Day 1: Reykjavik & Golden Circle
Your five days in Iceland begin the moment you land at Keflavik International Airport. Pick up your rental car and drive 45 minutes northeast to Reykjavik, or head straight for the Golden Circle if your flight arrives early in the morning. The Golden Circle is Iceland's most famous sightseeing route, a roughly 230-kilometre loop that covers three of the country's most iconic natural sites in a single day.
Start at Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are visibly pulling apart. Walk through the Almannagja rift canyon and visit the site of the original Icelandic parliament, founded in 930 AD. Snorkelling or diving in the Silfra fissure is available here for those who book ahead -- the glacial water has over 100 metres of visibility and stays a constant 2 degrees Celsius year-round.
Continue to Geysir geothermal area, where the geyser Strokkur erupts every five to ten minutes, sending a column of boiling water up to 30 metres into the air. The surrounding hillside is dotted with steaming vents and colourful mineral deposits. Finish the loop at Gullfoss, a massive two-tiered waterfall where the Hvita river drops 32 metres into a rugged canyon. The spray and power of Gullfoss are overwhelming at close range.
Return to Reykjavik for the night if you prefer city accommodation and restaurants, or stay near Selfoss to shave driving time off tomorrow's South Coast journey. Selfoss is a practical base with supermarkets, fuel stations, and a range of guesthouses that cost less than Reykjavik hotels.
Day 2: South Coast
Head east along Route 1 into the heart of Iceland's South Coast. Your first major stop is Seljalandsfoss, a 60-metre waterfall with a path that leads completely behind the cascade. Bring a waterproof jacket because you will get thoroughly soaked walking through the spray. Just around the corner, the hidden waterfall Gljufrabui is tucked inside a narrow canyon and easily missed if you do not know to look for it -- follow the path past Seljalandsfoss to the cliff face.
Twenty-five minutes further east, Skogafoss crashes 60 metres onto a flat plain with raw power that you can feel in your chest. On sunny days the mist produces vivid double rainbows. Climb the staircase beside the falls for a view from the top and the start of the Fimmvorduhals hiking trail leading toward Eyjafjallajokull. The Skogar Folk Museum at the base is worth a stop if you have an hour to spare.
Continue to Reynisfjara, a striking black sand beach with hexagonal basalt columns and the Reynisdrangar sea stacks offshore. This beach is genuinely dangerous -- sneaker waves surge far up the sand without warning and have killed visitors. Never turn your back on the ocean and stay well away from the waterline. The basalt formations are best photographed from a safe distance on the eastern end of the beach.
End the day in the village of Vik, the southernmost settlement in Iceland with roughly 300 residents. Vik has fuel stations, restaurants, a well-stocked grocery store, and accommodation ranging from hostels to hotels. The red-roofed church on the hill above town provides one of the best viewpoints on the entire South Coast. Book your Vik accommodation well in advance for summer travel.
Day 3: Vik to Jokulsarlon
Leave Vik early and drive east through some of the most dramatic landscapes in Iceland. The road crosses vast glacial outwash plains called sandur -- flat expanses of black volcanic sediment deposited by catastrophic glacial floods. The sheer emptiness of these plains, stretching to the horizon beneath towering glacier tongues, gives a sense of scale that photographs cannot capture.
Stop at Skaftafell, a green oasis within Vatnajokull National Park that sits at the base of Europe's largest glacier. Short hiking trails lead through birch woodland to Svartifoss, a waterfall framed by dark basalt columns that inspired the design of Hallgrimskirkja church in Reykjavik. Longer trails reach glacier viewpoints and higher ridges. If you booked a glacier hike in advance, Skaftafell is where most tours depart from.
Continue east to Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, where enormous icebergs calve off the Breidamerkurjokull glacier tongue and drift slowly toward the sea. The lagoon is filled with ice in shades of white, blue, and volcanic black. Boat tours operate in summer, but simply standing on the shore watching the ice shift and crack is mesmerising. Seals often rest on the floating bergs, and Arctic terns dive around the lagoon edges.
Cross the road to Diamond Beach, where chunks of glacial ice wash ashore on jet-black sand, glittering like scattered gems. The contrast of crystal-clear ice against dark volcanic sand is extraordinary in any light, but sunrise and sunset make the ice glow with colour. Stay overnight east of Jokulsarlon -- Hofn is the nearest town with a full range of services, about an hour further east, and is famous for its fresh langoustine.
Day 4: Snaefellsnes Peninsula
Today involves the longest drive of the trip. Head back west from your overnight stop toward Reykjavik, but instead of returning to the capital, take Route 54 north to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. The total drive from Hofn to Snaefellsnes is roughly five to six hours, so leave early and consider breaking the drive with a stop in Borgarnes for lunch. The peninsula is often called "Iceland in Miniature" because it packs glaciers, lava fields, volcanic craters, sea cliffs, and fishing villages into a compact area.
Your first stop on the peninsula should be Kirkjufell, the distinctively shaped mountain near the town of Grundarfjordur. It is one of the most photographed locations in Iceland, especially with the small Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall in the foreground. The mountain appeared in Game of Thrones as the "arrowhead mountain" north of the Wall. Walk the short trail around the waterfall for classic compositions, but resist the urge to climb the mountain itself -- it is steep and the path is exposed.
Drive the southern coast of the peninsula to Arnarstapi, a small coastal hamlet with dramatic sea cliffs, natural stone arches, and a walking path along the shore to the neighbouring village of Hellnar. The cliffs here are home to nesting seabirds in summer, and the wave-carved rock formations are endlessly interesting. Nearby Djupalonssandur is a black pebble beach at the foot of the Snaefellsjokull glacier with four lifting stones that Icelandic fishermen historically used to test their strength.
