Driving the Ring Road: an honest guide
Empty Route 1 winding past a snowy mountain
1,332km, 7 to 10 days, and Iceland's single best travel experience — here's what to know about rental cars, fuel, weather and the two mistakes that ruin trips.
The practical bits
Rental cars run $65-90 a day for a compact in summer, $250+ for a proper 4x4. In June-August you can do the whole loop in a 2WD compact — you never need to leave Route 1. In winter, take a 4x4 with studded tires ($130 a day), full comprehensive insurance and gravel protection. Fuel costs $8-9 a gallon; budget $250-350 for the full loop. N1, Olis and Orkan stations cover the country; some are unattended pumps that need a chip-and-pin card.
Route and mistakes
Go clockwise — south coast first when you’re still fresh, east fjords in the middle when they feel remote and rewarding, north on the way back when you’re pool-hopping. Two mistakes: trying it in 5 days (you’ll drive 8 hours daily and see nothing well), and skipping the east fjords because they look empty on the map. The east is where Iceland stops feeling like a theme park. Also: check vedur.is every morning.
Before you book
What people ask before booking Reykjavik.
Automatic — more expensive but you don’t want to stall on a 15% gravel incline in a crosswind.
Yes via Straeto buses or a bus-tour package (Reykjavik Excursions, Sterna). Slower, cheaper, less flexible.
