8-Day Action-Packed Icelandic Adventure | The Ring Road and Reykjavik
Description
Summary
Description
Squeeze as many incredible Icelandic attractions into your vacation as possible without missing out on any adventure by booking this eight-day holiday. This trip should not be missed by those who want to witness the whole Ring Road of Iceland and make the most of every second they have in the country.
For guests seeking to cover as much ground and create as many memories as possible on their visit to Iceland, there are no better options than this package. Over four days, you will be whisked around the Ring Road that encircles the island, witnessing the beauty of every region and marveling over countless sites.
Such attractions include the breathtaking Reynisfjara beach, renowned for its black sands and coastal geology; the serene Lake Myvatn and its surrounding geothermal wonders; and the remote Eastfjords, far from the tourist crowds.
By booking this tour, you’ll avoid spending weeks planning that perfect Iceland itinerary. We’ve already covered the planning part to save you from all the hassle. We also made this tour available for a great price.
As part of this Ring Road tour, you’ll also get to join exciting excursions. For example, those traveling between November and March can explore a magnificent ice cave, while those coming between May and October can take a boat tour amongst the icebergs of the Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon.
Upon returning to Reykjavik, you can cram in even more adventure with visits to sites off of the Ring Road, such as the Golden Circle and Snaefellsnes Peninsula. You can further enhance your experience by booking some thrilling activities, such as a helicopter ride and a descent into a magma chamber.
Of course, you’ll also have time to enjoy the quirkiness and culture of the unique capital city of Reykjavik. As this is a guided package, all your hotels, transfers, and tours will be organized for you before arrival, leaving you with no concerns but making the most of your holiday.
You’ll also get a detailed itinerary after booking to help you keep track of your adventures. Furthermore, you don’t have to worry about driving on Iceland’s treacherous roads.
Aside from having control and flexibility during the tour, you’ll also get the necessary support you may need. Our packages come with a personal travel agent you can contact 24/7.
Plunge into some of the world’s most magnificent landscapes with this fast-paced, action-packed vacation around the Ring Road of Iceland and more. Check availability by choosing a date and booking your Iceland adventure.
Included
Destinations
Reykjavík / 4 nights
Southeast Iceland / 1 night
Eastfjords / 1 night
Akureyri / 1 nightMap
Attractions
Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
Skogafoss
Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
Reynisdrangar
Skaftafell
Svartifoss
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
Diamond Beach
Vestrahorn
Lagarfljót
Dettifoss
Mývatn
Godafoss Waterfall
Eyjafjörður
Tröllaskagi
HvítserkurActivities
Travel details
Round-trip airport transfers
Round-trip airport transfers
Personalize your itinerary
Day 1 – Reykjavík
- Reykjavík - Arrival day
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On your first day, you will land at Keflavik International Airport, go through customs, and board a convenient shuttle bus to Iceland's capital.
Keep your eyes out the window when traveling, as this 40-minute journey goes along the Reykjanes peninsula. The area is a wonderland of lava landscapes, volcanoes, fishing villages, and spectacular stretches of coast.
On your way to Iceland's capital city, Reykjavik, you could stop at the Blue Lagoon. This world-renowned spa is known for its healing waters, vivid azure colors, and luxurious treatments. It is in the middle of a moss-covered lava field, giving it an otherworldly atmosphere.
It will be arranged according to your flights, and if there is no time to visit the lagoon today, it can be added to another day. Your travel consultant will be able to arrange this for you. There is still plenty to see and do in Reykjavik if you have extra free time.
You'll be taken to your accommodation in Reykjavik, and once you are checked in and settled, you can explore the city. Iceland's capital is a cultural hotspot, with public artworks, beautiful boutiques, fascinating architecture, world-renowned restaurants, plentiful museums and galleries, and a thriving nightlife.
Before heading to any of the bars, visit the Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Center, Reykjavik's leading cultural hub. It's the favorite venue for concerts, exhibitions, and festivals. It's also famous for its impressive facade with 714 glass panels and LED lights illuminating the building at night.
Next, about 2.4 miles (3.9 kilometers) from Harpa, is the Perlan museum. The museum has interactive displays and exhibits revolving around nature and how it helped shape Iceland. The Perlan also has a hemispherical rotating glass dome that doubles as a viewing deck where you can enjoy the cityscape.
