How to Spend 14 Days in Iceland - A Road Trip Itinerary

Iceland is one of my favorite countries to visit. I've been fortunate enough to be able to visit Iceland on a number of occasions, each time experiencing new and fascinating places. Waterfalls, glaciers, and volcanoes. This country is home to a long list of vast and beautiful landscapes for you to explore. In this video, I'll be providing an itinerary based on my multiple trips to this amazing country. We'll be driving along the famous ring road, explore the magnificent highlands, while making sure to cover the most essential experiences along the route. So here's my take on how to spend 14 days in Iceland. Let's start with the most important aspect of the trip, the vehicle. For this trip, you'll need a 4x4, since this itinerary will include some of Iceland's famous F-roads. I rented a small Suzuki Jimny during my last trip to Iceland, a small and capable car, but it wasn't the most comfortable car on the ring road itself, but it felt at home on the rugged mountain roads in Iceland. If you want a bit more comfort both on and off the ring road, going with something larger like the ever popular Dacia Duster might be a better option, and it's usually also a bit more affordable than the Jimny. Larger 4x4s like a Land Cruiser won't be necessary for this trip, but if you do plan to enter some of the more tougher F-roads, then I would highly advise getting one. For car rentals, I recommend checking out Northbound. It's a price aggregator which lists prices from all the major car rental companies in Iceland, giving you an helpful overview of the cost involved. You can find anything from regular cars to small 4x4s like the Jimny I rented. There's also campers or even larger 4x4s like the Land Cruiser. For more info, I've linked everything in the description box below. Accommodations for this road trip will be hotels and guest houses located around the ring road. If you're on a budget, then you can opt for campgrounds if you're going with a camper van or bringing your own tent. Personally, I opted for a bit more comfort on my last trip to Iceland, and there's just nothing better than a nice warm bed waiting for you after a long day of driving. The best time to visit Iceland is during the summer period, between mid-June to early September. That's when Iceland is the warmest and where most things are accessible, including multi-day treks, and more importantly for this trip, the F-roads. Here's some final resources that will be helpful for your road trip in Iceland. It's important to check the weather in Iceland. For the most accurate weather updates, check vedur.is. There's also road.is for up-to-date road conditions, especially useful for checking up on the F-roads and when they are open, and finally safetravel.is for general updates across the country. All of these websites usually have an app version that you can download for your phone. We arrive at the Keflavik airport and pick up our rental car. From the airport we head to Fagradfjall volcano. You can find several parking areas near the volcano along the main road. From here you'll find marked trails leading to the eruption site. Depending on the route you take, it can take anywhere between 1 to 2 hours to reach the volcano. We visited in June while the volcano was still very much active, so if you get the chance then I highly recommend stopping by for possibly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The volcano conditions are always changing, so keep up to date by visiting safetravel.is for the latest updates. After spending the day at the volcano, we spend the remaining time in Reykjavik, Iceland's capital city. There are several attractions that you can visit in the city, so I encourage you to explore. I usually find myself eating a bunch of food every time I'm here in the city. On our second day in Iceland, we enter the famous Golden Circle. The first stop is Kerit, a 3,000-year-old crater known for its colorful turquoise water. If you're into natural hot springs, then Harunalok is by far my favorite in all of Iceland. A beautiful secluded pool hidden away from the main roads. If you opt to visit, then make sure to get here either early in the morning or late in the evening if you want the best chances to have the place all to yourself. If you're looking for a place for lunch, then I suggest checking out Freetimer. And of course, another well-known stop is at the famous geysers Sokur and Geysir. And finally, where the Golden Circle gets its name, Gullfoss. Gullfoss translates to the Golden Waterfall, and is one of Iceland's most iconic and beloved waterfalls, and arguably the main attraction of the Golden Circle. On day three, we head into the highlands to visit Kjellingefjöll. We take the Kjellvekar Road 35, formerly F35, but nowadays