Iceland deserves the award for the most contrasted landscapes in the world hands down. You can run into volcano craters, lakes, glaciers, waterfalls, lava fields, black sand beaches… Precisely, there’s so much to see that you’ll need this complete 6 days in Iceland itinerary.
This north island appeared by the collision of the Eurasian and North-American tectonic plates around 20 millions years ago. It created many incredible rock formations in Iceland, which was nicknamed the “fire and ice land”.
Among many unreal natural phenomena, it creates geysers, harsh landscapes and glaciers just a few minutes away…
Before heading the fun part of the Iceland itinerary 6 days, I put together tips on how to prepare for Iceland, how you should be driving Iceland Ring Road and what to wear in Iceland… If you need more information, check out this Iceland trip cost guide.
Iceland itinerary 6 days : everything from spots, hostels and more!
This is an Iceland 6 days 5 nights itinerary, so I’ll tell you everything you need to know about the spots you absolutely cannot miss, tips for each places, if they are free or not, but also where to stay.
Whether you’re looking for a solo trip to Iceland itinerary, or a family, friends or lovers’ one, this one should be suitable.
Iceland itinerary : first day
Keflavik airport to Reykjavik
On your first day in Iceland, there’s a huge chance you’ll land at Keflavik International Airport. It is a 45 minutes drive from Reykjavik.
We only had our rental car from the next morning so we asked for a lift and a car stopped very quickly. Iceland is the paradise for hitchhikers, this is a part of their culture and it’s the best way to fit in with locals. It’s also one the safest places to do it.
What to do in Reykjavik?
Once arrived in Reykjavik, everything is at a walkable distance. Our first stop was the impressive Hallgrimskirkja Church. No map needed here, you can see it from everywhere in the city.
There are plenty of vibrant streets starting from there. Our favorite one: Frakkastígur Street. Colorful and typical Icelandic houses, street art, cute shops… It goes down to a lake with snowy mountains, where you’ll see the famous statue of the Sun Voyager.
The same path is leading to the beautiful building of the Opera, called the Harpa Concert Hall.
Hveragerði
There is a very special hot spring just 45 kilometers southeast of Reykjavík, that was recommended by Allison from Renovating Life. On Iceland’s main Ring Road, you’ll find a small town with big appeal. So close to the capital, yet it feels worlds away.
A hotbed of geothermal activity, this small town boasts multiple hot springs as well as myriad greenhouses kept warm by the volcanic heat, and a one-of-a-kind geothermally-brewed beer. It is even known as the most northern point in the world to grow bananas. Their fruits and vegetables are enjoyed all over the island.
But one of the best experiences you can have here, you’ll have to venture a little farther to enjoy. Hveragerði is probably most popular for its hiking route to the Reykjadalur Hot Spring Thermal River, sometimes called the Hveragerði Hot Spring River Trail.
This FREE hike takes 45-60 minutes to reach the hot springs. Along the way, you’ll see steam rising from the earth all around you. Make sure you wear your swimsuit and pack a towel so that you can enjoy a soak once you reach the hot springs.
They are quite shallow but cozy and feel like a natural hot tub set in the most spectacular natural landscape. And here’s a tip, the higher you go, the hotter the water gets. So, as you make your way to higher ground, keep checking the water until you find your perfect temperature.
If you’re touring the Ring Road, this is a must see along the way. And if you’re sticking close to Reykjavik, it’s only a short drive or bus ride away!
Iceland first day: sum up
- Itinerary Iceland trip : Paris -> Reykjavik (exploration of the city centre)
- Reykjavik cheap hostel : Bus Hostel
- Address : Skógarhlíd 10, Reykjavik, 105
- Price : 28€
Iceland itinerary ring road : Second day
We had the car from 9am but only left at 11am because of some issues with the rental car company, CC Car rental. We booked it online a few weeks before, but didn’t understand that we had to pay a deposit with our debit cards if we didn’t have a credit card. It makes a huge difference for them so read your contract carefully!
þingvellir National Park
Reykjavik is the capital of the country but it is very close to the nature: it only took us 40 minutes to join Þingvellir, the first stop of the famous Golden Circle sightseeing route.
Driving in this national park is very representative of Iceland, with one single road in the middle of a breathtaking nature. It even is the place where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates collide.
Geysir Golden Circle
The second stop of the Golden Circle is the Strokkur Geysir. This is a field, full of small geysers and hot springs, with smoke coming out of the grass all around you. There is one big geyser, Strokkur, exploding every 5 to 10 minutes. This is truly impressive!
