Most people do Iceland the same way. Rent a car, drive the paved Ring Road, sleep in guesthouses, hit the same handful of famous stops, go home.

That’s not the real Iceland.

This is the other version – ten days camping every single night, riding a 4×4 into raw, rugged landscapes, chasing the F-roads and detours most itineraries skip entirely.

We hiked, crossed rivers, cooked out of the back of a Dacia Duster, and had some of the best spots in the country completely to ourselves.

Below is exactly how we did it, day by day – every stop, every campsite – and how to see the real Iceland.

Important Notes

The logistics and prices are scannable in the next section, but I thought a few things needed more than a line – seeing as they can make or break this trip.

This is a summer itinerary – it doesn’t work otherwise. The route runs through the highlands (Landmannalaugar, Kerlingarfjöll & more) on F-roads that are only open roughly mid-June to September. Outside those months they’re closed and this itinerary is impossible. I went in July with everything open. Check current F-road status here – exact opening dates shift year to year.

You need a real 4×4. F-roads legally require a 4×4, and river crossings (of which there will be a few) require one that can handle water. I rented a manual Dacia Duster from Green Motion – about $1,000 all in for 10 days with basic insurance (including a ~$100 tax at pickup).

The Dacia Duster is the best budget pick if you can drive manual. If the company you rent from tries to give you a ‘similar’ model, make sure to research if it compares to the Duster in terms of ground clearance. And right off the bat, I would be wary of any hybrid vehicle, as rivers can drown the battery.

About river crossings. The Duster handles simple, shallow crossings well. This itinerary won’t bring you anywhere with big rivers, but it’s still important that you handle them correctly. More information later, when we get to the river crossings in the itinerary.

Get a decent tent. If you’re a group, splitting a good tent won’t cost that much. I won’t lie, we cheaped out on a Teton Mountain Ultra 4-person tent for $180 total and were (mostly) fine, but we got lucky with no crazy windy nights. Get something with stated high wind and rain resistance.

You can also rent one in Reykjavík!

Quick Logistics

• Campsites: ~$14-22/night (2,000-3,000 ISK), ~$1.50-3 extra for showers. No booking needed – we showed up every night in peak season and were always fine.
• Camping Card: Skip it. It covers 2 people, saves little over 10 nights, and locks you out of some better sites. Maybe worth a look for groups of exactly 2 or 4 – we were 3, so it was a non-starter.
• Gear rental: Iceland Camping Equipment Rental in Reykjavík (by the bus station). ~$50 for a cook set, ~$30/person for table, chairs, and utensils. Most campsites have stoves, but bring your own cook kit for flexibility.
• Food: Shop at Bónus (cheapest); restock at Bónus and Krónan along the way (you’ll pass one every couple of days). ~$15/day if you cook and snack; budget $20, and substantially more if you plan on eating out.
• Fuel: ~$400 total for the loop. Use Orkan – your rental usually includes an Orkan discount card (ask at pickup), plus free coffee every fill-up.
• Parking: Stops along the ring road often charge a 1000 ISK (~$8 USD) parking fee, and these charges add up. Expect around 10-15 total payments, or ~$200 USD total. Use the Parka app to pay.
• Activities: Hot springs recommended, whale watching tour always great, glacier hike necessary. Plan for ~$180, or more if you plan on doing all (or more) of these.
• Rough 10-day total: Car ~$1,000 · Camping ~$180 · Fuel ~$400 · Gear ~$50-140 · Food ~$200 · Activities ~$180. Adjust for group size.

Day 1: Reykjavík to Landmannalaugar (Háifoss & Sigöldugljúfur)

First off – I’m assuming here that you’re arriving to Keflavik Airport in the morning. If you arrive in the late afternoon or evening, head to Reykjavik for the night, then begin the trip to Landmannalaugar the following day.

Regardless of arrival time, you’ll start off by renting your car and heading off to Reykjavik to stock up on supplies. This means food (head to Bonus) and camping supplies from Iceland Camping Equipment Rental.

