6-Day Midnight Sun Summer Self-Drive Tour of Iceland’s Hidden Gems & Black Sand Beaches

You'll arrive at the Keflavik International Airport, which is nestled in the middle of the dark lava fields of the Reykjanes Peninsula. Pick up your car and drive through this black desert to Iceland's capital, Reykjavik.

You have two optional activities available that you can choose from right at the start of your holiday: a stop at the Blue Lagoon or a dip in the Sky Lagoon.

The Blue Lagoon and Sky Lagoon are both luxurious geothermal spas in Iceland, but they offer different experiences. The Blue Lagoon is larger and more iconic, located in a volcanic landscape, with milky blue waters rich in minerals and silica. It's known for its spa treatments and healing properties.

The Sky Lagoon, closer to Reykjavik, provides a more intimate, oceanfront setting with stunning views of the North Atlantic. Its Skjol bathing ritual, inspired by Icelandic traditions, adds a unique wellness element. 

Once in the city, settle into your accommodation for the next five nights. By staying in the same location, you can travel lightly, as you don't have to repack every day, ensuring a smooth and relaxing holiday.

You can start your Icelandic adventure by doing a little exploring around the city. Take a light stroll down the streets of Reykjavik to discover its many restaurants, bars, and cafes, or unwind in the warm, geothermal waters of a hot tub in one of the city's many swimming pools.

Reykjavik is a city steeped in history and culture, vividly reflected in its abundance of museums and art galleries. The National Museum of Iceland is an essential stop for anyone interested in Icelandic history, featuring an extensive collection that covers the nation's story from the Viking settlement to the present day.

Art enthusiasts will find a wealth of contemporary and traditional works at the Reykjavik Art Museum, spread across three locations, each offering unique exhibitions. The Einar Jonsson Museum, dedicated to the works of Iceland's most famous sculptor, provides an intriguing look into his creative process and inspirations.

Towering over the cityscape is Hallgrimskirkja, a grand Lutheran church and one of the city's most iconic buildings, offering stunning views from its observation tower. Down by the waterfront, the Harpa Concert Hall dazzles visitors with its geometric glass facade, reflecting the city and the surrounding landscapes.

Stroll along to the Sun Voyager, a steel sculpture by Jon Gunnar Arnason representing a dream of hope, progress, and freedom. The nearby historic Hofdi House, known for hosting the 1986 Reykjavik Summit meeting of presidents Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, is also a point of interest.

The striking modern building of Perlan sits atop hot water storage tanks. It has a museum and a rotating observation deck providing a 360-degree city view. Discover Perlan's fascinating interactive exhibitions and shows, such as the ice cave and glaciers exhibition, the Arora northern lights show, and the lava show highlighting the Geldingadalir volcanic eruption.

Be careful not to stay out too late. The bright midnight sun can make you forget what time it is, and you have a busy few days ahead of you. When you're ready to retire for the night, head to your comfortable city-center accommodation.

After waking up in Reykjavik, start the day by heading out of the city to visit Iceland's most popular sightseeing route, the Golden Circle. Aside from the Thingvellir National Park, Geysir geothermal area, and Gullfoss waterfall, the three famous sites that make up the Golden Circle, you can also visit some secret spots along the way.

You're invited to add exciting tours during the booking process to spice up this day. You could start your journey by visiting a horse farm just outside Reykjavik city if you opt to. You'll meet friendly Icelandic horses there for a riding tour around the countryside. Icelandic horses are very gentle, so this trip is an excellent choice for children and adults alike.

Today, you'll visit Thingvellir National Park, the birthplace of Iceland's parliament. The park is in a valley between two tectonic plates drifting apart. As the continents shift, they create canyons and fissures that are visible in the area.

Some of those fissures are filled with underground meltwater from nearby glaciers, and today, you can go snorkeling in these waters. At Silfra fissure, you'll be given a drysuit and then taken to the crystal-clear waters, where you'll discover the electric blue underworld just below the water's surface. Snorkeling participants need to be comfortable in the water and be able to swim.

You'll then move on to the bubbling mud pools, steaming hot springs, and erupting geysers of the Geysir geothermal area. The geyser Strokkur erupts every 5-10 minutes, giving you plenty of chances to capture a great selfie with the 66-foot (20-meter) water column in the background.

Next up is the 'Golden Waterfall' Gullfoss. From several viewing platforms, you'll be able to see as the river Hvita dramatically plunges 105 feet (32 meters) into an ancient canyon, creating a thundering noise that will shake your core and echo in your ear.

During the booking process, you can opt for a tour that departs from Gullfoss waterfall, where you visit Langjokull glacier, the same ice cap that feeds the river Hvita. There, you'll hop aboard a snowmobile and race across the white expanse, filling your veins with adrenaline and your lungs with cool glacial air.

