Iceland 5 Day Itinerary: Two Routes That Actually Fit
Two routes fit five days honestly. Route A is the Golden Circle and the south coast: Thingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss, then Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, Reynisfjara and Vik, out to Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon and Skaftafell, and back. Route B keeps the Golden Circle and heads north west to the Snaefellsnes peninsula instead, which is quieter and holds a version of most Icelandic landscapes in one arm of land. The Ring Road is 1,330 km and needs a week. Our Iceland itinerary has the longer version.
Route A: Golden Circle and the south coast
- Day 1, arrival and the Reykjanes peninsula. Keflavik is 45 minutes from Reykjavik. Use the afternoon for the Reykjanes lava fields, the Bridge Between Continents, and a lagoon if you booked one.
- Day 2, the Golden Circle. Thingvellir, where the Atlantic plates pull apart and you can snorkel the Silfra fissure in a drysuit, then Geysir for Strokkur erupting every few minutes, then Gullfoss. Sleep near Hella or Hvolsvollur to get ahead on the south coast.
- Day 3, the south coast to Vik. Seljalandsfoss, which you walk behind, Skogafoss and the stairs up beside it, the Solheimajokull glacier walk if you have booked a guide, Dyrholaey and the black sand at Reynisfjara. Never turn your back on the water there. Night in Vik.
- Day 4, Vik to Jokulsarlon. Two and a half hours east past the Eldhraun lava field and Fjadrargljufur canyon. Skaftafell in Vatnajokull National Park for the Svartifoss walk or a guided glacier hike, then Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach opposite it. Night nearby.
- Day 5, back to Reykjavik, five hours, with whatever you skipped on the way out.
Route B: Golden Circle and Snaefellsnes
Less driving, fewer people, and most of the same landscapes. Days one and two as above, then head north west.
- Day 3: Reykjavik to Snaefellsnes, two and a half hours. Ytri Tunga seal beach, Budir church, and Arnarstapi to Hellnar along the coast path.
- Day 4: the peninsula loop. Djupalonssandur black pebble beach, Snaefellsjokull, Saxholl crater, and Kirkjufell with its waterfall, which is the most photographed mountain in the country.
- Day 5: back via Borgarnes and the Hvalfjordur, or take the Glymur waterfall hike if it is dry, four hours and Iceland's second highest fall.
Why not the Ring Road
The Ring Road is 1,330 km, and doing it in five days means six hours of driving daily with almost no stops, in a country where the weather changes hourly and every second bend has something worth stopping for. Seven days is the minimum that works, and ten is comfortable. Five days spent well on a third of the island beats five days spent entirely in the car.
Drive times
- Keflavik airport to Reykjavik: 45 minutes
- Reykjavik to Thingvellir: 45 minutes
- Golden Circle loop: 4 hours of driving with stops spread across a day
- Reykjavik to Vik: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Vik to Jokulsarlon: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Reykjavik to Jokulsarlon direct: 5 hours
- Reykjavik to Snaefellsnes: 2 hours 30 minutes
The rules that matter
- Check road.is and vedur.is every morning. Road closures and wind warnings are normal, not exceptional, and they are updated constantly.
- Wind, not snow, is what wrecks cars. Gusts open car doors backwards and the damage is not covered by standard insurance. Park facing into the wind and hold the door.
- Sand and ash insurance is worth taking on the south coast, where blown grit strips paint.
- F roads are highland tracks, summer only, and off limits to two wheel drive hire cars. Driving off road anywhere in Iceland is illegal and heavily fined.
- Sneaker waves at Reynisfjara have killed visitors. Stay well back from the water line.
- Fuel is card only at most pumps, and some require a PIN, so bring a chip and PIN card.
When to go
- June and July: near 24 hour daylight, everything open, highest prices, most people.
- May and September: the best value. Long days, most roads open, and September brings the first northern lights.
- October to March: northern lights season, ice caves in Vatnajokull, four to six hours of daylight, and real risk of road closures. A five day winter trip should stay on the south coast and keep the plan flexible.
- Puffins are ashore from roughly May to early August, and Dyrholaey is the easiest place to see them on this route.
More detail in our Iceland in July guide and best hikes in Iceland.
What it costs
Iceland is expensive and the two biggest lines are the hire car and food. Two ways to cut it without ruining the trip. Shop at Bonus or Kronan and eat one hot meal a day out, which halves the food bill. And book the car early, because prices rise steeply as availability drops in summer rather than falling. Guided extras, glacier walks, ice caves and Silfra snorkelling, are worth the money and should be booked before the accommodation.
Have us plan the five days
Tell us your dates and we will pick the route that suits the season, book the guided pieces and keep a weather alternative for each day. Planning is free, and we earn only if you book through us.
Iceland 5 Day Itinerary: Two Routes That Actually Fit FAQs
Yes, for about a third of the island done properly. Either the Golden Circle plus the south coast to Jokulsarlon, or the Golden Circle plus the Snaefellsnes peninsula. It is not enough for the Ring Road.
Technically, at six hours of driving a day with almost no stops. It is a poor trade in a country where the weather changes hourly. Seven days is the practical minimum and ten is comfortable.
Day one on the Reykjanes peninsula, day two on the Golden Circle, day three along the south coast to Vik, day four east to Skaftafell and Jokulsarlon, day five back to Reykjavik. It covers waterfalls, black sand, a glacier and the lagoon.
About 380 km and five hours each way. That is why a five day south coast trip should sleep in Vik and again near the lagoon rather than trying to reach it and return in one day.
May and September for the balance of long days, open roads and lower prices. June and July for near constant daylight, and October to March for northern lights and ice caves with only four to six hours of light.
Not for the Golden Circle, the south coast or Snaefellsnes in summer, where the roads are paved. You need one for the highland F roads, which are summer only, and a 4x4 is worth having in winter for clearance and grip.
