All Things Iceland

Can you plan an incredible 15-day trip to Iceland in January? Absolutely! But there are some important things to consider, especially when it comes to winter driving, limited daylight, and making the most of your time. I recently had the opportunity to review a detailed Iceland itinerary submitted by Robert, a traveler from the United States who is planning a very special trip with his wife. They got married 10 years ago but never had a honeymoon. Now, they’re celebrating their anniversary with a long-awaited honeymoon in Iceland! How sweet is that?! Robert is planning a 15-day trip in January 2027, exploring South Iceland, Southeast Iceland, the Eastfjords, the Golden Circle, West Iceland, the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, and Reykjavík. He’s also a member of my All Things Iceland Travel Club, where I personally help travelers plan their trips, answer questions, and provide itinerary reviews. With Robert’s permission, I’m sharing highlights from his itinerary and my recommendations so you can apply some of these lessons to your own Iceland adventure. Whether you’re visiting for three days or three weeks, there’s a lot to learn from this itinerary! Table of Contents What I Loved About Robert’s Iceland Itinerary Before getting into the day-by-day review, I want to give Robert some credit. He put an incredible amount of thought and research into this trip. In fact, he told me that he helps create tours and travel guides in the United States, so he already has experience putting together detailed itineraries. He even used my All Things Iceland podcast, along with Google and other resources, to help plan his trip. I absolutely loved hearing that! Robert had four main questions when he submitted his itinerary: Was he accounting for enough daylight? Were his driving routes realistic for winter? Was he doing any unnecessary backtracking? Was he missing any important attractions along the way? These are fantastic questions for anyone planning a winter trip to Iceland. One thing that impressed me was that he built approximately 25% extra driving time into his schedule to account for winter conditions. He also planned multiple nights in certain locations rather than constantly changing accommodations. Another thing I appreciated was that he wasn’t attempting to drive the entire Ring Road. While 15 days might sound like plenty of time to drive around Iceland, January brings additional challenges. Snow, ice, wind, road closures, and limited daylight can make traveling much more complicated. Instead, Robert chose to focus on several regions and return along the South Coast rather than continue north. There is some backtracking involved, but in this particular situation, I actually think that makes sense. Let’s get into the itinerary! Day 1: Driving From Keflavík Airport to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon This was my biggest concern with Robert’s entire itinerary. Robert and his wife are scheduled to arrive at Keflavík International Airport around 6:00 AM after an overnight flight from the United States. Their original plan is to pick up their rental car and drive all the way to the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon area in Southeast Iceland. That’s approximately five and a half hours of driving without stops, assuming normal conditions. In January, I would not personally recommend doing this immediately after arriving on an overnight flight. Why I Wouldn’t Recommend This Drive on Arrival Day First, there’s the issue of fatigue. I’ve taken overnight flights between the United States and Iceland countless times. Even when you think you’ll sleep on the plane, it’s not always easy to get quality rest. I’ve arrived in Iceland absolutely exhausted and needed to lie down by noon or 1:00 PM. Now imagine adding several hours of driving to that experience! There’s also the issue of daylight. In early January, Iceland has only around four to five hours of daylight, depending on your location. That means a significant portion of this drive would take place in darkness. Combine that with potentially icy roads, strong winds, snow, and unfamiliar driving conditions, and it becomes a much more challenging journey than it might appear on Google Maps. Driving while extremely tired is dangerous, and it’s something I encourage everyone visiting Iceland to take seriously. What I Recommended Instead My preference would be for Robert and his wife to stop in Vík for their first night. Vík is approximately two and a half to three hours from Keflavík Airport under normal driving conditions. That would significantly reduce their first day’s driving time and give them an opportunity to rest. Another option Robert mentioned was Kirkjubæjarklaustur, which is farther east than Vík but still short of Jökulsárlón. We discussed these possibilities inside the Travel Club, and he explained that he and his wife travel frequently and feel comfortable with longer travel days. Ultimately, it’s their vacation, and I respect that. However, my recommendation remains to be flexible and willing to stop earlier if they’re tired or the weather isn’t cooperating. For anyone planning their first day in Iceland, I generally recommend keeping things relatively relaxed. You could explore Reykjavík, visit a geothermal lagoon, enjoy a local swimming pool, or simply settle into your accommodations. There’s no need to exhaust yourself before your Iceland adventure has even begun! My takeaway: Just because a driving route looks manageable on a map doesn’t mean it’s a good idea after an overnight flight, especially during winter. Day 2: Exploring a Blue Ice Cave and Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon The reason Robert wants to reach Jökulsárlón on his first day becomes clear when you look at Day 2. He has a blue ice cave tour scheduled for approximately 9:30 AM! I completely understand why he wants to be nearby for this experience. Exploring a natural blue ice cave is one of the most incredible activities you can do during winter in Iceland. These caves are constantly changing, and the brilliant blue ice can be absolutely breathtaking. Explore a guided