Road tripping allows you the freedom to travel like no other and is undoubtedly the best way to see all that Iceland has to offer. From vehicle rentals to budgeting to en route entertainment, here is everything you need to know to help you plan your Iceland road trip.
When it comes to road trips, Iceland is perhaps one of the best countries in the world for hopping behind the steering wheel and taking on the open road.
We’ve been to Iceland three times, and have explored by both car and campervan. We’ve road-tripped along the south coast, and around the entire Ring Road.
We’ve learned firsthand what works, what’s worth the detour, and what we’d absolutely do differently next time. And yes—driving in Iceland is surprisingly easy. With one main road circling the country, it’s about as stress-free as road trips get.
In this guide, we’re sharing everything we learned from planning our Iceland road trips (twice!)—from practical driving tips and grocery store hacks to saving money on gas and avoiding common rookie mistakes. Think of this as the advice we’d give a friend before handing them the keys.
So queue up your road-trip playlist, embrace the unpredictable weather, and get ready for one of the most unforgettable drives in the world.
Iceland Road Trip Planning Guide
Our experience road tripping in Iceland
We’ve planned and driven road trips in Iceland on two very different kinds of trips.
On our first trip to Iceland we had a very tight budget to work with so we had a tent-camping adventure along the South Coast. By the time we returned, we had a bigger budget and planned a full Ring Road itinerary in a campervan rental.
We’ve navigated long driving days, unpredictable weather, fuel stops in remote areas, and the logistics of fitting Iceland’s top sights into a realistic route.
We’ve also experienced what doesn’t work—overpacked days, underestimated drive times, and weather-related detours—which helped us refine how to plan a smoother, more enjoyable Iceland road trip.
Everything in this guide is based on firsthand experience, so you can trust these tips are practical, realistic, and road-tested.
Things to know about driving in Iceland
- Gas is expensive, so budget accordingly and fill up often—especially outside Reykjavík
- Bring a debit card with a PIN for unattended gas stations
- Don’t let your tank drop below ¼, as gas stations can be far apart
- There are strict speed limits enforced by cameras (including in tunnels)
- Headlights must be on at all times, even during the day
- Know how to cross single-lane bridges: the car closest to the bridge has the right of way
- F-roads require a 4×4 and are illegal to drive without one; never drive off-road
- At roundabouts the inner lane always has the right of way
- Weather changes fast—check conditions daily and be prepared for strong winds
For a deeper dive—including exact speed limits, winter driving tips, F-road rules, and must-have apps—check out our complete guide to driving in Iceland before you hit the road.
Rental car vs. campervan
When planning an Iceland road trip, you’ll typically choose between renting a car and tent camping, or staying in hotels and Airbnbs, or renting a campervan and bringing your accommodation with you.
We’ve done Iceland both ways—twice with a rental car and once driving the Ring Road in a campervan—and each option has clear pros and cons.
Your decision will largely come down to budget, comfort level, accommodation preferences, and travel style.
If you prefer hotel-style stays or are sticking to a tighter budget, a rental car may be the better fit. If you’re up for a more adventurous experience and want the flexibility of sleeping wherever the road takes you, we highly recommend a campervan.
We break down the pros, cons, costs, and rental tips for each option in these detailed guides:
Or, if you want to skip straight to our top campervan rental pick, check out our honest review of Happy Campers Iceland.
Best time of year for a road trip in Iceland
Iceland is a fantastic road trip destination (mostly) year-round, but the best time to visit depends on what you want to see and how comfortable you are driving in different conditions.
Road access: Iceland’s F-roads (the rugged routes into the Highlands) are only open in summer. If hiking and off-the-beaten-path adventures are high on your list, summer is your best bet.
Driving conditions: Winter driving in Iceland can mean snow, ice, and limited daylight. If you’re not comfortable driving in winter conditions, we recommend sticking to summer. That said, Icelandic rental cars are well-equipped year-round, often with studded snow tires in winter.
Seasonal highlights: Northern Lights, puffins, and whale watching all happen in different seasons. While Iceland offers incredible experiences any time of year, you won’t be able to see everything in one trip unless you get very lucky.
