13 Day Budget Self Drive Tour of the Complete Ring Road of Iceland with Waterfalls & the Westfjords

Your second day sees you leaving the city behind you and kicking off your Iceland adventure with the Golden Circle.

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First up is Þingvellir National Park, a World Heritage site located in a breathtaking and clearly visible gorge between two worlds; the meeting of the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. Here you can add a snorkelling tour in Silfra fissure to your day for a chance to enjoy one of the top diving sites in the world.

The next sight en route is geothermal Haukadalur Valley; home to bubbling mud pools, steam vents, hot springs and active geysers. Watch Strokkur erupt naturally every few minutes as high as 20 metres in the air with a bravura to last you a lifetime.

The last major highlight of the Golden Circle is Gullfoss Waterfall, or the Golden Falls, which the route is named after. A platform will take you to the edge of the falls, where you can see their beauty and feel their thundering power beneath your feet.

If you're feeling adventurous, you can head out from Gullfoss to go snowmobiling on top of Langjökull glacier or opt for a horseriding tour with the gentle and friendly Icelandic horses.

After an exciting day stock full of sights, you'll spend your night in the area of Hvolsvöllur.

Day three sees you trail along Iceland's south coast. Your first recommended stop will be at Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, which offers up the rarity of an accessible cave to enjoy the view from behind the cascading water. Close by is Skógafoss Waterfall, one of the biggest in Iceland with a drop of 60 metres.

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Continue down the road to reach the magnificent glacier Sólheimajökull, where you can opt for both a glacier hike and a snowmobile excursion. If you wish to see the inside of a glacier as opposed to venturing across its surface, there's the option of exploring an authentic ice cave in the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap.

When you reach the idyllic coastal village of Vík, make sure to check out the black sand beach Reynisfjara, where the eerie black sea stacks Reynisdrangar lie visible just offshore. Vík is also an excellent stop for enjoying refreshments and stretching your legs before continuing east, where many more sights wait for you en route.

Finally, you'll spend the night either in the area of Kirkjubæjarklaustur or Skaftafell.

On day four, you'll take in the breathtaking sights of Skaftafell belonging to the great Vatnajökull National Park. Hiking enthusiasts are in for a treat around these parts since a myriad of tracks and trails dot the area.

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One recommended route is the path leading up to the waterfall Svartifoss; where it stumbles down a wall of black hexagonal basalt columns that were the very inspiration for the architecture of Hallgrímskirkja Church in Reykjavík. Here is also another option for a glacier hike if you missed it so far.

Down the road, you'll reach what has been called the crown jewel of Iceland's natural wonders; the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. This is where large icebergs have broken off one of Vatnajökull's outlet glaciers and gathered to float serenely to the sea. For a closer look, you can opt for two different boat rides on the lagoon itself, one on an amphibious boat and another on a zodiac.

Just a stone's throw away from the lagoon you'll find the Diamond Beach, a stretch of black sand where chunks of ice have gathered from the lake to sparkle like gemstones on a black satin bed.

Your final destination for the day will be at the village of Höfn, where you'll spend the night.

Day five will see you zig zag through the stunning and desolate East Fjords, where great mountain passes and steep hills meet with hidden villages and sandy plains for a landscape straight out of a fairytale science fiction novel.

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Today includes a lot of driving but also a lot of opportunities for solitude and reconnecting with nature. These parts are as well home to roaming herds of wild reindeer and incredible bird life which includes puffins during their nesting season.

You decide where to stop en route until you reach the township of Egilstaðir, where you'll spend the night at a nearby accommodation.

On day six, you'll drive through the breathtaking Möðrudalur Heights to your next destination of Lake Mývatn. There will be plenty to see on your way, including Jökulsárgljúfur Gorge and the most powerful waterfall in Europe; the thundering Dettifoss.

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When you reach Mývatn, you'll find its landscape uniquely formed by geothermal activity; boasting of visionary lava fields, pseudo-craters, tuff volcanoes and hot springs. The rocky citadel of Dimmuborgir is also not to be missed.

After exploring this stunning area to your heart's content, you can soak in the Mývatn Nature Baths or embark on a whale watching tour in Húsavík; often referred to as the whale watching capital of Europe.