Vatnajökull ice cave tour One important thing to know is that natural ice caves should only be explored with qualified guides who understand current glacier conditions and provide the necessary safety equipment. After the tour, Robert and his wife plan to explore Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and nearby Diamond Beach. They’re also considering Fjallsárlón Glacier Lagoon, which is another beautiful location in the area. Personally, I find Jökulsárlón especially impressive, but if time and conditions allow, there’s nothing wrong with visiting both lagoons. This is a wonderful day in their itinerary, assuming they arrive in the area safely and have enough energy to enjoy it. Day 3: Vestrahorn, Stokksnes, and Driving Into East Iceland On Day 3, Robert and his wife plan to visit Vestrahorn Mountain on the Stokksnes Peninsula before continuing toward Egilsstaðir in East Iceland. Vestrahorn is one of my favorite places to photograph in Iceland. The mountain is absolutely spectacular, especially when the conditions allow it to reflect on the wet black sand. I’ve spent hours photographing this area, and some of the images look almost unreal. However, I encouraged Robert to allow flexibility in his schedule. He originally allocated around two hours to explore Stokksnes, but depending on the snow, wind, and walking conditions, he might need more time. Be Careful Driving Into the Eastfjords in Winter My bigger concern was the drive into East Iceland. One route travelers sometimes encounter is Öxi, Road 939, which can shorten the journey during favorable conditions. I would not recommend relying on this mountain road during January. Instead, travelers should check the official road conditions and follow a suitable, open route. Two websites I highly recommend are: SafeTravel.is — Travel safety information and weather warnings. Umferdin.is — Road conditions, closures, and traffic cameras. Having a four-wheel-drive vehicle is helpful, but it doesn’t make unsafe roads safe. If the weather prevents Robert from continuing east, I suggested spending more time around Höfn. There are restaurants, a swimming pool, and indoor activities in the area, making it a good alternative to forcing a difficult drive. Having a backup plan doesn’t mean your trip has gone badly. It means you planned well enough to adapt! Day 4: Stuðlagil Canyon, Seyðisfjörður, and East Iceland Robert has several beautiful places on his itinerary for Day 4, including Stuðlagil Canyon and Seyðisfjörður. Stuðlagil is famous for its incredible basalt columns and striking blue-green river. It’s a stunning location, but winter access can be challenging. Snow, ice, and road conditions may prevent travelers from reaching certain viewpoints or safely exploring the canyon. Seyðisfjörður is another fantastic destination, known for its colorful buildings, blue church, and rainbow-painted street. However, reaching Seyðisfjörður from Egilsstaðir requires driving over Fjarðarheiði, a mountain pass that can experience significant snow, ice, fog, and temporary closures. I’ve driven this route in May and still encountered snow! I encouraged Robert to treat these stops as weather-dependent rather than guaranteed. If Stuðlagil isn’t accessible, other possibilities include Hengifoss waterfall, when trail conditions are safe, or visiting the East Iceland reindeer park. And if you’re lucky, you might even spot wild reindeer while driving through East Iceland during winter! The key is to let the conditions determine what’s realistic. Day 5: Exploring the Eastfjords and Returning Toward Jökulsárlón On Day 5, Robert plans to begin traveling back toward Southeast Iceland. S

I have some really exciting news to share with you today! If you’ve been following All Things Iceland for a while, you know how much I love helping people plan their trips to Iceland. Whether that’s through my podcast, YouTube videos, blog posts, or answering your questions on social media, it’s something I’m genuinely passionate about. But I’ve also wanted to create a space where we could take that interaction a step further. A place where you could ask me questions directly, get help with your itinerary, discover places you might not have considered, and connect with other people who are just as excited about Iceland as you are. And I’m happy to say that I’ve finally created it! It’s called the All Things Iceland Travel Club, and it’s officially open! What is the Iceland Travel Club? The Travel Club is an online community for people who are planning their first trip to Iceland, returning for another adventure, or simply love learning about this beautiful country. And one thing I really want to emphasize is that this isn’t just another place where you get a bunch of information and then you’re left to figure everything out on your own. I’m actually in the club every day. I’m answering questions, sharing recommendations, posting about places I’ve visited, and interacting with members. Some of the posts are about popular places in Iceland, but I’m also sharing some of those lesser-known spots that might not make it onto a typical itinerary. And I’m going beyond just saying, “Hey, you should visit this place.” I’m sharing my personal experiences, what makes these places special, things you should know before visiting, and whether I think they’re worth including in your trip. And members can ask follow-up questions, share their own experiences, and have conversations with each other. That’s a huge part of why I created this. I want it to feel like an actual community. Something exciting has already happened! Now, here’s something that has me especially excited. I only created this club about a week ago, and people have already started joining! And one of our new members has already submitted his 15-day Iceland itinerary for January. He’s coming to Iceland with his wife, and I’m currently going through their plans and putting together my feedback. And let me tell you, there are some interesting things to discuss! In fact, I’ve already been chatting with him inside the community because I had a few questions about his itinerary. One of the things I noticed was a particularly long drive planned