Iceland Itinerary - 7 Days in Iceland

Iceland is a country full of adventure and wildness. The towns are small, the landscapes are massive, and you feel like you’re in the plot of an adventure movie the entire time. From expansive glaciers to volcanos, lava fields, fjords, hot springs, black sand beaches, ocean cliffs, lupine fields, and hundreds of miles of nothing, Iceland is truly one of the best countries on Earth. Here is a look at our ideal Iceland itinerary for 7 days.

Note: This itinerary does not require driving on any F-Roads or 4x4 only roads

7 Days in Iceland Itinerary Overview

Day One	Arrive at Keflavik Airport - pick up the rental vehicle Visit Reykjanesviti & Valahnukamol Hike to Fagradalsfjall Volcano Visit the Blue Lagoon
Day Two	Start your day hiking to Reykjadalur Hot Spring River Drive around the Golden Circle (Kerið Crater, Strokkur Geysir, Gullfoss Waterfall
Day Three	Visit Gljufrabui & Seljalandsfoss Visit Skógafoss and hike the trail Visit Dyrhólaey and hike or drive to the top Explore Reynisfjara Beach - the iconic black sand beach
Day Four	Longer hike option: Mýrdalsjökull Glacier Visit Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon Hike to Skaftafellsjökull Glacier or Svínafellsjökull Glacier Check out Fjallsárlón Glacier
Day Five	Visit Vatnajökull National Park and take a guided tour* through Arctic Adventures *we recommend the Glacier Explorer Tour Visit Jökulsárlón Iceberg Lagoon & Diamond Beach
Day Six	Drive to Reykavik, stopping at hot springs on your way Get dinner downtown, we love PUNK restaurant
Day Seven	Explore Reykavik before catching your flight home!

Iceland Itinerary Breakdown & Photos

Day One - Black Cliffs, Volcano, and the Blue Lagoon

Arrive at Keflavik Airport and pick up rental car

Drive 30 minutes to Reykjanesviti & Valahnukamol

Valahnukamol beach or Valahnukamol cliffs are stunning black oceanside cliffs. Valahnukamol cliffs are a great natural habitat for birds, so while you visit you'll be greeted by hundreds either flying or resting in small holes on the cliff walls.

Reykjanesviti Lighthouse is just a short walk away from the beach!

Next, drive 30 minutes to Fagradalsfjall Volcano

The AllTrails listing puts the hike at 5.5 miles, but really you have the option to go as far as you want. We went roughly 2 miles out to the volcano and back. Fagradalsfjall Volcano started erupting in 2021 and continued to do so for 6 months. At the time of writing this, it is currently dormant, but it is set to go off again soon.

Drive 15 minutes to the Blue Lagoon to soak your muscles after a long flight and day of hiking! The Blue Lagoon can be a pricey option, but it is INCREDIBLE! Definitely worth the splurge if you have room in your budget for it.

Day Two - Hot Spring River, Golden Circle, and Waterfalls

Start your day hiking to Reykjadalur Hot Spring River

It is a 5-mile hike to access Reykjadalur Hot Spring River and is completely worth it. How high you hike up the river will determine how hot the water is. So if you're not a huge van of boiling hot water (like me), you can stay lower down, or if you want to feel your skin melt off (like Ryan), you can hike all the way up!

Drive 25 minutes to the entrance of the Golden Circle Kerið Crater

Kerið Crater is a volcanic crater, thought to have been formed over 3,000 years ago! It is believed to have been a cone-shaped volcano that depleted its magma reserve when it erupted, causing it to cave into itself.

After Kerið, drive 40 minutes to Strokkur Geysir

Strokkur is a geothermal area with colored hot springs, vents, and a geyser that goes off every 10ish minutes and can reach upwards of 20 meters high.

Lastly, head 10 minutes to Gullfoss Waterfall
Gullfoss is an iconic waterfall known for its multi-step cascade along a 90° bend of the Hvitá River.

Day Three - Waterfalls and Black Sand Beaches

Head to Gljufrabui & Seljalandsfoss to check out two of the most popular waterfalls in Iceland!

Gljufrabui is hidden inside a canyon, but you can access it by a short walk from Seljalandsfoss. Bring your rain gear though because walking near these two waterfalls is guaranteed to get you soaked!

Next, drive 30 minutes to Skógafoss

This is probably one of my favorite stops along this entire itinerary. Skógafoss is an incredible waterfall but the trail you can hike from the base of it is what makes me love this spot so much. Starting from the parking lot you can visit the main area of the waterfall, then head up the massive staircase to the right. From there you can hike about 2 miles in and see some amazing hidden falls. The further you walk in, the quieter it is, so you can truly feel like you have the entire place to yourself.

Here is a link to the trail on AllTrails

Drive 30 minutes to Dyrhólaey and hike or drive to the top

Dyrhólaey is a nature preserve on a small peninsula overlooking Black Sand Beach. It is also a common habitat for puffins, so if you're looking to spot any, here is a great place to look.

After, drive 23 minutes to the world-famous Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach

Day Four - Glaciers, Glaciers, and More Glaciers

If you're looking for a longer hike, Mýrdalsjökull Glacier is perfect!

The trailhead is located down a gorgeous borderline 4x4 road, so if you're worried about popping a tire (like we did) maybe skip this spot. The hike takes you through a stunning canyon, up into the mountains, and ends right at the tip of the Mýrdalsjökull Glacier.

If not, check out Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon

Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon has a super quick access point from the parking lot or an option for a small walk that takes you to the start of the canyon.

The drive and hour to either Skaftafellsjökull Glacier or Svínafellsjökull Glacier

Both of them are incredible and only require a quick hike to access. Svínafellsjökull Glacier is currently closed for commercial use tours because there is a danger of a huge landslide in the area, but is accessible by the public. If you go just be aware and check in to see if there are any news updates.

If you still want more to do, check out Fjallsárlón Glacier

This one is much more accessible and only requires a quick walk from the parking lot to view!

Day Five - Guided Glacier Expedition

Today, take the opportunity to do a guided tour through Visit Vatnajökull National Park and take a guided tour through Arctic Adventures, we recommend the Glacier Explorer Tour!

We absolutely love the tour we went on with them and can not recommend them enough!

After your tour, head to Jökulsárlón Iceberg Lagoon & Diamond Beach

Day Six - Head to Reykjavik

The downside to traveling so far into Iceland is the inevitable drive back. On the 5ish-hour drive back to Reykjavik, make the most of it by looking at the cute lambs and stopping at some amazing hot springs!

When you get back to Reykjavik, explore the downtown and get some dinner! Our favorite restaurant is PUNK restaurant.

Optional: If you're up for a drive, check out Stokkness it's an hour past Jökulsárlón Iceberg Lagoon but has some of the most insane views.

Day Seven - Fly Home 🙁

There is it! Our perfect 7-day Iceland Itinerary! If you have any questions or want to check out more of our blogs, click here.