5 Day Self Drive Tour | Reykjavik, Blue Lagoon, Golden Circle & Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon Start from 1050$
Book this self-drive tour and visit Iceland’s most famous attractions, including the Blue Lagoon, Golden Circle, Reynisfjara black sand beach, Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, and many of Iceland’s most famous waterfalls. Having your own car gives you the freedom to explore the most popular destinations of Iceland the way you would like, without having to worry about a tour guide or others in your group.
You’ll travel in full comfort throughout your trip. All lodgings will have an ensuite bathroom and breakfast will always be included, so you will be able to rest comfortably between your days of adventure.
On the first day, collect your car and head to the capital city, Reykjavik. You’ll have the evening to decompress from your flight and settle in. If you like, you can relax at the world-famous Blue Lagoon before you go ahead to the city.
You’ll begin the proper adventure on the second day, by driving around the Golden Circle. You’re in the driver’s seat, so spend the day doing what you’d like. Visit the foundation of Icelandic history, Þingvellir, see the geysers, and enjoy the famous Golden Waterfall, Gullfoss.
Further along on your trip, you will travel alongside the infamous glacier and volcano Eyjafjallajökull, and past the stunning Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls. The highlight of the South Coast is the otherworldly Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, where you can sail among great icebergs, and walk along where they have stranded at the nearby Diamond Beach.
A boat trip around the glacier lagoon is just one option you can add to your stay. You can also go horse riding, glacier hiking, snowmobiling, and even on a trip inside the ice caves. All these adventures are at your fingertips, and if reserved with the tour booking, they come at a special, discounted price, to help you add more excitement to your arctic holiday.
We understand that you are visiting Iceland to experience nature at its best, and to escape the city and its crowds. That is why we have included hidden gems and spectacular attractions not known to many others on this tour. The itinerary we’ll provide you with will ensure you don’t miss a thing.
So don’t hesitate; jump on this opportunity to see some of Iceland’s best attractions in just five days! Check availability by choosing a date.
Pick up your car from the friendly staff at Keflavik International Airport after landing, and begin your excitement-packed vacation in Iceland. To reach Reykjavík, you will drive through the charred and blackened lava fields of the Reykjanes Peninsula and will be left in no doubt as to why it was used to train American astronauts before the moon landing. Iceland is not only foreign, it is otherworldly.
If you aren’t desperate to get to Reykjavík, you can head to the Blue Lagoon, which is en route. The warm azure water is renowned for its healing properties, as is the natural silica mud you can use as a revitalising face mask. The Blue Lagoon invigorates both your body and mind, preparing you for your road trip adventure.
When you are ready, head for your accommodation in the city. Even though it is small, Reykjavík is a vibrant and busy place. You can visit the unique boutiques, dine at one of the fresh seafood restaurants, enjoy a hot drink at a gourmet coffee shop or a craft beer at a local bar. Since you’re in Iceland during summertime, make the most of the midnight sun and stroll around the streets of Reykjavík late into the night.
Preferred accommodation in Reykjavík
To get the most out of today, have an early start and head out of the city to see some of the most famous sites in the country.
Starting with the ever-popular Golden Circle route, your first stop is the Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO heritage site where the parliament of Iceland was founded in 930 AD. The area stands atop of the tectonic rift, where the great continental plates of Europe and America clash together.
They push and pull at each other constantly, forming a landscape of torn clefts and fissures, surrounded by lava fields. They also gave birth to Þingvallavatn – the largest lake in Iceland. There you can visit the Silfra fissure and go for an optional snorkelling tour if you like, or simply walk along the Almannagjá gorge and stand at the same place as the lawmakers of old.
Your next stop is the valley Haukadalur. Home of the Haukdælir clan in the historical era of the Sagas, this valley is now best known for its massive hot springs. The largest one, Geysir, lends its name to all geysers in the English language.
The powerful nearby geyser, Strokkur, erupts every few minutes and can explode up to 60 m (197 ft) high. All around, geysers of all sizes spew mineral-rich water over the clay, turning the terrain different shades of brown and red.
Your last stop of the Golden Circle is the magnificent waterfall, Gullfoss. This beautiful feature lies in the glacial river Hvítá and has a drop of more than 30 m (98 ft). Gullfoss, “The Golden Waterfall”, is much loved by the locals as one of Iceland’s most impressive waterfalls. From here, you can choose to opt into a snowmobiling tour.
