Iceland Trip 2026

This is a translation. The original post is in German.

After my marathon in Chicago, I’m planning a short road trip around Iceland. It will be a fairly short loop through the south of the island, since I’ll only be there for 7 days.

My plan looks roughly like this:

Instead of the full Ring Road, I’m driving half a loop: the Golden Circle, the south coast as far as the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and back, and finally the Snæfellsnes peninsula. That’s about 1,600 km in a rental car, spread over seven days. In mid-October it’s only light from about 8:20 am to 6:00 pm, so I’ve planned each day’s drive to reach the accommodation before dark.

Day 1 – Golden Circle (13 October, approx. 230 km)

I land in Keflavík early in the morning from Chicago, so I’m taking the first day easy.

• Þingvellir: You walk through the Almannagjá gorge, right between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.
• Geysir and Strokkur: Strokkur erupts every 5 to 10 minutes.
• Gullfoss: The mighty two-tiered waterfall, just a few minutes further on.
• Kerið: A red volcanic crater with a short trail around the rim.

Overnight in Hella.

Day 2 – South Coast (14 October, approx. 150 km)

• Seljalandsfoss: You can walk behind the waterfall, so don’t forget a rain jacket.
• Gljúfrabúi: A hidden waterfall in a gorge, only a ten-minute walk away.
• Skógafoss: Stairs lead up to a viewpoint above the waterfall.
• Sólheimajökull: A short walk up to a glacier tongue.
• Dyrhólaey: A rock arch with a lighthouse and wide views along the coast.
• Reynisfjara: The black sand beach with its basalt columns. Keep your distance from the water here: the so-called sneaker waves are dangerous.

Overnight near Vík.

Day 3 – Glacier Country (15 October, approx. 235 km)

This is the busiest day, so it’s an early start.

• Eldhraun: The Ring Road runs right through a huge, moss-covered lava field.
• Fjaðrárgljúfur: A short hike along the canyon.
• Skaftafell: A hike to Svartifoss, the waterfall framed by basalt columns (about 1.5 hours there and back).
• Fjallsárlón: A quieter glacier lagoon right below the ice.
• Jökulsárlón: The famous glacier lagoon with its icebergs, best at sunset.

As a highlight, I’m treating myself to a really nice hotel near the glacier lagoon tonight, with a hot tub and dark skies. With a bit of luck, there will be northern lights.

Day 4 – Ice and Heading Back (16 October, approx. 170 km)

• Diamond Beach: At sunrise, when the chunks of ice glitter on the black beach.
• Glacier hike or ice cave: Most tours start at Jökulsárlón. Mid-October is just the start of the ice cave season.

In the afternoon I head west again. Overnight near Kirkjubæjarklaustur.

Day 5 – Back to Reykjavík (17 October, approx. 285 km)

This is the longest drive, but there’s little else on the schedule. In the afternoon there’s time for Reykjavík: Hallgrímskirkja, the old harbour and Laugavegur. I’ll end the evening at the Sky Lagoon.

Overnight in Reykjavík.

Day 6 – Snæfellsnes (18 October, approx. 280 km)

The peninsula is often called “Iceland in miniature”.

• Gerðuberg: A long wall of basalt columns right by the road.
• Búðir: The small black church in the middle of the lava field.
• Arnarstapi: A walk along the cliffs with rock arches, towards Hellnar.
• Djúpalónssandur: A black pebble beach with the remains of a shipwreck, below the Snæfellsjökull glacier.
• Kirkjufell: Probably the most photographed mountain in Iceland, together with its waterfall.

Overnight in Grundarfjörður.

Day 7 – Blue Lagoon (19 October, approx. 250 km)

In the morning I head back south, and in the afternoon I finish at the Blue Lagoon, in the middle of the black lava field on the Reykjanes peninsula. There have been repeated volcanic eruptions there in recent years. Maybe I’ll be lucky and see real lava, but first I have to check whether the lagoon is open at all.

I’ll spend the last night in Keflavík, right by the airport. On 20 October I fly home early in the morning.

After the trip, I’ll report how much of this actually worked out.