The Ring Road comes up in every conversation about visiting Iceland, but it isn’t always clear what it actually is, how long it takes, which way round you should travel, or whether you even need it for your trip. Iceland’s Route 1 circles the entire country, connecting you to waterfalls, glaciers, and fjords along a single paved highway, and it’s the backbone most Iceland itineraries get built around. Here’s our guide to how Iceland’s Ring Road works…
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We’ll cover what Iceland’s Ring Road actually is, ten key stops you should add to your itinerary, how long to budget, which direction to drive the Ring Road, where to stay and eat along the way, and what to expect region by region.
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What Is the Ring Road
The Ring Road, officially Route 1, is a single paved highway roughly 1,332 kilometers (828 miles) long that circles most of Iceland. It is the first of Iceland’s Routes and Circle. It connects South, East, North, and West Iceland into one continuous loop. However, it doesn’t actually pass through the Golden Circle, Snaefellsnes, North Iceland, East Iceland, the Westfjords, or the Highlands, all of which sit as detours off the main route rather than on it. You can read my specific guides on these areas:
The road itself is fully paved (it has been since 2019), although if you take detours, and the chances are that you’re going to want to, then you will find some gravel roads, and it’s accessible year-round. Winter driving can bring real challenges with ice, snow, and the occasional closure that you don’t have to think about with a summer visit. A standard small car is ok for the Ring Road itself just fine outside winter; a 4×4 only becomes necessary if you’re planning detours onto gravel routes, the Highlands, or traveling between October and April.
- Read my guide to driving in Iceland here
- Understand parking in Iceland with my guide here
- Here’s all you need to know about renting a car in Iceland
- And do you really need a car in Iceland?
10 Key Things to See on Iceland’s Ring Road
Now I’ll be clear: you’re going to make more than 10 stops on the Ring Road. You’ll probably make 10 stops on your first day, to be fair. But you’re going to want to anchor your trip around some key places, so here we go. These ten stops come up on nearly every Ring Road trip, listed in the order you’ll reach them driving counterclockwise from Reykjavik.
EASIEST WAY TO VISIT
EASIEST WAY TO VISIT THE RING ROAD
Travel the popular Icelandic Ring Road in a small group, visit some of the country’s most stunning attractions. Spouting geysers, magical waterfalls, black sand beaches, and unique hot springs, all explored accompanied by a local guide
Seljalandsfoss
Foss means waterfall in Icelandic. There you go, you’re speaking like a local already! This 60-meter waterfall is one of the first major stops out of Reykjavik heading counterclockwise, and one of the only ones in the country where you can walk behind the curtain of water itself. There’s another one not far from Seljalandsfoss called Kvernufoss that you can walk behind too, and it’s much quieter (read about it here).
Back to Seljalandsfoss though. It sits right off Route 1, so there’s no real detour involved, just a short stop that’s easy to build into day one or two of a longer trip.
- Location of Seljalandsfoss: 90 kilometers (56 miles) east of Selfoss, just off Route 1.
- Entry to Seljalandsfoss: free, open year-round.
- Parking at Seljalandsfoss: 900 ISK, payable via kiosk or checkit.is.
- Opening Hours of Seljalandsfoss: none, accessible at any time.
- How Long to Spend at Seljalandsfoss: 45-60 minutes, longer if there’s a line to walk behind the falls.
- How to Get to Seljalandsfoss: signposted directly off Route 1, with parking on site.
Skógafoss
Skógafoss is the next major stop after Seljalandsfoss, about 30 minutes further along Route 1, and it’s a strong contender for Iceland’s most photographed waterfall thanks to the rainbow that regularly appears in its spray.
You can walk into the middle of the river to take the photo, and you’re going to want to hike up the staircase alongside it, as it climbs to a viewing platform at the top, and it also marks the start of the Fimmvörðuháls hiking trail if you’ve got a full day to spare.
- Location of Skógafoss: just off Route 1, about 2.5 hours from Reykjavik.
- Entry to Skógafoss: free, open year-round.
- Parking at Skógafoss: 1,000 ISK, payable via kiosk or the Parka app.
- Opening Hours of Skógafoss: none, accessible at any time.
- How Long to Spend at Skógafoss: 35-45 minutes, including the climb to the top.
- How to Get to Skógafoss: directly off Route 1, well signposted, with parking on site.
Dyrhólaey
Now most people will tell you to stop at the Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach (I’ve covered it in my guide here), but I’m opting for Dyrhólaey instead, as I’ve got what I think is a much nicer beach a little further on.
