🇮🇸 Iceland 2026

Ring Road Trip Itinerary
June 14 – June 28, 2026 · 14 days
📱 Must-Have Apps ▼

Travel & Safety: SafeTravel (alerts), Veður (weather), Road.is (road conditions), Parka (parking/campsites), 112 Iceland (emergencies)

Navigation: Google Maps, Waze (+ offline maps), Gasvaktin (cheap fuel), Strætó (public transport)

Hiking: Wapp (walking/hiking trails, guided audio tours)

Useful website: www.Umferdin.is

🎨 Accommodation Color Guide
Flúðir (Days 1–2)
Hafnarfjörður (Days 3–4)
Kirkjubæjarklaustur (Day 5)
Höfn (Day 6)
Stóri-Bakki (Days 7–9)
Húsavík (Days 10–11)
Fagrabrekka (Day 12)
Snæfellsnes (Day 13)
Keflavík (Day 14)
Day 1 – 14 June – Arrive to KEFKEF → Reykjanes → Flúðir ▼
KEF Airport → Reykjanes Peninsula → Flúðir

🏠 Accommodation – Flúðir (Night 1 of 2)

Check-in June 14 · Check-out June 16 · 2 nights

🗺️ Possible Stops

No timing, no rush, just chilling all the day.

Hafnarberg Cliffs
Sea cliffs reached by a short walk, known for birdlife and broad ocean views.
Bridge Between Continents
Footbridge over the rift between the North American and Eurasian plates.
Valahnúkamöl Cliffs
Wild coastal cliffs and black rock shoreline with huge waves and dramatic sea stacks.
Gunnuhver Hot Springs & Reykjanesviti Lighthouse
A steaming, sulfurous area with roaring vents and boiling mud. Classic white lighthouse overlooking rugged coastline.
Brimketill Lava Pool
Natural lava rock pool on the coast where waves crash against black rocks.
Seltún Geothermal Area
Colourful geothermal field with bubbling mud pots, steaming vents, and wooden walkways.
Day 2 – 15 June – Kerlingarfjöll & HveradalirFlúðir → Highlands → Flúðir ▼
Flúðir → Gullfoss → F35 → Kerlingarfjöll → Flúðir

🏠 Accommodation – Flúðir (Night 2 of 2)

2nd night at Flúðir

🗺️ Stops

Kerlingarfjöll Mountain Resort
High-altitude rhyolite mountain range with vivid red and orange slopes, steaming valleys, and dramatic ridgelines. Find the hot spring near Ásgarðsá river 🙂
Hveradalir Geothermal Area
One of Iceland's most spectacular geothermal basins, with fumaroles, colourful hillsides, wooden walkways, and panoramic viewpoints.

📝 Notes

F-road notes: F35 (Kjölur) – long but generally well-maintained highland road, no river crossings. F347 (Kerlingarfjöll access) – short, rocky, but usually in good condition, no river crossings.

Weather-dependent, highland sections may close in poor conditions. Limited cell service in the highlands; facilities only at the resort.

Route: Hafnarfjörður → Gullfoss → F35 → Kerlingarfjöll → Hrunamannaafréttur → Route 30 → Flúðir

📍 Google Maps Route

Day 3 – 16 June – Reykjavík City & ElliðaárdalurFlúðir → Reykjavík → Hafnarfjörður ▼
Flúðir → Reykjavík → Hafnarfjörður

🏠 Accommodation – Hafnarfjörður (Night 1 of 2)

Check-in June 16 · Check-out June 18 · 2 nights
Option 1: 3 nights for 2,896 RON – Free cancellation before June 9
Option 2: 3 nights for 2,432 RON – Free cancellation before June 9

🗺️ Stops

Hallgrímskirkja
Iconic concrete church with tower offering panoramic city views.
Skólavörðustígur (Rainbow Street)
Colourful street leading from Hallgrímskirkja with shops and cafés.
Frakkastígur
Trendy central street with cafés, small shops, and local life.
Laugavegur
Main shopping and strolling street with boutiques, bars and street art.
Sun Voyager
Steel sculpture resembling a dreamboat/Viking ship on the waterfront.
Harpa Concert Hall
Glass-clad concert hall with geometric façade by the harbour.
Ingólfur Square
Central square surrounded by shops and restaurants.
Austurvöllur Square
Historic square in front of Parliament and the cathedral.
FlyOver Iceland
Immersive flying-theatre attraction over Icelandic landscapes.
Kermóafoss (Elliðaárdalur Valley)
Small waterfall in a peaceful green valley with walking paths.
Day 4 – 17 June – Viking Festival & ReykjanesHafnarfjörður area ▼
Hafnarfjörður → Reykjanes Peninsula → Hafnarfjörður

