Ever heard of Iceland or are you thinking of having a ten-day trip in Iceland but have no idea as to where to begin? Let this article guide and assist you with a family vacation to remember in Iceland as if it offers scenic views that are out of this world. Hit the road and bedazzled and enjoy the fun-filled moments of a lifetime with daily activities and jaw-dropping attractions.
This article will help you to stay on budget and help you familiarise a few attractions before arriving at the actual sights.
Ten-day plan on the road
Day one– Visit the Golden Circle
Day two – see the fantastic Southern Coast.
Day three– Hit the road to Skaftafell and Jokulsarlon.
Day four – Visit the Eastern Fjords.
Day five –travel to Northern Iceland.
Day six – get the view of Akureyri.
Day seven – Hit the road, Heading West
Day eight – Tour around Glymur & Blue Lagoon
Day nine – Visit the Reykjavik
Day ten – Last glimpse of the Reykjavik and bye Iceland
Day One – First place to go to Golden Circle
Table Of Contents
A fantastic place to be but before getting to explore the Golden Circle, you will be thrilled to see the Thingvellir National Park, Bruarfoss and Kerid Crater.
Thingvellir National Park
The first eye-catching place is the Thingvellir National Park as it offers outdoor activities such as hiking on winding trails around the Thingvellir park. There is a nearby shimmering Oxararfoss waterfall that will make you fall in love with nature in a heartbeat and small church to pray for the Lord’s protection throughout the journey. Quite fascinating. Then be part of the Iceland visitors and boast about its daily haven on earth facilities.
Bruarfoss
Get to view one of the graceful Bruarfoss waterfalls in Iceland. It is a two-hour hiking trip and be assured to be overwhelmed by the hidden gem with its forest scenery. Something worth the experience.
The Kerid Crater
Have your last detour at the majestic Kerid Crater lake and get to hike your way down to the lake. Enjoy the tremendous formation and rest your head in Selfoss town at the luxurious Hotel Selfoss and Spa or if you on a tight budget then go for the USD 38 Ljosa Forskolin hostel- experience the treat of a King with their mouth watering dishes and soothing spa facilities.
Day Two– Southern Coast
Seljalandsfoss & Gljufrabui
Get up early morning and have a quick breakfast at Pylsuvagninn or Kaffi Krus and hit the one hour drive from Selfoss to Seljalandsfoss waterfall with a divine 360-degree view panorama. The sight will get you snapping pictures after pictures for memories. Nearby is a ten-minute walk to the unfamous Gljufrabui. You will be refreshed through the wet cave as the waterfall pours down on you.
Skogafoss
The waterfall Skogafoss offers a spectacular outlook when you climb the staircase to the peak of the waterfalls. If you are still excited for fun then hike along till you get to Skoga River.
Dyrholaey & Reynisfjara
After a hearty lunch, hit the road to Dyrholaey and get a view of waves rolling on the rocks. The sand beach of Reynisfjara is closeby with its impressive limestone cliffs offering a breathtaking view. Get to have the picture of a lifetime at a nearby town of Vik as it offers fancy restaurants and picturesque buildings.
Explore your last attraction of the day before heading to the splendid hotel Laki or the $96 Hunkubakkar. Relax and get the five-star treatment at a low budget.
Day Three– Skaftafell and Jokulsarlon
Skaftafell National Park
Wake up to the morning breeze and head out to hike in the Skaftafell National Park trails and also hike on the ice of Skaftafell Glacier Park.
Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
After a tiring afternoon, grab a bite before heading off to Fjallsarlon lagoon on a 45 minutes tour boat. The boat has a limited number of eight people and gets you to have a relaxing view of the deep blue waters with the surrounding forests. Detour at Jokulsarlon and rest those legs at Fosshotel Vatnajokull or be safe on your budget with cheap guesthouses for the night.
Day four – Eastern Fjords
The fourth day of a lifetime on a trip to the Eastern Fjords is worth it. Along the road, get enchanted by the scenic routes and villages.
Stokksnes & Vestrahorn
A 20-minute drive will land you in Stokksnes, but along the way, the Vestrahorn Mountain will make you stop for pictures and get to enjoy the view around the mountain with its sandy beach.
Eastern Fjords
After a 90 minutes drive in and out of the fjords, there is a small town named Djupivogur. Here you can navigate through or stop for a bit to experience an entire eastern Iceland town.
Hengifoss
After a tiring drive around the fjords, take a bite in the heart of Skriduklaustur. Get to taste the famous cake buffet, delightful homemade bread, locally sourced bread, and pastries will fuel you up for the journey ahead.
A 90 minutes hike will see you through to the waterfall with the scene out of this world as you get to pass the still rivers and lush green forest. Relax in the town of Egilsstadir and have a good, luscious dinner before heading for sleep at Lyngas Guesthouse or the four-star Icelandair Hotel Herad worth $89 per night.
Day five – Northern Iceland
Dettifoss
early morning after having a delicious bed and breakfast at the hotel, have a 2-hour drive that will take you to the most famous, Dettifoss waterfalls.
Lake Myvatn
The beautiful shimmering lake of Myvatn will leave you speechless and is famous for being a scene in the Game of Thrones series.
The Lake Myvatn offers eight incredible spots that will make you stay for more extended hours, enjoying the field of excellence.
