Iceland equals adventure. Volcanic, rugged, ethereal and enchantingly beautiful, there is virtually a swoon-worthy view at every turn, making Iceland not only one of the world’s most striking islands but also one of the best destinations to explore on a road trip.
Even if you only have five days in Iceland, driving will give you the freedom to maximise every minute – especially in the long, nearly endless summer days – and if you opt for a campervan, you’ll have even more control with the added bonus of saving money on accommodation and dining along the way.
Consider the season and which campervan will suit you and the weather best
Practicalities For Exploring Iceland by Campervan
This five-day Iceland itinerary is designed with campervans in mind, including suggested campsites for overnight stays (wild and off-road camping are prohibited in Iceland) near the main attractions and key stops – though you’ll certainly pass other villages, viewpoints and detours along the way. Keep in mind that when planning your trip, July and August can see prices skyrocket for rentals, while in winter, some campsites shut down. Still, this itinerary works even in winter as it avoids any of the F-roads (mountain roads that close in winter); you’ll just need to research year-round campsites.
The best time to visit Iceland for fairer prices, reliable road conditions and still decent weather is usually around May and September. One of the key factors to consider when planning your trip is what type of campervan rental in Iceland is best for you, and also best for the season. If you plan on going on the F-roads in summer, you’ll need to take a 4×4 vehicle. In winter, you’ll want to ensure there is a proper heating system.
Companies like Campervan Reykjavik (which is based at Keflavik – the airport’s location – despite its name) have a wide range of different options, ranging from rooftop tents to campervans and fully-contained motorhomes. The latter are usually far more costly and not entirely necessary, as most campsites have showers, kitchens, toilets (fewer options in winter), which are often included in the campsite fees, though at some locations it’s an extra charge, which would then be offset by going self-contained. Regardless of the type of vehicle, you have to stay in a campground or, with prior permission, on private land. Essentially, do your research, determine when and where you want to go, and then select the most suitable vehicle.
Snorkeling in Sifra is one of the best things to do in Iceland
5 Days Iceland Itinerary
To make the most of your five days in Iceland, aim to arrive early on day one and depart in the evening of day five. If flights don’t allow this, and you’re arriving later on day one or leaving earlier on day five, consider swapping day four or five (closer to the airport) with day one, and then making day one (The Golden Triangle) day two of your Iceland itinerary.
Day 1: The Golden Circle
After an early arrival and collecting your camper, begin your five-day Iceland itinerary following “The Golden Circle” – though you’ll end around Selfoss, ready to continue east tomorrow, rather than doing the full loop. This well-trod route threads together many of the highlights near Reykjavik and is a beautiful introduction to Iceland.
Route: Keflavik Airport – Silfra – Thingvellir National Park – Haukadalur – Gullfoss – Selfoss Driving distance: 230km (142 miles); approx 3:30 hours Stay at:Around Selfoss makes the most sense, journey-wise. However, consider Úlfljótsvatn, a spacious lakeside camp with good facilities about 20 minutes from Selfoss. Full opening is from June until late September; limited winter opening until November.
Silfra and Thingvellir National Park
Start your five days in Iceland with one of the most unique experiences in the country: snorkelling or scuba diving in the frigid waters of Silfra, a rift where the continents’ tectonic plates meet. You’ll need to pre-book the experience and allow around two hours. Right nearby is the visitor centre for the UNESCO-listed Thingvellir National Park – a spectacular and historic location due to being the site of Iceland’s historic parliament – where you can collect info and maps for a hike in the park.
Haukadalur, Strokkur and Gulfoss Waterfall
The geothermal valley of Haukadalur is fascinating, so plan to spend around an hour here appreciating the geothermal pools, fumaroles and watching the mighty Strokkur Geyser erupt high into the sky. It’s a short drive to the impressive valley-dominating Gulfoss Waterfall.
Seljalandsfoss is one of Iceland’s best waterfalls
Day 2: South Coast Falls and Beaches
Spend the second day of this Iceland five-day itinerary hopping between swoon-worthy waterfalls and epic coastal views as you drive east along the south coast. Don’t stress about stopping at each waterfall or village along the way today; you might want to save one for leg-stretching on the way back on day four.