For a deeper breakdown of each season and what to expect, check out our complete guide to the best time to visit Iceland to decide when your road trip makes the most sense.
Planning your Iceland road trip route
So you have big road trip dreams for Iceland, but how do you even begin to plan?!
We like to start our road trip planning process by following 5 simple steps.
- Decide how many days you have to spend on your trip
- Make a list of all the places you want to go
- Use Google Maps to save the desired locations and begin to work out a general route
- Perfect the route by pruning and primping, factoring in where you’re going to stay
- Create your final itinerary
In order to plan your route around Iceland, you’ll have to first decide how many days you are able to dedicate to your road trip.
After visiting Iceland on three separate occasions, we finally came up with what we think is the perfect 7 day Iceland itinerary for your first visit.
We think a single week is a good amount of time to get a solid taste of what Iceland has to offer, including some of the highlights like Reykjavik, the Golden Circle and some of our favorite hot springs and waterfalls.
Things to do in Iceland
If you have more time than just a week, GREAT! There are so many more things to do in Iceland you could road trip for a month and still not get bored. Here is a good list of highlights to get you started…
- Explore the Golden Circle: Sort of a rite of passage on most visitors’ first trip to Iceland. This route encircles three major attractions: Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss Waterfall and Geysir, as well as some pretty neat off-the-beaten-path attractions.
- Soak in some incredible hot springs: Being that Iceland is known for its geothermal activity, it should come as no surprise that there are some pretty epic hot springs you can visit.
- Hike the Fimmvörðuháls trail: Known as one of the best day hikes in the entire world, the Fimm Hike takes you through lush valleys, across desolate lava fields and past countless waterfalls.
- Hike a glacier: Of all the incredible hikes in Iceland, our glacier hike was one for the books, and certainly a bucket list worthy experience if you can make it happen.
- Chase waterfalls: Waterfalls are to Iceland like chocolate chips are to a cookie… okay maybe that’s a stretch of an analogy, but you get the point. They are everywhere and some of them are totally worth going out of your way to spot.
- Try Icelandic cuisine: Step out of your comfort zone and indulge in the local flavors to get a glimpse into the culture and how locals live.
- Explore Reykjavik: While small in size, Reykjavík is packed with spunk, charm, and fun things to do.
We could go on… But we’ve actually already compiled a list of best things to do in Iceland with all the details you need to have these experiences for yourself.
Where to stay in Iceland
When planning your road trip route around Iceland, another thing you’ll need to consider is where you’re going to stay.
If you’re renting a campervan, you’ll want to check out some of our favorite campsites in Iceland and plan your route based on where you can camp.
If you’re not going the campervan route, hotels in Iceland can get pretty expensive. Instead, we’d recommend staying in Airbnbs to cut down on costs and give yourself a more home-y feel.
We’ve rounded up a highly curated list of the best Airbnbs in Iceland— from budget-friendly, to the most unique accommodation, to some seriously incredible properties! This list includes the top places to stay in Iceland, as well as some hostel and hotel recommendations as well in case you want to mix it up a bit.
Our top tips for staying in an Airbnb in Iceland:
- Book Airbnbs with a kitchen so you can cook meals. This will help you save money so you don’t have to eat out for breakfast, lunch and dinner each day.
- Set your filter to find places with a private hot tub–your sore muscles and aching joints will thank us later after you’ve spent a day hiking!
- Check to take sure there is onsite parking or space to leave your vehicle overnight.
- Is there laundry? On a road trip, it can be helpful to book an Airbnb with a washer and dryer every once in a while so you can do a load of laundry. Nobody likes to stink up their car!
For more tips, we have loads of info on how to book Airbnbs, red flags to watch out for when booking, and the exact filters we use when booking.
Perfect Iceland itinerary (done-for-you PDF download)
Raise your hand if you don’t want to spend hours of time researching and you just want all the info right at your fingertips!
If your hand is up, keep reading…
If you want to save hours of your life, we’ve already put in more than enough for you and us combined. Trust us.