🏠 Accommodation – Hafnarfjörður (Night 2 of 2)

2nd night at Hafnarfjörður

🗺️ Stops

Hafnarfjörður Viking Festival ⚔️
A historical reenactment festival (June 16–21, 2026) featuring battles, markets, crafts, music, and activities. "I would not skip this, I used to be a medieval reenactor back in time, so I am curious how the Viking festival looks like."
Kleifarvatn Lake
Deep, mysterious lake in a volcanic landscape, perfect for a quiet shoreline walk.
Reykjanesfólkvangur
A volcanic nature reserve – a condensed display of Iceland's unprocessed geology, complete with lava fields, crater lakes, and geothermal areas. Located directly on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the shifting tectonic plates continuously sculpt the landscape.
Day 5 – 18 June – South Coast ClassicHafnarfjörður → Kirkjubæjarklaustur ▼
Hafnarfjörður → Hveragerði → Selfoss → Hella → Hvolsvölur → … → Kirkjubæjarklaustur

🏠 Accommodation – Kirkjubæjarklaustur (1 night)

Night of June 18 · 5th night
Option 1: Dalshöfði Guesthouse – Twin room – 1,264 RON, Free cancellation before May 19
Option 2: Hvoll Hostel – 960 RON, Cancel before June 14, Pay nothing until June 12

🗺️ Stops

An easy, freestyle day, as we both "know" this part of Iceland.

Gluggafoss
Two-tiered "window waterfall" where water flows through openings in the cliff. Turn from Ring Road 1 onto Road 261 from Hvolsvöllur, or take gravel road 250 in summer. 📍 Map
Gljúfrabúi (possibly)
Hidden waterfall inside a narrow canyon.
Seljalandsfoss (possibly)
Famous waterfall you can walk behind.
Kvernufoss
Beautiful narrow-canyon waterfall near Skógar, quieter than Seljalandsfoss.
Reynisfjara 🐧
Basalt columns and sea stacks; puffins often nest on the cliffs in summer. ♪ Sólstafír – Fjara 🙂 – hopefully the sand will come back by the time we arrive…
Yoda Cave (Hjörleifshöfði)
Cave shaped like Yoda's silhouette, short walk from parking with views over black-sand plains.
Fjaðrárgljúfur
Mossy canyon with a winding river, easy cliff-top walk.

📝 Notes

Check in at Kirkjubæjarklaustur first, then head to Fjaðrárgljúfur.

🐉 Game of Thrones: Skógafoss (nearby) – In Season 8, Episode 1, Jon Snow and Daenerys fly over Skógafoss on dragons. Höfðabrekka near Vík was "Beyond the Wall."
Day 6 – 19 June – Glaciers & CanyonsKirkjubæjarklaustur → Höfn ▼
Kirkjubæjarklaustur → Kálfafell → Skaftafell → Múlagljúfur → … → Höfn

🏠 Accommodation – Höfn (1 night)

Night of June 19 · 6th night
Höfn Guesthouse, Hafnarbraut 21, 780 Höfn – 959 RON
Cancel without fees before April 20 · Pay nothing until April 18 · 10% Genius discount applied

🗺️ Stops

Foss á Síðu
Graceful ribbon waterfall dropping down a cliff near the road.
Dverghamrar
Columnar basalt "dwarf cliffs" with folklore ties, quick roadside stop.
Skaftafell (Svartifoss / Skaftafellsjökull)
National Park area with glacier views and hiking options. Also check Magnúsarfoss and Hundafoss – less crowded and much more picturesque.
Múlagljúfur Canyon 🥾
Hidden canyon with towering walls and waterfalls, one of the most beautiful lesser-known hikes. Plan at least 2 hrs. Coordinates: 63.9886667, -16.3971589 · Parking: 63.993021, -16.436285
Diamond Beach
Black-sand beach where icebergs from Jökulsárlón wash ashore.

📝 Notes

No F-roads required. All locations reachable via Ring Road 1 and regular side roads. Múlagljúfur and Yoda Cave access: gravel, 2WD fine in summer.

Puffin spot at Ingólfshöfði cape (~90 km from Kirkjubæjarklaustur) – only accessible at low tide via tractor. Difficult to reach.

