stykkishólmur

Highlights: Icelandic horseback riding, Hraunfossar, Barnafoss, Stykkishólmur

Overnight: Stykkishólmur

Day 7 included one of my favorite experiences of the entire trip: riding Icelandic horses at Lýtingsstaðir.

The family-owned farm is only a short detour from the Ring Road, and we were greeted almost immediately by the family’s three Icelandic Sheepdogs.

Our horses were matched to us based on our previous riding experience. Since I hadn’t been on a horse in more than 15 years, I was very appreciative of my calm horse.

Our ride took us through the property and along a ridge overlooking green farmland and mountains.

The views were incredible.

We also got to try the Icelandic horse’s famous tölt, a smooth four-beat gait.

Did I do it correctly?

Debatable.

But I had a great time trying.

This was geninely such a fun experience, and at a 20 minute detour, I highly reccomend a horseback ride at Lýtingsstaðir. This was a hosted experience, but all opinions are my own, and I would greatly suggest thsi stop to anyone.

Book the same experience I did here: https://www.lythorse.is/en/book

Hraunfossar + Barnafoss

We had a long drive toward the Snæfellsnes Peninsula ahead of us, so we added Hraunfossar and Barnafoss as a break along the way.

The detour added time, but the waterfalls don’t require a major hike and made a great place to get out of the campervan for a while.

These falls are usually made up of floresent blue water, but it appeared gray for us due to the abundant rainfall.

We eventually reached Stykkishólmur, where we explored the small harbor and climbed toward the lighthouse before settling into our campground overlooking the surrounding mountains.

Our take: If you’re looking for an Icelandic horse experience along the Ring Road, Lýtingsstaðir was one of the highlights of our entire trip. I would absolutely make the detour again.

Don’t miss: Icelandic horseback riding

Read our complete Day 7 Icelandic horse and West Iceland itinerary → (will link once posted)

Day 8: One-Day Snæfellsnes Peninsula Itinerary

Route: Stykkishólmur → Bjarnarhöfn → Kirkjufell → Snæfellsnes Peninsula → Fossatún

Highlights: Shark Museum, Kirkjufell, Djúpalónssandur, Lóndrangar, Arnarstapi, Búðakirkja, Ytri Tunga

Overnight: Fossatún

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Our last full day was also one of our busiest as we attempted to see as much of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula as possible.

We started at Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum, where we learned about Greenland sharks and the traditional process used to make hákarl.

Admission included a tasting.

Bryce immediately noticed the ammonia flavor.

I couldn’t get past the fishiness.

Neither of us enjoyed it.

At all.

But I still think you should try it.

Learning about a traditional Icelandic food and then actually tasting it made this one of the more memorable cultural stops of our trip—even if I never need another bite.

Kirkjufell

Next was Kirkjufell, one of Iceland’s most photographed mountains and recognizable to Game of Thrones fans as “Arrowhead Mountain.”

Kirkjufellsfoss sits nearby and creates the classic mountain-and-waterfall view.

Even if you’ve seen the picture a thousand times online, it’s still beautiful in person.

Djúpalónssandur

Djúpalónssandur was one of my favorite stops on the peninsula.

You walk through dramatic lava formations before reaching a black pebble beach where traditional lifting stones once used by Icelandic fishermen still remain.

There are also rusted remnants of a shipwreck scattered along the beach.

My favorite part, though, was the sound.

When a wave retreats, thousands of smooth black pebbles roll against each other as they’re pulled toward the ocean.

We sat there for a while just listening.

Lóndrangar + Arnarstapi

We continued to Lóndrangar and then explored the coastline around Arnarstapi, where trails follow cliffs, sea arches and nesting seabirds.

The views were incredible.

The birds were loud.

They also smelled terrible.

Búðakirkja + Ytri Tunga

Our next stop was Búðakirkja, the tiny black church at Búðir.

We finished our sightseeing at Ytri Tunga, where we found seals lounging on rocks and swimming in the water.

It was such a fun final stop of our trip.

If you visit, remember to keep your distance and let the seals do their thing. They’re wild animals, and we’re the visitors.

We eventually left Snæfellsnes and drove to Fossatún, where we spent our final night in the campervan.

Our take: You CAN see a lot of Snæfellsnes in one day, but you’ll be moving. If you want to do longer hikes, I’d give the peninsula more time. For our Ring Road itinerary, one packed day worked well.

