Iceland in 5 Days: South Coast Road Trip Itinerary

Iceland is a great destination for travelers who enjoy getting out into nature. It’s also the perfect road trip destination. Being one of the most volcanic regions in the world, this land of ice and fire has everything from black sand beaches to some of the most beautiful waterfalls I have ever seen. This five-day itinerary for first-time visitors will have you exploring the highlights of Iceland’s south coast.

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I did this trip to Iceland in November when the days are fairly short so if you are going in the summer, you will have more time to sightsee. Even though shorter days might limit you in some ways, Iceland was still worth it to travel to in November. The longer nights mean you have a higher chance of seeing the Northern lights and with cooling temperatures, you can explore inside ice caves.

For the winter conditions, make sure you have everything on your Iceland packing list you need to stay comfortable and warm.

While you can add on unique day tours like hiking on glaciers, ice cave tours, and diving between tectonic plates, this five day Iceland itinerary is done completely self-guided.

5 Day South Coast Iceland Itinerary in November

Length: 4 1/2 days, 4 nights
Approximate km/miles: 1,225 km, 16.5 hours
Start and End Point: Reykjavik
Cities/Towns: Reykjavik, Vik, Hveragerdi
Waterfalls: Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, Kvernufoss, Gulfoss, Oxararfoss
Other Sights: Blue Lagoon, Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, Reynisfjara

While you could do most of this itinerary as day trips from the capital of Reykjavik, I highly recommend staying further out to avoid backtracking. Especially in case of bad weather, you want to limit driving as much as possible. Because it is winter, I wouldn’t tackle the entire Ring Road in November. The south coast, Golden Circle, and the Snaefellsnes Peninsula are the best-maintained roads for winter driving conditions so plan to limit yourself to these areas. This itinerary doesn’t take in the Snaefellsnes Peninsula but you could easily add on a couple of days to explore the Snaefellsnes Peninsula at the beginning or end of this itinerary.

Because November in Iceland means daylight isn’t until around 9:30-10 am, we took advantage of this by driving long distances in the dark. This was so we could use as much of the daylight exploring as possible. With longer daylight hours, you could add in more hiking, especially around Skaftafell.

One of the best things about visiting in November is the chance to see the northern lights. I didn’t see them and regret not joining a Northern Lights tour because I think this would have been my best chance to experience the aurora. The colder weather also means it may be possible to explore an ice-cave, a pretty unique experience.

Renting a Car in Iceland

For this itinerary, a rental car is crucial. I recommend and use Discover Cars to book a car. Discover Cars helps you find the best deal by searching local Icelandic companies and international companies. Always make sure to check the ratings of the company before booking, the cheapest isn’t always better. You can also add on full coverage insurance so you have less to worry about. In Iceland, I picked up and dropped off from the airport.

Even though this itinerary is for winter, I didn’t use a 4WD car. My rental car did have studded tires though. For this itinerary, a regular car is fine as you will be staying on the main highway. Make sure to keep an eye on weather conditions to avoid bad weather though, you can check road conditions here.

Day 1: Blue Lagoon and Reykjanes Peninsula

With the overnight flight from Toronto landing at 4:30 am, I knew the first day in Iceland would be best spent around Reykjavik. After picking up a rental car, we still had hours to go until our check-in time at the Blue Lagoon. To kill some time, we drove around the Reykjanes Peninsula and looked at the Reykjanes Lighthouse in the dark. At night the landscape here is just dark and it is sort of eerie to see some of the steam vents that rise up from the ground. We actually parked at Gunnuhver and walked around the boardwalks a bit with headlamps on.

Blue Lagoon

Finally, our check-in time to the Blue Lagoon came and we headed over there. This is one of those places that you should book in advance. While it is a bit of a splurge, it was the perfect way to get over jetlag. The bright blue lagoon is relaxing to float around and we spent about 3 hours here.

If you want to save money, you can still see the bright milky blue waters of the Lagoon just outside the entrance of the Blue Lagoon. There is an area where you can walk around and get some photos of the black lava fields and the milky teal water as I discovered on my visit to the Blue Lagoon.