for the day they arrive in Iceland. And because they’re coming in January, there are a few things I want them to consider, including daylight hours, winter road conditions, and how tired they might be after an overnight flight. But here’s something that’s really important to me. It’s your trip, not mine. My job isn’t to tell someone that they absolutely have to do things my way. It’s to use my experience traveling around Iceland, driving these routes, and understanding the seasons to help them make informed decisions. So sometimes I’ll ask questions before making recommendations. For example, are your accommodations flexible? Would you consider staying somewhere else? Is this particular stop a must-see for you? That way, the feedback is actually helpful for the person and their travel preferences. And what’s really cool is that some of these conversations happen in the community where other members can see them and learn from them, too. An upcoming itinerary review episode And speaking of this itinerary, I have another exciting announcement! This member has given me permission to feature his itinerary in an upcoming podcast episode and YouTube video. I’ll only be sharing his first name, and I’ll keep his personal information confidential. But I’ll be walking through the overall trip, highlighting some of the things I really like about his plans, and discussing a few areas where I think adjustments could make the experience even better. So if you’re planning a winter trip to Iceland, especially if you’re considering a longer itinerary, this is definitely an episode you’ll want to check out. Even if you’re not visiting in January, I think you’ll learn some really useful things about how to structure an Iceland itinerary. And this is something I plan to continue doing because there’s so much we can learn from real travelers’ itineraries. What else is included in the Travel Club? Now, the community and itinerary help are just part of what’s included. When you join, you’ll also have access to my Iceland Itinerary Blueprint, which walks you through the process of putting together an Iceland itinerary that actually makes sense for your trip. I’ll also be adding my Savvy Traveler’s Guide to Iceland (coming soon), which is my in-depth video course covering practically everything you need to know to prepare for your visit. You’ll have access to my Ultimate Iceland Packing Checklist, travel discount codes, and other planning resources. And we’re also going to have a live monthly Q&A, where you can bring your Iceland travel questions directly to me. So whether you’re wondering about renting a car, which region to visit, how to plan around limited daylight, or what activities are worth booking, you’ll have a place to ask. And the club is absolutely for both first-time and returning visitors. We already have people inside who’ve been to Iceland several times, along with people preparing for their very first trip. I love that mix because there’s so much value in having different perspectives and experiences in one place. A special offer for the first 50 founding members Now, because this is a brand-new community, I wanted to do something special for the people who join early. The first 50 founding members will receive a guaranteed personal itinerary review from me, included with their membership. And I want to explain what that means because I don’t want anyone thinking they need to have their entire trip figured out before joining. You absolutely do not. Maybe you already have a detailed 10-day itinerary, and you want me to look it over to see if the driving distances make sense, whether you’re trying to squeeze in too much, or if there’s something worth changing. Great! I can help with that. But maybe you’re at the very beginning. You know you’re coming to Iceland for seven days, you’ve heard about the South Coast and the Golden Circle, and you’re trying to figure out what else you can realistically fit in. That’s okay, too! You can share what you’re thinking about, and I can help you start shaping those ideas into a plan. The point is to meet you wherever you are in the planning process. Now, I am limiting this guaranteed review to the first 50 members because these reviews take time, and I want to make sure I can give each person thoughtful, personalized feedback. Once those 50 spots are filled, I’ll still be featuring itinerary reviews in the community, but they’ll be selected rather than guaranteed for every new member. And one more thing: you don’t have to be traveling anytime soon to take advantage of this. If you’re planning a trip for next summer, next winter, or even further into the future, you can still join and start planning. Founding member pricing The other special thing about joining now is the founding member price. Right now, the All Things Iceland Travel Club is $19 per month. That gives you access to the community, the planning resources, the monthly live Q&A, and all the things I’ve been talking about. But this introductory price is only available until November 7th. After that, the membership price increases to $39 per month. So if you’ve been looking for a way to get more personalized help planning your Iceland trip, I really encourage you to check it out while the founding member offer is available. Come see what’s happening inside! I’m really excited about what we’re building. I want this to be a place where you feel more confident about your Iceland trip, where you discover things you might never have found on your own, and where you can connect with other travelers who share your excitement. And, of course, I want it to be fun! So whether you’re visiting Iceland for the first time or you’re coming back for your fifth adventure, I’d love to welcome you into the All Things Iceland Travel Club. Remember, the founding member rate is $19 per month until November 7th, and the first 50 members receive that guaranteed itinerary review. You’ll find the link in the show notes. And keep an eye out for that upcoming 15-day January itinerary review episode because I think it’s going to be a really interesting one! Thanks so much for listening, and I hope to see you inside the Travel Club!