Don’t miss: Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum, Kirkjufell, Djúpalónssandur, Arnarstapi and Ytri Tunga

Read our complete one-day Snæfellsnes Peninsula itinerary →(will link once posted)

Day 9: Campervan Return + Flying Home

Route: Fossatún → Campervan return → Keflavík International Airport

Our final morning came painfully early.

We packed up the campervan and left Fossatún around 7 a.m. to make sure we had plenty of time for our campervan return.

Drop-off was incredibly easy, and we were happy to find out we’d successfully paid all of our parking fees throughout the trip.

Our own experience at Keflavík Airport was surprisingly quick, but other airline lines were significantly longer.

I’d much rather have extra time at an international airport than spend the final hours of an incredible vacation panicking in a security line.

And just like that, nine days around Iceland were over.

Was 9 Days Enough for Iceland’s Ring Road?

Yes—but nine days is definitely a fast-paced Ring Road itinerary.

We were able to drive the Ring Road while adding the Golden Circle, part of the Diamond Circle and a full day on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula.

But we also had some long driving days and skipped plenty of places along the way.

If you want slower mornings, longer hikes and more time in each town, I’d add several days.

For us, nine days worked.

One of the biggest reasons was our campervan. We weren’t tied to hotel check-in times every night, which meant we could change our plans when the weather turned, drive farther when we felt good, or stop when we saw something interesting.

And that happened a lot.

What I Would Change About Our 9-Day Iceland Itinerary

Surprisingly, not much.

I might spend slightly less time around some of the Golden Circle stops and give that time to the South Coast instead. Geysir, in particular, wouldn’t be a priority for me on a second trip.

I’d also love more time in the Eastfjords.

Before the trip, I thought of that section primarily as the drive between South and North Iceland.

It ended up being one of my favorite parts.

And if I had an extra day, I’d probably give it to Snæfellsnes. We saw a ton in one day, but having another day would have allowed us to do some of the longer coastal hikes instead of constantly watching the clock.

Tips for a 9-Day Iceland Campervan Trip

Make sure your clothes are actually waterproof

I thought my pants were waterproof.

Iceland informed me otherwise.

On our Golden Circle day, I got completely soaked and had to change whenever we returned to the campervan.

If you’re visiting Iceland—especially if you’re planning to get close to waterfalls—bring genuinely waterproof outer layers.

Check how your campervan fridge works

This one cost us groceries.

Our campervan cooler could reach around 13°C (55°F) while parked, and we ended up throwing away some of the groceries we’d purchased at the beginning of the trip.

Ask your campervan company how the fridge/cooler operates, monitor the temperature and buy ice when necessary.

Bring a small hair dryer if your setup allows it

Not just for your hair.

After getting drenched, we had wet clothing and gear hanging around the camper with very few ways to get everything dry before the next morning.

Pack seasonings and hot sauce

We weren’t trying to make gourmet dinners in our campervan.

We ate oatmeal, sandwiches, Hamburger Helper, chicken, rice and other easy meals.

And honestly? It worked perfectly.

But after several days, anything that makes a basic camper meal taste different becomes very appreciated.

If you’re a hot-sauce person, bring hot sauce.

Don’t schedule every minute

This might be my biggest piece of advice.

Some of my favorite moments in Iceland weren’t on our itinerary.

We pulled over because a waterfall looked pretty.

We ate PB&Js out of the back of our van overlooking a fjord.

We changed our whale-watching plans because Icelandic weather refused to cooperate.

Have a route.

Know the major things you don’t want to miss.

But leave some empty space.

Final Thoughts on Our 9 Days in Iceland

Nine days wasn’t enough to see everything Iceland has to offer.

I don’t think nine weeks would be.

But it was enough to make me understand why so many people fall in love with this country.

We got absolutely soaked on the Golden Circle. We drank water straight from a glacier. We watched humpback whales feeding. We rode Icelandic horses through green farmland. We soaked in geothermal pools. We tried fermented shark that neither of us ever needs to taste again. We showered outside. We ate Hamburger Helper beneath Vestrahorn.

And some of my favorite moments were the simplest ones—opening the back doors of our campervan, making a sandwich and looking at whatever ridiculous Icelandic landscape happened to be in front of us that day.

If you’re planning your own 9-day Iceland Ring Road itinerary, use this route as a starting point rather than a rulebook.

Iceland will probably change your plans anyway.

And sometimes, that’s the best part.