7 Excellent Day Trips from Reykjavik

Iceland is one of the top destinations to visit in Europe. Its wild rugged landscape is perfect for anyone who loves the outdoors and nature. Iceland gets more than a million visitors in a year, and yet doesn’t feel overcrowded. There are zillion things to see and do in a country that is so compact in size and a wide array of great day trips from Reykjavik.

The ultimate way to experience Iceland is to take a road trip. We did a 12 day ring road itinerary of Iceland in June. We explored Snaefellsnes Peninsula on the western side, then drove up north, crossed the east region briefly, and spent time exploring the popular south coast of Iceland. Reykjavik and the famous Golden Circle were the last stops on our Iceland itinerary.

But you may not want to change hotels frequently or may not have 10+ days that is recommended to drive down the ring road. If you have a short time in Iceland and base yourself in the capital city, you can see a lot of the country by doing day trips from Reykjavik.

The Best Day Trips from Reykjavik

This post covers the best Reykjavik day trips that can be easily converted to overnight trips.

In cities like Reykjavik there are cars, buses, or tours.

You can rent a car (near Keflavik airport) and do the self-drive option for all these day trips. My favorite rentals car options for Iceland are RentalCars.com, AutoEurope and DiscoverCars.

Except for Landmannalaugar, these mostly fall on the ring road and can be easily added to a Iceland 5 days itinerary.

Golden Circle Route

Distance from Reykjavik to Thingvellir National Park: 45 km

This is the most famous day trip from Reykjavik. Thingvellir national park, Geyser Hot springs area and Gullfoss make the trio in the popular Golden Circle. It is best to get up early and head to Thingvellir national park. Being popular and close to the capital, this national park gets quite crowded.

Thingvellir also has important place in the political history of Iceland. It was here that the first parliament got made to govern the country And nowhere else can you see the American and Eurasian tectonic plates on land. Also walk to Oxarafoss, a lovely waterfall up ahead. There are many other hiking trails to be explored here, but you can’t manage them probably in a day trip from Reykjavik.

After Thingvellir, head to Geyser geothermal area for a quick stop. The famous Geyser itself is no longer active, but you can see Strokkur nearby. The eruption of Strokkur geyser occurs every 6 to 10 minutes. Make sure you stick to the walking paths in this area and enjoy the bubbling mud pools from a safe distance. The water is extremely hot and there is a Sulphur smell in the area.

The last stop on the Golden Circle route is the famous Gullfoss waterfall. Gullfoss is the most visited waterfall in Iceland, partly due to proximity to Reykjavik and partly because of its dramatic display. It comprises 2 waterfalls, a shorter cascade of 11 meters and then a drop of about 21 meters. The canyon walls on both sides of the falls descend deep into the Gullfossgjufur Canyon.

The 3 stops plus the drive from Reykjavik would make this a long day, but very doable in spring or summer months.

Here are the best Golden Circle tours.

Blue Lagoon

Distance from Reykjavik to Blue Lagoon: 45 km

You can’t visit Iceland without enjoying its hot springs. Soaking in the warm water at a natural geothermal spring is heavenly. And one of the most famous spots is in the village of Grindavik and makes for an excellent Reykjavik day trip.

Blue Lagoon is the most popular attraction close to Reykjavik so book your tickets in advance. Iceland trip cost is not cheap with all the hotel stays and activities cost, but Blue Lagoon is so worth it.

Blue Lagoon is a man-made pool where water is brought up from deep within the earth. This water rich in silica and other minerals is supposed to have healing properties. If you can time your visit in the early morning hours or late evening hours, you will get less crowds. We went late in the evening, and it turned out to be perfect. The Blue Lagoon has 2 on-site restaurants, a spa and all amenities that you may need.

Do note that there has been a lot of volcanic activity close to Grindavik in recent times, due to which Blue Lagoon had to be temporarily shut down several time. So check the latest situation before your trip. If Blue Lagoon is shut, another great option close to Reykjavik is Sky Lagoon.

You can book your ticket with roundtrip transfer from the airport or Reykjavik with Viator.

Kirkjufell

Distance from Reykjavik to Kirkjufell: 180 km

Would you take a day trip from Reykjavik to view the ‘most photographed mountain in Iceland’? Kirkjufell is the highlight of Snaefellsnes Peninsula in West Iceland. Together with Kirkjufellfoss (the waterfalls across the road), it makes for a postcard perfect picture.

You can explore the surrounding beauty of Snaefellsness Peninsula. The coastal drive, the picturesque villages will all convey why this area is termed as miniature Iceland’. Some of the attractions that can be covered here are Ytri Tunga seal beach, Budir black church, Arnarstapi cliffs. You get views of Snaefellsjokull glacier – a glacier topped volcano) from many parts of your road trip.

