Driving around the entire island for a holiday is easier said than done. With our Iceland Itinerary for 14 days, you will have time to spend at your preferred attractions! And all of this while also seeing every possible corner of this magnificent country.
Iceland is the perfect destination for a longer holiday, since it is remote and has an amazingly high number of natural wonders to visit. In our opinion, driving an Iceland itinerary for 14 days is the best way to experience the country.
Obviously, we have made the ultimate guide to do this, so read on to learn everything you need to know about how to have the best two weeks on the road in Iceland.
An Iceland Holiday
Going to Iceland for too short of a time will not be fun for anyone involved. A minimum of a week is needed to enjoy the country properly. However, driving an Iceland itinerary for 14 days is the best choice if you really want to dive deep into this country. With this amount of time, you will experience first-hand why the island has seen a boom in tourism.
The changing glaciers and the geological activity on the island continuously shape the landscape, giving life to new natural wonders. Because non-explosive volcanic eruptions have become frequent in the last few decades, we totally recommend taking a 14-days itinerary in Iceland if you'd like to catch some real-life lava during your trip!
You should also make sure to travel cheaply in Iceland when you’re there for so long, as it is one of the most expensive countries in the world. If you have a tight budget, consider picking a shorter itinerary to really get the most out of it:
Before Driving in Iceland
Before you jump in behind the steering wheel and start moving, you should check the FAQs for driving in Iceland. Some rules and regulations might differ from what you’re used to at home.
Check the weather by season in Iceland to determine when you feel most comfortable driving. Various seasons bring their own challenges. Regardless of that, a tip from us and a good choice if you want to have the best road conditions, best weather, and longest days will be to drive in Iceland in summer.
An Iceland 2 Week Itinerary
Without further ado, it’s time to get down to the core of this article about an Iceland itinerary for 14 days. This itinerary assumes that you will be arriving on the 1st day and leaving on the 14th day, and there will be no rushing between any locations. This is all about experiencing Iceland with plenty of time to explore the things you want to explore.
Day 1 – Reykjavík: Snacks and Planning
You arrive in Iceland today. Touchdown in Keflavik, and take a trip to the capital to start your adventure. We suggest you take the time today to explore Reykjavík and buy whatever you didn’t bring (or forgot to bring) for your trip around Iceland in 14 days.
The aim of the day is to rent your Iceland car and prepare for the two weeks you will be spending on the road. Snacks are a must. Now, remember that you will visit large towns on your Iceland itinerary of 14 days, so there will be time to replenish the stock continuously. Today, you can look forward to:
Exploring the capital of Reykjavík
Day 2 – Golden Circle and Selfoss
Today, you will take on the most popular road trip route in Iceland: the Golden Circle. On this part of your self-driving route around Iceland in 14 days, you will drive through some of the sights that Icelanders are the proudest of. Thingvellir is the cradle of the Icelandic state. It is also the birthplace of the oldest parliamentary assembly in the world, so it’s easy to see why it is a heritage site.
All around Thingvellir National Park, you will find caves, waterfalls, geothermal areas, and much, much more. To get here, you will follow Road 36 from Reykjavík to Thingvellir. From there you will go all the way up to Gullfoss waterfall, and later continue south to Selfoss town.
This route will be roughly 187 kilometers long and take roughly 2 hours and 40 minutes of driving. The places to visit along this road are:
Thingvellir
Geysir
Gjabakkahellir Cave
Fridheimar
Öxarfoss Waterfall
Faxi waterfall
Helgufoss waterfall
Bruarfoss waterfall
Day 3 – South Coast Part 1
Today you wake up in Selfoss and the aim of the day is to see all the sights along the south coast between Selfoss and Vik. This route will be about 130 kilometers, so it’s a bit shorter than yesterday’s trip. You will drive on Ring Road 1 all the way, but you might want to take a detour or two to see some of the sights in the area.
The big stars of this leg of the Iceland itinerary of 14 days will be Reynisfjara Beach, Reynisdrangar, and the Solheimasandur plane crash. Close to Reynisfjara, you can also see the rock formation Dyrholaey. These are found nearby the end of the route in Vik, so don’t forget to visit these other sights along the way:
Seljalandsfoss
Skogafoss
Irafoss
Arbaejarfoss
Urridafoss
Kvernufoss
Drangurinn i Drangshlid
Rutshellir caves
Day 4 – South Coast Part 2
Waking up in Vik, you can make sure to visit Reynisfjara if you didn’t get the chance. The aim of the day is to reach Skaftafell and explore the amazing Skaftafell National Park – a part of Vatnajökull National Park.
