Self-Drive Secrets of Iceland

We start our journey by driving to west Iceland. If you like, hiking, there is about a 4-hour hiking path in the deep end of Hvalfjordur to the second-highest waterfall in Iceland; Glymur which has a stunning drop of 198m. Do not forget your sturdy shoes if you take the hike and you may have to cross a small river on the way. Stop at Deildartunguhver, Europe's largest geometric hot water source. It produces 150 litres of boiling water per second! The steaming water testifies to the inner forces of the earth. You will find Krauma Spa by Deildartunguhver.

Visit Reykholt, the place of Snorri Sturluson, an Icelandic author and poet who lived in Reykholt in the 1200s. He is most famous as a writer of Heimskringla, Norse Kings Sagas. Nearby Reykholt, you will find Husafell. Here you have the opportunity to join a tour of Langjokull Glacier and into a man-made cave on the glacier. Just by Husafell, you will also find the beautiful waterfalls Barnafossar and Hraunfossar. Accommodation in Borgarfjoerdur area.

Continuing over the Holtavorduheidi highland plateau, you reach the Skagafjordur region in the north-west of Iceland. The Skagafjordur area features several intriguing sights. This region is particularly famous for breeding world-renowned Icelandic horses. Nearby is Saudakrokur and the fascinating folk museum at Glaumbaer. 

There are possibilities for horseback riding on Iceland horses, hiking tours and if you want more excitement, there is river rafting. In Vididalur near Hvammstangi, you will find the beautiful Kolugljufur Canyon with its stunning waterfall Kolufossar. In this area, you will also find the amazing cliff Hvitserkur on the Vatnsnes Peninsula. Vatnsnes is an area of varied animal life, and it is here that we find the largest and most accessible seal sanctuary in Iceland, where the common seal (Phoca vitulina) can be seen at quite close range. The ring road (711) around Vatnsnes is about 90 km and is mostly dirt road. Accommodation in Skagafjordur area.

Drive the beautiful coastal route through many small villages, before reaching Akureyri, the biggest city of the north. In Siglufjordur, you will find the Sildarminjasafnid herring Museum is the largest marine and industrial museum in Europe. It is housed in three widely differing premises where the visitor can become acquainted with the pursuit of the "silver darlings" and the processing of that valuable commodity. By the harbour, you find nice restaurants. Siglufjordur was the set of an Icelandic crime TV show, Trapped, which took viewers by the storm in whole of Europe.

The town of Akureyri is located on a stunning fjord and this colourful town is famous for its relaxed atmosphere and charming botanical gardens - a rare sight indeed in this land of volcanoes. Accommodation in the Akureyri area for two nights.

Drive the Diamond Circle route to pass through the truly impressive landscape of the north. Explore the area around Lake Myvatn. This is a lovely and intriguing area of pseudo-craters, steaming fissures, lush green plains and amazingly varied birdlife. A couple of highlights by Myvatn are the lava “town” of Dimmuborgir and the geothermal area Namaskard.

Continue your journey around the dramatic Tjornes Peninsula to Husavak, Asbyrgi, and Jokulsa Canyon and on to Europe’s most powerful waterfall Dettifoss. With a width of 100 meters and a drop of 45 meters, it is a spectacular sight and you can feel the earth shake when you stand by the fall. Asbyrgi is a horseshoe-shaped valley with nice hiking opportunities, as well as a beautiful little lake in the middle of the valley.

Take a trip to the fishing village of Husavik, where you can join a whale-watching excursion. Husavik is known for being Europe's whale capital, and there is a great chance to see whales if you participate in whale watching. The trip out with the beautiful wooden boats gives you a wonderful experience at the sea overlooking the majestic north coast of Iceland. Visit Godafoss, the impressive “waterfall of the Gods” on the route to Akureyri, the largest town in the north.

Enjoy Akureyri city in the morning before heading to the Blue Lagoon of the north and nature baths at Myvatn. From there, drive through the uninhabited and desert-like areas of the Modrudalsoraefi to visit the attractions in the east. The next accommodation will be around Egilsstadir. Explore the area of Egilsstadir and Hallormsstadur.

Hallormsstadur National Forest is located about 25 kilometres inland from the town of Egilsstadir. It is one of the larger forests in Iceland, covering 740 hectares, and includes the only village in Iceland located in a forest. Here you'll find over 40 kilometres of marked trails and footpaths. From Egilsstadir to Hallormsstadur, you'll find the 25-kilometer-long lake Lagarfljot. Be on the lookout for the Icelandic Loch Ness Monster, or Lagarfljotsormurinn as called by the locals. The creature was first spotted in 1345, and regular sightings have been reported in recent years. In 2012, a video was published that supposedly showed the creature swimming in the lake.