Stop at the Hallgrimskirkja church, about 1.6 miles (2.5 kilometers) from the Perlan museum. At 245 feet (74.5 meters) tall, the church is Iceland's tallest and one of the city's most famous landmarks.
Make sure, however, that you don't go too wild. Tomorrow, you will embark on your four-day, action-packed adventure around Iceland's Ring Road.
Accommodation
Experiences
Day 2 – Southeast Iceland
- Southeast Iceland
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- Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
- Skogafoss waterfall
- Reynisfjara black sand beach
- Reynisdrangar Sea Stacks
- Skaftafell Nature Reserve
- Svartifoss
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Early on day two, your guide for the next four days will pick you up from Reykjavik and begin the first leg of this once-in-a-lifetime adventure: a journey along Iceland's South Coast. This is the most popular of all the regions you'll visit on this trip due to its diverse and spectacular sites.
You will, for example, visit three very different waterfalls early in your travels. Seljalandsfoss is incredibly picturesque, tumbling in a gentle cascade before an enormous cavern. Gljufrabui, meanwhile, is somewhat of a hidden gem, pouring into a grotto out of sight of the main road and thus overlooked by most. Skogafoss is the most powerful of the three, falling from a 197-foot (60-meter)-tall cliff with tremendous force.
As you travel between these waterfalls, you'll get glimpses of many other incredible Icelandic attractions, such as the Westman Islands out to sea and the glaciers of Eyjafjallajokull and Myrdalsjokull inland.
You'll then stop at the beautiful black sand beach of Reynisfjara. Here, you can marvel over the basalt sea stacks of Reynisdrangar and the powerful waves as they shatter on the shore. By this site is the quaint village of Vik, where you'll enjoy lunch.
You will then continue east, through deserts of black sand and by the tongues of the mighty Vatnajokull glacier, before coming to your final destination of the day, the Skaftafell Nature Reserve. Once a national park in its own right before being enveloped into a much larger one, this spectacular area is packed with diverse landscapes, such as lava fields, rivers, glacier outlets, and lagoons.
You'll be led along beautiful hiking trails to witness the reserve's highlights, such as the Svartifoss waterfall, surrounded by black basalt columns. If you elect to do so while booking, you can also organize a thrilling glacier hike here.
After a fantastic beginning to your fast-paced Ring Road adventure, you will retire for the night in a hotel in the area.
Experiences
Day 3 – Eastfjords
- Eastfjords
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- Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
- Diamond Beach
- Vestrahorn
- Lake Lagarfljot
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On the third day of your action-packed summer vacation to Iceland, you will set out to explore the breathtaking, far-flung Eastfjords. Before traveling around this little-visited region, however, you will first make a stop at the final attraction of the South Coast, Jokulsarlon.
Jokulsarlon is the largest glacier lagoon in the country, a giant lake between the coastline and a tongue of the Vatnajokull ice cap. The lagoon has a maximum depth of 814 feet (248 meters), making it Iceland’s deepest lake. It also has a surface area of 11.2 square miles (18 square kilometers), with icebergs that are over 1,000 years old.
You’ll find these enormous icebergs throughout the year, which break from the glacier and slowly cruise towards the ocean. Their scale, vivid coloration, and sheer numbers make a stroll along the shore absolutely mesmerizing.
After an exploration here, you’ll briefly nip to Diamond Beach, where these icebergs wash up on the black sands and glisten in the sun as they slowly melt away.
Also known as Breidamerkursandur, Diamond Beach is almost 3,000 feet (900 meters) from the Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon. Be sure to spend time appreciating how the icebergs on the black sands create a sparkling effect that resembles a diamond.
Today, you can take a boat tour into the lagoon to immerse yourself in the icebergs.
After your adventure, you will set out into the Eastfjords. As Jokulsarlon is the furthest east most travelers go, this region is very remote. You’ll thus be able to marvel over the seascapes, towering peaks, and glacier views far from the tourist crowds.
The sites you will visit include the stunning mountain of Vestrahorn, the sleepy fishing village of Djupivogur, and the mysterious Lake Lagarfljot.The lake is famous for its folklore, as it is believed to be home to a beast called the Lagarfljot Wyrm.