Take a quick tour of the city as well. I was itching to get out into the mountains, but you’re here! I’m not so well versed in Reykjavik tourism, so look elsewhere for info on that.

Then we head out into the highlands. Immediately. Start off the trip with a bang.

There are several must-see stops along the road from Reykjavík to Landmannalaugar, so it’s important you take the right route. I’ve taken the liberty of mapping it out below.

Next you’ll head to Sigöldugljúfur, which is one of my top 3 spots in all of Iceland, and has a legitimate claim to #1.

It’s a narrow but vast canyon, filled with impossibly electric blue water and waterfalls raining in from every which way. It doesn’t seem real.

And to top it off, there was nobody there. We visited late in the day (around 7 or 8 PM) and there was not a soul.

I highly recommend that you keep driving down the road from the entrance, and find a spot to climb down into the canyon. Seeing it from above is cool, but being inside of it, with waterfalls flowing beneath you, over you, and all around you – it’s one of those rare unforgettable experiences.

After Sigöldugljúfur, you won’t be stopping again until you’ve basically arrived to Landmannalaugar.

The last stop is Ljótipollur, a crater lake surrounded by red rock walls. You’ll park and then climb up about 10 minutes to the edge of the lake, where you’ll be welcomed with this view:

Where to Stay: Landmannalaugar Campsite. It’s the only option, and it’s an expensive one, at 3200 ISK ($26.50 USD). Plus, a 5 minute hot shower is 900 ISK ($7.50 USD, don’t worry, this is not typical). I would recommend skipping the shower and just jumping in the on-site hot spring instead!

Day 2: Hiking Landmannalaugar + the F208 Drive to Vík

Wake up and eat a good breakfast, because you’ve got lots of hiking ahead of you!

Hiking in Landmannalaugar is a must. The multi-colored mountains and geothermal activity creates a landscape that you genuinely won’t see anywhere else in the world besides the Icelandic Highlands.

The hike I recommend you do is a loop that starts and ends at the campsite. It brings you up two separate peaks – Bláhnúkur (the Blue Peak) and Brennisteinsalda (the Sulfur Wave), and takes around 3.5-5 hours, depending on pace.

You can see the route on Alltrails, or just ask the workers at the campsite. One thing I will say is that I recommend doing the loop counter-clockwise, which is the opposite direction from the one listed on Alltrails. It makes the hike more scenic and the ascents more moderate (although you have one steep descent at the end – be cautious).

The scenery is remarkable and literally otherworldly, and I won’t bother describing it beyond that. Just look at some of these photos.

After you finish the hike, it’s on to the next destination: Vík.

I recommend driving to Vík via F-Road (F208). It may have been the most scenic drive I did throughout the entire 10 days in Iceland.

Picture the most vibrant, green, mountainous landscapes with deserts of volcanic rock and completely empty, winding roads. That’s what’s in store for you on the F208.

But a word of caution – F208 contains several river crossings, and you need both a capable vehicle and capable driver.

If you really feel uncomfortable, you can always take the main roads to Vík. It’s slightly longer, but honestly not by that much. It’s 2.5 hours by F-Road and a little under 3.5 hours by main road.

Note: For more information on driving the F208 from Landmannalaugar to Vík – as well as river crossing safety information – check out my complete guide!

If you get to camp and aren’t too exhausted, head over to Reynisfjara Beach (the black sand beach). You’ll be visiting tomorrow anyway, but it’s cool to see it at night when it’s empty.

Where to Stay: Vik Camping. Great facilities, but too busy for my liking. However, it’s the only option in the area. 2100 ISK ($17.50 USD) plus 300 ISK ($2.50 USD) for a hot shower.

Day 3: Reynisfjara, Skógafoss & Seljavallalaug Hot Spring

Day 3 will be a little more chill, compared with the non-stop energy of the first two days.

Take advantage of the fact that the campsite is close to a supermarket (Krónan), and cook up a nice breakfast of fresh stuff. We made a shakshuka with eggs.

