Iceland’s untouched natural wonders—glaciers, waterfalls, volcanoes, and colorful highlands—are the real attractions, making it an unparalleled destination. Iceland’s dramatic scenery can come with challenging landscapes and weather conditions. Some pre-trip preparation is desired, but not to the point of a fixed daily schedule, that sometimes takes away the joy of exploration.
We book a few things before the trip while leaving some daily details to ad-hoc arrangements. We first booked the flights arriving Iceland and departing Iceland, turning the travel wish list to a reality. With that and a rough sketch of regions to explore, we reserved accommodations. Iceland can be very expensive, but the stays are pretty reasonable if you take the time to find them ahead of time. We then reserved a 4WD SUV. Before the trip, we also booked a few guided tours (Volcano tour, Cave tour, highland tour) to visit places that are more complicated to explore alone.
The first week, we stayed in an airbnb in Reykjavik to ease into another time zone and use it as a hub to visit places in the proximity of the capital city. It is just a few minutes walk to the coastline. This airbnb is true to the spirit of airbnb home sharing, which I like. The host is a professor. There are shelves of non-fiction covering very interesting topics (e.g. Cosmology everything you need to know to master the subject in one book). The kitchen has everything for home cooking and some closets are half-filled, all the signs that the “professor” lives here from time to time. In the second week, we drove along the south coast, and had short stays in hotels or guest houses.
Travellers, me alike, often make the mistake of solely visiting the capital of a country. The capital of Iceland, Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, has amazing Icelandic food, tourist landmarks and lovely souvenir shops. A local shared with us the Northern Lights display in the capital that we missed the night before. Overall Reykjavik is a lovely place and has a lot to offer, but you must spend more time outside of the capital to see its true character and the raw beauty of Iceland.
At a comfortable pace and some hiking, we explored some amazing attractions. Here is the post-trip 2-week itinerary that I feel good sharing. My favorite places are in bold. There is still half of Iceland for another trip.
- Day 0 (Sep 1) – Arrive at Reykjavik: Pick up rental car, stock up at Costco, check in airbnb, explore the harbor front and Hallgrímskirkja area, and have dinner at Íslenski Barinn.
- Day 1 (Sep 2) – Reykjavik: Morning jog along the coastline, lunch at Hlemmur Mathöll (Food Hall), and five hours exploring geological and aurora exhibits at Perlan Museum.
- Day 2 (Sep 3) – Reykjavik Swimming: Walk around 101 Reykjavík and Old Harbor, lunch at Hlemmur Food Hall, relax at Sundhöllin pool, and shop.
- Day 3 (Sep 4) – Highlands Excursion: Full-day guided excursion to Landmannalaugar in the Highlands, hiking colorful rhyolite mountains and soaking in geothermal hot springs.
- Day 4 (Sep 5) – Cave & Lava Waterfall: Tour Víðgelmir lava cave and nearby Hraunfossar lava waterfalls; return to Reykjavík for dinner at Hlemmur Food Hall.
- Day 5 (Sep 6) – Inside the Volcano tour: Hike lava fields and descend into the Thrihnukagigur volcano magma chamber; dinner at Old Iceland Restaurant in Reykjavík.
- Day 6 (Sep 7) – Golden Circle: Tour Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss, and Kerið crater, with lunch at Friðheimar tomato farm.
- Day 7 (Sep 8) – Snæfellsnes Peninsula: Explore Kirkjufell mountain, coastal cliffs, and crater landscapes; search for Northern Lights back in Reykjavík.
- Day 8 (Sep 9) – South Coast Waterfalls: Visit Seljalandsfoss and Gljúfrabúi waterfalls and hidden canyon; stay near Eyjafjallajökull. Stay at the Garage.
- Day 9 (Sep 10) – Vík & Fimmvörðuháls: Visit Skógafoss waterfall, hike Fimmvörðuháls trail, explore Dyrhólaey and Reynisfjara black sand beach, and drive toward Höfn. Stay 2 nights at Hotel Smyrlabjorg
- Day 10 (Sep 11) – South East Coast: Watch glaciers, icebergs, ocean and seals at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach, visit Vestrahorn, and spot Northern Lights.
- Day 11 (Sep 12) – Vatnajökull & Skaftafell: Visit Fjallsárlón glacier lagoon and hike to Svartifoss waterfall in Skaftafell National Park before driving to Selfoss. Stay at the Arctic Wind near Reykjavik.
- Day 12 (Sep 13) – Blue Lagoon to Helsinki: Relax at the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa before taking an afternoon flight to Helsinki, Finland.
There are so many experiences I’d love to share, yet words and pictures can never fully capture them. In my next few posts, I will share what people don’t tell you about Iceland—and perhaps inspire your own journey.