This leg of your Iceland Ring Road Itinerary in 14 days will be a short drive but have a lot of exploring. In Skaftefell, you can either choose to go on a glacier hike with a tour company, go on any of the park rangers’ walks, or simply explore the area yourself. If you go on your own, stay on the hiking trails and make sure to bring a map or GPS, so you don’t get lost.
In the area, you should visit Svartifoss waterfall and pay a visit to the Skeidara bridge monument. On the 141-kilometer-long drive from Vik to Skaftafell, you can also see the following sights:
Dverghamrar
Foss a Sidu
Fossalar waterfall
Stjornafoss waterfall
Kirkjugolf
Elhraun (massive lava field)
Day 5 – Heading East
Today, you will explore Jökulsarlon and later move on to Höfn. On your Iceland itinerary for 14 days, this part will only take up a max of two hours of driving and cover a mere 137 kilometers. Just like earlier, this leg is completely on Ring Road 1 and has the option to take short detours to nearby attractions.
Before you reach Jökulsarlon, make sure to visit some of these highlights:
Fjallsarlon
Mulagljufur Canyon
Bredidarlon
In Jökulsarlon, you should opt for one of the boat rides in the lagoon to get up close and personal with the massive icebergs floating around. With some tours, you will also have the option to taste what 1000-year-old (safe-to-eat) ice tastes like.
When you’re done with the boat tour, we suggest you take a walk on Diamond Beach before you move on. Just promise to keep this the best Iceland itinerary in 14 days and don’t climb any of the stranded icebergs. They are incredibly slippery, and the sand is not as soft as it looks.
Day 6 – Egilsstadir
The capital of the east is the goal of this leg. Leave Höfn early and don’t be afraid to take the scenic route along Ring Road 1. If you want to cut your travel time by about 40 minutes, you can choose to turn onto Road 939 after Djupivogur. Then, go through the mountains instead of the fjords.
This part of the Iceland itinerary in 14 days will take about 2 hours and 40 minutes if you take the short route through the mountains.
When you arrive in the Egilsstadir area, you should have time to head west and take a trip around the lake to see all the hidden gems in the area. Finish your day in Egilsstadir and maybe have a dip in the Vök Baths as a relaxing end to a day full of driving.
Some highlights in the area include:
Day 7 – Going North
Halfway through your journey, it’s time to start moving towards the north of the island. From Egilsstadir, you will follow your most faithful companion on this Iceland Itinerary in 14 days: Ring Road 1.
Along the way, there is an amazing ravine made up of almost perfectly shaped hexagonal basalt pillars. We strongly recommend that you take the time to get to Studlagil. Take a short hike to the ravine to see one of the most breathtaking geological formations in Iceland.
The goal of today is to travel the 165-kilometer-long road from Egilsstadir to Reykjahlid where you should take a trip around lake Myvatn. You will find plenty of accommodation around the lake, and many attractions like:
Grotagja
Storagja
Hverfjall
Sigurgeir’s Bird Museum
Day 8 – Diamond Circle and Akureyri
It’s time to hit the northern equivalent of the Golden Circle: the Diamond Circle. This will officially be the start of the second half of your journey around Iceland in 2 weeks.
A small portion of the Diamond Circle is already taken care of since you’ve traveled around lake Myvatn. Now it’s time to head north to see some of Iceland’s unique marvels. We suggest taking a counter-clockwise lap around the circle to line up smoothly with your final destination: Akureyri.
This will be a 211-kilometer-long trip, but will only be about 2 hours and 40 minutes of actual driving time. The majority of the time will be spent hiking the trails and visiting attractions. After that, the end of the day will be spent in the beautiful capital of the north: Akureyri.
Sights to see on the Diamond Circle are:
Dettifoss
Asbyrgi Canyon
Viti Crater
Selfoss Waterfall
Hljodaklettar Rock Formation
Jökulsargljufur Canyon
Hringsbjarg Cliffs
Day 9 – From North to West
Today will be the second-longest driving day of your Iceland Itinerary in 14 days. The aim of the day is to reach Holmavik in the Westjords, which will take about 4 hours and 15 minutes and cover 334 kilometers in a day.
We suggest leaving Akureyri fairly early, so you don’t have to rush through this route. On the way, there is an impressive rock formation right after Blönduos called Hvitserkur. We highly recommend you have a look at if you think rocks are cool (like we do). Apart from that, this leg will mostly only offer scenic views of the Icelandic landscape and not many attractions to visit.