Dyrhólaey is a short detour off Route 1 rather than a stop directly on it. It’s a headland famous for its sea arch and sweeping views back along the coast. It’s also one of the best puffin-watching spots on the South Coast. These glorious awkward little birds are present roughly May through mid-August, though the site closes overnight, between 19:00 and 09:00, specifically to give the colony some peace, so this isn’t a stop you can plan for late evening.
Dyrhólaey is a great stop because it comes with sea cliffs, glorious beach views (yes, you can see Reynisfjara from here), there’s a lighthouse, and because there’s an upper and a lower area here (covered under the same parking charge), it’s a double whammy. And then there are the puffins. You can read my guide to seeing Puffins in Iceland here. This isn’t the best place to see them, but it is on the Ring Road. So stop here.
- Location of Dyrhólaey: a short detour off Route 1, near Vík.
- Entry to Dyrhólaey: free.
- Parking at Dyrhólaey: 750 ISK, payable via kiosk or the Parka app, covers both the upper and lower parking areas.
- Opening Hours of Dyrhólaey: 09:00-19:00, closed overnight to protect nesting birds.
- How Long to Spend at Dyrhólaey: 30-45 minutes.
- How to Get to Dyrhólaey: signposted off Route 1, a short drive up to the headland.
Now we are skipping along quite quickly here, and you’ll no doubt wonder why I’m missing out huge numbers of places to visit. Highlights in an area where there’s a lot is a challenge. So you’ll want to go back to my guide to Iceland’s South Coast and see what else you want to include in your itinerary.
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
This, for many people, is the biggie. Jökulsárlón is where icebergs calved from Breiðamerkurjökull drift across a lagoon before washing out to sea, and it’s one of the most-visited single stops on the entire Ring Road. It sits far enough east that reaching it makes for a hugely long day if you’re based on the South Coast, which is exactly why so many itineraries treat it as its own overnight stop rather than a same-day round trip.
Here at Jökulsárlón you can take a water-based trip on the glacier lagoon, hike onto the glacier, hike into the glacier and tour an ice cave. Or you can simply follow a few walking trails on your own. It’s a truly magical place, and I’ve covered it in detail in my guide to glaciers in Iceland.
- Location of Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon: directly off Route 1, in southeast Iceland.
- Entry to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon: free to view from the shore; boat tours cost extra.
- Parking at Jökulsárlón: 1,110 ISK, payable via kiosk or the Parka app, covers both Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach.
- Opening Hours of Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon: none, accessible at any time.
- How Long to Spend at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon: 45-60 minutes, longer with a boat tour.
- How to Get to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon: directly off Route 1, with parking on site.
Diamond Beach
Diamond Beach sits just across the road from Jökulsárlón itself, and if you head to Jökulsárlón, then you’re going to come here as well. This is the black sand shore where chunks of ice from the lagoon wash up and glitter against the dark sand. It’s an easy add-on rather than a separate trip, a few minutes’ walk from the same parking lot, so there’s little reason to skip it if you’re already stopping at the lagoon.
Your experience of Diamond Beach will depend on the state of the tide. Low tide is better. High tide tends to mean that the ice gets washed straight out to sea. Check tide times here. Iceland has a HUGE tidal range, so it can make a huge difference to your visit.
- Location of Diamond Beach: directly across Route 1 from Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon.
- Entry to Diamond Beach: free.
- Parking at Diamond Beach: 1,110 ISK, payable via kiosk or the Parka app, shared with the main Jökulsárlón parking fee if you’re already parked there.
- Opening Hours of Diamond Beach: none, accessible at any time.
- How Long to Spend at Diamond Beach: 30-45 minutes.
- How to Get to Diamond Beach: a short walk from the Jökulsárlón parking area, or park on the ocean side of Route 1.
Vestrahorn / Stokksnes
Vestrahorn is one of the most photographed mountains in the country, a jagged range rising straight out of black sand on the Stokksnes peninsula. And it’s my favourite black sand beach in Iceland, even though it was blowing a hooley when we visited.
The tide pools double as a natural mirror on a calm day; good luck finding one of those! Unlike most of this list, the land here is privately owned, so there’s a real entry fee, which also covers a recreated Viking village film set on the same property.
There are several hiking trails here, and it’s gloriously wild. You can read more about it here.
- Location of Vestrahorn / Stokksnes: signposted off Route 1, a short detour east of Höfn.
- Entry to Vestrahorn / Stokksnes: 1,100 ISK per person, paid at the on-site café. Your parking is included in this fee.
