If you only have a week in Iceland, make it the south. This 400‑kilometre stretch of Route 1 packs in thundering waterfalls, black‑sand beaches straight out of Game of Thrones, glacier‑dotted lagoons and puffin‑clad cliffs – all within a day’s drive of the capital.
After spending five weeks on the island (and yes, shipping our car over from the UK!), we still think the south coast offers the country’s greatest wow‑per‑kilometre ratio.
It’s also the easiest piece of Iceland to tackle in an electric vehicle (EV) or camper‑van, with frequent chargers, well‑stocked supermarkets and plenty of year‑round campsites.
⚡ Good to know | Tesla Superchargers now dot Route 1 at Reykjavík, Selfoss, Vík and Höfn, while Iceland’s ON Power, N1 and Ísorka networks fill the gaps for CCS and Type 2 vehicles.
This itinerary assumes you pick the 5–7‑day sweet spot, which gives you half‑day buffers for bad weather – because Iceland will throw sideways rain at you at least once.
(Press‑for‑time? Trim Day 4 or Day 6.)
If you’d rather sleep under the northern lights, south Iceland is littered with scenic campsites: Skógar, Vík, Skaftafell and Höfn all open year‑round. Check out CampEasy, Kuku Campers or Happy Campers for vans with built‑in heaters.
We've got a full guide on campervan rental, to help you narrow your choices down.
Wild camping is no longer legal on private land along the south coast – stick to marked sites and budget 2 500‑3 500 ISK per person.
For summer (May–Sept) travel, the Ring Road is paved the whole way.
Snowy shoulders in winter can make AWD handy, but you’ll only need a 4×4 if you plan to drive F‑roads into Landmannalaugar or Þórsmörk.
We’ve embedded a Google My Maps layer showing every stop, charger and campsite, hot spring, for ALL of Iceland. Feel free to duplicate it to your own account.
You can get it for less than $5 here.
Grab a cinnamon bun at Braud & Co, then climb Hallgrímskirkja’s tower for city panoramas.
If you didn’t squeeze the city into your arrival day, follow our One‑Day Reykjavík Itinerary for coffee spots, the colourful Old Harbour and lunchtime hot dogs at Bæjarins Beztu
This 230‑km detour is touristy but iconic. Gullfoss is also the meeting point for Mountaineers of Iceland’s snowmobile tour if you fancy an afternoon blast across Langjökull.
Reward yourself at the Secret Lagoon in Flúðir (11:00‑20:00 year‑round, 4 200 ISK; pre‑book), then overnight near Hella to shorten tomorrow’s drive.
Start early to beat the buses at 60‑m‑tall Seljalandsfoss (parking 1 000 ISK, open 24/7) – the one you can walk behind (pack a raincoat!).
Its shy neighbour Gljúfrabúi hides in a mossy cave just 5 minutes north. Both falls drop ~60 m and make you feel teeny‑tiny.
Another 30 minutes east stands Skógafoss (parking 1 000 ISK), equally high but twice as wide.
Climb 527 stairs for rainbow‑sprinkled views, or hike the first leg of the legendary Fimmvörðuháls trail
Don’t skip Kvernufoss – a short sheep‑field stroll to a crowd‑free waterfall you can duck behind.
Tucked away on a moody black sand beach in southern Iceland lies one of the coolest, most random sights you’ll ever stumble across: the abandoned shell of a U.S. Navy plane that crash-landed in 1973. Don’t worry—everyone survived, which makes visiting way less creepy and way more epic.
Getting there? It’s a bit of an adventure. The wreck sits about 4 km (2.5 miles) from the Ring Road (Route 1), near the town of Vík. You can:
Pro tip: Go early or late in the day to beat the crowds—and bring layers. The wind out there does not play nice.
Late‑afternoon light is epic on Reynisfjara’s (free; toilets 200 ISK) basalt stacks and sneaky sneaker waves – stay well back from the surf!
Dyrhólaey lighthouse (road gate 09:00‑19:00 May–Sep) opposite offers puffin sightings May–Aug and textbook coastline photos.