Reykjanes Peninsula: Gunnuhver and Brimketill

After our visit to the Blue Lagoon, we decided to return to nearby Gunnuhver on the Reykjanes Peninsula to appreciate it in the daylight. The boardwalk here keeps you safely away from the steaming vents. The boiling mud here is the largest mud pool in Iceland. There is a huge vent here as well as little areas where the steam escapes from the ground. It creates this wonderful multi-coloured landscape of red, yellows, and greens.

After Gunnuvhar, stop on the coast at Brimketill. Just a short walk up the hill takes you to a viewpoint over the Atlantic Ocean with waves crashing onto the shore. There is a large natural pool here among the jagged lava rocks. While it isn’t swimmable, the crashing waves are a sight to behold.

Reykjavik

After a morning on the Reykjanes Peninsula, we drove to Reykjavik. While Reykjavik is an adorable city, I wanted to focus more on Iceland’s nature so all I saw of it was the Hallgrimskirkja church. Reykjavik is a very walkable city and while restaurant prices can be steep, I did have delicious noodle soup here. You can check out my full vegetarian and vegan food guide to Iceland here.

Stay in or near Reykjavik your first night before heading out the next day to check out Vik and the waterfalls on the way. If you have more daylight than I did or a bit more time there, there are plenty of interesting things to do in Reykjavik that are on my list for my next visit.

If you have time during your visit to Reykjavik, you may want to go whale-watching. Iceland has a history of whaling but is shifting to more eco-friendly practices around whales and has been promoting sustainable whale watching in Iceland.

I stayed at REK Inn just outside of the main restaurant area. The room here was a great size and there was easy on-street parking. Handily, REK Inn is right next to a Bonus grocery store so you can stock up on snacks or cook your meal in the shared kitchen.

Day 2: Reykjavik to Vik

Day two of this five day Iceland itinerary was themed around waterfalls. Today is full of some of the most spectacular and famous waterfall Iceland’s south coast has to offer. A trip to Iceland just wouldn’t be complete without several waterfalls.

Seljalandsfoss

The first stop of the day was at Seljalandsfoss. This waterfall is unique because you can walk behind it. It’s quite popular so expect to be sharing the view with a lot of people, even if you visit Seljalandsfoss in November. This is a very misty waterfall so expect to get soaked when you walk behind it. Just down the path, there are several waterfalls including Gljufrabui. Fewer people visit this one as you have to walk in the water through a small canyon to see it. You can also catch a glimpse of it outside the canyon if you don’t want to risk the freezing waters.

Skogafoss

After Seljalandfoss, continue towards Vik stopping at Skogafoss in Skogar. Skogafoss is another big waterfall name on the Iceland waterfall circuit so it’s quite busy. Tucked into a bit of a canyon, Skogafoss is a stunning waterfall. You can walk up to the base of the waterfall but in November, the mist is quite chilly and you will get soaked.

After you can walk up to the top of the falls by going up the staircase on the right but ultimately, I didn’t think it was necessary to do. I found the view from the bottom of Skogafoss to be way more beautiful.

Kvernufoss

Kvernufoss is a short drive and hike away. This was by far my favourite waterfall I saw in Iceland. The hike to it takes you next to the river and because it isn’t right off of a parking lot, way less people. We had the waterfall to ourselves for a good 30 minutes and only saw 4 other people on the hike. Check out my post on Kvernufoss for more details on finding this hidden gem.

Like Seljalanfoss, you can walk behind Kvernufoss. When you get up close you can hear the thunder of the water as it hits the boulders below. The gorge and waterfall here felt like the magic people always talk about when they mention Iceland.

Dyrholaey and Reynisfjara

Close to Vik, we stopped at Dyrhólaey lighthouse to get a view over the black sand beaches near Vik as well as the arch here. It was incredibly windy up on this viewpoint but had fantastic views of the surrounding area.