Nearby, one of the most popular hiking sites is Hallormsstadur, with a 40-60 minute walk to the beautiful 128-meter-long waterfall Hengifoss, surrounded by basaltic strata. Found nearby is Hallormsstadur. It will take you about 40-60 minutes to walk to the beautiful waterfall Hengifoss. The waterfall is 128 meters long and surrounded by basaltic strata. 

From Egilsstadir/Hallormsstadur, you head off through the long valleys of the Eastern Fjords. Geologically this is the oldest part of Iceland. An area of fjords, steep mountains, majestic mountain peaks, rich bird life and ancient memories.

If the weather is nice, take the time for the detour towards Eskifjordur, which some consider to be the most beautiful fjord in Iceland, with old red wooden houses situated on the seafront. You can stop at the Stone Museum of Petra in Stodvarfjordur, which is a private collection of Icelandic minerals. In Djupavogur you will find "Eggene i Gledivik", a stone sculpture consisting of 34 large stone eggs set up by the seaside. There is the possibility of a boat trip from Djupavogur to the island of Papey, which has a rich birdlife. The boat trip is about 4 hours and runs around 13:00 hours.

Continue on the road to the fishing village of Hofn where you stay for the night. Take a tour to the coast outside Hofn, and enjoy the views of the most photographed mountain in Iceland, Vestrahorn on the Stokksnes peninsula.

Nearby Hofn is Europe‘s biggest glacier, Vatnajökull, and the extraordinary Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon. Without a doubt a place worth visiting. You can join a tour by boat on the lagoon or maybe a kayak tour. Make sure to visit Diamond Beach, just by the Glacier Lagoon. Here you will find icebergs from the lagoon that have drifted ashore and created the most magical setting. White melting icebergs on a black beach. Right next to the Ring Road is the Skaftafell National Park. The mountains are reminiscent of the Alps and have been formed by volcanoes, glaciers and water.

Skaftafell is an area where you can spend a whole day. Go up to the glacier or just for a short trip to Svartifoss waterfall, one of the most popular attractions in the park. Svartifoss is a unique natural gem framed in black lava columns. From Skaftafell you drive through the desert plains of Skeidararsandur, mainly made of volcanic sands. In 1996 there was a big volcanic eruption in Vatnajökull glacier and melted a lot of glacial ice. It came a big glacial outburst from underneath the glacier and destroyed a part of the main road and bridges across the Skeidara River. Monument of this you will find on the way. From the black sand, you will arrive at the green areas of Kirkjubæjarklaustur and Vik. Accommodation in the Vik area for two nights.

Take a day to enjoy the area of Vik. At Vik, you will find Reynisfjara, Reynisdrangar and Dyrholaey. Reynisfjara is a black lava beach that has amazing basalt rock formations. Outside the sea, you can see the basalt-shaped pillars of Reynisdrangar. The area has a rich bird life and you will be able to see puffins here. Dyrholaey is a small peninsula at Reynisdrangar. Here you should take pictures of the view.

On the way, south you will pass Eyjafjallajokull glacier and the area evacuated in the large volcano eruption in 2010. Make sure that you stop by two of Iceland's loveliest waterfalls, Skogarfoss and Seljalandsfoss. Both of those waterfalls have a 60 m drop, but at Seljalandsfoss, visitors can walk behind the falls into a small cave. Remember to take the raincoat with you. In the town of Hella, you find the Lava Center museum with information about the volcanic land of the south. On the way to the Geysir area, you will find the natural geothermal pool Secret Lagoon. This pool has been used by the locals for swimming for more than 100 years. Accommodation in Geysir area.

Visit the thundering Gullfoss waterfall and the famous Geysir geothermal area, where the geyser of Strokkur regularly erupts and numerous other hot springs bubble and steam. Nearby Geysir area, we can recommend stopping at the farm Efstidalur which has a nice restaurant and ice-cream shop.

Drive to the World Heritage Site of Thingvellir National Park. This is the location of Iceland‘s original parliament. The park lies in a rift valley that marks the crest of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. Enjoy views across the clear waters of Lake Thingvallavatn. Option for a snorkelling tour on the Silfra Rift by Thingvallavatn.

From here you return to Reykjavik, to spend some time enjoying Iceland`s young and vibrant capital. Indulge yourself in the stylish boutiques, walk around the harbour, experience the marvellous panorama view from the church of Hallgrímskirkja and have a coffee in one of the many excellent cafés or eat out in Reykjavik's restaurants!

Take a stroll in the old city, with the small colourful houses, shops, galleries and cafes. There are options for city sightseeing excursions and boat tours from the city harbour, as well as guided walk tours with both food and beer tasting on the way. Visit the beautiful concert house Harpa by the harbour. Reykjavik has many outdoor swimming pools, open from early morning to late evening and a good way to ease the body after a long drive. Laugavegur shopping street is worth visiting, and you will find the big shopping centre Kringlan near the city centre. Enjoy your last evening in the city.

Spend the day as you wish, depending on your return flight. Drop off your rental car at Keflavik Airport.