In-Depth 10 Day Summer Self Drive Tour of the Ring Road of Iceland with Waterfalls & Glaciers

On your second day, you will embark upon the most popular tourist route in Iceland, the Golden Circle.

The first destination on the Golden Circle route is Þingvellir National Park. This beautiful place of ravines, springs, forest, and lava fields is nestled between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. It is also the only UNESCO World Heritage Site on Iceland's mainland, which it earnt due to the fact that it was here where Iceland's parliament, Alþingi, was founded way back in 930 AD.

Next, you will visit the Geysir Geothermal Area. This is home to the geyser Strokkur, which erupts to heights that regularly exceed 66 ft (20 m), every five to ten minutes. While waiting for it to go off, you can admire the surrounding hot springs and fumaroles.

Finally, you will come to Gullfoss waterfall, perhaps the most iconic waterfall in the country. Plunging into an ancient valley, throwing off clouds of spray, it has come to define Iceland's beauty and incredible power.

On this day, you can opt for one of three tours. The first is a riding tour where you can meet the Icelandic horse and ride through beautiful fields. At Þingvellir is a ravine called Silfra that is filled with crystal-clear spring water. You could elect to snorkel there as the water provides over 328 ft (100 m) of visibility. From Gullfoss, you can go on a snowmobiling tour on the magnificent Langjökull glacier.

You will have time today to see other, lesser-known destinations detailed in your itinerary. These could include waterfalls, mountains, geothermal areas, and many villages. Of particular note is Kerið Crater Lake, the vivid contrasts of which must be seen to be believed.

You will spend the night in a hotel in the Golden Circle area.

On Day Three, you will start your journey along the South Coast, a stretch lined with countless attractions.

The first of these you will stop at are three waterfalls. The first two are very unique and located right next to each other. Seljalandsfoss is the more famous of them, 197 ft (60 m) tall and with a cave behind it that will allow you to fully encircle it. Gljúfrabúi, meanwhile, is hidden inside a cleft in a mountainside, falling into a fantastical grotto. The third waterfall you will come to is much more classic, but the most powerful is called Skógafoss.

As you travel between these, you will notice that to your left are mighty glaciers. One of these is Eyjafjallajökull, which erupted in 2010, and the latter is Mýrdalsjökull, which conceals Katla volcano. You opt for a tour today where you hike on one of the tongues of Mýrdalsjökull, with a glacier walk on Sólheimajökull, or you could also choose a tour where you ascend the glacier to explore a magnificent ice cave.

You will then continue onto the black sand beach of Reynisfjara. This is a stunning stretch of coastline with fascinating geology; just offshore are two towering rock stacks called Reynisdrangar that are said to be petrified trolls. 

Your final major destination is Dyrhólaey cliffs and rock arch. This is a magnificent coastal feature, though its greatest draw in summer is that it is the nesting grounds for puffins and one of the best places to watch them from shore.

You will then spend the night in Vík.

On your fourth day, you will see two of Iceland's most incredible natural sites, Skaftafell Nature Reserve and the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon.

Skaftafell sits in the shadow of Europe's largest glacier, Vatnajökull, and is full of diverse landscapes. There are many trails and tracks in Skaftafell, and you can take hikes to go to beautiful waterfalls and magnificent glacial tongues. At one of those, you can take a tour onto the ice cap for unbelievable views of the surrounding area.

Following this, you'll head to the glacier lagoon. Jökulsárlón is a spectacular, vast lake that is filled with enormous icebergs coming from Vatnajökull. It is also home to many seals. Walk around the shores and marvel over the wonders here. If you wish to get a better view of the icebergs, you can elect to take a boat tour to immerse yourself further, either in a slower amphibious vessel or RIB speedboat.

While you are here, don't forget to visit the Diamond Beach, which sits adjacent to the lagoon. This is where the icebergs end their lives after they've washed up on shore here. They melt in the sun and glisten like precious gemstones.

You'll find your accommodations for the night in either the area near Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon or in the nearby town of Höfn.

On Day Five, you will explore the Eastfjords. This is one of Iceland's least traveled regions, so you will avoid most of the crowds and be able to enjoy the area in peace.

The Eastfjords are defined by gigantic mountains, stunning ocean views, coastal towns, and diverse wildlife. In the cliffs, you may see puffins; on the coast, you may see seals; and in the waters, you may even see whales or dolphins. East Iceland is also the only place you may see reindeer as they roam free here.