Before you return to Reykjavik, there are a few secret spots you should check out as well, one aptly called 'The Secret Lagoon.' Located in the village of Fludir, the Secret Lagoon is a beautiful geothermal pool where the surrounding hot springs, fumaroles, and a small geyser provide a fantastical air of mystery.

You can check out the Fridheimar farm and learn how Icelanders harness geothermal energy to grow tomatoes and vegetables all year round or see a rainbow of colors at Kerid crater lake. The crater's steep walls, made of dark red volcanic rocks covered with bright green moss, surround the sky-blue water and give it an otherworldly appearance.

After another excellent day, head to your Reykjavik accommodation for a good night's sleep.

As this is a self-drive, you decide when you hit the road. However, the South Coast has beautiful attractions and activities, so you might want to start early today. You'll drive past glaciers that cover volcanoes on your way to see cascading waterfalls and black-sand beaches.

Head east, going through the geothermal town of Hveragerdi and the small village of Hvolsvollur. The first stop of the day is the stunning waterfall Seljalandsfoss. Wear waterproof clothes so you can follow the path behind the cascading water.

From Seljalandsfoss, you can take a short walk to a hidden gem, Gljufrabui waterfall, partly covered by large cliffs.

It's just a short drive to your next destination, Skogafoss, a massive cascade that will simultaneously show you Mother Nature's strength and beauty. The waterfall lies beneath the glaciers Eyjafjallajokull and Myrdalsjokull.

You can stop at Solheimajokull, an outlet glacier of Myrdalsjokull, for a glacier hike or an ice climbing tour. Or you could head further east to the village of Vik, where you'll board a super jeep to drive you up Myrdalsjokull glacier to an authentic ice cave. It's the only one of its kind accessible all year round.

Vik village is a great place to stop for lunch or snacks before returning to Reykjavik, as it sits on the banks of the black sand beach of Reynisfjara. Enjoy the views of the crashing Atlantic Ocean waves, hitting both the beach and the massive Reynisdrangar sea stacks, which rise out of the ocean like petrified trolls, before returning to the city.

However, if you are an enthusiastic sightseer, you can skip the optional tours, delay your returning journey, and continue further east to see the stunning Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon. You can add on an optional boat tour at the lagoon during booking, a fantastic way to immerse yourself in this surreal landscape.

At the lagoon, massive icebergs break off the glacier and float peacefully in the water before drifting off to sea. You can see them wash up on shore and sparkle in the sun at the nearby Diamond beach.

Those looking to go on a different route today for hidden treasures can drive to the black sands of Solheimasandur, where they'll find the skeleton of a crashed DC airplane, then visit Seljavallalaug pool, hidden inside a mountain pass. 

Whatever you decide to do today, you'll be filled with great memories of a fantastic day on the South Coast as you return to your accommodation in Reykjavik.

Today, you'll explore a 56-mile (90-kilometer) stretch of land filled with lava fields, beaches, charming fishing villages, a stunning coastline, and an inspiring glacier volcano. This little piece of land is sometimes nicknamed 'Iceland in Miniature' due to its many diverse attractions, but it's mainly called the Snaefellsnes Peninsula.

Start the day by driving past Reykjavik's mighty mountain Esja and into the green fields of West Iceland until you reach your first stop, the cliffs of Gerduberg. The site comprises a long belt of hexagonal basalt columns resembling an artificial castle wall, but these form naturally in Iceland's volcanic environment.

Icelandic beaches are usually jet-black, but your next stop is at one of the few golden beaches in the country. Ytri-Tunga is a beautiful location filled with white dunes and small islets just off the coast and a great place to spot seals as they often swim in the ocean or laze on the shore.

You'll surely capture some fantastic photos in the peninsula's many villages, like the black church in Budir, the rock arch in Arnarstapi, the beautiful rock formations down by the sea at Hellnar, and the charming houses at Stykkisholmur.

Don't forget to stop by the coastline to see the massive Londrangar volcanic plugs that jut out of the ocean. You can also walk to the black pebble beach of Djupalonssandur, where remains of a ship that wrecked there in 1948 lie scattered around.

Watching over you on your journey is the mighty glacier volcano Snaefellsjokull. The glacier was an entryway to the underground adventure in Jules Verne's 1864 novel 'Journey to the Centre of the Earth.'

Today, you can have your own adventure with a visit to Vatnshellir lava cave, where you follow a path created by flowing lava thousands of years ago.

Before returning to Reykjavik, snap photos of the pyramid-shaped mountain Kirkjufell and its nearby waterfall. Fans of the HBO series Game of Thrones might recognize this striking feature.

After another fun-filled day, you'll return to Reykjavik and relax at your accommodation.