Start your day by heading to Reynisfjara Beach. This will be the first of many 1000 ISK ($8 USD) parking charges now that we begin the portion of our itinerary on the ring road. Pay on the Parka app.

The beach is vast and stunning, with the caves and dramatic basalt columns on the left-hand side. If you’re unfamiliar with basalt rock in Iceland, you won’t be soon – it’s everywhere, and it has the coolest hexagonal shape.

From Reynisfjara, I recommend getting back in the car and stopping at Dyrhólaey.

Dyrhólaey is the mountain at the other end of Reynisfjara Beach, and is a great place for viewing these massive sea arches – as well as puffins!

Next, climb up the stairs to view the waterfall from above. Plus, the path continues, where you can see even more waterfalls leading down to Skógafoss.

Also feel free to check out Kvernufoss, which is right next to Skógafoss. I didn’t go (because it’s another 1000 ISK for parking), but it’s supposedly emptier and you can also walk directly behind the waterfall – which sounds sick.

For an optional last stop of the day, drive a little further on to the Seljavallalaug Hot Spring. It’s a man-made pool in the middle of a valley with waterfalls crashing all around you.

Park (no charge) and walk around 15 minutes into the valley. You’ll reach the pool, where there are changing rooms. Unfortunately, the water temperature makes this more of a ‘warm spring’ than a hot spring.

But it’s still nice, and the hot water flows in from a pipe in the corner, where you can hang out the whole time.

Where to Stay: Vik Camping (again). This will be the only time you’ll be staying at a campsite for two nights. I must say, it’s nice to not have to set up a tent after a long day.

Day 4: Vík to the Glaciers (Fjaðrárgljúfur, Laki & Svínafellsjökull)

From here, we’re heading back into the highlands. Specifically, up F206 to Laki, a 25-kilometer-long volcanic fissure featuring 135 moss-covered craters.

This is another F-Road. It has a few river crossings, including one that is quite sizable. Make sure you feel comfortable when crossing it, and check the water depth manually, as it can change on a daily basis.

If you don’t feel comfortable crossing, it’s not a big deal. I would suggest still driving the F-Road up until the river as it is quite scenic. You can even stop for a picnic like we did! (those chairs and table finally came in handy)

In total, it takes around 1.5 hours to reach Laki.

Regardless of if you make it there or not, you’ll be heading to the glaciers next – about an hour’s drive once you get back to the ring road.

The scenery on this drive is incredible. The glaciers will quickly come into view, and you’re just driving along this vast, empty volcanic expanse with the glaciers drawing nearer and nearer.

Make sure to take a couple of stops along the drive to get out and take it all in.

Eventually, you’ll reach the glaciers. Depending on what time it is, stop at the campsite (Svinafell Campground, more on that below) and set up shop.

For sunset, head to Svínafellsjökull Glacier, which is a 5-10 minute drive from the campsite. Park (for free), then walk towards the glacier.

If you get lucky and have a good sunset, you’re in for maybe the highlight of the trip, because there are no words for the beauty. You can get right up to the glacier, and watch as the golden light from the sun flickers over it.

If there was ever a time when photos didn’t do something justice, this is it. Keep that in mind.

Fun fact for you fans of the movie Interstellar (one of my favorite movies of all time) – the famous ice planet scene was filmed on this glacier!

Where to Stay: Svinafell Campground. There are two campsite options by the glacier, but this one is cheaper and better – it’s absolutely stunning. Costs 2300 ISK ($19 USD) with free showers.

Day 5: Glacier Hike, Múlagljúfur & the Öxi Pass

Get ready for the best day of the trip. These were three of my absolute favorite experiences in Iceland, all packed into a single day.

This is a budget itinerary. We try to spend the absolute minimum here. But if there is one thing you absolutely have to spend money on, it’s a glacier hike.

Book the hike in advance – I’ll attach some options below.

Note: The options above differ mainly in terms of the length of the tour. Keep in mind that a 4-hour tour includes time allotted to instructions, equipment fitting, and drive time to and from the glacier. So if you book a 4-hour tour, expect under 2 hours on the glacier itself. I highly recommend booking one of the longer options if your budget can handle it!

