What's Included in a Self-Drive Tour
Every one of our driving tours carries the same core package. You're comparing routes and length, not inclusions, so the choice rests on how much of the country you want to see.
- Rental car for the full trip in mini or economy class, with upgrades to a standard model or an SUV.
- Collision Damage Waiver, Personal Accident Insurance, and Theft Protection.
- A room with a private bathroom every night in a guesthouse, hotel, motel, or lodge, and breakfast there each morning.
- A day-by-day itinerary with maps, GPS points, time needed at each stop, and restaurant tips.
- A guided glacier hike on Sólheimajökull.
- Free Wi-Fi in the car.
- 24/7 roadside assistance from the car rental company, your first call for vehicle trouble.
Why Every Self-Drive Tour Includes a Guided Glacier Hike
Our self-drive tours includes a guided glacier hike at Sólheimajökull glacier, right along the South Coast route. It’s one of Iceland’s most popular adventure activities and requires trained guidance and specialist equipment.
A certified glacier guide fits your crampons, handles the safety briefing, and leads the group onto the ice. Volcanic ash streaks Sólheimajökull in black and white bands, so you're walking on patterned ice. The hike is the only stop on your itinerary that requires equipment and training you won't be carrying, and the tour price already includes it. Gear is provided, so all you bring is clothing for cold, wet weather, as on our other guided glacier hikes.
Choose Your Route: The Golden Circle or the Ring Road
Trip length decides how much of Iceland you can cover. 3 days works for the Golden Circle and South Coast, while 10 days gives you time for the full Ring Road. 5- and 7-day trips cover more of the country without committing to the complete circuit.
The Golden Circle (3 days)
The Golden Circle is a ~230 km (142 mi) paved loop from Reykjavík that links the circle’s three headline sights. Þingvellir National Park fills a rift valley where the North American and Eurasian plates pull apart, and it's a UNESCO site that held one of the world's oldest parliaments. At the Geysir geothermal area, the Strokkur geyser throws water into the air every few minutes. Gullfoss drops in two stages into a canyon. Our 3-day trip opens on the Golden Circle and adds Faxi, a quieter waterfall down the road with a salmon ladder alongside it, then heads down the South Coast to Seljalandsfoss and the black sand of Reynisfjara.
The Ring Road (10 days)
Route 1, the Ring Road, is the only road that makes a complete circuit of the country; our 10-day Ring Road self-drive package covers all 1,322 km (821 mi). The highway threads the South Coast, the East Fjords, North Iceland, and the west, so the scenery shifts character as you go. Snæfellsnes lies off Route 1, and the 10-day adds the peninsula on top of the circuit. Known as Iceland in Miniature, it packs glaciers, lava fields, fishing villages, and open coast into a single day's drive.
Driving in Iceland: What First-Timers Should Know
Your home license is enough for a self-guided driving tour of Iceland if it's in the Latin alphabet and carries a photo, so most visitors never need an International Driving Permit. Speed limits are 30 to 50 km/h (19 to 31 mph) in urban areas, 80 km/h (50 mph) on gravel, and 90 km/h (56 mph) on paved roads outside towns. Signs set the maximum in each area, and drivers must adjust to conditions, whatever the posted number says.
The rules are the easy part of driving in Iceland. What catches people off guard is the switch from asphalt to gravel, where tires lose grip if you don't slow beforehand. Sheep are the other surprise, and a lamb on one side of the road will bolt toward its mother on the other. The rental car insurance covers collision, theft, and accidents. Windshield, sand, and ash damage aren't included. Stone chipping is among the most common incidents on Icelandic roads, so add protection at pickup.
Do I Need a 4x4 for a Self-Guided Driving Tour of Iceland?
No. The routes stay on paved main roads, and the mini or economy car handles them. A 4x4 is needed solely for the Highland F-roads, and none of these tours use them. We do recommend a 4x4 from October through April, which overlaps the opening and closing months of the self-drive season, so an upgrade is worth pricing for an April or October departure. Pick a small 4x4 over a large model if you aren't used to driving big vehicles. The cars come with automatic transmission, so nobody in the group has to drive a manual.
When Do Highland F-Roads Open?
Between late May and mid-July, depending on the route. The published opening dates are listed road by road, and from 2021 to 2025, the earliest was 23 May and the latest 15 July. Snow cover is the deciding factor, and some roads stay closed even once it's gone, because a road through a conservation area doesn't open until the entire area can take visitors. The dates only matter for a detour you add on your own time. Check the dates for the current year before you plan around them, then follow the road conditions daily once you're driving.
