How long iceland ring road

The Ring Road is 1, kilometres long miles. Basically, the Ring Road covers most of the country, as shown in blue on the map above. These can always be added to a summer itinerary for a deeper exploration of Iceland. For the best experience, we recommend no less than 7 days in Iceland. This is for a comfortable, but express route around the island. From there, you can extend it to discover some regions in more details, to take detours, and explore remote corners.

Plus, the speed limit for most of the way is 90 kilometres per hour 55 miles per hour , and speeding fines aren't cheap. The more time the better! As it circles the island, you will be able to reach the different parts of Iceland except the highlands and Westfjords. Not only that, but many of the stunning highlights are located just off the Ring Road, giving you easy access to the best the country has to offer.

At this time of year, the midnight sun gives you plenty of extra daylight for driving and sightseeing. But winter road trips are also possible, and growing in popularity. Read our guide to the best times to visit Iceland here. Although the conditions will be less ideal than in summer, there is plenty to be enjoyed during the winter months. The natural highlights will all be there, and as stunning as ever with frost and snow. You may even spot the northern lights in the dark skies.

There are also plenty of activities available on a winter trip to Iceland. Why not walk on a glacier? Go whale watching, snowmobiling or even relaxing in a geothermal pool as you watch the snow fall around you. Make yourself aware of road safety precautions before you travel.

For example, you must drive slowly in cold weather to avoid unseen ice, and turn your headlights on, day and night. We also recommend renting a 4x4 vehicle for a road trip between October and April as it will make driving in such conditions easier. Good to know: By booking a winter self-drive tour with Nordic Visitor, you not only get an itinerary tailored for you, but also a peace of mind during your trip.

You can drive the Ring Road whichever way you want. We recommend driving counterclockwise. This way you can start with the popular highlight of the Golden Circle , a perfect introduction to Iceland, before continuing south. Before visiting Iceland for your epic road trip, here are some practical tips. The landscapes, memories, and adventures are like something out of a dream. It is not something to be missed, and if you have at least five days to spend in beautiful Iceland, it should definitely be considered to do the entire Ring Road and experience all that Iceland provides travelers.

Did you do the Ring Road? How long did it take you? Share your experiences with us in the comments for the chance to win two tickets to the Blue Lagoon!

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Home About Services Contact. How long does it take to drive around Iceland on the Ring Road? Can you drive the Ring Road in 5 days?

Do we recommend you drive the Ring Road in five days? If you choose to venture out and do the Iceland Ring Road in five days, here are a few extra tips to ensure a safe journey: Tips for Iceland Ring Road travel It is important to always make sure you carry an offline, paper version of a map of Iceland.

An alternative that we used although we did have a paper map handy was the smartphone app Maps. Ensure you have plenty of water with you for side trips you may take. There are plenty of service stations along the Ring Road to grab more water, but once you strap on the backpack and head up trails, the availability of drinkable water may be limited.

Exchange some of your native currency for Icelandic Krona when you arrive at Keflavik International Airport. While Iceland is a very digital-currency friendly country, there are some rural gas stations that do not support the use of foreign credit cards.

These are few and far between, though. We almost saw someone slip and fall to their death at the Fjadrargljufur canyon because they went over the roped off area and snuck out onto a slippery ledge. Our smallest camper, the Easy Small , is perfect for couples or friends. The Easy Viking or the Easy Big is great for families and has a full living room set up in the camper. For more information about our campers, go here. The Golden Circle in Southwest Iceland has for years been one of the more famous routes to go sightseeing in Iceland.

However, the Golden Circle has now got stiff competition from the… Continue reading. Continue reading. Related Blog Articles. Sweden Scotland View Details. If you're wondering how long it takes to drive around Iceland, you'll find lots of handy information here.

At Nordic Visitor, our local travel consultants have crafted a number of self-driving tours of Iceland that make road trips around the country easy and enjoyable. When planning a driving holiday around Iceland, the most important factor to plan for is how long the journey will take.

Ultimately, though, the length of your Iceland road trip will depend upon several factors, including:. Stick solely to the Ring Road and, in theory, you can drive around Iceland in about 17 hours — road and weather conditions permitting.

But we strongly recommend against this for safety and enjoyment reasons. Built to connect the settlements on the coast, the road loops around Iceland in a rough circle. Driving around Iceland on the Ring Road lets you explore at your own pace, enjoying astonishing scenery as you travel from one stunning natural attraction to the next.

Mountain roads here known as F-roads can be difficult to drive along and are closed in the winter months. Wondering how far it is to drive around Iceland? In simple terms, it's miles 1, km to locals , the length of Route 1. Of course, the exact distance you travel will depend upon your itinerary. This detour will add roughly miles km onto your journey. The Westfjords in the northwest require a similar diversion from Route 1, as does any excursion into the highlands.

In Iceland single lane bridges are a regular feature of the rural roads — these require you to slow down and allow other vehicles to pass.

To give you an idea of different driving holiday styles and how long they take, here are a few itineraries of varying lengths. Technically, travellers who are seriously short on time could split the circuit across 2 or 3 days, driving for between 6 and 9 hours each day.