Take Ring Road 1 until you reach the turnoff for Road 68. Continue north from there until you reach Holmavik. All along the road from Akureyri, you will find that the places to eat become more and more scarce. Also, since Holmavik isn’t a large town, you would be wise to keep an eye out along the way for dinner to eat or simply bring with you to the accommodation. Today, you can look forward to:
Hvitserkur
Holmavik
Day 10 – Isafjördur
Waking up in Holmavik (or close to it) your next leg will be a shorter one as the goal is to hit Isafjördur and sleep there for the next two nights. On your way, you should unpack your bathing gear and head east to Drangsnes on the opposite side of the fjord from Holmavik. It’s a wonderful little natural hot spring with a great view that you simply can’t miss.
On your way to Isafjördur, there is also an extremely hot natural hot spring that is a complete-hidden gem in the Westfjords: Hörgshlidarlaug. It is off Road 633 right before the fjord (you will understand when you see it). Just take a right on the gravel road for about 2 kilometers, and you will see the bath. It’s a completely unique experience.
Just remember to let the hose at the bath run in the water for a bit to cool it down for you. Otherwise, you’ll be doing the rest of the Iceland itinerary in 14 days with some sore skin. Today’s highlights include:
Drangsnes
Hörgshlidarlaug
Isafjördur
Day 11 – Latrabjarg Bird Cliff
From Isafjördur, you will visit the famous Latrabjarg cliffs. Given that you will spend 14 days in Iceland in the summer, this will be a Puffin bird paradise for you. If you’d rather do an Iceland winter itinerary for 14 days, then you might want to stay and explore the many museums and other amazing things in and around Isafjördur.
Spend some proper time at the cliffs, marvel at the many birds, and see if you can spot any whales, orcas, or dolphins in the water. On your way back to Isafjördur, you will be able to visit these highlights:
Dynjandi waterfall
Holtsfjara
Raudasandur Beach
Bolafjall Mountain
Valagil
Day 12 – Budardalur
Today will be another driving day, as you will be covering about 266 kilometers in about 3 hours and 45 minutes. From Isafjördur, you will simply keep on Road 60 southwest bound all the way to Budardalur.
This leg of the Iceland itinerary in 14 days will take you along the southern parts of the Westfjords. There, you will be able to find a geothermal pool (Hellulaug) that is easily accessible from the main road.
This will be the last goodbye to the classic fjords in Iceland, as you will be cruising in and out of them throughout the southern part of the Westfjords.
There is not much to see or do along this particular route other than having a swim at Hellulaug. So, we recommend spending the morning in Isafjördur and enjoying the cultural attractions that can be found there.
Leaving Isafjördur right before 12 should be enough to comfortably get you to Budardalur in good time. You will have leeway to check into your accommodation and have time to have dinner without any stress. The stops on the itinerary for today are:
Isafjördur
Hellulaug
Budardalur
Day 13 – Snaefellsnes Peninsula and Reykjavík
Today’s itinerary will take you around the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and all the way back to Reykjavík. This is the last leg of the Iceland itinerary you’ve driven in 14 days. This route will be 315 kilometers and take roughly 4 hours and 30 minutes. If you want to hit the gravel roads and drive around the Snaefellsjökull, then simply add 30 minutes to your trip.
In general, you will follow Road 54 all the way from Budardalur, around the peninsula until you reach Ring Road 1. From there, it’s smooth sailing to Reykjavík and the end of your magnificent journey.
Highlights around the Snaefellsnes Peninsula include:
Kirkjufell (Iceland’s most photographed mountain)
Ytri Tunga
Arnarstapi Cliffs
Djupalonssandur
Snaefellsjökull Glacier
Day 14 – Going home
This is your last day in the country, and we feel like you have deserved a treat for your effort. If you have time today, the absolute last stop on your Iceland itinerary for 14 days is the world-renowned Blue Lagoon.
This must visit spa is on the way between Reykjavík and Keflavik. You can then comfortably leave the city a little bit earlier and have yourself a soak in the rejuvenating hot springs before your flight. The final stops for today are:
Blue Lagoon
Keflavik Airport
What to Pack for Your Iceland Itinerary of 14 Days
Scared you might forget some essentials? Then use our handy packing list as a guide:
Waterproof hiking shoes
Waterproof jacket
Waterproof pants
Wool sweaters
T-shirts & long-sleeved shirts
Underwear
Thermal vests
Thermal leggings
Warm gloves
Warm scarf
Bathing suit
Quick drying towel
Toiletries & medications
Electronic devices; chargers, cables, power bank, adapter, etc.
Backpack (for hiking as well as day outings)
Water bottle (to refill with Iceland’s high-quality water all throughout your trip)
Start Your Iceland Itinerary in 14 Days
Now you know exactly what can be expected from a fully packed road trip itinerary in Iceland. If you have two weeks to spare and want to see as much as possible of this magnificent country, you must rent a car in Iceland and hit the roads. There is nothing that compares to a really good road trip!
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