Self Drive Itinerary to west Iceland, Geysir and south Iceland

Day 1: Arrival in Keflavik Int. Airport
Transport to a hotel in Reykjavik by fly bus ISK 2.200 per person. You can also choose to stop at the Blue Lagoon for a relaxing soak.  At your guesthouse a self-drive package will be waiting for you; maps with your route, an Icelandic mobile phone and Nature Explorer handbook. 
Accommodation; Guesthouse Sunna in the center of Reykjavik.
Double room w/private facilities, incl. breakfast ISK 18.500.

Day 2: Reykjavik - Snaefellsnes Peninsula
In the morning you pick up your rental car.  Drive to Snaefellsnes, (approx 2 hours driving) to the little town Stykkisholmur where you will go sailing on a sightseeing tour around Breidafjordur Bay, ideal for bird watching in the middle of the nesting season. The boat leaves at 11 pm. We say here in Iceland that the islands in Breidafjordur are to many to count. When you are back ashore you can look around in the “Danish” town Stykkisholmur with its beautiful surroundings and little houses. Have lunch there and drive from Stykkisholmur around Snaefellsnes peninsula and look at all the things that it has to offer; Volcanic glacier, beautiful rocky beaches full of nesting birds, rugged landscape with lava fields meeting the Atlantic ocean. It has been said about Snaefellsnes that it is Iceland in a nutshell. (approx 2-4 hours driving)
Accommodation; Hotel Budir room 
Double room incl. breakfast ISK 26.000 and deluxe rooms for ISK 36.000.  Restaurant in hotel but no offers with room’s a-la-carte menu

Day 3: Snaefellnes - Borgarfjordur - Thingvellir - Geysir area
You drive through Borgarfjordur on the way from Snaefellsnes to Geysir. The route depends on what kind of a car you will be driving. If you have rented a 4x4 we recommend you take the mountain road Kaldidalur to Thingvellir national park. This road really shows you the barren and remote side of Iceland; rugged lava surrounded by glaciers and mountain desert. The mountain road Kaldidalur witch is the shortest rout to Thingvellir and takes you close to Icelands second largest glacier Langjokull. If you don´t have a 4x4, you will have to stick to the main roads to look at the main attractions of Borgarfjordur;  Hraunfossar (Lava Waterfalls) where the river flows from underneath the lava field and cascades down into river. Just a few meters away there’s another great waterfall, Barnafoss. We pass through the historical site of Reykholt before visiting Iceland’s most powerful geothermal spring, Deildartunguhver. Return to Reykjavik via scenic Hvalfjordur (Whale Fjord). You drive to Thingvellir, Iceland’s ancient parliament of Althingi established in 930 AD which makes it the oldest parliament in the world. Thingvellir is also known for it’s natural beauty and geographical uniqueness. From Thingvellir you head on to Geysir area for a dinner and stay there in Hotel Geysir. (approx 6 hours driving)
Accommodation: Hotel Geysir
Normal price for a double room with bath ISK 17.500
Breakfast: ISK 1.400 per person

Day 4: Geysir area - Gullfoss - Horse rental 
By Hotel Geysir there is a horse rental where you can go horseback riding in the beautiful surroundings of the Geysir area or take a morning swim in the little swimming pool by Hotel Geysir. From the Geysir area there is a 10 min. drive to Gullfoss waterfall whichis a must-see. We recommend that after you looked at the Gullfoss waterfall to try our national dish, the classical lamb meat soup at Gullfoss café. On the way from Thingvellir you pass; Laugarvatn there you can take a sauna on top of hot springs and you hear them rumble under your feet. Then go for dip into the semi-warm lake beside the sauna bath. This is Iceland´s oldest steam bath, all natural geothermal heat and quite the Icelandic experience.
Stay another night at Geysir hotel.
Accommodation: Hotel Geysir

Day 5:  Hotel Geysir-Myrdalsjokull glacier - Kirkjubaejarklaustur
You can choose from several routes from Geysir through the green country side to Myrdalsjokull glacier but you will stop at the 40 m high waterfall Seljalandsfoss where you take short hike behind the waterfall (remember waterproof clothes because of the spray). Go on to the next waterfall, the 62 m high beautiful Skogarfoss waterfall and spend a little time in the little village Skogar where there is a very good history museum, and perhaps take a late lunch there. From Skogar you go on to Myrdalsjokull glacier and take an hour´s guided snowmobile tour there. It´s easy and it´s big fun. From there you head eastwards along Icelánd´s south shore through the village of Vik close to Iceland’s most southern tip; Dyrholaey. In Vik you can go down to the black sanded beaches of the South coast. Drive on trough a black sand desert and by the lava fields from Mount Laki, to the small village Kirkjubaejarklaustur, close to Fjadrargljufur, (approx 5-6 hours driving)
Accommdation; Geirland guesthouse and hotel; a holiday farm guesthouse where you get a good dinner. There also is a horse rental there. Room with double bed and breakfast. ISK 19.700