⚡ Top‑up your battery at the 250 kW Supercharger behind the N1 petrol station.
Arrive by 9 am for misty magic in this 2‑km river gorge (free; access road often closed Mar–May) made Insta‑famous by Justin Bieber.
The paved access road is closed in spring thaws; check road.is.
Drive through the world’s largest lava moss carpet – a 565‑km² field from the 1783 Laki eruption. Pop into quaint Klaustur for lunch or fuel.
Base yourself here for two nights. Parking 1 000 ISK/day; Skaftafell visitor centre 09:00‑17:00 (to 18:00 Jun–Aug).
The 5‑km return hike to Svartifoss (the basalt organ‑pipe falls) is a must.
Hardcore hikers can add Kristínartindar summit for glacial panoramas.
⚡ Fast‑charge at Freysnes 150 kW ON Power (5 km east).
Dream Big readers know we loved the less‑crowded sibling of Jökulsárlón. Tours run 9:30–16:30 Apr‑Nov and cost ~9 900 ISK for 75‑min classic boats.
Watch seals weave between luminous blue bergs calved from Vatnajökull (amphibian boat 6 400 ISK / zodiac 10 900 ISK, Jun–Oct), Europe’s largest ice cap.
Then cross the road to Diamond Beach, where crystal‑clear ice shards glitter on black sand – honestly, this place is magic!
Winter (Nov–Mar) offers surreal sapphire caves; summer zodiac rides dart right up to the glacier face.
Sea‑foodies should push on to Höfn for creamy langoustine soup at Pakkhús harbour restaurant.
If you opt to head back to Skaftafell that same day, you'll save yourself about an hour and a half of driving the next day!
⚡ Tesla Supercharger Höfn (150 kW) behind Nettó supermarket.
Pay the small café fee (entry 1 000 ISK; Viking Café 08:00‑22:00 Jun–Aug, 09:00‑18:00 winter), then wander windswept Vestrahorn reflections on black dunes – a photographer’s dream at sunrise.
Break the westbound slog with interactive volcano exhibits in Hvolsvöllur (open 09:00‑17:00 off‑season / 09:00‑19:00 Jun–Aug; 4 500 ISK adult) and a quick horse‑riding tour at Skálakot Farm.
Check‑into your final hotel and treat yourself to craft beers at Skúli Craft Bar.
Sleep in, grab Laugarbraud croissants, then tick any museums you missed.
Sky Lagoon’s 7‑step oceanside ritual (open 10:00‑22:00; Pure Pass from 8 990 ISK) makes the perfect finale before your flight.
Summer (June – August) — Up to 20 hours of daylight, midnight‑sun hikes, open Highland F‑roads and bustling puffin colonies at Dyrhólaey & Ingólfshöfði. Book everything well ahead: this is peak crowd‑and‑price season.
Shoulder Season (May & September) — Longer days without the summer frenzy. Expect purple lupin blooms in May and fiery moss tones in September, yet far fewer cars in the car parks. Some Highland roads may still be snow‑bound and tour timetables can be limited.
Winter Lights (October – April) — Northern Lights, sapphire ice caves and bargain‑season accommodation. Daylight drops below eight hours around the solstice and Route 1 can close in storms, so build in at least one spare day.
Our first‑timer sweet spot: late September or mid‑March — enough daylight for sights, realistic aurora odds and shoulder‑season prices.
South Iceland is a concentrated shot of everything that makes this Land of Fire & Ice unforgettable – all without the marathon drives of the full Ring Road.
Whether you tackle it in a zero‑emission EV (🌱 yay planet!) or a cosy camper, this 5‑to‑7‑day loop will leave your memory cards (and soul) overflowing.
Pack your sense of adventure, crank up that Of Monsters & Men playlist, and dream big, travel far.
Safe travels – and let us know in the comments if you have any questions!
If you want other awesome road trips in Iceland, then check out the West fjords, and the Diamond Circle.
Leave a comment
Let us know what you think!