And we’re happy to share everything we learned — from digging through reviews, Youtube and all sorts of Internet rabbit holes, as well as actually traveling in Iceland on 3 separate occasions.
We’ve put together the perfect Iceland itinerary for your first visit. This itinerary includes day-by-day instructions, photos and tips that will help you plan your road trip through southern Iceland and the iconic Golden Circle.
In this 7-day itinerary, you’ll find:
- Can’t miss sights and experiences
- Where to eat
- suggestions for what to order
- Where to stay (whether you’re camping or doing hotels)
- the best campsites to stay on the route
- unique stays along the way
- Insider Tips
We’ve spent hours of research putting this all together, just for you!
In full transparency, this is a paid itinerary since it has taken an incredible amount of time for us to create.
However, we keep all of our paid itineraries affordable – just $19 for an entire 7-day itinerary. We think this is an incredible value considering almost all your planning will be done for you!
Road trip budget tips
We’ll be honest: Iceland is expensive. Unless you’ve got a bottomless bank account, setting a budget for your Iceland road trip is essential.
Your budget will depend on your travel style. For some, it’s a flexible guideline; for others, it’s a firm number to stick to. Either way, having a plan matters—especially in a country where costs add up fast.
We’re meticulous about tracking our travel expenses, so we’ve broken down exactly how much an Iceland trip costs, along with plenty of sneaky money-saving tips to help you plan smarter.
Stocking up on groceries
Whether you’re road tripping in a car or living in a campervan in Iceland, you’ll want to stock up on groceries before you hit the road. There’s nothing that makes you hungrier than sitting in a car for hours on end…am I right??
We can tell you from firsthand experience that grocery shopping in Iceland can be a little overwhelming if you’re not equipped with some tips and knowhow.
That’s why we put together a handy little guide to navigating supermarkets in Iceland – from the average price of some staple items to supermarkets with the best prices, we’ve got you covered.
Mistakes to avoid when planning your Iceland road trip
Take it from us, we’ve made plenty of road trip mistakes over the years. We’ve learned our lessons and we want to pass on our tips to you to help you avoid the potentially costly mistakes while road tripping in Iceland.
1. Not giving yourself enough time
It can be tempting to pack as much as possible within your given time frame, but building in buffer time is key for an enjoyable Iceland road trip.
Driving distances can feel deceptively short when you’re planning, but even a few hours on the road can be tiring.
Plus, hikes often take longer than expected (we speak from experience!), hot springs beg for extra soaking time, and you never know when you’re going to stumble on an unexpected waterfall you just have to stop and photograph!
Add in unpredictable weather, traffic delays, or the occasional flat tire, and you’ll be glad you left some flexibility. In our experience, slower days = less stress and a much better trip.
2. Sticking to your route EXACTLY
After planning a road trip route, you might feel the need to follow it exactly. But we’d advise otherwise…
Sometimes the best road trip stops are the unplanned adventures off the main road and into that cute little harbour-side town or a quick pull over on the side of the road that turns into a hike to an unknown viewpoint.
Give yourself some “wiggle room” in your itinerary for the opportunity to get lost and explore some hidden gems along the way.
3. Not planning ahead during busy season
Sometimes the busy season is the only time you have to travel. We’ve certainly been there.
If you’re traveling to Iceland during the summer months, be sure to spend a little extra time planning:
- Book your accommodation further in advance.
- Research hidden spots and how to get away from the crowds.
- Budget a little more money.
- Plan to start your days earlier than you typically would.
4. Forgetting to download Google Maps offline
There are long stretches of road in Iceland where you’ll find very little cell signal. Depending on where you’re driving (especially if you’re going through the highlands), cell service might be patchy at best.
So you’ll want to download anything you need on your phone before you set off on your road trip.
While you have Wifi, download the offline version of Google Maps for the regions you’ll be driving through Iceland. This also goes for all your podcasts, music, and audiobooks too.
Even if there is good cell service, your data might go quickly if you’re constantly streaming music and directions.
How do you Download Google Maps Offline?