Apparently, we are maxxing everything these days. There’s sleep-maxxing, looks-maxxing, money-maxxing… so naturally, I’ve decided we need to talk about Iceland-maxxing. And yes, I know that sounds ridiculous, but stick with me because there’s actually a useful idea behind this. What Does Iceland-Maxxing Actually Mean? If you’re traveling to Iceland, you’re probably spending a significant amount of money to get here. You might be using a week or two of precious vacation time. Maybe this is a trip you’ve been dreaming about for years. So how do you get the most value out of the time, money, and energy you’re spending to be here? When I say Iceland-maxxing, I absolutely do not mean cramming as many attractions as humanly possible into your itinerary. In fact, I think that’s one of the fastest ways to make your trip worse. After living in Iceland for almost ten years and helping people plan trips here for years, I think a great Iceland itinerary comes down to something much simpler: everything on your itinerary should earn its place. How to Create Your Own Itinerary for Iceland This is actually a big part of why I created my Iceland Itinerary Blueprint. I kept seeing people with dozens of amazing places saved for Iceland, but they didn’t necessarily know how to turn all of those places into a trip that made sense geographically or fit the amount of time they actually had. The Blueprint walks you through the process I use to think about your priorities, driving time, where things are located, and how to put everything together into an itinerary that works for your trip. I’ll tell you a little more about it later on in this blog. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu4lDscI_oE 1. What Is This Stop Actually Costing You? Here’s something I don’t think enough people consider when planning Iceland: even a free attraction has a cost. Let’s say you’ve found an incredible waterfall. There’s no entrance fee, so technically it’s free. Except… is it? Maybe it’s 45 minutes away from the route you were already planning to drive. That’s 45 minutes to get there and potentially another 45 minutes to get back to where you would have been. Then you spend 30 or 45 minutes at the waterfall. Suddenly, your “free” waterfall has cost you more than two hours of your day. And that’s before we’ve even talked about fuel or your energy. This is why I don’t just ask, “Is this place worth visiting?” There are hundreds of places in Iceland that are worth visiting. The better question is, “Is this place worth what it costs this particular day?” That’s a completely different question. If you’re already driving right past it, fantastic. If visiting it requires a huge detour from three other things you care about more, maybe it doesn’t belong on that particular day. This is also where backtracking comes into play. Sometimes I’ll look at someone’s itinerary and they’re driving east, then west, then east again because they’ve planned individual attractions instead of planning a route. You’re paying for that mistake with your time. And in life, time is one of the most valuable things you have. 2. What Is Your Anchor during your Day? The second thing I want you to do is stop treating everything on your itinerary as equally important, because it isn’t. Ask yourself, “If I could only do one thing today, which thing would I be genuinely disappointed to miss?” That’s your anchor. Maybe you’ve wanted to hike on a glacier for ten years. Maybe your dream is soaking in the Blue Lagoon. Maybe you desperately want to see puffins. Maybe there’s a particular restaurant you’ve been dying to visit. Maybe you’re a photographer and there’s one location you specifically came to Iceland to photograph. Whatever it is, put that thing on the itinerary first. Then build around it. What I don’t want is for the thing you care about most to become something you’re rushing through because you scheduled six other attractions that day. Your anchors will also be different from somebody else’s, and that’s important. I can give you my perfect five-day Iceland itinerary. Someone else on YouTube can give you theirs. You can download 17 itineraries from Pinterest. But none of us know what your anchor is. That’s why I think starting with your priorities is so much more useful than starting with somebody else’s itinerary. 3. What Is This Experience Actually Adding to Your Trip? Here’s where I’m potentially going to offend Iceland lovers: there is such a thing as too many waterfalls. I KNOW. Coming from someone who lives in Iceland, that feels almost illegal to say.  But hear me out. Let’s say your Tuesday looks like this: waterfall, waterfall, waterfall, lunch, waterfall, waterfall. By waterfall number five, you may have reached what I am officially calling waterfall diminishing returns. It’s not that the fifth waterfall isn’t spectacular. It’s that you have limited time. Maybe instead of waterfall number five, you could visit a geothermal area. Maybe you could have an incredible Icelandic food experience, go horseback riding, visit a museum and learn something about Icelandic history, soak in a geothermal pool, or simply sit somewhere beautiful for an hour without worrying about getting to your next pin on Google Maps. When I’m thinking about an itinerary, I want to experience diversity. I don’t necessarily want to maximize the number of attractions. I want to maximize the number of different ways you experience Iceland. That’s a subtle distinction, but I think it can make a huge difference in how a trip actually feels. And to be