In-Depth 5-Day Northern Lights Road Trip to Iceland’s Golden Circle & Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Start your Icelandic adventure by exploring the Reykjanes Peninsula, arriving in Reykjavik, and maybe even relaxing in the geothermal waters of the Blue Lagoon spa.

On arrival at Keflavik International Airport, you'll collect your rental car and start your journey to Reykjavik, the world's northernmost capital city. On the way, you'll pass through the lunar-like landscapes of the Reykjanes Peninsula, with views of moss-covered lava fields and distant blue mountains. 

Before leaving the peninsula, you can stop at the world-renowned Blue Lagoon geothermal spa if you've booked entry for today. The Blue Lagoon is known for its healing waters, vivid azure colors, and luxurious spa treatments. Soak away the stresses of your flight and relax with a silica-rich face mask in the milky-blue waters. 

Don't worry if you don't have time to visit the Blue Lagoon today. Your travel agent will help you organize your trip to suit your arrival or departure times. You can explore the Reykjanes Peninsula instead or go straight to Reykjavik.

On arrival in Reykjavik, you can check into your accommodation in the city center. When you've dropped off your bags, you'll be free to explore the city at your own pace. You'll find numerous cafes, restaurants, bars, and shops on the Laugavegur shopping street and several excellent museums around the city. 

Stroll around the Old Harbor to enjoy coastal views and see the Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Center. Visit the Sun Voyager sculpture or the Einar Jonsson Sculpture Garden, and don't forget to see the Hallgrimskirkja church. 

If the sky is clear, you might want to drive away from the city's light pollution to search for the northern lights. There are excellent places to see the lights near Reykjavik. Don't worry if you're too tired after your flight because you'll have plenty of chances to hunt them down on your vacation.

Return to your accommodation when ready and get a good night's sleep before tomorrow's adventure.

Today, you'll explore the highlights of West Iceland, with visits to mountains, waterfalls, and lava fields.

Start the day by leaving Reykjavik and heading past the city mountain Esja for a quick photo stop. If you're not in a hurry, you can drive along the Hvalfjordur fjord instead of taking the tunnel. The route is a little longer, but you'll enjoy incredible mountain and ocean views. 

On the other side of the Hvalfjordur fjord, you'll drive through West Iceland's farmlands until you near Borgarnes town. Before you reach Borgarnes, we recommend you take a slight detour to some of West Iceland's most beautiful attractions.

Start by visiting the beautiful Barnafoss and Hraunfossar waterfalls. The former rushes violently through a narrow, rocky gorge, and the latter trickles down black lava from the Hallmundarhraun lava field, which formed during an eruption over 1,000 years ago.

While here, you can head into the Vidgelmir lava cave on an optional tour. Visit the depths of this lava tube to see its strange rock formations, glistening icicles, and fantastic color display.

You can also have a slightly different underground adventure today and tour the ice cave tunnels of the mighty Langjokull glacier. These manufactured tunnels were carved inside Iceland's second-largest glacier and provide a unique insight into the ever-changing nature of the ice cap.

As you head back toward Borgarnes, you'll drive by the hot spring Deildartunguhver. It's worth exploring this area and witnessing Mother Nature's tremendous power firsthand. You can explore it further by stopping at the Krauma geothermal spa. Hot water from Deildartunguhver mixes with cold water from a nearby glacier, creating the perfect bathing temperature.

Borgarnes town is a great place to stop for a bite before continuing to your accommodation on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. If you still have some energy left after the day, you can explore the area a little and look for the northern lights. However, you'll have the whole day tomorrow to do this, so don't worry if you're too tired.

Today, you'll explore "Iceland in miniature" with a self-guided tour of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula in West Iceland.

After breakfast, pack a day bag and get ready to leave. You'll return to the same accommodation tonight, so you don't need to repack your luggage or check out of your room.

Start your drive along the peninsula's northern coastline. You can stop to stretch your legs in the fishing village of Grundarfjordur. It was once an important trading port, but people now flock to it for another reason. 

Nearby, you'll find Kirkjufell, the most photographed mountain in Iceland. Fans of Game of Thrones might recognize it as the "arrowhead mountain" used in seasons six and seven. Stop at the nearby Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall for one of the best views.

