Ultimate Guide To Iceland's Ring Road
Iceland's Ring Road, also known as Route 1, connects many of the country's most famous landscapes, towns and regions in one continuous road trip. Waterfalls, glaciers, black sand beaches, geothermal areas and fishing towns can all become part of the journey.
For many visitors, driving the Ring Road is the ultimate Iceland road trip. A rental car gives you the freedom to decide where to stop, how long to stay and when to change the plan because of weather or something unexpected you discover along the way.
This guide explains how long the Ring Road takes, whether you need a 4x4, the best stops along Route 1 and how to organise a realistic seven-day itinerary.
Quick facts about Iceland's Ring Road
Before planning the itinerary, it helps to understand what the Ring Road actually involves.
- The Ring Road is approximately 1,320 km long following the opening of the new Hornafjörður section in June 2026.
- Route 1 circles Iceland and connects most of the country's main populated regions.
- The maximum speed limit on many paved rural sections is 90 km/h, but lower limits apply around towns, junctions and other areas.
- Driving the entire route continuously would take roughly 16 hours in good conditions, but that is not a realistic sightseeing itinerary.
- Most travelers should allow at least seven days. Eight to ten days creates a much more relaxed trip.
- Winter tires are fitted to ICR rental vehicles during the required winter period.
- The Ring Road was completed in 1974, creating a continuous road connection around Iceland.
- As of September 2026, part of Route 1 in Hornafjörður is tolled.
The most important number is not the total distance. It is the amount of driving you plan between overnight stops. A 250 km day can be easy when you make few stops, or fill an entire day when waterfalls, hikes and viewpoints are added along the way.
How long does it take to drive the Ring Road?
You could theoretically drive Iceland's Ring Road in around 16 hours in good conditions without meaningful stops. You should not plan your holiday that way.
A seven-day itinerary is the shortest duration we would generally recommend for a complete sightseeing trip around Route 1. It gives you time to divide the journey into manageable sections while visiting major attractions along the South Coast, East Iceland and North Iceland.
Eight to ten days is better if you want longer hikes, geothermal spas, glacier activities, whale watching or simply more freedom to stop when something catches your attention.
During winter, allow even more flexibility. Snow, ice, wind, reduced daylight and road closures can change how far it is sensible to travel in a day. Read our guide to planning an Iceland road trip before deciding how many kilometres to cover each day.
How to drive Iceland's Ring Road safely
Driving Route 1 is straightforward in good conditions, but Icelandic weather can change quickly. A road that is easy to drive in summer can become icy, snow-covered or difficult in strong winds during another season.
Drive on the right, follow posted speed limits and pay attention to Icelandic road signs. Reduce your speed when visibility, wind or road conditions require it, even when the posted limit is higher.
Check current road conditions at Umferdin.is and weather information from the Icelandic Met Office before long driving days.
Fuel planning also matters. Route 1 passes through many towns with fuel stations, but services become more spread out in rural parts of Iceland. Do not wait until the tank is almost empty before looking for the next station. Our guide to fuel stations in Iceland explains payment, opening hours and unattended pumps.
Is there a toll on Iceland's Ring Road?
Yes. Older guides often say that Route 1 has no tolls, but that is no longer completely correct.
A new Ring Road section across Hornafjörður opened in June 2026. Toll collection began on 1 September 2026. The published single-trip charge for a vehicle under 3.5 tonnes is 1,500 ISK.
The toll system is automated using number plate recognition. Rental-car drivers should follow the current payment instructions for the Hornafjörður section and make sure the vehicle registration number is entered correctly where required.
This toll is separate from parking fees, attraction service fees and Iceland's kilometer road tax.
Do I need a 4x4 to drive the Ring Road?
You do not automatically need a 4x4 to drive Route 1. In normal summer conditions, a suitable two-wheel-drive rental car can be enough for a Ring Road trip if you remain on the main route and other permitted paved roads.
However, a 4x4 rental car can be a better choice for winter travel, changing road conditions or an itinerary that includes roads requiring an approved four-wheel-drive vehicle.
