En uges biltur på den populære sydkyst og mytiske højland på Island

On the second day of your week-long summer holiday in Iceland, you'll set out to visit the sites of its most popular tourist trail, the Golden Circle. This sightseeing route boasts three incredible attractions, and as this is a self-drive tour conducted under the Midnight Sun, there are plenty of beautiful hidden gems around it that you can seek out.

Thingvellir National Park is the first major attraction on your agenda. Located directly between the North American and Eurasian Tectonic plate edges, it boasts beautiful lava fields, ravines, and forests that beg to be explored. The site also has a fascinating history, being the original setting of Iceland's first national assembly.

Next, you will find the Geysir Geothermal Area. This valley is a hotbed of hot springs, with many bubbling mud pots, steaming vents, and, as its name suggests, several geysers. Strokkur is the most impressive of these, regularly blasting water and steam to remarkable heights.

Finally, you will come to Gullfoss, one of the most beloved waterfalls in Iceland. Not only is it a natural wonder cascading into an ancient valley with awesome power, but it had a fascinating role during a pivotal moment in Iceland's environmental awakening.

Around these fascinating sites are several lesser-known attractions where you can enjoy the wonder of Iceland away from the tourist crowds. These include the Kerid crater lake, Solheimar eco-village, and the Secret Lagoon.

There are also three tours you can add to your day for a taste of adventure. While at Thingvellir, you can organize a snorkeling excursion into the spectacular Silfra, a crystal clear spring found between the tectonic plates. Meanwhile, from the car park at Gullfoss, you could take a super-jeep to the sparkling glacier of Langjokull, and embark on a thrilling snowmobiling ride across its surface.

Finally, you could head to a farm in the beautiful countryside of southwest Iceland to ride an Icelandic horse. These creatures are renowned for their intelligence, friendliness, and diminutive size and provide a lovely perspective of the surrounding nature.

After packing your first day full of amazing attractions and adventure, you'll retire for the night in a countryside hotel in the area.

On the third day of your summer vacation in Iceland, you will set out to explore the country's magnificent Highlands by traveling to Landmannalaugar.

If you are experienced driving on bumpy tails, you can elect to take the highland roads and drive there yourself with a four-wheel-drive car. If, however, you would rather not risk your rental car, or if not up to the job, you can take a super jeep tour there for a more exciting journey. You will be in the company of an experienced, knowledgeable local guide, who will introduce you to the sites.

However you get there, you'll no doubt be blown away by the beauty of Iceland's interior. The rhyolite mountains of Landmannalaugar are vividly colored by the area's volcanic activity, shaded colors of yellow, green, pink, and red. The hot springs are numerous and inviting, and there are plenty of hiking trails for those wanting to get further into nature.

Many of these will provide you with views over the Highlands that few travelers are lucky enough to see. You'll be awed by volcanoes, lunar landscapes, glaciers, and even some vast crater lakes. Though some of these trails are relatively short and easy, those who would rather unwind can simply bathe in the luxurious geothermal pools and marvel over their surroundings.

Once you have made the most of your visit to Iceland's far-flung Highlands, you'll return to your hotel in south Iceland.

On day four of your week-long Icelandic summer holiday, you'll slowly explore the sites of the South Coast of Iceland. Many packages and tours try to squeeze as many attractions along this route as possible into a single and end up rushing, but due to the immersive, slow-paced nature of this tour, you will give all of them justice.

The South truly has it all: waterfalls, glaciers, volcanoes, beautiful stretches of coastline, charming villages, and terrain that ranges from idyllic country to volcanic wasteland. It is perhaps most famous for the waterfalls. Today, you'll marvel over the serene Seljalandsfoss, the powerful Skogafoss, and the magical Gljufrabui, spending as much time at each as you desire.

The ice caps deserve special mention due to the exciting opportunities for excursions that they present. The first of these is a classic glacier hiking tour on the outlet of Solheimajokull. Under the care of an experienced guide, you will scale its spectacular surface and attain unforgettable views across the South.

