If you’ve already read about all the unexpected adventures from our Iceland trip, here’s the practical side of the story. This is the route we followed through South Iceland, along with a few notes from the road. And if you want all the maps and driving details, I’ve bundled everything into a free PDF at the end.

So… Here’s What We Actually Did.

After I shared all the stories from our Iceland trip, one question kept popping up:

“Can you share your itinerary?”

Absolutely.

Before we left, I spent weeks reading blog posts, saving Google Maps pins, and trying to piece together an itinerary that actually made sense. Everyone seemed to recommend something slightly different, so I figured I’d share what worked for us. This wasn’t a race to tick off every attraction in Iceland. We wanted enough structure to see the highlights, but enough flexibility to pull over for a beautiful view, linger a little longer at a waterfall, or stop for coffee whenever we felt like it.

Looking back, I’m really glad we didn’t overplan. Some of our favorite memories happened between the stops on our itinerary. So if you’re planning your own Iceland road trip, I hope this gives you a helpful starting point.

Before You Steal Our Itinerary…

📅 When we visited: July

🚗 Travel style: Self-drive road trip

👨‍👩‍👦 Who this itinerary is for: Families, couples, and first-time visitors

🛏️ Accommodation: Airbnbs

☀️ Best part of summer: The midnight sun gave us plenty of flexibility each day.

🛒 First stop after landing: Costco. No regrets.

Day 1 | Easing Into Iceland

Landing in Iceland felt surreal. After picking up our rental car, we made what was probably the least glamorous stop of the entire trip… Costco.

It might not sound exciting, but stocking up on snacks, breakfast supplies, and drinks saved us quite a bit over the next few days. From there, we headed toward Þingvellir National Park before visiting Kerið Crater and ending the day with a sweet stop at Skyrland. It was the perfect introduction to Iceland without trying to cram too much into our first day.

Catch-Up in One Bite: Not every unforgettable travel day starts with a waterfall. Sometimes it starts with Costco.

Day 2 | Waterfalls, Geysers & Tomato Soup

This was one of those days where every stop felt completely different from the last. We watched bread being baked underground using geothermal heat, stood in front of erupting geysers, admired the power of Gullfoss, enjoyed lunch inside the famous Friðheimar tomato greenhouse, and finished the day soaking in the warm water of Secret Lagoon.

If someone only had one full day in Iceland, this would be very high on my recommendation list.

Catch-Up in One Bite: Come for the geysers. Stay for the tomato soup.

Day 3 | Iceland Showing Off

This was probably the most dramatic day of our trip. One incredible landscape seemed to lead straight into another.

From Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon to Yoda Cave, Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach, Dyrhólaey, and Sólheimajökull Glacier, the scenery somehow kept getting better. It was also the day Iceland reminded me to respect the ocean. If you’ve already read my first Iceland story… you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Catch-Up in One Bite: This was the day Iceland completely stole the show.

Day 4 | Puffins & Peaceful Places

Westman Islands turned out to be one of the biggest surprises of our trip. The ferry ride was easy, the island felt completely different from the mainland, and finally seeing puffins in the wild was every bit as exciting as I’d hoped.

On the way back, we also visited Kvernufoss, which quietly became one of my favorite waterfalls in Iceland. Sometimes the places with fewer crowds end up leaving the biggest impression.

Catch-Up in One Bite: Puffins make everything better.

Day 5 | Chasing Waterfalls

This was our busiest driving day, but it never felt rushed. We revisited some of Iceland’s famous waterfalls, explored Skógar Museum, learned more about Iceland’s volcanic history at the Lava Centre, wandered through colorful geothermal landscapes at Seltún, and even stood between two continents at the Bridge Between Continents.

By this point, we’d stopped trying to predict what Iceland would surprise us with next.

Catch-Up in One Bite: Just when you think you’ve seen it all… Iceland has another surprise.

Day 6 | One Last Day

We spent our final full day exploring Reykjavík at a slower pace. We wandered down Rainbow Street, admired Hallgrímskirkja, visited Perlan, grabbed Iceland’s famous hot dog, watched the Lava Show, and finished the trip with a relaxing soak at the Blue Lagoon.

It felt like the perfect ending. Not because the trip was over… But because we’d already started talking about coming back.

Catch-Up in One Bite: Goodbyes are easier when you know you’ll return someday.

Would We Change Anything?

Honestly? Not much.

If we could do it all again, we’d probably add one extra day just to slow down a little more. Iceland has a funny way of making you want to stop every fifteen minutes.

Sometimes for a waterfall. Sometimes for a mountain. Sometimes just because the road ahead looks unbelievably beautiful.

Want the Exact Route?

This post is the big-picture version.

If you’d like the exact route we drove, including maps, driving times, and all the stops in one place, I’ve put everything into a free PDF to make planning easier.

👉 Download the Free 6-Day Iceland Itinerary PDF

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 6 days enough for Iceland?

For South Iceland, yes. We felt like we saw many of the country’s highlights without needing to rush through every stop.

Is this itinerary family-friendly?

Definitely. We kept a relaxed pace, made plenty of scenic stops, and found it worked well for traveling as a family.

Is July a good time to visit Iceland?

Absolutely. The long daylight hours gave us lots of flexibility and made road-tripping even more enjoyable.

Do I need a 4WD?

Not for this itinerary in summer. A standard rental car was enough for the places we visited.

A Little Catch-Up Before You Go

If there’s one thing I learned from this trip, it’s that an itinerary is just a starting point. The map helps you get from one place to the next, but it can’t predict the tiny moments that end up becoming your favorite memories.

The tomato soup you still talk about.
The puffins you almost missed.
The waterfall you discovered by accident.
Or the unexpected detour that somehow becomes the best story of the whole trip.

So use this itinerary however you’d like.
Copy it.
Tweak it.
Skip a stop.
Add your own.
Just leave a little room for Iceland to surprise you.
Because trust me… it probably will.

Until next time, thanks for catching up with me.