Iceland in Two Weeks

Iceland | North Iceland | Reykjavik | South Iceland | West Iceland

Iceland in Two Weeks

Welcome to Iceland, a land of glaciers, lagoons, hiking, and hot springs. This two week trip will take you on a ring around the island. Don’t expect a lot of big cities; once you leave Reykjavik you’ll be in smaller towns. This trip is meant for late spring/summer/early fall and may be impossible in winter.

Length: 14 Days

Transport: This is a car based trip

Recommended Guide Book: Rick Steves Iceland, Lonely Planet Iceland

Day 1 – Blue Lagoon and Reykjavik

  • Arrive at Keflavik International Airport in the morning
  • Pick up a rental car
    • Iceland outside of Reykjavik without a car is not a good idea and driving is easy. We recommend Lava Auto Rental
  • Drive to Blue Lagoon (20 min)
    • Get reservations in advance or you’re not getting in
  • Blue Lagoon
    • Soak and steam for a few hours and have lunch
  • Drive to Reykjavik (45 min)
  • Explore Reykjavik on foot
    • Pick some sites, you’ll have time later for the rest: cathedral, Laugavegur shopping street, Opera House
  • Happy hour drinks at Apotek
  • Dinner – Reykjavik Fish Restaurant or grab a famous Icelandic hot dog, Baejarins Beztu Pylsur
  • Bed or an after dinner drink at Bryggjan Brugghús or Skólabrú
    • You’re jet-lagged, don’t plan too much
  • Lodging – this airbnb, this airbnb, this apartment, Apotek Hotel, Hotel Odinsve (night 1/2)

Day 2 – Reykjavik

Day 3 – Golden Circle

Day 4 – Landmannalaugar

Day 5 – Skogafoss and Vík

Day 6 – Skaftafell

Day 7 – Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Höfn

  • Glacier Lagoon Zodiac Tour (1h drive from Hofn)
  • Explore Diamond Beach (5 min walk)
  • Return to lodging, consider an afternoon hike or explore Hofn
  • Dinner at Jon Riki
  • Lodging—same place, (night 2/2)

Day 8 – Drive to Eastfjords

Day 9 – Möðrudalsleið and Dettifoss

  • Möðrudalsleið (1.5 hours from Seyðisfjörður)
  • Dettifoss (1.5 hour drive from Möðrudalsleið)
  • Drive to Húsavík / Laugar (1.5 hours from Dettifoss to Husavik)
  • Stay in Laugar
  • Make dinner at your lodging

Day 10 – Mývatn, Horseback Riding, and Akureyri

Day 11 – Geothermal and Whale Watching

Day 12 – Goðafoss, farm museum

  • Goðafoss (12 min drive)
  • Glaumbær Farm & Museum (1h 45m drive)
  • Brown bag lunch or lunch at the museum’s tea room Askaffi
  • Drive to Borgarnes (2h 39m drive)
  • Stay in Borgarnes, (night 1/2)
    • We stayed at an Airbnb in Raudanes that is no longer available, about 20 min from downtown
  • Make dinner at your lodging

Day 13 – Western Iceland

Day 14 – Fly Home

  • Drive to Reykjavik (1 hour drive)
  • Fly home

Optional Additional Day

  • Drive to Reykjavik from Borgarnes (1 hour drive)
  • National Museum of Iceland
  • Lunch at the National Museum
  • See any sites you missed the first day
  • Dinner at one of the restaurants previously mentioned
  • Consider seeing a show at Harpa Concert Hall

Detailed Itinerary

Days 1 and 2 – Blue Lagoon and Reykjavik

Arrive at Keflavik International Airport in the morning. You’ll probably be tired from the flight, but make sure to stop by the duty free store in the airport. Food and drink, especially alcohol, is expensive in Iceland, so it’s a good idea to buy some supplies before you have to pay local taxes.

After leaving the airport but before driving to Reykjavik, you might want to stop by the Blue Lagoon. Yes it’s expensive (like Iceland in general, but you a pay a tourist premium for this one), but its proximity to the airport makes it a good first stop. Just be aware that it’s much more expensive than other hot springs elsewhere in the country. You’ll share the lagoon with tourists, not locals, as a result. But after an overnight flight you’ll feel squeaky clean. Book ahead; if you show up without a reservation, you won’t get in.

Once you’re done with the Blue Lagoon, drive into Reykjavik. Reykjavik is cute, small for a capitol (200,000 people, but home to two-thirds of the population of Iceland). It’s  low-key, clean, safe and easily walkable. Not a lot of blockbuster sights but a great town to wander around.

