Description
On your self-guided motorcycle tour around Iceland you will experience various types of roads (dirt and paved), pass volcanoes, see a glacier lagoon, get mesmerised by the most powerful waterfall in Europe, see lakes, ride highland roads, ride through forests and fjords, eat shark and see loads of other interesting things and places!
- Surface: 5% gravel / 95% paved road
- Difficulty: Experienced riders. Suitable for pillions.
- Riding Distance: Around 2,000 km
Highlights
- Thingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss waterfall
- Jokulsarlon (glacier lagoon)
- Godafoss – one of Iceland’s most spectacular waterfalls
- Ride on fun gravel roads, mountain slopes and drive through one of Iceland’s biggest forests
What you get
- GPS route (.GPX file)
- Detailed route notes
- Hotel and guesthouse accommodation suggestions
- Suggestions for the best food and sights along the route
What else we can help with
In addition to the route notes, our sister business Yellow Yeti Travel is a fully insured tour operator and can help with:
- Around Iceland self-guided tour
- Motorcycle rentals in Iceland
- Guided motorcycle tours in Iceland
- Customised routes & notes
Tour Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrival
Arrive and check in to your hotel. Evening at your leisure.
Day 2 – Reykjavik to Hella
From Reykjavik you will take a scenic route to Thingvellir National park, riding along Lake-Thingvellir to get there. Thingvellir is a site of historical, cultural, and geological importance and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Iceland. From there you head off to take a look at Geysir and Gullfoss waterfall where you have lunch. You will enjoy the rest of your day riding through the Icelandic countryside until you reach your accommodation for the night just outside the village Hella.
Day 3 – Hella to Hofn
After breakfast you will continue riding along the south coast of the country and stop by the beautiful but different waterfalls Seljalandsfoss and Skogarfoss. you’ll pass two well-known glaciers, have lunch in Vik where you can take a look at the picturesque basalt sea stacks called Reynisdrangar and the promontory Dyrholaey. You then continue our ride through seemingly endless desert fields, enjoying impressive mountain scenery, reach Europe’s biggest glacier Vatnajokull. You end this day’s journey in the village Hofn, where you can sink our eyes in the vista of the massive glacier.
Day 4 – Hofn to Egilstadir
After fueling your bodies with breakfast and coffee you’ll ride to Jokulsarlon (glacier lagoon) where you’ll take a boat tour in between floating icebergs. Then you continue riding along Vatnajokull glacier and head towards the east fjords of Iceland. On this part of the trip you’ll enjoy the magnificent mountain scenery, ride through valleys and have lunch in the tiny and atmospheric village Djupivogur. From Djupivogur you head north east, ride on fun gravel roads, mountain slopes and drive through one of Iceland’s biggest forests to the “capital” of the east-fjords Egilstadir, where you’ll spend the night.
Day 5 – Egilstadir to Lake Myvatn
With a stop-by at Modrudalur, the highest situated and still inhabited farm of the country (469m), you head to Asbyrgi one of nature’s wonders. Asbyrgi is a spectacular 3,5 km long canyon surrounded with up to 100 m high cliff walls. A catastrophic glacial flooding from one of Vatnajokull´s rivers is said to have formed it. From Asbyrgi you ride to and enjoy the sight of the most powerful waterfall in Europe, Dettifoss. In the afternoon you’ll arrive at lake Myvatn and take in it’s beautiful surroundings before spending the night in the main hotel of the area.
Day 6 – Lake Myvatn to Akureyri
Before heading to capital town of north, Akureyri, you ride around lake Myvatn, enter an old highland road and stop by at one of Iceland’s most spectacular waterfalls Godafoss. After an easy ride on paved roads you reach Iceland’s second city Akureyri where you’ll spend the afternoon and stay for the night.
Day 7 – Akureyri to Langaholt
After a steady breakfast you will opt for road no.1 (the “ring-road”) and ride through various valleys, the village Blonduos and head straight to Snaefellsnes peninsula with it’s spectacular and supposedly healing glacier sitting at the far end. You’ll ride around the glacier on different kind of roads. As you drive along the peninsula you will have a few stops at interesting places such as the shark farm Bjarnarhorn where you can have a taste of traditionally prepared shark meat. Arrival late afternoon at our accommodation in Langaholt guesthouse.
Day 8 -Langaholt to Reykjavik
Instead of driving straight to Reykjavik you will start the day by riding along the volcanic mountains of Snaefellssnes peninsula and take a lunch stop at the Settlement Center in Borgarnes village. Then, if the weather allows, you can take two short detours to enjoy more fun roads and beautiful landscape, such as the route to Hvanneyri and Hvalfjordur (Whale-fjord). Apart from being very picturesque, the fjord is quite popular amongst motorcyclists for its curvy paved road.
