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Circle Iceland in a Week

from £1442 excluding flights

  • 7 nights
  • May-Sep
Home Destinations Nordic Europe Iceland Circle Iceland in a Week

Highlights

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See the natural treasures of Iceland’s iconic Golden Circle route

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See the black-sand beaches and waterfalls on the South Coast

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Experience the ice wonders of Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon

Aerial view over Lake Myvatn

Discover pseudo-craters and mud pools at Lake Myvatn

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Explore Vatnajokull National Park, home to Iceland's largest ice cap

Drive the spectacular coast road in the East Fjords

Why this trip...

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Tailor made

This itinerary can be tailor made to suit you and is intended to give you a guideline of what is possible in a given timeframe

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Explore at leisure

With the route, transport and accommodation sorted, each day offers the freedom to explore

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Nordic Heritage

With 40 years of experience in creating trips to Nordics we know this region inside out

Overview

Drive around Iceland in just one week? Why not! The Ring Road is a delight to drive – well maintained and largely free of traffic. Barely an hour will pass on this slick self-drive when you won’t be pulling over to admire a stunning stretch of coastline or thundering waterfall. You’ll stay in seven must-see locations and have our iDiscover digital guide to enhance your trip.

Seven days to drive the Ring Road

Two weeks would be better as per our Around Iceland holiday, but if time is limited, and you want to see as much of Iceland as possible, this holiday features several key highlights. Some drives are lengthy, but if you enjoy a road trip this itinerary is incredibly rewarding – offering fabulous scenery, comfortable accommodation, optional excursions and even time for relaxing in a geothermal lagoon or two.

The Magnificent Seven

After a night in Reykjavik, your first full day takes in the Golden Circle – Geysir, Gullfoss waterfall and Thingvellir World Heritage Site. Next, you’ll explore the sublime South Coast with its black-sand beaches, bird cliffs, waterfalls and glaciers, before spending time at Vatnajokull National Park – famous for its colossal icecap and the iceberg-strewn lagoon of Jokulsarlon. You will then take a world-class coastal drive through the East Fjords before heading west towards Lake Myvatn where you can relax in the geothermal Nature Baths or visit Husavik for a whale-watching trip. A long drive the following day ends at the magnificent Hotel Husafell. All too soon, perhaps, you’ll be returning to Keflavik airport – but not before a chance to take a dip in the Blue Lagoon.

Itinerary

Fly to Keflavik Airport. Collect your rental vehicle and drive to Reykjavik for an evening of exploration and an overnight stay in Iceland’s capital city which blends modern with traditional. Overnight at Hotel Klettur.

Hotel Klettur, Reykjavik

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Hotel Klettur is situated a short walk from the heart of Reykjavik.

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Explore the natural wonders on the famed Golden Circle route: the tectonic rip in the earth’s crust at Thingvellir, the thundering falls of Gullfoss and the bubbling Geysir geothermal area. Overnight at Hotel Flúðir.

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Continue along the south coast and admire the views, including Seljalandsfoss, one of Iceland’s best-known waterfalls and the Myrdalsjokull icecap, where you may wish to take an optional snowmobile trip (pre-bookable – please contact our team). You may also choose to visit the little museum at Skogar and the famous waterfall with an impressive 60 metre drop (perhaps walk the path to the top). Explore the Reynisfjara pebble beach with its caves and basalt formations. Investigate the bird cliffs at Dyrholaey, (closed from 1 May 25 June so as not to disturb nesting birds), and walk along its black sand beach. Overnight at Hotel Klaustur.

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Iceland holidays - visit Seljalandsfoss in the south west

Hotel Klaustur, Kirkjubaejarklaustur

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A modern hotel found in the southern Icelandic village of Kirkjubaejarklaustur.

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You will be spoilt for choice today as there is much to see and do in the area: walking in the stunning Skaftafell National Park; discovering the Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon with its immense icebergs (boat trips are pre-bookable – contact us for further details). Perhaps take an optional snowmobile trip on Europe’s largest glacier, Vatnajokull – one of many excursion options. Overnight at Hotel Skaftafell.

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Spend the day exploring the sweeping fjords of the east coast and the delightful fishing villages of Djupavogur and Seydisfjordur. Overnight in the nearby town of Egilsstadir. Overnight at Hotel Eyvindará.