Considered to be the cousin of the Loch Ness Monster, the beast is said to be the one disrupting the surface of Lake Lagarfjlot.
At the end of the day, you’ll stay in East Iceland and retire for the night.
Day 4 – Akureyri
- Akureyri
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- Dettifoss waterfall
- Lake Myvatn Area
- Godafoss Waterfall
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On day four, you will continue your journey around the Ring Road to North Iceland. To get there, you will leave the Eastfjords and pass through the northern reaches of the spectacular Vatnajokull National Park. If traveling in summer, you will detour to see the most powerful waterfall in Europe, Dettifoss; otherwise, you will head straight to the beautiful Lake Myvatn.
Dettifoss has an average water flow of 6,186 cubic feet (193 meters cubed) per second. It also measures 330 feet (100 meters) wide and falls 150 feet (45 meters) toward the Jokulsargljufur canyon.
Meanwhile, Lake Myvatn is Iceland’s fourth-largest lake. It has many small islands and a calming environment. Visiting Lake Myvatn allows you to see active wildlife such as the arctic fox, harlequin ducks, and other bird species.
Myvatn is the most beloved part of the region for far more reasons than the stunning waters that have given it its name. The area has some incredible geology, with lines of perfectly formed pseudocraters, fields of twisted lava, and the basalt fortress of Dimmuborgir.
Also called the “Black Fortress,” Dimmuborgir is one of the most famous attractions in the Lake Myvatn area. Its popularity increased when it was featured as one of the filming locations for the hit HBO series “Game of Thrones.”
It also has nearby geothermal areas, such as Hverir and Namaskard Pass and the Myvatn Nature Baths. You can take a dip in the waters of this luxurious spa if you organize a ticket when booking.
In summer, Myvatn also has vibrant flora and an abundance of birdlife.
After being guided around this diverse, incredible area, you will head to “the Waterfall of the Gods,” Godafoss. Not only is this a stunning feature, but it has a fascinating history that goes back over a millennium, which you can read about on-site.
Finally, you stay in North Iceland for the night. Be sure to have a look around Akureyri, the region’s most famous cultural hotspot.
Day 5 – Reykjavík
- Reykjavík
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- Eyjafjordur fjord
- Troll Peninsula
- Hvítserkur Rock Stack
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Day five marks the end of your Ring Road adventure, though it promises to be packed with excitement.
Your first stop on your way back to Reykjavik from Akureyri will be at the village of Dalvik.
The village is where you’ll find the unique Bjorbodin beer spa. Here, you can relax in a bath of warm young beer while enjoying a cold glass of draft beer instead of soaking in hot geothermal water.
Also, adding a whale-watching tour here is highly recommended when booking, as the surrounding waters boast abundant marine life. Not only are you likely to see humpback whales in summer, but also dolphins, puffins, and even orcas.
Furthermore, the mountains around the fjord in which this tour is conducted are dramatic and spectacular, keeping you in awe between sightings.
After this, you will continue along the beautiful coastline of North Iceland, stopping next at the Vatnsnes peninsula. This stretch of land is the best place in Iceland for finding colonies of seals, and you will be able to learn all about them at the Icelandic Seal Centre.
Vatnsnes is also renowned for being home to a strange, dramatic monolith named Hvitserkur. A photogenic feature, Hvitserkur is often compared to a drinking elephant, a dragon, or a dinosaur, although folklore dictates that it is, in fact, a frozen troll.
The monolith stands 49 feet (15 meters) tall and protrudes from Hunafloi Bay. Interestingly, folklore says that the troll hated Iceland’s conversion to Christianity and tried to destroy the bells of a convent.
Because of its anger, the troll didn’t notice the sun’s rising, resulting in the latter’s rays petrifying the beast. Today, you’ll see various birdlife nesting on the rock stack.
After marveling over its unique beauty, you will drive through the scenic countryside of West Iceland back to Reykjavik, where you will be based until the end of your holiday.
Accommodation
Day 6 – Reykjavík
- Reykjavík
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Though your journey around Iceland's Ring Road may be over, you still have plenty of opportunities for adventure. While you are welcome to relax after four intense days of sightseeing by chilling in the capital, you can still see as much of Iceland as possible through the different tours available.
