Iceland in 7 days: waterfalls, whales & the wild north

Geothermal lagoons, thundering waterfalls, whale watching and a landscape that looks like another planet — Reykjavík, the north and the Golden Circle.

Duration

7 days

+ 2–3 days to extend

Best time

June – August

Sep – Apr for northern lights

Getting around

Car or campervan

Route

Reykjavík → Akureyri → Mývatn

I travelled

June 2019

Iceland feels like being on a different planet: the scenery changes completely every hour you drive, from moss-covered lava fields to boiling mud pools and glaciers.

In June 2019 we spent a week heading north from Reykjavík — quieter than the famous south coast, and just as spectacular — before finishing on the Golden Circle.

The route at a glance

Reykjavík, the north & the Golden Circle

Tap a stop on the map to jump to that part of the trip

Reykjavík
Night 1

West Iceland
Night 2

Akureyri
Night 3

Lake Mývatn
Night 4

Reykjavík
Nights 5–6

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 1

Arrival & the Blue Lagoon

Relax in the milky-blue water of the Blue Lagoon straight after landing, or explore Reykjavík on foot. Sleep in Reykjavík.

Day 2

Reykjavík & the west

Morning at the Hallgrímskirkja church, then drive about 1h40 north to the Hraunfossar waterfalls and Deildartunguhver, Europe’s most powerful hot spring. Sleep in the countryside.

Day 3

Whale watching in Hauganes

Four hours north to Hauganes for a whale-watching trip in the fjord. Sleep in Akureyri.

Day 4

Goðafoss, Mývatn & Hverir

Thirty minutes from Akureyri, Goðafoss is one of the best waterfalls in Iceland. Soak in the Mývatn Nature Baths with views over the lake, then walk through Hverir, a wasteland of boiling mud pools that looks like Mars. Sleep around Lake Mývatn.

Day 5

Dettifoss & the drive south

See Dettifoss, the most powerful waterfall in Europe, then drive back south with a stop to climb the Grábrók crater for a panoramic view. Sleep in Reykjavík.

Day 6

The Golden Circle

Gullfoss waterfall, the Geysir geothermal area and Þingvellir National Park. Beautiful — but by far the most touristy part of the trip.

Day 7

Fly home

Flight from Reykjavík (Keflavík) airport.

More time?

Add 2–3 days

Snæfellsnes peninsula

Two days for Kirkjufell and its waterfall — one of the most photographed spots in Iceland.

The south coast

Seljalandsfoss, the black sand of Reynisfjara and the icebergs of Jökulsárlón.

When to go

When to visit Iceland

June to August brings the midnight sun, open mountain roads and whale-watching season. From late September to early April you can hunt for the northern lights — but they are never guaranteed.