Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
RING ROAD ADVICE
Don't confuse the Ring Road, which loops the country, with the Golden Circle (a tourist
route in the country's southwest).
The Ring Road doesn't traverse Iceland's interior - if you're keen to see more, two high-
land routes cut through the centre. These roads are only open in summer, and only to
4WDs; happily, all-terrain buses traverse the routes in summer.
More details are provided on driving, car hire, F roads, cycling, bus services and hitching
in our Transport chapter, (
Click here
)
.
How Long Do I Need?
If you were to drive the Ring Road without stopping (or breaking the speed limit), it would
take approximately 16 hours. Thus, a week-long trip in the countryside means an average
of about 2½ hours of driving per day. While this might seem a bit full-on for some, re-
member that the drive is extraordinarily scenic and rarely feels like a haul. In summer,
there's plenty of daylight.
We recommend a minimum of 10 days to do justice to the Ring Road (see (
Click here
)
for an itinerary outline). For travellers planning an itinerary that's under a week, we sug-
gest committing to one or two regions in detail (eg, Reykjavík and the south or west; a
week in the north), rather than trying to hoof it around the island.
By Car
Discovering Iceland by private vehicle is by far the most convenient means. It is, as expec-
ted, the most expensive method as well.
Renting a Car
It's best to start early when searching for low rates. The internet is your best resource, but
take care to ensure that the name of your rental service appears on your booking, and to
double-check that all fees are included in the quoted price.