While there are no activities to book today, there is so much to see and so many hidden gems to explore. You'll be grateful to have the whole day free. You could stop in many sleeping fishing villages that dot the area or hike in Hallormsstaðaskógur, Iceland's largest forest.

You'll spend the night in the Eastfjord's largest town, Egilsstaðir, which sits on the banks of a large lake, said to be the home of a great wyrm monster.

Your sixth day can be spent in one of two ways. You could either further enjoy the peaceful and beautiful Eastfjords before heading to the Lake Mývatn area in the evening or head straight to Mývatn so that you can explore more of its sites. You will, however, also have tomorrow to enjoy this area.

Regardless, en route to Mývatn, there are some incredible places you should stop at to explore. For example, you can see the most powerful waterfall in Europe, Dettifoss, which sits in an ancient, beautiful gorge. You can also visit the enormous, verdant canyon Ásbyrgi if you have a 4WD vehicle or the seething, sulfuric geothermal area at Námaskarð Pass.

When you reach your accommodation in Lake Mývatn, you can spend the evening exploring the surroundings or bask in the gorgeous Mývatn Nature Baths.

You will have all of Day Seven to explore the Lake Mývatn region, meaning you can give each site the time it deserves.

There are a huge wealth of things to see. Of course, the lake itself is worth spending time at due to its bountiful birdlife and bizarre geological formations. You can head to the Dimmuborgir lava fortress for even more geology, where the rocks are so great they somewhat resemble a castle. This area was used in the shooting of Game of Thrones, as was the nearby hot-spring-cave Grjótagjá.

At Skútustaðir are rows of pseudocraters that were formed in an eruption some 2,300 years ago. You can walk along the rim of these craters and marvel at this fantastic phenomenon. There are also geothermal areas to explore in the Lake Mývatn region and incredible expanses of lava.

You will spend another night in the Mývatn area, so you will have another opportunity to bask in the Nature Baths if you choose.

On Day Eight, you will have a chance to better explore north Iceland. Leaving from Mývatn heading west, you will first come to the waterfall Goðafoss. This feature is as historic as it is beautiful; it was here, in 1000 AD, where Iceland’s law-speaker of the time threw away idols of the Old Norse Gods to symbolize the nation’s conversion to Christianity.

You can then head up to the town of Húsavík, which has many cultural sites and picturesque coastal views. This is renowned as the whale-watching capital of Europe, and here, you have the choice of opting for a whale watch to see creatures such as humpback whales, white-beaked dolphins, and Atlantic puffins, amongst many other species.

If you do not go out on the seas - or simply want to see more puffins - you can head to the Tjörnes Peninsula, where you can watch them nesting in the cliffs; there are also many places to go fossil hunting here. Otherwise, you can explore the mountainous Tröllaskagi Peninsula or the stunning Eyjafjörður fjord.

Nestled in Eyjafjörður is the capital of the North, Akureyri. This is a bustling cultural capital, with a wealth of places worth visiting, such as the world’s northernmost botanical gardens and some magnificent architectural sites. You can use your evening to explore here before heading to your nearby hotel.

On your ninth day, you will head back to Reykjavík. The drive might be long, but you can break it up with several scenic stops along the way. 

If you haven't had a chance to explore the Tröllaskagi Peninsula, now is your chance. You could visit the herring era museum in Siglufjörður or the beautiful infinity pool at Hofsós. Further south, you'll find the wonderful Borgarfjörður region with its historical Saga museum and the stunning waterfalls Hraunfoss and Barnafossar.

However, if you are eager for one last adventure, you can book a tour back in Reykjavík and head straight to the capital, skipping all sightseeing stops. Once there, you can take an amazing helicopter flight over the city and its surroundings. Otherwise, you can take a once-in-a-lifetime excursion into the magma chamber of a dormant volcano. You'll descend into an enormous, vividly colored cavern via a lift and have the opportunity to walk around its base.

Make the most of the day before arriving at your hotel in the capital, as tomorrow you will be leaving Iceland.

Sadly, this is your departure day. For those who have a later flight and choose to visit the Blue Lagoon today, you will finish off your stay unwinding before you head to the airport. This is the perfect place to relax as you bathe in the warm, mineral-rich waters as you look back on the incredible adventure you have just taken in the land of fire and ice. If your flight is later, there are plenty of things to do in Reykjavik. If you have an early flight back home, we wish you a pleasant journey.

Once it is time to leave, you will travel through the lava fields of the Reykjanes Peninsula and to Keflavík International Airport to catch your departing flight.

Have a great flight, and come back soon!