clear, this doesn’t mean you should only visit one waterfall during your entire trip. Iceland has some incredible waterfalls that look completely different from one another. It’s about asking whether every stop is bringing something worthwhile to that particular day. Leave Room for Flexibility in Your Plans There’s one more thing that doesn’t fit neatly into those three questions: you have to leave some breathing room. Because Iceland is going to Iceland. The weather changes. Road conditions change. You see something from the road that looks incredible. You meet somebody who tells you about something you hadn’t considered. You find a café you love. You stop to photograph horses. Or you’re standing somewhere beautiful and realize, I don’t want to leave yet. A completely optimized itinerary with zero flexibility isn’t actually optimized. It’s fragile. If one thing goes wrong, the entire day collapses. So leave some space. Sometimes the best part of an Iceland trip is the thing you didn’t know to put on the itinerary. And I think this is where the whole idea of Iceland-maxxing becomes a little ironic. Sometimes the best way to maximize your trip is actually to do less. Give yourself time to stand at the waterfall. Sit by the ocean. Have lunch without staring at the clock. Pull over somewhere safely because the landscape is incredible. Build an Iceland Itinerary That Works for You If you’re reading to all of this and thinking, Okay, Jewells, this makes sense. But I have 30 places saved for Iceland and I have absolutely no idea how to turn them into an actual itinerary, that’s exactly why I created my Iceland Itinerary Blueprint. I don’t give you my perfect Iceland itinerary because my perfect trip might not be your perfect trip. Instead, I walk you through the process of figuring out your priorities, looking realistically at driving time, grouping places geographically, deciding where it makes sense to stay, and turning everything into an itinerary that actually works for your trip. Because you don’t need me to hand you my perfect Iceland itinerary. You need to know how to build yours. You can find the Iceland Itinerary Blueprint here through the link in the episode description. And there you have it. We have officially Iceland-maxxed. I still can’t believe I’m saying that. 😂 The next time you’re deciding whether to add another pin to your itinerary, remember those three questions: What’s the real cost? What’s my anchor? And what is this actually adding to my trip? If you can answer those, I think you’re already on your way to building a much better Iceland itinerary. Share this with a Friend Facebook Email Threads Let’s Be Social Youtube Instagram Tiktok Facebook

If you are planning a trip to Iceland in summer 2027, this is your sign to start now. Yesterday would have been better, but today is the option we have. That does not mean you should panic and book the first hotel, rental car or tour you find. In fact, booking without first understanding your route can create a completely different problem. The goal is to start planning early enough to keep your choices while making each decision in the right order. I talk with Iceland travelers almost every day through private consultations, emails, social media and the monthly Q and A for my Savvy Traveler’s Guide to Iceland. Over the years, I have watched the summer planning window move earlier. I used to remind people in January to start planning for the upcoming summer. Now, for many travelers, especially those with fixed dates or specific accommodation needs, planning six to twelve months ahead makes much more sense. https://youtu.be/ntJLY4Q7cs0 Featured in this blog Why You Should Plan a Summer Trip to Iceland Early Summer is popular for good reason. The landscape is vibrant and green, the Highlands become accessible, puffins return, hiking opportunities expand and the midnight sun gives you extraordinarily long sightseeing days. You should not avoid summer simply because demand is high. You should plan strategically so you can experience it without paying more than necessary or settling for a trip that does not fit you. As June, July and August get closer, prices generally rise, availability shrinks and many of the best-value options disappear. Occasionally, someone cancels and a room becomes available at the last minute, but that does not mean it will return at its original price. A hotel or vacation rental may reopen the dates at a much higher rate because demand is already strong. Planning early is not only about saving money. Even if you have a generous budget, it gives you more control over the trip. Outside Reykjavík, towns such as Vík, Höfn, Mývatn and Akureyri have fewer accommodations than many travelers expect. Iceland continues to add hotels, but the countryside still has limited inventory, including a surprisingly small number of luxury properties. The best-located and best-reviewed options can fill up regardless of price. This matters even more if you need a family room, several rooms for a group, an accessible space, a kitchen, separate beds, a private bathroom or a particular price range. The more specific your needs are, the earlier you should begin. The Domino Effect of Booking Too Late in Iceland One of the most common mistakes I see is booking flights and thinking the difficult part is finished. A few months before the trip, the traveler begins searching for accommodations and discovers that the affordable, highly rated places are gone. What remains may be far from the planned route, poorly reviewed, too