A 4x4 improves traction but does not make unsafe weather safe. It also does not give permission to drive on every Highland or mountain road.
If you plan to leave Route 1 and travel into the Icelandic Highlands, check the exact roads, seasonal opening status and vehicle requirements first. Highland roads open at different times each year depending on conditions.
Browse our 4x4 and SUV rental cars if your itinerary or season makes four-wheel drive the better choice.
Best attractions along Iceland's Ring Road
One of the strengths of Route 1 is how many major attractions sit directly beside the road or require only a short detour. The following stops work particularly well when travelling clockwise or counterclockwise around Iceland.
Hveragerði and Reykjadalur
Hveragerði is a geothermal town in South Iceland and a useful early stop after leaving Reykjavík. The town is the starting point for the Reykjadalur hiking trail, where geothermal activity creates steaming hillsides and a warm river.
Allow several hours if you intend to complete the hike rather than treating Hveragerði as a short roadside stop. Learn more about Iceland's geothermal areas.
Seljalandsfoss
Seljalandsfoss is one of the first major waterfalls reached when travelling east along the South Coast. It is located close to Route 1 and is known for the walking path that can lead behind the waterfall when conditions allow.
The path becomes wet and slippery, and access behind the waterfall can be restricted in winter.
Skógafoss
Skógafoss is another major South Coast waterfall located just off Route 1. A staircase beside the waterfall leads to an elevated viewpoint, while the Fimmvörðuháls hiking route begins nearby and continues into the Highlands between Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull.
Eyjafjallajökull is famous internationally because of its 2010 eruption and the disruption it caused to European aviation.
Dyrhólaey and Reynisfjara
Dyrhólaey is a coastal viewpoint above black sand beaches and is particularly well known for birdlife during the nesting season. Atlantic puffins can often be seen in the area during summer.
Nearby Reynisfjara is one of Iceland's best-known black sand beaches. Visitors must stay well back from the ocean because powerful sneaker waves can reach much farther up the beach than expected.
Sólheimasandur plane wreck
The wreck of a US Navy DC-3 sits on the black sands at Sólheimasandur. It is visible from neither Route 1 nor the parking area, so visiting requires a significant walk or use of an available shuttle service.
Do not treat the wreck as a five-minute roadside attraction. Allow enough time to travel between the parking area and the aircraft.
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon is one of the most recognizable stops on Route 1. Ice breaks away from Breiðamerkurjökull and floats through the lagoon towards the Atlantic Ocean. Seals can also sometimes be seen in and around the water.
The lagoon deserves more than a quick photograph if your schedule allows it. Boat tours operate seasonally, and several viewpoints make it easy to spend longer in the area.
Diamond Beach
Across Route 1 from Jökulsárlón, pieces of glacial ice wash onto the black sand at Diamond Beach. The contrast between clear ice and dark volcanic sand has made it one of Iceland's most famous photographic locations.
The amount and position of ice changes continuously with tides, weather and conditions in the lagoon. Read our complete Diamond Beach guide.
Eastfjords
East Iceland is where many Ring Road itineraries become noticeably quieter. The route passes through dramatic coastal and mountain scenery before continuing towards Egilsstaðir.
Djúpivogur is a worthwhile village stop, while Hengifoss can be added once you reach the Egilsstaðir area if you have time for the hike.
Lake Mývatn
The Mývatn region brings together volcanic landscapes, geothermal activity and unusual geological formations. Hverir, Dimmuborgir and the lake itself can easily fill several hours.
The former Mývatn Nature Baths reopened in 2026 with expanded facilities as Earth Lagoon Mývatn, providing a geothermal spa option in the area.
Goðafoss
Goðafoss is located close to Route 1 between Mývatn and Akureyri and is one of the easiest major waterfalls to include in a northern Ring Road itinerary.
Akureyri
Akureyri is North Iceland's largest urban centre and a good place to refuel, eat, stay overnight and take a break from long sightseeing days.
What about Snæfellsnes?
Snæfellsnes is an excellent road-trip destination, but it is not on the Ring Road. It is a substantial detour west of Route 1.
