Itinerary: 10 Days/ 9 Nights Iceland

Heading to Iceland but overwhelmed by the flood of online information? Here is a practical 10-day, anti-clockwise itinerary designed to give you the best of Iceland — with fewer crowds and a truly immersive experience.

Unlike the standard Golden Circle route, this journey takes you across the entire country. Starting from Keflavík International Airport, you will head South to Vík, continue along the stunning East Coast, journey north towards Húsavík, and finish in the dramatic landscapes of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in the West. This itinerary ensures you experience not just the highlights, but the full beauty and diversity of Iceland.

Let’s say you arrive at Iceland on evening flight, around 6pm.

Day 1 (Reykjavik- Grindavik)

1755H: Arrive Reykjavik
1900H: Cleared Immigration, pick up car at << Go Car Self Pick Up Kiosk> , 4 min walk from terminal
Address: Blikavöllur 2, 235 Keflavík, Iceland
1930H: Drive from Airport -Leif the Lucky’s Bridge (20 min)
2000H: Gunnuhver Hot Springs
2030H: Head to Harbour View Cottages Grindavik
2100H: Overnight at Grindavik
2130H: Light dinner & rest

Day 2 (Grindavik- Thingvellir National Park- Selfoss)

0900H: Depart Hotel , drive towards Öxarárfoss ( 96km/ 1hr 20 min)
1020H: Arrive Thingvellir National Park ; Explore Öxarárfoss waterfall
1130H: Drive Öxarárfoss – Strokkur Geyser ( 60km/ 1hr)
1230H: Visit Strokkur Geyser (70km/1hr) ; Lunch
1400H: Head towards Gullfoss Waterfall (10 min)
1410H: Arrive Gullfoss Waterfall ; explore Gullfoss Waterfall , also known as the Golden Falls
1500H: Head towards Secret Lagoon – Hot Spring (35 min)
1600H: Drive Secret Lagoon – Kerid Crater (40 min)
1640H: Arrive Kerid Crater ; explore
1730H: Drive Kerid Crater- Selfoss (15km/15 min)
1745H: Arrive Selfoss; Grocery shopping
1830H: Overnight at Selfoss

Day 3 (Selfoss – Vik)

0800H: Drive Selfoss- Seljalandsfoss waterfall (70km/ 1hr)
0900H: Arrive Seljalandsfoss waterfall; Discover Gljufrabui waterfall is one of the hidden gems, 5-minutes walk to the left from Seljalandsfoss.
0945H: Depart Seljalandsfoss waterfall
1000H: Drive Seljalandsfoss – Sólheimasandur Beach (38km/ 30min)
1030H: Arrive Sólheimasandur Parking dc3 Douglas, visit Solheimasandur Plane Wreck
1130H: Drive Sólheimasandur Beach – Reynisdrangar Columns (25km/ 22min)
1200H: Visit Reynisdrangar Columns ; Huge basalt hexagonal columns rising up out of the sand
1230H: Lunch
1330H: Head to Víkurfjara Black Sand Beach in Vik (12km / 10min)
1340H: Arrive black sand beach area, nearby visit Dyrhólaey Lighthouse and Kirkjufjara Beach
1400H: Check into hotel at Vik
1900H: Lava Show – Location: Vik, Vikurbraut 5, Vik 870 Iceland
1930H: Lava show ends
2000H: Arrive hotel at Vik ; overnight

Day 4 (Vik)

1000H: Leave hotel , 15 min drive to meeting point of Ice Cave Adventure.
1020H: Meeting point is at the parking lot of the restaurant The Soup Company at Víkurbraut 5 in Vík. You can also look up “Tröll Expeditions Katla Ice Cave” on Google Maps
1045H: Start of Ice Cave by Katla Volcano (Purchased)
In Vik, do an ice cave tour , a thrilling Super Jeep tour in Iceland, a scenic glacier walk (Katla Fast Track Ice Cave)
https://katlatrack.is/all-tours/ice-cave-tours/katla-fast-track-ice-cave-tour-special-offer)
1400H: Ice Cave Tour Ends
1500H: Lunch
1600H:Visit Gígjagjá , aka Yoda Cave
1800H: Back to Hotel , rest

Day 5 (Vik- Fjallsárlón-Höfn-Egilsstadir)

