Ultimate 10-Day Camper Van Adventure in Iceland
Iceland is a place of raw natural beauty with incredibly diverse, mesmerizing landscapes that look like something out of a fantasy novel. This guide will take you on a 10-day adventure around Iceland’s ring road, where you’ll see massive waterfalls, canyons, mountains, glaciers, wildlife, and colorful coastal towns.
Welcome…to the land of fire and ice!
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When I first started mapping out this trip, I was completely overwhelmed. Even though two weeks in Iceland seemed like a ton of time, once we counted our arrival and departure days it really ended up being only a full 10 days on the road to explore. To me, this just didn’t seem like enough time to cover an entire country — but we did it!
This was my first time in Iceland, and I wanted to hit all of the highlights. Looking back on our trip, we absolutely made the most of it! Now I’m sharing my itinerary with you so that you can have the most epic road trip of your life.
Road Trip Route Overview
Your trip will begin and end in Iceland’s capital, Reykjavík, and follow Iceland’s main road — the “ring road” or Route 1. It spans roughly 821 miles and you can technically cover this entire road in about 12-13 hours.
What makes this trip amazing is that no matter where you go, the views are incredible and you truly cannot make a wrong turn. In the summertime (which is when we went) the midnight sun lights your way day and night, our GPS and cell service worked all along the highway, and we really didn’t worry about getting lost at all.
While this itinerary shares highlights and must-see spots that navigate off this highway, you can choose your own adventure if you see something incredible that you want to explore! There were so many moments where we saw distant Icelandic horses or a waterfall that wasn’t on our map that we simply had to go and check out. Give yourself some freedom for these moments versus jam packing your schedule — this is something I had to force myself to do since I love having everything planned out, but trust me…you cannot go wrong in Iceland because it is gorgeous EVERYWHERE!
Van Rental & Campgrounds in Iceland
Before we dive into the itinerary, I want to share some tips about the van that we rented as well as campgrounds in Iceland.
Our trusty KuKu camper
We rented our van through KuKu Campers, specifically the BA camper van which slept three adults relatively comfortably and had a few kitchen amenities, including a mini fridge and a sink with running water. While we initially intended to cook on the road, the incredible restaurants along the road were far too tempting and we primarily used the kitchen for hiking snacks, sandwich ingredients, fresh fruit, etc.
Our incredible campsite in Vik
Now, about camping in Iceland. First, I would definitely recommend staying at established campgrounds if you need to shower, do laundry or charge your devices. We didn’t bother reserving any of them in advance and had absolutely no issue finding camping spots (and this was during one of the busiest seasons in Iceland!) Each of the campgrounds we stayed at accepted all major credit cards, and the only times that cash was needed was to pay for the showers. However, even those could be paid for by credit card — I’d simply go to the campsite attendant and pay for however long of a shower I wanted, and they’d provide me with coins for the showers. Sometimes, hot showers were free…a blessed day.
At the start of each day, I share our accommodations and share a link to the campground so that you can see its exact location. We did opt for a few days at Airbnbs, but if you want to jump right into the camping experience, you can. This guide should be fully customizeable to your own adventure!
Without further ado…here is your epic Iceland camper van road trip itinerary!
DAY 1: Reykjavík
🏨 Airbnb in the city
Today is your arrival day! Most flights into Reykjavík are going to be red eye, so assuming this is the case for you, you’ll have a full day to explore Iceland’s vibrant capital city. I would recommend spending the night here, just because there’s so much to do and it’ll give you a bit of a travel break before your road trip adventure.
Reykjavík
Activities
Visit the Perlan Museum to learn about Iceland’s natural wonders and check out a real indoor ice cave! Starting our trip by learning more about Iceland and the incredible landscapes we had yet to see really built up the anticipation!
Walk around downtown and visit the shops, maybe buy yourself something colorful and made of wool to wear on your adventure. I recommend going to MJÚK for the most unique, beautiful ponchos and hats!
Soak at the Sky Lagoon thermal spa. I highly recommend booking the Ritual, a seven-step experience complete with a cold plunge, sauna, salt scrub and more.
DAY 2: Reykjavík to Vik
Today, you’ll be leaving the city and winding up the fairytale town of Vík, exploring southern Iceland along the way.
