After a lot of requests from our friends and family, we got an idea to create a post sharing our Iceland Itinerary, so that it would be useful for anyone planning their trip.

Day 1: Keflavík to Reykjavík (50 kms)

Reach Iceland – Keflavík International Airport (preferably in the 2^nd half of the day)

• Pick up your car from the airport (car rental offices are 3-4 mins walk from the airport)
• Travel to Reykjavík and stay overnight – sleep properly to overcome jet lag

Day 2: Golden Circle – Reykjavík to Hella (230 kms)

From Reykjavík to (in order)

• Þingvellir National Park – North American & Eurasian tectonic plates diverge
• Geysir Geothermal area – visit Strokkur, Geysir and other geothermal hot springs
• Gullfoss
• Kerið crater lake
• Reach Hella / Selfoss and stay overnight

Day 3: Hella to Vík (150 kms)

Hella to

• Gluggafoss waterfall
• Seljalandsfoss – waterfall with a cave behind it
• Skógafoss waterfall
• Sólheimajökull glacier – glacier in between 2 volcanoes
• Dyrhólaey – cliff with a great view of volcanic hills, black sand beach and the ocean
• Reynisfjara beach – basalt stacks, cave, black sand beach
• Reach Vík and stay overnight

Day 4: Vík to Höfn (290 kms)

Vík to

• Eldhraun lava fields
• Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon
• Black sand dunes on the way
• Skaftafell National Park & Svartifoss
• Fjallsárlón glacial lagoon – walk up to the tongue of Vatnajökull glacier
• Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon
• Diamond beach – icebergs on the beach
• Reach Höfn and stay overnight

Day 5: Höfn to Egilsstaðir (450 kms)

Höfn to

• Wonderful drive in the eastern fjords along the coast on cliffs; tunnels on the way
• Stop at any fjord village(s) on the way to Egilsstaðir
• Borgarfjörður Eystri – go to the bird colony (cliff) to see puffins/arctic terns (May to Aug)
• Seydisfjordur – must visit fjord village
• Stay overnight at Egilsstaðir / Seydisfjordur

Day 6: Egilsstaðir to Akureyri (350 kms)

Egilsstaðir to

• Dettifoss
• Hverir geothermal area – mud pools, fumaroles, steam vents etc.
• Grjótagjá Cave – cave with a hot spring inside
• Dimmuborgir lava fields
• Skútustaðir craters
• Mývatn Nature Baths – geothermal hot pool – spend the evening here
• Goðafoss waterfall
• Reach Akureyri (2^nd largest town in Iceland) and stay for a couple of nights

Day 7: Akureyri to Siglufjörður and back (150 kms)

Akureyri to

• Dalvík – take boat tours if you’re interested in whale watching
• Ólafsfjörður – a small & beautiful fjord village in the north
• Siglufjörður – another fjord village in the north
• Lots of tunnels on your way
• Return to Akureyri and visit the town in the evening
• Stay overnight at Akureyri (2^nd night at Akureyri)

Day 8: Akureyri to Snæfellsnes peninsula (470 kms)

Akureyri to

• Long drive today with great landscapes
• Vatnsdalur
• Kolugljúfur Canyon and waterfall
• Gerðuberg Cliffs
• Reach Hellissandur (village on a cliff by the ocean) and stay for a couple of nights

Day 9: Snæfellsnes peninsula (240 kms)

Hellissandur to

• Svödufoss waterfall
• Snæfellsjökull glacier
• Kirkjufell mountain & waterfall
• Stykkishólmur village and orange light house
• Búðir black church
• Hike from Arnarstapi to Hellnar along the coast on cliffs, if you have time (6 kms)
• Djúpalónssandur – black lava pearl beach
• Skarðsvík – golden sand beach
• Back to Hellissandur to stay for the 2^nd night

Day 10 & 11: Snæfellsnes peninsula to Reykjavík (270 kms)

Hellissandur to

• Drive to Reykjavík and visit the capital city
  • Hallgrímskirkja church
  • The Sun Voyager
  • Harpa concert Hall
  • Laugavegur – shopping street
  • Perlan museum
• Blue Lagoon – famous geothermal pool near Keflavik
• Reach Keflavik and take the return flight / stay overnight and take a flight next day

Places we didn’t visit but would have loved to visit:

 

• Stay an extra day at Hella and visit the highlands in Landmannalaugar
• Visit the West Fjords for a day