Self-Launched Iceland Circumnavigation: Glaciers, Volcanoes & the Westfjords

Fly into Keflavik International Airport. Take the Flybus or Reykjavik Excursions airport bus directly to central Reykjavik (~£22 one-way, runs every 30 minutes). Check into a central hostel and spend the afternoon exploring on foot: Hallgrímskirkja church, the old harbour, Laugavegur street, and the Harpa concert hall. Grab dinner at Hlemmur Mathöll food hall for an affordable taste of Icelandic cuisine.

🚌Flybus from Keflavik Airport (~£22)

🛏Kex Hostel or Hlemmur Square Hostel, Reykjavik (~£35-50/night in dorm or private room)

• →Flybus transfer from Keflavik Airport to Reykjavik (~£22)
• →Self-guided walk around Reykjavik city centre
• →Visit Hallgrímskirkja church and take the lift to the top for views (£8)
• →Explore Laugavegur street and the old harbour
• →Dinner at Hlemmur Mathöll food hall

Pick up your rental campervan or car from Reykjavik (booking in advance is essential — budget campervans start from ~£80/day in summer, split across travel companions this becomes very affordable). Head west towards the Snæfellsnes Peninsula (~2.5 hours). Stop at Gerðuberg basalt columns en route. Arrive on the peninsula and explore the small fishing village of Stykkishólmur, base for the next night.

🚌Rental campervan or car from Reykjavik (~£80-100/day total vehicle cost)

🛏Campsite or guesthouse near Stykkishólmur (~£20-30/night per person)

• →Campervan/car pickup from Reykjavik (budget ~£80-100/day, ideally shared)
• →Stop at Gerðuberg basalt columns
• →Arrive Stykkishólmur — explore the harbour and colourful houses
• →Optional: Volcano Museum in Stykkishólmur (£8)

Spend a full day exploring 'Iceland in a nutshell'. Drive to iconic Kirkjufell mountain and Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall — the most photographed spot in Iceland and a Game of Thrones landmark — for sunrise photos before the crowds arrive. Continue along the northern coast to Arnarstapi to walk the coastal lava path and see the Gatklettur basalt arch. Visit the Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum (~£10) and try hákarl (fermented shark). End the day at Snæfellsjökull glacier volcano if conditions allow.

🚌Own vehicle — peninsula loop drive (~150km)

🛏Campsite on Snæfellsnes Peninsula (~£15-20/night per person)

• →Photograph Kirkjufell mountain and Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall (free)
• →Coastal walk at Arnarstapi — lava fields and basalt arch Gatklettur (free)
• →Visit Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum and try hákarl (£10)
• →Drive to Snæfellsjökull glacier — viewpoint or short walk (free)
• →Optional: Snæfellsjökull glacier guided walk via local operators (~£60)

Head north to the remote Westfjords — Iceland's wildest and least-visited region. The drive from Snæfellsnes takes ~3.5 hours. Road 60 winds through spectacular fjord scenery. Alternatively, take the Baldur ferry from Stykkishólmur to Brjánslækur (~£35 per person, 2.5 hours) — a more scenic and time-efficient crossing. Arrive in the Westfjords and explore the fjordside village of Patreksfjörður as your base.

🚌Baldur ferry or own vehicle (~£35 ferry or included in vehicle cost)

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Patreksfjörður (~£30-40/night per person)

• →Baldur ferry from Stykkishólmur to Brjánslækur (~£35 per person) OR drive via Route 60
• →Scenic drive along Westfjords coastal roads
• →Arrive Patreksfjörður — explore the village and waterfront
• →Stop at Rauðisandur (Red Sand Beach) en route (free)

An unmissable day in the Westfjords. Drive to Látrabjarg, the tallest bird cliff in Europe — teeming with puffins, guillemots, razorbills and fulmars. The cliffs stretch for 14km and rise to 440m. Spend 2-3 hours here photographing birds at incredibly close range. Backtrack east and make a detour to Dynjandi, the iconic 'Jewel of the Westfjords' — a series of seven cascading waterfalls. Short hike to the top (free). Spot Icelandic horses along the road.

🚌Own vehicle — full day drive (~200km round trip)

🛏Guesthouse in Patreksfjörður or Ísafjörður (~£30-40/night per person)

• →Drive to Látrabjarg bird cliffs — puffins, razorbills, guillemots (free)
• →Birdwatching and photography at Europe's largest bird cliff
• →Hike up to Dynjandi waterfall — series of seven falls (free)
• →Spot Icelandic horses and sheep along Route 62

Drive or take a local bus to Ísafjörður, the largest town in the Westfjords and a charming historic fishing port. Visit the Westfjords Heritage Museum (£7) in the old timber warehouses by the harbour. Book a boat trip to Vigur Island (~£45) to see puffins, eider ducks and the island's historic windmill — one of only two in Iceland. The island was featured in BBC's Planet Earth. Return to Ísafjörður for dinner at a local restaurant.

🚌Own vehicle to Ísafjörður; boat trip to Vigur Island (~£45)

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Ísafjörður (~£35-45/night per person)

• →Explore Ísafjörður old town and harbour (free)
• →Westfjords Heritage Museum (£7)
• →Boat trip to Vigur Island — puffins and eider ducks (~£45)
• →Dinner in Ísafjörður — try local fish stew

Drive east and north along Route 1 towards northern Iceland (~4-5 hours). Stop at the stunning Goðafoss — 'Waterfall of the Gods' — where the chieftain Þorgeir threw his Norse idols in 1000 AD when Iceland adopted Christianity. Continue to Lake Mývatn, one of Iceland's most geologically active areas. Explore the pseudo-craters at Skútustaðir and the dramatic lava formations of Dimmuborgir (featured in Game of Thrones). End the day at Hverir geothermal area — bubbling mud pots and steaming vents.