Stop 1: Reykjadalur Hot Spring Thermal River
Reykjadalur Hot Spring River
This is an incredible natural hot spring only 45 minutes from Reykjavik located in the town of Reykjadalur. Hike about 2 miles up past sheep, waterfalls, horses, bubbling mud pools, geysers and stunning scenery! Have a cup of hot soup and bread and butter with Icelandic lava salt at Reykjadalur Café after because you deserve it.
Stop 2: Seljalandsfoss and Gljufrabui
Seljalandsfoss is one of the most popular waterfalls in Iceland. Behind this waterfall is a cavern that you can walk behind for some absolutely epic photo opportunities! However, don’t miss the lesser-known hidden gem, Gljufrabui, located just down the path from Seljalandsfoss. Walk along the path until you reach a little canyon and you can view an actual waterfall INSIDE a cave! A raincoat and waterproof hiking boots are highly recommended.
Stop 3: Skógafoss
One of Iceland’s biggest and most iconic waterfalls and an absolute must-see. If you walk right up to the falls, you will get soaked so be sure to bring your rain gear! There is also a campsite right in front of this waterfall, although we didn’t opt to stay here.
Stop 4: Dyrhólaey Peninsula
Not far from the village of Vik, your last stop today will be a beautiful peninsula. View the black sand beach from the tops of the cliffs and see hundreds of nesting puffins.
DAY 3: Vik to Hofn
After waking up at the campground in Vik, walk over to Skool Beans for coffee and a muffin. It’s a whole coffee shop inside a school bus! This day will fairly active, so make sure you’ve got your hiking attire ready.
Stop 1: Vik i Myrdal Church
After exploring the lupines near the church, keep walking up and you may find these beautiful white horses and a meadow full of yellow flowers against a backdrop of mossy, misty mountains.
Stop 2: Fjadrargljufur Canyon
Fjadrargljufur Canyon
You can’t miss this stop! The hike itself is about 2 miles roundtrip, but aside from viewing the canyon there isn’t a ton to do here. I would say that for drone enthusiasts, flying through this canyon is going to be one of your bucket list shots!
Stop 3: Svinafellsjokull Glacier
The hike to this glacier was incredible. This was also a filming location for Game of Thrones —many scenes from Season 7 were filmed here as the location North of the Wall. Your initial hike will be along a dirt road unless you can park closer to the trail entrance, and then you can hike along the glacier for as long as you wish.
DAY 4: Hofn
Expect less driving and more hiking today, including an excursion where you will hike on a glacier!
Stop 1: Glacier Hike with Troll Expeditions
Hike on the largest glacier in Europe, Vatnajökull, with a guided tour through Troll Expeditions! Bring your camera and, as always, your rain gear given the unpredictable weather conditions in Iceland. All gear necessary for glacier hiking will be provided, like crampons, helmet and ice axe.
Stop 2: Múlagljúfur Canyon
This was easily my favorite hike in Iceland. The Hangandifoss waterfall hike in Múlagljúfur canyon is like something straight out of Lord of the Rings — it just cannot be missed.
Stop 3: Diamond Beach and Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
If you want to literally see a place of ice and fire, it’s Diamond Beach. The bluesh-white chunks of icebergs washed up on the black lava sand are a place of unreal beauty. Then, go to Jökulsárlón, which is literally across the way. We got here quite late so most of the dining options were closed, but you can typically grab some food and walk or take a boat tour of the lagoon. The sheer beauty if this place is unbelievable, and getting here later in the evening made for less crowds and more enjoyable wildlife viewing.
DAY 5: Hofn to Seydisfjordur
A big chunk of this day (after the first stop at Vestrahorn) will be comprised of a really scenic, 3-hour drive along the eastern fjords. I recommend enjoying a day that isn’t as jam packed as the previous ones and stopping at some of the scenic overlooks at your leisure!
Stop 1: Sunrise at Vestrahorn
Unfortunately, there was a crazy sand/wind storm this day and we didn’t make it to Vestrahorn. It is supposed to be incredible so I highly recommend stopping by!
Stop 2: Skútafoss
Skútafoss
This waterfall isn’t as popular as some of the others, but it’s totally worth checking out. A great spot for a picnic or to take a break from the drive!
