Iceland road trip: 10 places from Highlands to East Coast
This 1,214.8 km route covers Iceland's most spectacular natural attractions, spanning from the remote Icelandic Highlands to the eastern coastline. The journey features volcanic landscapes, dramatic waterfalls, glacier formations, and black sand beaches across the country's diverse regions.
- Mode
- Places
- Start
- Landmannalaugar
- End
- Þórsmörk
- Stops
- 10
- Video author
- travmap
- Updated
Stops on this route
- Landmannalaugar
- Mýrdalshreppur, Ísland — A powerful 60-meter waterfall cascading from glacial meltwater, one of Iceland's most iconic and accessible natural attractions.
- Sveitarfélagið Hornafjörður, Ísland — A outlet glacier from Vatnajökull ice cap offering guided hiking and climbing experiences across pristine ice formations.
- Eastern Iceland (Hengifoss, Seyðisfjörður, Stuðlagil) — Iceland's second-highest waterfall at 128 meters, distinguished by striking red and black lava layers in its surrounding cliff face.
- Northern Iceland (Dettifoss, Lake Mývatn, Eyjafjörður) — Europe's most powerful waterfall by volume, plunging 45 meters with mist visible from considerable distances in northern Iceland.
- Eyja- og Miklaholtshreppur, Ísland
- Icelandic Highlands — Remote interior region with otherworldly volcanic landscapes, lava fields, and geothermal vents accessible only by four-wheel-drive F-roads.
- Bláhnjúkur — Crater lake with green mountain backdrop and iconic red volcanic craters in the Landmannalaugar region.
- Reykjadalur — Natural hot spring river nestled in a valley with geothermal vents, accessible via uphill hiking trail from the Ring Road.
- Þórsmörk — Epic highland valley with glacial rivers, dramatic peaks, and accessible only by high-clearance vehicles or specialized tour operators.
Useful for your trip
- Transport
- You need a four-wheel drive car to access Iceland's F roads (dirt roads in the interior highlands).
- Transport
- Landmannalaugar is about 3.5 hours drive from Reykjavik. There's a river crossing at the end where you can park and walk in instead of crossing by car.
- Timing
- Southern Iceland takes 2-3 hours to reach from Reykjavik and has many attractions in the region.
- Transport
- Þórsmörk requires crossing several glacier rivers; rental car companies may ban standard vehicles. Consider using tour companies with specialized 4x4 trucks instead.
- Transport
- Svínafellsjökull is only a 10-minute hike from the parking area to reach the glacier.
- Save money
- Stokksnes beach access costs about $10 per vehicle to enter the area.
- Transport
- Hengifoss is about 3 hours drive from Höfn. The hike to the waterfall takes about 30 minutes uphill.
- Avoid
- Be aware of intense bug activity around Lake Mývatn towards the end of August.
- Transport
- Dettifoss is about 1 kilometer walk from the parking lot on the west side (the more popular option).
- Save money
- Kirkjufell viewpoint parking costs about $10 and is a 5-minute walk to the falls.
- Transport
- Snæfellsnes Peninsula is located about 2 hours drive from Reykjavik.
- Timing
- Visit Seljalandsfoss at sunset to see the setting sun through the waterfall; you can walk behind it.
Video on this route
Top 10 Places To Visit in Iceland - Travel Guide