Do you dream of a snowy winter and seeing the northern lights? Then Iceland is the ideal destination for your next vacation.
Iceland is easily accessible in 3 hours of flight from France. Close to the Arctic Circle, Iceland has an alternating day/night climate all year round, with long days in the summer when you can see the midnight sun and long nights in the winter, ideal for observing the Northern Lights. It also has two seasons: winter from October to April and summer from May to September. In winter, the south of the island is the region to visit. Easily accessible, it is full of exceptional landscapes including black sand beaches, volcanoes, glaciers, waterfalls, geysers and fjords. There is no better way to visit the south of the island independently than to rent a car in Iceland with Lava car rental.
In winter, the south of the island is the region to visit. Easily accessible, it is full of exceptional landscapes including black sand beaches, volcanoes, glaciers, waterfalls, geysers and fjords. Nothing better than to visit the south of the island independently than to rent a car in
.
It is advisable to rent a 4x4, a vehicle that can navigate more easily on snowy roads, with its 4 wheel drive.
The ideal road trip is 7 days in Iceland, allowing you to discover the beauty of the land of ice and fire while traveling at your own pace. Discover our ideal route for a week in Iceland in winter.
Day 1: Arrival and discovery of Reykjavik
Upon arrival at Keflavik International Airport, pick up your rental car and drive to Reykjavik, the Icelandic capital. Take a walking tour of the city center to see the colorful houses, climb to the top of Hallgrimskirkja Church overlooking the city, stroll through the city's old harbor before heading to your hotel for the night.
Day 2: Golden Circle
Departure for the Golden Circle which consists of the 3 most famous natural sites of Iceland: Geysir and its geysers, Thingvellir park classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Gullfoss, the Golden Waterfall. Enjoy a small detour to taste the famous tomato soup in Fridheimar, where tomatoes are grown on site, in greenhouses all year round.
Day 3: Discovering the South Coast
Continue your journey towards the east. You pass the foot of the glacier volcano, Eyjafjallajökull known for its volcanic eruption in 2010 that blocked all air traffic in Europe and made Iceland popular. Discover the spectacular Seljalandsfoss waterfall. Then, move on to the majestic Skogafoss waterfall. Between the two waterfalls is the Mýrdalsjökulll glacier where you can enjoy a snowmobile ride. Continue to the east where you will discover Reynisfjara, a beautiful black sand beach surrounded by high basalt cliffs.
Day 4-5: Vatnajokull National Park
Your journey continues to the beautiful glacial lagoon of Jökulsárlón, within Vatnajokull National Park. Make a stop at the Skaftafell reserve, part of Vatnajokull, where you can see beautiful glacial tongues. The lagoon is filled with blue and white blocks of ice freshly broken off the nearby glacier. The ice blocks float on the surface of the calm waters of the lagoon and drift slowly towards the ocean. Some of them come to rest on the nearby black sand beach, nicknamed the Diamond Beach. In the evening, enjoy a delicious dinner in the village of Höfn, known for its quality scampi before going to watch the northern lights.
Day 6: Vestrahorn and return to Reykjavik
Discover the mountain Vestrahorn, known for having a shape resembling a bat from certain angles before slowly taking the road back to the Icelandic capital. On the way, enjoy another stop at sites of interest to see them from a new perspective. Evening and night in Reykjavik.
Day 7: Swimming at the Blue Lagoon and flight
Take advantage of your last day in Iceland to swim in the warm milky blue waters of the Blue Lagoon before leaving the island... Until the next time. During your road trip, take advantage of the evenings to see the Northern Lights, a unique phenomenon only visible in polar destinations. Green, white or purple in color, the northern lights dance in the sky and leave you speechless
