Golden Circle & reykjavik & Reykjanes
“9 nights in Iceland — Land at KEF, pick up the rental car, and ease into Iceland with a geothermal soak before settling in Reykjavík.”
9 nights in Iceland, mapped out day by day through Reykjavik, Vik and Akureyri — a place to sleep and something worth doing on every one of the 9 days.
Good to know
- Best season
- 9 nights
- Pace
- Busy, back-to-back plans
- Where you sleep
- Boutique guesthouse and 2 more
- Getting around
- Trains, transit, and walking
- Length
- 9 days
- Budget
- €1,787
Loved on Google
- Iceland Car Rental Kef. Airport4.3(542)
- Blue Lagoon4.6(32K)
- Downtown Guesthouse Reykjavik3.5(140)
- Old Iceland4.8(3.1K)
- Thingvellir National Park4.7(25K)
- Strokkur Geyser4.7(14K)
via Google
The trip, day by day
- 1
Arrival & Blue Lagoon soak
Collect rental car at KEF airportSoak at the Blue Lagoon en route from the airportCheck in to the boutique guesthouse in ReykjavikEvening stroll down Laugavegur and dinner in the old town - 2
Golden Circle
Þingvellir National Park and the Silfra tectonic riftWatch Strokkur erupt at the Geysir geothermal fieldStand beside the thundering Gullfoss waterfallSoak at the Secret Lagoon in FlúðirReturn to Reykjavik; aurora check after dark - 3
Reykjavik & Reykjanes
Hallgrímskirkja tower for city viewsHarpa concert hall and the Sun Voyager sculptureDrive the Reykjanes lava fields and Bridge Between ContinentsCoffee and dinner in the design district - 4
South Coast waterfalls to Vik
Walk behind Seljalandsfoss waterfallClimb beside the mighty SkógafossExplore Reynisfjara black-sand beach and basalt columnsCheck in to the Garden villa in VikNight aurora watch from rural Vik - 5
Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon
Scenic drive east through Vatnajökull countryBoat among icebergs at Jökulsárlón glacier lagoonPhotograph ice on Diamond BeachStop at Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon on the returnLate dinner back in Vik - 6
Glacier hike & hidden south
Guided glacier hike or ice-cave tour on SólheimajökullVisit the Dyrhólaey arch and puffin cliffsSólheimasandur plane wreck walkRelax at the villa; final southern aurora night - 7
Highland crossing to the North
Depart Vik north toward AkureyriScenic stops through the eastern fjords and highlandsCheck in to the Design hotel in AkureyriEvening walk along Akureyri's harbor and botanical garden - 8
Mývatn geothermal wonders
Goðafoss, the waterfall of the godsDimmuborgir lava formations and Skútustaðir pseudocratersNámafjall Hverir bubbling mud potsSoak at the Mývatn Nature BathsAurora watch over Lake Mývatn - 9
Whales, then homeward
Whale-watching tour from Akureyri or HúsavíkLast coffee and souvenir shopping in AkureyriBegin the return drive / connect toward KEF for departure
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Arrival & Blue Lagoon soak
Land at KEF, pick up the rental car, and ease into Iceland with a geothermal soak before settling in Reykjavík. Collect rental car at KEF airport and Soak at the Blue Lagoon en route from the airport.
- Flights
- €224
- Stay
- €1,563
- Per night
- €199
Estimates — the booking site shows the real price.
Want it different?
Swap a day, change the budget, add the kids. Tomo re-balances the rest.
Golden Circle
The classic loop — tectonic rifts, exploding geysers, and Iceland's mightiest waterfall. Þingvellir National Park and the Silfra tectonic rift and Watch Strokkur erupt at the Geysir geothermal field.
Reykjavik & Reykjanes
Explore the capital's landmarks and the volcanic Reykjanes peninsula. Hallgrímskirkja tower for city views and Harpa concert hall and the Sun Voyager sculpture.
South Coast waterfalls to Vik
Drive east chasing cascades and a black-sand beach into your South Coast base. Walk behind Seljalandsfoss waterfall and Climb beside the mighty Skógafoss.
Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon
The trip's showpiece drive to floating icebergs and a beach studded with diamonds. Scenic drive east through Vatnajökull country and Boat among icebergs at Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon.
Glacier hike & hidden south
A slower day for glacier adventure and quieter corners near Vík. Guided glacier hike or ice-cave tour on Sólheimajökull and Visit the Dyrhólaey arch and puffin cliffs.
Highland crossing to the North
A long, dramatic drive up to Iceland's northern capital. Depart Vik north toward Akureyri and Scenic stops through the eastern fjords and highlands.
Mývatn geothermal wonders
Bubbling mud, lava fields, a giant waterfall, and a milky-blue hot-spring finish. Goðafoss, the waterfall of the gods and Dimmuborgir lava formations and Skútustaðir pseudocraters.
Whales, then homeward
A final northern adventure before looping back toward departure. Whale-watching tour from Akureyri or Húsavík and Last coffee and souvenir shopping in Akureyri.
Make this trip yours
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