small for the group or simply nothing like the experience they imagined. If you are driving the Ring Road, South Coast, Golden Circle or Snæfellsnes Peninsula, your overnight location affects the entire next day. You do not just need a room somewhere in Iceland. You need the right room in the right area on the right night. Imagine that you intended to continue east but the only available accommodation requires you to backtrack. That detour adds driving time, fuel costs and fatigue. It changes when you reach the next attraction, how much time you have to explore and where you can stop to eat. A room that looked cheaper may not be a better value once the whole route is considered. Booking early gives you a better chance of choosing an overnight stay that supports your itinerary instead of forcing the itinerary to bend around whatever was left. Do Not Book Accommodation Before You Understand Your Route Early planning is important, but randomly reserving attractive hotels around the country is not a strategy. You can lock yourself into places that do not make sense for the number of days you have or the experiences you care about most. Before booking, answer these questions: How many full days will you actually have in Iceland after accounting for arrival and departure times? Which regions and experiences matter most to you? Are the places you saved located close enough to combine realistically? Will you stay primarily in Reykjavík and take day trips, or sleep in the countryside? How much driving feels comfortable for you and the other people in your group? Do you prefer slow mornings and long stops, or a faster-paced trip with more locations? If you have more than three days and plan to drive yourself, spending at least one or two nights in the countryside can help you experience more without repeatedly returning to Reykjavík. Staying in the city is not wrong, but it may be inefficient if your priorities are farther along the South Coast or in another region. Your pace matters just as much as the map. Someone who loves slow mornings, long hikes and hundreds of photos should not copy the itinerary of a traveler who enjoys leaving before sunrise and moving quickly. Online itineraries are useful for inspiration, but they were built around someone else’s energy, interests and priorities. A good Iceland itinerary should feel like your trip. The Iceland Itinerary Blueprint This workshop walks you step-by-step through how to turn all those places you’ve saved into an itinerary that actually makes sense. Follow along as I build a real 5-day Iceland itinerary and learn how to plan your route, choose where to stay overnight, avoid unnecessary backtracking, and decide how much to fit into each day. Click Here Google Maps Does Not Show Your Whole Travel Day Google Maps is an excellent planning tool, but its driving time is not the length of your sightseeing day. For example, the classic Golden Circle includes Þingvellir National Park, Gullfoss waterfall and the Geysir geothermal area. The basic drive from Reykjavík and back may appear to take roughly four hours, but you are not coming to Iceland simply to remain in the car. You need time to explore each location, eat, use the bathroom, walk from parking areas and wait for other members of your group. Icelandic weather can slow you down, and spontaneous stops are part of the experience. You may see horses, a waterfall, a viewpoint or a landscape that makes you want to pull over safely and take it in. When every day is calculated using only the minimum driving time, you either rush through the places you traveled so far to see or fall behind and spend the rest of the trip trying to catch up. The goal is not to squeeze the maximum number of pins into each day. It is to create a trip that feels good while you are living it. Build Your Iceland Itinerary Without the Overwhelm This is often the point where trip planning begins to feel like a second job. You have saved waterfalls, restaurants, hot springs and beautiful hotels, but you are unsure how to connect them without backtracking or spending most of the vacation in the car. That is exactly why I created the Iceland Itinerary Blueprint. In this 69-minute on-demand workshop, I walk you through the same planning framework I have used while helping hundreds of travelers in private consultations. You will learn how to choose the right regions, create sensible driving days, decide where to stay overnight and avoid trying to fit too much into each day. I also build a realistic five-day summer itinerary during the workshop and explain the thinking behind every decision. The point is not to copy that exact route. It is to understand the process so you can apply it to a three-day trip, ten-day trip, two-week trip or any other length. You also receive a guided planning worksheet, a printable five-day itinerary planner and lifetime access, so you can return whenever your plans change. If you want to turn all your saved Iceland ideas into a realistic route, get instant access to the Iceland Itinerary Blueprint. It is designed to help you plan independently while giving you a clear framework to follow. Which Rental Car Do You Need for Summer in Iceland If you will stay on the Ring Road and other regular roads during summer, a two-wheel-drive car is sufficient for most travelers. You do not automatically need a four-wheel-drive vehicle simply because Iceland has dramatic landscapes. Many of the rough-road images people see online were filmed in the Highlands or on mountain roads. If you plan to