It’s super simple, just follow these steps:
- Sign into Google Maps (it’s connected with your Gmail account).
- Search for a destination in the search bar. (Example: “Reykjavik” or “Snæfellsnes peninsula”)
- You’ll see a white bar that pops up at the bottom of the screen. You may need to swipe right to find the “download” icon.
- Make sure you’re connected to WiFi, and click the “download” icon.
The map data from this region will now be on your phone, and can be accessed even when you have no cell signal! You’ll even be able to see your current GPS location as long as you have it authorized. (Settings > Google Maps > Location > select “Always”)
5. Forgetting you get carsick
Motion Sickness is a pain in the ass, but it can be dealt with if you prepare. Don’t worry, I’m right there with ya!
I like to pack a little “kit” to help prevent nausea when on road trips. This will come in handy on the long and sometimes winding roads in Iceland, trust me.
- pressure point bands
- ginger chews
- medication
- sparkling water
- crackers
- trash bag (in case of emergency)
Also, it goes without saying, but try to avoid reading or looking closely at your phone screen, especially on winding roads.
If you’re feeling sick, the best thing to do is stop the car and get yourself some fresh air. Sometimes that’s all it takes to get your system back on track.
And remember to take it slow and be patient. Carsickness happens to the best of us!
→ Psst! You can read about more common road trip mistakes and tons of other tips in our road trip planning guide.
Apps to download
When hitting the road in Iceland there are plenty of factors to keep in mind such as traffic, weather, and directions. How many times have you heard that you missed your exit and have to drive twice as far to double back?
Don’t worry though. As they say…. There’s an app for that.
In this case, there are a few apps for Iceland road trips that we’d recommend downloading to take the frustration out of navigating, help with road trip planning, and enjoy the ride without any hiccups.
Here are some of essential apps for road tripping in Iceland:
- Veður: Ask any local and they will tell you the only weather app they trust is Vedur.
- Google Maps: Make sure you download the offline version of our route while you’re still connected to Wifi!
- Bensin: Location nearby gas stations and see up to date pricing before you arrive at the pump. This app is a game-changer on an Iceland road trip. (App only available for iOS)
- SafeTravel: The best way to check road conditions in Iceland with up to date information.
- Parka: Use this app to pay for parking in specific locations around Iceland, including downtown Reykjavík, Skaftafell National Park, and Geldingadalir Volcano.
We have a whole article on the best Iceland travel apps that goes into more detail on each one and why we think it’s worth a download.
En route entertainment
If you’re like us, one of the first things we plan when going on a road trip is which audiobooks we want to listen to and which podcasts to download for our enroute entertainment. We put together some of our top recommendations in case you’re looking for something new to listen to.
Audiobooks
- Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens: One of my favorite reads from 2020. A beautifully-descriptive coming of age tale about how society is quick to judge and misunderstand those deemed “outsiders”. It also reads like a love letter to nature.
- A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson: This funny account of one man and his ill-prepared companion’s attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail. A humorous and adventurous quick read.
- You are a Badass by Jen Sincero: If you need a little motivation right now (I’m with ya!), Jen will give you the kick in the pants you need to stop doubting yourself. It reads like you’re talking to a good friend.
- Whatever You Do, Don’t Run: True Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide by Peter Allison: A collection of personal stories recounting hilarious and sometimes terrifying tales of life living in the African bush as a safari guide, coming face to face with some of the fiercest wild animals, and managing the hordes of camera-toting tourists.
- Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts: The thrilling story of an escaped convict who flees a maximum security prison in Australia, fleeing to Bombay with his guide and companion, where they can disappear forever in the criminal underworld.
If you like these recommendations and want more, we have an entire list of books for travelers– broken out by category, from memoirs to fictional travel stories.
Podcasts
- The Dirtbag Diaries (Duct Tape Then Beer): A podcast all about adventure — hiking, skiing, rock climbing — you name it!
- Favorite Episodes: Mr. Hodges, All in the Family
- How I Built This with Guy Raz (NPR): A deep dive into the stories behind some of America’s most successful businesses.
