Reykjavik Iceland 6 Day Self-Drive Itinerary

Six days takes the 5 day plan and adds the two things that don’t need a full driving day to justify themselves: whale watching from the Old Harbour and, season permitting, a northern lights tour. It’s the version worth booking if you want the full Reykjanes-to-Snaefellsnes spread without cutting a day trip to fit it.

Book these before you go

Day 1: Arrival and the Blue Lagoon

Straight from Keflavik to the Blue Lagoon (20 minutes, 23km from the airport), then 50km (40 minutes) on to Reykjavik. Book weeks ahead, ISK 11,990 Comfort (about $96) up to 18,490 Signature (about $149) per bluelagoon.com . Check safetravel.is given ongoing Reykjanes volcanic activity since 2023.

Day 2: Golden Circle

Thingvellir (45km), Geysir (a further 100km, where Strokkur erupts every 5 to 10 minutes), and Gullfoss (10 more minutes north), a 230km round trip, 6 to 8 hours, fully paved.

Day 3: South Coast

Seljalandsfoss (116km), Skogafoss (20 minutes further), Reynisfjara and Vik (187km, roughly 2.5 hours), an 11 to 12 hour round trip. Never turn your back on the water at Reynisfjara.

Day 4: Reykjanes Peninsula

Roughly 50km (45 minutes) from Reykjavik, the peninsula erupting in episodes since December 2023, most recently the ninth Sundhnukur eruption that ended 5 August 2025. No active eruption as of mid-2026, Grindavik open, but visitreykjanes.is tracks the current status since the Icelandic Met Office considers another eruption likely.

Day 5: Snaefellsnes

150km (2 to 2.5 hours each way), 11 to 12 hours round trip, for Kirkjufell mountain, Arnarstapi, and the black sand cove at Djupalonssandur. Genuinely tiring after four straight driving days; a guided seat earns its cost here.

Day 6: Whale watching, northern lights, and departure

Morning whale watching departs the Old Harbour itself, no drive required: 3 to 3.5 hours into Faxafloi bay for minke whales and white-beaked dolphins, with most operators offering a free rebooking if nothing is spotted. If your dates fall between roughly September and April, book a northern lights tour for the previous evening; the season’s strongest windows are the equinox months and deep winter, viewing typically runs 22:30 to 01:00, and no operator can promise a sighting on any single night regardless of what the tour description implies. Route to Keflavik with at least 2.5 hours before your flight.

Day Focus Distance / drive time
1 Arrival, Blue Lagoon 50km / 40min from Reykjavik, 20min from Keflavik
2 Golden Circle 230km round trip, 6 to 8 hours with stops
3 South Coast 187km / 2.5h one-way to Vik, 11 to 12 hours round trip
4 Reykjanes Peninsula Roughly 50km / 45min from Reykjavik
5 Snaefellsnes 150km / 2 to 2.5h one-way, 11 to 12 hours round trip
6 Whale watching, northern lights, departure 0km, Old Harbour departure; short evening drive for aurora

Common questions

When should the northern lights tour go, Day 1 or Day 6?

Book it as a floating evening rather than fixing it to Day 6 specifically. Clear-sky nights don’t align with your itinerary on request, so if a clear night lands earlier in the trip and your operator allows rescheduling, take it then and free up Day 6 for something else if the sky doesn’t cooperate on the last night.

Is whale watching worth it if you’ve already done four driving days?

Yes, and it’s a welcome change of pace precisely because it doesn’t require one. It departs from the Old Harbour itself with zero drive time, a genuine rest day activity compared to the five driving-heavy days before it.

Book the Blue Lagoon and Golden Circle first, keep the northern lights tour flexible, and check en.vedur.is for aurora and weather conditions the week you travel.