After Dyrholaey, we drove down to what is likely the World’s most famous and best black sand beach, Reynisfjara. This black sand beach near Vik is unique not only because of the black sand but also because of the basalt columns that rise up behind it. You also get fantastic views of Dyrholaey Arch from here. Keep an eye on the waves, Reynisfjara is known to have sneaker waves which come in unexpectedly fast and can pull you out to sea. It has happened to tourists in the past.

Vik

Vik is a cute small town in a good location to base yourselves for the next two nights. You can read about everything to do in my Vik guide here. Vik had good food options, though limited. It’s worth taking a drive up to see the adorable red-roofed church at night time.

I stayed at Hotel Kria in Vik. The hotel rooms are extremely nice with very comfy beds. If you request a mountain view, you will have a full-sized window and door to the mountain that sits behind Vik and a small deck to sit on as well. I loved that breakfast was included with the room as well in the restaurant that is on-site at Hotel Kria.

Day 3: Vik to Jokulsarlon

This Iceland five-day itinerary was turning out to somehow have themed days. The theme of day 3 was glaciers. I felt like driving Vik to the Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon and back was quite a lot of driving. Even in longer daylight hours, I wouldn’t want to tack this on to day two or drive from Reykjavik. You could stay closer to Jokulsarlon this night. I decided to stay in Vik because I wanted to be sure that I wasn’t too far from the Golden Circle on day 4 in case of bad weather.

Eldhraun Lava Fields

Not far outside of Vik are the Eldhraun Lava Fields. You definitely will be driving through these on your way to explore the glaciers of Iceland. Keep your eyes out for a small parking lot on your righthand side. There is a walkway above the mossy lava fields here. It’s important to stay on the walkway and resist the temptation to walk on the moss as it takes hundreds of years to form. The lava fields area is absolutely huge at 565 sq km and is the result of an eruption in 1783. This otherworldly landscape is part of what makes a visit to Iceland so unique.

Skaftafell, Vatnajökull National Park

The Skaftafell area of Vatnajökull National Park is a great place to do some hiking and get up close to glaciers. You can either do the short hike to the glacier here or you can hike to Svartifoss, a waterfall that falls over hexagonal basalt columns. Svartifoss was the inspiration for the design of Hallgrimskirkja church that we saw on day 1.

I chose to hike to the glacier, thinking I wouldn’t see enough of them. In retrospect, I do wish I had done the hike to Svartifoss instead. The glacier was definitely interesting was an enjoyable walk to it. After seeing what the glacier hike was like, I was actually happy I didn’t decide to join a tour as I felt I got enough out of the experience just seeing one.

Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon

The Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon was intended to be today’s highlight, and it was. It is well worth the drive and really was worth squeezing onto the itinerary. My only regret here is that I didn’t stay the night because I would have loved more time here. With multiple glaciers floating in the lagoon, it’s quite peaceful. I was lucky enough to spot a seal swimming in the water here.

Diamond Beach

After seeing the glaciers floating in the lagoon, go across the road to Diamond Beach. When the glaciers go out to the Atlantic, pieces of the glaciers or larger bits of ice wash up on the black sand of Diamond Beach. It makes for a spectacular sight of glittering ice on the black sand. After watching the sunset here, it was back to Vik for the night.

Day 4: Fjaðrárgljúfur and Golden Circle

Day 4 was supposed to be spent driving from Vik and doing the entire Golden Circle. But, that is not how today went. You see, Vik was so beautiful it was hard to leave it. And being so close to Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon, it felt like a shame to not visit there. So with some backtracking a visit to Fjaðrárgljúfur was in order as well as a partial visit to the Golden Circle.

Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon

Pronunciation issues aside, Fjadrargljufur Canyon is about an hour outside of Vik towards Jokulsarlon and it’s worth adding to your itinerary. This winding moss covered canyon is really gorgeous and the path takes you to two waterfalls at the end. Unfortunately, a lot of moss on top of the canyon has been destroyed because of people walking on it.