The second is the chance to explore an ice cave on Myrdalsjokull, the glacier that conceals the notorious volcano of Katla. Ice caving is not usually possible in summer, making this a unique opportunity for those seeking to witness the world inside an ice cap.

Though you are welcome to set out to find the many hidden gems of the South, it is still highly recommended you visit the popular attractions of the Dyrholaey rock arch and Reynisfjara beach. The former is famous for its scale and being home to thousands of puffins in summer; the latter is a beautiful black sand stretch of coast, renowned for the towering sea stacks of Reynisdrangar.

When you finally retire for the evening, it will be at a hotel in the charming village of Vik.

The fifth day of your holiday will be spent exploring two of the most incredible locations in south Iceland, both in the majestic Vatnajokull National Park: Skaftafell Nature Reserve and Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. Sitting under the park's namesake, the enormous Vatnajokull glacier, you will be incredibly grateful for this self-drive's slow-paced nature as it will provide you with hours at each.

Skaftafell is a spectacular area, sheltered by glacier tongues and defined by lagoons, rivers, and lava landscapes. It is often described as a hiker's and photographer's paradise. The most popular trail in the reserve leads to the beautiful Svartifoss waterfall, which tumbles amongst bizarre columns of hexagonal basalt.

To further immerse yourself in Skaftafell, you can elect to take a glacier hiking tour on the magnificent tongue of Svinafellsjokull. This is a great choice for those who missed the trip on Solheimajokull yesterday. Though Solheimajokull's more consistent weather often leads to better views, Svinafellsjokull usually has more dramatic crevasses, ridges, and ice formations.

Jokulsarlon is a glacier lagoon of epic proportions. One of the largest natural lakes in Iceland, and ever-growing, it is filled with enormous icebergs that break from an adjacent glacier tongue. Their scale, vivid coloration, and gentle movements make them magnificent to watch, and many spend hours silently marveling over them from the shore.

If you want a more intimate experience, you could book an alternative tour here and take a boat into the lagoon. Amphibious vessels are an affordable option that allows you to immerse yourself amongst the bergs while largely staying out of the splash zone. At the same time, zodiacs can offer you an even closer perspective.

When the icebergs finally escape Jokulsarlon, they wash up on the shore of the adjacent black-sand coast. Called the Diamond Beach, this is another area of spectacular beauty you should be sure to explore. Both the lagoon and coastline are also great seal-watching locations.

After enjoying the wonders of southeast Iceland, you'll head to Kirkjubaejarklaustur for the night.

On the penultimate day of your Icelandic summer holiday, you'll drive from Kirkjubaejarklaustur back to Reykjavik along the South Coast. This journey will allow you to seek out any hidden gems you were not able to reach over the past few days and to return to some of your favorite sites.

If you are so inclined, you even have time to return to Jokulsarlon or Skaftafell for a few hours to further marvel over their unique beauty, unless, of course, you have booked a tour.

You can embark on a once-in-a-lifetime journey inside the magma chamber of a dormant volcano. Available only in Iceland, you'll head to a mining lift in southwest Iceland, which will lower you into a cavern that defies the imagination. Vividly coloured and unbelievably vast, the Thrihnukagigur magma chamber is a natural wonder unlike anything else on earth.

Considering that tomorrow is your departure day, some guests may prefer to get to Reykjavik in good time; after immersing yourself so deeply in the country's nature, many also appreciate the opportunity to get to know its culture. The capital has something for everyone, with many galleries, museums, pools, restaurants, shops, and a great live music scene.

Day seven marks the end of your week in Iceland. Those with an early departure will need to make sure they drop their car off at the airport in decent time before catching their flight home. Those leaving later, however, can create a few last memories of Iceland.

Sightseeing around the capital or Reykjanes Peninsula is great for those eager to soak up a little more culture or nature. Considering you’ll still have your rental car, you could even visit other attractions around Reykjavik, such as Mount Esjan, the Blue Mountains, or the Reykjadalur Hot Spring Valley.

Alternatively, you can organize your Blue Lagoon visit on this day. Taking a dip in its healing azure waters is a perfect way to rejuvenate and end a week of adventure.

We hope you enjoy your flight home and come back to Iceland soon.