Route: Seljalandsfoss – Skógafoss – Vik and Reynisfjara Beach Driving distance: 205km (127 miles); approx 3 hours Stay at:Vik Camping is located just outside the village centre and operates from May until November.
Seljalandsfoss, Gljufrabui, and Skógafoss Waterfalls
This trio of impressive waterfalls is only around 30 minutes apart. The first you’ll reach is Seljalandsfoss, my favourite, as you can actually walk behind the cascade, which is just incredible. Gljúfrabúi Waterfall is also very nearby. Then, continue along the road until sublime and sheet-like Skógafoss, keeping an eye out for Icelandic horses en route.
Reynisfjara Beach, Dyrhólaey and Vik
Before reaching Vik, a gorgeous village with an iconic church, turn off at the striking Reynisfjara Beach. This ink-black beach is spectacular. At the far end, you’ll find the famed lava-formed rock tower formations. At nearby Dyrhólaey, take in the epic coastal views of the rock arch bridge and, between April and September, spot puffins.
Diamond Beach Iceland at sunset
Day 3: Glaciers, Lagoons and Diamond Sands
The third day will take you as far east as you’ll travel on this Iceland five-day itinerary and includes two of Iceland’s top things to do: the glittering diamond beach and the nation’s most famous glacier lagoon. Consider if you want to spend the night staying near here, or prefer to loop partly back to Vik to reduce tomorrow’s drive times.
Route: Vik – Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon– Vatnajökull Glacier and Jokulsarlon Lagoon – Black Diamond Beach Driving distance: 200km (125 miles); approx 2:30 hours Stay at: Either return to somewhere in Vik or en route to reduce driving time, or near the glacier at Skaftafell Campground, which is open year-round.
Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon
Made famous by a Justin Bieber music video, and then closed for a while to conserve, the dramatic, verdant Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon is an ideal first stop of the day. Arrive early to try to avoid crowds and plan to spend around an hour walking the trail.
Vatnajokull Glacier and Jökulsárlón Lagoon
Europe’s largest glacier is phenomenal and has no shortage of epic experiences. Two of my favourite memories of Iceland happened here. The first was trekking atop the glacier itself, peeking into glistening caves and just generally being in awe. The second was marvelling at the Jökulsárlón Lagoon – plan to kayak on it if it’s not winter and frozen, which is fed by the glacier and dotted with small icebergs. Make sure you book activities in advance with certified guides
Black Diamond Beach
On the ocean side of the lagoon, Breiðamerkursandur – better known as the Black Diamond Beach – is the perfect end to the day. Large ice nuggets dot the beach, creating a striking contrast with the jet-black sands. It’s especially magical when the lower sun hits the light.
Stay near the city centre overnight to enjoy some local life and see Hallgrímskirkja Church illuminated
Day 4: Lava Tunnels and City Life
If you stayed around Jökulsárlón, today will be the longest driving section on your Iceland road trip. If you’ve already backtracked to Vik, then it will be shorter and you might want to add part of day five into the mix, depending on tomorrow’s flight time.
Route: Jökulsárlón (or Vik) – Reykjadalur Valley — Reykjavík Driving distance: 340km (210 miles); approx 4:30 hours (less if you’ve looped back towards Vik yesterday) Stay at: Reykjavík Campsite, located right next to the Laugardalslaug swimming pools, which is fairly central. It’s only a 40-minute walk or a 20-minute bus ride to the main downtown areas, allowing you to park and enjoy a night out in the city.
Reykjadalur Valley
Before returning to more urban life, spend a few hours soaking up the magic that is Reykjadalur. This geothermal valley has soothing hot springs and heated river-hugging trails.