The peninsula includes Kirkjufell, Arnarstapi, Djúpalónssandur, Snæfellsjökull National Park and several fishing towns. It deserves its own day rather than being squeezed into an already full Ring Road itinerary.
If you have the time, use our Snæfellsnes Peninsula itinerary to plan a one or two-day detour.
Your 7-day Iceland Ring Road itinerary
Seven days is a fairly fast Ring Road itinerary. The route below keeps most overnight stops close to Route 1 and avoids trying to add every possible detour.
Day 1: Reykjavík to Vík
Approximate distance: 190 km
Leave Reykjavík and follow Route 1 along the South Coast. Your overnight stop is Vík.
Recommended stops:
- Seljalandsfoss
- Skógafoss
- Reynisfjara
Optional: Gljúfrabúi if time and conditions allow.
Day 2: Vík to Höfn
Approximate distance: around 260 km using the current Route 1 alignment.
Continue through South and Southeast Iceland towards Höfn. This is one of the most scenic days of the journey, so avoid adding too many long hikes.
Recommended stops:
- Fjaðrárgljúfur
- Skaftafell
- Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
- Diamond Beach
The Ring Road section through Hornafjörður changed in 2026 and now includes a toll, so follow the current road layout rather than an older saved map.
Day 3: Höfn to Egilsstaðir
Approximate distance: around 250 km
Drive into East Iceland and enjoy a slower day through fjords and small communities.
Recommended stops:
- Eastfjords viewpoints
- Djúpivogur
- Hengifoss if daylight and hiking time allow
Day 4: Egilsstaðir to Lake Mývatn
Approximate distance: around 170 km before optional detours.
Travel north towards Mývatn. Dettifoss is not directly on Route 1, so allow extra driving time if you include it.
Recommended stops:
- Dettifoss if road and weather conditions allow
- Hverir
- Lake Mývatn
- Earth Lagoon Mývatn
Day 5: Lake Mývatn to Akureyri
Approximate distance: around 100 km
This deliberately shorter driving day gives you more time around Mývatn before continuing west.
Recommended stops:
- Mývatn attractions missed the previous day
- Goðafoss
- Akureyri Botanical Garden
- Akureyri town centre
Day 6: Akureyri to Borgarnes
Approximate distance: around 300 km
This is one of the longer driving days. Travel west and south towards Borgarnes while keeping optional stops limited.
Recommended stops:
- Kolugljúfur Canyon
- Grábrók crater if time allows
We would not add Snæfellsnes as an afternoon detour on this seven-day itinerary. Give the peninsula an additional day if you want to include it properly.
Day 7: Borgarnes to Reykjavík
Direct Route 1 distance: approximately 70 km
The direct journey back to Reykjavík is short. Hraunfossar, Barnafoss and Krauma can be added as a West Iceland detour if you have most of the day available, but they are not located directly on Route 1.
Optional West Iceland detour:
- Hraunfossar
- Barnafoss
- Krauma
Is seven days enough for the Ring Road?
Seven days is enough for a focused Ring Road trip in good conditions, particularly in summer. It is not enough to explore every region in depth.
If you have eight to ten days, use the extra time rather than adding more attractions to every day. An additional night around the South Coast, East Iceland or Mývatn can transform the pace of the trip.
For winter travel, we would be more cautious about committing to a complete seven-day circuit. One significant weather event can affect several consecutive overnight bookings.
Final Ring Road planning tips
- Check road and weather conditions every morning.
- Book accommodation before peak summer travel.
- Fuel up before long rural sections rather than waiting for the warning light.
- Allow more time than navigation apps suggest for sightseeing days.
- Do not stop your vehicle on Route 1 for photographs.
- Keep at least one part of the itinerary flexible.
- Choose your rental vehicle for the season and complete route, not only Route 1 itself.
- Check tolls, parking charges and attraction fees separately.
Most importantly, do not measure the success of your Ring Road trip by how many attractions you manage to fit into seven days. The value of driving yourself around Iceland is having the freedom to stop, adapt and enjoy the landscape between the famous places.
Browse our rental car fleet and choose a vehicle that fits your route, luggage and travel season.