drive on F-roads or enter the Highlands, you need an approved four-wheel-drive vehicle and the right insurance for your route. This is another reason to understand your itinerary before reserving a car. If you have not decided whether the Highlands are part of the trip, first settle the route so you do not have to cancel and rebook. Rental cars generally do not require the same twelve-month lead time as the most sought-after countryside accommodations, but booking earlier gives you more vehicle choices. Smaller affordable cars, automatics, camper vans and popular four-wheel-drive models can become limited during summer. Before reserving, read my Ultimate Guide to Renting a Car in Iceland for vehicle, insurance and road guidance. When you are ready to book, you can save 7 percent with Go Car Rental Iceland or Go Campers. Go Car rentals also include free 4G Wi-Fi through my link, while Go Campers includes a free sleeping bag. Be Realistic About Your Arrival Day Many flights from the United States leave in the evening and arrive in Iceland early the following morning. Although it is described as an overnight flight, a five- or six-hour journey is not enough time for most people to get meaningful sleep. Even if you land at six, seven or eight in the morning, you may feel reasonably alert at first and become exhausted by midday. I do not reco

One of the questions people often have about living in Iceland is how the healthcare system actually works, especially when it comes to having a baby. As an American who has lived in Iceland for 10 years, I was very aware when I became pregnant for the first time in 2025 that having a baby in the United States can potentially cost thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars depending on your health insurance. My experience with maternity care in Iceland was very different. https://youtu.be/lib5G9vAFIA From prenatal appointments and ultrasounds to an unexpected breech pregnancy, labor, an emergency C-section, two nights in the hospital, and postpartum care at home, I received an incredible amount of medical care and support. When I added up the things I actually paid for throughout this entire journey, the total came to just a little over $1,600 USD. And importantly, a decent portion of that total came from things I chose to pay for rather than essential medical care that I was required to pay for. Finding Out I Was Pregnant in Iceland My pregnancy journey started with a positive pregnancy test in February 2025. After finding out, I called my neighborhood health center, or heilsugæsla, to let them know I was pregnant. I was accustomed to regular healthcare appointments sometimes taking quite a while to schedule, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Pregnancy was completely different. A midwife called me back very quickly and started explaining what would happen next. It genuinely felt as if becoming pregnant suddenly put me at the front of the line. That feeling continued throughout my pregnancy. Prenatal and postpartum care in Iceland is very midwife-driven, which I ended up loving. I had 10 prenatal appointments with midwives, and unless there was a reason for more specialized medical care, I didn’t need to routinely see a gynecologist or obstetrician. During my appointments, my midwives checked things like my blood pressure, urine, the baby’s heartbeat and my general health. I also had blood tests to monitor things like my iron and vitamin D levels. As someone who has been completely plant-based for 11 years, I was also curious whether being vegan during pregnancy would become an issue. It didn’t. My healthcare providers weren’t judgmental about it, and the focus was simply on making sure I and the baby were healthy and getting what we needed. Ultrasounds, Testing and the Costs That Started Adding Up I had several ultrasounds during my pregnancy. Some were part of the standard care available to me, while we chose to pay for an additional ultrasound to look more closely for potential abnormalities. There were also additional tests along the way, including the glucose test for gestational diabetes. I will happily admit that the glucose test was one of my least favorite parts of pregnancy.  But most of these routine aspects of my prenatal care were covered. One of the larger expenses that I chose to pay for was a natural birthing course, which cost 50,000 ISK. I had hoped to have a natural vaginal birth. Halli and I took the course together to prepare ourselves mentally and physically. Of course, our baby had other plans. Finding Out My Baby Was Breech Later in my pregnancy, we discovered that our baby was in the breech position. It was difficult to process that news because it potentially meant that having a vaginal birth might not be possible. The medical team attempted to manually turn her, with my consent, but she was apparently quite happy where she was and wasn’t interested in cooperating. I was given the option of scheduling a C-section or attempting a vaginal breech birth. Because I wanted to try for a natural birth, I needed an X-ray of my pelvis to determine whether there was enough space to safely deliver a breech baby vaginally. That X-ray was another expense I paid for myself. What I appreciated throughout this process was that I didn’t feel pressured. The doctor explained the risks and gave her professional recommendation, but I still felt involved in the decisions being made about my body and my baby. My Birth Plan Completely Changed I had originally hoped to give birth at a midwife-led