Multi-Day Southern Iceland Road Trips
A trip of several days lets you join the Golden Circle and the South Coast along Route 1 without rushing every stop. This page sketches the shape of a 2 to 4 day self-drive and lists the options for longer stays. Prices are in Icelandic króna (ISK), and “about” marks figures that can change.
A 2 to 4 day shape
- Day 1, Golden Circle: Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss. Sleep near Flúðir or Laugarvatn so you can soak in a hot spring in the evening.
- Day 2, western South Coast: Seljalandsfoss, Gljúfrabúi, Skógafoss and Sólheimajökull, ending in Vík.
- Day 3, Vík and Reynisfjara: Dyrhólaey, Reynisfjara and the town of Vík, with a Katla ice cave tour if you have booked one.
- Day 4, optional extension east: continue on Route 1 to Skaftafell and the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon with Diamond Beach, which lie in the municipality of Hornafjörður, part of the Southern Region since 2020.
Fit the stops to your own pace. A 2 day trip can stop at Vík, while a 4 day trip leaves room for the lagoon.
Where parking is paid
Most natural sights charge for parking. Þingvellir is 1,000 ISK per day for a car with 5 or fewer seats, one payment covering all lots (see the official tariff ). Around 1,000 ISK applies at Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Skaftafell and Jökulsárlón, and around 750 ISK at Sólheimajökull. Unpaid fees are billed through the rental company with an added service fee. Geysir and Gullfoss have no entry fee, so check whether parking is charged.
Route 1 driving
Strong crosswinds are common, and gusts can wrench car doors open. Sandstorms on the sand plains of Mýrdalssandur and Skeiðarársandur can damage paint. Ask your rental company about sand and ash cover before you drive away. Check road.is and vedur.is each morning, and see safetravel.is for alerts. Call 112 in an emergency.
Overnight add-ons
- Þórsmörk: reached by highland bus in summer, usually from late June to early September, because of the Krossá river crossing on road F249. Super jeeps also run the route.
- Westman Islands: stay a night on Heimaey. The Herjólfur ferry from Landeyjahöfn takes about 35 minutes in summer, or about 3 hours from Þorlákshöfn when Landeyjahöfn is not usable. Service has been disrupted in 2026, so book early on Herjólfur’s website and keep a flexible plan.
- Northern Lights: rural South Coast lodges can offer dark skies in the dark season, though sightings are never guaranteed.
Safety on the way
Reynisfjara has sneaker waves that reach far up the sand. Stay well back, never turn your back on the sea, and keep off the basalt columns and out of the Hálsanefshellir cave in rough surf. Walk on glaciers such as Sólheimajökull only with a certified guide. Highland F-roads are for 4x4 vehicles only, and rental contracts forbid 2WD cars there and the insurance is void.
Read more: Day trips in the Southern Region covers each stretch as a standalone outing, and romantic getaways suggests evening stops.
Search guesthouses and hotels along the route on Booking.com .