Driving around Iceland's ring road — Niclas Glud Photography

The land of fire and ice. It has quite a dramatic sound to it. However I guess that's’ the entire purpose. In this post, I’m going to talk about Iceland. I will talk about glaciers, waterfalls, canyons and multicolored valleys. I will talk about the highlands, the seaside and everything in between. There really is nothing like driving around Iceland's ring road. Here everything is worth photographing. Around every corner something new and exciting is just waiting for you. It might be a volcano, a waterfall, a beach full of icebergs, or maybe even the northern lights. You never know when it comes to Iceland.

In this post I will give you my best tips for driving Iceland's ring road, as well as the destinations you should purposefully seek out.

Arriving in Reykjavik

My best tip for Iceland is to have a rental car waiting for you in the airport. Reykjavik is definitely a cool city, but the rest of the country has so much more to offer. Get your car, and start driving. The absolute best option, would be to have a van that you can stay in overnight, however those are much more expensive.

If you have had a long flight and arrive late, spending the night in a hotel is of course a best option. Seek out something in Keflavik, the city closest to the airport, and get ready to drive the next morning.

Bring a tent

Accommodation in Iceland can get quite expensive, so I would recommend you to bring a tent, to keep your expenses down. There are lots of great camp sites around the country, that are open during the summer, and they are much cheaper to stay in, than paying for a hotel. In winter though, you will have to go with the hotels.

Seek out the light

When it comes to light, Iceland is a special case. In summer, you barely never see darkness, and in winter you barely never see the light. However in the summer you will have hours with golden light, as the sun sets, and rises almost at the same time. It is not uncommon to have almost 3-4 hours with golden light. In winter it is the same case. Therefore the possibility of spotting the northern lights is much greater in winter when the days are darker.

Get your apps straight

There are quite a few helpful apps, when it comes to visiting Iceland. I would suggest you to at least download Wapp - An app that features hiking trails. Vedur - An app that that tells you everything you need to know about the weather. Aurora forecast - As the name suggests, it tells you about aurora activity, and where to find it.

Bring some food

My last tip before we jump to the destinations, is to bring some food from home. Food in Iceland can get really expensive, especially in destinations, where you don’t have many opportunities when it comes to buying food. Thorsmork in particular.
Every time I visit I bring some food from home, just in case.

How much time do you need in Iceland?

This really depends on the destinations you want to visit. Do you want to go the entire way around? Or just visit a few locations close to Reykjavik? I would suggest that you spend around a week at least.

Where to go in Iceland?

I assume that you drive counter clockwise. Meaning that you start in Reykjavik and start driving towards Seljalandsfoss as your first stop.

In the map below you see all of the places that we are going to talk about in this guide to Iceland’s ring road.

Sejlandsfoss

As you leave Reykjavik and start driving towards the east of the country, the first place you are going to stop at is Seljalandsfoss. I would suggest that you arrive very early in the morning, so you are able to photograph that beautiful morning glow. This is one of the most visited places in Iceland, and for good reason. It is a stunning waterfall, which you are able to walk behind. Bring a raincoat, one for your camera as well, otherwise you are going to get soaked. Getting there is super easy, as it is basically right by the road, and almost impossible to miss.

Landmannalaugar

If you have a 4x4 you can drive there yourself, otherwise you have to wait for the highland bus to pick you up. This is one of the most beautiful places I have experienced in all of Iceland, and there are some incredible hiking trails there. You will see volcanoes, rainbow colored mountains and stunning valleys. I would suggest you to spend at least one night here. Make sure you bring your own tent, as the huts are quite pricey. As I understand you can only visit during certain times of the year, so make sure to check the schedule.

Thorsmork

As with landmannalaugar, you can only get here using the highland bus, or a 4x4. One night here is sufficient, however for people that love hiking, you should probably spend two. The hiking trails here are incredible, and the landscapes assemble something straight out of lord of the rings. There are some truly stunning sights, and you will feel like you are part of a movie set when hiking in this area.

Skogafoss

Leaving the highlands behind, our next stop is going to be Skogafoss. A huge and majestic waterfall, that is basically right by the ring road. It is a beautiful sight, and one that attracts many visitors. Lots of people spend the night here, either in their campervans or in tents. You can choose to photograph it both from the ground, or you can walk up the stairs to get a different perspective.

Kvernufoss

Right next to Skogafoss basically, is Kvernufoss waterfall. This waterfall attracts far less visitors than Skogafoss, but is equally beautiful. It is located down a valley, so you are able to get some stunning photos of this beautiful sight. Walk around a little to look for the best perspective, as there are so many great compositions here.

Reynisdrangar

Located at one of Iceland's beautiful black sand beaches, this is an absolutely stunning view. The dramatic cliff formations are nestled in the water, close to a huge cliff, and make for some stunning photos. You can watch Reynisdranger both from the east and west side, making it a good spot for sunrise as well as sunsets. It is definitely worth a spot, and there is a great campsite in the closest city as well.

