5-Day Itinerary
South Coast & East in Five Days
Best stops on Iceland's South Coast
Total Distance1,000 km
Days5
DifficultyEasy–Moderate
Day-by-Day
Every stop, every drive, every overnight
Day
1
1
1
Day 1
Overnight: Vík
Start here
Reykjavík → South Coast
- Chase the curtain of water at Seljalandsfoss — walk behind the falls
- Feel the spray at Skógafoss, Iceland's most powerful roadside waterfall
- Walk the black sand beach at Reynisfjara and see the basalt sea stacks
- Explore Dyrhólaey arch and watch puffins nest in the cliffs
Overnight: Vík
Day
2
2
2
Day 2
Overnight: Höfn
Drive: 200 km from Vík
Jökulsárlón & Diamond Beach
- Boat tour through the luminous blue icebergs of Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon
- Walk Diamond Beach where icebergs wash ashore on volcanic black sand
- Hike into Skaftafell for views over the Vatnajökull icecap
- Watch seals lounge on drifting ice floes at the lagoon outlet
Overnight: Höfn
Day
3
3
3
Day 3
Overnight: Egilsstaðir
Drive: 150 km from Höfn
East Fjords
- Wind through the dramatic fjord road with mirror-still inlets on both sides
- Explore Seyðisfjörður — the rainbow street and the ferry town's wooden architecture
- Stop in Djúpivogur to see the Eggs of Merry Bay sculpture installation
- Spot Arctic terns, eiders, and reindeer along the fjord tracks
Overnight: Egilsstaðir
Day
4
4
4
Day 4
Overnight: Akureyri
Drive: 260 km from Egilsstaðir
Lake Mývatn
- Walk the surreal pseudocraters at Skútustaðagígar — formed by lava over wetlands
- Hike Námaskarð geothermal field with its boiling mud pots and sulphur vents
- Explore Dimmuborgir's dark lava maze and twisted rock formations
- Soak in Mývatn Nature Baths — North Iceland's answer to the Blue Lagoon
Overnight: Akureyri
Day
5
5
5
Day 5
Drive: 390 km from Akureyri
Return to Reykjavík
- Start the day at Goðafoss — the waterfall of the gods, where pagan idols were cast in
- Stop in Blönduós for coffee and the textiles museum on the Blanda river
- Cross the lava fields of the Highlands on the approach back to Reykjavík
- Arrive back in the capital in time for dinner at a harbour restaurant
Return to Reykjavík
Good to Know
Book accommodation early
Reserve beds 3–6 months ahead for summer travel (June–August). Quality guesthouses sell out fast, especially in Vík and Höfn.
Download SkyRoad for road alerts
Get real-time alerts on closed roads, icy conditions, and volcanic hazards — straight from Icelandic authorities — before you set off each morning.
Check road.is daily
Iceland's official road authority posts live closures and condition updates. A 5-second check every morning can save you hours of backtracking.
More Itineraries
Choose the route that fits your schedule