From here, you'll continue west into the Snaefellsjokull National Park, one of three national parks in Iceland. You'll pass small fishing villages as the mystical Snaefellsjokull glacier-topped volcano seems to grow with each mile.

This 700,000-year-old stratovolcano is the entrance point to the underworld in Jules Verne's classic novel Journey to the Center of the Earth. On a clear day, its snowy peak is visible from Reykjavik.

Inside the national park, you'll find the Djupalonssandur beach, but to get there, you'll have to walk through a maze of natural sculptures made from hardened lava. The beautiful beach is made of smooth black pebbles and jet-black sands. Scattered around the area are the remains of a trawler that fell to the water 70 years ago.

The Snaefellsnes Peninsula's southern coastline is gorgeous. You can stop at the Londrangar rock stacks and the ancient Hellnar and Arnarstapi hamlets as you return.

After a day of exploring, return to your accommodation. Remember to look out for the northern lights as you go. The Snaefellsnes Peninsula has excellent places to see the aurora borealis, surrounded by Iceland's natural beauty.

Spend your penultimate day in Iceland enjoying the magical sights of the Golden Circle, Iceland's most famous sightseeing route. 

After checking out of your accommodation, you'll drive southeast toward the Golden Circle. This driving route has three main attractions: Thingvellir National Park, the Geysir geothermal area, and the Gullfoss waterfall.

Before you leave the west behind, you can stop at the Gerduberg cliffs. The cliffs are about 1,600 feet (roughly 500 meters) long and have hundreds of hexagonal basalt columns that stand tall like an army.

Continue your countryside journey until you reach your first stop on the Golden Circle route, Thingvellir National Park. The park is the birthplace of Iceland's parliament, the Althingi, making it a place of immense historical importance in Iceland. It's also a geological wonder sitting in a rift valley between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. 

The unusual location results in some remarkable landscapes. Throughout the park, you'll find cracks and fissures that form as the tectonic plates move apart. One of these fissures, Silfra, is filled with crystal-clear meltwater from the Langjokull glacier.

You can opt to take a snorkeling tour inside the fissure to discover a beautiful blue underworld. Participants need to be comfortable in the water and able to swim.

Make your way from Thingvellir National Park to the geothermal area of Geysir. You can see bubbling mud pools, steaming hot springs, and erupting geysers here. The most active geyser is Strokkur, which shoots a column of water into the air every few minutes. 

The final stop of the Golden Circle is the mighty Gullfoss waterfall. "Gullfoss" means "golden falls" in Icelandic, and this waterfall gives its name to the whole sightseeing route. The waterfall has two tiers, and the water cascades from 105 feet (about 32 meters) high in a spectacular display of power. 

Another optional tour today is an exhilarating snowmobiling tour on the Langjokull glacier. Get your blood pumping as you race across the ice cap.

From here, travel to Reykjavik to check into your accommodation. Stop off at any beautiful sights on the way to wait for the northern lights or gaze up at the stars.

Spend your final day in Iceland exploring more of Reykjavik's top sights or relaxing in the Blue Lagoon.

Your plan for today will depend on your flight's departure time. If it leaves in the late afternoon or evening, you can spend the morning exploring the Icelandic capital before heading to the airport. 

Immerse yourself in a vibrant blend of modernity and tradition in Reykjavik. Start your day with a leisurely walk through the picturesque Austurvollur Square, a popular gathering spot surrounded by charming cafes and restaurants.

Next, delve into Iceland's rich maritime history at the Maritime Museum, conveniently located near the old harbor.

For those inclined towards literary pursuits, the Culture House offers a deep dive into Icelandic sagas and art exhibits.

Nature enthusiasts should not miss the Reykjavik Botanical Gardens, an oasis of greenery showcasing a diverse array of native and foreign plants.

If you visit the Blue Lagoon today, you can end your vacation by relaxing in the geothermal waters. It's an ideal place to finish your trip, relaxing and reflecting on your adventure in the land of fire and ice. 

When leaving, drop your rental car at Keflavik International Airport and head to the departure gate. 

We hope you have a great flight and will return to Iceland soon!