Gullfoss Waterfall
The third place we visited is the one that impressed me the most: Gullfoss Falls. Aka the Niagara Falls of Iceland. It’s so powerful that your eyes can’t even follow the water speed. You can’t stay here too long because of the humidity and the cold : it’s covered of snow, unless you’re visiting during the summer or spring.
Kerið Crater
As we still had an hour before the sunset, we drove to the Kerið Crater. That’s a lake in a volcanic crater, surrounded by red volcanic rock. The pictures speak for themselves. The Kerid crater entrance fee is about 2€. This is on private property so it helps the landowners preserve and protect the crater.
- Iceland trip itinerary : Reykjavik → Thingvellir Park → Geysir Center → Gulfoss Waterfalls → Kerid Crater → Grafningsvegur Nedri
- Number of kilometers : 188 km – 2h48
- Where to stay near Golden Circle Iceland ? Spirit Farm. A lost farm between the mountains. A very warm place with huge windows, plants, guitar, cosy sofa, art and people sharing their life stories. You can even go cuddle the Icelandic horses in the field.
- Address : TorfastadirI, GrafningsvegurNedri, is.
- Price : 31€
Iceland adventure itinerary : Third day
Plane Wreck Iceland
10am : we hit the road again. It leads us to the parking of the famous Sólheimasandur plane wreck. You have to walk 4 kilometers to reach it, and 4 other kilometers for the way back.
You won’t any access to your car or even toilets for the 2 following hours so don’t forget to carry water with you, as well as sunglasses and warm clothes if it’s windy. It’s very worth the effort. The atmosphere of a crashed plane in the middle of a deserted black sand beach is insane!
Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon
After another hour on the road, we arrived at the most gorgeous canyon, called Fjaðrárgljúfur. It extends on approximately 2 kilometers and is crossed by the Fjaðrá River. There are three amazing viewpoints on the path. In a few words: dreamy, amazing, idyllic… I was speechless.
- Iceland trip itinerary : Grafningsvegur Nedri → Solheimasandur Plane Wreck → Fjadrargljufur → Kirjubæjarklaustur.
- Number of kilometers : 229 km – 3h10
- Kirkjubæjarklaustur accommodation : Klausturhof Guesthouse.
- Address : Klausturvegur 1-5, Kirjubæjarklaustur, 880, Is.
- Price : 40€
Iceland itinerary winter : Fourth Day
Systrafoss
Our hostel was in the middle of nature, with a waterfall flowing behind it. As the sun was rising on the Systrafoss Mountain, we went for a morning hike to the top of the waterfall.
We reached it in 20 minutes and had an amazing view on all the area. A lake was turning into the waterfall who was rolling down the mountain. Awesome place but very windy. Be careful on the way back because it’s really steep and there’s no barrier.
Diamond Beach and Jökulsárlón
Our program for the rest of the day was to go to Diamond Beach and Jökulsárlón. There’s also a great hike to the Skaftafell Waterfall if you have some hours left.
- Iceland trip itinerary : Klaustur → Diamond Beach → Jokulsarlon → Reynisfjara beach → Vík
- Number of kilometers : 356 km – 4h40
- Where to Stay near Vik ? Hrútafell Guesthouse, by the Eyjafjallajökull volcano
- Airbnb discount : get 50€ off with this airbnb discount
- Address : Hrútafell, Hrutafell Guesthouse, Eyjafjallajökull, South 861, Iceland
- Price : 50€
Iceland itinerary : Fifth Day
Black sand beach Iceland
We started this brand new day by a stunning sunrise at Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach. This black sand beach is out of the world. At the beginning, there is an impressive wall of rocks.
The more you walk, the more you’re impressed. Two rock pillars stand in the middle of the powerful waves. The atmosphere in this place is surreal and we even saw two weddings shootings.
Dyrhólaey
This beach touches another: Dyrhólaey. The peninsula is characterized by the presence of a volcanic arch in the sea. There’s also a stunning viewpoint at the top of it.
Skógafoss
Then, we headed off to Skógafoss waterfall, which is a powerful waterfall that you can see from different points of views (the bottom and the top). There are 370 steps to the top, and you can trust me : it’s very worth it.
Elf Iceland
There’s so much to see in this area that the day was already quite full, but we still managed to make a stop at Drangshlíð. It is basically a rock standing in the middle of nowhere and sheltering some “elves houses”, made of rocks and grass. This place looks like a fairy tale.
Seljavallalaug : a pool in the middle of the mountains
A little less than 10 minutes after, we were starting our hike in the mountains to the Seljavallalaug swimming pool. It’s one of the oldest pools of Iceland, hidden in the middle of the mountains with snow-capped peaks.
