9-Day Ring-Road Campervan Tour w/Glacier Hike, Snorkeling & More

This tour starts on the Reykjanes Peninsula. You can either take a shuttle from Keflavík International Airport or your accommodation in the town of Keflavík to the rental agency, where you’ll pick up your campervan.

You are then free to explore the Reykjanes region to your heart’s content. Here, you’ll find a bridge connecting the North American and Eurasian continents, a geothermal area, and a beautiful lake, to name but a few.

Afterwards, travel to South Iceland where you will spend a night at a campsite near the town of Hvolsvöllur.

Today, you’ll explore the various attractions on Iceland’s southern coastline. Begin the day by visiting the waterfall Seljalandsfoss. This tall, 60-metre waterfall falls down a cave in the cliff, allowing summer visitors to enter for a unique view of the surrounding countryside.

From there, travel to Skógafoss Waterfall. This beautiful feature is vastly different from its neighbour, Seljalandsfoss; it is wider and more powerful. You can take in this cascade’s stunning beauty from below or from a viewing platform at its top.

Travel past the glaciers Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull to your next destination, the black sand beach, Reynisfjara. From here, you can see the sea stacks of Reynisdrangar and the strangely shaped cliffs of Dyrhólaey.

Near the village of Vík, you’ll visit a horse farm to get to know the friendly Icelandic horse on a riding tour. Icelandic horses have been bred in isolation since the time of Vikings, making them slightly shorter and stockier than horses elsewhere but also much cuter. You’ll ride around the countryside on your own horse, taking in the beautiful scenery around you.

You’ll then continue further East to Skaftafell Nature Reserve. Here is where you’ll find black sand beaches, green flora, and a white glaciers. You will spend the night at a campsite in Skaftafell.

Begin your third day by exploring Skaftafell, a beautiful Nature Reserve in Vatnajökull National Park. Here, you’ll meet a guide who will lead you on a glacier hike on one of the outlet glaciers found in the region. All safety equipment will be provided, and the guide will teach you the basics of glacier walking before you set foot on the ice.

Afterwards, head deeper into Vatnajökull National Park. Here, you will find the beautiful Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, where icebergs float on a bright blue lake. Here, you will board a boat to get a closer look at the massive bergs.

A short walk away from Jökulsárlón is a black sand beach where ice chunks from the lagoon lie scattered. When the sunlight hits them, they are reminiscent of glittering diamonds, which is why the beach has earned the nickname Diamond Beach.

You’ll end the day at a campsite in Southeast Iceland.

Start the day with a visit to the Eastfjords of Iceland. This remote region is characterised by countless fjords and beautiful mountain scenery.

You can stop at Djúpivogur, a small town where life moves just a little slower than elsewhere. Here you’ll find breathtaking views and a charming harbour with interesting sculptures.

Explore Hallormsstaðaskógur, the largest forest in Iceland. Here, you can hike to the beautiful Hengifoss Waterfall. A short drive away is the largest settlement in the East, Egilsstaðir. The town sits on the banks of Lake Lagarfljót, which is said to hold a terrible wyrm monster within its murky waters.

Spend the night in Egilsstaðir.

Today, it is time to explore the Lake Mývatn Region.

The lake itself is stunning but the region is also famous for its volcanic attractions, created in an eruption some 2,300 years ago. These include Dimmuborgir Lava fields and Námafjall Geothermal Area.

After enjoying the natural attractions of Mývatn, make your way to the Mývatn Nature Baths for a relaxing soak in the warm, geothermal waters of this luxurious spa. The water contains minerals said to be great for your skin.

Afterwards, make your way to a campsite in the region where you will spend the night.

Today, you’ll explore the two most popular settlements of North Iceland, Húsavík and Akureyri, as well as the waterfalls Dettifoss and Goðafoss.

You’ll start with a visit to the powerful waterfall Dettifoss before making your way to Húsavík. This charming town of just over 3,000 people is known as the ‘whale watching capital of Iceland’ and you’ll get to go and see these magnificent creatures for yourself on a whale watching tour.

From there, you’ll travel Goðafoss Waterfall before making your way to Akureyril. There are countless things you can do in this vibrant town. You can, for example, hike up to the beautiful landmark building, Akureyrarkirkja Church, walk down Hafnarstræti shopping street, or explore Kjarnaskógur Forest.

You will then spend the night at a campsite near Akureyri.

Today, you’ll begin making your way back South. First, you’ll travel through the mountainous Skagafjörður region to the little town of Sauðárkrókur.

Just before noon, you’ll take a virtual reality tour at 1238: Battle of Iceland VR Museum. You’ll see and take part in one of Iceland’s most ferocious Viking battles, the Battle of Örlygsstaðir, which took place in 1238.

From there, you’ll travel around West Iceland, stopping at such exciting locations as the waterfalls Hraunfossar and Barnafoss, Deildartunguhver Hot Spring, and, perhaps, the hidden gem of Akranes Town.

Finally, you’ll arrive at another Viking site, Þingvellir National Park. Þingvellir is where the settlers of Iceland would gather to lay the laws of the land and settle disputes. It is also a geographically fascinating place; it is here where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet.

You’ll spend the night at a campsite in the area.

Silfra is a fissure in Þingvellir National Park, created when the two tectonic plates moved and tore up the landscape around in the process. The fissure is filled with crystal clear meltwater from a nearby glacier that has been filtered through a porous lava field. That process makes the water at Silfra crystal clear, ideal for snorkelling.

You’ll start your day with a snorkelling tour in Silfra. A guide will meet you at Þingvellir and provide you with a dry suit so you can better handle the cold waters of Silfra. You’ll then swim or float with the current around Silfra, seeing a fantastic underwater world open up before your eyes.

Þingvellir is only one of the sites that make up the Golden Circle, Iceland’s most popular sightseeing route. After your snorkelling tour, you’ll explore the other two sites, Geysir Geothermal Area and Gullfoss Waterfall.

From there, travel to the town of Hveragerði, where you’ll find Reykjadalur Valley. Here, you can follow a path leading you around this geothermal region and a hot water river. Take a dip in the naturally warm river and relax after an eventful day.

In the evening, head to Iceland’s capital, Reykjavík. You can explore the city a little, perhaps visiting Hallgrímskirkja Church or Harpa Concert Hall before heading to a campsite in the area.

In the morning, bid farewell to Reykjavík and make your way back to the Reykjanes Peninsula. You’ll return the campervan at the rental office in the morning, and from there, you can take a shuttle to the airport.

If your flight leaves later in the day, you can explore Keflavík Town a little before catching the shuttle bus. In Keflavík, you’ll find numerous exciting museums such as the Icelandic Museum of Rock & Roll and Viking World.