Iceland Travel Guide
I’ve been attempting to write this blog for about a month now, and I couldn’t figure out why I kept feeling a block towards it until now. Iceland was the most magical place I have ever been. It was truly the trip of a lifetime. I discovered a piece of myself that had been missing, I learned about a part of the world that I knew nothing about, I explored, I asked questions, I dove in head first. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before. And all while I was having the time of my life, the world I left behind was falling apart to some extent. COVID-19 (Corona) was taking over my home, by business, my team, and I was going to be coming home to something I could have never been prepared for. Not to mention my brother-in-law was diagnosed with a form of leukemia while I was away, and that brought on a very surreal feeling for me, seeing as though my trip was all about celebrating life and being cancer-free. Long story short, it was a whirlwind of emotions.
So, all of that to say, I felt guilty for being gone, but I also knew it was exactly where I needed to be.
I’ve been home for just over a month now, and it feels like this very recent trip of a lifetime was years ago. It’s a very bizarre world we find ourselves in now, but that doesn’t change the fact that Iceland was seriously the absolute coolest place I’ve ever been, and I want to tell you ALL ABOUT IT should you decide to plan a trip of your own, which I highly recommend.
Before choosing Iceland as my destination, I truly knew nothing about it. It was simply a place on the map I hadn’t been, flights were cheap, and it seemed like a fun idea. Being the Rick Steves fan that I am, I researched his Icelandic travel guides and built a trip based on the reviews I read. Now, I feel like an absolute professional (kind of kidding, kind of not). So, I’ve created my ideal travel guide below. This is based off of what went well, what didn’t, and lots more.
Let’s dive in.
Before I get started into the details, let’s cover some basics.
Based on my very “professional” opinion, I would suggest 5 nights and 6 days as a minimum for your Icelandic adventures.
Reykjavik was not my cup of tea. I am going to suggest you go there first, because if you go at the end of your trip you will likely be deeply disappointed after experiencing pure magic on the south coast. However, if you are short on days or time, I would skip it entirely.
I was there during the month of March, so some activities or excursions may change depending on the season.
Pack warm clothes, but don’t worry about it too much. It wasn’t near as cold as I expected. Good socks, gloves, hats, and scarves will go a long way.
Iceland is not cheap, nor is there much “wiggle room” to be thrifty while you are there. Ideally you may want to budget to spend around 3k per person after lodging, meals, and excursions. I recommend booking all excursions ahead of time for the best deals.
Below you will find a photo of a map which was published by Rick Steves, I use it here so you can get a feel for the general directions and so you can see what I based my trip on as I explain my ideal itinerary below. I will suggest some modifications to his and I have also included a lot of photos at the very end!
My Ideal Icelandic Itinerary:
Day 1: Explore Reykjavik and Blue Lagoon
Arrive in Reykjavik. Pick up a rental car and be sure to get a hot spot so you can use your phone for directions in the car. (I recommend landing as early as possible so you have a full day!)
Drive 45 minutes and go to the Blue Lagoon. (Book your tickets ahead of time) Plan to stay here for roughly 2 hours.
Drive another 45 minutes to Reykjavik City Center. Check into your hotel (I stayed at the Sand Hotel).
Walk around the town and explore the cute shopping streets.
Eat at “Kaffivagninn” (and don’t ask me how to pronounce it!) Spend some time walking around this area after you eat. There are some really cute shops and eateries.
Day 2: Drive the Golden Circle
Check out of your hotel in Reykjavik.
Snorkel Silfra, the Continental Divide. It is in Thingvellir, which is the national park on the golden circle loop. I used a company called Dive.IS and absolutely loved my experience. It will take about 2-3 hours for this excursion. Try to book the earliest time slot they have, so that you have time to finish the Golden Circle stops on your way to the South Coast.
Other stops along the golden circle include the faxafoss (waterfall), gulfoss (waterfall), geysir, a secret hot spring, and Kerid Crater Lake.
While it is somewhat obvious where to go and there are a lot of tourists, pick up a map just incase. Your directions on your phone should also work.
