Step 1
Reykjavik
Reykjavik, the capital city, is a vibrant city known for its unique blend of modern culture and natural beauty. Located on the southwest coast, it offers stunning views of mountains and the sea.
An autumn self-drive tour of Iceland takes you through magnificent landscapes sublimated by autumn colors. The bright green of the grass gives way to the more autumnal orange colors.
You can then contemplate the striking contrast of these shimmering colors with the first snow falling on the peaks.
At this time of year, the days are still long and the evenings dark: ideal for observing the first aurora borealis, which rips through the clear sky at nightfall.
Best season for this trip: from September to October
Regions visited during this trip to Iceland: Reykjavik & The Golden Circle | Snaefellsnes | South Coast
Step 1
Reykjavik, the capital city, is a vibrant city known for its unique blend of modern culture and natural beauty. Located on the southwest coast, it offers stunning views of mountains and the sea.
Step 2
Snæfellsjökull National Park, located on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, is home to the iconic Snæfellsjökull glacier-capped volcano. The park features diverse landscapes, including lava fields, rugged cliffs, black sand beaches, and caves.
Step 3
Reykholt is a historic village in western Iceland. The site features cultural landmarks like Snorri's pool and an old church, offering a glimpse into Iceland's rich literary and historical heritage. Reykholt is also surrounded by beautiful landscapes, making it a peaceful stop.
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Laugarvatn is a small village known for its geothermal activity and scenic location by a lake. It’s a popular destination for relaxation, with natural hot springs. Surrounded by beautiful landscapes, Laugarvatn is also a convenient base for exploring nearby attractions like the Golden Circle and Thingvellir National Park.
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The Golden Circle is showcasing three of the country's most famous natural landmarks: Thingvellir National Park, the Geysir geothermal area, and Gullfoss waterfall. This loop offers a glimpse into Iceland's unique geology, including volcanic landscapes, geysers, and powerful waterfalls.
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Kirkjubæjarklaustur is a small village, known for its historical significance and stunning natural surroundings. It was once the site of a medieval convent and is near unique geological formations like the basalt column field of Kirkjugólf and the Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon.
Step 7
Skógar is a small village in southern Iceland, famous for the stunning Skógafoss waterfall, one of the country's largest and most iconic falls. Skógar is a popular stop, offering beautiful landscapes and access to hiking trails leading to glaciers and volcanic areas.
Step 8
Reykjavik, the capital city, is a vibrant city known for its unique blend of modern culture and natural beauty. Located on the southwest coast, it offers stunning views of mountains and the sea.
You arrive at Keflavík international airport. Pick up your rental car before heading for Reykjavik, the world’s northernmost capital.
Distance travelled : 50 km
Overnight in Reykjavik
Leave the capital for the south coast. Passing the Borgarnes region, you can hike to the Eldborg crater, a volcanic crater located at the entrance to the Snæfellsnes peninsula. This “fortress of fire” is now thankfully extinct, but still very spectacular.
Discover the cliffs of Gerðuberg with their basalt organs, the wooden church of Búðir and look out for colonies of seals on a seaside walk.
End the day with an impromptu bath in the warmth of a natural spring lost in the middle of nowhere…
Distance travelled : 200 km
Overnight in the Snæfellsnes region
Today we discover the Snæfellsnes peninsula, which simply means “snow-capped mountain peninsula”, a fitting name for a long peninsula crowned by a volcano and a glacier. The colors of Icelandic autumn shine through in the local vegetation, which is laden with birch trees and blueberry bushes.
A lovely walk between the ports of Hellnar and Arnarstapi at the foot of the Snæfellsjökull glacier.
Distance travelled : 60 km
Overnight in the Snæfellsnes region
Leave the Snæfellsnes peninsula for the wooded Reykholt valley. On the way, stop off at the villages of Grundarfjörður and Stykkishólmur, not forgetting the Berserkjahraun lava field. Finish the day at the Deildartunguhver hot springs.
You can also take a pleasant walk between the ports of Hellnar and Arnarstapi at the foot of the Snæfellsjökull glacier.
Distance travelled : 200 km
Overnight in the Reykholt region
Spend the day in the Reykholt Valley. On the program: walks through the lava fields of Húsafell and discovery of the Hraunfossar and Barnafoss waterfalls.
Take advantage of the day to visit a lava tunnel and then relax in the secret hot baths in a secluded gorge above the valley.
Distance travelled : 50 km
Overnight in the Reykholt region
Leave western Iceland and the Reykholt region for the Golden Circle in the south of the country. Start in Þingvellir Park, famous for the Silfra fissure, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates separate. With its intense vegetation and vibrant autumn colors, this is also the site of Iceland’s former parliament, hence its name “Parliament Plain”.
Distance travelled : 150 km
Overnight in the Laugarvatn region
Discover today the famous “Golden Circle”. Start with Geysir and the Strokkur geyser which, winter and summer alike, gushes out every few minutes to a height of around 20 metres. A little further on, you can also admire Gullfoss Falls, where the Hvita River has carved out an impressive canyon. End the tour in the Þjórsárdalur valley, heading for the Hekla volcano, with the Hjálparfoss waterfall and the Gjáin fault in its untidy decor. Stop off en route for a dip in a natural hot spring.
Distance travelled : 150 km
Overnight in the region of Hella.
Discover the country’s best-known glacier volcanoes: Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull. The former came to prominence in 2010 when it unleashed an ash cloud over Europe, bringing air traffic to a standstill. Together with its neighbor, the Mýrdalsjökull glacier, they feed the endless Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls that you can admire.
Then take a well-deserved break at the abandoned but still accessible Seljavallalaug swimming pool, Iceland’s oldest. Before reaching Vík, famous for its black-sand beaches where seals can be spotted, discover the arch-sculpted volcanic cliffs of Dyrhólaey.
Distance travelled : 200 km
Overnight in the Kirkjubæjarklaustur region
A day trip to discover Skaftafell National Park, overlooking the country’s highest peak (2110m), Hvannadalshnúkur. Stroll through the park to admire the Svartifoss waterfall and its beautiful necklace of basalt columns and go blueberry picking in the Morsárdalur valley.
Distance travelled : 150 km
Overnight in the Kirkjubæjarklaustur region
Today, you leave the Kirkjubaejarklaustur region and head for the Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon. You then cross the long desert expanse of Mýrdalssandur and discover other wonders at the foot of the Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull glaciers, such as the magnificent Þakgil region. Once in Vík, take advantage of the black sand beaches, where the shadows are razor-sharp at this time of year, and watch the spectacle of the aurora over the ocean.
Distance travelled : 120 km
Overnight in the Skógar region
Heading for the Reykjanes peninsula today. The departure approaches as oday is your last full day in Iceland. Take advantage of this last day to relax in a natural hot-water stream in the mountains of the Reykjadalur valley at Hveragerði. Then take in the lunar landscapes forged by numerous volcanic eruptions on the south coast of Reyjanes. The bubbling mud pots at Krýsuvík contrast with the turquoise waters of the Blue Lagoon (entrance not included).
Distance travelled : 200 km
Overnight in the region of Keflavik.
Officially your last day in Iceland, depending on the time of your flight, you can either decide to enjoy Reykjavik and its surroundings one last time or head straight to Keflavík international airport where you return your rental car.
It’s then with the beautiful memories of Iceland autumn colors that you board on flight that will take you back home.
