Itinerary - Iceland Ring Road Complete - 15 Days DAY 1: FROM REYKJAVÍK TO THE SNÆFELLSNES PENINSULA Are you ready to begin your adventure around Iceland? The first day takes you out of Reykjavík and under the sea, through the Hvalfjarðargöng tunnel, to the friendly town of Borgarnes. Situated in the beautiful Borgarfjörður fjord, with a magnificent mountain view, Borgarnes is home to the fantastic Settlement Center and many Saga sites. Next, you go to the Snæfellsnes peninsula, passing the volcanic crater Eldborg, through a lava field, and a couple of tiny towns by the sea, all offering great hiking opportunities. Now brace yourselves, as you are about to enter a place of (supposed) supernatural powers: Snæfellsjökull glacier and volcano, where Jules Verne based his novel "Journey to the Centre of the Earth". A view to the glacier 1 dominates the park, but it is only visible on relatively bright days. Highlights in the national park include walks on Djúpalónssandur beach, known for its lava formations, pebble stones, and trial stones for strength. Walks by the picturesque cliffs at Arnarstapi is another highlight, especially in the summer when the birdlife can be enjoyed simultaneously. Don't miss a walk to the mysterious black church located close to the yellow sand beach enveloped by black lava at Búðir. Carry on your drive around the peninsula, through several very pretty towns by the sea, including the lovely small town of Grundarfjörður and its beautiful surroundings, dominated by the mountain Kirkjufell. You can also visit the Bjarnarhöfn shark processing exhibition and/or spend some time visiting the beautiful town of Stykkishólmur, with its many pretty houses close to the harbour. DAY 2: FROM SNÆFELLSNES PENINSULA TO THE WESTFJORDS Today you leave the Snæfellsnes peninsula with the ferry to Brjánslækur. The trip across Breiðafjörður fjord is very scenic and you will see several of the fjord's thousands of islands and possibly some whales. Upon reaching the Westfjords, you will visit the westernmost point of Europe, the gigantic cliffs of Látrabjarg, towering 414 m above sea level. The cliffs are home to a large number of seabirds, including puffins, kittiwakes, and guillemots. A footpath along the top of the cliffs offers great views and you can get really 2 close to the birds, but please be super careful not to fall or disturb the birds! You could also visit Rauðisandur beach, located west of Látrabjarg; one of Iceland's most spectacular sites and its most famous beach, red in colour in a beautiful setting of black cliffs and blue ocean. From here, you carry on your journey east along the southern edge of the Westfjords until you reach Reykhólar. Enjoy a quiet walk among the birch trees, or hike the nearby mountains to experience the magnificent view over Breiðafjörður bay with its endless islands and islets. DAY 3: THE REMOTE WESTFJORDS As you might have guessed, there are a lot of fjords in the Westfjords. Today, you will visit several of them so get ready for a lot of breathtaking scenery, beautiful mountains, and deep fjords. Also, get ready to put your driving skills to the test as there are some epic roads in this part (yes, the roads can be pretty difficult, but you should be fine as long as you drive carefully - just imagine you're driving Miss Daisy and not competing in Formula 1). The natural highlight of the day is Dynjandi, one of the most beautiful and impressive waterfalls 3 in Iceland. You can visit Hrafnseyri, the birthplace of Jón Sigurðsson, who was one of the leaders of the Icelandic independence struggle in the 19th century. You can also go to Þingeyri and visit one of the oldest houses in Iceland. Carry on your trip and enjoy the peace and quiet of the deep and narrow Dýrafjörður fjord, before heading to Önundarfjörður fjord in the spectacular Korpudalur valley, the perfect place to get away from it all in the midst of nature. Within minutes, you can find yourself hiking, climbing, or angling in the vast wilderness of Iceland's striking fjords and mountains. DAY 4: THE EASTERN PART OF THE WESTFJORDS Today you visit the capital of the Westfjords, Ísafjörður, in the enormous Ísafjarðardjúp fjord. Make sure to check out the very pretty part of town called Neðstikaupstaður, which is home to four of the oldest houses in Iceland, built in the 18th century, and a very interesting maritime and folk museum. From here, you could also book a boat trip to the romantic islands of Vigur and Æðey. Leave Ísafjörður and head to Súðavík, a small village rebuilt after a deadly avalanche in 1995. Carry on to Reykjanes, a narrow peninsula between Ísafjörður and Reykjafjörður fjords, home to geothermal hot springs and hiking trails, with fantastic bird watching. At 