birthing center rather than in a hospital. In Iceland, I had options regarding where I wanted to give birth, and choosing the birthing center didn’t mean paying some enormous premium for that experience. However, once we knew the baby was breech, giving birth at the birthing center was no longer considered safe for my situation. I needed to deliver at the hospital where specialists would be available. I went into spontaneous labor on October 23rd and gave birth on October 24th, which was her due date. Labor was incredibly intense. I arrived at the hospital already six centimeters dilated and initially tried to continue without pain medication. Eventually, I was too exhausted and opted for an epidural. Actually, I had to have two epidurals, because the first didn’t work properly. Eventually I reached eight centimeters, but the baby still wasn’t descending. My water hadn’t broken on its own, and even after the medical team broke my water and later used medication to try to move things along, she wasn’t coming down. At that point, the doctors recommended an emergency C-section. This was absolutely not the birth I had planned. But what I remember very clearly is how kind the staff were when they spoke to me about it. They knew how much I had wanted to give birth vaginally. I didn’t feel like they were dismissing that or treating me like my preferences didn’t matter. We agreed to the C-section, and not long afterward, our baby girl was here. The Cost of My Emergency C-Section in Iceland After an emergency C-section, surgery, anesthesia, all of the medical staff involved in delivering our baby, and everything else that happened during labor, I didn’t receive a giant hospital bill. I spent two nights in the hospital, and I could have stayed for a third night if I wanted to. I had a private room while recovering from my C-section, with midwives and nurses regularly checking on me. For the first 24 hours, I couldn’t even get out of bed, so I relied heavily on the hospital staff and my family. They helped me with my recovery, checked my incision, helped with breastfeeding and cared for our baby. I was even provided vegan meals during my hospital stay. My own hospital stay cost me nothing. There was a small charge for Halli staying with me ($114), but compared with everything that had just happened, it was minimal. That still blows my mind. Postpartum Care in Iceland Came to My House One of my favorite parts of postpartum care in Iceland was what happened after we went home. I had already chosen Edythe, a midwife I knew from the birthing center, to provide my postpartum care. She came to our home 10 times! And I mean she actually came into our home and checked on both of us. She checked how my C-section wound was healing and how I was feeling physically and emotionally. She weighed our baby, monitored her growth and development, helped us with her first bath, answered our endless questions and helped me tremendously when I struggled with breastfeeding. Those visits were especially lovely because our baby was born in October. We didn’t have to bundle up a newborn and continuously leave the house during the Icelandic winter just to receive routine postpartum care. I felt incredibly supported. When Our Baby Needed Additional Medical Care We did have some additional challenges after birth. Our baby was diagnosed with hip dysplasia in one hip and eventually needed to wear a brace for around 20 hours a day for six weeks. That was emotionally difficult. Seeing your tiny baby fitted into a brace and watching her cry is not something I’d wish on anyone. Thankfully, the treatment worked incredibly well. After follow-up appointments with the pediatric orthopedic specialist, she was cleared to stop wearing the brace, and her hips have continued developing well. We also dealt with feeding issues and the possibility of a milk allergy. Eventually, an allergist prescribed a specialized formula. Before receiving the prescription, we were paying around $50 per can, which adds up very quickly when your baby relies on formula. Once it was prescribed, Icelandic health insurance covered six cans per month, which made an enormous difference. What Wasn’t Covered? Not everything I spent money on was covered by Iceland’s healthcare system. There were things I chose to pay for myself, including my natural birthing class, some additional testing and ultrasounds, the pelvic X-ray associated with attempting a vaginal breech birth, extra postpartum blood work, and pelvic floor therapy after my C-section. The pelvic floor therapy in particular was something I chose to do as part of my recovery, and it wasn’t included as part of my standard postpartum care. There were also expenses associated with specialized formula before we received the prescription for it. When I put everything together, I spent a little over $1,600 USD throughout my pregnancy, birth and postpartum experience. And that number needs context. It wasn’t $1,600 just to walk into the hospital and have a baby. My emergency C-section itself didn’t suddenly result in a massive bill. My Experience With Maternity Care in Iceland I don’t want this episode to imply that the Icelandic healthcare system is perfect or that every person who has a baby in Iceland will have exactly the same experience I did. I can only speak about what happened to me. And my experience was overwhelmingly positive. Over nine months of pregnancy, labor, an emergency C-section and postpartum recovery, there was only once when I didn’t feel unsupported, and it was an isolated event