The glacier hike is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

It’s absolutely mesmerizing to walk on top of the glacier, and climb inside little blue ice crevices and see little icy streams of blue water running down around you.

The hike will take up the first half of your day, but keep some energy, because you have another must-do hike on the agenda.

Next stop is Múlagljúfur Canyon, which was easily one of my favorite places in Iceland.

The lush green canyon, with towering waterfalls and snowcapped mountains and glaciers in the distance reminded me of Switzerland. Just utter perfection.

You do have to hike to see this view, but only for around an hour. You can do it in less if you’re fast.

You also have the option of continuing past this viewpoint to the top of the canyon, but my friends had had enough at this point. It’s a lot of hiking for a day.

Next stop is Jökulsárlón and the Glacier Lagoon/Diamond Beach.

Park at the Diamond Beach (1000 ISK) and check it out. There weren’t many ‘diamonds’ (bits of the glacier that float onto the black sand beach) when we were there, but it’s worth a look.

From there walk under the bridge to the Glacier Lagoon, which was incredibly pretty. There’s this little beach you’ll see that I felt was the real ‘Diamond Beach’, with several glacier pieces right off the shore.

From here, you still have a lot of driving to go (around 3.5 hours). However, it’s some of the most beautiful driving you’ll do in Iceland, so it doesn’t feel bad at all.

The road will take you along the coast, where there are a number of stops you can take. I won’t go into too much detail, I’ll just list a few options.

Höfn, a town where you can restock on food; the Stokksnes Peninsula, which has amazing cliffs and a cool little reconstructed Viking Village; and any little black sand beach you see off the ring road, of which there are many as you continue.

My friends and I drew this part out a little bit, because we wanted to drive during the midnight sun. And it was one of the best decisions we made all trip.

I highly recommend you take route 939 (or the Öxi Pass), a shortcut through a canyon that was one of my absolute favorite roads in Iceland.

We drove through during a constant sunset, and it was one of the most mesmerizing experiences in my life. The winding roads, the canyon walls with waterfalls crashing down.

Just know that in doing this, you’re signing up for a 2-3 AM arrival at the campsite. But it’s so worth it.

We also lucked out because East Iceland was experiencing near-record high temperatures at the time, so the weather was very pleasant. But regardless, take the Öxi Pass.

Where to Stay: Stóra Sandfell Campsite. One of my favorite campsites. 1600 ISK ($13.20 USD) with nice hot showers and a beautiful grassy area to pitch.

Day 6: Seyðisfjörður & Borgarfjörður Eystri (the Eastfjords)

Today will be considerably more chill, which will be needed after that absolutely jam-packed day 5.

Start the morning with an optional visit to Hengifoss. I view this as optional because it’s a 30-40 minute detour, and while the waterfall is stunning, they have recently prohibited tourists from going up close to it. Which sucks.

It’s about a 1-hour hike total, up to the waterfall and back.

Next stop is Seyðisfjörður.

There aren’t many towns worth a stop in Iceland, but Seyðisfjörður is one of them. It’s very charming, a coastal town tucked into a valley of snowcapped mountains with lots of waterfalls.

It’s a great spot to stroll around for an hour or so.

After Seyðisfjörður, you’ll be heading to Borgarfjörður Eystri – where you’ll be spending the night.

Borgarfjörður Eystri is famous for its puffin colony, which is a must-see. You get to watch the puffins dive into the sea looking for fish, then resurface and try to bring their food back safely while avoiding the thieving seagulls.

Next, I found this backroad in Borgarfjörður Eystri that I highly recommend you take.

It’s a tough drive, so bear that in mind – but it takes you up into the surrounding mountains, where you get the most incredible views.

Note: This road is pinned on Offpath, my interactive map app showing off-the-beaten-path spots around the world. If you like hidden spots like this, give it a download!