Day 7 – 20 June – Southeast → EastfjordsHöfn → Stóri-Bakki ▼
Höfn → Vestrahorn → Djúpivogur → Breiðdalsvík → Stóri-Bakki

🏠 Accommodation – Árbakki Guesthouse, Stóri-Bakki (Night 1 of 3)

Near Egilsstaðir · 3 nights: June 20–23
Free cancellation before June 19 · Pay nothing until June 17

🗺️ Stops

Höfn
Small fishing town known for lobster, glacier views and as a southeast gateway.
Vestrahorn / Stokksnes
Dramatic mountain backdrop – short stop for photos.
Krossanesfjall
The "forgotten sister" of Vestrahorn. Dark, jagged, almost dragon-back look – gabbro rock exposed on the surface is unusual. Basically Iceland's version of Mordor, but peaceful 😊. Sailors used it as a navigation landmark for centuries.
Djúpivogur
Quiet coastal village with harbour, mountain backdrop and the artwork Eggin í Gleðivík (Eggs of Merry Bay) by Sigurður Guðmundsson. Quick stop.
Djúpavogskörin (Hot Spring)
Small scenic hot spring tub overlooking the fjord.
Breiðdalsvík
One of the least populated fjord towns in Iceland (~120 people). A tiny fjord village surrounded by steep mountains with a peaceful, almost timeless atmosphere. Worth a short walk.

📝 Notes

🤞 Personal wish: find 3 hrs spare time to visit Seyðisfjörður as well – fingers crossed 😊

Day 8 – 21 June – East Iceland HikingStóri-Bakki day trip ▼
Stóri-Bakki → Lagarfljót → Hengifoss → Kirkjufoss → Stóri-Bakki

🏠 Accommodation – Árbakki Guesthouse, Stóri-Bakki (Night 2 of 3)

8th night

🗺️ Stops – A strong hiking/walking day 🥾

Lagarfljót
Large lake linked to the Lagarfljót wyrm legend, scenic shoreline and forest. Drive near Urriðavatn.
Hengifoss
One of Iceland's tallest waterfalls, with red clay and basalt layer bands.
Litlanesfoss
Waterfall framed by tall basalt columns, reached en route to Hengifoss.
Kirkjufoss
15 min drive from Hengifoss. Not the tallest or most famous, but carries the quiet spirit of the East. Calm, powerful, and strangely unforgettable. When you stand there with only the mountains around you and complete silence in the air, it feels as if you have found a hidden corner of Iceland that belongs only to you 😊
Day 9 – 22 June – Stuðlagil & Highland SpringsStóri-Bakki day trip ▼
Stóri-Bakki → Stuðlagil → (Laugarvellir → Hafrahvammagljúfur) → Stóri-Bakki

🏠 Accommodation – Árbakki Guesthouse, Stóri-Bakki (Night 3 of 3)

9th night · Check-out tomorrow

🗺️ Stops

Main plan: Stuðlagil Canyon. The rest ONLY if conditions are ok – timing, weather, road!

Stuðlagil Canyon
Striking basalt-column canyon with turquoise water.
Stuðlafoss / Rjúkandi Waterfall
Waterfall near Stuðlagil.
Laugarvellir Hot Natural Pot (conditional ⚠️)
"The warm fields" – a warm oasis in the middle of wild highland landscapes. Laugar = warm springs, Vellir = fields. 📍 Travel tips
Hafrahvammagljúfur Canyon (conditional ⚠️)
A gorge so deep (200m) that sunlight touched the bottom only for a few minutes each day. Cliffs so sheer that even sheep refused to wander near the edge. Farmers spoke of it like a rumour until the Kárahnjúkar dam opened access 😊
Day 10 – 23 June – Dettifoss & ÁsbyrgiStóri-Bakki → Húsavík ▼
Stóri-Bakki → Bakkagerði → Dettifoss → Ásbyrgi → Húsavík

🏠 Accommodation – Húsavík Cabin (Night 1 of 2)

Check-in June 23 · 2 nights · 10th night
Option 1: Entire cabin in Húsavík – 2,199 RON for 2 nights, Free cancellation before June 22
Option 2: Aðaldalur (27 km to Húsavík) – 2,306 RON, Free cancellation before June 22

🗺️ Stops

Route: Bakkagerði → Route 1 → Route 862 (Dettifossvegur west) → Selfoss → Kirkjan → Ásbyrgi → Húsavík