Check out the best Kirkjufell Iceland tours.

Glymur Waterfall Hike

Distance from Reykjavik to Botnsa village: 68 km

Iceland is heaven for the adventurous and those who enjoy hiking. If you are looking for a moderately challenging hike doable as a day trip from Reykjavik, consider the Glymur waterfall hike. For hikers, this is one of the best things to do in Iceland in summer.

At a height of 198 meters, it is the second tallest waterfall in the country. This waterfall can be visited only a hike. It is nestled in a narrow canyon and fed by the river Botnsa.

There is a river crossing that you need to cross during the hike. This log is put sometime in May end or June, so the Glymur waterfall hike is possible only during summer months (June to September). As you hike up to Glymur, you get wonderful views of the lush valley and the coast far away. You can come back the same way or do a second river crossing (without any log!) and take a different route to come back to the car park.

Skogafoss and Seljalandsfoss

Distance from Reykjavik to Vik village: 187 km

Not all beautiful waterfalls in Iceland are difficult to reach. In fact, two of the most popular waterfalls are on ring road route in South Iceland when you drive from Reykjavik to Vik town.

You first come upon Seljalandsfoss. The unique thing about this waterfall is that you can get behind it. There is a small path that leads to the back of the waterfall, and you get glorious view of the waterfall and the surrounding areas from behind it.

But do put your rain jacket and waterproof shoes on because, I got drenched when I did the tour and you will get drenched as you walk the full circle to come back to the front. Seljalandsfoss drops with a thunderous sound some 60 meters on the rocky ground.

Next on the route from Reykjavik to Vik is Skogafoss. This is one of the biggest waterfalls in Iceland with a height of about 60 meters. It is possible to walk very close to Skogafoss but be prepared to be soaked due to the heavy mist around the falls.

Many days, you can see a rainbow looming over the falls due to the heavy mist. There is a staircase with over 500 steps to take you to the top of the falls. And unless you plan to hike the ‘Skogafoss way’ that starts at the to of the fall, you can avoid climbing the steps.

On a day trip from Reykjavik to south Iceland, also add the black beach near Vik –  Reynisfjara with its tall basalt columns and the rock formations nearby in the ocean. Beware of the strong current in the ocean, it is best not to get into the water. You could drive up to Dyrholaey Peninsula to get stunning views of this beach and also of the Atlantic Ocean. There is a lovely lighthouse on top of the peninsula. 

Check out the best South Iceland tours with Viator.

Glacier Hiking

Distance from Reykjavik to Skaftafell: 327 km

The driving distance from Reykjavik to Skaftafell is long, so I don’t recommend this as a day trip. It is best to stay overnight in Vik or Hofn.

But you can’t visit the Land of Ice and Fore without a glacier hike to the largest glacier in Iceland, the Vatnajokull. This glacier hike, or a hike on the nearby Solheimajokull glacier, cannot be done without a tour guide and gear like crampons and ice picks. So it is best to pre-book your glacier hike. You need to go to Skaftafell to start this glacier hiking tour.

You can also book a a boat tour to Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon. Large iceberg chunks that have broken off from the glacier float in this lagoon before getting into the Atlantic Ocean.

And if you have some time left on the second day, make sure to head to Diamond Beach. If you are lucky and the sun is shining brightly, you get to see ice chunks glinting against the black sands of the beach.

Landmannalaugar

Distance from Reykjavik to Landmannalaugar: 141 km

Landmannalaugar is an area of ethereal beauty in central highlands of Iceland that is difficult to reach. It requires planning, but well worth the effort. There is a short season between June and September when the F-roads (or unpaved dirt tracks) open in Iceland that connect central highlands to other parts of the country. You will need to take a 4WD to get on F-roads.

Do a short hike, see the multi-colored hues of rainbow mountains, soak in the natural geothermal spring, and watch the active geothermal area here. Landmannalaugar is just unreal. After 2 days of heavy rainfall, we abandoned the idea of self-idea and opted for a day tour to this area.

Hope I have parked your wanderlust with these 7 Reykjavik day trips. Some of these trips are seasonal and limited to summer months, like the Glymur waterfall hike and Landmannalaugar.

Others can be easily done throughout the year. Though it gets tougher to drive in Iceland during winter months and day trips for long distances like Vik or Skaftafell should be avoided.

If you do visit Iceland in winter, the best day trip you can take from Reykjavik is to see the Northern Lights. This is possible at many spots: the lesser the city lights are, the brighter the aurora would shine!

Check out the best Landmannalaugar Jeep tours from Reykjavik.

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