How long is Iceland’s ring road & how many days are needed to loop the country?

The length of Iceland’s ring road – its name is officially Þjóðvegur 1 (National Road 1) – is a manageable 1322km or 820 miles. In theory you could knock it out over a period of about 20 hours non-stop driving, as the road is well-maintained and the traffic rarely heavy. In summer, you wouldn’t even have to drive in the dark thanks to the Midnight Sun.

Yet you most certainly wouldn’t want to complete a loop of the country at this pace as you’d miss out on so much. With so many landmarks and landforms within a few hours’ drive of each other, there’s no excuse not to stop. In fact, there’s no need to do a really long drive unless you absolutely want to.

When putting together an Iceland ring road itinerary, know that this is something that shouldn’t be rushed. However much time you can spare, devote it to this wonderful route, whether that be 5 days,7 days or 10 days – perhaps even longer. Take detours off the beaten track, pause to drink in the view and switch up your MyCar rental for activities to create memories along the way.

See specific itineraries here:

• iceland ring road itinerary 10 days​
• iceland ring road itinerary 7 days
• south coast drive 3 days iceland​

What makes Iceland’s Route 1 one of the best road trips in the world?

Iceland’s ring road often features in roundups of the world’s best road trips, and rightly so. It’s been placed high in lists put together by the likes of Rough Guides, Time Out magazine, the Sydney Morning Herald and Moon Travel Guides. Lonely Planet, National Geographic and CNN have also showcased the route’s stellar landscapes. That said, nothing prepares you for what awaits when you get behind the wheel yourself.

As you drive around Iceland in your MyCar rental you’ll discover black sand beaches, remote and tranquil fjords, imposing glaciers, fairytale canyons dripping with waterfalls and vast fields of moss-covered lava. Along the way, turf-roofed farms, characterful churches and fascinating museums housed in historic buildings crop up frequently. It’s this heady mix of natural beauty and cultural heritage that makes an Iceland road trip such an exciting prospect.

Highlights of Iceland by region

We can’t cover every incredible stop on an Iceland ring road itinerary in just one article, so we’ve pared back our list and selected our favourites.

South

This is the most popular part of the ring road, with those who venture out and back for a day trip as well as those embarking on a longer road trip. Some of Iceland’s most remarkable places are found within a five-hour drive of Reykjavik: majestic waterfalls like Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss, imposing glaciers, glittering iceberg-strewn lagoons like Jökulsárlón or Fjallsárlón and striking stretches of coastline including the black sands of notorious Reynisfjara or exquisite Diamond Beach.

Alongside the must-sees, there are as many under-the-radar spots, such as the Caves of Hella, Keldur Turf Farm and Múlagljúfur Canyon. By the time you reach jaw-dropping Vestrahorn in the far south east of the country you’ll have made a lifetime of memories.

East

Austurland gives you space to breathe after the crowded sites of South Iceland. As you turn north, however, its fjords beckon and there’s a lot of temptation to detour from the ring road to seek out delightful coastal spots such as Seyðisfjörður and Borgarfjörður Eystri.

Inland, the rust-coloured basalt columns that flank Stuðlagil Canyon are ample reward for the mere twenty minutes it takes you to reach it from Route 1 in your MyCar rental; under a sunny sky the vivid hue of the turquoise water makes quite an impression.

By the time you sniff the sulphurous air at Hverir geothermal area or hike to see the gnarly lava fields of Dimmuborgir or the pseudo craters beside Lake Mývatn you’ll appreciate just why so many ring roaders love this part of the country.

North

The ring road cuts across North Iceland, connecting major settlements such as Mývatn, Akureyri, Blönduós and Hvammstangi with little or no detours. However, the north is also characterised by scenic peninsulas such as Tjörnes, Tröllaskagi and Vatnsnes.

You’ll want to detour to cute fishing villages such as Siglufjörður and Húsavik, seek out seal colonies or take a whale watching trip, loop the Diamond Circle to feel the spray of Goðafoss and Dettifoss waterfalls and admire the steep walls of Ásbyrgi Canyon. Soaking in one of the area’s geothermal spas, be it Forest Lagoon, GeoSea or Mývatn Nature Baths, is also a must. Allow at least a few days to explore this part of Iceland by car and on foot.

West

This is a relatively short stretch of ring road as most travellers will have their sights set on Reykjavik or what’s to come further north. Glanni waterfall is worth a stop, as is Deildartunguhver, the country’s most powerful hot spring.

However, the real joy in this region of Iceland comes when you venture away from the ring road a little. You might drive part of the Golden Circle, loop the Silver Circle to marvel at the colours of the vegetation amid Hraunfossar, or loop the extraordinary Snæfellsnes Peninsula.

