8-Day Iceland Ring Road Tour: Explore Reykjavik, Akureyri, Golden Circle & South Coast

Embark on an exhilarating 8-day Iceland Ring Road tour, discovering the wonders of Reykjavik, Akureyri, Golden Circle, and the South Coast. Explore glaciers, geysers, waterfalls, and more!

Duration: 8 days
Cancellation: 6 days learn more
Highlights

Reykjavik

Hallgrimskirkja - Your 8-day adventure kicks off in Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik. Take your time to explore the city at your own pace. Wander along the bustling Laugavegur shopping street, visit museums, or unwind at one of the local swimming pools. Reykjavik boasts a fantastic array of cafés and restaurants that will delight your taste buds.

Golden Circle and South Coast

Hallgrimskirkja - On day 2, your guide will pick you up from your centrally located hotel.

Golden Circle Route - This tour highlights waterfalls, hot springs, and rich heritage. Visit the renowned Golden Circle, featuring three of Iceland’s top attractions: Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Geysir hot spring area, and Gullfoss Waterfall.

Thingvellir National Park - Discover the historical and geological marvels of Thingvellir National Park.

Geysir - Witness Strokkur geyser erupting at the Geysir Hot Springs.

Gullfoss Waterfall - Marvel at Gullfoss Waterfall, one of Iceland’s most beloved waterfalls, before heading to the South Coast.

Seljalandsfoss - Your first stop on the South Coast will be Seljalandsfoss Waterfall.

Skogafoss - Next, visit the impressive Skógafoss Waterfall.

Kirkjubaejarklaustur - Your day concludes with an overnight stay in the Kirkjubæjarklaustur area.

Vík - Skaftafell - Glacier Lagoon - Höfn

Reynisfjara Beach - Explore the black sand beach of Reynisfjara and see the Reynisdrangar basalt columns.

Vatnajokull Glacier - Embark on a glacier hike at Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest glacier.

Glacier Lagoon - Visit the enchanting Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon.

Fellsfjara - Next, head to the nearby Diamond Beach.

East Fjords - Djúpivogur - Wilderness Center - Egilsstaðir

Port of Djúpivogur - On day 4, stop at Djúpivogur, a charming fishing village, before embarking on a 3-hour hike to the stunning Litlanesfoss and Hengifoss waterfalls.

Studlagil - Mývatn - Nature Bath - Godafoss - Akureyri

Godafoss - Admire the beauty of Godafoss waterfall.

Akureyri International Airport - Visit Akureyri, the capital of the north, and consider a relaxing visit to Myvatn Nature Baths for a small fee.

Myvatn Nature Baths (Jardbodin vid Myvatn) - Opt for a soothing visit to Myvatn Nature Baths for a small fee.

Akureyrarkirkja - Spend the night in the Akureyri area.

Studlagil canyon - The basalt column canyon towers over a turquoise glacial river, offering one of the country’s most breathtaking views. The canyon is located in the upper part of Jökuldalur Valley in East Iceland, a region known for its numerous sheep farms.

Námaskarð - Explore the steaming lunar landscape of the Námaskarð geothermal area, featuring boiling hot springs, colorful bubbling mud pots, and steaming fumaroles.

Dimmuborgir Lava Formations - Witness the incredible Dimmuborgir Lava formations, also known as the Dark Castles.

Whale watching in Dalvík - Siglufjörður -Tröllaskagi - Bifröst

Akureyrarkirkja - Discover Akureyri, the capital of the North, before continuing to Dalvik.

Borgarnes - End your day with an overnight stay in the Borgarnes area.

Borgarfjörður - Reykholt - Hraunfossar - Hvalfjörður - Reykjavik

West Region - Visit an area that Lonely Planet named one of the best destinations in 2016. Start the day with a short hike up Grábrók, a volcanic crater. Borgarfjörður offers numerous amazing sights.

Hraunfossar - Visit the Hraunfossar waterfall, where ice-cold water flows out of the lava.

Reykholt - The final stop is Reykholt, a significant historical site in Iceland, especially during medieval times. See Snorralaug, the hot spring pool named after Snorri Sturluson, the 12th/early 13th-century scholar, lawyer, historian, and saga writer.

Hvalfjörður - On the way back to Reykjavik, drive around the scenic Hvalfjörður (Whale Fjord).

Reykjavík

Laugavegur - Explore the capital at your leisure and make the most of your time in the vibrant city of Reykjavik.

What's Included
  • Whale watching in Dalvík
  • Glacier hike on Vatnajokull Glacier
  • Guided minibus tour
  • Small group guarantee
  • Breakfast included
  • 7-night accommodation with en suite bathroom
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi on board
  • Hike to picturesque Hengifoss Waterfall
What's Not Included
  • Entrance fee to Mývatn Nature Baths (Optional extra)
  • Whale Watching Rhib Boat upgrade (Optional extra)
  • Food & drinks (Except breakfast at the hotels)
  • Single room fee (Optional)
Additional Information

Looking to maximize your Icelandic adventure? This is the perfect tour for you. Embark on a journey around the renowned Ring Road of Iceland and soak up its fiery yet icy landscape in a mere 8 days. Create lasting impressions as you marvel at glittering glaciers, erupting geysers, awe-inspiring waterfalls, the glacier lagoon, whale-spotting excursions, and so much more. The tour is bookended with stays in Reykjavik - an opportunity to independently discover the capital city of this idyllic island.