Once you’ve seen the sights, drive to the South Coast. It will be around a 90 minute drive.
If you have time and daylight on your side, you can go ahead and stop at the Seljalandfoss, but if not, you’ll have time the next day.
Check into your hotel, and I HIGHLY recommend staying at the Skalakot Hotel. If you do stay there, try to arrive before dinner because they have the best food in the area.
Day 3: Explore the South Coast
Eat breakfast at the Hotel (if you are staying at Skalakot)
Go to Seljalandfoss (waterfall)
Go to Skogafoss (waterfall)
Go to Solheima Jokull (glacier). There is a trail to walk/hike all the way back to the glacier, and it feels long and doesn’t look like much from far away, but trust me when I say you are going to want to go all the way to it and inside of it. Follow the tourists! It is incredible.
Go Horseback riding at Skalakot (you can book this in advance when you book the hotel.)
Dinner at Skalakot.
Day 4: Explore Vik
Eat breakfast at the Hotel (if you are staying at Skalakot)
Go to Dryholoaey (on the way to Vik)
Go to Reynisfjara (on the way to Vik)
Go to Vik
Ice Cave Tour in Vik (I had the Skalakot hotel book this for me in advance and I did the morning tour time.)
Lunch in Vik and then you can walk around if you have time.
ATV Tour on the Black Sand Beach. (I had the Skalakot hotel book this for me in advance and I did the afternoon tour time) You will also get to visit the ever so famous plane wreck site when you do this tour. And if you have the means, book a private tour and make sure each person in your group has their own ATV.
Drive back to hotel and depending on the weather, you can ask them where to go to see the Northern Lights once it gets dark.
Day 5: Westman Islands (also called Heimaey)
You will want to book your ticket for the ferry to get to the Island in advance, and I suggest bringing your car with you on the ferry because sometimes, depending on the weather, you will leave from one port and then they will bring you back to another port, and if you don’t have your car with you, you’ll have some issues.
The website to book your ferry is herjolfur.is
You are going to Vestmannaeyjar, which is the port for the Westman Island.
You will want to depart from the Landeyjahofn port if possible, which is closest to the south coast.
You can return the next day to the same port, or you can return to the Porklakshofn, which is closer to Reykjavik.
Trust me when I say you will want to check your email for notifications on port changes. They typically send out an email at 6am each day to say what times they are leaving from which port, so even if you book in advance it can still change. Just stay flexible and go with the flow, because the trip to the island is worth it!
Once you make it to the Island, you can check into your hotel.
I then recommend eating at a restaurant called GOTT, it’s incredible.
From the restaurant GOTT, you can easily get on the trail which takes you to see where the volcano erupted and you get a beautiful visual of the island. The staff at GOTT can direct you to the trail if you get lost. Take your time to explore and hike around.
Visit the museum and do the audio tour. (I don’t typically like museums but this was incredible.)
Walk around the island and just enjoy. You can pick up a map of the island and see it all while you’re there. The island is extremely walkable.
Day 6: Say your goodbye’s.
Get on the earliest ferry back to the mainland.
If you have time before your flight out and before returning your rental car, I highly recommend visiting the Lava Center which is along the South Coast. Again, I am normally not a museum goer but this is definitely worth it. Now that you have explored Iceland, it will be even more fascinating to put it all together.
Return your rental car and head back to the airport.
Picture time!
Blue Lagoon, Day One:
Kaffivagninn, Day One:
Snorkeling Silfra, Day Two:
Golden Circle, Day Two:
Skalakot Hotel, South Coast, Day Two-Five:
South Coast Stops, Day Three: (Seljalandfoss, Skogafoss, Solheima Jokull)
Sites in Vik, Day Four: (Dryholoaey and Reynisfjara)
Sites in Vik, Day Four: ( Ice Cave Tour and ATV Tour)
Heimaey Island, Day Five:
I hope you find this useful! If you are planning a trip and need help, don’t be afraid to reach out! I truly fell in love with this place and hope you find it as magical as I did.
xo,
Emma