Sloths before breakfast
1 / 6 · Rino Adamo
Back to Discover experience · GoSmart Experiences
Iceland Ring Road · Route 1
Ring the whole island
1 / 6 · Rino Adamo
Ring the whole island
Iceland Ring Road · Route 1
roadtrip nature adventurous unique crisp
Ready to make it real?
Explore similar trips, or let a GoSmart specialist plan this one with you.
See trips like this Talk to a specialistWhy you’ll love it
Waterfalls every hour, hot dogs at midnight, weather with opinions. A GoSmart specialist plans and books it around your dates and pace.
Why it works
You round another bend and the land keeps outdoing itself, a waterfall you can walk behind, then black sand, then a lagoon studded with blue icebergs drifting out to sea. The wind nearly takes the car door, the air smells faintly of sulphur and rain, and you have stopped trying to predict what is next.
Worth knowing
Give the full loop seven to ten days so you are not just driving past everything. The interior F-roads and highland detours require a 4x4 and are open only in summer, and winter driving anywhere on the island demands real caution and flexibility.
Check road.is for conditions and safetravel.is before heading out each day, since weather and closures change fast. Icelandic wind is no joke, so hold onto car doors and never underestimate how quickly a clear day turns.
Fuel up whenever you can in the sparser east and highlands, and budget for the fact that food and gas are expensive. Many of the best stops, from waterfalls to hot springs, are free or nearly so.
About the place
Route 1, the Ring Road, is the 1,332-kilometre loop that circles all of Iceland, linking waterfalls, glaciers, black beaches, and geothermal valleys into one continuous drive. It is the single best way to see the whole island at your own pace.
From travelers
You might also love
Keep exploring