Hjörleifshöfði

On the way back towards Vik, we couldn’t resist stopping at Hjorleifshofdi. This stand-alone mountain is located right on the coast. You can drive around its base and take in the mountain and the black sand as well. It’s a lot of fun to drive and as long as you stick to the packed down road and not the loose sand, you should be fine in a car.

Golden Circle: Gulfoss and Geysir

After lunch and a brief stop to the beach in Vik, we were off towards our first stop on the Golden Circle in Iceland, Gullfoss. The drive to Gullfoss is quite scenic and makes for easy driving. As we approached Fluidr, all of a sudden everything got this thick sparkly layer of frost all over everything as the sun started to set a soft lavender colour. It honestly is one of the most beautiful landscapes I have driven through.

Gullfoss was so beautiful at sunset, I highly recommend it. The waterfall throws up a lot of mist so there was ice coating all of the grass and some of the walkways.

Nearby to Gullfoss is Geysir. Home to the namesake of geysers, the geyser that erupts now is actually known as Strokkur. Strokkur erupts very frequently and shoots water up to 30 m in the air.

Hveragerdi

On the last night in Iceland, I stayed in Hveragerdi. This small town is a convenient location to visit the Golden Circle. It’s also a reasonable distance to the Reykjavik Airport. It’s also the place where I had some of the best pizza of my life at Olverk Pizza. While here, I stayed at Reykjadalur Guesthouse. The guesthouse was on the smaller side but also more budget-friendly and for a final night, it was great.

Day 5: Golden Circle and Home

After four amazing days in Iceland, I felt like anything I got to see on my final day would be a bonus. Staying in Hveragerdi, it was close enough that a visit to the main stops on the Golden Circle was possible this morning before dropping the car at the airport and heading home.

Þingvellir National Park

Þingvellir (or Thingvellir) National Park was the final destination on this trip. This National Park is culturally significant to Iceland as it is the place where the Vikings established the world’s first democratic parliament. The most impressive sights here are being able to walk between tectonic plates and Oxarafoss waterfall. It is in Thingvellir that you can go on tours to snorkel or dive between the tectonic plates. I was glad I skipped out on this tour because standing around in a snorkeling gear in November just is not my thing.

Iceland’s South Coast at Night

I looked for Northern Lights every night I was in Iceland. I was never successful but the hunt is part of the fun. Keep an eye on the Aurora forecast for Iceland to see cloud cover and aurora activity level. Just drive away from the towns and you can often find some small road or area to pull off into to watch for the Northern Lights. While I was unlucky, the lights can be very active in November so there is a reasonably good chance of seeing them. Getting good photos of the aurora can be difficult so you may want to read up on some tricks for photographing the Northern Lights before you head to Iceland.

Tips for Visiting Iceland in November

1. Pack for cold and windy weather. Because of being an Atlantic island, weather can change rapidly and high winds aren’t uncommon. Pack wind pants or snow pants for hiking and definitely bring snow boots, mitts, hats, and winter jacket.
2. Rental cars will give you the most flexibility and be cheaper than tours. You might luck out and have good weather but you could just as easily have a snow storm so be prepared for winter driving. You do not need a 4wd rental. An economy car is fine on the roads, even if it’s icy. Our rental car had studded tires.
3. You might not see the Northern Lights. While you are more likely to see the Northern Lights but unfortunately, it isn’t guaranteed. Keep an eye on cloud cover conditions and the predicted level of aurora activity.
4. Keep an eye on road conditions and check before you head out for the day so you can be prepared. Iceland has a fantastic website for road conditions and they keep it very up to date.
5. Make sure you refuel your car when you see a gas station, they can be far apart.

Iceland in Five Days

There you have it, some of Iceland’s top sights in only five days! I was hesitant about traveling to Iceland in November but got very lucky with clear weather. I was also worried about the short daylight hours but again, this turned out not to be a problem. One of the good things about short daylight hours is that I got to see the sunrise every day without waking up early. I would definitely visit Iceland in November again and hopefully next time, I can see the Northern Lights.

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