The Blue Lagoon

We stayed at an Airbnb in Reykjavik’s Norðurmýri neighborhood. It’s a good location with reasonable prices and an easy walk into the center of town. The Airbnb we stayed in is no longer operational; however we’d consider this airbnb, this airbnb, or this apartment. When you arrive in Reykjavik, grab some happy hour drinks at Apotek and then eat dinner at a restaurant like Reykjavik Fish Restaurant or just pick up a hot dog at one of the stands throughout the town. Sleep off your jet lag and get ready for the next day.

In the morning, pick up a pastry for breakfast at Brauð & Co. (we recommend the cinnamon rolls, but everything is excellent) and some coffee at Reykjavik Roasters. Then take the free walking tour of Reykjavik. You’ll learn the layout of the city as well as some really interesting history of Reykjavik and Iceland in general. Eat lunch at the restaurant at the Hotel Reykjavik Centrum, which offers a decent deal on burgers. If you’re feeling adventurous, try the fermented shark with a shot of brennivín. The shark will be served in a sealed glass so the smell doesn’t bother other diners and it’ll probably be one of the worst things you’ve ever tasted, but it’s sort of a rite of passage. Believe it or not, some locals actually do eat it.

Sunset from Reykjavik

After lunch, visit a museum. You’ll definitely want to see the Settlement Exhibition, which surrounds the remains of a hall dating to the tenth century, only about one hundred years after Iceland was first settled. Another great option is the National Museum, which contains a large collection of artifacts and exhibits illustrating life in Iceland from the Settlement Age to modern day.

Spend another day in Reykjavik. See one of the museums you missed the day before, explore the shops in the city center, walk through Hljómskálagarður, the city’s large park. Grab some groceries for dinner and the next few days if you want to save some money—eating out in Iceland gets expensive very quickly—we recommend Nettó for its combination of reasonable prices and quality. Stop by Ölstofa for a drink if you want a local vibe. Then pack your things and prepare to leave Reykjavik the next morning.

Day 3 – Golden Circle

For your first foray outside Reykjavik, tour the Golden Circle. Start at Þingvellir National Park, about three quarters of an hour east of town. It’s the site of the Alþingi, Iceland’s first parliament (and one of the oldest in Europe). It’s a beautiful spot on a lake, and near the faults that mark the division between the North American and Eurasian Plates. Make sure to walk around, and visit Öxarárfoss, a small but impressive waterfall. If you’re feeling adventurous and certified to dive in cold water, you can scuba or snorkel along the rift.

Þingvellir

Next, drive east about an hour to Geysir, the site of the original geyser. Geysir no longer erupts, but nearby Strokkur erupts every five to ten minutes. You won’t need to spend much longer than that. Another ten minutes down the road will take you to Gullfoss, one of Iceland’s more remarkable waterfalls. Walk out to the various viewing platforms to get perspectives on the waterfall’s stages.

From Gullfoss, drive about half an hour south to Gamla Laugin, the Secret Lagoon. Gamla Laugin is a hot spring surrounded by beautiful subalpine meadows. We recommend taking a break from the drive. Grab a beer, glass of wine, or soft drink, and savor it as you dip in the delightfully warm waters.

Your last stop of the day is Seljalandsfoss, a waterfall that tumbles dramatically from a cliff side. You can walk all the way around and behind the waterfall. When you’ve finished the walk, return to your car and drive to your lodgings for the night. We loved staying at the old farmhouse near Eyjafjallajökull.

Day 4: Landmannalaugar

Wake up early the next day and meet your guide for a tour of Landmannalaugar. We highly recommend going with Into the Wild. Your guide will pick you up in a super jeep. It’ll be expensive, but we think it’s worth the money. Most rental car contracts don’t permit you to drive on the roads in Landmannalaugar, and it was easy to see why: the roads are rocky and steep, and bisected by rivers in places. They’re also poorly marked, so it’s stressful to drive yourself. Save yourself the anguish and the beating on your rental car.

Landmannalaugar

Landmannalaugar is an incredible region in Iceland’s highlands. It’s been crafted by recent volcanic activity, so there’s plenty of black volcanic rock, but there are also lush green spots and bright reds and oranges, as well as sparkling blue lakes. Your guide will stop at various scenic lookouts and eventually take you to the Brennisteinsalda campsite, where you can go on a hike and take a dip in the hot springs.

