6 Day Camping Road Trip | The Highlands of Iceland

After landing at  Keflavík International Airport, pick up your rental car and head to the city of Reykjavík. If you have had an early flight, you may want to wash away the stress of travel at the geothermal spa of the Blue Lagoon before driving to the capital. The warm, azure water, with its reputed healing properties, will fully recharge you for your adventures ahead. You can add entry tickets to the spa during the booking process.

Make your way to the City Hall, found in downtown Reykjavík. There, you will receive your camping card so you can start your exploration of Iceland. If you wish, you can begin by exploring the vibrant capital which is packed with cultural sights, restaurants, bars and boutiques. 

Remember that this vacation is all about doing what you want to, so just relax and enjoy your first day. The team at City Hall will be more than happy to recommend some top spots and activities to help you fully experience Iceland.

At the end of the day, make your way to the village of Þorlákshöfn, just south of Reykjavík. There, you'll find the first campsite of your journey.

Your journey begins properly on day two, and encompasses the magical Golden Circle, featuring some of Iceland’s most popular natural sights. Begin with a visit to the cultural and geological hotspot, Þingvellir National Park. Within this UNESCO World Heritage Site, you can literally walk between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, and see where the world's longest running representative parliament was founded. You can also opt into a snorkel tour within the world-famous Silfra fissure, which is regularly voted as one of the world's top five dive sites.

Next on your route is the geothermal valley where you can see Geysir - the original “geyser” after which all others in the world are named - and its more active neighbour, Strokkur. This geyser spouts boiling water up to 20 m (66 ft) high every ten minutes or so. End the circle with a visit to the dramatic and powerful Gullfoss Falls; you can approach it right up to the water's edge, and really get a taste for the power of Iceland's nature.

From Gullfoss, it is possible to take a snowmobiling tour up on the glacier Langjökull, an activity not to be missed by thrill-seekers. You can also use this free time to take a two-hour long horse-riding tour nearby.

A site that is often missed by those on the Golden Circle is the volcanic crater lake of Kerið. It is a stunning location, the crater coloured with rust-red and fire-orange rocks, contrasting against the azure blue of the permanent lake within it.

After a long day of exploring, you'll make your way to a campsite in the Hvolsvöllur area where you will spend the next three nights. 

On your third day, start with a drive to Iceland's most celebrated geothermal Highlands, Landmannalaugar. This incredibly beautiful region sports many fine options for hikes, and you will spend all day finding new wondrous paths. There are natural hot springs here, perfect for taking a long, relaxing bath while revelling in the rustic, untouched beauty that surrounds you.

After walking amongst steaming rivers and rhyolitic mountains, you'll make your way back to the campsite in the Hvolsvöllur area.

Day four will start with a drive along part of the south coast. On the way, you can stop at the Seljalandsfoss waterfall, which you can walk all the way around. Don't forget to stop at its lesser-known neighbour, however, the waterfall Gljúfrabúi. Gljúfrabúi falls from heights of 40 m (130 ft) and is partially hidden behind a large cliff; it is breathtaking and otherworldly. Keep an eye out as you drive on, since the infamous volcano beneath a glacier, Eyjafjallajökull, is in sight.

You can take the walking track that leads to the main area of Þórsmörk. Þórsmörk means 'Thor's land', and its incredible beauty will leave you in no doubt as to why it took the name of the most powerful of the old Norse gods. This incredible forested valley is sheltered by three mighty glaciers, meaning it is usually very temperate, perfect for hiking.

Spend the day exploring and drinking in some of the purest mountain air in the world, before heading back to the campsite at Hvolsvöllur.

On day five, you will start to properly explore the South Coast. First along the way, you will find Reynisfjara, the black sand beach in South Iceland, considered the country's most beautiful stretch of coastline by many. Here you can see a wall of basalt rocks and the sea stacks of Reynisfjara in the distance. These impressive features are rumoured to be the remains of a pair of trolls who waded out into the water to catch a passing ship, and turned to stone when they were caught by the light of the rising sun.

This area is also a very good location to see puffins, especially around the promontory Dyrhólaey, which is easily accessible from the small, charming village of Vík.

Further west is the plane wreck of Sólheimasandur, which has become a very popular attraction. It has been there since the winter of 1973, exposed to the elements and yet, like so many things in Iceland, has endured them steadfastly. A quick stop here allows for an excellent photo opportunity.

One of the most popular features on this stretch is the magnificent waterfall Skógafoss. It is 60 m (197 ft) in height, and after a heavy rain, can be a third of that in width. It releases so much spray that on a sunny day, the foot of the falls throws off many rainbows.

While travelling the south coast you can opt for several icy-tours such as a snowmobile tour or a glacier hike on Sólheimjökull glacier. You can also go for an ice cave tour near Katla volcano on the glacier Mýrdalsjökull. Whatever you choose, you'll be sure to leave these glacier adventures with memories that will last forever. 

You'll spend your last night in Iceland at a campsite in the town of Þorlákshöfn.

Depart from Iceland feeling truly satisfied, having seen some of the main and most beautiful attractions of this island up close and personal.

If you have time before your flight, enjoy a last soak in the geothermal spa of the Blue Lagoon, which is en route to the airport. 

Don't forget to allocate some extra time to drop your car off at Keflavík International Airport in time for your flight.