The Perfect 10 Day Campervan Itinerary Iceland
Iceland is a magical country filled with stunning landscapes, rich culture, and endless adventure opportunities. This Ring Road itinerary is perfect for solo female travellers looking for an adventure, however, would also suit anyone visiting Iceland who loves hiking, beautiful natural landscapes and photography!
The Itinerary Outline:
Day 1: Reykjavik (or switch to the end of the trip)
Day 2: Golden Circle and South West Waterfalls, Skogar Campsite
Day 3: South West Coast, Vik Campsite
Day 4: South Coast Beaches, Skaftafell Campground
Day 5: Glaciers and Canyons, Vestrahorn Campsite
Day 6: Eastern Fjords, Mjóeyri Cottages
Day 7: North East Iceland, Campground Fjalladyrd
Day 8: Northern Iceland, Hamrar Campsite
Day 9: Snaefellsnes Penisula, Hellissandur Campsite
Day 10: Snaefellsnes Penisula, Blue Lagoon
A note on the seasons:
This itinerary is recommended for visiting during summer or shoulder seasons (May till October). While you can definitely visit outside these months, you will need to slightly alter the intinerary as the days will be shorter, some sites might be inaccessible due to ice/snow and some campgrounds will be closed. The campgrounds in the Snaefellsnes Peninsula are not open over winter, so I would recommend removing this from Days 9 and 10 and giving yourself some additional leeway to travel around the ring road.
The 10 Day Itinerary:
Day 1:
Arrive in Reykjavik. Spend the day exploring the city's unique architecture, colourful buildings, and vibrant street art.
Walk down the colourful Laugavegur Street and the famous Rainbow Street. If you want a photo minus all the photobombers, visit here early in the morning (Day 2).
Visit Hallgrimskirkja cathedral and get the elevator to the top (small fee) for a view of Reykjavik.
Get a classic hotdog from Baejarins Beztu Pylsur - make sure to get the crunchy toppings!
Visit Sky Lagoon in the late afternoon/sunset. This may be an unpopular opinion, but I rate this over Blue Lagoon! Bookings are essential - I’d recommend the return transfers (if you don’t have a car) and the ‘Pure Pass’ so that the ritual is included.
Stay in Reykjavik.
7 Day Recommended Itinerary
View from Hallgrímskirkja Church
Skólavörðustígur / Rainbow Street
Sky Lagoon
Day 2:
Spend the morning in Reykjavik - get a cinnamon scroll from Braud & Co.
Check out the impressive architecture at the Harpa Concert Hall - it’s free to enter the building to view the lobby.
Walk along the waterfront (Sculpture & Shore Walk).
Pick up the camper van around lunchtime, stock up on groceries at Bonus and drive to Kerid Crater. Walk around the crater - the vivid blue/green water contrasts beautifully with the red volcanic rock.
If you have additional time, visit some surrounding falls (Gljufrabui and Irafoss) or take drone photos of the river braids.
Head to Seljalandsfoss for sunset - if you’re visiting during summer, make sure to walk behind the falls! After sunset, drive to Skogar Campsite and get a campsite with a view of Skogafoss (fingers crossed!)
Cinnamon Scroll from Braud & Co
Harpa Concert Hall
Seljalandsfoss
Skogar Campsite
Day 3:
Visit Skogafoss early in the morning to get some shots before the crowds arrive - it gets extremely busy once the buses start to arrive.
After you’ve taken photos at the base of the falls, hike the stairs to the top and continue through the little gate to the Fimmvorduhals Trailhead. This is a beautiful and easy trail - you can walk for as little or as long as you like. There will be barely anyone else on this trail, so enjoy the serenity!
Head to the Sólheimasandur Plane Wreck. Park in the parking lot and get the shuttle to and from the plane wreck. You can walk to the plane wreck, however, it’s approximately 7km return and is a boring, flat walk.
Check out Dyrhólaey Viewpoint.
Stay at Vik Campsite if you’re visiting in winter or shoulder seasons. If you’re visiting in summer (1 June - 15 September) you should stay at Pakgil Campsite. It’s a bit out of the way, but it sounds incredible!