- Opening Hours of Vestrahorn / Stokksnes: If the café is closed, then you can pay at the on-site machine in the café entrance.
- How Long to Spend at Vestrahorn / Stokksnes: 45-60 minutes.
- How to Get to Vestrahorn / Stokksnes: signposted off Route 1, a short detour onto the Stokksnes peninsula.
Dettifoss
Dettifoss is regularly cited as one of the most powerful waterfalls in Europe by volume, and it’s a real detour rather than a roadside stop. It’s a further 15 to 30 minutes off Route 1 depending on which side you approach from.
The west side, Road 862, is paved for easier access in a standard car; the east side, Road 864, is gravel and gives a different, arguably better, view. The gravel road is passable in a standard car, but it will be slower going.
This is a glorious waterfall, and you can read more about it in my guide to Iceland’s waterfalls.
- Location of Dettifoss: a 15-30 minute detour off Route 1, in North Iceland.
- Entry to Dettifoss: free.
- Parking at Dettifoss: free.
- Opening Hours of Dettifoss: none, accessible at any time.
- How Long to Spend at Dettifoss: 45-60 minutes.
- How to Get to Dettifoss: via Road 862 (paved, west side) or Road 864 (gravel, east side).
Lake Mývatn
Mývatn is a shallow volcanic lake ringed by craters, lava formations, and geothermal features packed in closer together than almost anywhere else in the country. So while I’ve listed this as a single stop, it’s actually a cluster of them that are worth a full day rather than a quick photo. Pseudocraters, lava fields, and a geothermal area all sit within a short drive of the lake itself.
There are full details about Myvatn in my guide here.
- Location of Lake Mývatn: directly off Route 1, in North Iceland.
- Entry to Lake Mývatn: free to view; there are parking costs associated with the geothermal area, but other parking is free.
- Opening Hours of Lake Mývatn: none, accessible at any time.
- How Long to Spend at Lake Mývatn: a full day if you want to properly cover the surrounding sights.
- How to Get to Lake Mývatn: directly off Route 1, North Iceland.
Goðafoss
Goðafoss, the “Waterfall of the Gods,” curves along a wide horseshoe of cliffs and sits right on the Ring Road itself. There’s no detour required, just a five-minute walk from the parking area.
Its name traces back to the year 1000, when Iceland formally adopted Christianity and, according to legend, a law speaker threw his old pagan idols into the falls. You can read about visiting Goðafoss here.
- Location of Goðafoss: directly off Route 1, in North Iceland.
- Entry to Goðafoss: free.
- Parking at Goðafoss: free.
- Opening Hours of Goðafoss: none, accessible at any time.
- How Long to Spend at Goðafoss: 20-30 minutes.
- How to Get to Goðafoss: directly off Route 1, a five-minute walk from the parking area.
Akureyri
Akureyri is Iceland’s second city and the natural overnight base for this stretch of the Ring Road, sitting at the head of Eyjafjörður with its own small airport, restaurants, and a proper town center rather than just a fuel stop.
It’s worth budgeting at least a half day here rather than just passing through, although you should also view it as the launch point for some glorious parts of Iceland, like the Tröllaskagi Peninsula.
- Location of Akureyri: directly off Route 1, in North Iceland.
- How Long to Spend at Akureyri: half a day at minimum, more if staying overnight.
- Website for Akureyri: visitakureyri.is
- How to Get to Akureyri: directly off Route 1, North Iceland’s main hub.
Map of Iceland’s Ring Road
Here’s our map of every stop covered above, spread right around the country; you can also see the map here.
How Long Do You Need for the Ring Road in Iceland?
Most people budget 7 to 10 days for a comfortable pace around the full loop, though it’s possible to do it faster if you’re only after the headline stops, or considerably slower if you want time for hikes and detours along the way. Winter trips need more built-in flexibility than summer ones, since road closures and slower driving conditions can eat into your schedule without much warning.
Which Direction Should You Drive Iceland’s Ring Road?
Most people drive counterclockwise, heading south from Reykjavik first. That front-loads the South Coast and its biggest-name stops early in the trip, then heads into quieter, less-visited territory as you continue east and north. You’ll feel that you’re rushing more at the beginning and slowing down as you continue. Driving clockwise reverses that order, a quieter start through the west and north followed by a rush through the South Coast’s highlights right before you fly home, which is the main reason it’s the less popular choice.
I always try to make my itineraries answer the question “will I get to see the highlights if I have to cut my trip short?”. And that’s why we went counterclockwise around Iceland’s Ring Road. We visited the Golden Circle first.