Snaefellsjokull itself, the glacier-capped stratovolcano at the tip of the peninsula, is the one Jules Verne chose as the entrance to the centre of the Earth. On clear days the glacier gleams white against the sea. Stay overnight on the peninsula -- Stykkisholmur is a charming harbour town with good restaurants and guesthouses, and Grundarfjordur and Olafsvik also have accommodation options.
Day 5: Reykjavik & Departure
Drive the two hours from Snaefellsnes back to Reykjavik for your final morning in Iceland. If your flight departs in the late afternoon or evening, you have time to explore the capital on foot. Reykjavik is compact and walkable -- all the main attractions sit within a few blocks of each other in the city centre.
Start at Hallgrimskirkja, the landmark church whose tower offers a panoramic view of the colourful rooftops, the harbour, and the mountains beyond. The view alone is worth the small elevator fee. Walk down Skolavordustigur to Laugavegur, the main shopping street, where you will find Icelandic wool sweaters, bookshops, cafes, and design stores. Pick up any last souvenirs here.
Visit Harpa Concert Hall on the waterfront, a striking glass building that won the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture. The facade is made of geometric glass panels that reflect light differently throughout the day. Walk along the Old Harbour area, where you can see fishing boats and grab a bowl of traditional lamb soup or a famous Icelandic hot dog from the Baejarins Beztu stand.
Allow at least 45 minutes for the drive from Reykjavik to Keflavik Airport, and return your rental car with time to spare. If you have extra time before your flight, consider a stop at the Sky Lagoon or the Blue Lagoon, both located on the Reykjanes Peninsula between Reykjavik and the airport. Drop your rental car, check in, and carry five days of Icelandic memories home with you.
Practical Tips
Renting a car is essential for this itinerary. A standard 2WD vehicle is sufficient for summer travel since the entire route follows paved roads, but a 4x4 is strongly recommended from October through April when snow and ice are common. Book your rental car at least two months before a summer trip -- availability shrinks fast and prices climb as departure dates approach. All major rental companies operate from Keflavik Airport.
Fuel stations are spaced regularly along Route 1 but become sparser on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Fill your tank whenever you pass a station rather than waiting until the light comes on. Most stations accept credit cards at the pump, but you need a card with a four-digit PIN. The N1 and Orkan apps show real-time station locations and fuel prices across the country.
Book accommodation as early as possible, particularly for nights in Vik and on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula where options are limited. Reykjavik and the Selfoss area have more availability, but summer prices are high everywhere. Guesthouses and farm stays often provide better value than hotels and a more authentic Icelandic experience. Camping is an option in summer with sites at most major stops along the route.
Pack layers, waterproof outer shells, and sturdy walking shoes regardless of the season. Iceland's weather changes rapidly and you will encounter wind, rain, and sunshine in the same day. Check road.is each morning for live road conditions and vedur.is for weather forecasts. The SafeTravel app from the Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue is another essential download before your trip.
Budget Breakdown
Accommodation is the largest expense on a five-day Iceland trip. Budget guesthouses and hostels run 10,000-18,000 ISK per night, mid-range hotels cost 25,000-40,000 ISK, and premium options climb higher. For four nights of accommodation, expect to spend 40,000-160,000 ISK depending on your comfort level. Booking early and choosing guesthouses over hotels saves significant money.
Food costs add up quickly in Iceland. A sit-down restaurant meal averages 3,500-6,000 ISK per person. Save money by shopping at Bonus or Kronan supermarkets and preparing your own breakfasts and lunches. Budget roughly 5,000-10,000 ISK per day for food, depending on how often you eat out. Bringing a reusable water bottle is essential -- Icelandic tap water is excellent and free.
Fuel for the roughly 1,200-kilometre route costs approximately 15,000-25,000 ISK depending on your vehicle and current fuel prices. The rental car itself is the other major transport cost, typically 8,000-20,000 ISK per day for a 2WD or 15,000-35,000 ISK per day for a 4x4. Most waterfalls and natural sites are free, but parking fees of 500-750 ISK apply at some locations including Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss.
Optional activities like glacier hikes (12,000-20,000 ISK), Silfra snorkelling (18,000-23,000 ISK), and the Blue Lagoon (7,000-12,000 ISK) add to the total. All told, budget 150,000-300,000 ISK per person for five days, or roughly $1,100-$2,200 USD. Travelling as a couple or group and sharing accommodation and fuel costs brings the per-person total down considerably.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 5 days enough for Iceland?
Five days covers the Golden Circle, South Coast, and one extra region well. You won't see everything, but you'll experience Iceland's highlights without rushing.
Do I need a 4x4 for this itinerary?
A 2WD car works for this route in summer as it stays on paved roads. In winter, a 4x4 is strongly recommended for safety.
How much does 5 days in Iceland cost?
Budget 150,000-300,000 ISK (roughly $1,100-$2,200 USD) per person including accommodation, food, fuel, and activities.
Should I book accommodation in advance?
Yes, especially in summer (June-August). Vik and Snaefellsnes have limited options that fill quickly. Book 2-3 months ahead for summer.
What is the best month for a 5-day trip?
June through August offer the best weather and longest days. September has autumn colors and fewer crowds. Winter trips need more flexibility for weather.
Can I modify this itinerary?
Absolutely. Swap Snaefellsnes for the Reykjanes Peninsula, add a glacier hike, or spend an extra day on the South Coast. The route is flexible.
Do I need to book activities ahead?
Glacier hikes, ice caves, and Silfra snorkeling sell out. Book these 2-4 weeks in advance. Most waterfalls and beaches are free with no booking needed.
