Iceland is an incredible country to visit with its dramatic landscapes, exciting outdoor excursions, and endless scenic waterfalls. However, it can also be intimidating planning a trip with so much to see. This five day Iceland itinerary outlines some of my personal favorite places to visit that I recommend checking out while there.
I have only visited during the spring and summer, so the activities I’m listing may not work for the time of year you are planning. As such, I highly recommend checking Tröll Expeditions or Trip Advisor for alternate activities if you need other options.
If you are visiting during winter, definitely plan to book a Northern Lights tour if possible. I will also share some viewpoints in Vik that I received as recommendations from fellow travelers if you would like to skip the tour but still want to add seeing the Northern Lights to your Iceland itinerary. Keep in mind that they are visible primarily from September through March.
Before I get on with my day-to-day recommendations for your Iceland trip, here are a few tips to keep in mind.
- Rent a car before you arrive. Getting around Iceland by car is easy, and everything is so spread out that you’re going to want a vehicle. Also, you should rent it when you book your flights. People were scrambling trying to find rental cars while I was getting the keys to mine.
- Rent a wifi device when you rent the car. I’ve rented wifi devices from three different rental car companies in Iceland, so I’m guessing most companies have them available. Having access to wifi is invaluable when you need a map app to get around.
- Food is expensive. Bring snacks and backpacking meals, and I recommend finding a local grocery store instead of planning to eat at a restaurant for every meal.
- Check the weather just before arriving, and pack accordingly. Not sure what to pack for your Iceland adventure? Check out my packing list!
5-Day Iceland Itinerary
The best way to use this Iceland itinerary is to use it as a general guide. I have packed a lot into each day because that’s how I generally travel. Add and subtract activities to make your trip something that you know you will love.
Day 1 – Reykjavik
- Arrive in Iceland. Note: Many flights arrive early in the morning, especially if you are flying in from the USA. Prepare to drink coffee on the plane to hit the ground running with you arrive!
- Pick up your rental car.
- Highlight: Go to the Blue Lagoon. If this is your first Iceland trip, it’s a definite must. Be sure to book a reservation online before arriving.
- Eat at the Lava Restaurant at the Blue Lagoon. You will need a reservation, which you can do at the link above. It’s pricey but excellent. If you want a more affordable option, there is also a cafe.
- Check into your lodging.
- Explore the area you are staying in on foot if you don’t collapse into an exhausted heap on your bed.
- Get to bed early. Jet lag is real.
Day 2 – The Golden Circle from Reykjavik
No Iceland itinerary would be complete without doing “The Golden Circle”. It’s a very drivable route from Reykjavik, but you can also book a tour if you prefer the option of napping along the way.
It takes about 3.5 hours to drive the Golden Circle without stops, but prepare to easily stop and spend an hour at every location. Unsurprisingly, this ends up making for a very long day.
- Get up early and try a local bakery for breakfast. The pastries are amazing!
- Highlight: Drive the “Golden Circle” and stop at these places along the way:
- Þingvellir National Park
- Geysir Geothermal Area
- Gullfoss Waterfall – Be sure to check out the gift shop and pick up a bite to eat at the cafe.
- Kerid Crater
- Arrive back in Reykjavik. Collapse from exhaustion.
Day 3 – Reykjavik to Vik
The drive from to Vik from Reykjavik is only about 2.5 hours, so it’s a great day to sleep in a little if you wake up dead like I did. Don’t worry, coffee summoned my evil spirit back to life.
- Check out of your lodging after breakfast.
- Walk through downtown Reykjavik for some sightseeing.
- Be sure to walk along the rainbow road and see the Hallgrimskirkja church
- Highlight: Drive to Skógafoss. This incredible waterfall is a great stop as you drive to Vik. You will probably want to hike to the top, so plan to spend at least an hour there, even if you don’t do the next item on this Iceland itinerary…
- Hike Waterfall Way from Skógafoss. It’s a 4.2 mile out-and-back hike with nonstop views of beautiful waterfalls. Elevation gain is a little over 1,100ft. Bring a water bottle and your camera!
- Arrive in Vik and check into your lodging. I stayed in a tiny house on the black sand beach, and the views were unreal. Also, the host was wonderful!
- Watch the sunset from Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach. Pro tip from my AirBnB host: walk west along the beach to avoid the crowds. The basalt columns will be packed with people. You will have the chance to explore that area in the morning without the crowds.
- Option: View the Northern Lights from either Reynisfjara Beach or from the viewing point north of Vik. I’m including a map highlighting the two areas.
Day 4 – Vik
This will be a busy day, and it can easily be split into two days’ worth of activities. If you prefer to have a relaxing evening rather than a let’s-go-on-another-Iceland-adventure! one, choose either the Ice Cave tour or Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon and spend the rest of the day enjoying Vik. Personally, I enjoy adventure, so I’d go with the ice cave tour… but on the other hand, Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon is free to visit.
- Go to Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach early in the morning and explore the basalt columns and cave along the beach. This time of day, it should be quiet and you may even get the beach to yourself.
- Highlight: Do the Katla Volcano Ice Cave Tour by Tröll Expeditions. Book it in advance – it sells out, and make sure to choose the tour that leaves from Vik.
- Side note: I was hesitant to book a group tour and ended up LOVING it! Off-roading in the super jeep was a blast, the tour guides were amazing, and hiking around the glacier and in the ice cave were downright unreal.
- If the Ice Cave Tour isn’t available, check out one of the company’s other tours!
- Eat at The Soup Company after the tour.
- Highlight: Drive to Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon. Yeah, I can’t pronounce that either. It’s about an hour drive from Vik. Plan to spend 1-2 hours there. It’s honestly one of the most incredible places I’ve ever seen.
- Return to Vik and sleep. Tomorrow is going to be another long day.
Day 5 -Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Svartifoss, end in Keflavik
Day five will include the longest chunk of driving on this Iceland trip, so I recommend stopping for food in one of the little towns on your way back to the west side of the island. It will also be a good opportunity to stop a second time at any of the sites you might want to see again along the way.
- Get up early and check out of your lodging.
- Definitely stop for coffee and breakfast on your way out of town.
- Drive to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. It is a 2.5 hour drive.
- You will probably want to spend at least an hour there. There are also options for group tours and activities at Glacier Lagoon if you have more time to spend there.
- Drive to Svartifoss. It’s just under an hour to get there.
- Hike the Svartifoss trail to get to the waterfall. It’s about a 2.5 mile hike, and you will gain about 450ft of elevation. Don’t forget to bring a water bottle and your camera.
- Stop for food at one of the restaurants near Svartifoss.
- Drive to Keflavik and check into your lodging.
- Another option would be to stay in Reykjavik again, however, Keflavik is right next to the airport and is a great place to stay if you have an early morning flight.
And phew! That concludes my 5-Day Iceland Itinerary! If you have more than 5 days, this can easily be broken up into a more leisurely-paced adventure.
Questions? Feel free to leave me a comment. I’m always happy to share what I know.
For other itinerary ideas, check out my posts about Sedona and Antelope Canyon in Arizona and Seaside, Oregon.