Self-Drive Trips of Iceland's Ring Road

work with local specialists to plan your custom itinerary

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Iceland is best enjoyed at your own pace, and a self-driving tour lets you spend the time where you want. With 1 week or more you can tackle the full Iceland Ring road, or spend some time focusing on the highlights in a few regions, such as the West, South Coast, remote Westfjords, Snaefellsnes Peninsula, or Interior. 

Summer brings large crowds to the south coast, and we recommend spending your time exploring more remote regions and small villages far from the crowds where you can enjoy Iceland on your own terms. 

Our local specialists will help you put together the perfect plan for your interests, arranging all details and crafting a detailed driving itinerary for each day of your trip.

Want to explore the best that Iceland has to offer? Get started by describing your ideal trip and we'll connect you with a local specialist to plan out the details.

Iceland Travel Insights

Explore Iceland on a road trip of a lifetime
Map of Ring Road Self-Drive Itinerary: Highlights of Iceland & the Remote Westfjords - 14 Days
Ring Road Self-Drive Itinerary: Highlights of Iceland & the Remote Westfjords - 14 Days

With two weeks in Iceland, you can complete the entire Ring Road and add incredible detours. This grand tour will take you to all the best places giving you plenty of time to hike, explore, and soak it all in. This 14-day itinerary covers all the major regions except the highlands, which you can see with a couple more days or by spending less time in some of the areas below.

Iceland
Map of Where To Go in Iceland: The Best Sights & Activities Region by Region
Where To Go in Iceland: The Best Sights & Activities Region by Region

Don't just stick to the Golden Circle and South Coast. You may see some great sights, but you'll spend a lot of time in lines and waiting for people to get out of your pictures. To see a side of Iceland that fewer travelers see, spend some time in Snaefellsnes, the Westfjords, or the North of the country. You'll appreciate more of Iceland's beauty and culture than you can by sticking to the most-visited areas.

Colorful sunset on Reynisfjara black sand beach, Iceland
Map of 1 Week in Iceland - 4 Unique Road Trip Itinerary Ideas
1 Week in Iceland - 4 Unique Road Trip Itinerary Ideas

With seven days in Iceland, hit the road and explore the incredible wonders farther afield from Reykjavik. Explore a variety of landscapes: volcanoes and lava fields, green pastures and farmlands, scenic vistas above fjords, beaches of every color, glaciers and ice caves, and the rugged interior. Here are our recommended drives, an option for all travelers and seasons.

Walk behind Seljalandsfoss on the South Coast
Map of 3 Days in Iceland: Blue Lagoon, South Coast & Reykjavík - 3 Days
3 Days in Iceland: Blue Lagoon, South Coast & Reykjavík - 3 Days

If you're short on time or looking for an extended layover on your way from Europe to North America or vice versa, your options in Iceland are limited to those closer to Reykjavík. Here is a three-day itinerary that will still let you experience some of the spectacular beauty of Iceland.

How it works
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Complete our quick travel quiz
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Meet our Local Travel Specialists

Experienced travel agents with a passion for Iceland
Travel specialist Guðmundur Óli Pálmason
active 13 mins ago

Guðmundur Óli Pálmason

Born in Reykjavík, Iceland, and from a young age I was already travelling all over Iceland with my parents. After a short stint as a driver guide on modified SUVs in 2004, I came back to it full...

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Travel specialist Emanuela Grieco
active 2 hours ago

Emanuela Grieco

I am an Italian Travel Designer mostly based in Iceland. Traveling has been my passion since I was young, being always fascinated by other cultures and people. In 2005, after living and...

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Travel specialist Alicia Jean-Talon
active 2 hours ago

Alicia Jean-Talon

Specializing in personalized tours, I love to help travelers partake in authentic experiences that allow them to immerse themselves in Iceland's stunning landscapes and culture fully. Whether it's...

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Travel specialist Hanna Kravchenko
active 5 hours ago

Hanna Kravchenko

I'm originally from Ukraine, but I've always been fascinated by the beauty of the Nordic countries. My passion for travel began with my first solo adventure at the age of 16, and since then I have...

