Iceland
8
 DAYS IN 
Iceland

Iceland has been a dream of mine for a long time, and it was everything I had expected. I enjoyed every part of it!

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Iceland was fascinating because we and two other groups followed a friend’s itinerary. We booked the same flights and embarked on an incredible journey together. We set our timings and mostly traveled independently, but 18 people following the same itinerary meant we saw each other throughout the trip.

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We decided to do the entire Ring Road in 7 days. Many online guides recommended 7 to 10 days, and 7 days was optimal because it became repetitive driving in and seeing similar terrains. 

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This was also a very budget-friendly trip, and we spent around £600 for 6 days all-in (flights from London, car rental, accommodations, food). Outside of Reykjavik, we prepared all our meals.

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Disclaimer: Be prepared to see a lot of waterfalls, and by a lot, I mean every day.

 

My trip overview is a mix of attraction and location names, depending on which is more recognizable, since the names are confusing. We covered Iceland anti-clockwise and hit all these spots.

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TRANSPORT | We booked our car rental from Thrifty via Rentalcars.com, and I didn’t have to pay for car insurance because it was covered under my credit card. The rest booked from Lotus Car Rental, which charged quite a high insurance premium at around £30/day, but they managed to get car insurance from Questor Insurance for £30 total all-in. There’s quite a bit to read about car rentals in Iceland, but the gist is to get a 4WD and make sure the car is covered by insurance.

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DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY | I wish I knew that we needed to book a tour to visit the ice caves at Vatnajokull!!! I booked this tour when planning my prior trip to Iceland (didn’t happen due to COVID-19), and I completely forgot about it. We didn’t know the caves were only accessible by tour, and it was too late to book one when we were already there. Bummer. Also, I forgot my gloves, which I regret. Also, I wish I had the time to fit Blue Lagoon in.

‍HIGHLIGHTS | NORTHERN LIGHTS!?

Day 2: Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, Loftsalahellir, Fjaðrárgljúfur

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SELJALANDFOSS

SKOGAFOSS

SOLHEIMASANDUR PLANE WRECK

LOFTSALAHELLIR CAVE

REYNISFJARA BEACH

DYRHOLAEY VIEWPOINT

FJAÐRÁRGLJÚFUR

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We skipped the plane wreck because we only walked 45 minutes in the freezing cold, or paid for a 5-minute bus ride to see some broken plane remnants. Not very worth it.

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WE STAYED AT Hvoll Hostel. It wasn’t my top choice because they used common bathrooms shared by many people. However, options were quite limited since few places could fit a big group.

Day 2: Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, Loftsalahellir, Fjaðrárgljúfur

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SELJALANDFOSS

SKOGAFOSS

SOLHEIMASANDUR PLANE WRECK

LOFTSALAHELLIR CAVE

REYNISFJARA BEACH

DYRHOLAEY VIEWPOINT

FJAÐRÁRGLJÚFUR

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We skipped the plane wreck because we only walked 45 minutes in the freezing cold, or paid for a 5-minute bus ride to see some broken plane remnants. Not very worth it.

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WE STAYED AT Hvoll Hostel. It wasn’t my top choice because they used common bathrooms shared by many people. However, options were quite limited since few places could fit a big group.

Day 3: Svartifoss, Svinafellsjokull, Skaftafell, Diamond Beach

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SVARTIFOSS

SVINAFELLSJOKULL

SKAFTAFELL

VATNAJÖKULL NATIONAL PARK

DIAMOND BEACH

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A devastating day because I had looked forward to the Vatnajökull ice caves for so long, but I completely forgot that we needed a tour to get in. We only realized it when we arrived, so it was too late to do anything. We couldn’t even remotely see the ice caves from the outside, so it’s something that’s back on the bucket list!

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WE STAYED AT the two-bedroom apartment Guesthouse Hvammur. It was spacious and convenient - we could park our car outside the apartment entrance. Also, movie night here! 

Day 4: Stokksnes, Egilsstadir, Gufufoss

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STOKKSNES

GUFUFOSS

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WE STAYED AT Mjoanes Accommodation. I was apprehensive of the place because it didn’t look appealing, but I can confidently say the images didn’t do it justice. They converted a barn into a lounge room with games, a pool table, and an adjacent music room. They even had a jacuzzi and sauna outside the barn where we got to catch the northern lights. It was a great place to hang out as a group at the end of the day. To top it all off, our host Elsa baked us fresh bread for breakfast. So awesome. 

Day 5: Dettifoss, Hverir, Grjotagja

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DETTIFOSS

HVERIR

GRJOTAGJA CAVE

MYVATN NATURE BATHS

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The Myvatn Nature Baths were worth it. It was a large complex that could accommodate a large group of people. There were at least a hundred people there.

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WE STAYED AT Eldá apartments. We were within short driving distance of the attractions (Hverir, Grjótagjá Cave, and Myvatn Nature Baths). Staying near the town also gave us convenient access to the petrol station and supermarket.

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Day 6: Godafoss

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GODAFOSS

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WE STAYED AT Stóra-Ásgeirsá Horse Farm. Stay was the stay I looked most forward to! The house itself wasn’t anything special. The highlight was the hot tub beside a waterfall and the opportunity to see farm animals. Our host gave us a farm tour, and we spent time with the horses. I wish we had more time in the morning to hang out at the farm, but it was still incredible nonetheless!

Day 7: Kirkjufellfoss, Hraunfossar

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KIRKJUFELLFOSS

HRAUNFOSSAR

KRAUMA BATHS

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The Krauma Baths were very different from the Myvatn Nature Baths. It was more luxurious but also more curated. They used multiple small pools of varying temperatures instead of large baths. While I enjoyed both, I would rank Myvatn baths slightly higher.

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WE STAYED AT Cosy Cottage. We didn’t spend much time here, but it was a cosy and nicely decorated cottage. The cottage overlooked a lake, and it was incredibly peaceful to be there. I wish I had more time here.

Day 8: Reykjavik

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HALLGRIMSKIRKJA

RAINBOW STREET

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There wasn’t much to see in Reykjavik. We would have gone to Blue Lagoon if we hadn’t gone to 2 baths in 3 days. Although there are quite a few good restaurants, bakeries, and cafes to check out (Brauð & Co, Sandholt, Reykjavik Roasters, Íslenski barinn, etc.) If you’re interested in trying sharks, whales, reindeer, and/or puffins, Reykjavik is the place!