even a two-wheel drive can get through. Nevertheless, the roads are still rough, but a blast to drive through in a 4x4. Before reaching Kjellingefjöll, I recommend stopping by at this large glacial lake called Hvittalvatn. Right before reaching Kjellingefjöll, you'll come across Iceland's very own Horseshoe Bear. The location is very easy to miss. Kjellingefjöll is a mountain range located in Iceland's central highlands. The area is characterized by its colorful landscape and geothermal activity. The name Kjellingefjöll translates to the Old Lady Mountain or Troll Lady Mountains, and comes from the old Icelandic folktales where trolls are said to live in the mountains and caves within the Icelandic highlands. We continue our highlands adventure and head towards Landmanalaga. But before we get on the F Road, it's worth making a quick stop at Haifoss, a 122 meters or 400 feet tall waterfall, which explains its name which translates to the High or Tall Waterfall. After Haifoss, we go on the F208, heading towards Landmanalaga. There are several attractions leading up to Landmanalaga, the first one being this beautiful canyon known as the Valley of Tears due to its sheer number of waterfalls littered across the canyon. Other noteworthy spots include these striking red colored craters that seem like something out of another world. In addition, there's also this beautiful volcanic crater lake that you'll pass right before heading into Landmanalaga. We finally reach Landmanalaga, and it's here you'll meet a potential river crossing. The river can get a bit deep depending on the season and weather, but it's not required to cross the river as you can leave your car at the nearby parking area and simply walk over a small wooden bridge to reach Landmanalaga. Landmanalaga is a stunning valley famed for its colorful rhyolite mountains and geothermal pools. It's also the official starting point for the Lagavigur hiking trail, a multi-day trek across the Icelandic highlands. If you're able to get up to a vantage point, you'll also be able to witness these incredible braided glacial rivers that runs through the valley. I recommend taking your time in Landmanalaga, the best way to explore is to go on one of the many trails in the area. We head out of the golden circle and get on the ring road until we reach Seljalandsfoss, arguably the most famous waterfall in Iceland. Not too far down the road, you can also find another famous waterfall called Skogafoss, one of Iceland's largest waterfalls. As we continue on the ring road, we then reach Dyrholey, the door hill island, known for its arch as well as the lighthouse with the very same name. From Dyrholey, we head down to the nearby Rennisfjara, also known as the black sand beach. There are many black sand beaches in Iceland, this one being the most famous of them all and home to Rennisranga, the sea stacks, and the basalt columns near the beach. The next day, we head into Þakil. It's a beautiful rugged road that leads into Þakil and quite the experience in itself. And honestly, you could easily spend a whole day here, simply exploring or doing the many day hikes which are easily accessible from the campground. It's a place I need to get back to, to do some more exploring one day. I highly recommend swinging by if you got the time. Next up, we arrive at the famous Jotake. I recommend taking the scenic route if you have the time. Otherwise, you can easily reach the cave by simply driving further down the road towards the coastline. But do know you miss out on some really great views. The last item of the day is this well-known canyon with a particular difficult name to renounce, but it loosely translates to the Feather River Canyon. The canyon is about 2 kilometers in length and its origin dates back to the last ice age. We continue on the ring road until we reach Svinafellsjökull. Svinafellsjökull is one of many glacier outlets of the larger Vatnajökull glacier. This one is particularly popular for glacier walks due to its formation and excellent views. Not too far from Svinafellsjökull, you'll also find Fjallsalat, a glacier lagoon characterized by its unique and glittering icebergs. There are boat tours available, allowing you to get right up close to the glacier and the many icebergs. Diamond Beach gets its name from the many icebergs scattered across its black shore, which resembles a fume of diamonds. Vesterhorn is one of my favorite places in all of Iceland. It's characterized by its pointy mountains and reflective shore, and is renowned for being the subject of many landscape portraits over the years. Depending on the weather, you can get completely different moods in this place, so it's one place I do like to come back to now and again. From Vesterhorn, we take a long drive through the eastern section of Iceland, until