Iceland Ring Road: A Week of Waterfalls, Volcanoes, and Hot Springs

Iceland had been on my list for years, and driving the Ring Road turned out to be one of the most memorable trips I've ever taken. Flying into Keflavík International Airport (KEF), I picked up a rental car and was on the road within an hour. Renting a car is essential here — public transit outside Reykjavík is limited, and the freedom to stop at every waterfall and roadside hot spring is half the fun.

Day one started with the Golden Circle, just east of Reykjavík. Þingvellir National Park, Geysir, and Gullfoss waterfall can all be done in a long half-day. Gullfoss in particular is staggering — a massive two-tiered waterfall that you can walk right up to. I stayed the first night in Reykjavík and had an excellent fish dinner near the harbour before heading east the next morning.

The Ring Road itself is roughly 1,300 kilometres and most people take seven to ten days. I did it in seven, which felt right — fast enough to keep momentum, slow enough to actually stop. The first big highlight heading east was Seljalandsfoss, a waterfall you can walk behind, and just down the road Skógafoss, which drops 60 metres in a single sheet. Both are easy to reach from the road.

Further along the south coast, Reynisfjara black sand beach is otherworldly. The basalt columns and roaring Atlantic make it feel like the edge of the world. A warning though — the sneaker waves here are dangerous, so keep your distance from the water and never turn your back on the surf.

Day four brought the Vatnajökull glacier region. I booked a guided glacier hike at Skaftafell, which involved strapping on crampons and walking onto the ice. It's the kind of experience that makes you understand how small you are. Nearby Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, where icebergs break off and drift toward the ocean, was the single most photogenic spot of the whole trip. The diamond beach, with chunks of ice scattered across the black sand, is unforgettable.

Heading north and east, the landscape changes completely — fewer tourists, wider valleys, and the geothermal area around Mývatn. I soaked in the Mývatn Nature Baths in the evening, a quieter alternative to the Blue Lagoon, and watched the steam rise off the water as the sun dipped low.

The final stretch through Akureyri and back toward Reykjavík is more relaxed. Akureyri, Iceland's second city, is small and charming with a surprising food scene for its size. I stopped at Goðafoss, the "waterfall of the gods," on the way west and reached it just as the light turned golden.

A few practical notes. Fuel is expensive, so budget accordingly, and stations can be sparse in the east — fill up when you can. Weather changes fast; I experienced sun, rain, and sideways wind within the same hour. Pack layers, a waterproof jacket, and decent hiking shoes. If you're going in summer, you'll have near-constant daylight, which is disorienting at first but wonderful for driving. In winter, the roads can be treacherous and some sections close entirely, so check road.is before you set out each morning.

The hot springs are the soul of the trip. Beyond the famous ones, there are small roadside pools all over the country. My favourite was a tiny, unmarked pool in the north where I sat alone as the sun set at midnight. That's the Iceland I'll remember.

What I'd do differently: Slow down even more. Seven days was enough, but ten would have let me detour into the Westfjords, which I had to skip. And I'd go back in winter just to see the Northern Lights — a completely different version of the same country.