0900H: Drive Vik – Fjallsárlón (183km/ 2hr 30 min)
1130H: Arrive Fjallsárlón; Head to Fjallsárlón Glacier Lagoon.
Find another Glacier Lagoon about 10 minutes from the parking lot. Here you are much closer to the glacier than at Jokulsarlon, and you’ll have better views of all the cracks.
1230H: Drive Fjallsárlón Glacier Lagoon- Jökulsárlón (8km /10min)
1240H: At Jökulsárlón , see one of the most-unique sights in Iceland:
Icebergs floating out to sea and beached on the black sand. Climb the hill for a better view of the entire area, or take a 30-minute boat tour into the Lagoon to see the larger icebergs up close. Find many smaller icebergs along the black sandy shores of “diamond beach” where waves crash against them.
1230H: Drive Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon – Hofn (80km/ 1hr)
1430H: Arrive Hofn,Lunch. Well-known for its langoustines and lobster
On the southern side of town, you will find a hill that offers fantastic views of the Vatnajokull Glacier in the distance across the water.
1530H: Supermarket Grocery
1600H: Drive Hofn – Stokksnes (20km/ 24 min)
1620H: Arrive Stokksnes beach, to see reflections
1645H: Drive from Stokksnes- Egilsstadir (180km/ 2hr 45 mins)
1930H: Overnight at Egilsstadir

Day 6 ( Egilsstadir- Litlanesfoss-Husavik- Fagraneskot)

0900H:Drive Egilsstadir- Litlanesfoss (35km/ 30 min)
0930H:Arrive Litlanesfoss Waterfall
1030H: Depart Litlanesfoss Waterfall – Dettifoss (192km/ 2hr 30 min)
1300H: Lunch at Dettifoss
1400H: Visit Dettifoss waterfall, Europe’s most powerful waterfall
1500H: Depart from Dettifoss ,West Side – Asbyrgi Canyon (35km/ 30min)
1530H: Arrive Asbyrgi Canyon
1600H: Depart from Asbyrgi Canyon – Husavik (62km/ 45min)
1645H: Arrive Husavik, supermarket grocery
1730H: Drive from Husavik – Fagraneskot
1800H: Overnight at Fagraneskot (31km/ 30min)

Day 7 (Fagraneskot- Akureyri – Ólafsvík)

0700H: Drive Fagraneskot – Lake Myvatn (42km/ 35min)
0735H: Arrive Lake Myvatn
0825H: Depart Lake Myvatn – Godafoss Waterfall (40km/ 35 min)
0900H: Arrive Godafoss Waterfall
0945H: Drive from Godafoss Waterfall – Akureyri (35km/ 30min)
1015H: Explore Akureyri town and visit Akureyrarkirkja church on the hill
1115H: Lunch
1200H: Drive from Akureyri- Olafsvik (430km / 6hr 30 mins)
Along the way, stop for rest break. Along the way, stop by Berserkjahraun lava field
1830H: Arrive Olafsvik; overnight

Day 8 (Olafsvik – Borgarnes)

0800H: Drive to Búðakirkja (22km/ 20min) , and Bjarnarfoss (4km away)
0830H: Arrive Bjarnarfoss
0900H: Drive Bjarnarfoss – Rauðfeldsgjá Gorge (14km/ 13min)
0915H: Arrive Rauðfeldsgjá Gorge
1000H: Head to Londrangar View Point (10km / 10min)
1010H: Arrive Londrangar View Point
1030H: Drive to Arnarstapi Cliffs Viewpoint (8km/ 10 min)
1040H: Arrive Arnarstapi Cliffs
1100H: Drive Arnarstapi – Djúpalónssandur black sand beach (15km/ 15 min)
1140H: Drive Djúpalónssandur – Saxholl Crater (13km/ 13min)
1200H: Arrive Saxholl Crater; Climb up the side of Saxholl Crater (15-20 min stop)
1300H: Lunch
1350H: Drive Saxholl Crater – Gerðuberg Basalt Cliffs (96km / 1hr 10 mins)
1500H: Arrive Gerðuberg Basalt Cliffs;See really cool cliffs, lava formations and arches.
1600H: Drive Gerðuberg Basalt Cliffs- Borgarnes (45km / 30min)
1700H: Overnight at Borgarnes

Day 9 (Borgarnes-Reykjavík)

1000H: Drive Borgarnes-Reykjavík (74km/ 1hr)
1100H: Arrive Reykjavík
-Rainbow Street (Skólavörðustígur) & Hallgrímskirkja (Church of Iceland)
1600H: Sky Lagoon (to book in advance, open till 11pm)
1900H: Dinner at Reykjavík
2000H: Overnight at Reykjavík

Day 10 (Depart Iceland)

Depart Iceland, leaving behind only footprints and memories collected from the trip.

Categories: Europe Region, Itinerary