10-day Iceland Itinerary - Off the beaten track in the Highlands

For day 2 of your 10 days in Iceland, head into the highland area of Landmannalaugar. It is a great adventure and a truly impressive destination of colourful mountains, steaming mud pots and warm natural pools.

You will need a 4×4 to drive on the gravel mountain tracks and across small streams. It was such an impressive day, we dedicated a whole post to it. All the information and tips can be found in our Landmannalaugar day trip and hike article.

End your day at The Garage on the south coast, a great guesthouse with a beautiful setting under the cliffs.

On day 3 of your 10 days in Iceland, drive to Básar Hut and walk over the Krossa river into Þórsmörk. It is a stunning area to explore but the river crossings to Básar Hut can be tricky so take local advice before you go. If unsure, take the bus that runs from Seljalandsfoss. We had driving rain and low cloud this day so didn’t make what would have been a pointless journey.

On your return check out Seljalandsfoss and Gljúfrabúi, two graceful waterfalls, before driving to Skógafoss. Walk up the steps by the waterfall and follow the path for 15 minutes. This is the start of the excellent Fimmvörðuháls trail which heads over magnificent scenery into Þórsmörk.

If you fancy a warm soak at the end of the day, park at Seljavallalaug Parking and walk for 10 minutes up the valley where you’ll find a swimming pool built into the mountain. The changing facilities are primitive, the water a little dirty and it needs to be cranked up a few degrees. But, it’s a nice scene and a fun thing to do.

Begin your morning at Dyrhólaey peninsula to spot the puffins as they swoop out to sea over the black sandy beaches.

Then, stop at Vik to collect food for the day on your way to Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon. The canyon is a bumpy 5-minute drive off the ring road, but the views as you walk up the east side of the canyon are excellent.

Next, head towards Skaftafell to explore the Skaftafell National Park. Once there, pick up a map from the office and select one of the walks. We recommend a 2 hour, 30-minute hike that takes in the black basalt rocks of Svartifoss and the remarkable views of the glacier from Sjónarnípa.

Next head to the glacial lagoons of Fjallsárlón and Jökulsárlón – a location many consider to be one of the most romantic in Iceland. You can get a boat on either, but we think it’s better to just watch from the edges. At Jökulsárlón make sure you check out black diamond beach.

Spend the night at Guesthouse Skalafell. It’s not exactly cheap for the standard of accommodation (not much is), but it’s local and friendly and they put on a pretty good dinner.

On day 5 of your 10-day Iceland itinerary, book the 9 am Glacier Jeep Snowmobile adventure. A 4×4 jeep takes you up the side of a steep cliff and gives you an introduction to a truly rough mountain road. At about 1,000m you transfer to a snowmobile to explore the glacier for the next 90 minutes.

Grab some food in Höfn before heading up the east coast making sure you take the quicker inland route. Once you have completed the long drive to Borgarfjördur, check out the puffin colony just past the town where you can get super close to these clumsy animals.

In the evening marvel at the shimmering red rhyolite mountains from one of Blábjörg Guesthouse’s hot tubs perched on the water’s edge.

Today wasn’t as good as we hoped, so check out what we would do differently at the end of this itinerary for a better suggestion.

Day 6 of your 10-day Iceland itinerary drive into the highland area of Askja. Your destination is Askja Caldera, where glacial lakes fill a magnificent crater. But the real highlight is the drive itself. A 4×4 adventure fording rivers, zig-zagging across lava fields and sliding through sand.

See our separate article about driving to Askja for all the information you need.

After Askja, head to the Fosshotel in Mývatn. It’s not cheap, but by Iceland’s standards it’s relatively good value and the restaurant delivers innovative Icelandic classics. Happy hour is from 5 pm to 6 pm.

Askja was one of the many places we explored in the centre of the island – read about our 6 favourite spots in Icelands highlands, challenging driving, but a thoroughly worthwhile adventure.

Get up early and head to Huasvík to join a 2-hour whale watching tour. Whale sightings between June and August are almost guaranteed. We saw 4 humpbacks, a family of bottlenose whales, white-striped dolphins and a plethora of puffins – a highlight on our 10-days in Iceland and one of our favourite moments.

Back in the car, drive to Dettifoss via the 864 on the eastern side, where photo opportunities are better. Just before you arrive, turn left to Hafragilsfoss, where a short walk takes you to awesome views of this waterfall.

Next head back to Mývatn and check out Hverir, a yellow mountain covered in sulphurous scars and boiling mud pots. Then, wash off the smell at Mývatn Nature Baths: a smart complex of natural pools, with great views over the countryside. Pre-order a glass of wine as you arrive.

Start Day 8 of your 10-day Iceland itinerary at Krafla. The caldera here is impressive and worth walking around. The far side has neon green moss contrasting brightly against the crater’s red rock.

A few hundred yards away are the steaming black lava fields of Leirhnjúkur, created by volcanic activity from 1975 to 1984, giving the area a Mordor feel. Back in the car, head west stopping at Godafoss, one of the most picturesque waterfalls in Iceland.

Now you have a choice of two options to get to Blönduós where you’ll be spending the evening. Either take the fast route inland or the scenic route around the coast. If you opt for the latter, stop for a swim at Hofsós pool perched on the clifftop.

Kerlingarfjöll is a small but stunning mountain range that lies deep in Iceland’s central highlands. Lurking within these snowy peaks is the geothermal area of Hveradalir, a small valley of red rhyolite mountains, steaming vents and bubbling rivers.

It’s a long 4×4 drive to Kerlingarfjöll, but the hiking and views are sensational. Finish the day soaking in the natural pool of Hveravellir and you will see why this day was the highlights of our 10 days in Iceland.

All the information can be found for this day can be found in our Kerlingarfjöll article.

Driving out to Kerlingafjöll can be a bit of a challenging, so read our driving in Iceland article first, for some tips.

For the final day of this 10-day Iceland itinerary, head into Reykjavík. Explore the harbour, Halgríms church and the Art Museum that is spread across town and housed in the Hafnarhús, Kjarvalsstaðir, and Ásmundarsafn buildings.

The shopping area around Laugavegur is attractive and Reykjavik Roasters delivers good coffee; this article also has a good selection of restaurants in Iceland. But while Reykjavík is cute enough there is nothing unique here, so hop back in the car and drive to the Blue Lagoon.

Whereas other natural pools you have visited have been rural, the Blue Lagoon is modern, sleek and beautifully finished. It is situated in front of an industrial plant and as the steam rises, a pool bar, sauna and other buildings loom in and out of the mist. You could be in Gotham city.

Towels, lockers, 1 drink and a face mask are included in the entrance fee. Extras can be charged to a wristband and settled when you leave. It is not cheap, but in our opinion worth it. Book in advance.