- Favorite Episodes: Lonely Planet, Patagonia, Burton, AWAY Luggage, Canva
- Science Vs. (Gimlet Media): Dives into hot button topics and major political issues (from essential oils to immigration) and goes over the FACTS of both sides of the argument, while incorporating humor.
- Criminal: A true-crime podcast covering all types of crimes — from gory murders in history to funny pop-culture crimes, like streaking.
- Favorite Episodes: Brownie Lady, The Chase (interview with a “professional” streaker)
Perfect done-for-you Iceland itinerary
Want to skip the stress of trip planning?
Planning a trip to Iceland can feel overwhelming—there’s so much to see, and it’s easy to miss hidden gems if you don’t know where to look. That’s why we created our done-for-you Iceland South Coast Itinerary—so you can spend less time researching and more time soaking in Iceland’s epic landscapes.
This 7–day itinerary takes you along Iceland’s breathtaking southern coast, blending adventure with a touch of luxury. You’ll visit iconic sights like Skogafoss and Diamond Beach, plus off-the-beaten-path spots most tourists miss (like a hidden waterfall that’s one of our all-time favorites!).
With detailed daily plans, insider tips, driving directions, and hand-picked stays, this guide takes the guesswork out of planning so you can experience Iceland stress-free.
Iceland map: Our favorite spots!
Want to upgrade your experience in Iceland?
Maybe itinerary planning isn’t your thing and you’d rather have the freedom to just wing it?
We’ve created a fully interactive, custom map of Iceland that includes all our favorite recommendations and hidden gems.
We’re talking everything in this article—plus all of our personal recommendations, restaurants, hidden gems, viewpoints and unique stays.
If you prefer to navigate like a local rather than planning every detail yourself, this map is the perfect next step.
Plan your trip to Iceland
We have TONS of resources on travel in Iceland and how to make the most out of your trip. Check out our Iceland Homepage for all the answers to your most burning questions, or read some of our favorite articles below.
- Check out all of our top recommendations for things to do in Iceland.
- Read up on Icelandic foods so you know what to try and what to skip.
- Get a complete cost breakdown for your Iceland trip and follow our sneaky budget tips to save money!
- Save this list of cool Iceland Airbnbs for when you’re ready to book your accommodation.
- And don’t forget camping in Iceland is one of the best ways to save money!
- You’ll want to keep this guide handy if you plan on driving Iceland’s Golden Circle.
- Read up on all the actually cool things to do in Reykjavik.
- Be sure to download these essential Iceland travel apps before your trip!
Don’t miss your chance to grab our Iceland packing list!
Click the banner to download our complete packing list for Iceland! It’s packed with good suggestions and insider tips to help plan your Iceland trip.
And it’s completely FREE, so why not!?
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We want to hear from you!
Do you have any more questions about planning your Iceland road trip? Leave your comment below and we’ll do our best to get you the answers you’re looking for!
Katie Diederichs is the lead writer and co-founder of Two Wandering Soles, where she creates in-depth travel guides, itineraries, and tips designed to help readers plan better trips with confidence. With a background in journalism, photography, and design, she combines thorough research with firsthand experience to deliver clear, practical, and visually driven travel content. As the primary trip planner, Katie turns complex logistics into easy-to-follow advice travelers can actually use.
Thank you so much for your amazing tips for Iceland! I will be traveling there soon as well, while 5 months pregnant, like you did. Where did you find your nice outdoor maternity clothing?
Hey Annelies, it’s such a great place for a Babymoon! None of my clothes were truly maternity clothes – which I actually like because I can wear them after pregnancy too. I have a few pairs of Lulu Lemon Align leggings which are high waisted and I LIVED in them while pregnant (and wore them a lot in Iceland), and I still wear them all the time. Not the cheapest, but worth the investment IMO. I also got a pair of water-resistant joggers from Eddie Bauer that I wore on the trip and they worked really well. Then I just wore larger shirts, or athletic ones that became more and more “fitted” as I grew hehe.
Hope that helps. Have an amazing trip!