Reykjavík
Spend the last day of this five-day Iceland itinerary in the country’s cool and laid-back capital, Reykjavík. This will give you the chance to park the camper and visit some sights in afternoon – such as the Hallgrímskirkja Church, National Museum and the Sun Voyager sculpture – enjoy a dinner, some live music and craft beers without worrying about driving, and be well placed for an early start tomorrow to make the most of the day before your flight. If you’ve time, I’d recommend visiting the Árbær Open Air Museum before parking up for the day in Reykjavík
End your road trip at the Blue Lagoon – even if it’s before a late night flight
Day 5: Raufarhólshellir, The Reykjanes Peninsula, and The Blue Lagoon
This Iceland itinerary in five days wraps up around the Reykjanes Peninsula, so you’re never going to be too far from the airport. If you’ve got a super late flight, you might want to consider the Snaefellsnes Peninsula instead.
Route: Reykjavík – Raufarhólshellir — The Blue Lagoon – Keflavik Airport Driving distance: 145km (90 miles); approx 2 hours (maybe more, depending on any peninsula day tours)
Raufarhólshellir and the Reykjanes Peninsula
Start the day with a pre-booked visit to Raufarhólshellir. This mind-blowing lava tunnel provides access to an underground world formed by an eruption that occurred some 5,000 years ago. Afterwards, continue driving along the Reykjanes Peninsula to Grindavik to take in the views. If you’ve time, you can head all the way to the end of the peninsula to see the Reykjanes Lighthouse, adjacent hot springs and nearby rock pools.
The Blue Lagoon
End your five-day visit to Iceland with a little R&R at one of the country’s most famous tourist attractions, the Blue Lagoon. Be sure to book your timeslot tickets well in advance so you don’t miss the chance to bathe in the geothermal waters. After you’re refreshed, it’s only a 25-minute drive back to the airport, and you’ll appreciate being able to have a shower and relax before flying home.
Is Iceland Expensive? Well, a campervan will save on accommodation…
How much should I budget for 5 days in Iceland?
Depending on which season you visit (high summer vs shoulder vs winter), you’ll be looking at a budget of at least 224,000 ISK (approx £1360/€1570 Euro/$1840 as of July 2025) for two people. This would cover a full five-day Iceland itinerary if booking an entry-level camper, eating one meal out daily and preparing your own food the rest of the time, and visiting a few attractions such as the Blue Lagoon, a glacier trek, and the Lava Tunnel.
However, it’s fair to say Iceland is not cheap, and that’s at the more conservative end of the scale and in July or August, especially, it will cost a fair chunk more. Expect the figure to double if you opt for a higher-end, fully-contained model. However, keep in mind that opting for a campervan will save on accommodation costs and indeed food costs if you are preparing your own meals.
Here are some approximate daily cost ranges:
5-day entry-level campervan hire 40,000 – 72,000 ISK
5-day high-end campervan hire 180,000- 300,000 ISK
Overnight camp fee, including electricity and facility fee 5,000 – 7,000 ISK
Fuel costs around 320 ISK a litre, so based on the above itinerary and depending on model, you’ll likely be looking at a minimum of 28,000 ISK
Meal for two 7,000+ ISK
Lava Tunnel entry 8,400 ISK
Glacier Trek 13,900 ISK
Blue Lagoon entry 9,900 ISK
Check for more recent and varied average costs here.
Travel influencers Sarah Woodard. Photo: Instagram/@sarahwoodard
Solo traveller Sarah Woodard, who has visited 102 countries, often shares details about her trips on social media. In a recent post, the American listed five countries where she felt unsafe. India too is included in Sarah’s list of unsafe countries. Sarah was bothered by the constant staring on the streets of India. Besides, she was scared to see stray animals roaming around everywhere. However, she noted that she enjoyed visiting these countries and would surely visit again. Sarah has also stated that she doesn’t believe her experiences in these countries are uncommon or rare. These are the five unsafe countries in the world according to Sarah Woodard.
Namibia Sarah had one of the scariest experiences in Namibia. A tour guide had tried to cheat her out of hundreds of dollars. She also felt that the local residents had troubled her when she was travelling through Namibia.
India India ranks second in Sarah’s list of unsafe countries. Sarah had initially planned to visit India as part of a group tour. However, she later decided to visit the country independently. She also hired a private driver for safety. Sarah says she always felt she was constantly being observed while travelling in North India. The driver used to urge her to get inside the car whenever people stared at her. Sarah states that she was scared even to take out her phone and felt afraid whenever she was alone.
