The Ring Road is 1,332 km long. Do it in seven days and you drive for four to five hours most days, arriving at each stop with just enough time to photograph it before moving on. Do it in ten and the trip changes completely: two to three hours of driving a day, time for the side roads that make Iceland interesting, and enough slack that one bad weather day does not wreck the plan.
Why ten days instead of seven
The seven-day Ring Road works, but it has no margin. A closed mountain pass, a storm day, or simply a longer-than-expected walk at Skaftafell and the whole schedule shifts. In Iceland, weather does not respect itineraries.
Three extra days buy you three specific things: the Snaefellsnes peninsula, which most seven-day plans cut; a proper day in the east instead of a transit day; and one floating day you can spend wherever the weather is best.
Day-by-day: the 10-day route
| Day | Route | Distance | Driving time | Overnight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keflavik → Reykjavik area / Borgarnes | 100 km | 1 h 15 | Borgarnes |
| 2 | Snaefellsnes peninsula loop | 230 km | 3 h 30 | Grundarfjordur or Borgarnes |
| 3 | Borgarnes → Golden Circle → Hella | 250 km | 3 h 30 | Hella / Hvolsvollur |
| 4 | South coast: Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, Vik | 130 km | 2 h | Vik |
| 5 | Vik → Skaftafell → Jokulsarlon → Hofn | 270 km | 3 h 30 | Hofn |
| 6 | Hofn → Eastfjords coastal road → Egilsstadir | 230 km | 3 h | Egilsstadir |
| 7 | Seydisfjordur and Hengifoss day | 110 km | 2 h | Egilsstadir |
| 8 | Egilsstadir → Dettifoss → Myvatn | 250 km | 3 h 15 | Myvatn |
| 9 | Myvatn → Godafoss → Akureyri → Trollaskagi | 200 km | 3 h | Akureyri or Saudarkrokur |
| 10 | North → Borgarnes → Keflavik | 440 km | 5 h | Departure |
Total: roughly 2,200 km with the Snaefellsnes and Eastfjords detours included. Day 10 is the long one — if your flight is early, split it and overnight in Borgarnes on day 9.
Days 1–3: the west and the Golden Circle
Do not try to drive far on arrival day. Flights land in the early morning after a night without sleep, and the drive from Keflavik to Borgarnes is a gentle 100 km with a stop at the Hvalfjordur tunnel or the Glymur trailhead if you have energy.
Day 2 is Snaefellsnes: Kirkjufell, Djupalonssandur black pebble beach, Arnarstapi cliffs and the Snaefellsjokull glacier. This is the day most seven-day itineraries sacrifice, and it is the one that makes the trip feel varied rather than repetitive.
Day 3 covers the Golden Circle — Thingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss — and drops you on the south coast ready for day 4. Our Golden Circle self-drive guide covers the timing and stops in detail.
Days 4–5: the south coast
The south coast is the densest stretch of the entire route. Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss are ten minutes apart, Solheimasandur plane wreck needs a 45-minute walk each way, Dyrholaey and Reynisfjara black sand beach sit either side of Vik, and Skaftafell has enough hiking for two days on its own.
Reynisfjara deserves a specific warning. The sneaker waves there have killed visitors. Never turn your back on the sea, and stay well up the beach regardless of what other people are doing.
Day 5 ends at Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach. Arrive in late afternoon if you can — the tour buses leave around 16:00 and the light is better.
Days 6–7: the east, at last unhurried
Most Ring Road trips treat the Eastfjords as a driving day. With ten days you get two. Take the coastal road through Djupivogur, Faskrudsfjordur and Reydarfjordur rather than the inland Route 1 shortcut, then base yourself in Egilsstadir.
Day 7 is a genuine rest day with a purpose: the mountain pass to Seydisfjordur and its rainbow street, and the Hengifoss hike, a 2.5 km uphill walk to Iceland third-highest waterfall with its striped red clay cliff. In summer, add Borgarfjordur Eystri for the puffin colony at Hafnarholmi.
Days 8–9: the north
The drive from Egilsstadir to Myvatn crosses a high, empty plateau with no services for about 100 km. Fill up before you leave. Dettifoss, Europe most powerful waterfall by volume, is reached from Route 862 on the west bank — paved and open in summer, closed in winter.
