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Iceland Driving Trip Planner |
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Have fun driving in Iceland! |
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This driving trip planner has been especially written for Iceland. |
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Iceland, the ‘land of fire and ice’, is a place of astonishing natural beauty and fascinating history. This rugged and inhospitable country amazes the newcomer with bizarre geothermal activities and spectacular unspoiled vistas.
Enormous
icecaps cloak the land, glaciers tear through dramatic valleys
while volcanoes continuously mould and remould the land. Vikings
who recorded their struggles in a rich set of ‘sagas’ first settled
this island in the 9th century. You’ll find numerous references to
this heroic past in the many churches, museums and ancient sites.
The towns are almost all perched on the coast, as the interior is
bleak and uninhabited. Large sections of central Iceland are
inaccessible except on foot but extensive access is possible to areas close
to the coast. Finding your way is easy as a single ring road
runs around the perimeter of the island. However, Iceland is very
large and a full circuit would take many hours. It is perhaps best
to concentrate on the marvels of the southern coast. If you do want
to visit the lonely interior, a few days hiking will make a
welcome break from the car and the wonderful air and scenery will more
than repay the effort. Summer is the best period in which to visit as
the long bright days bring out the best in the landscape and
people, while in winter the conditions can be demanding.
Day 1
Arrive in Reykjavik, the national capital, home to more than half the national population. Take a day to explore the town, a chance to enjoy the metropolitan pleasures so scarce elsewhere in Iceland. You’ll be spoiled for choice in this charming city which boasts over 50 museums and galleries and a vast variety of restaurants and clubs. No doubt you won’t get to do everything, but do be sure to do the following:
Check out the seat of the Althing, the world’s oldest parliament.
Watch the Volcano Show at Hellusund, which tells of the land’s powerful volcanic activity.
Stroll by the brightly painted old merchant houses at the port.
Have a meal at the trendy Perlan restaurant, atop the hot water tanks that heat the city.
While away the hours in one of the city’s many
thermal baths.
Day 2
Travel east along the ring road and then take route 35 north. You have now arrived in the ‘Golden Circle’,
Iceland’s most celebrated region, rich in historical and natural
interest. You’ll pass many brightly painted churches and houses.
Each village gives fascinating insight into the lives of the people
of this harsh land. Follow the signs for Gullfoss, one of the
world’s most beautiful waterfalls, this is perhaps the most
breathtaking of Iceland’s many wonders. Be sure to put aside a
couple of hours to marvel at the thunderous series of cascades and
hopefully you will see the rainbow often visible through the water.
Geysir is the site of the original Great Geysir, which used to send
water over 60 metres into the air. Today, it is an irregular
performer and a more consistent show is found at nearby Strokkur
geysir.
Day 3
Take Route 30 south and head along the ring road west in the direction of the southern coast. This is an area of constant volcanic activity. Take a boat to the island Surtsey, the subject of the film ‘Birth of
an Island’. In 1963, in a flash of lava and a flurry of smoke, this
new volcanic island appeared. Today, Surtsey which grows larger on a
daily basis, reaches over 150 metres in height, giving an incredible
sense of the process of creation and destruction so immediate to
this land.
Day 4
Drive further east along the ring road until you reach Vik . This is the nation’s rainiest spot
so be sure to come prepared. It is also, thankfully, one of
the country's loveliest towns, with a wealth of beautiful wooden
traders’ houses. Vik serves as an ideal base to explore the
Myrdaloskull Icecap and the 1450 metre volcano, Katla, which it covers. When
an eruption occurs a vast flood of water roars down towards the
town, destroying all in its path. Further to the east lies the
spectacular Lakigagar fissure, an eruption of which in the 18th century,
killed more than 20% of the island’s population.
Day 5
Drive further east along the ring road towards Hofn, another charming fishing village. To
the north you’ll see Vatnojokull, the world’s third largest icecap,
while you may spot whales, seals and icebergs in the bay. The
birdlife in the vicinity is wonderful.
Day 6-7
Time to head back towards Reykjavik. You’ll be repeating some of
the landscape but you’re unlikely to be any less amazed the second
time round. Head west on the ring road. If you fancy checking out
another volcano stop off at Hekla a formidable and destructive peak,
once thought to be the entrance to hell. Take routes 38 and 42
towards the Reykjanes peninsula where more fascinating geothermal
activity is to be found at Krisuvik which boast the world’s most
powerful borehole. Reykjavik is now only some 30km away and whale
enthusiasts can head to the north of the city on the ring road to
check out the many whales to be seen in Hvalfjordur.
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