Iceland Ring Road — Route 1Circumnavigation.
Distance
1,330 km
Duration
7 days
Climb
8,500 m
Rating
5.0 / 5
678 reviews
Iceland Ring Road — Route 1 Circumnavigation.
The ultimate motorcycle adventure: 7 days circling Iceland's entire coast on Route 1 (Hringvegurinn), 1,330km through glaciers, volcanoes, geysers, lava fields, waterfalls, and fjords. No other road on Earth offers this concentration of geological wonders. Ride in June–August for near 24-hour daylight. Cold, wet, and utterly magnificent.
Quick facts
SurfacePaved
Distance1,330 km
Days7
Total climb8,500 m
Fuel stops2 along route
DifficultyModerate
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7 days, 7 moods.
A suggested split across 7 days with 44 waypoints to discover along the way.
ReykjavikStart · Start in Reykjavik. Rent or collect bike. Gear up — Iceland weather changes every 20 minutes. Layers essential.
Þingvellir National ParkScenic Point · UNESCO site — the rift valley where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. Iceland's historical parliament site.
Geysir Hot SpringsPhoto Spot · The original geyser. Strokkur erupts every 5–10 minutes to 30m. Give yourself 30 minutes here.
Gullfoss WaterfallPhoto Spot · The 'Golden Falls' — a massive two-tier waterfall on the Hvítá river. Gets loud. Rainbow in the spray on sunny days.
SelfossOvernight · Overnight in Selfoss — south Iceland's largest town. Good guesthouse and restaurant options. Fuel up for Day 2.
SelfossStart · Early start — long day ahead on the south coast. Check aurora forecast for tonight.
Seljalandsfoss WaterfallPhoto Spot · You can walk behind this 60m waterfall. Get waterproof gear ready. Utterly surreal experience.
Skógafoss WaterfallPhoto Spot · 60m-wide curtain waterfall. 527 steps to the top for panoramic views. Viking treasure legend embedded here.
Reynisfjara Black Sand BeachScenic Point · Black volcanic sand, basalt column sea stacks, powerful surf. Do not approach the water — sneaker waves are deadly.
Vík í MýrdalFuel Stop · Iceland's southernmost village. Fuel up here — next stop is 200km away. Fuel is expensive; fill the tank.
Vatnajökull Glacier EdgeScenic Point · Europe's largest glacier covers 8% of Iceland. The road runs directly alongside the ice tongue. Pull over often.
Jökulsárlón Glacier LagoonPhoto Spot · Icebergs calve from Breiðamerkurjökull glacier into this stunning lagoon. Seals bask on the ice. One of Iceland's top sights.
Diamond BeachPhoto Spot · Glacial ice blocks washed onto black sand — 'diamonds' on black velvet. Just across the road from Jökulsárlón.
HöfnOvernight · Overnight in Höfn ('the harbour'). Famous for Langoustine (lobster). Eat at Humarhöfnin — book ahead.
HöfnStart · Morning start into the East Fjords. Some gravel sections possible — check conditions. Scenic but remote.
Stokksnes Peninsula & VestrahornPhoto Spot · The jagged Vestrahorn mountain rises from black sand. Short detour south from Höfn — stunning and worth it.
DjúpivogurRestaurant · Charming small harbour town. Coffee and snack stop at the art installation of 34 stone eggs on the foreshore.
ReyðarfjörðurScenic Point · The longest fjord in Iceland. WWII Allied base here — museum worth a visit. Road hugs the fjord wall.
SeyðisfjörðurScenic Point · Stunning fjord village, accessible via dramatic mountain road with waterfall views. Ferry to Denmark departs from here.
EgilsstaðirOvernight · Overnight in Egilsstaðir — East Iceland's hub. Good supermarket and fuel for the highland roads ahead.
EgilsstaðirStart · Day 4 — heading northwest toward the volcanic heartland. Weather often dramatic here.
Dettifoss WaterfallPhoto Spot · Europe's most powerful waterfall by volume. 193 cubic metres per second. The roar is heard before it's seen. Humbling.
Lake MývatnScenic Point · Volcanic lake surrounded by bizarre lava formations, pseudocraters, and boiling mud pots. The Mývatn Nature Baths are the quieter Blue Lagoon.
Námaskarð Geothermal AreaPhoto Spot · Bubbling sulphurous mud pots and steaming fumaroles. Mars-like landscape. Smell is intense — part of the experience.
Goðafoss — Waterfall of the GodsPhoto Spot · Where Iceland's lawmaker threw his Norse idols when adopting Christianity in 1000 AD. Beautiful horseshoe falls.
AkureyriOvernight · Overnight in Akureyri — Iceland's 'second city' and northern capital. Excellent restaurants and coffee culture.
AkureyriStart · North Iceland leg — fewer tourists, more genuine rural Iceland. Horse farms, turf farmhouses, wide valleys.
Hólar CathedralScenic Point · Iceland's second bishopric since 1106. The red sandstone cathedral in a wide glacial valley is one of Iceland's oldest religious sites.
Skagafjörður Horse CountryPhoto Spot · The heartland of the Icelandic horse breed. Hundreds of free-roaming horses across the valley. Classic Iceland image.
Glaumbær Turf Farm MuseumScenic Point · Preserved Viking-era turf farmhouse complex. How most Icelanders lived until the 20th century.
HvammstangiFuel Stop · Seal-watching capital of Iceland. Fuel stop on the Vatnsnes Peninsula loop.
BlönduósOvernight · Small north coast town. Practical overnight stop. Limited dining — stock up in Akureyri if you have preferences.
BlönduósStart · West Iceland day. Snæfellsnes Peninsula is a detour but unmissable — often called Iceland in miniature.
Borgarnes — Settlement CentreRestaurant · Excellent interactive museum on Iceland's Viking settlement history. Lunch at the attached café.
Snæfellsjökull GlacierPhoto Spot · The glacier-capped volcano from Jules Verne's 'Journey to the Centre of the Earth'. The road circles below it on the peninsula tip.
Arnarstapi & Djúpalónssandur BeachScenic Point · Basalt arch cliffs at Arnarstapi, then black pebble beach with shipwreck remnants at Djúpalón. Wild, atmospheric, windy.
GrundarfjörðurPhoto Spot · Best view of Kirkjufell — Iceland's most photographed mountain (the 'arrowhead' mountain from Game of Thrones). Worth the timing.
BorgarnesOvernight · Return to Borgarnes for overnight. Good guesthouse options. Hot pot at the community pool is the Icelandic way to end the day.
BorgarnesStart · Final day. Easy ride south via Reykjavik and the Reykjanes Peninsula.
Þórsmörk Valley ApproachScenic Point · Optional: brief detour toward the famous valley between Eyjafjallajökull (2010 eruption) and Mýrdalsjökull glaciers.
Reykjavik City Ride-ThroughScenic Point · A loop through the capital. Hallgrímskirkja church, the harbour, Laugavegur street. Compact and very walkable.
Reykjanes Peninsula Lava FieldsScenic Point · The Road to the Blue Lagoon crosses a vast, eerie, UNESCO-listed lava field — like riding on the moon.
Blue LagoonScenic Point · End the Ring Road circuit in the most Icelandic way: soak in 38°C geothermal milky-blue water. Book in advance — always full.
Reykjavik — Keflavik Airport ZoneEnd · Return bike to Reykjavik or Keflavik. Ring Road complete. 1,330km of the world's most extraordinary island circumnavigation.
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