Iceland

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Iceland is the perfect combination of relaxation and adventure. The simultaneously rugged, beautiful, and occasionally scary landscape is unlike anywhere else in the world. You will not be disappointed with Josh's one-week itinerary that hits all the top spots along the southern coast of this amazing volcanic island.

Hotels marked with * are eligible for free perks such as free room upgrades, breakfast, extended check in/out, room credits, and welcome gifts. Just for booking with Josh Plans Trips!

Day 1: Arrive and explore Reykjavik

• Land in Reykjavik in the morning. Pick up a rental car and head to your hotel where you'll stay for two nights.
• Drop off your bags and grab some lunch. Local favorites include the chips, lamb (often in hot dog-form), and for the more daring, horse meat…
• Head to Austurvöllur (town square) for a walking tour of Reykjavik. CityWalk is a reliable, free tour that can be booked online (CityWalk.is) five days in advance and lasts about two hours. You should bring cash to tip after the tour. $10 or €10 is about 1,500 Icelandic Króna

Hotels (two nights):

• Top Recommendation: Ion City Hotel*
• Great Options: The Reykjavik EDITION*, Canopy Hilton
• Budget: KEX Hostel

Pro tip: This itinerary assumes you’ve rented a car. This gives you the most flexibility and time to tailor your experience, and you get to stay in unique accommodations/landscapes along the way. If you choose not to rent a car, I recommend making Reykjavik your home base and booking day trips from there.

Day 2: Blue Lagoon

• Grab breakfast before driving 45 minutes to the Blue Lagoon geothermal spas.
• Entries are timed and can be booked well in advance. Admission is around €85 and includes a silica mask, a mud mask, and one drink.
• There are some fancy upgrades available if you're lookin' to pamper yourself.

A note on Blue Lagoon: There are multiple geothermal baths across Iceland and many opinions on if Blue Lagoon is worth it. I believe you get what you pay for in this case. The blue water is very unique, it’s conveniently located, and the spa and baths feel luxurious. That said, if you prefer a more remote, natural experience, you have options. Gamla Laugin (Secret Lagoon) has (ironically) become very popular.

• Back in Reykjavik, visit Hallgrímskirkja–the large pointy church at the top of the hill.
• Tonight’s hotel should be the same as night one.

Pro tip: Once you enter the lagoon, you can stay as long as you want. Get there early to make the most of the day.

Day 3: Explore the Golden Circle

• Leave Reykjavik in the morning and drive one hour to Þingvellir National Park (the Icelandic letter "Þ" is pronounced "th", if that helps)
• Öxarárfoss (-foss means waterfall). Super clear glacier water, and you can see both the North American and Eurasian continental plates.
• Continue east on the Ring Road (Route 1, which circles the entire country) for another hour to Geysir, a town popular for its (you guessed it) geysers. The most popular one is called Stokkur (the Churn) and it erupts every 10 minutes.
• Drive 10 minutes further to the highlight of the day, Gullfoss (Golden Waterfall). This two-tiered waterfall is a must see and one of the most well known in Iceland.
• Tonight’s hotel options are about an hour south of Gullfoss. Food options are limited in this area but most of the hotels below have restaurants with at least breakfast. Consider stopping at a grocery store for some snacks or meals to go.

Hotels (one night):

• Luxurious: Hotel Rangá*, Hotel Grimsborgir
• Great Options: Ion Adventure Hotel*, Hotel Selfoss 
• Budget: Skálatjörn Guesthouse

Pro tip: It’s pretty remote out here, making tonight an excellent opportunity to see the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights). If you’re staying at Hotel Rangá, they offer a super cool “Aurora Wake-Up Call”. Otherwise, set an alarm for 2am and check the Iceland Meteorological Office’s forecast for tonight. If it looks promising, hop in your car. Drive away from any light and toward the dark, empty fields that surround you. I can promise you it’s worth the effort—seeing the Northern Lights is a memory you’ll never forget. Bring snacks!

Day 4: Epic Waterfalls

• Get an early start today. Head southwest on Route 1 toward Seljalandsfoss and keep an eye out for the active volcano Mt. Hekla along the way.
• Seljalandsfoss is a beautiful 60 meter high waterfall fed with pure glacial water from Eyjafjallajökull glacier. You can walk behind the waterfall if the path is clear.
• Continue down the path to Gljúfrabúi (Hidden Waterfall), a small gorge partially obscured by a giant rock. If you’re willing to get wet, you can get inside for the full experience.
• 30 minutes down the road is Skógafoss, one of the biggest waterfalls in Iceland at 60 meters tall, 25 meters wide. It’s stunning–especially at sunset.

Pro Tip: Often overlooked but 100% worth the short hike is Kvernufoss, a 30 meter high waterfall tucked away just east of Skógafoss. The vast gorge and cliffs surrounding this chute are straight out of a fairy tale. To get there, start behind the Skógafoss museum. Look along the wire fencing for a small step ladder. Hop over, follow the path and admire this insane landscape.

Optional: 15 minutes past Skógafoss is the Sólheimasandur plane wreck. This US Navy Douglas Super DC-3 plane crashed in 1973 and is pretty cool. Also Justin Bieber shot a music video here? If you want to stop, it’s about a 2.5 mile hike or (weather-dependent) rentable bike from where you park. If you’re short on time, this can be skipped.

Hotels (one to three nights):

• Luxury near Skógafoss: Umi Hotel*
• Near Vik (30 minutes east of Skógafoss): Hotel Katla, Puffin Hotel Vik
• Near Skaftafell/Jökulsárlón (2.5 hours east of Skógafoss): Hotel Skaftafell

Hotel Tip: The next few days will have guided activities ranging from 30 minutes to 3 hours driving from Skógafoss. You may choose to stay at the same hotel for the next three nights, or move each night to be closer to the following day’s tour. Josh can help you decide!

Day 5: First Guided Tour

• In Icelandic, jökull means glacier. For the next few days, arrange one or more of the following tours well in advance of arriving in Iceland, accounting for the distance from your hotel.
  • Snowmobile on Eyjafjallajökull with Southcoast Adventure
    • Closest to Umi Hotel
  • Explore glacial ice caves with Tröll Expeditions
    • Crystal Blue is furthest east in Jökulsárlón while Katla is closer in Vik
  • Amphibian boat tour in the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon with Iceland Adventures
    • 3 hours east of Umi Hotel, or 45 minutes east of Hotel Skaftafell
• Reference Day 4 for tonight’s hotel options.

Day 6: Second Guided Tour

• Reference Day 5 for another awesome tour.
• Reference Day 4 for tonight’s hotel options.

Day 7: Optional Third Guided Tour, Vik’s Black Sand Beaches, back to Reykjavik

• If desired, you can do a third guided tour today (reference Day 5).
• You’re near Vik, which is a must see. The black sand beaches and basalt columns are otherworldly. Some scenes in Game of Thrones were shot here.
• Drive 2.5 hours back to Reykjavik.

Hotels (final night(s)):

• Top Recommendation: Ion City Hotel*
• Great Options: The Reykjavik EDITION*, Canopy Hilton
• Budget: KEX Hostel

Day 8: Extra time in Reykjavik

• If you’re not leaving this morning, you have some options.
  • Another spa day at Blue Lagoon
  • Sage Museum is a fun Viking museum that recreates the history of Iceland
  • Find something unexpected at the Kolaportið flea market
  • Stroll through shops for souvenirs
• Drop your rental car off on the way to the airport.