If neither snowmobiling nor snorkelling appeal to you, you may instead opt into a horse-riding tour, to meet the charming Icelandic horse.
Your accommodation for the night will be near the village Hvolsvöllur.
Preferred accommodation by Hvolsvöllur
The journey continues eastwards. You will pass over the black sands of Sólheimajökull glacier where you’ll have the option to go either snowmobiling or glacier hiking, before reaching the small but famous fishing village of Vík. There you can opt for an exciting tour to Mýrdalsjökull glacier where you visit a stunning ice cave, the only one of its kind accessible during the summers.
Near Vík is the awe-inspiring black sand beach Reynisfjara, where the tall rock stacks keep guard over the North Atlantic ocean. The beach also sports a cliff face of distinctive hexagonal basalt columns. The waves here can sneak up on you and drag you out to sea if you come to close, so it’s good to always keep at least a 20-metre distance from the sea.
The next highlight is the Skaftafell nature reserve, nestled under the largest glacier in Iceland, Vatnajökull. Skaftafell, part of Vatnajökull National Park, has a wide array of walking paths and hikes of various mobility and difficulty levels. Among them we highly recommend the 5 km walk to Svartifoss waterfall, hidden in a canyon above the Visitors Centre.
Driving away from the impressive glacier tongues of Skaftafell, you will reach the crown jewel of Iceland’s natural wonders – Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. This lagoon is well known for the massive icebergs which have broken away from the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier above and now float in it. Home to seals and fish, the lagoon is also teeming with life.
The black sand beach across the bridge has earned the nickname The Diamond Beach due to the broken chunks of ice that rest on the dark sand, like precious stones sparkling on black satin.
You will spend the night in the breathtaking Vatnajökull National Park area.
Preferred accommodation by Jökulsárlón and Höfn
Start the day by exploring Jökulsárlón further. The lagoon and nearby Diamond Beach constantly change their display of natural beauty. Every day is different, and there are always new scenes to see and new opportunities for a flawless photograph.
A highly recommended option in summertime is to take a boat ride on the lagoon before heading back to the capital; you can choose between a little zodiac or a larger amphibious vessel. Glacier hiking back in Skaftafell is also a possibility.
On your way back to Reykjavík, you can stop anywhere that you perhaps missed on the previous day.
One recommended stop is the Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon near the village of Klaustur, which offers a short hike to a green oasis straight from a fairytale. Near the black sand beach Reynisfjara, head for the “door-hole” mountain, Dyrhólaey where you might spot an adorable puffin or two.
The small lighthouse at the top of Dyrhólaey is no less charming from a distance. Another worthy stop is the Seljavallalaug pool, hidden in a mountain crevasse, and one of the oldest swimming pools in the country.
When you are back in the city, you will have the chance to spend your last evening basking in Nordic culture. You may want to visit the Harpa Concert Hall and enjoy the view, check out the 3D large map of Iceland inside City Hall or some of the late-open museums, or relax at one of the local jazz hotspots or in a local hot tub.
Preferred accommodation in Reykjavík
It’s already your last day! But don’t worry, you can always come back. And if you feel like staying longer and extending the trip, just let us know, and we will arrange it for you. Also, if you didn’t make it to the Blue Lagoon on your first day, then now is your chance to visit.
Take your car to the airport for drop-off and make sure you’re there at least two hours before departure. If you have some extra time, you could make a short visit to the Krýsuvík geothermal area by the Kleifarvatn lake, or stop by the Gunnuhver hot spring on your way to the airport.
Until next time, safe flight!
See our accommodation levels below and our preferred accommodation partners under each day in the daily itinerary. Comfort levels bookings for one person will be arranged in single rooms, and bookings for two or more people will share a twin/double or triple room(s). For quality level, odd number groups will always be allocated a single room. Teenagers and children will be arranged in the same room with parents. If additional room(s) is needed, additional costs will incur. Guide to Iceland will provide you with the best available accommodation at the time of your booking from our preferred partners. Please keep in mind that hotel quality in Iceland varies among locations and availability is highly limited. If our preferred partners are fully booked at the time of your booking, we will find another suitable accommodation for you of similar level. Please note that not all locations offer quality level accommodation. Comfort level accommodation will be arranged at those particular locations, which is reflected in the quality level upgrade price. We always do our best to accommodate special requests, which may incur additional costs. Press choose a date to find availability.