I mentioned before that Hengifoss was optional. If you skipped it, you’ll likely have a decent amount of time on your hands.

If you feel up to it, try hiking Stórurð. It’s an oasis of turquoise pools in green meadows. I didn’t personally hike it as it takes a few hours and we arrived late, but highly recommend it if you have time! See more details here.

Where to Stay: Borgarfjörður Eystri Campsite. Decent campsite with good facilities. 2000 ISK ($16.50 USD) with 400 ISK ($3.30 USD) hot showers.

Day 7: Stuðlagil, Hverir, & Dettifoss

Yesterday was a short driving day, so today you’re going to have to make up some ground.

The first stop of the day is Stuðlagil, a river canyon surrounded by those basalt columns from earlier. The water is turquoise for part of the year, but unfortunately turns more of a murky brown later in the summer or after heavy rain.

Regardless, it’s worth a trip. It’ll take a little under two hours to reach from Borgarfjörður.

Next, you may as well take a quick look at Viti Lake – it’s only 10 minutes away, and a beautiful turquoise blue lake.

After that, it’s 40 minutes to Dettifoss, which was my favorite waterfall in Iceland.

First off, the landscape as you hike to the waterfall is otherworldly. It looks like one of those evil planets in space movies, with vast expanses of black rocks in weird shapes.

But the waterfall itself is the star of the show. Dettifoss is the most powerful waterfall in Europe, and you feel its might, even from a distance.

After Dettifoss, finish the day’s driving with a 50 minute trip to the Camping 66.12 NORTH campsite and set up the tent.

If there is still time remaining in the day, head 20 minutes down the road to check out the town of Húsavík. You can also head to the Geosea Spa, where you can hang out in the hot water and spot some whales off at sea.

They close at 12 AM in summer so you’ll have plenty of time.

Where to Stay: Camping 66.12 NORTH. It’s a stunning campsite on the edge of the sea, and so much better than the campsite in Húsavík itself. Great facilities, free showers, 2000 ISK ($16 USD), and 1000 ISK for a second night (even though that isn’t relevant here).

Day 8: Húsavík, Goðafoss, & Akureyri

This will be another more relaxed type of day, but you have several options to make it more exciting.

Begin the day in Húsavík, especially if you didn’t get to explore last night. The town and harbor are charming to walk around.

The most popular thing to do in Húsavík is go whale watching. It is known as the “whale watching capital of Europe”, and there are always whales out there.

You can see them in the distance if you look closely, but the only way to see them up close is with a boat tour.

They are a little tough on a budget, but if you have the money to spend, I highly recommend you do! Check out some of the tour options below – they all look great.

When you’re all done with Húsavík, drive south 30 minutes or so to Goðafoss. It’s a beautiful waterfall that is a nice quick stop, as it doesn’t require a hike.

You can walk down all the way up to the edge of the waterfall, which I highly suggest. Everyone hangs up on top, I don’t really understand why.

There are campsites near Akureyri, and we actually stayed in one. But they’re not very nice, and I would personally recommend driving a little further, as it will take time out of what would otherwise be a very long drive tomorrow.

Driving an hour brings you to a nice campsite (described below).

Where to Stay: Camping Varmahlíð. Looks like a nice campgrounds with good facilities and free showers, 2500 ISK ($20.50 USD). This is the only campsite I’m including that I didn’t actually stay in, but it looks great.

Day 9: Hveravellir & Kerlingarfjöll

Back to the highlands!

Start your day by continuing to drive along the ring road until you hit the entrance to F35, which will take about 20 minutes.

F35 is technically an F-Road, but it’s very tame. No river crossings, and the road is gravel. Potholes are the only issue – some sections of the road are definitely better than others.

It’s a pretty drive. As you enter the F35, keep an eye out for Icelandic horses, which are incredible and like to hang out in this area.

As you continue along the F35, the landscape will begin to get more and more wild and vast.

It really looks like Mars. It’s just vast expanses of brown and red rock all around you.

After about 1.5 hours, you’ll arrive at Hveravellir, another geothermal area with a pool you can take a dip in.