Skogafoss
Fimmvorduhals Trail
Solheimasandur Plane Wreck
Day 4:
Wake up early to visit Reynisfjara Beach (Black Sand Beach) before the crowds arrive. Be careful here as the waves can be dangerous - follow the advice on the signage.
Get breakfast/coffee at Skool Beans in Vik.
Head to Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon and do the easy 3km walk alongside the canyon, stopping at the viewpoints along the way.
Stay at Skaftafell Campground. Note, when you arrive, you’ll drive past a spot to buy a national park pass, however, you don’t need to do this if you are staying at the campground - it’s included in the fee. The campsite itself has excellent facilities, including a free washing machine and dryer (you might need to get up early to use it though!).
If you’ve arrived before sunset, hike up to Svartifoss - another amazing waterfall.
Skool Beans Cafe
Fjadrargljufur Canyon
Black Sand Beach
Day 5:
In the morning, walk down to Skaftafell Glacier. It’s an easy walk from the campsite and is incredibly peaceful.
Drive to the Múlagljúfur Canyon car park (turn off here). The gravel road to the trailhead is a little bit sketchy/bumpy but it was possible with my van, just make sure to drive slowly if you’re not in a 4WD. The hike to the canyon is 6km out and back and is moderately difficult.
Head to Jökulsárlón Glacier and Diamond Beach. They are near each other and are worth the stop. They are incredibly busy tourist sites, however, it’s still possible to enjoy the scenery despite the crowds. If you’re visiting between October and March, you can do amazing ice cave tours here.
The final stop for today is one of my favourite places in Iceland - Stokksness. Aim to get here before sunset to take photos during golden hour. Spend the night at Vestrahorn Campsite.
Skaftafell Glacier
Múlagljúfur Canyon
Diamond Beach
Stokksnes
Day 6:
Enjoy the morning exploring Stokknes/Vestrahorn - there are a few walking trails you can do and a little cafe where you can get coffee (or Icelandic Hot Chocolate).
Start the drive north, to the fjords, enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way. Make sure to stop at Hvalnes Lighthouse if you have a drone.
Tonight, you’ll be staying at Mjoeyri Cottages (they have sites for campervans). It’s a beautiful winding road along the fjords, so take your time getting there! Once you’ve arrived, take a dip in the outdoor spa - depending on what time of year it is, you might even be lucky enough to see the northern lights!
Stokksnes
Hvalnes Lighthouse
Mjoeyri Cottages
Day 7:
Start the day by visiting Seydisfjordur - an adorable little town in the eastern fjords. Check out Rainbow Walk leading to the main church in town (Icelanders love a painted street and I’m here for it!).
Egilsstadir is a great place to stock up on supplies - head to Bonus for cheaper options.
Next up for today is Hengifoss - a stunning waterfall with distinctive red clay and black basalt layers. The hike to the waterfall is around 5km return, however, there are other falls to view along the way so don’t let the distance deter you. In the summer/shoulder months, a coffee van is in the car park so you can get a well-deserved treat after your hike!
If you’re visiting between mid-June to mid-August, you should visit Studlagil Canyon - a beautiful spot with vivid blue water. Outside of these times, the water is brown and I personally don’t think it’s worth visiting.
If you’re going to Studlagil, I recommend visiting from the east side - it requires a lot more effort but will give you access to better photos as you can walk down to the water. To get to the east side, you will need to park here, walk across the bridge, turn right and continue along the canyon. It’s approximately 4km to the best part of the canyon (8km return). If you have a 4WD you will be able to park closer.
Spend the night at Campground Fjalladyrd.
Hengifoss
Seydisfjordur
Studlagil
Day 8:
Head to Viti Crater - a stunning blue-green crater formed during a volcanic eruption.
After visiting the crater, stop by Hverir Geothermal Area. The bubbling mud pools and hissing fumaroles are really cool to see (albeit smelly) and you can get up close to the action.
Mývatn Nature Baths are a great alternative to Blue Lagoon on a smaller scale with fewer people.
Next up is Godafoss waterfall (waterfall of the gods). I recommend visiting from both sides (east and west) for different perspectives.
Lake Myvatn is a beautiful area, with really interesting volcanic formations. Skútustadagígar is a great place to stop to do a short hike around the craters.