Stop 3: Hengifoss
Hengifoss is the third tallest waterfall in Iceland — it’s striking appearance is due to the bright red layers of clay between basaltic layers on its cliff face. The hike is totally worth it and isn’t too strenuous; about 3 miles roundtrip past beautiful scenery and wildlife.
DAY 6: Seydisfjordur
Today is a bit of a freebie day, in which the only main activity is going to an island full of PUFFINS!
Stop 1: Explore the town of Seydisfjordur
This town is so cute and has a few shops and restaurants to explore. You may recognize it as having a beautiful rainbow road leading to a church!
Stop 2: Borgarfjörður Eystri
From Seydisfjordur, drive about 1.5 hours to this little coastal town. This is one of the safest and most accessible places to see puffins, with boardwalks and platforms placed right near their burrows. About 10,000 pairs of puffins nest here between April and August!
DAY 7: Seydisfjordur to Husavik
Today’s drive is going to feel like a complete change of scenery as you drive further north and into parts of Iceland that smell like sulfur. You’ll see geysers and rising steam from the ground and drive through lava fields. It’s completely mind blowing how much the landscape will change!
Stop 1: Stuðlagil Canyon
Located in Jökuldalur Valley, the name of this canyon means “Basalt Column Gorge” due to the basalt columns on either side of the river. These columns were created by cooling lava from a volcano, which was then carved into hexagonal shapes by the Jökla river flowing through the valley.
Be sure to navigate to Carpark Stuðlagil East side Canyon on Google maps (65.1754010, -152700340). The hiking area you’re seeing here is only accessible from the east side! I’d definitely recommend making the 4 mile out and back hike to this place, it’s an easy, flat trail and so worth it.
Stop 2: Dettifoss and Selfoss
Located in Vatnajökull National Park, Dettifoss is the second most powerful waterfall in all of Europe and the most voluminous waterfall in Iceland. And don’t forget to walk over to Selfoss after checking it out! While smaller, I actually thought this one had more layers and drama to it.
Stop 3: Mývatn Nature Baths
Go for a relaxing soak in the milky blue natural hot spring, Mývatn which is rich with minerals overlooking incredible scenery.
Stop 4: Krafla Viti Crater
This is a large crater that stretches 300 meters in diameter, full of bright blue water and only 10 minutes away from Mývatn. It was incredible to behold and a must stop!
DAY 8: Husavik to Akureyri
🏨 Airbnb in the city
Today you’ll get a chance to explore the town of Húsavík, which is said to be one of the best whale watching destinations in the world. You may also recognize it from the movie, Eurovision! You’ll end the day in Akureyri, the second largest city in Iceland. At this point in the trip, I’d recommend giving yourself a little break from van life and staying at an Airbnb with the opportunity to do a quick load of laundry and sleep in your own bed. It’ll feel absolutely luxurious.
Stop 1: Whale Watching
Hands down one of my favorite experiences out of the entire trip was going whale watching, which as a bonus took us to an entire island full of puffins en route!
We booked with Husavik Adventures, but there are several companies in the same area that have great reviews like Salka and North Sailing. You honestly can’t go wrong and the bookings are really flexible.
We saw 4 humpback whales, one of them breached (aka completely jumped out of the water, I nearly fainted from excitement) and one minke whale (which are shy and small). Apparently there was a lot of blue whale activity in this area too, which are the largest animals on the planet.
The tour was $141 per person for a RIB Boat Tour which gave us a really intimate, small group experience. Waterproof suit was provided, all you bring is yourself and some warm layers and your camera (obvi!)
Stop 2: GeoSea
Before leaving Husavik, take one last soak at GeoSea, an iconic and beautiful hot spring spa! It had incredible views of the water from where we had previously saw whales earlier that day. This was potentially one of my absolute favorite hot springs that we visited in Iceland given the incredible scenery.
Stop 3: Goðafoss
I have to pause and be honest for a second because I seriously can barely remember this waterfall. Even though I obviously took photos of it. I will say, at some point in this trip you will start getting a little accustomed to all of the waterfalls and it’ll take a lot for you to feel like you need to pull over! However, definitely stop by this one if you have the energy — it’s beautiful!