Day 5: Skogafoss and Vík

Drive a short ways to Skogafoss, one of Iceland’s most famous and most beautiful waterfalls. Make sure to stop by the side of the highway on your way in or out, where you can get great views and photos of the waterfall with fields of purple lupine in the foreground. Walk up the stairs to the top of the waterfall. Catch your breath and take a few photos; then continue hiking along the trail above the falls. You’ll follow the river that feeds Skogafoss and pass numerous waterfalls that tumble through the gorge beneath the mountains. The entire trail goes past 26 waterfalls, about 15.5 miles and would probably take you 12-14 hours. Go as far you like, then return to your car.

Skogafoss

Near the base of the waterfall is Skogasafn, the Skogar Museum complex, which houses three different museums. First, there’s an outdoor museum that features buildings (mostly farmhouses) from different eras of Icelandic history, and you can explore their interiors. Inside, there’s a folk museum with artifacts that illustrates how people lived in Iceland throughout its history, and finally there’s a technology museum that traces the story of technology in Iceland.

Continue eastwards towards Vík and stop off at Reynisfjara Beach, a beautiful black sand beach with interesting hexagonal rock features. Then continue into Vík. Vík has a reputation as a charming seafront village, but the charm seems to be missing. There’s not much there apart from a big outdoors store, a few restaurants, and some hotels. Still, it’s fun to visit Smiðjan Brugghús, a local brewery with a neat pub serving their beers and food. We also enjoyed dinner at Halldorskaffi.

Day 6: Skaftafell

Drive about three hours east to Skaftafell National Park, where you’ll do an excursion with Icelandic Mountain Guides. We enjoyed the glacier walk, but if you’re feeling more adventurous, we thought the ice climbing trip was fantastic. Grab some food at the visitor center if you’re hungry. If you’re up for it, try the hike to Svartifoss, a waterfall that crashes down among hexagonal basalt columns. Continue driving to your accommodations for the night; we stayed at the Lambhús Glacier View Cottages, which are small but cozy and comfortable. Unfortunately, the kitchens in the cottages leave something to be desired. So we drove into Höfn and had a delicious dinner at Ishusid Pizzeria.

Ice climbing in Skaftafell

Day 7: Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Höfn

In the morning, drive to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon for a zodiac tour. You’ll zip among the icebergs and get great views of the massive glacier. While we think the zodiac tour is worth your time, it wasn’t one of our favorite tours. If you’re short on time or funds, it might be something you can skip. After the tour, walk down to Diamond Beach just across the highway, where you’ll experience a black sand beach with icebergs floating off the coast and washing up on shore. Drive back towards Höfn, maybe stopping by Brunnhóll Farm for some ice cream. Explore Höfn for a while (though not the most exciting town there are some small museums), and then have dinner at the highly recommended Jon Riki, where we had one of the best meals of the trip.

Sunset from our lodgings near Höfn

Day 8: Drive to Eastfjords

It’s about four hours to the east fjords, and there’s not much on the way. We stopped in Djúpivogur and grabbed coffee and pastries at Langabúð, a museum in a building that dates to 1790. There’s also a neat gift shop nearby. When you reach Seyðisfjörður, check into your lodgings. We stayed at Langahlid Cottages, which we very highly recommend. They’re beautifully situated across the fjord from town up on the hillside. The decks have incredible views and hot tubs, the bedrooms are comfy, and the kitchens are more than sufficient to cook your own meals. We took a short hike up above the cottages, where there’s a scenic creek and a small waterfall. Wander into town and explore; there are neat gift and artisan shops. Maybe grab a drink or a meal at Kaffi Lára El Grillo Bar. If you don’t want to eat at a restaurant, there’s a supermarket in town that should be more than sufficient to supply you.

Sunset from Seyðisfjörður

Day 9: Möðrudalsleið and Dettifoss

Your next day will involve a lot of driving. Leave Seyðisfjörður, but stop at the top of the road on the way out of town for some fantastic photos looking back down at the fjord. Drive through Egilsstaðir, which has a reputation as an industrial town but we thought looked neat and charming. Keep going along Highway 1, and take a short detour to the cute mountain town of Möðrudalsleið, where there’s a restaurant if you need to grab some lunch. Then push on another hour and a half or so to Dettifoss, reputed to be Europe’s most powerful waterfall. After you’ve seen Dettifoss, continue (about another hour and a half) to the northern town of Húsavík. You can stay in Húsavík, or the town of Laugar, which is a little ways south down the coast. We stayed at the Einishús Cottages in Laugar and highly recommend them.

