10 Days in Iceland Itinerary: The Ultimate Adventure

Looking to plan your itinerary for 10 days in Iceland? We’ve got you covered! Having visited Iceland on both long and short getaways in the past, a 10 day Iceland itinerary hits that sweet spot. Maximize your limited vacation time and do an entire road trip around the perimeter of the country.

I’ve shown you how to visit Iceland for 3 days and 5 days with carefully planned travel guides. Conversely, I’ve detailed how to visit Iceland in 2 weeks. 10 days in Iceland showcases the best of both worlds, venturing all the way around the Ring Road on a self-guided tour.

To visit Iceland in 10 days, I’ll show you exactly where we drove, what we did, the things we saw and where we stayed. Steal our exact travel plans to have an epic holiday around this spectacular island.

First, it’s important to sort out how to get around Iceland. I recommend renting a car or a campervan to see Iceland at your own pace.

And even better, when visiting during the spring/summer months (mid-May to mid-August), Iceland experiences the midnight sun. Since it stays light out well into the night, it’s easy to maximize your road trip hours without having to drive in the dark.

Getting Around by Campervan

This itinerary is an Iceland self-drive travel guide. This means that you’ll need to have a vehicle to drive yourself around the island. We suggest either renting a car or renting a campervan.

Renting a campervan may be the easiest and most cost effective choice. Essentially, it’s a home on wheels. By using a campervan in Iceland, there’s no need to stay at hotels, hostels or guesthouses.

Stay in the campervan and stay at campsites. Many of these campsites have facilities like bathrooms, showers, Wi-Fi, or even a small complimentary breakfast in the morning.

For this 10 days in Iceland itinerary, a great way to begin your adventure is to start renting a campervan with Camper Rental Iceland. They offer a diverse fleet of campers with an easy and flexible cancellation policy. They also have 24/7 roadside assistance for your peace of mind.

Please note that wild camping is not permitted in Iceland. You can’t simply park your van wherever you like overnight. You must stay at a designated campsite or have permission from the landowner.

Also, remember to check the weather in Iceland and the road conditions in advance. It’s best to be prepared if the weather take sa turn for the worse. Many roads are closed for the whole winter season. Others may be impassable due to flooding or other poor conditions.

10 Days in Iceland: The Perfect Itinerary

Without further ado, here’s my 10 days in Iceland itinerary. We start the trip in Reykjavik, exploring the city and getting over any jet lag. Then, we drive in a counterclockwise direction around Iceland, sticking mostly to the Ring Road (Route 1).

Day 1: Reykjavik

For the first day in Iceland, explore and stay in Reykjavik. The journey starts at the Keflavik airport. Pick up your rental vehicle from the airport or pick it up on day two when the road trip adventure starts.

If you decide to pick up the rental car or campervan on the second day of the trip, take the bus from the airport to Reykjavik. Once you’re in Reykjavik and all settled in, here are a few ways to spend the day:

• Laugavegur, Reykjavik’s main shopping street lined with shops and cafes
• Rainbow Street, a colourful rainbow mural on the ground leads up to the church
• Hallgrimskirkja, the tallest church in Iceland and the best city views are from the viewing platform at the top
• Sólfar, the Sun Voyager sculpture on the waterfront
• Harpa, the impressive architecture of this glass concert hall building
• Sky Lagoon, an oceanside geothermal lagoon, perfect for relaxing after your flight

Where to Stay: Grandi by Center Hotels, Reykjavik

Day 2: The Golden Circle

On day two of this 10 day Iceland itinerary, let’s drive the famous Golden Circle route. This one day road trip demonstrates the adventures that await in Iceland, all in one place.

There’s a national park, an exciting geothermal area, and a huge waterfall. The Golden Circle isn’t all that far from Reykjavik, so it’s a great way to ease into your road trip of Iceland. Here are the best things to do in the Golden Circle:

• Go for a walk at Thingvellir National Park
• A snorkeling tour at the Silfra Fissure within the national park (swim between two tectonic plates!)
• Geysir to see Strokkur erupt approximately once every two to 10 minutes
• Gullfoss, a massive waterfall

Where to stay: Gesthus Selfoss, at the cottages or the campground

Day 3: The South Coast

It’s day three and time to discover Iceland’s brilliant South Coast. Waterfalls, black sand beaches, glaciers and other adventures are waiting!

As we drove east along the Ring Road, here are the stops we made for an incredible day on the southern coast of Iceland:

• Seljalandsfoss and the second “secret” waterfall nearby, Gljúfrabúi
• Skógafoss, one of the biggest waterfalls in Iceland
• Glacier hiking tour at Solheimajokull Glacier
• Black sand beach, Reynisfjara
• If there’s time, the Sólheimasandur Plane Crash Site

Where to stay: Lambhus Glacier View Cabins

Day 4: Southeast Iceland

As we make our way around Iceland, some of the most underrated and magical views are located in southeast Iceland and the Eastfjords. The scenery changes around every turn when you progress from the more southern parts up to the east and northeast of the island

We spent the first half of our day participating in a zodiac boat tour at Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. Make sure you get your tickets well in advance as the small zodiac boat tour sells out. The zodiac boat flies across the surface of the water, getting right next to floating icebergs and near the giant glacier wall.