Continue to the Myvatn region; with a possible visit enroute to Iceland’s highest farm with a cafe and turf buildings at Modrudalur. Visit the relaxing Nature Baths (the north’s answer to the Blue Lagoon) or venture up to the pretty village at Husavik and experience a thrilling whale watching trip on an old fishing boat (prebookable – contact us for details). Overnight at The Lamb Inn at Öngulsstaðir.

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Drive across the northern countryside, famous for its horse breeding, and then south towards Husafell in the region of Borgarbyggd. Spend the night at Hotel Husafell, where you can expect excellent service, gourmet cuisine and comfortable rooms, surrounded by a mountainous landscape.

Hotel Husafell

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A stunning property full of contemporary flair, Hotel Husafell nestles in the magnificent landscape of Borgarfjordur, about 90 minutes’ drive northeast of Reykjavik.

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Drive back towards Keflavik, taking a detour to the Blue Lagoon to bathe in its soothing geothermal waters (entrance fee at additional cost), before dropping off the vehicle at the airport and taking the afternoon flight home.

Accommodation Options

We have selected properties for this holiday as referenced in the itinerary. However, with a wide choice of accommodation in Iceland we can adapt to your preference and mix and match different grades and styles where available. Choose from hotels, farmstays and self-catering apartments to private villas and countryside properties.

  • iceland reykjavik hotel klettur superior room
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  • guesthouse eyvindara twin room

Prices and Departures

Price from £1442 excluding flights

Airfares vary widely and are quoted separately to the holiday price, starting from around £250pp return with Icelandair and British Airways, though may be lower with Play or EasyJet. We'll provide the best fare available at the time of enquiry, which tend to be cheaper the earlier you book.

UK Airports with flights direct to Iceland are Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, Bristol, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh. We can also arrange flights from non-UK destinations. Discover more »

Iceland Volcano Disruption Protection
We are proud of our excellent reputation for looking after our clients, without question. Should the unexpected occur our team of dedicated Travel Specialists are on call 24/7 to make any necessary alternative plans at no cost to you.

What's Included

  • Accommodation in rooms with private bathroom
  • Daily breakfast
  • Car rental throughout with unlimited mileage
  • No charge for additional driver
  • Exclusive use of iDiscover app
  • 24 hour emergency assistance from our team during your holiday
  • No surcharge guarantee
  • Full financial protection

This itinerary starts from £1,442 per person, based on 2 sharing a room with private bathroom in standard hotels, and rental of an intermediate vehicle.

Prices may vary depending on departure date and booking date, as well as any changes to the included components. The final cost of a tailored holiday will be based on the level of accommodation, size of vehicle, included activities, travel season, and how far in advance it is booked. We will confirm the exact price for your holiday in your individual quotation, based on your chosen travel dates and inclusions.

* Choice of Vehicles

We can offer a wide range of rental vehicles for this holiday – our team will be happy to talk you through the options and provide a quote for the most suitable category based on your individual requirements.

  • 4WD

    We would always recommend a 4WD for winter travel, but many clients also prefer the greater security and comfort that a larger vehicle provides year round – upgrade your vehicle from as little as £10 per person, per day.

  • Go electric

    With a selection of electric cars now available including the Kia Niro and Volkswagen ID.3, you can choose to upgrade from as little as £12 per person, per day. We recommend this option for summer only, due to the colder temperatures in winter affecting battery range.

How To Book BG Large

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Adventure, Your Way

Our tailor made approach means you can think of us as your personal planning service.

Every Trip is an Original

Whatever the brief we'll create an amazing trip to get excited about. We give you on tap knowledge.

Here's the Plan

View your trip itinerary along with travel tips and maps with our online portal and travel app.

24/7 On Trip Support

No-one likes a plot twist. As standard we provide complete piece of mind with our in country 24/7 support and guidance.

As Standard, Complete Piece of Mind

We’re listening. We always care what our fellow travellers think and love building strong customer relationships so we continuously focus on improving future experiences based on feedback. How incredible for the last three years we have received the Feefo Platinum Award.

The World's Great. Pass it On

To mark our 40th anniversary, we've launched our Education Bursary Fund to help disadvantaged school children experience the wonders of travel. A percentage of revenue from every holiday booked will go into the bursary fund to pay for at least 40 students to join one of our school trips abroad.