Svínafellsjökull

Located close to Svartifoss is the Svinafellsjökull glacier. This is a beautiful sight, and one that attracts many visitors. There are few places in the entire world like this, so it is an absolute must stop, during your trip around Iceland. Not the most photogenic spot in my opinion, but still absolutely beautiful.

Diamond beach

The Diamond beach, and Jökulsarlon, are probably some of the most interesting beaches in the entire world. I especially like the Diamond beach. Given its name due to all the ice that washes up on shore, from the nearby gletchers. The black sand gives a great contrast to the shining ice and there are so many awesome compositions. It’s a beautiful sight during all hours of the day, but especially during sunrise and sunset.

Vestrahorn

Vestrahorn is probably one of my personal favorites. Though I have been to Iceland three times, it’s only the last time that I actually visited Vestrahorn. And the time I visited, I was lucky enough to experience the northern light for the very first time. as well as an amazing sunrise! It was an incredible experience to say the least. There are so many beautiful photos to be taken here, and it’s almost impossible to take a bad photo, as the view is so stunning. You have reflections, black sand, the waves from the water creating leading lines, and the small patches of grass, creating amazing contrast. This is a must visit sight, on your trip around Iceland.

Eystrahorn

Located close to Vestrahorn, Eystrahorn is another must visit stop. Not as picturesque as Vestrahorn, but in the right conditions I’m sure it is incredible. You will be able to get some really dramatic photos if you walk down to the cliffs next to the lighthouse. Just be aware of the waves, as it can get quite wild here.

Hengifoss

I absolutely loved this waterfall. Hengifoss is so beautiful, and I absolutely love the colors of the cliff side. You have red, brown, greens and blacks, creating amazing contrast. I have visited once, but will definitely go back again the next time I visit. It is not entirely on the ring road, but it is worth a small detour. It requires a short hike to get there, but on the way you will experience another stunning waterfall as well. A must visit site.

Stuðlagil Canyon

Quite close to Hengifoss, but one that also requires a detour, is Stuðlagil canyon. This is one of the most unique sights I have experienced in all of Iceland, and a rather “new” addition to most peoples itineraries. It is incredible though, and you can get some amazing photos here. It is beautiful during the entire day, but I’m certain it’s even more stunning during sunrise or sunset. I visited during midday, but loved the experience either way.

Selfoss

Now I can’t say much about Selfoss, as I have ever visited for some reason. Looking at the photos though, it seems stunning, especially during sunrise and sunset, and it’s a place that’s on my list for my next visit.

Hverfjall

As with Selfoss, I have never visited Hverfjall, but now that I have a drone, I will definitely visit during my next trip to Iceland. Hverfjall is a volcanic crater, and seen from above, this looks absolutely incredible. Just check out the photos online.

Aldeyjarfoss

Aldeyjarfoss is located rather close to Godafoss, but doesn’t get the same attention it seems. At least not when I was there. I visited during sunset and got some amazing conditions. Aldeyjarfoss is so stunning and one of the places I’m looking the most forward to visiting again. To get there, you have to drive down a dirt road for 30-40 minutes, and then do a short hike. In my opinion, it is absolutely worth it though. As with Svartifoss, the rock formations behind the waterfall are just incredible.

Godafoss

One of the most popular sights in Iceland, and located just on the road, this is a spot you can’t miss. The waterfall is shaped in a half circle and that makes it a perfect spot for both sunrise and sunset. Have that in mind when you park your car, so you don’t have to run to the opposite side, as I did, in order to catch the best light. I would suggest you to find a place to spend the night, visit Godafoss for sunset, and then drive to Aldeyjarfoss the following morning for sunrise. Or you can do it the opposite way around.

Hvitserkur

I haven’t visited Hvitsekur personally, but from what I have seen, it looks like a beautiful photography spot, especially from the beach. It is a huge rock formation located in the sea and one that looks great on photos.

Kirkjufellsfoss

I have said this quite a few times, but Kirkjufellsfoss, as with all the others I have mentioned, is one of the most visited sights in all of Iceland. At least it’s one of the sights that attracts the most photographers. It is beautiful during all hours of the day, but especially sunrise and sunset. Also, there is a great chance of spotting the northern light up here, creating some incredible photos. Mount Kirkjufell is beautiful both when photographing the waterfalls, but also from the sea. On calm days, you can create photos with great symmetry, due to the reflection.

Búðir

The last one on the list is another place that I haven’t visited yet. This is a black church, and it looks unique on photos, especially on overcast days, as you can create some dramatic photos, with the dark sky.

That's it! I would love to hear if you have any other suggestions that I haven’t added to the list. I know that there are places such as the blue lagoon, Gulfoss and the Geysers. I have visited both Gulfoss and the Geysers, but didn’t find the experience as good as I had hoped, which is why I haven’t added the, That might change in the future though!

Driving around the land of fire and ice