  • Minimum age: 8
  • From late summer to April there can be a chance to see the Northern Lights painting the sky with vivid swirls of colour.
  • In winter we can include an ice cave visit as well as a glacier hike.
  • What to bring: Warm outdoor clothing, a waterproof jacket and pants, headwear and gloves. Good hiking shoes are recommended.
  • This tour includes a shared room. If you are a solo traveler and do not wish to share a room with another participant of the same gender then you can upgrade to a single room by contacting the operator directly after booking.
Cancellation Policy

If you cancel at least 6 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.
If you cancel between 2 and 6 day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a 50% refund.
If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.

Customer Ratings
4.5
(69 Ratings)
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Teammojoexeperiencr
Jul 17, 2024
Fantastic~great way to experience Iceland and we have so many memories! - Great trip. Great guide and great people! We loved this trip. The guide Vjeran was absolutely on point! He was full of knowledge, made extra stops and catered to the clients needs and wants! We had such a ball~thank you!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sandrasv7629nv
Jul 17, 2024
What a week! - Everyday was amazing and everyday was totally different. We went from cold and wet to blue skies and hot. Blown away by the varied scenery. Vignir as our guide was the best - cool and calm and funny and knowledgeable. I learnt a lot and have a deep admiration for the Icelandic people and culture. Feel privileged to have spent this time with him and will miss everything.
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M2380kdbillb
Jul 13, 2024
Waterfalls, Glacier walking, hot geothermal baths and sheep - The 8 day Highlights Hitter tour is actually the 6 day ring Road tour with 2 additional day trips added at the end The 6 day Tour was excellent- Nick was our guide and he was fantastic. We saw so many waterfalls, so many sheep, walked on a glacier and enjoyed the Myvatan geothermal hot baths- so many things we would never have accomplished trying to do it on our own. Great to have a guide like Nick getting us there, and most excursions were covered (whale watching, ice cream at a dairy but not riding the Icelandic horses for example) Food and lodging was great-lunch spots for bread and soup not to be missed. And Nick continually pointed out spots that were used in the series Game of thrones and other TV/movie sets. Elisa for the Snaefellnes peninsula was very good and again got us to places we would not know to go look for. We saw an Arctic fox! The final day was Super Jeep in the highlands- we were a little anxious about how rough a ride it would be. Martin and the SuperJeep were great and the ride was smooth. More beautiful waterfalls and then a walk through lava fields- other worldly. We saw so much more than we could have done on our own in an 8 day time frame- busy but amazing. Given we were in the vans so long, the guides were excellent about bathroom breaks. Only criticism is the hand off for the 2 Day excursions on day 7 and 8 could be smoother- our guides were surprised we were travelling with luggage, but they worked it out. Highly recommend.
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Sue
Jul 13, 2024
Multi-day driving tour of Iceland - Truly memorable trip around the entire island of Iceland with Diddi. What a phenomenal guide! This trip involves a LOT of riding in a 19 passenger mini-bus, and Diddi made it exceptional by sharing all his knowledge of Icelandic history and culture. He also went out of his way to share some wonderful surprises, like a side trip to a puffin nesting ground, a visit to an Icelandic horse farm, and so much more.
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Ginatambree
May 16, 2024
Outstanding !!! - We’ve just completed the 8 day ring road Iceland tour. It was absolutely brilliant. Our tour guide Karl was fantastic. He went above and beyond to make our trip sensational. My only feedback was that we only ‘toured’ for 6 days. The extra 2 days was really only Arctic Adventures organising the accommodation for the nights In Reykjavik either side so effectively it really was just a 6 day tour. That said by them organising those 2 nights accommodation saved me from having to do it. The accommodation throughout the 8 days was sensational and Karl certainly guided us to the best restaurants along the way. We ended up with only 9 on the tour and we all got on brilliantly. It was a week I’ll never forget. Iceland certainly lived up to its reputation and so too did Arctic Adventures. They run a fabulous and reputable company.
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798nk
May 16, 2024
Three Cheers for Arctic Adventures Iceland Tour - My 8 day Iceland tour organized by Arctic adventures was one of the best travel experiences of my life. The team at Arctic adventures is very professional, responsive and helpful. The guide I had is truly the best travel guide I have ever had and I travel extensively. Arctic Adventures delivered everything and more. Their website is amazing as are their support staff and guides (at least the one I had who was beyond amazing). I cannot say enough amazing things about the country but that is another story... My only unpleasant experience relates to having nearly missed my return flight because I was simply not picked up by a company called Flybus that is listed on their website: but I would not hold articular branches per se as being responsible for the same. Artic adventures gets an A plus, a 10 on 10 score!!
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Oren12
Mar 16, 2024
Iceland trip review - We had Sophia Elo Esumike to coordinate all our activities . She is indeed exceptionally professional, attentive , cooperative and always available . She made our trip a dream come true . If you consider arctic adventure ask for Sophia , you will not regret it .
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Chie
Nov 23, 2023
Excellent tour guide and amazing experience . - We took the 8days ring tour, first and last days is free and easy in Reykjavik so lucky to have had Bjorn as our tour guide for 6 days ring tours - he was incredibly knowledgeable, sense of humor patient and kind. Most importantly, he treated everyone like family. He kept us safe and happy. Thanks for everything! Book with Arctic Adventures! Highly recommended .
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Erikaw3178lz
Nov 10, 2023
Great company, amazing tours - hotels, everything. - Everything was incredible, perfect, all the tours, all the cities, our guide Adolf, a typical Icelander, always telling the whole story of the places we went to, the hotels we stayed in were 1000, very good food, the accommodation we stayed in a hotel farm experience very cool. everything perfect, 1000
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N9386masallya
Oct 3, 2023
I love the unique scenic views of Iceland. Most esp the numerous cascading waterfalls and diamond beach. - Wondeful views and very talented and well mannered driver/tour guide named Voeran! He made our trip really memorable. Highly recommended! I think whoever board in his bus gets extra perks from his skills!!!
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