🚌Own vehicle along Route 1 and Diamond Circle (~350km from Westfjords)

🛏Guesthouse or campsite near Lake Mývatn (~£25-35/night per person)

• →Stop at Goðafoss waterfall (free)
• →Walk the pseudo-craters at Skútustaðir, Lake Mývatn (free)
• →Explore Dimmuborgir lava formations — Game of Thrones filming location (free)
• →Walk among boiling mud pots and fumaroles at Hverir (free)
• →Optional: Mývatn Nature Baths geothermal soak (~£35)

Start with Europe's most powerful waterfall: Dettifoss, where 500 cubic metres of water crash over the falls every second with thunderous roar (free). Nearby, visit Ásbyrgi canyon — a horseshoe-shaped gorge of Norse legend. For an Arctic Circle milestone, book a day trip flight to Grímsey Island (population ~70) with Eagle Air (~£150 return from Akureyri) — the only part of Iceland within the Arctic Circle. See huge puffin colonies and receive your Arctic Circle certificate. Return to Akureyri, Iceland's second city, for the night.

🚌Own vehicle for waterfalls; Eagle Air flight to Grímsey (~£150 return, optional)

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Akureyri (~£30-40/night per person)

• →Dettifoss waterfall — Europe's most powerful (free)
• →Ásbyrgi horseshoe canyon (free)
• →Optional: Day trip flight to Grímsey Island to cross the Arctic Circle (~£150 return from Akureyri)
• →Explore Akureyri city centre and botanical garden (free)

Drive south and east along the Ring Road towards East Iceland (~3.5 hours). The route passes dramatic fjordland scenery. Detour to Borgarfjörður Eystri, one of Iceland's most scenic fjords, surrounded by rhyolite mountains in vivid reds and greens — Iceland's most colourful and accessible volcanic formations. See puffins in the harbour (summer only). Visit the small Álfaborg ('Elf Rock') hill — said to be home to Iceland's hidden people. Stay in Egilsstaðir, east Iceland's main town.

🚌Own vehicle along Ring Road (~250km from Akureyri)

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Egilsstaðir (~£30-40/night per person)

• →Scenic Ring Road drive through East Iceland fjords (free)
• →Detour to Borgarfjörður Eystri — rhyolite mountains and puffin harbour (free)
• →Visit Álfaborg ('Elf Rock') and local folklore sites (free)
• →Hallormsstaðaskógur forest walk — Iceland's largest forest (free)
• →Dinner in Egilsstaðir

Today delivers the most iconic images of Iceland. Drive south to Vatnajökull National Park (~2.5 hours). First stop: Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon — vast icebergs calved from the glacier drift through iridescent blue water. Book a zodiac/amphibian boat tour directly on arrival (~£40). Cross the road to Diamond Beach where crystal ice chunks wash up on black volcanic sand — pure magic. Then drive to Skaftafell for a guided glacier hike on Vatnajökull with local operator Glacier Guides or Local Guide of Iceland (~£55-70). End the day near Höfn.

🚌Own vehicle (~200km drive through national park)

🛏Guesthouse near Höfn or campsite in Skaftafell (~£25-40/night per person)

• →Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon — zodiac or amphibian boat tour (~£40, book direct on arrival)
• →Diamond Beach — black sand beach with ice sculptures (free)
• →Guided glacier hike on Vatnajökull at Skaftafell (~£55-70 via Glacier Guides)
• →Svartifoss waterfall hike in Skaftafell (free)

Drive west to Landeyjahöfn harbour (~2.5 hours) and take the Herjólfur ferry to Heimaey, the only inhabited Westman Island (~£18 each way, 35 minutes). The Westman Islands have one of the world's largest puffin colonies. Explore Heimaey town, devastated and heroically saved during the 1973 Eldfell eruption. Visit the Eldheimar museum (£14) — a house preserved exactly as it was buried in lava. Walk up Eldfell volcano for views over the archipelago. Spot puffins at Stórhöfði headland. Return ferry to mainland in the evening.

🚌Own vehicle to Landeyjahöfn; Herjólfur ferry (~£18 each way)

🛏Guesthouse on Heimaey or return to mainland (~£30-40/night)

• →Herjólfur ferry from Landeyjahöfn to Heimaey (~£18 each way)
• →Hike up Eldfell volcano — views over the archipelago (free)
• →Eldheimar Museum — 1973 eruption history (£14)
• →Puffin spotting at Stórhöfði headland (free)
• →Optional: Sea angling or puffin boat tour (~£35)

Drive the final stretch of the Ring Road back to Reykjavik (~2 hours from Landeyjahöfn or Selfoss). Stop at Seljalandsfoss waterfall — you can walk behind the curtain of water (free) — and Skógafoss, one of Iceland's biggest waterfalls, if not visited already. Return the campervan or car. Spend remaining hours in Reykjavik before your departure transfer back to Keflavik Airport (Flybus ~£22). Iceland circumnavigation complete!

🚌Own vehicle back to Reykjavik; Flybus to Keflavik Airport (~£22)

🛏None (departure day)

• →Stop at Seljalandsfoss waterfall — walk behind the falls (free)
• →Stop at Skógafoss waterfall (free)
• →Return campervan/car in Reykjavik
• →Final explore of Reykjavik — Tjörnin lake, old harbour
• →Flybus to Keflavik Airport (~£22)