By the end of the day you'll find yourself in the charming and bustling town of Akureyri, where you'll spend the night.

Day seven finds you waking up in the Capital of the North, Akureyri, so feel free to explore the grounds by visiting the cafés, the museums, the swimming pool or the botanical gardens. You can also kickstart your day with a horseback ride before you continue your journey, or a whale watching tour if you missed it the day before.

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Once you're ready, you'll continue your journey to the Troll Peninsula, Tröllaskagi, where you'll trail the coastline and pass several charming fishing villages such as Siglufjörður and Hofsós, the latter of which boasts of a nationally famous 'infinity pool' that comes highly recommended.

A great photo stop is at the ancient Hólar cathedral before you reach your destination of the Blönduós area, which is where you'll spend the night.

On day eight, get ready to venture through the seemingly endless fjords of the West and witness the incredible landscapes en route to your next destination of Ísafjörður; the largest settlement in the Westfjords.

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On you way, you can behold the scenic hills of Vatnsdalshólar, the columnar basalt fortress Borgarvirki or the hot pools of Drangsnes. These parts of the island are littered with a history of witchcraft and magic, so if that sounds up your alley, you can pay a visit to the Sorcerer's Cottage or the Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft Museum in Hólmavík.

Once you reach Ísafjörður, you'll fall for the town's unique charm, 18th-century buildings and otherworldly lobster soup at Tjöruhúsið.

You'll spend the night in the area of Ísafjarðardjúp.

Get ready to acquaint yourself with Icelandic history on day nine, where you'll traverse the trail of one of the greatest Saga heroes, the outlaw Gísli Súrsson. On your route to Dýrafjörður you can also visit the botanical garden Skrúður.

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A museum dedicated to Jón Sigurðsson, one of Iceland's prime fighters for independence, awaits you in Hrafnseyri before you'll reach the westernmost point of Europe at Látrabjarg Cliffs.

A myriad of birds nest in these cliffs including razorbills and puffins. These adorable creatures aren't easily spooked by humans, so you'll get a chance to venture close and snap some incredible photos.

At the end of the day, you'll find your accommodation in the area of Vesturbyggð, close to the villages Patreksfjörður and Breiðavík.

A real treat awaits you on day ten, where a ferry ride from Brjánslækur across Breiðafjörður Bay is included in your package. The Baldur ferry will take you all the way to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula where it makes port in Stykkishólmur, but we suggest you stop at Flatey island to enjoy the serenity and quietude.

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Once you reach Stykkishólmur, you can pack your day with exploring the incredible scenery of Snæfellsnes, often called 'Iceland in miniature' since it boasts of such bounteous and diverse landscapes.

These include Mount Kirkjufell, Snæfellsjökull Glacier, ancient fishing villages, hot springs, lava caves, steep cliffs and dramatic coastlines. You'll have plenty of time to explore the area further the following day, so take your time at each location.

You'll spend the night in the Snæfellsnes area.

On day eleven, you can get better acquainted with this beautiful peninsula and sightsee your heart out.

Visit the villages Arnarstapi and Hellnar, awe at the castle-like structure of basalt columns Lóndrangar, explore the Dritvík Cove or walk along the black pebbles of Djúpalónssandur Beach; the possibilities are endless, just remember to pack your camera.

You'll spend another night at Snæfellsnes.

On day twelve you've almost come full circle, so spend it exploring the west coast and its numerous attractions, such as the settlement exhibition in Borgarnes.

Other notable stops are at Deildartunghver, the hot spring with the largest flow in all of Europe, and the neighbouring waterfalls Hraunfossar and Barnafoss.

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At Reykholt, you can locate the medieval research institute Snorrastofa; former home to the one and only Snorri Sturluson, a local poet, chieftain, saga writer and arguably the most influential scholar of the Middle Ages.

Before reaching Reykjavík, you are advised to make one last stop at the waterfall Fossatún, guarded by a troll woman named Drífa according to legend. You can as well opt for three different caving tours; into the lava tubes of Víðgelmir, inside a human-made ice tunnel of Langjökull Glacier, or through the magma chamber of Þríhnjúkagígur Volcano.

You'll spend your final night in Reykjavík City.

Your journey comes to an end. Be sure to drop off your car at Keflavík Airport in due time before your departing flight.

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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.