Turkey Sarah felt safe for the most part during her six-week trip to Turkey. However, last week, she received a travel advisory that Americans were being abducted from a particular region. Sarah says that she was bothered by such advisories while travelling solo through Turkey.
United States of America Sarah states that women might feel unsafe at some point in the United States, mainly due to unwarranted attention given by men. She had an unpleasant experience while walking alone with her luggage on the subway. A man had constantly tried to talk to her. He then started getting angry and even demanded sexual favours from her.
Tanzania Sarah visited Tanzania in 2020 when she was financially broke. A stranger who kept staring at her followed her up to the hotel. He continued to stare at her until the hotel authorities intervened. Besides, strangers demanded money from her. Sarah says that she was made to wait alone at the border for completing paperwork that wasn’t required for others.
As Vice President of Global Public Relations at luxury travel company Virtuoso, Misty Belles has spent most of her career shaping how—and where—discerning travelers should explore. With 26 years at the company, she’s no stranger to the ever-evolving rhythms of travel and the ins and outs of the industry. Belles recently sat with our editorial director Pilar Guzmán to chat about all things travel this season: why more women are opting to go at it alone, the magic of a girl’s-only trip, and some trends to look forward to.
What are some travel highlights from this past year? What has stuck with you the most?
My first big trip this year was back in May, to Europe, then shortly thereafter, I went to Banff for the 2025 Virtuoso Impact Summit. That’s an area I hadn’t been to since I was maybe five years old, and it made such an imprint on me. I grew up in a small town in Texas; my parents used to load us into a car and we would drive from south Texas to Canada. I give them mad props for being in a car with two little kids for that long.
I went to my soul city, Paris, this last New Year’s with my own kids, and we traveled in a totally different way. It was their first time there. It’s quite extraordinary during the holidays. But I also took my twelve-year-old daughter to see Taylor Swift—twice—and it was the time of my life. Once was in Miami; we did a long weekend together, staying at Aqualina, which culminated in the show. The other time was in Vancouver for the end of The Eras Tour. We did it on a whim, actually. I planned the whole thing in 24 hours. We drove from Seattle and stayed in the middle of nowhere. And it was just magical. If I could bottle that feeling, that excitement, I would be in heaven.
Let’s talk about solo travel. What has changed in the last decade?
I’m someone who has traveled by herself quite a bit, and there was always a stigma of loneliness—but solo travelers are not lonely travelers. They just want to go out and explore the world on their own terms, not on somebody else’s. Nowadays, companies aren’t penalizing solo travelers anymore. There’s also more attention on women-specific travel, where you have a community baked into the trip (highly recommend checking out Intrepid and G Adventures). While you’re still traveling on your own terms, you’re doing it with the safety, security, and support system of knowing that someone has organized it for you. Women tend to backburner their own needs, so giving yourself permission to move at the pace that’s comfortable for you is a great gift.
Looking at our data, there was an increase in solo travel for the three main categories of cruises: Expedition, ocean, and river. That was super interesting—I always think of cruising as a couples or family experience. But on the other hand, it does make sense, because you’re as social or as not social as you want to be on a cruise. We’re also seeing trips to more “exotic” destinations, where, as a solo traveler (especially a woman!), you might be more intimidated on your own. For example, I have friends who have done a women-only trip to Saudi Arabia, and a colleague who just did the same in India—I’ve not been to either, and as a first-time destination, I might be more reluctant to do so. But going with another group of women, where the focus is on meeting and interacting with other women, opens up your world in a completely new way. It’s exciting, and it’s so transformative: You realize how similar someone else’s life is on the other side of the world. You think about the same things. You want your family to be happy. You want to be fulfilled. It’s a very eye-opening experience.
Girl trips are also having a bit of a renaissance. Why do you think they’re so important? What has evolved there?