Day 6: Kirkjubaejarklaustur - Skaftafell - Glacier Lagoon
From Kirkjubaejarklaustur you drive on eastwards to Skaftafell national park. The road will take trough the largest black sand desert in Iceland, beautiful lava fields with spectacular mountain view. From Skaftafell National Park it´s only a 40 min walk to Svartifoss waterfall and a half an hours drive to Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon where you will go sailing on the lagoon. The road under Europe’s largest glacier Vatnajokull is very scenic; steep colorful mountains with the white glacier in the back and the ocean on the other side, reindeer and sheep crossing the road. Drive back to Kirkjubaejaklaustur and overnight there again or stop near Skaptafell and have dinner and overnight in Hotel Skaftafell, in the shadow of the biggest glacier outside the arctic regions; Vatnajokull (3-6 hours driving)
Accommodation; ISK 26.000 per double room

Day 7:  Skaftafell - Fjadrargljufur - Thorsmork - Hvolsvollur
Head back towards Reykjavik, stop at the gorge Fjadrargljufur and spend at least two hours there. If you overnight in Skaftafell there is about two hours drive Kirkjubaejarklaustur; stop there for lunch and you can give your self time to inspect this quite little village and its surroundings. (Approximately 5 hours driving to Hvolsvollur from Skaftafell). Thorsmork is something we always recommend to all nature enthusiasts. If you are experience 4x4 driver and the conditions are good you can go on your own but we recommend you go with us in the Super-jeep. But it is your call of course. If you choose to do so, drive to Reykjavik and the next day. We will drive you to Thorsmork.  Drive to the village Hvolsvollur and stay in the area for the night.
Accommodation; Holiday farm Smaratun guesthouse room with double bed or a small fully furnished hut.
Small hut ISK 9.000. Bigger cottage with a hot tub ISK 15.000-17.000. Linen in cottages is an additional ISK 14.000 per person & breakfast is ISK 1.200 per person.
Guesthouse double room with breakfast ISK 14.500. You can dine at Smaratun or in the village Hvolvollur.

Day 8: Smaratun - Reykjavik
Drive back to Reykjavik and when you come to the town Selfoss you turn left, to the South shore to a little fishing village called Stokkseyri. A visit the Museum of ghosts and elf’s gives you a taste of our folk story’s and tales. The coastline near Stokkseyri is an ideal place for bird watching; in the migrating season, and you can always see some birds in that coastline. From Stokkseyri there is approximately 45 min. drive to Reykjavík by the highway but you can choose an alternative route which is a little bit longer but more scenic.
Back to Guesthouse Sunna and dine at your own choice.

Day 9: Reykjavik - Departure from Keflavik Airport
Spend the day in Reykjavik relax, go whale watching or visit museums.  You can return your rental car in Reykjavik or drive your self to Keflavik airport; and inspect the Reykjanes peninsula where you can walk between continents so to speak on the tectonc plate boundaries. A visit to the Blue Lagoon is also a popular activity. It would of cost about the same to leave the rental car at the airport as the Fly bus fare. But of course you could return the car on day 8 when you arrive to Reykjavik.

This is just and idea and a sample - we will custom make your itinerary according to your wishes, length of stay in Iceland.

At Nature Explorer we share your passion for travel and we would love to share a great adventure in Iceland. We specialize in small groups and big adventures for active people. Our guides are expert mountaineers, our staff knowledgeable about Iceland but first and foremost they take pride in providing personal service.

Go back to our car hire page or select a rental car: 
Toyota Land Cruiser 4x4 automatic
Land Rover Defender 4x4 manual stick shift
Toyota Rav4 4WD automatic
Skoda Octavia 4WD station car
Toyota Yaris small compact car

If you want a personal service from a local expert to plan a self drive vacation in Iceland, please don´t hesitate to contact us at Info@NatureExplorer.is