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Iceland Ring Road: 7-Day Small Group Tour with Glacier Hike

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Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/19

Duration7d

GroupUp to 18

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Circle Iceland’s wild coasts, waterfalls & volcanic wonders in a week

You’ll circle Iceland’s wildest landscapes with a small group—walk behind waterfalls on the Golden Circle, hike glaciers near Jokulsarlon Lagoon, soak in Mývatn Nature Baths (optional), and spot whales in Dalvik. Expect real conversations with locals, hotel breakfasts each morning, and more sheep than you thought possible. It’s less about ticking boxes than feeling Iceland under your skin.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Golden Circle and South Coast Tour

Pick up in Reykjavik
Travel Golden Circle route
Visit Thingvellir National Park
See Strokkur geyser at Geysir
Visit Gullfoss waterfall
See Seljalandsfoss waterfall
Visit Skogafoss waterfall
Explore Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach

Day 2 — Skaftafell, Glacier Lagoon, Höfn

Glacier hike at Skaftafell National Park
Visit Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
See Diamond Beach
Overnight in Höfn area

Day 3 — East Fjords to Egilsstaðir

Drive East Fjords coast
Stop at Djúpivogur fishing village
Overnight in Egilsstaðir area
Visit Wilderness Center with museum and hot pots

Day 4 — Studlagil, Mývatn, Akureyri

Visit Namaskard hot springs
Explore Dimmuborgir lava formations
See Hverfjall Volcano Crater
Relax at Mývatn Nature Baths
Visit Studlagil canyon
Overnight in Akureyri area

Day 5 — Whale Watching and Siglufjörður

Drive through Akureyri
Whale watching tour from Dalvik
Explore Siglufjörður town
Travel through farmlands
Overnight in Borgarnes area

Day 6 — Borgarfjörður and Reykholt

Visit Borgarfjörður area
Hike Grábrók volcano crater
Visit Hraunfossar waterfall
Visit Reykholt and Snorralaug hot spring
Overnight in Borgarnes area

Day 7 — Snaefellsnes Peninsula and Reykjavik

Explore Borgarnes and Snaefellsnes
Visit Arnarstapi village
See Mount Kirkjufell
Visit Deildartunguhver Thermal Spring
Return to Reykjavik

The Experience

We rolled out of Reykjavik in that early blue light, the kind that makes you feel like you’re sneaking out before the world wakes up. Our guide, Sigrún, had this quiet way of pointing at things from behind the wheel—first the mossy stretches outside Thingvellir, then the steam breathing up from Geysir. I remember Gullfoss roaring so loud it sort of vibrated in my chest. The air smelled faintly metallic near the falls, and my gloves were already damp by Seljalandsfoss but I didn’t care. Walking behind that curtain of water felt like stepping into a secret room.

The next day was all about ice. We strapped on crampons for a short glacier hike in Vatnajokull with Jónas leading us—he kept checking everyone’s boots like a nervous parent. At Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, I just stood there gawking at those blue-white icebergs drifting past seals. The wind off Diamond Beach stung my face but made the coffee at our guesthouse taste even better later. The east fjords were quieter—twisting roads, sheep everywhere (they really do just wander), and Djupivogur fishing village where we tried some dried fish I’m still not sure about.

Mývatn Nature Baths came after a long day bouncing between lava fields and hot springs—the milky water was warm enough to make me forget my toes had been frozen since Akureyri. Someone said you could smell sulfur before you saw the pools; they weren’t kidding. There was laughter echoing off the rocks and steam curling up into that endless northern sky. Whale watching from Dalvik was luckier than I expected—a humpback surfaced right near our boat and everyone went quiet for a second. Even our guide grinned like a kid.

By the time we looped back toward Borgarnes and Snaefellsnes Peninsula, my sense of time was shot—I kept mixing up which waterfall or crater came first. Reykholt felt different though: old stories clinging to the stones, Sigrún telling us about Snorri Sturluson while we peered into his ancient pool (I probably mispronounced everything). Kirkjufell Mountain looked unreal against low clouds. Funny how seven days can stretch and shrink at once—I still think about that moment standing on black sand with cold wind in my teeth.

What’s included

Your week includes daily hotel breakfasts, six nights’ accommodation around Iceland’s ring road (shared room unless upgraded), small group transport with free onboard Wi-Fi, Reykjavik pickup on day one, and all scheduled stops from waterfalls to fishing villages—with expert local guides leading hikes and sharing stories along the way. Glacier hike gear is provided; optional extras like Mývatn Nature Baths can be added after booking.

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by Arctic Adventures