4 4 Reykjanes, you will find a very warm 50 m pool built in the middle of the last century for the former boarding school in the area. Next is Hólmavík, with a visit to the Museum of Icelandic Sorcery & Witchcraft, where you can for instance see trousers made from the skin of a dead man, the world famous necropants (lovely, we know!). Onwards to the Strandir area of the Westfjords, a perfect base to enjoy the unique wildlife. Seals swim along the coastline and there is a fantastic opportunity to see various species of birds, such as puffins, eider ducks, black guillemots, and oystercatchers to name a few. This is a peaceful place to explore the local peninsulas and creeks, while getting in touch with nature. DAY 5: FROM THE NORTHWEST TO THE CAPITAL OF THE NORTH, AKUREYRI Wake up in the peace and quiet of your accommodation in the Westfjords and then head over to the northwest of Iceland. You will notice that the landscape changes quite dramatically around here. Once on the road, see if you can spot any seals along the coast. Today you can visit Kolugljúfur gorge with many waterfalls and pass through a few pretty towns and villages, some with interesting museums, such as the 5 textile museum in Blönduós. Don't forget to check out the great new thermal pool in Blönduós as well. You also get a chance to visit Víðimýrarkirkja, a traditional turf church from the 19th century, as well as the lovely folk museum of Glaumbær. You will have some beautiful views of the sea and coastline, and then drive through spectacular valleys before reaching Eyjafjörður fjord, one of the country's longest fjords and home to the "Capital of the North", Akureyri, with its rich culture, many restaurants and cafés, and a fantastic thermal pool with many slides and other activities. DAY 6: THE NORTHEAST, INCLUDING WATERFALL OF THE GODS, AND LAKE MÝVATN Today is all about the forces of nature in Iceland. Leaving Akureyri, you drive to the magnificent "Waterfall of the Gods", Goðafoss, where you can spend some time walking to the different viewpoints and marvel at the waterfall's power. Then continue your drive to Lake Mývatn, where you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to beautiful nature and its various forces. Mývatn and the surrounding area offers interesting geological 6 phenomena, such as the pseudo craters Skútustaðagígar, lava caves, hot mud pots, steam springs, volcanoes, canyons, and a hot spring area. It also offers fantastic bird and nature watching. Furthermore, you can go hunting for trolls turned to stone in the unique recreational area of Dimmuborgir with its bizarre lava formations and caves. And why not end a long day by bathing in the outdoor lagoon at Mývatn Nature Baths? DAY 7: FROM LAKE MÝVATN TO THE EASTERN TIP OF ICELAND Are you ready for some whales, valleys, waterfalls, and fjords? Today, you drive to the town of Húsavík, where you can visit a whale museum and even go out to sea to (hopefully) spot the real thing! Remember to allow for at least three extra hours for the sail. From Húsavík, you drive to the enormous horseshoe shaped valley of Ásbyrgi, surrounded by dark cliffs up to 100 m high, where legend has it that the valley was formed by the 7 footprint of Sleipnir, the Norse god Odin's horse. From Ásbyrgi, there is a short drive to Hljóðaklettar (only in summer), a distinctive cluster of columnar rock formations. Next, you drive to the most powerful waterfall in Europe, Dettifoss, dispatching 500 m3 of dark glacial water per second! From here, you cross the flat lowlands of Melrakkaslétta peninsula, the right place if you are more inclined towards wildlife as bird watching is particularly lively on the peninsula. Final point of the day is Kópasker. DAY 8: EASTERN TIP OF ICELAND AND A GLACIAL RIVER Today, explore some of the most remote parts of Iceland, including Langanes peninsula where you can enjoy a pleasant hike around its moors, lakes and marshes, and the small fishing village of Þórshöfn, named after the Norse god of thunder, Þór ("Thor"). From there drive to the remote fishing village of Vopnafjörður, where you can visit the local folk museum and enjoy beautiful views of the sea and the surrounding mountains from the village's natural harbour. You might want a quick soak in Selárdalslaug thermal pool on the way. Next up: 8 Hellisheiði mountain road, which is only open to traffic during the summer months. Stay safe and enjoy the astonishing views and breathtaking landscape. You can choose to take the extra mile to the picturesque little village Borgarfjörður eystri. If not, you carry onwards to Jökulsá á Dal river, once one of the biggest glacial rivers in Iceland, but now very much changed because of the Kárahnjúkar hydroelectric power plant.