One of the sides of the pool even is the mountain itself, how crazy. I can’t find a word strong enough to describe this place. Truly the highlight of the trip. The water was around 30 degrees I think, which is really great. The actual challenge is when you switch your clothes for your swimming suit by 0°.
Seljalandsfoss
Our last stop of the day was the second most known waterfall of Iceland: Seljalandsfoss. The funny thing with this one is that you can walk behind the waterfall too if the path is open. In other words, if it’s not too slippery. We didn’t stay too long as we had to go back to the capital on the same day.
- Iceland trip itinerary : Vík → Dyrholaey Beach → Skogafoss → Seljalandfoss Waterfall → Reykjavik
- Number of kilometers : 203 km – 2h59
- Where to Stay near Reykjavik ? Hotel Viking, in Hafnarfjördur
- Address : Strandgata 55, 220 Hafnarfjörður
Iceland itinerary 6 days : Sixth Day
We kept an awesome place to check out for the last day in order to keep the excitement going: the Blue Lagoon. As it’s very close to the airport, this one can also fit in an Iceland stopover itinerary.
There is a huge chance you have already seen this place all over social media. It’s a geothermal spa with the bluest water you’ll ever see. It’s very hot and you can see the smoke coming out of it.
We stayed there all morning before heading to the airport. We enjoyed the views, as well as the drink and mask “offered” with the expensive entrance ticket.
Tips : If it’s a windy day, take a beanie with you. And if you want to take pictures, you can bring your phone and put it back in your locker after.
- Iceland trip itinerary : Hafnarfjordur → Blue Lagoon → Keflavik Airport
- Reykjavik airport : Keflavik International Aiport
- Address of Iceland airport : Kaplanhraun 9B, 220 Hafnarfjordur
Iceland tips
Driving in Iceland
Iceland Roads
There’s actually a huge difference between driving in Iceland or driving around Iceland, that I’ll make sure I cover both. First, driving around Iceland is kind of easy if you consider the navigation aspect.
Iceland Ring Road encircles all the island and connects the small towns on the coast. Natural wonders are sometimes on the main road, but some other times you need to get in what Icelandic people call the F-roads.
How long to drive around Iceland ?
The Ring Road is 1332 km long, so technically, you could do it in less than 24 hours. But the main goal about going to Iceland is to actually visit the place right ? If you want to make the most of your stay and not rush in the different spots, I would advice staying two weeks.
But if you’re just looking for an Iceland itinerary 5 days or Iceland itinerary 7 days, you can easily explore most of the south coast of Iceland for instance (as covered in this article).
Renting a car in Iceland
This is a 6 day driving itinerary Iceland, so you’ll of course need an Iceland car rental for your upcoming dreamy trip. For this itinerary, you will stay on the ring road so you won’t specifically need a 4×4.
We personally opt for a Nissan Micra with the rental company CC Car Rental. Be careful with the Iceland car insurance you choose though, because the coasts are multiplied by at least 2 in Iceland as there are not many garages. For more Iceland driving tips, check out our fuel anecdote in this Iceland Budget and tips guide.
Iceland weather
Iceland is a North country, you’re not going there to lay on the beach but to adventure and see natural wonders. In summer or spring, you’ll see green landscapes, enjoy the midnight sun in a hot natural pool and the temperature will stay between 3°C et 13°C.
During the winter or autumn, you’ll adventure on some snowy and harsh scenery, run into the hot pools because of how cold it is outside… The winter temperature in Iceland in October is around -2°C to 2°C.
If you’re lucky, you may even marvel at the northern lights!
🌌 To maximise your chance of seeing them, here are the 17 most magical Private Northern Lights Tours.
Now that we have covered the main information you need for your upcoming trip to Iceland, let’s talk about the insane landscapes you’ll run into if you follow this much needed Iceland ring road itinerary 6 days.
Going to the moon
Yes, Iceland is the closest thing to the moon you can find on planet Earth.
It offers the most out of the world vibes you will see, in particular with its volcano craters or iconic glaciers like the Vatnajökull glacier or the Svínafellsjökull glacier. That’s in fact where bits of Game of Thrones and Interstellar were filmed. So yes, the lunar Iceland is the favourite playground of movie makers and moon lovers.
I hope this Iceland itinerary blog helped you plan your trip or motivated you to book a plane ticket! Iceland truly was a living dream. The nature there is so insane that a week is barely enough to do all the south coast.
One thing is for sure: during your 6 days in the country, you have to visit at least one of the many free hot springs in Iceland!