In fact, the latter is often described as Iceland in Miniature and deserves at least a day for itself to tick off sights such as Kirkjufell, Arnastapi and Snæfellsjökull.

Practical considerations

Is it better to follow an Iceland ring road itinerary in summer or winter?

It’s possible to plan an Iceland ring road itinerary for any time of year, and each season has its own pros and cons. Take summer for starters: the weather is usually more predictable and so if it’s important to you that you maximise your chance of driving in fine weather, then this is the time to come, though of course there are no weather guarantees at any time of year.

However, you won’t be the only one to have this idea and so the roads tend to be more crowded. At some popular spots, you may have to wait to find a parking space at peak periods and share the view with many others. Although, the days are long at this time of year in Iceland and so you can make the most of all that extra daylight to see and do more.

Jumping ahead to winter, there’s a lot less daylight – perhaps as little as four or five hours in December. You’ll need to be a lot more organised to be able to see the places you don’t want to miss before the sun sets. Icy and snowy conditions can cause temporary delays, so you’ll need to be flexible with your plans and be prepared to wait out a storm if the road is closed.

Nevertheless, when the sky is blue this is a magical time of year. The soft light casts a beautiful spell and the landscape looks magical. That’s particularly the case where waterfalls drip with icicles and iceberg-strewn beaches glitter in shades of pink, coral and yellow. At night, the colours to look out for are the purples and greens of the Northern Lights – having a MyCar rental at your disposal means you can chase the aurora to your heart’s content.

Many travellers opt to come in the shoulder seasons, timing their road trip for spring or autumn. The weather is still reasonably mild, particularly in May and September, yet the number of visitors shrinks considerably, as do accommodation rates. If you’re planning a visit in early spring or late autumn, however, check that the tours you’re interested in are running.

What kind of car do you need for an Iceland ring road itinerary?

That’s a trickier question to answer than you might first imagine, given that the ring road is in good condition and tarmac throughout its entirety. Make your initial choice based on how many people you need to carry and what luggage you plan to bring. There’s nothing that takes the edge off a multi-day road trip like being crammed in uncomfortably beside bags that didn’t fit in the boot.

Next, take a look at the map. Are you likely to have the time or the inclination to make detours off the ring road? If so, are they the kinds of activities that require specialist transport, such as ice cave tours and buggy rides, or to reach hidden gems that are tucked away down rough gravel tracks? If there’s a chance it will often be the latter, or you don’t yet know, then upgrade to a 4x4 to take advantage of the extra clearance.

Another consideration is whether to opt for a hybrid vehicle. These efficient and versatile vehicles can help you offset the cost of fuel for the stretches that the car is running on electric. You might also wish to think about hiring an automatic rather than a manual if this is what you’re used to back home; it means you won’t have to grapple with changing gears at intersections, bridges and roundabouts.

How should you plan accommodation stops for a ring road trip?

There are two schools of thought here: the pre-bookers who lock everything down up front and those who prefer to be a lot more spontaneous. In Iceland in summer, pressure on accommodation in certain parts of the country (such as around Vik in the popular south) can make it harder to make decisions on the fly. You’ll get the best rates and the most choice by booking ahead.

As prices drop anyway off-season because of the lower visitor numbers, you can rely more on places being available last minute. It’s worth booking on a free cancellation basis, for instance, in case your plans are thrown out by delays caused by a severe storm. In any case, make sure you have taken out travel insurance to recoup costs in the event of unexpected changes to your Iceland ring road itinerary.

What do we recommend you pack for your Iceland ring road itinerary?

Even out in the Icelandic countryside, you don’t have to travel too far before you come to a petrol station or village store where you can stock up on provisions. That said, it’s a good idea to carry some snacks and drinks in the car with you so that if you get peckish after a hike or stumble upon the perfect place for a picnic, then you have the food right there with you.

Having a rental car is also useful for coping with the unpredictability of Iceland’s weather. Unlike on tours, when you might have to decide whether to leave a day pack on a bus seat for all to see, you can safely lock your spare clothes and clean, dry pair of shoes out of sight in the boot and retrieve them when necessary.

One thing you’ll need handy is a charging cable for the car. With scenery this spectacular at every turn, you’ll be eating up battery life like you wouldn’t believe. Topping up the charge on your smartphone in between sightseeing stops is really convenient; all our vehicles have a USB port and some also have wireless charging capability. Whether you’ve opted for a 4G WiFi router or have a mobile data plan that allows you to roam in Iceland, you’ll be able to track your journey on Google Maps too.

Renting with MyCar allows you to customise your own Iceland ring road itinerary, filling your days with the kind of activities that make you happy. Why not take a look at the vehicles we have available for your dates and get planning?