Iceland
Iceland, in a few days
The southern loop: waterfalls, geysers, black sand and a lagoon full of icebergs. A road trip day by day, with the map, the stops that cost nothing, and where to sleep at three budgets.
- Day by day
- 1 Reykjavik Days 1-2
- 2 The Golden Circle Day 3
- 3 The South Coast (Vík) Days 4-5
- 4 Jökulsárlón Days 6-7
- Worth sorting before you go
- Words that help
- The practical page
- Packing checklist
Day by day
Reykjavik
The northernmost capital in the world. Painted houses, the Hallgrímskirkja church standing over all of them, and geothermal baths a short drive out.
- Whale watching3h · from €85Out of the old harbour into Faxaflói bay, where minke and humpback whales feed through the summer.
- Sky Lagoon2h · from €60A geothermal pool with an infinity edge facing the Atlantic, and a seven-step ritual if you want it.
- Hallgrímskirkja church
- The Sun Voyager sculpture
- The old harbour and its street art
The Golden Circle
Three sights in one loop: the rift at Þingvellir where the first parliament met in 930, the geysers at Geysir, and the Gullfoss falls.
- Snorkelling the Silfra fissure2h · from €120Floating between the North American and Eurasian plates, in glacial meltwater you can see a hundred metres through.
- Gullfoss waterfall
- The Strokkur geyser
- Þingvellir national park
The South Coast (Vík)
Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss, the black sand of Reynisfjara, and the village of Vík sitting under the glaciers.
- Glacier hike on Sólheimajökull3h · from €95Crampons on, roped up, out onto the ice with a guide. The crevasses are the reason you do not go alone.
- Seljalandsfoss, the one you walk behind
- Skógafoss waterfall
- Reynisfjara black sand beach
Jökulsárlón
A glacial lagoon where icebergs drift, left behind as the Vatnajökull retreats. Next door, Diamond Beach catches the ice on black sand.
- Cruise among the icebergs1h · from €55An hour on the lagoon, weaving between blocks of ice that broke off the glacier this season.
- Ice cave (in season)2h30 · from €140Inside the glacier itself, in a chamber that only exists in winter and is re-surveyed every year.
- The glacial lagoon
- Diamond Beach
- The Vatnajökull glacier
Worth sorting before you go
Rent a 4x4 for the loop · Not optional. A 4x4 is what opens the interior tracks, and it is the difference between seeing the south coast and seeing Iceland.
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta
Compare the agencies before you land.
Compare · Booking
Pay at the real rate, with no exchange markup.
Open one · Revolut
A private car at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Book it · GetTransfer
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Flavours & local habits
🍽️ Worth tasting
- Skyr: thick fresh dairy, somewhere between yoghurt and soft cheese, and full of protein.
- Lamb soup (kjötsúpa): what you want after a day outside.
- Hot dogs (pylsur): the local street food. Bæjarins Beztu in Reykjavik is the one with the queue.
- Fish straight off the boat: cod, halibut, langoustine.
- Rye bread baked in the ground, by geothermal heat.
⚠️ Best avoided
- Never take the weather lightly. It turns in minutes, and the forecast is not decoration.
- Everything is expensive. Shop at Bónus or Krónan rather than eating out twice a day.
- Do not drive off-road and do not walk on the moss. It takes decades to grow back, and the fines are real.
- Book accommodation and the car far ahead in summer. Late means nothing left.
Words that help
English ↔ Icelandic
| English | Icelandic |
|---|---|
| Hello | Halló / Góðan dag |
| Thank you | Takk |
| Please | Gjörðu svo vel |
| Yes | Já |
| No | Nei |
| Excuse me | Afsakið |
| Goodbye | Bless |
| Do you speak English? | Talar þú ensku? |
| I don't understand | Ég skil ekki |
| How much is it? | Hvað kostar þetta? |
| Where are the toilets? | Hvar er klósettið? |
| The bill, please | Reikninginn, takk |
| Help! | Hjálp! |
| Cheers! | Skál! |
The practical page
Scan to open this guide online, always up to date.
https://offwegooo.com/en/guides/iceland
Packing checklist
Have a good trip.
Guide made on offwegooo.com · Photos via Pexels · Details are indicative, check before you leave.