we reach the lovely town of Setisfjordur. Setisfjordur is a picturesque town that sits at the entrance to a fjord, making it the access point for ferries which operates between Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and Denmark. While you're here, I recommend visiting this little restaurant spot for a quick lunch or a beer. If you're up for some day hiking, then I can recommend taking the hour drive to reach Sturut. There are several day hiking trails varying in length, but most, if not all, are relatively straightforward. We were there a bit too early in the season, as evident with the snow covering most of the landscapes near the top, but nevertheless, the views were great and we enjoyed our short hike. I can also recommend adding the hike to Henkefoss, one of the highest waterfalls in Iceland, as either a bonus trip or alternative to Sturut. The next day, we head to a place that I was very much looking forward to visiting, Stutlagill Canyon. A small tip in regards to getting to this place, there is actually a much closer parking area, just cross the small wooden bridge and it'll substantially cut the walking distance to the canyon. The canyon is famous for its basalt rock columns, as well as the glacier river that runs through it. If you're looking for something else, and you're up for a full day adventure, then I suggest making the trip to Askja, with its famous caldera along the Oskuvatn lake. Stick to the F-road F905 and F910 for the safest route to Askja. We then finish up the day with Detifoss, said to be Europe's most powerful waterfall. We spend the next following day exploring the area around Lake Myvatn. There are several attractions to visit, the first being this geothermal area, known for its boring mud pools and steaming fumaroles. Next up, we have the Krafla Viti crater, one of two Viti craters, the other one which can be found in Askja. We then have a tough ring volcano, with an impressive crater approximately one kilometer in diameter. We start the next day with Gullafoss, the waterfall of gods, and one of the most famous waterfalls in Iceland. The Krafla church is a turf church, and a chapel in northern Iceland. It's Iceland's oldest turf church, dating all the way back to the 17th century. Not too far from the Krafla church, you'll find Vitsager, a 15 meter tall basalt rock stack, and according to Icelandic folklore, Vitsager used to be a troll, as in the case with many other distinctive rocks in Iceland. We then head into one of the most secluded areas in Iceland, the Westfjords. We start off the day by visiting this hot pool, which can be found on the side of the road. A great place to relax and just to recover from some long days of driving. Next up, we have Dinjaldi, the jewel of the Westfjords. We then make a quick stop at this old whaling vessel, built in 1912 in Norway. It was Iceland's first steel boat, and after 70 years of service, it was rammed ashore in 1981, and has been here ever since. I also highly recommend visiting Latapjak, the westernmost point in Iceland. The dramatic cliffs are home to millions of birds, including Iceland's famous puffins, making it the perfect location for bird watching. And finally, Rautisandur. It's a golden red sand beach, and one of the few beaches in Iceland that aren't black. We then head out of the Westfjords, and enter the Sniffilnes Peninsula, where we'll find Kirkjöfell, the lonely church mountain, and arguably the most famous spot in the entire peninsula. Not too far from Kirkjöfell, you can also find the Ingjaldhags church. There's also the Svartolof lighthouse, and the Black Church. We then drive out of Sniffilnes Peninsula, and finish the loop around Iceland in Reykjavik. If you haven't already, then spend your remaining time exploring the city, or simply relax and get some good food. But if you're looking to get the most out of your last day in Iceland, then here's a couple of activities that you might be interested in. And there you have it. That's how to spend 14 days in Iceland. But nothing is complete without a travel budget, so let's dive in to the total cost. The car rental and accommodations is probably going to be the largest expenses, but you may be able to skip the car insurance and save a good amount depending on where you're from. Hostels and campgrounds will be a great way to substantially cut down your accommodation cost. In the end, for my trip in late June, the total cost was 3400 USD. Alright, so I hope this video helps you in planning your next trip to Iceland. I feel that this itinerary gives a much more complete experience of Iceland compared to my first trip. There's a little bit of everything here. You can find links to car rentals, hotel accommodations, and much more down in the description box below. This is Alan, and thank you for watching.