For the rest of the day, we drove through the East fjords, marveling at each and every view. There are numerous places to make stops to see rock formations, black sand beaches, and mountainous viewpoints.

Where to stay: Fljotsdalsgrund Guesthouse near Egilsstaðir

Day 5: Seydisfjordur & Myvatn

I love visiting small towns, how about you? Seydisfjordur is a little off the beaten track, but it’s not to be missed. It ended up being one of our favorite places in Iceland.

On this 10 days in Iceland itinerary, spend the first half of day five in Seydisfjordur. Go for a walk through town, stopping at a charming little cafe, admiring the tiny church and checking out the huge waterfall at the edge of town.

Next, drive to Lake Myvatn to spend the next two nights. I’m going to outline all of the best things to do in Myvatn in the next section. Take one or two of those ideas and do them on day five, if you have the time. Otherwise, relax and enjoy the surroundings at your accommodation.

Where to stay: Skutustadir Guesthouse, Myvatn

Day 6: Myvatn

For day six, let’s base ourselves completely in the Myvatn region and see all the highlights. Up in the northern areas of Iceland, there are more waterfalls, more dramatic views, and more examples of geothermal wonders.

Here are the best things to do in Myvatn. It’s possible to see all of these places in a day. Move one or two of these activities to the previous day if you’d like. This is also referred to as the Diamond Circle route of the north.

• Namafjall Hverir Geothermal Area for a landscape that looks like Mars
• Dimmuborgir Lava Field, rock formations created from solidified lava that are thousands of years old
• Grjótagjá Cave, a cave with vivid blue waters, as seen in Game of Thrones
• Krafla and Viti Crater, a surreal turquoise blue lake inside a massive crater
• Dettifoss, the most powerful waterfall in Europe
• Myvatn Nature Baths, amazing hot springs in the north of Iceland

Day 7: Husavik

For day seven of this Iceland 10 day itinerary, we venture farther north to the town of Husavik. This is the whale capital of Iceland with its whale museum and whale watching tours.

For those who love the outdoors and wildlife, it’s almost a guarantee that you’ll spot whales on these whale watching adventures. It wasn’t only whales we saw on our tour, we also saw many puffins (so cute!) and other birds.

These tours take you to the edge of the Arctic Circle. We recommend this whale watching tour for when you travel to Husavik. Then, drive to Akureyri, Iceland’s unofficial northern capital, where we’ll spend two nights.

Where to stay: Ytri Vik Cottages near Akureyri

Day 8: Akureyri

On day eight, we’re mostly taking a break from nature and the outdoors (though you’re still surrounded by it everywhere you go in Iceland!) to explore the second largest city in Iceland, Akureyri.

You can make your day in Akureyri as busy or as relaxed as you’d like. Definitely wander around and explore the town. There are also some tours, museums and activities in Akureyri, too.

• Akureyrakirkja, the Akureyri church
• Hafnarstræti, the main shopping street
• Street art and public art in Akureyri is everywhere!
• Akureyri Botanical Garden
• Go for a hike at Kjarnaskogur Forest
• Take a day trip to Godafoss, a beautiful waterfall

Day 9: Hvammstangi

Enjoy the drive on the Ring Road between Akureyri and Hvammstangi while spending a half day in this sweet little town. There are a couple of highlights in and around Hvammstangi that aren’t to be missed.

First, Hvammstangi is the seal watching capital of Iceland. There’s a seal museum with invaluable information, plus a couple of places to observe the seals from afar on the Vatnsnes Peninsula.

Next, don’t miss the impressive Kolugljufur Canyon and Kolufossar Waterfall. These are both located at the same place, so witness the mighty waters of the falls and the majestic views overlooking the gorge.

Where to stay: Hvammstangi Cottages

Day 10: Snæfellsnes Peninsula

For the final day of this 10 days in Iceland travel guide, it’s finally time to visit the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. This peninsula on the western coast of Iceland is said to be “Iceland in miniature” for its natural wonders.

Base yourself in Grundarfjörður for the night and make a road trip around the peninsula. Here are the sights we recommend you visit on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula.

• Kirkjufell, an iconic mountain facing a small waterfall and river
• Snæfellsjökull National Park
• Saxhóll, a crater with stairs leading to the top
• Rauðfeldsgjá Gorge, a little hike with an entrance into the gorge

Where to stay: G4 Apartment in Grundarfjordur

10 Days in Iceland: Should I Include the Westfjords?

I personally think it’s a bit too ambitious to include the Westfjords with only 10 days in Iceland. While this Iceland 10 day itinerary does not include the Westfjords, my Iceland 2 week itinerary does. Even still, we only spent one full day there and wish we had more time.

While the Westfjords are stunning, it adds so much more driving to your trip. For some perspective, to reach the Latrabjarg Cliffs from Hvammstangi, it takes about seven to eight hours of driving.

If you decide to visit the Westfjords, you’ll have to leave out another part of this itinerary. I feel that this Iceland in 10 days travel guide is the best way to go about seeing the country for the first time, so I’d leave the Westfjords out of it this time around.