Iceland: 9-Day Self-Drive - Echoes of Ice & Fire

About this experience

Iceland is like nowhere else on earth. A land of fire and ice, of volcanoes and glaciers, of geysers erupting beside snow-capped peaks, of waterfalls cascading off cliffs and black-sand beaches stretching to the horizon under an ever-changing Arctic sky. This 9-day self-drive tour — with car rental included — takes you on a near-complete circuit of the island, from the Golden Circle and South Coast to the remote East Fjords, the whale-watching town of Húsavík, and the mystical Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Begin with two nights in Reykjavik, Iceland's colourful capital — Hallgrímskirkja Church, Laugavegur shopping street, Harpa Concert Hall, and the old harbour await. Day 3 launches the adventure: visit Þingvellir National Park (where tectonic plates meet), the thundering Gullfoss waterfall, and the erupting geysers of Geysir, before arriving in Vík — a charming village of black sand beaches. The South Coast unfolds on Day 4: towering Dyrhólaey cliffs, the stunning Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls (you can walk behind the latter), and the vast Vatnajökull glacier — Europe's largest — before arriving in Höfn, famous for its langoustine. Day 5 drives through the dramatic East Fjords towards Egilsstaðir, gateway to Iceland's east — a region of forests, mountains, and tranquil rivers. Day 6 heads north to Húsavík, the whale watching capital of Iceland. Day 7 covers the longest leg of the journey: west to Akureyri (Iceland's second city) and then to Hellissandur on the mystical Snæfellsnes Peninsula — a place of lava fields, ancient folklore, and the iconic Snæfellsjökull glacier (immortalised by Jules Verne as the gateway to the centre…