Beautiful roads, with a few rules of their own
Iceland’s roads are quiet and spectacular, but the weather changes fast, gravel starts without warning and there are things you will not find at home, like one-lane bridges and sheep on the road. Here is what to know before you drive.
Winter driving is perfectly possible around Reykjavik, the Golden Circle and the south coast, but it needs preparation:
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The Golden Circle is the easiest self-drive trip from Reykjavik: about 230 km in a loop, around three and a half hours of driving.
Start early in summer to beat the coaches. In winter, leave at first light so you drive back before dark. If you would rather combine it with the aurora and not drive at night, see the Golden Circle and northern lights tour.
Self-driving gives you freedom to chase clear skies, but be careful: roads are dark and icy at night and you will be tired. Check the cloud and aurora forecasts, pick a destination with a proper car park, such as a viewpoint or the parking areas at Þingvellir, and never stop on the road or the shoulder. Switch off your headlights only once you are parked safely off the road. If driving on ice at midnight does not appeal, a guided tour does the driving and the forecasting for you.
Hunting the aurora on icy roads after dark is tiring. These tours pick you up in Reykjavik.
The most-booked aurora tour in Iceland by a long way. A large heated coach takes you out of the city to whichever dark spot has the clearest sky that night, the guide explains what you are looking at, and hot cocoa keeps you going while you wait. It is the cheapest guided option and a sensible first hunt; the trade-off is sharing the viewing spot with a full coach.
Check availability
The most popular small-group hunt from Reykjavik. A minibus with a limited number of guests means the guide can take smaller roads, move quickly when the forecast changes and stop where a coach cannot. Expect more personal attention and help with camera settings. A good step up from the big bus without a big jump in price.
Check availabilityIn summer it is easy on the main roads. Winter needs more care: ice, wind and short days. Check road.is and vedur.is before every trip.
90 km/h on paved roads, 80 km/h on gravel roads and usually 50 km/h in towns, unless signs say otherwise.
Yes. It is a 230 km loop from Reykjavik, about three and a half hours of driving, with paved roads throughout.
Yes, if you stop only in proper parking areas, never on the road, and drive slowly on icy roads at night.