Dettifoss 💧
Europe's most powerful waterfall, thunderous and dramatic. A waterfall that does not roar – it growls. It feels less like sightseeing and more like meeting a force of nature that has no interest in being polite 😊
Selfoss (near Dettifoss)
Horseshoe-shaped waterfall just upstream, reached on the same trail. The quiet sibling of Dettifoss, with a better personality 😊 – people often say they came for Dettifoss but stayed for Selfoss.
Kirkjan í hrauninu
The lava church – nature tried to build a cathedral.
Ásbyrgi
Horseshoe-shaped canyon with forested trails and cliffs, linked to Odin's horse Sleipnir. Legend says Sleipnir, Odin's eight-legged horse, left the print when he touched the Earth.
Húsavík
A town where the whales are more famous than the people 🐋

📝 Notes

Approx. driving distance for the full route: ~298 km · Estimated driving time: ~4 hrs. Much more with the stops 😊

Day 11 – 24 June – Mývatn & GeothermalHúsavík day trip ▼
Húsavík → Hverir → Mývatn → Laugar → Húsavík

🏠 Accommodation – Húsavík Cabin (Night 2 of 2)

11th night · Check-out tomorrow

🗺️ Stops

Hverir
High-temperature geothermal field with boiling mud pots, steam vents, and sulfur deposits. The ground is unstable and very hot.
Grjótagjá
A small lava cave with a geothermal hot-spring pool inside. The water is too hot for bathing today, but the cave is famous for its blue light and volcanic fissure.
Hverfjall
A perfect tephra crater, about 1 km wide. You can walk up to the rim and around it on marked paths. One of the most accessible volcanic craters in Iceland.
Dimmuborgir Lavafield
A large lava field with unusual rock formations, pillars, and caves created by an ancient lava lake collapse. Well-marked walking paths.
Mývatn
A shallow volcanic lake known for birdlife, pseudocraters, and surrounding geothermal and volcanic landscapes. One of Iceland's most active geological areas.
Laugar
A small village with geothermal water, local services, and access to natural hot pools. Quiet stop between Mývatn and Húsavík.
🐉 Game of Thrones: Grjótagjá Cave – Jon Snow & Ygritte scene (Season 3). Dimmuborgir – Wildling camp. Lake Mývatn – White Walker territory.
Day 12 – 25 June – Driving North-WestHúsavík → Fagrabrekka ▼
Húsavík → Akureyri → Varmahlíð → Fagrabrekka

🏠 Accommodation – Fagrabrekka Guesthouse (1 night)

Night of June 25 · 586 RON
Free cancellation before June 25 · Pay nothing until June 23

🗺️ Stops

This day will be "boring", just driving 😊

Akureyri
Quick pass through the "Capital of the North".
Hvítserkur (optional, +50 km)
Remnant of an eroded volcanic dyke. Base reinforced with concrete in 1955 to prevent collapse. Legend says the rock was once a troll who forgot to hide from the sun while trying to destroy monastery bells – petrified by dawn 😊. The surrounding area is home to the largest seal colonies in Iceland. 🦭
Day 13 – 26 June – Snæfellsnes PeninsulaFagrabrekka → Snæfellsnes ▼
Fagrabrekka → Stykkishólmur → Kirkjufell → Hellnar → Arnarstapi → Arnarstapi / Staðarstaður

🏠 Accommodation – Snæfellsnes (1 night)

Night of June 26
Option 1: Arnarstapi
Option 2: Staðarstaður
🔗 Arnarstapi option 🔗 Staðarstaður option

🗺️ Stops

Fagrabrekka → Stykkishólmur → Helgafell → Kirkjufell → (Ólafsvík) → Hellnar → Arnarstapi → Búðir → Staðarstaður

Stykkishólmur
Charming harbour town on Snæfellsnes.
Mt. Helgafell (Sacred Hill) ⛰️
The historical Sacred Hill on the Snæfellsnes peninsula. Locals believe three wishes will be granted if you walk to the top without turning/looking back or saying anything – but this only works the first time 🙂😬 Luckily it is only 73 meters tall 😀
Kirkjufell
Iceland's most photographed mountain.
Hellnar
Coastal village with sea arch and walking paths.
Arnarstapi
Harbour village with dramatic basalt formations and coastal cliffs.
Búðir
Famous black church on the Snæfellsnes coast.
Day 14 – 27 June – Last Day & DepartureSnæfellsnes → Keflavík ▼
Snæfellsnes → Keflavík / Airport

🏠 Accommodation – Keflavík (last half-night) ✈️

Flight at 01:10 on June 28
🔗 Booking link

🗺️ Stops

Rokksafn 🤘
The Icelandic Museum of Rock 'n' Roll 🤘🤘