The first option is a classic Golden Circle tour. The Golden Circle trail is the most popular tourist route in the country, boasting three incredible sites: Thingvellir National Park, the Geysir geothermal area, and Gullfoss waterfall.
Considering you have fully encircled the country, visiting here would mean seeing all of Iceland's most iconic attractions in just six days.
Alternatively, you could embark on a tour of the Snaefellsnes peninsula. You'll be able to see glaciers and volcanoes, such as the world-famous Snaefellsjokull.
The stratovolcano Snaefellsjokull in Snaefellsjokull National Park is at the peninsula's tip. It stands 4,744 feet (1,446 meters) tall, offering impressive views of Reykjavik from across the bay.
Apart from being one of the country's most stunning glaciers, Snaefellsjokull boasts a rich folklore. It was believed by superstitious Icelanders that the Snaefellsjokull glacier was an ancient source of energy.
Legend states that the glacier's rock formations used to be trolls petrified by sunlight. Moreover, some believe these rock formations served as homes for the hidden people.
You'll also see other fascinating formations, such as Mount Kirkjufell and the Londrangar sea stacks. You'll encounter countless historic fishing villages and some incredible stretches of coast. Because of its diversity, the peninsula is nicknamed "Iceland in Miniature."
Finally, you could book an Inside the Volcano tour. Available only in one volcano and only in Iceland, this thrilling excursion will have you ride a mining lift into the cavernous magma chamber of a dormant volcano.
Not only is the scale breathtaking, but the rocks' coloration and the opportunity's uniqueness make this a highly sought-after experience.
After one of these fantastic adventures, you can enjoy the city's culture before retiring for the night.
Accommodation
Experiences
Day 7 – Reykjavík
- Reykjavík
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The penultimate day of your fast-paced holiday in Iceland can also be as relaxed or as action-packed as you like. You could unwind from all the adventures over the past six days by staying in the capital or organizing one final experience.
Two of these options are the same as yesterday: a sightseeing tour around “Iceland in Miniature,” the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, or a descent into the magma chamber of a sleeping volcano. However, instead of the Golden Circle, your other option is a helicopter tour, which you will take from the domestic airport in Reykjavik.
This helicopter tour offers a unique experience of enjoying Reykjavik by flying over the city and its surroundings.
This aerial trip will get your adrenaline pumping and provide you with an incredible view of the capital city and its surrounding nature. The focus of your flight will be mainly on the thriving geothermal areas around Reykjavik. It’ll also help you better appreciate the diversity and vastness of the country's nature.
Weather permitting, this adventure will also include a touchdown on one of the nearby mountains. During your stay on the mountain, you can marvel over some incredible vistas. In addition, you’ll appreciate the calmness of the environment as no other tourist will be in sight.
Coming back to the capital, its colorful tin rooftops and striking landmarks will provide you with some fantastic final memories of Iceland.
You will still have an evening to enjoy in the city before returning to your hotel. If you have the energy, you can still explore Laugavegur, the city’s main street and shopping destination. Here, you’ll find different shops and boutiques selling good finds at great prices.
If you wish to unwind after some last-minute shopping, you’ll find a good restaurant or bar along Laugavegur street for a bottle of beer.
Accommodation
Experiences
Day 8 – Reykjavík
- Reykjavík - Departure day
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Today is the last day of your Icelandic vacation. You will need to take your pre-organized shuttle bus back to the airport in time for your flight, which you can enjoy reminiscing over the incredible sites you have seen.
Considering the action-packed nature of this trip, you will no doubt be proud that you truly made the most of every moment and will have plenty to discuss with your fellow travelers.
Of course, those with a late departure don’t need to rush and can instead use the time to say a final farewell to Reykjavik. Purchase the last of your souvenirs, visit one more museum, or unwind from all the adventure in one of the city’s popular pools.
Have a safe flight home, and come back soon!
Experiences
What to bring
Good to know
Please be aware that your itinerary may have to be rearranged to fit your arrival date and time better. Please note that the boat tours on Jokulsarlon are only available from May to October.
Selected guesthouses and hostels do not offer breakfast. More information is provided on the accommodation information.
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