Day 10: Mývatn, Horseback Riding, and Akureyri

In the morning, drive to Mývatn, a large shallow lake surrounded by short walking trails. Check out a few of the trails, and be sure to stop by Grjótagjá Cave, a beautiful cave filled with a sparkling blue hot spring. You can’t swim in the water, unfortunately, but it’s free and beautiful, and a scene from Game of Thrones was filmed here. If you’re hungry, stop by Vogafjos Farm Resort for food or coffee.

Get lunch around Mývatn or return to your lodgings. Then take a horseback riding tour. We loved the tour with Lava Horses; it’s a small, family-owned operation with friendly Icelandic horses and great guides. They’ll take you on a fantastic ride through the wilds of northern Iceland.

Horseback riding near Húsavík

After your horseback ride, drive 40 minutes (from Laugar) to an hour (from Húsavík) to the charming coastal town of Akureyri, which sits on a beautiful fjord. Walk around town, and stop by the lovely (and free) botanical gardens. Get dinner in town; we highly recommend Rub23, and you might want to grab dessert at Brynja if you like soft serve. If you like beer, be sure to stop by the Einstök Brewer’s Lounge. In our opinion, Einstök is Iceland’s best brewery. You can sample their beers on tap, learn about the brewing process, and try some of their harder-to-find brews.

Day 11: Geothermal Areas and Whale Watching

Today you’ll explore some of north Iceland’s incredible geothermal areas. Drive to Hverir Geothermal Area, park, and walk around the pools of boiling water and mud and the steaming chimneys. Continue upwards to Krafla Power Plant (Kröflustöð), a geothermal power plant. Geothermal energy provides 25 percent of Iceland’s power, and the Krafla plant is free to visit and has a neat exhibit on this renewable resource. Push on to the top of the mountain, where you’ll see the crater of Krafla Volcano and the beautiful lake that fills it. The Mývatn Nature Baths are nearby, too, and they advertise themselves as northern Iceland’s (cheaper, but still pricey, version of the) Blue Lagoon. If you skipped the Blue Lagoon or just love hot springs, you may want to stop here.

Whale watching near Húsavík

In the afternoon, drive back to Húsavík, where you’ll embark on a whale watching trip. We recommend North Sailing for their excellent tours and commitment to environmentalism. They offer a standard whale watching tour and a tour where you’ll see both whales and puffins. We tried the whale and puffin tour, which was great. However, if you’ve seen puffins before, you can probably opt for the standard whale watching trip. The puffins were fun to see but not a necessity. When you’re done with the tour, you might want to stop by Hvalbakur Grill & Cafe for dinner or drinks.

Day 12: Goðafoss and Glaumbær Farm

Leave your lodgings in north Iceland. On your way north and east, stop by Goðafoss, a gorgeous horseshoe-shaped waterfall. Drive another hour and a half to Glaumbær Farm & Museum, a fascinating historical museum containing buildings dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. It’s another two and a half hours of driving to Borgarnes, a coastal town in western Iceland where you’ll spend the night. We booked an Airbnb outside of town, a farmhouse on the coast that was delightful.

Day 13: Western Iceland

Wake up and drive to Reykholt, the town where Snorri Sturluson, a thirteenth century Icelandic chieftain, scholar, and writer lived. Check out Snorralaug, a hot spring where Snorri may once have bathed. If you have time and are interested visit Snorrastofa, a cultural center with exhibits about Snorri. Continue along the road to visit the Hraunfossar Watervallen and Barnafoss, two beautiful waterfalls within a short hike of each other. If your car is up to it, drive the F550, a scenic road through the spectacular mountains of western Iceland. On your way out of the mountains, stop by Steðji, a brewery with some delicious (and some very odd) beers.

Horses on a farm in western Iceland

Return to Borgarnes and visit the Settlement Center, which illustrates Iceland’s history through recreations, rather than historical artifacts. Then have a delicious dinner at Englendingavík to celebrate your last night in Iceland.

If you’re up for it, drive about half an hour to the Krauma hot springs, which are open until 11 PM in the summer (9 PM in winter). Unlike the Blue Lagoon and Mývatn Nature Baths, these ones aren’t blue. But the facilities are gorgeous, the setting is beautiful, and there’s no better way to enjoy your last night in Iceland than sitting in a hot spring with a drink while you soak in the stunning landscape for the last time.

Day 14: Fly Home

Drive back to Reykjavik, return your rental car, and fly home.

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