Also know as The Land of Fire and Ice, Iceland is a nature lover’s paradise with its hot springs, lava fields, glaciers and waterfalls. I had a chance to visit this beautiful place with my sister back in Sept 2018 and it had remained one of my favorite places with its amazing and unparalleled scenery all around. This itinerary includes all the popular spots with time for self exploration in the southern and western part of Iceland.
Day 1:
- Morning:
- Arrive at KEF and get yourself a nice full meal before a long drive to Vik.
- Afternoon:
- Enjoy the scenery on the drive along Route 1, stopping at Seljalandsfoss Falls and Skógafoss Falls to stretch your legs and get your iconic Iceland views in. Both falls are a short walk from the parking areas.
- Evening:
- Take a short detour from the ring road to explore Reynisfjara, a black sand beach. The waves here can be extremely dangerous!
- Stay in Vik for the night. It’s a quaint little village with a view towards Reynisdrangar sea pillars.
Day 2: Skaftafell & Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
- Morning:
- Depart Vik for Skaftafell & Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon/Hof Area.
- Stop for a photo op at Hofskirkja, a beautiful and picturesque church made out of turf and is situated just by the ring road between Skaftafell and the glacier lagoon Jökulsárlón.
- Enjoy a leisure boat tour at Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and visit Diamond Beach to see large beautiful ice crystals washed up at the shore.
- Afternoon:
- Explore Skaftafell National Park and go on a mile uphill hike to the Svartifoss Waterfall, a beautiful fall cascading right in the middle of columnar basalt.
- Evening:
- Stay overnight at Hotel Skaftafell.
Day 3: Golden Circle
- Morning:
- If you stay at Hotel Skaftafell, Svinafellsjokull Glacier is a short walk up the track over the hill from the back of the hotel.
- Depart Skaftafell for Skaholt/Golden Circle to Reykjavík.
- Visit Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon en route and see the majestic views from the trail along the canyon.
- Afternoon:
- Explore the Golden Circle, including Thingvellir National Park, the Geysir geothermal area, and Gullfoss waterfalls.
- Evening:
- Drive to Reykjavík and spend the night in the city.
Day 4: Reykjavik
- Take a break from all the driving and spend the day in Reykjavik.
- Explore Laugavegur shopping street with its lively atmosphere and picturesque Icelandic styled buildings and souvenir shops.
- Visit Hallgrímskirkja Church and see the Sun Voyager sculpture.
- Evening:
- Relax at the Blue Lagoon.
Day 5: Snæfellsnes Peninsula
- Morning:
- Depart Reykjavik early for the Snæfellsnes peninsula in the west.
- Wander around Gerðuberg Cliffs with its row of perfectly shaped basalt columns. It’s accessible from Road 54, 1 km from parking lot.
- Discover Rauðfeldsgjá Gorge, a deep gorge cutting into Botnsfjall, accessible with a half-hour walk from the road.
- Afternoon:
- Explore Arnarstapi & Hellnar Fishing Villages, walking west along the coast from the harbor to see striking cliffs, gorges, rock formations, and caves teeming with birdlife.
- Visit Lóndrangar Basalt Cliffs and discover the old remains of a volcanic crater.
- Explore Kirkjufell mountain and surrounding area.
- Evening:
- Conclude the trip and head back to Reykjavik for your last night.
