6 Days along Iceland Ring Road 🇮🇸 

Day 1

I landed in Reykjavík (capital of Iceland) early in the morning. The adventure began with a 2-hour drive from Reykjavík to the Golden Circle. The Golden Circle is a region in southern Iceland that includes 3 main attractions: Thingvellir National Park, Geysir Geothermal Area, and Gullfoss waterfall. We first stopped at Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site composed of dried magma fields. As we explored the park, we learned that we were literally walking across North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. Our second stop was at the Geysir Geothermal Area located in the Haudkadalur Valley. While most of the geysers and hot springs are inactive, we saw the famous geyser Strokkur erupt (erupts every 5 minutes). Our last destination at the Golden Circle included a stop at Gullfoss waterfall. This was the first waterfall we saw on this trip. Water from the Hvítá river travels from a glacier Langjökull. 

On our way to the hotel, we visited the Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls. I definitely recommend visiting the Seljalandsfoss because visitors can actually walk behind the waterfall. 

Day 2 

We started the day at a black sand beach called Reynisfjara. I’ve visited many beaches in past, but Reynisfjara is unlike anything I’ve seen before. Game of Thrones fans may recognize the landscape because some scenes from the show were shot here. While sitting on the beach, we could see Reynisdrangar peaks to the distance and feel the ridges from the basalt column caves. After admiring this beautiful beach, we drove to Mýrdalsjökull glacier where the volcano, Katla, erupted in 1918. (Mýrdalsjökull ice cap covers the Katla volcano). I could have spent hours at this particular ice cap. We then took a guided hike to visit the Crystal Ice Cave. 

We ended the day by visiting Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. It was at this lagoon that we visited the second beach of this trip: Diamond Beach. As mentioned previously, the beaches in Iceland are unlike anything I’ve seen before. 

Day 3 

The morning was spent driving the East Fjords of Iceland. Along the way, we spotted reindeers grazing in a field. We made a stop at Djúpivogur, one of Iceland’s many fishing villages. While walking around the fishing village, I grabbed a small snack (pictured below) from a local convenience store. By midday, we hiked to Hengifoss, Iceland’s second highest waterfall. In the evening, we got a quick glimpse of the northern lights!

Day 4 

From our hotel in Egilsstaðir, we drove to Möðrudalur, the largest farm in Iceland. Here you can find small cottages stacked with hay for insulation. We stopped at Café in the Mountain for a snack and some local coffee. We continued driving until we reached Dettifoss, a waterfall located in Vatnajokull National Park. It is known as the second most powerful waterfall in Europe. By mid-morning, we explored Mývatn, a lake located near active volcanos in northern Iceland. It was close to this location that we saw the second geothermal area, Námaskarð. The travelers huddled near the boiling hot springs to gain warmth on this cold, March day. We then spent time hiking Dimmuborgir, a lava field composed of various lava caves and formations. As we drove to the next major attraction, we saw Hverfjall crater, a volcanic crater with a 1 km diameter. In the afternoon, we explored the Mývatn Nature Bath, one of Iceland’s many natural hot springs. We ended the day by seeing the Goðafoss Waterfall and Eyjafjörður (one of the longest fjords in Iceland). 

Day 5

On our fifth day, we explored parts of Akureyri (known as the capital of north Iceland). It was so much fun exploring the bakeries, stationary stores, and restaurants in Akureyri. We then drove to Dalvík, a small fishing town, where we boarded a boat for our whale watching experience. It was freezing on the boat, but the fantastic views made it worth it! While we did not spot any whales on the trip, we did catch fresh cod from the frigid waters of the Norwegian Sea. Once caught, we learned how to clean and cook the fresh fish. 

After our whale watching trip, we visited another fishing village called Siglufjörður and drove through the agricultural areas of Laugarbakki. 

Day 6

On our final day of the trip, we explored West Iceland. We kickstarted the morning with a hike to Grábrók, a volcanic crater that belongs to the Ljosufjoll volcanic system. When we hiked, it was so cold that ice hit our faces like stones. As we drove along the coast line, we stopped at Borgarfjörður, a fjord with significant undercurrents and shallows. We eventually made our way to our last hot spring called Deildartunguhver. Then we visited Hraunfossar, a series of waterfalls. On our way back to Reykjavík, we visited Reykholt, a historical village known to be the home of Snorri Sturluson, and Hvalfjörður, a fjord in West Iceland. After a full day of exploring, we finally arrived in Reykjavík, marking the completion of our 6 day adventure in Iceland.