Skip to content
The Ring Road curving past golden grass along a fjord towards snow-capped mountains near Akureyri

Sample journey · 10–12 days

Iceland's Ring Road, in the long light of summer

Snæfellsnes, Akureyri, Mývatn, the East Fjords & the south coast

Photo: Josh Reid / Unsplash

Illustrative journey ideas — not bookable packages. No prices, dates or accommodation are implied.

In summer Iceland opens up almost entirely. The sun barely dips below the horizon, the roads are dry, the slopes are green and there's often still light enough in the evening for a walk to a waterfall. It's the easiest season to drive the full Ring Road, not in a rush but stopping where you please: a fishing harbour, a café on a farm, a hot pool in a small town.

This sample route runs anticlockwise: from the Snæfellsnes peninsula in the west to the north, then through the East Fjords and back to Reykjavík along the south coast. Daily distances are kept so that the driving never overshadows the journey, with at least two nights in most places. It suits families with children as well as couples who want active days outdoors; the pace, the stays and the stops would be shaped around you.

The route

The journey

  1. Reykjavík
  2. Snæfellsnes
  3. Akureyri
  4. Mývatn & Húsavík
  5. East Fjords
  6. South coast
  7. Reykjavík
  1. Kirkjufell mountain and the Kirkjufellsfoss falls in the green landscape of the Snæfellsnes peninsula

    01Days 1–3 · Reykjavík & Snæfellsnes

    A peninsula in western light

    After the flight, a night in Reykjavík and a morning in town: coffee, a walk down to the harbour and, if it appeals, a swim in one of the city pools where locals spend their evenings. Then the car, and roughly two hours' drive to the Snæfellsnes peninsula. Two nights here allow an unhurried look at Kirkjufell mountain by Grundarfjörður, the basalt cliffs between Arnarstapi and Hellnar and the black-sand beaches beneath the ice-capped Snæfellsjökull.

  2. Akureyri at golden hour, seen from across the bay of Eyjafjörður

    02Days 4–5 · Akureyri

    North, to a long fjord

    The longest day at the wheel, though easy to break up: a stop for the seal coast on the Vatnsnes peninsula, or at an old turf-roofed farm museum in Skagafjörður. Akureyri is a small, friendly northern town at the head of Eyjafjörður, with a botanical garden, a swimming pool and cafés. A second day might go on a boat on the fjord, a visit to a farm or simply a rest before the road continues.

  3. Milky-blue geothermal water and rising steam in the Mývatn area, with a mountain behind

    03Days 6–7 · Mývatn & Húsavík

    Land that is still steaming

    On the way, Goðafoss, a broad waterfall right beside the road. The area around Lake Mývatn feels like another planet: the lava labyrinth of Dimmuborgir, steaming mud pots at Hverir, volcanic craters and an evening in a warm geothermal pool. One day could go to Húsavík, a fishing town from which whale-watching boats sail in summer; sightings always depend on nature, but the bay is known for them.

  4. Lupins in bloom on the hillsides above Seyðisfjörður in the East Fjords

    04Days 8–9 · East Fjords

    The island's quietest side

    Across an empty north-eastern plateau, the road drops into the East Fjords. Seyðisfjörður is a cluster of colourful wooden houses at the head of a fjord, reached over a mountain pass; in summer the slopes turn purple with lupins. If the timing is right, it's worth the drive to Borgarfjörður eystri, where puffins usually nest on a harbour rock from around mid-spring until August. There are fewer people here, and the evenings are long and quiet.

  5. People on a green clifftop watching a powerful waterfall on the south coast

    05Days 10–12 · South coast

    Glaciers, black sand and the last waterfalls

    South along the fjord coast, past Höfn, to the Jökulsárlón lagoon, where icebergs drift slowly out to sea and chunks of ice glint on the black sand of the beach nearby. A night near Skaftafell leaves a morning for a walk towards a glacier tongue, and another near Vík, close to basalt columns and sea stacks. On the last day, Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss, which you can walk behind, then the road back to Reykjavík or straight to the airport.

Experience highlights

  1. 01

    The whole island in one journey

    A western peninsula, the volcanic north, the fjords and the glaciers: a different landscape every day.

  2. 02

    An evening in a hot spring

    Mývatn's geothermal lagoon or a small-town pool, warm enough for children and parents alike.

  3. 03

    The whale bay

    A boat out of Húsavík on a calm summer sea: no promises, but a good chance.

  4. 04

    Icebergs at Jökulsárlón

    Blue and white ice drifting from the glacier to the ocean, often with seals slipping between the floes.

First, we listen. Then, we explore what's possible.

Make it your own

  • With younger children

    Add a day or two and the drives become shorter, leaving more time for pools, farms with animals and short paths to waterfalls.

  • More active

    A guided glacier walk at Skaftafell, kayaking on a fjord, riding Icelandic horses or a day in the Highlands when the roads are open.

  • With more time

    Two weeks would allow the Westfjords or a quiet day in the Highlands; it's worth talking through what matters most to you.

  • In less time

    With a week, we'd suggest not racing round but choosing Reykjavík, Snæfellsnes and the south coast, or coming back in winter for a very different trip.

Practical considerations

  • Summer (roughly June to August) is the easiest time to drive the whole island; outside it, road and weather conditions in the north and east can change a great deal.
  • The Ring Road is almost entirely paved, but there are gravel sections and single-lane bridges; the F-roads into the Highlands need a suitable vehicle and aren't part of this route.
  • Places to stay are few in the north and east, so for summer they're worth planning well ahead.
  • The weather turns quickly even in summer: layers, a waterproof jacket and flexible plans all pay off.

General guidance only. Seasons, weather and wildlife are never guaranteed, and travel requirements are always worth checking before you go.

Keep exploring

Destinations

Ways to travel

Related articles

More journey inspiration

Plan your journey

Shape a journey like this

Dreaming of driving round Iceland in summer? Tell us who's travelling and at what pace you'd like to go, and we'll shape the route together.

Shape a journey like this

This journey becomes the starting point of your enquiry — you can change or remove it.

All journey inspiration