The eight spots are:
1) Myvatn Nature Baths
2) Leirhnjukur
3) Dimmuborgir Lava Fields
4) Grjotagja Cave
5)Skutustadir PseudoCraters
6) Hverir Geothermal Field
7) Viti Crater
8) Hofdi Peninsula
Godafoss
If you are still in the mood of seeing God’s touch then move on to the tremendous Godafoss waterfall and get to enjoy the sunset before heading for the night at Akureyri capital in the north.
Have a divine luxurious dinner at Hotel Akureyri for USD 109 or at an affordable USD 23 Akureyri hostel. All the hotels and hostels have quality hospitality.
Day Six – Akureyri
Relax yourself to an adventure of whale watching and puffin viewing of the second-largest city in Iceland.
There are two places to whale watch so you can choose either to drive to Husavik or instead relax and watch them in Akureyri which is quite affordable and reduces fuel costs and uses that money for fun activities in the city.
The 3-4 hours whale touring takes place throughout the early morning, so you have ample time to do a lot of activities. The staff will distribute the right gear of waterproofs to visitors and locals as the waters can influence cold temperatures and get educated about the different species and their history on earth. Pictures are allowed for memories sake.
After an educational morning of whale watching, head back to Akureyri town and get to explore the wonders of the city. It offers fine art and colourful buildings worth gazing upon and even taking pictures for your blogs. A real relaxing haven as you also pass local stores and the delightful food markets. Do not forget to buy yourself an Iceland Souvenir to show others when you return to your country.
Still touring the city you will be dazzled by flora and fauna of the city’s Arctic Botanical Gardens. Change a resting place and book yourself into the USD 71 Skjaldarvik Guesthouse which offers an exquisite overlooking view of the lake and the town buildings.
Day seven – Glaumbaer
Prepare yourself for a long drive to Snaefellsnes Peninsula with gorgeous stops along the journey. The first attraction is the Glaumbaer which flourishes with small neat houses with thatched roofs.
Grabrok Crater
After exploring the small houses then get on the road and drive to Grabrok Crater. Have a fantastic view of the area at the peak of the crater. There is a staircase that takes you up, along the cavity so you can get pictures from various points.
Deildartunguhver hot spring
After strolling around the crater, head out to the most dominant hot spring in Europe, which is Deildartunguhver. Spend a few minutes connecting with nature and taking a bunch of pictures and then drive to the best neighbouring waterfalls of Hraunfossar and Barnafoss.
After enjoying the spectacular view of the waterfalls, check yourself into your hotel or guesthouse in Peninsula. Ease upon in a spa after a tiring day of driving and expedition. Rest in the affordable Bikers Paradise or the luxurious $184 Hotel Budir and get to scroll down the days’ adventure before heading to bed.
Day 8 – Glymur & Blue Lagoon
Wake up to a hike of the mountain Kirkjufell which offers an adoring picturesque of all of Iceland. Whilst strolling around the peak mountain you will get the best scene of waterfalls, greenery and fantastic scenic views.
Get to drive through the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, and have break taking stops at some beautiful landmarks along the way to Glymur Waterfall.
Glymur Waterfall Hike
Drive to the 200 meters Glymur which is the second-highest waterfall in Iceland houses the best trails in the world.
It’s best to arrive at the hiking trail in the morning rather than in the afternoon as it usually gets soaked with locals and visitors trying to get the best of the view of the hiking trails.
Inside the Blue Lagoon
Please note, tickets are to be bought in advance so you won’t have to wait long queues to get inside. Inside the Blue Lagoon, the temperature of the water is soothing and relaxing, and get to sip on a few drinks whilst wading around the famous Blue lagoon.
The lagoon offers spots where you can refresh and shower after a tiresome hike and then head to Reykjavik for an adventure like never before. Get thrilled by the lively nightlife of the city of Reykjavik with its classy bars with the locally sourced brewery.
Have your dinner and sleep at Eyja Guldsmeden Hotel, Sand hotel or flex on an affordable guesthouse so as not to override your trip budget.
Day Nine– The Reykjavik
Similar elements to other cities of being blown away by the beautiful sceneries but this town will keep you occupied for the whole day.
Walk around the city, the main street Laugavegur, and then the harbour area to connect with the friendly locals. Get the glimpse of the Harpa opera house, with its modern architecture of fine arts of glass structure to explore. Walk to the waters till you get to the Sun Voyage, which is a silver statue with exclusive spots to make memories.
Then head back to freshen up at the apartment, have a good dinner and head out for a family fun night out with family and friends.
Day Ten – Reykjavik
Have a tasty lunch and stroll around the streets of the city. Buy different local souvenirs from the surrounding shops and have something to cherish about a fantastic trip.
Get to spoil yourself by heading to the top of the Hallgrimskirkja church and get the million-dollar view of the entire city of colourful houses beneath and the divine Opera house. That will be your last detour of the fantastic trip to Iceland before heading back on the road to your country.
Conclusion
Try Iceland and enjoy your ten days in Iceland! Before travelling be sure to check the Iceland Itinerary guide for a good plan on budget and other exciting spots to view. I hope this article will help you understand our pre-journey and also get you excited about what to expect in Iceland. Make memories with the family on this road trip, and you will come to every holiday for more.