Women are giving themselves permission to enjoy and to prioritize their female friendships. When you travel with your family, you feel personally responsible for everybody’s happiness: everybody has to have a good time, everybody has to do what’s on their list, everybody has to have a meal that they enjoy. But if you’re traveling with others where you don’t feel like you have to take care of them all the time, that’s a vacation for yourself. It can feel self-indulgent when you’re used to taking care of everyone else. But there are so many benefits. It’s not just the fact that you maintain close relationships, which gets harder to do in adulthood, but you also come back recharged. I always feel like I’m a better mom, wife, and worker when I come back from a trip that has fed my soul.
For a long time, for women, the only way to decompress and to enjoy each other was through the destination spa. For those who enjoy it, awesome. But that’s not everybody’s idea of a good time, or even of decompressing. Really, it’s key to find someone with a similar travel style, to align with them well, whether you’re go-go-go or more relaxed. I also find that the older I get, the more important it is to know people who knew you when you’re young—people who have seen your evolution throughout the different iterations of your life, who are still friends and want to be friends. To me, that’s the best path to walk with somebody.
What’s the summer travel outlook? Any surprise destinations breaking through?
Europe is still very strong, with the usual suspects on top—Greece, Portugal, Italy (I’ve been here for 26 years and Italy has always been the number one outbound destination for us!). US domestic travel is also huge—it’s actually our number one this year—and we’re starting to see a couple other destinations, like Switzerland and the Scandinavian countries, crack the top 10.
Our summer bookings are up 23% year over year and our sales up 26%. When those two numbers are right on par with each other, prices aren’t going up exponentially—which means the rates are finally leveling off. That spells good news for travelers.
Any sense of where some of the wellness trends are netting out?
We’re hearing a lot about the evolution of wellness into wellbeing. To me, wellness feels like a snapshot in time; a feeling of I went here, and I feel better because of it, but now I’m back to my life. But wellbeing is a reset: you learn to care for yourself differently and can integrate that into your life when you get back.
Wellbeing used to be focused just on diet and exercise—both of which are still important, of course. But there’s a deeper question now of how to tackle those ideas along with the things that are important specifically to you, whether it’s longevity, sleep, brain health. It’s not just enough to have these traditional spa services—your facials, massages, hot stones, et cetera—there has to be a kind of medical rigor. A lot of this is because people are making big health changes to their lives back home. They’re looking to accommodate and accelerate those changes when they’re going to these spas.
Pilar Guzmán is the Editorial Director of Oprah Daily, overseeing content strategy across the brand’s platforms.
Toasted ham baguettes in hand, we cheered as the new-generation Nightjet drew into Vienna Hauptbahnhof. It was a little before 7pm, and as the carriages hummed past I felt a rush of joy, like celebrity trainspotter Francis Bourgeois, but without the GoPro on my forehead. For more than three years I’ve been documenting the renaissance of sleeper trains, and I’d wondered if I might one day tire of them. But the thrill seems only to intensify each time I embark on another nocturnal adventure, this time with my two daughters – aged eight and five – who were already arguing over the top berth. The first four carriages were designated for travellers to the Italian port city of La Spezia, the other seven carrying on to Roma Tiburtina, where we would alight at 10am. Once in Rome we had 24 hours to eat classic carbonara, dark chocolate gelato, and bike around the Villa Borghese before taking a train to Florence.
Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) has played the lead role in resuscitating Europe’s night trains. Towards the end of 2016, ÖBB launched its Nightjet network on 14 routes, using old rolling stock it bought from Deutsche Bahn. Then, to the delight of train nerds like me, it launched a brand-new fleet at the end of 2023, and now operates 20 routes across Europe. We were now on board this high-spec service, which smelled of freshly unpacked furniture, the carpets soft underfoot, the lighting adjustable to disco hues of neon blue and punk pink.
We were booked into a couchette carriage, which mostly comprisesd mini cabins designed for solo travellers preferring privacy. Placing shoes and small bags in lockers, passengers can open a metal door with a keycard and crawl into their single berth, drawing the door closed around them, and not have to look at another human until morning. Last year I had trialled the mini cabins from Vienna to Hamburg alongside a tall friend who had likened the experience to sleeping inside a bread bin, though I hadn’t found it as claustrophobic as I’d feared, just a bit hard, chilly, and with a pillow as flat as a postage stamp. So I was curious to see how the carriage’s four-person private compartments, for families and groups, would differ.