Where to Stay Along the Ring Road
Accommodation along the Ring Road ranges from full hotels in bigger towns like Akureyri and Egilsstaðir to small guesthouses in villages with only a handful of rooms in the whole area. Book well ahead for summer travel, since popular towns along the route sell out months in advance, not weeks. Check rental car availability here once your route and overnight stops are settled.
Grocery Shopping Along the Ring Road
Bónus and Krónan, Iceland’s two budget supermarket chains, have locations in most of the larger towns along the route, though selection thins out considerably in smaller villages. It’s worth buying for your next day or few days whenever you pass through a bigger town rather than assuming the next stop will have what you need. I’ve covered what helps when you’re self-driving in my packing list for Iceland here.
Food & Drink Options Along the Ring Road
Larger towns along the route, Akureyri, Egilsstaðir, and Höfn among them, all have a good selection of restaurants and cafés, while smaller villages often narrow down to a single gas station hot dog option or guesthouse kitchen. Höfn in particular is worth planning a meal around if langoustine is in season; it’s the local specialty. Read about food in Iceland in my guide here. I cover some specific restaurants and cafes you’ll want to visit, plus tips on making self-catering easier.
What to Expect Region by Region
The Ring Road passes through four distinct regions, and each one has its own pace, scenery, and reason to slow down for.
Southwest & Southeast Iceland
This is the busiest, most visited stretch of the entire route, black sand deserts giving way to lush farmland, with Mt. Hekla and the Eyjafjallajökull glacier visible in the distance for long stretches of the drive. Seljalandsfoss, Reynisfjara, and Jökulsárlón all sit along this section, and our full South Coast guide and black sand beaches guide both go into far more depth than we can here.
East Iceland
East Iceland is where the crowds thin out noticeably: quiet fjords, small towns, and a real sense of having the road to yourself compared to the South Coast. Egilsstaðir makes the natural base for this stretch, with Seyðisfjörður and Vök Baths both an easy detour away. Our full East Iceland guide covers this region properly.
North Iceland
North Iceland centers on the Mývatn area and Akureyri, with the Diamond Circle route branching off as a worthwhile detour if you have the extra day to spare. This stretch mixes volcanic landscapes with a proper town to rest in, a rarer combination than you’d think along this route. Our full North Iceland guide, the Tröllaskagi Peninsula, and the Diamond Circle guide cover this region and its detour in full.
West Iceland
West Iceland is the quietest, most commonly rushed stretch of the entire loop, largely because it’s the last leg before returning to Reykjavik and people are often running low on both time and energy by this point. The Silver Circle makes a worthwhile detour if you haven’t already done the Golden Circle, and Snaefellsnes, though technically not part of the Ring Road itself, is close enough that many people add it on as an extension. Our full Silver Circle guide and Snaefellsnes guide both cover this final stretch.
FAQs on Iceland’s Ring Road
Here are quick answers to the questions we hear most about Iceland’s Ring Road.
How many days do you need for the Ring Road?
Most people budget 7 to 10 days to travel the Ring Road for a comfortable pace, though it’s possible to do it faster or considerably slower depending on how many detours and hikes you want to fit in.
Is the Ring Road fully paved?
Yes, Route 1 itself is fully paved and accessible year-round. Many of the best detours off it, though, run on gravel roads, which are mostly ok with a standard 2WD car. You can check rental car availability and prices here
Can you drive the Ring Road in winter?
Yes, but expect a slower pace, real road closures, and the need for a 4×4 on some stretches. Build in more flexibility than you would for a summer trip.
Which direction is better, clockwise or counterclockwise?
Counterclockwise is more popular, front-loading the South Coast’s biggest stops early and easing into quieter territory as you go. Clockwise reverses that, risking a rushed finish through the most famous sights.
Do I need a 4×4 for the Ring Road?
No, not for the Ring Road itself outside winter. A 4×4 becomes worth it if you’re planning lots of gravel detours or traveling between October and April.
Is the Ring Road suitable for a first-time visitor?
Yes, it’s the most common way first-timers structure an Iceland trip, and the road itself is straightforward to drive as long as you respect road conditions and posted speed limits.
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Final Words on Iceland’s Ring Road
The Ring Road isn’t just one attraction among many; it’s the route most Iceland trips end up built around, whether people realize that going in or not. Give it the time it actually needs, pick your direction with intention rather than habit, and treat the detours as seriously as the road itself, since some of the best stops on this list sit just off Route 1 rather than directly on it.
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