Spend the night at Hamrar Campsite.
Godafoss
Lake Myvatn
Day 9:
There is a bit of driving today, so settle in and enjoy the scenery of northern Iceland.
The first stop is Grabrok Crater - another really interesting volcanic landscape. It takes around 30 minutes to do the walk around the crater (if you’re anything like me and constantly stop to take photos). There is a cafe/restaurant next door if you need food and toilets.
Next, we are heading out to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. The first stop in the Peninsula is Kirkjufell - you might recognise this spot from Game of Thrones. If you want the famous photo with the waterfall in the background, you should park here.
Svodufoss & Kerlingarfoss are two lesser-known waterfalls and are definitely worth a visit. You can walk up an old 4WD track up to the top of Svodufoss - detailed instructions can be found here.
Spend the night at Hellissandur Campsite.
Grabrok
Svodufoss
Kirkjufell
Day 10:
Head into the small town of Hellissandur for a short walk to view the murals - they have been painted by artists from all around the world.
The next stop is Budakirkja (Black Church) located on the southern coast of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Depending on how much time you have, you could drive the long way, stopping at Svörtuloft Lighthouse and Arnarstapi.
This brings us to the end of the trip, so it’s time to start the drive back towards Reykjavik. If you want to visit Blue Lagoon, do this today before dropping off the car. Make sure to book as it gets really busy!
Murals of Hellissandur
Svörtuloft Lighthouse
Questions and Answers
Should I stay in hotels or book a campervan?
Both options can be worked into this itinerary so it comes down to personal preference! I’ve listed the campgrounds I stayed at, however, you can replace these with alternative accommodation nearby.
I absolutely loved travelling in the campervan. It’s a lot cheaper than hotels and was really great for flexibility as I didn’t need to lock in accommodation. I took each day as it came and was able to adapt my sightseeing plans based on the weather.
That being said, if you have the budget for hotels, there are some really epic accommodation options in Iceland! It would also be much more comfortable in winter.
Should I travel clockwise or anti-clockwise?
I actually didn’t make this decision until I arrived in Iceland - I based it on the weather forecast and tried to avoid as much rain as possible (a tough task for Iceland!). If you want to make bookings, you should decide whether you want to see the best sights first, or if you’d prefer to save them for last. In my opinion, all the best sights are on the south coast.
Clockwise: Reverse the above itinerary and save the best sights until last
Anti-Clockwise: As per the above itinerary - start with the best sights.
Can I do it solo?
Absolutely! All of these sights are safe and easily accessible for most of the year. In winter, I’d only recommend driving if you’re confident in snowy/icy conditions, however, this applies whether you are solo or not.
Can you do the ring road in 7 days?
Yes! The 10 day itinerary includes some detours from the ring road (for example the eastern fjords and the Snaefellsnes Peninsula) so these can easily be removed. Here’s what I would recommend for a seven day trip to Iceland:
Day 1: Reykjavik
Day 2: Reykjavik, Kerid Crater, Seljalandsfoss, Skogar Campsite
Day 3: Skogafoss, Plane Wreck, Vik, Reynisfjara, Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, Skaftafell Campground
Day 5: Skaftafell Glacier, Múlagljúfur Canyon, Diamond Beach, Stokksnes, Vestrahorn Campsite
Day 6: Stokksnes, Hvalnes Lighthouse, Mjóeyri Cottages
Day 7: Seydisfjordur, Hengifoss, Studlagil Canyon, Campground Fjalladyrd
Day 8: Viti, Hverir, Lake Myvatn, Goðafoss, Hamrar Campsite
Day 9: Grábrók Crater, Kirkjufell, Svodufoss & Kerlingarfoss, Hellissandur Campsite
Day 10: Budakirkja, Blue Lagoon
I only have 4 days in Iceland, is it still worth visiting?
Definitely! Here’s what I would recommend for a four-day trip to Iceland:
Day 1: Reykjavik (plus book a Northern Lights tour if visiting in winter)
Day 2: Reykjavik, Kerid Crater, Seljalandsfoss, Skogar Campsite
Day 3: Skogafoss, Plane Wreck, Vik
Day 4: Reynisfjara, Blue Lagoon