Category: Road Trips in Iceland

Iceland is built for road trips. One main road circles the whole country, the scenery changes every hour, and you can pull over almost anywhere a view catches your eye. But it’s also a country that catches drivers out — distances are longer than they look, the weather turns fast, and a wrong turn onto an F-road in the wrong vehicle can end a trip in a hurry. This section is here to help you plan a trip that goes well.

You’ll find route guides for every shape of holiday. The full Ring Road in seven, ten, or fourteen days. The Golden Circle and South Coast for travellers with only a long weekend. The Westfjords for those willing to go slow and quiet. The Arctic Coast Way along the north. And the highland crossings for the few weeks each summer when the interior opens up. Each guide tells you what’s realistic to drive in a day, where to stop, where to sleep, and which stretches are worth lingering on rather than ticking off.

I’m honest about the practical stuff too. What kind of car you actually need for each route (and when a small 2WD is fine versus when a proper 4×4 is non-negotiable), how to read road.is and vedur.is before you set off, what fuel costs to expect, and the single-lane bridges, blind hills, and gravel sections that trip up first-time visitors. Winter driving gets its own treatment — it’s a different country between November and March.

Many of the rental companies, guesthouses, and tour operators along these routes partner with me, and my newsletter subscribers get exclusive discount codes for a long list of them.
Browse the guides below and you’ll plan a route that fits your time, your vehicle, and the season you’re travelling in.


Iceland focused interviews, Road Trips in Iceland

With Iceland on Her Brain

Photos by Eileen Cotter Wright Eileen Cotter Wright is the owner of PureWander.com, an online magazine focusing on group travel adventures abroad and in the backyard. Eileen is also short-listed for the Odeon UK Blog Awards for her female-centered travel blog CrookedFlight.com. We “met” the...
Road Trips in Iceland

Five Unusual Attractions in Iceland

The spectacular beauty of Iceland leaves visitors with a lasting sense of awe, and it’s no surprise given some of the one-of-a-kind attractions on offer in this country. The Blue Lagoon and Golden Circle may be top priority for many sightseers, but don’t limit yourself...