New generation Nightjet train in Austria. Photograph: Christian Blumenstein
Normally happy to share with strangers, I’d booked a whole compartment for the three of us: more to protect other hapless travellers from my children, who were now swinging off the berths like members of Cirque du Soleil, their sweaty socks strewn under the seats. With raised sides, the upper berths were safe for the girls to sleep in without rolling out, and I set about tucking in their sheets while they settled down to finish their baguettes. There is no dining car on the Nightjet, so we’d bought food from the station, which was now moving backwards as the train sailed out of the Austrian capital in silence, smoothly curving south-west.
Two days earlier we’d arrived in Vienna by train from London, via Paris, and had checked into the Superbude Wien Prater, a curious hotel that appeared part art-installation, part hostel, with gen Zs slouched around worn leather sofas on MacBooks. With four-bed family cabins overlooking the Prater amusement park, it was a great location from which to explore the city, then finish the evening with a terrifying rollercoaster and a spicy Bitzinger wurst. A friend had described Vienna to me as a grand and beautiful “retirement village”, but, on the contrary, its green spaces, playgrounds and museums made it an easy stop for 48 hours with kids.
Hopping off the Nightjet from Paris, we’d gone straight to my favourite restaurant, Edelgreisslerei Opocensky – an unassuming nook serving homely dishes such as stuffed gnocchi, and goulash with dumplings – before whiling away an afternoon at the Children’s Museum at Schönbrunn Palace.
Dressing up like young Habsburgs, the girls had swanned around in wigs and musty gowns, laying tables for banquets and begging not to leave – a far cry from our usual museum experiences. Before boarding this train we’d had one last run around the interactive Technical Museum, where the human-sized hamster wheels, peg games and slides had so worn out the children that my five-year-old was asleep as the train plunged into the Semmering mountain pass.
It was still light as we swept around the Alps, my eight-year-old kneeling at the window and asking where local people shopped, so few and far between were signs of human life. Horses grazed in paddocks, cows nuzzled, and the occasional hamlet emerged from round a bend as though the chalets were shaken like dice and tossed into the slopes. In the blue-grey twilight we watched streams gleam like strips of metal, and spotted a single stag poised at the edge of a wood, before the train made a long stop at the Styrian city of Leoben, at which point we turned in.
Monisha Rajesh and her daughters disembark the night train. Photograph: Monisha Rajesh
Like the mini cabins, the compartment was still too cold, the pillow still too flat, but the berths were wider and the huge window a blessing compared with the single berths’ portholes – this one allowed for wistful gazing.
Shoving a rolled-up jumper under my head, I fell asleep, waking at 7am to rumpled clouds and a golden flare on the horizon. Most night trains terminate soon after passengers have woken up, but this one was perfect, allowing us to enjoy a leisurely breakfast of hot chocolate and jam rolls while watching the Tuscan dawn breaking into song, and Umbrian lakes and cornfields running parallel before we finally drew into Rome – on time.
When travelling alone I relish arriving with the entire day at my disposal, but with children it’s hard work waiting until 3pm to check in to accommodation, so I default to staying at a Hoxton hotel if one is available. Its Flexy Time policy allows guests to choose what time they check in and out for free, and by 11am we had checked in, showered and set off to toss coins in the Trevi fountain, finding thick whorls of eggy carbonara at nearby trattoria Maccheroni, and gelato at Don Nino. To avoid the crowds and heat, we waited until 6pm to hire an electric pedal car from Bici Pincio at the Villa Borghese and drove around the landscaped, leafy grounds, relishing the quietness of the evening ride. Excited about the next adventure in Florence, the girls had only one complaint: that they couldn’t ride there on the night train.
Monisha Rajesh is the author of Moonlight Express: Around the World by Night Train (Bloomsbury, £22), published on 28 August and available on pre-order at guardianbookshop.com
Omio provided travel in a four-person private compartment in a couchette carriage from Vienna to Rome (from £357). Accommodation was provided by Superbude Wien Prater in Vienna (doubles from €89 room-only); and The Hoxton in Rome (doubles from €189 room-only)
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