Taking a road trip is a great way to see Iceland at your own pace and will give you a magical adventure in a land of jaw-dropping beauty that will amaze you at every turn.
Route 1, or the Ring Road, is as the name suggests, a road that circles the entire island of Iceland, and along its way you will be treated to a variety of stunning landscapes, from lagoons to seascapes and lava fields to icebergs.
“the best thing to do is give yourself at least a week and plan detours off it to explore”
It doesn’t matter which direction you take, the 1,300km route offers unimaginable sights everywhere, but the best thing to do is give yourself at least a week and plan detours off it to explore places like the dramatic Tröllaskagi Peninsula, eerily beautiful Mývatn Lake, the northern city of Akureyri or the picture-postcard-perfect village of Borgarfjördur Eystri, (take note that many minor and most mountain roads are closed during winter, so always check ahead).
Hire a four-wheel drive car, as minor roads or routes to landmarks and accommodation may be tricky in winter. Bring a good map too, and one detailing petrol stations – Iceland can be very remote, especially in winter, and you don’t want to run out of gas miles from anywhere.
Break up your journey by booking accommodation and planning activities like a glacier tour at Vatnajökull Glacier or visit to Þingvellir National Park along the way, and aim for two to three hours of driving per day – the scenery is so stunning this will fly by.
The sheer wildness of the landscape, so beautiful in its many forms, opens out before you when you explore Iceland this way, and you will come away from your road trip adventure with a truly magical experience, not to mention several albums worth of National Geographic-quality photos to show your envious friends back home.
You can also create your own tailor-made road trip with TripCreator. It’s simple, it’s easy, and it’s free to plan your vacation.
