Our 12-Day Iceland Road Trip – At a Glance

Iceland had been on our bucket list for a long time, and when we finally made the trip, we decided to explore it the way we love to travel — by road, at our own pace, with plenty of room for unexpected stops. Over the journey, we covered waterfalls, glaciers, volcanic landscapes, black-sand beaches, tiny fishing villages, geothermal areas, wildlife, and Reykjavík. And, of course, there were plenty of moments when Iceland’s weather reminded us who was really in charge.

Day 1 – Arriving in Iceland

Our adventure began with a long journey from the U.S. to Keflavík, followed by picking up our rental car, stocking up on groceries, and finally hitting the Icelandic roads. We headed toward West Iceland, visiting Hraunfossar, Barnafoss, Glanni Waterfall, and Bjarnarfoss before settling into The Freezer Hostel.

Day 2 – Exploring the Snæfellsnes Peninsula

We spent the day exploring the spectacular Snæfellsnes Peninsula, with stops at Svöðufoss, Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellsfoss, Stykkishólmur, Ytri Tunga, Búðakirkja, Rauðfeldsgjá Gorge, Arnarstapi, and Djúpalónssandur. We even ended the day wandering through the colorful murals of Hellissandur late in the evening.

Day 3 – Northbound to Akureyri

We left Snæfellsnes and headed north toward Kolugljúfur Canyon and Hvitserkur, choosing a scenic coastal route along the way. By evening, we reached Akureyri and made a spontaneous decision to chase sunset at Goðafoss, ending the night with a visit to the beautifully lit Glerárkirkja.

Day 4 – Húsavík & the Power of the Northeast

We explored Húsavík before heading out on a whale-watching adventure in Skjálfandi Bay. Seeing whales and dolphins in the wild was one of the memorable experiences of the trip. From there, we continued to Ásbyrgi Canyon, Dettifoss, Selfoss, and Grjótagjá Cave before returning to the Mývatn area.

Day 5 – Arctic Henge & the Volcanic Landscape

This was our day for exploring some of North Iceland’s strangest landscapes. We ventured to Arctic Henge, then explored the volcanic terrain around Leirhnjúkur, Krafla, Víti, Námaskarð, and Dimmuborgir. We finished the day with a peaceful walk around the Skútustaðagígar pseudo-craters near Lake Mývatn.

Day 6 – East Iceland, Puffins & Fjord Towns

We headed east, with several unexpected stops along the way, including Rjúkandi Waterfall and historic turf houses. The big adventure was a long detour to Borgarfjörður Eystri to see puffins in the wild. We then continued through spectacular mountain scenery to Seyðisfjörður, where waterfalls, colorful houses, the Blue Church, and Rainbow Street stole the show.

Day 7 – Glaciers, Icebergs & South Iceland

We entered the world of glaciers with Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach, where icebergs and black sand created one of the most unforgettable photographic landscapes of the trip. We continued to Fjallsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Svínafellsjökull Glacier, followed by a quick visit to the quirky Yoda Cave before heading to our hotel in South Iceland.

Day 8 – South Coast Adventure

We started with Seljalandsfoss and Gljúfrabúi, including the unforgettable experience of walking behind Seljalandsfoss. From there, we explored Dyrhólaey, Reynisfjara Beach, and Vík, before hiking through Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon. We continued to the vast Skaftáreldahraun lava field and finished the day with Kvernufoss and Skógafoss — an incredibly long day that even included a random stop at Iceland’s famous Bra Fence.

Day 9 – The Golden Circle

After several exhausting hiking days, we slowed things down with an easier route through the Golden Circle. We visited Urriðafoss, Kerið Crater, Brúarfoss, the Geysir geothermal area, and Gullfoss, finishing the day at Þingvellir National Park and Öxarárfoss.

Day 10 – Reykjavík & the Blue Lagoon

We traded waterfalls and hiking trails for city streets in Reykjavík, exploring Hallgrímskirkja, Rainbow Street, Harpa Concert Hall, and the Sun Voyager. Later, we returned toward the Reykjanes Peninsula, stopping at Garðskagi Lighthouse, Hvalsneskirkja, the Bridge Between Continents, and finally the highlight of the evening — Blue Lagoon.

Day 10 Evening – Blue Lagoon & Grindavík

The Blue Lagoon gave us a chance to finally slow down after days of driving and hiking. We spent more than four hours enjoying the warm lagoon, masks, sauna, steam rooms, and geothermal surroundings. On the drive back, we stopped in Grindavík, where the empty streets, damaged roads, abandoned-looking homes, and hardened volcanic landscape gave us a very different perspective on Iceland’s volcanic power. We finished the day at Brimketill, watching the Atlantic crash against the lava coastline.

Day 11 – Goodbye Iceland

The next morning, it was time to leave. After checking out and heading to Keflavík Airport, we had one final reminder of the journey waiting inside the terminal. After nearly two weeks of waterfalls, glaciers, volcanoes, wildlife, and endless roads, it was time to trade Icelandic adventures for the trip home — and eventually, for laundry and leftovers.

Our Iceland in One Trip

12 days. Thousands of miles. Countless waterfalls. Glaciers, volcanoes, puffins, whales, black-sand beaches, geothermal pools, tiny villages, unpredictable weather, and more photographs than we know what to do with.

What started as a road trip around Iceland became much more than a checklist of places. Some of our favorite memories came from the stops we hadn’t planned — a roadside waterfall, a quiet turf house, a forgotten beach, or simply pulling over because the view was too beautiful to ignore.

That, for us, was Iceland: a place where the journey between the destinations was often just as memorable as the destinations themselves.