Myvatn takes a full day: Skutustadagigar pseudocraters, Dimmuborgir lava formations, the Hverir geothermal field with its boiling mud pots, and the Myvatn Nature Baths to finish. Day 9 covers Godafoss, Akureyri and, if you have appetite for more, the Trollaskagi tunnels and Siglufjordur.
Fuel, road tax and realistic budget
Fuel is the cost travellers most often underestimate, and since Iceland introduced a per-kilometre road tax there is a second line item to plan for.
| Item | Basis | 10-day estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Rental, 4x4 low season | 12,500 ISK per day | 125,000 ISK |
| Fuel | ~2,200 km, ~8 l/100 km | ~50,000–60,000 ISK |
| Road tax | 7 ISK per km | ~15,400 ISK |
| Campsites or guesthouses | varies widely | from 2,500 ISK per person per night |
| Tyre insurance (optional) | 3,000 ISK per day | 30,000 ISK |
Two ways to cut this meaningfully: travel in the shoulder season, when rental rates drop to low-season pricing, and self-cater. A cooler box and a burner from the extras list cost a fraction of what ten days of restaurant meals cost in Iceland.
What to change if you are travelling in winter
The same 10-day route works from November to March, with adjustments. Daylight in December is about four to five hours, so plan two or three stops per day, not six. Dettifoss west bank, the Krafla road and the Oxi pass are closed. The Eastfjords passes close in storms. Add at least one buffer day and be prepared to reverse the route direction if a system is sitting over one half of the country.
Winter Ring Road travel requires a 4x4 with studded winter tyres — this is not optional advice. Check road.is and safetravel.is every morning before setting off.
Which vehicle for ten days?
For a summer Ring Road with paved roads only, a 2WD SsangYong Tivoli works and is the cheapest option. For anything involving gravel side roads, shoulder season or winter, choose a 4x4: the Dacia Duster 2022/23, Kia Sportage or SsangYong Korando are the practical middle ground. Couples doing the trip on a budget often take the Dacia with a roof tent; groups up to nine take the bus. See the full fleet and pricing on our our cars page.
Every Aurora Car Rental Iceland rental includes insurance, WiFi, GPS and free airport transfer, with flight monitoring so we adjust if you land late. No deposit, cash payment on pickup in ISK or EUR. Note that all vehicles are unavailable from 10 to 15 August 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is 10 days enough for the Ring Road?
More than enough for the road itself, and about right if you want to include Snaefellsnes and a proper stop in the Eastfjords. Ten days gives you two to three hours of driving per day plus one buffer day for weather.
Which direction should I drive the Ring Road?
Counter-clockwise (south coast first) is the usual choice because it puts the densest sightseeing early while you are fresh, and it means the long northern drive back to Keflavik happens at the end. In winter, be willing to reverse direction based on where the weather is worst.
How much does fuel cost for the Ring Road?
For roughly 2,200 km in a mid-size 4x4 expect around 50,000–60,000 ISK in fuel, plus Iceland road tax of 7 ISK per kilometre, which adds about 15,400 ISK over that distance.
Do I need a 4x4 for the Ring Road?
Not strictly in summer if you stay on Route 1 and paved side roads. Yes for gravel detours such as the Arctic Coast Way or the Oxi pass, and yes for any travel between October and May.
Can I do the Ring Road in winter in 10 days?
Yes, with a 4x4, studded tyres and a flexible plan. Reduce to two or three stops per day because of short daylight, accept that some roads will be closed, and keep at least one spare day in the schedule.
Where should I stay along the Ring Road?
The natural overnight chain is Borgarnes, Snaefellsnes, Hella, Vik, Hofn, Egilsstadir, Myvatn and Akureyri. Book summer accommodation well in advance; in winter there is far more availability but fewer places open.
Ten days, one car, the whole island
4x4 rentals from Keflavik with insurance, WiFi, GPS and free airport transfer. No deposit — pay cash on pickup.
Aurora Car Rental Iceland — Suðurbraut 890, 262 Keflavík | WhatsApp: +48 729 854 633 | carrentalaurora@gmail.com