Day 9: Akureyri to Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Today, you’ll do a bit of city exploring before driving out to one of the most iconic parts of Iceland: the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. This drive is somewhat uneventful and almost 5 hours long. If you do have a few extra days, you can veer off and check out the Westfjords. We decided to book it to Snæfellsnes right after sufficiently exploring Akureyri.
Stop 1: Explore and Shop in Akureyri
If you haven’t gotten souvenirs yet for yourself or your loved ones, today’s the day! Check out stores like FJORD or the numerous quirky art galleries around town. Grab a treat at Brynja, one of the oldest ice cream shops in Iceland. Visit the iconic Akureyri Church.
Stop 2: Akureyri Botanical Gardens
An absolute hidden gem, these beautiful botanical gardens were really nice to stroll through and are totally free to enter.
Day 10: Snæfellsnes Peninsula
⛺ Camping Thingvellir: 806 Thingvellir, Iceland
Your last full day of exploring is going to be full of incredible sightseeing and natural wonders as you visit southern Snaefells and Snæfellsjökull National Park!
Stop 1: Kirkjufell
Birthplace of the Night Ki—oh, I mean Kirkjufell
Located on the north coast of Iceland's Snæfellsnes peninsula, this mountain is famously known as a film location for Game of Thrones in Seasons 6 and 7 and known as Arrowhead Mountain — the birthplace of the Night King! To avoid crowds at Iceland’s most photographed mountain, arrive early in the morning or late at night. We actually visited this spot in the evening after arriving from Akureyri and again in the morning given that the light conditions weren’t the best that evening.
Stop 2: Djúpalónssandur Black Sand Beach
Djúpalónssandur Black Sand Beach
This is a stunning beach with black sand and lava pearls dotting the coastline, jagged rock formations, stunning views of the ocean and just sheer, raw beauty. It’s also the location of an old shipwreck from 1948, and iron pieces of the ship can still be found on the sand.
Stop 3: Arnarstapi and Hellnar
Walk along a lava field walk and view the iconic Stone Bridge — a massive "bridge" jutting out of the water. Don’t miss lunch at Fjöruhúsið café in Hellnar while on this hike!
Stop 4: Rauðfeldsgjá Gorge
Check out waterfalls inside caves and learn old folklore about the troll who resides in this gorge!
Stop 5: Búðakirkja
Búðakirkja
The iconic black church, an incredible location for photography, sits in a lava field.
Stop 6: Ytri Tunga Seal Beach
Seals hanging out on the rocks
A lovely beach for seal spotting!
Day 11: Snæfellsnes Peninsula to Reykjavik
Before you know it, you’ll be making your way back to Reykjavik to catch your flight home. Your head will probably be spinning and you’ll be wondering if this was all just a dream.
Given that the majority of flights depart in the late afternoon, you should have time for just a little more sightseeing before returning your rental and getting to the airport.
Since you’re departing from a campground in Thingvellir National Park, why not check out the rift valley caused by the separation of two tectonic plates? Or if you’re feeling extra adventurous, you can actually go scuba diving in the submerged rifts!
Afterwards, you can either visit one more hot spring spa, such as the Blue Lagoon, or spend more time in downtown Reykjavik in case you didn’t have the time to do so at the beginning of your trip.
Final Thoughts
There are a few things to keep in mind while visiting Iceland:
Be sure to pack accordingly! Iceland can be cold and rainy, even in the summer. Pack a raincoat, waterproof boots, pants, hats, and extra layers.
Drive safe and do not speed! Iceland is pretty strict about its speed limit, especially because roaming sheep can appear on the road seemingly out of nowhere. In fact, they are a big reason for making sure your van rental is insured!
Since it doesn’t get dark in the summertime, bring an eye mask for sleeping.
Don’t buy bottled water! Iceland’s tap water is super clean. Pro-tip: try some of the melting glacial water straight from the source!
Make sure you follow the principles of Leave No Trace — do not go off trail, pack out your trash, camp in designated areas, and be considerate of other people so that everyone can enjoy this stunning country for years to come.
I hope this itinerary helps you plan one of the most incredible trips of your life! Happy adventuring :)