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Trip Reviews for Iceland

The latest reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim

Perfect support for our vacation
Iceland | Sep 1 - Sep 10, 2026

Gregg
Gregg H.
Atlanta, GA | Reviewed on Sep 11, 2026
The support that we received from start to finish was exemplary. The guidance regarding how much territory to cover and the specific sites was perfect. We were not rushed and we saw a lot. The specific site were visited were amazing. The Thorsmork jeep experience was especially good as we were able to hike in a variety of different terrains. Our guide, Carlos, was wonderful. He was knowledgeable, engaging, and personable. The other outstanding location was the Jokulsarlon Glacier... Read more

The support that we received from start to finish was exemplary. The guidance regarding how much territory to cover and the specific sites was perfect. We were not rushed and we saw a lot. The specific site were visited were amazing. The Thorsmork jeep experience was especially good as we were able to hike in a variety of different terrains. Our guide, Carlos, was wonderful. He was knowledgeable, engaging, and personable. The other outstanding location was the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. It was unlike anything I have ever seen. Our Zodiac boat ride, captained by Hurdur, was a highlight. His appearance, skill, knowledge, and engagement was perfect.

The hotels were exactly what we were looking for and met all our expectations. The breakfasts were a perfect way to start our day; with a full belly. There was a wide assortment of good food and plenty of good, strong coffee.

I'm not sure whether KimKim had any control over the weather, but that worked out very well for us too! The only rain we had was during the nights or while driving. It did not affect our outdoor plans at all. And to top it off, we were finally able to see the northern lights on our last night. Great job all around for your team. I highly recommend them to assist in your vacation planning. And knowing that they were always available if we ran into problems, was another plus.

Local specialist: Noga Heyman

Our guide, Gummi, was so helpful with his sug...
Iceland | Aug 30 - Sep 10, 2026

H
Holly L.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Sep 11, 2026
Our guide, Gummi, was so helpful with his suggestions and when we had to pivot one day he quickly responded with an alternate plan. All of the hotels were great and his suggestions for lunches en route were amazing! The travel directions he provided each day were critical to us getting where we needed comfortably (although the road to Landmannalugar was not comfortable but worth it!). We spent 2 days in Reykjavik, 2 days in the Snaefellsness Peninsula, 4 days in the Hella region, including a... Read more

Our guide, Gummi, was so helpful with his suggestions and when we had to pivot one day he quickly responded with an alternate plan. All of the hotels were great and his suggestions for lunches en route were amazing! The travel directions he provided each day were critical to us getting where we needed comfortably (although the road to Landmannalugar was not comfortable but worth it!). We spent 2 days in Reykjavik, 2 days in the Snaefellsness Peninsula, 4 days in the Hella region, including a Super Jeep tour in Porsmork, a day in Vik for a glacier and ice cave tour, and a day in the Jokusarlon area, where we kayaked in the Jokusarlon Glacier Lagoon, which was thrilling. Wish we had time for the Westfjords, but we know we’ll be back!

Hotel Reviews
Tower Suites Reykjavík
Reykjavík

Wow, what a room, what a view! Very clean and largest of all the rooms we stayed in, truly luxurious but that is what I wanted for our last night in Iceland. Our room was warm and they said it had air conditioning, which is rare in Iceland, but it wasn’t working, so they set up a Dyson fan and opened an unreachable window to cool it off for us and it was fine. You can see over the whole city and the ocean. They bring breakfast to your room at the time you select. You do need a key card to get to their floor at the top of an office building, so they need to know when you arrive. We walked to a local place for dinner, Potturinn og Pannan, which was great and an 8 minute walk. A special experience.