We didn’t stick around (the wind was crazy the day we drove in), but I would suggest spending some time here. There’s a small fee for the pool, but I don’t remember the exact amount.

After Hveravellir, continue on an hour to Kerlingarfjöll. Check in to the campsite – there’s only one in the area (see below).

What you do in Kerlingarfjöll today depends heavily on a few factors. One, the weather. And two, your flight time tomorrow.

The Hveradalir loop hike is the best thing to do in Kerlingarfjöll, but I would recommend saving it for tomorrow at sunrise if your flight time is later in the day.

Today, start by hiking 30 minutes to the natural geothermal hot springs. They’re more warm than hot, but it’s a nice walk all the same. Then make some dinner and go to sleep early.

Of course, if your flight is early or the weather is ideal, you can do the Hveradalir hike today. The most important is to do the hike when the sky is clearest, so it doesn’t obstruct your visuals.

Where to Stay: Kerlingarfjöll Highland Base. Beautiful complex, a bit expensive at 3000 ISK ($24.80 USD) but the only option and worth it. Absolutely stunning and great facilities. Tent area has man-made hills to block wind. Good last night splurge.

Day 10: Hveradalir Hike, Golden Circle, & Back to Reykjavík

Hiking Hveradalir at sunrise was possibly the top experience of our trip.

Depending on what month you’re there, try and start the hike around 5. This can be pushed back if you’re here in late August or beyond, when the sunrise time starts getting later.

It’s about a 10 minute drive from the base camp, so factor that in as well.

How do I describe the hike? It feels like you’ve stepped onto an alien planet, with the red rock, geothermal activity sending jets of steam all over the place, gurgling pits of boiling liquid. All under the early morning sun, which illuminates the scene perfectly.

Literally like Mars.

The hike is a loop and will take about 2 hours, including plenty of time for stopping and picture taking. You can do it faster if you like.

We had some mild confusion at the start. From the parking lot, you walk down the stairs to the base, with flowing rivers and geothermal pits. From there, there are multiple directions. They both are the same trail (loop), but I would head left.

Last note: it may have just been because it rained hard the day before, but the trail was muddy. Like extremely – so hopefully you have decent shoes. They’ll probably be better than my sneakers anyway.

And then it’s time for the grand return to Reykjavík. There are a few more stops along the way, but make sure to carefully time it out with your flights. We had a 5 PM flight, so leaving base camp around 9 AM, we were able to make a few stops.

I will warn you – the first hour of the drive on the F35 is hell. The road is so full of potholes, and you’ll just be bouncing around for a while.

Eventually you merge onto the Golden Circle, and the first stop is right off the road in Gullfoss Waterfall. It’s a short walk from the parking lot.

Iceland Camping Itinerary Map

Here’s the full 10-day route mapped out – every stop marked in blue and campsite in dark red. Feel free to save it to your own Google Maps for the road!

Tips for Camping the Ring Road

Adjust your sleep schedule. In July you get near-24-hour light, which allows you to hike at midnight with nobody around if you want to. Our sleep schedule was generally from 1-2 AM to 9-10, and some of our favorite moments were from the late hours.

Fill up more often than you think, especially before the highlands. There are often long gaps between stations, even on the ring road. In the highlands there are none. Top up whenever you’re below half a tank rather than waiting for empty.

Layer up. Since you’re going into the highlands, expect cold days and colder nights. The temperature can certainly drop under 5°C (40°F).

Keep an eye on live road closures. We got stuck looking at a blocked road a couple of times, which could have easily been avoiding by checking umferdin.is and safetravel.is, which show up to the minute road updates.

And that’s it! Ten days, every night under a tent, and the highland spots the vast majority of tourists never see. It’s not the easiest way to see Iceland, but camping with a 4×4 and no fixed plan is the closest you’ll get to the version of this country everyone’s chasing: empty, wild, and yours.

If you’ve done this route or are planning it, drop a comment below with your questions or thoughts – I want to hear about it.

Safe travels!