Five days is not enough for the whole Ring Road, but it is enough for the best of the south. This 5 day Iceland itinerary covers the Golden Circle, the south coast waterfalls, the black beaches at Vík, Skaftafell and the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, then returns to Reykjavík. You drive part of Route 1 out and back, with three nights on the road and short days in winter or summer.
Can you drive the Ring Road in 5 days?
You can, but you should not. Driving the full loop takes roughly 17 to 20 hours without stops, so five days means four to six hours behind the wheel every day and little time at the sights. In winter it is not realistic at all.
The south-west holds many of Iceland's most famous sights within about 370 km of Reykjavík. Driving out to the glacier lagoon and back lets you see them properly. Save the full loop for a trip of seven days or more; see our complete Ring Road guide.
What does a 5-day Iceland itinerary look like?
| Day | Route | Approx. drive | Overnight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Golden Circle | 230 km, 3–3.5 h | Hella or Selfoss area |
| 2 | Waterfalls, Sólheimajökull, Reynisfjara | 100 km, 1.5 h | Vík |
| 3 | Vík to Skaftafell and Jökulsárlón | 190 km, 2.5–3 h | Near Skaftafell or the lagoons |
| 4 | Back west along the south coast | about 320 km, 4–4.5 h | Reykjavík or Selfoss |
| 5 | Reykjavík and a lagoon | short | Reykjavík or the airport |
Day 1: How do you drive the Golden Circle?
Day 1 is the Golden Circle, a loop of about 230 km. Start at Þingvellir National Park, where Iceland's parliament first met and the continental plates pull apart. Parking is ISK 1,000 for a car.
Drive on to Geysir, where Strokkur erupts every six to ten minutes, usually 15–20 metres high. Then see Gullfoss, which drops 32 metres in two steps into a canyon. Head south to sleep near Selfoss or Hella, an easy start for day 2. For more stops along the loop, see our 3 days in Iceland plan.
Day 2: Which south coast stops should you not miss?
Day 2 is a short drive with a long list of stops. Walk behind Seljalandsfoss, which falls 60 metres, then find Gljúfrabúi hidden in a gorge five minutes away. Skógafoss, about 30 km east, is just as tall, with 527 steps to the top.
Next, look at the glacier tongue of Sólheimajökull from the edge of the lagoon; only go onto the ice with a guide. End at the Dyrhólaey headland and Reynisfjara beach before Vík.
Reynisfjara is dangerous. Sneaker waves run far up the beach without warning. Stay well back from the water and never turn your back on the sea.
Day 3: Is Jökulsárlón worth the drive from Vík?
Yes. Jökulsárlón is the highlight of the south coast, and from Vík it is about 190 km. Drive east over the Eldhraun lava field, refuel at Kirkjubæjarklaustur, and stop at Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon, about 6 km off Route 1.
At Skaftafell, walk to Svartifoss and its basalt columns (5.5 km return, 1.5–2 hours). Then drive to Fjallsárlón and Jökulsárlón, about 60 km east of Skaftafell. Walk to Diamond Beach, where icebergs wash up on black sand. Sleep in the farms and hotels near the lagoons, and book early, because there are few beds.
Day 4: How long is the drive back to Reykjavík?
From Jökulsárlón to Reykjavík is about 370 km, roughly five hours without stops. Split it by sleeping in Selfoss, or drive it in one go with a coffee stop in Vík. In winter, leave at first light and check road.is before you set off.
Break the drive with a stop you missed on the way out: perhaps Skógafoss in different light, or a coffee in Vík. If you skipped anything on day 2, catch it now. In winter, day 4 is also the day to join a guided ice cave tour from the Jökulsárlón area before driving west.
Day 5: How should you spend your last day?
Keep the last day light, especially if you fly home in the afternoon. Keflavík Airport is about 45 minutes from Reykjavík by car, so leave plenty of time to return the rental car. Explore Reykjavík: Hallgrímskirkja, the old harbour and a local geothermal pool. Or soak at a lagoon on the way to the airport.
The Blue Lagoon is on the Reykjanes peninsula near the area of recent eruptions. The Icelandic Met Office reported on 30 September 2026 that no eruption was under way but magma was still building up under Svartsengi. Check vedur.is and safetravel.is before you go.
Where should you stay on a 5-day trip?
Use three bases. Spend night 1 near Selfoss or Hella, night 2 in Vík, and night 3 in the farm hotels between Skaftafell and Jökulsárlón. Night 4 can be in Reykjavík or back at Selfoss to shorten the drive. Book the glacier-area night first: there are only a handful of places to stay east of Vík, and they fill early in summer and at New Year. Our guide to where to stay in Iceland covers each area.
Do you need a 4x4 for this route?
No. Every stop on this itinerary is on or just off paved Route 1, so a normal car is fine in summer. Guide to Iceland recommends a 4x4 from October to May for extra grip in snow, and rental cars come with winter tyres in the cold months. The short gravel road to Fjaðrárgljúfur is fine in a normal car when dry.
Can you swap in Snæfellsnes instead?
Yes. If you prefer coast and mountains to glaciers, replace days 3 and 4 with Snæfellsnes. It is about two to two and a half hours from Reykjavík, with Kirkjufell, lava fields and the Snæfellsjökull glacier volcano. The drives are shorter, but you miss Jökulsárlón.
With an extra day or two, you could also fly to Akureyri for the north. For a full loop, start with our 7-day Ring Road itinerary.
Does this itinerary work in winter?
It works well in winter, because the south coast is the most reliable region for driving and the sights are close together. Allow for only four to six hours of daylight in December and January, so drive between about 10:00 and 16:00. Rent a car with winter tyres and check road.is and vedur.is every morning.
Winter also adds the northern lights, which you can watch from the dark countryside near Hella, Vík and Skaftafell on clear nights. See our northern lights guide and our Ring Road in winter advice. For more sights to choose from, browse the Iceland highlights map.
Facts checked October 2026. Drive times are approximate and assume good conditions. Reykjanes volcanic activity changes quickly; check vedur.is and safetravel.is before visiting the Blue Lagoon area, and road.is before every drive.