Authenticity & Character
Location
On the outskirts of town, but not a too far walk to the main drag, about 17 minutes.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hótel Jökulsárlón - Glacier Lagoon Hotel
Hofn

Beautiful hotel, only 2 years old, just 10 minutes past the Lagoon. Nice clean and spacious room, although quite warm since it was sunny, but they had Vornado fans in our room and we used them! They said breakfast did not come with the room since it was booked through a third party, but the coffee and tea you could still get from the dining room at no charge. We had a great dinner there. There are 3 big hot tubs overlooking the glacier, which we used, and that was nice.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Black Beach Suites
Vik I Myrdal

We arrived very early, but were able to get checked in so that we could drop our bags and rest before that day’s activities. The room was spacious, clean and comfortable and had a back deck so that after dark we could monitor the Aurora situation, and they came out so that we could see them with our naked eyes, which for me was a highlight! They do not offer free breakfast and their restaurant is basic, so we went into Vik and got Black Crust Pizza, which was very good, and brought it back to the room, which had plates, utensils, and everything you’d need to do that or even make your own dinner. We also purchased breakfast fixings for the next morning, which we stowed in the small refrigerator in the room.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Nice view of the ocean in the distance.
Staff
There seemed to be one woman manning the restaurant and the check in and she was a bit overwhelmed.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Rangá
Hella

Loved this hotel! The room was very comfortable and Montana-esque, so we felt immediately at home. The staff could not do enough for you, they were wonderful! The breakfast had so many options and we ate here for dinner all 4 nights because it was so good. Don’t miss their signature mushroom soup!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Very, very kind and thoughtful staff!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hótel Varmaland
Borgarnes

In the middle of nowhere, but very quiet and comfortable room with nice breakfast and fantastic restaurant for dinner.

Authenticity & Character
Outside looks a bit sterile but inside is modern and beautiful.
Location
Good midpoint for Snaefellsness Peninsula and other activities.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Eyja
Reykjavik

On the outskirts of town, but they have parking and the walk to town and good restaurants was easy. Room was clean and nicely appointed.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Glacier Ice Cave Experience
Glacier Ice Cave Experience
Iceland

Great ride in high clearance vehicle to glacier, fitted with crampons, then followed guide through a trail up the glacier to the ice cave, which was beautiful. The ice changes every day due to melt and refreeze, so the cave was pretty small at the beginning of September, but I would still do it again.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Víðgelmir Lava Cave Experience
Víðgelmir Lava Cave Experience
Iceland

The guide was very nice and informative, but this was the least favorite of our excursions. If you go to the Perlan Museum in Reykjavik, or the Harpa exhibit in Reykjavik, you see the same thing.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Laugarás Lagoon - Lerki
Laugarás Lagoon - Lerki
Iceland

Great lagoon, very relaxing experience. Can’t be shy about showering or getting naked in front of others of the same sex. Nobody cares, though. Do it!

Quality of Experience
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Kayaking Excursion
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Kayaking Excursion
Iceland

They suited us up and gave us boots and then gave a lesson on how to kayak and how to get back on the kayak if you fall in. It was exhilarating! Getting up so close to the glaciers in the lagoon was a special feeling! A bit physically challenging, but oh, so worth it!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Thórsmörk Super Jeep Experience
Thórsmörk Super Jeep Experience
Iceland

Great guide who has spent many years in Iceland and knew some hidden gems.

Quality of Experience
Food
Decent lunch provided. Nothing fancy.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Guðmundur Óli Pálmason
Guðmundur Óli
Guðmundur Óli Pálmason
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Sep 11, 2026

Thank you for the kind review Holly
i am so happy to read you had such a great time in Iceland and lovely stays at all the hotels
Yes, let's start planning your return trip to the wild Westfjords! :D

Until then, take care!
Gummi

Our trip was planned from start to finish. Ev...
Iceland | Aug 20 - Sep 1, 2026

B
bryan l.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Sep 08, 2026

Our trip was planned from start to finish. Everything was taken care of. Adam did a fantastic job.

Local specialist: Adam Warszawski
Adam
Adam Warszawski
Local specialist in Poland / Iceland | Replied on Sep 08, 2026

Thanks Bryan! I'm happy to hear that you had a beautiful time in Iceland!

I hope to work with you again one day.

Safe Travels!
Adam

Why travelers love kimkim

Custom trips for independent travelers who are too busy to plan
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