Iceland Ring Road: Volcanoes, Fjords and Black Sands

Highlights

• Start and finish in Reykjavík, giving you time for the harbour, city centre and an easy first and final night.
• Stay on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, where black beaches, fishing villages, lava fields and glacier views make the west feel like a smaller version of Iceland.
• Spend time in North Iceland with Akureyri, Lake Mývatn, volcanic landscapes, geothermal fields and waterfalls within reach.
• Continue into East Iceland, where fjords, mountain roads and smaller towns give the journey a more remote stretch.
• Stay near Höfn with a glacier-view room, placing the south-east coast and Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon within easy reach.
• Spend two nights in Vík for black-sand beaches, basalt cliffs, sea stacks and south coast waterfalls.
• Finish near Selfoss, a practical final stop for the Golden Circle, including Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss.

Reykjavík and Snæfellsnes

Begin with a night in Reykjavík before driving west to Snæfellsnes, a peninsula known for packing many of Iceland’s landscapes into one region. From Hótel Búðir, you can look up Búðakirkja, the small black church at Búðir, or plan a day around Snæfellsjökull National Park, Kirkjufell mountain and the black-sand coast at Djúpalónssandur. It is a strong opening stretch because the city gives way quickly to lava fields, sea cliffs and fishing villages.

North Iceland and Mývatn

The road then moves north to Akureyri, Iceland’s main northern town, before continuing to Lake Mývatn. This part of the route brings a different kind of landscape, with volcanic craters, lava formations and geothermal areas replacing the open coastal feel of the west. Use the two nights in Mývatn to look up Hverir, where steam vents and bubbling mud pools sit below Námafjall, or Goðafoss, one of North Iceland’s most recognised waterfalls.

East Iceland and glacier country

After Mývatn, the route turns towards East Iceland, with one night in Egilsstaðir before the road follows fjords and mountain scenery towards Höfn. The two nights in Höfn place you close to Iceland’s south-east glacier landscapes, where Vatnajökull, Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach are natural places to research before travelling. This is the section where the Ring Road feels more wide open, with longer drives and larger-scale scenery between stops.

South Coast and the Golden Circle

The final part of the road trip follows the south coast, with two nights in Vík and one night near Selfoss before returning to Reykjavík. Vík is a natural stop for Reynisfjara’s black-sand beach, Dyrhólaey’s coastal views and nearby waterfalls such as Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss. From Selfoss, you are well placed for the Golden Circle, where Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir geothermal area and Gullfoss waterfall bring three of Iceland’s best-known sights into one final driving day.

Terms and Conditions

Economy flights from Dublin to Keflavík, departing 08-05-2027, with one checked bag per person. Fourteen days’ automatic car hire in a Dacia Duster 2WD or similar with unlimited mileage. One night in Reykjavík, two nights in Snæfellsbær, two nights in Akureyri, two nights in Mývatn, one night in Egilsstaðir, two nights in Höfn, two nights in Vík, one night in Selfoss and one final night in Reykjavík are included, with breakfast included in Egilsstaðir, Höfn and Selfoss. Based on two adults.

14 nights from €3,250 per person