Your Easy Guide to a Southwest Iceland Road Trip

Imagine driving past thundering waterfalls and vast lava fields under the midnight sun. The Southwest region of Iceland packs in some of the country’s wildest sights, all within a short hop from Reykjavik. This is your easy guide that breaks down everything you need for a smooth road trip through Southwest Iceland.

If you have 3-4 days, you’ll find tips to hit the highlights like the Golden Circle and black sand beaches. We focus on the route from Reykjavik as part of the Ring Road journey. But you could do this trip and head back to the Keflavik airport from the sites on the Reykjanes Peninsula without doing the whole Ring Road. Doing this Golden Circle, South Coast trip with the Reykjanes Peninsula would take 4 days.

Pre-Trip Essentials and Timing Your Adventure

Road Condition Considerations

In this series, we are talking about Summer travels in Iceland. From June to August, you enjoy nearly 24 hours of daylight, making it easier to spot puffins and go hiking. Well, it’s easier if a volcano hasn’t erupted recently. Roads stay open (once they are open), and gravel paths feel less risky in good weather.

But even in Summer, you must consider road conditions. If you want to visit a particular waterfall, for example, if that waterfall is off the beaten path (and what’s better?), then you’ll need to make sure the road to it will be open when you intend to go. In our case, I wanted to go to see a waterfall called Ófærufoss.

Check Google Maps

The way to get to Ófærufoss involves traversing F-208 (the south leg from Vik toward Landmannalaugar), which runs across several rivers without bridges. For this excursion, we needed an F-road-capable vehicle. Not only did the vehicle need to be 4WD, but it also needed to have enough clearance to ride above the river level. For more information on renting a car, please refer to our Practical Tips post.

In researching more on F-roads, I meandered onto a page that had typical F-road opening dates and the latest opening dates. For our visit to Southeast Iceland to see one of the most scenic and least visited waterfalls, it turns out we needed to arrive there after the 8th of July, which is the latest opening date for the section of F-208 we would need to be open.

So, I had to change all of our dates to begin in early July instead of early June as I had previously planned. This worked out well, though, because those dates coincided with another unknown-to-me event that occurs in July on F-208, and we were fortunate enough to experience it dramatically by making this calendar change. I’ll tell you all about that experience in the next post, though.

Crafting the Perfect Southwest Itinerary

This 3-day plan keeps things moving, letting you soak in each spot. You can start in Reykjavik and loop back, covering gems without rushing. Pace yourself to enjoy the raw power of Iceland’s nature. Or, you can start in Reykjavik and continue around the Ring Road.

In this plan, you take a ferry to the Westman Islands to see puffins. You can take your rental car on the ferry to get around on Heimaey. The journey to the island each way is about an hour, with ferry wait time. If you stay 3 hours to look for puffins, this excursion turns into at least a 5-hour day. So you don’t want to plan a lot of time-critical activities for the rest of the day (day 2).

Day 1 – The Golden Circle and the Geothermal Park Exploration

Kick off with Thingvellir National Park, where Europe’s and North America’s plates pull apart. Walk the rift, feel the earth’s cracks underfoot—it’s like stepping into geology class. History buffs love the old Viking meeting spot here. We found it essential to learn to pronounce Thingvellir. And, you never know, you might meet the most recent President of Iceland! In 2025, just after his last term in office, he worked a summer job as a guide at Thingvellir.

Take a Short Hike to a Waterfall

Drive time: Reykjavik to Thingvellir = 45 minutes

In this National Park, you can take the trail to see Öxarárfoss. According to guidetoisland.is:

• Öxarárfoss, Iceland, is a year-round destination with breathtaking frozen scenery in winter.
• Öxarárfoss is a stunning Thingvellir National Park waterfall known for its geological and historical significance.
• It is part of the Golden Circle Route, making it easily accessible for travelers.
• The waterfall was artificially created in the 9th century to supply water to Iceland’s parliament, Althingi.
• It was featured in “Game of Thrones,” adding to its appeal to pop culture enthusiasts.

I wrote a Google Review about it, too.

See the Silfra Fissure

Try snorkeling in Silfra fissure at Thingvellir if you’re up for it. Clear waters between plates make for unreal views. Book ahead—it’s a highlight that feels otherworldly. I read that you could see the fissure from above the water, and I suppose you could see some of it. But you will undoubtedly get a better view by snorkeling or diving. We saw a lot of people doing mostly snorkeling. You have to be drysuit certified to dive here, which we are. But we haven’t dived in dry suits nearly enough to feel confident about going into the frigid waters for any length of time. So, we opted not to do that.

Here are some photos of the trails to and from Öxarárfoss and to and from the Silfra Fissure. See if you can find the rainbow on the waterfall. We also posted our route on AllTrails, which shows our route from the parking lot to Öxarárfoss and then up the main trail past the bisecting trail to Silfra, and back again, and over to Silfra.

See a Turquoise Blue Waterfall, Bruarfoss

Drive time: Thingvellir to Bruarfoss = 35 minutes

I added this one to our plan at the last minute after watching an itinerary video on Natural Habitats, so we made an effort to squeeze it in. It is beautiful, but the word is out, and there were quite a few people here, one of whom was a rude selfie-taker who pushed me out of her way. There are no restrooms, but a food truck is available here. Rick was able to fly his drone, so he had some fun away from the crowded bridge.

Watch the Geysirs

Drive Time: Bruarfoss to Geysir = 21 minutes

Next, head to the Geysir area for its bubbling hot springs. While the original Geysir, after which all others are named, is considered dormant, there is plenty of other activity to take in. Watch Strokkur erupt every few minutes, shooting water high. It’s a thrill that kids and adults both enjoy. You might want to plan to stay here for up to an hour to wait for the perfect eruption from Strokkur, though. Yes, it erupts often, but to varying degrees. You also need to aim your phone or video device so that you can capture the whole thing – especially when it might be an extra-tall explosion. Here’s the best video we got, which Rick captured.

And here are pictures of other mud pots and the area.

Park at the Geysers

I saw some posts where people said you could park for free on the left side of the visitor’s center. Alas, this is no longer the case. You’re limited to parking in the main lot, which is a Parka lot. From there, you need to walk to the busy road and cross at the crosswalk. You will need to wait for a lot of traffic to clear. There are restrooms at the Visitor Center.

Drive to Gullfoss and Faxafoss Waterfalls

Drive Time: Geysirs to Gullfoss = 10 minutes, Gullfoss to Faxafoss = 20 minutes

There are still two more waterfalls to see on this leg of the trip: Gullfoss, a massive waterfall that roars like a beast. Mist soaks you as you navigate the paths. And Faxafoss, a wide, beautiful waterfall with a fish ladder.

Since my camera is water-averse, I took the path furthest from Gullfoss, but it still offered an amazing view of it from that location. This is a no-drone area, too, so Rick could not fly here. Gullfoss did have restrooms and a visitor center. You can pay the parking fee on the Parka app.

At Faxafoss, you pay for parking at the manned kiosk upon arrival. It’s a short walk to the viewing area, where you can see the waterfall. There is a walkway to a picnic area and on down to a restaurant, but the restaurant wasn’t open while we were there. There are restrooms here, but those also were not open while we were there.

Stay the Night in Selfoss or Landeyjahöfn

Drive Time: Faxafoss to Hotel South Coast = 43 minutes and Drive Time: Faxafoss to Landeyjahöfn = 1 hour, 30 minutes

After visiting all of these places in one day, you will be tired! We stayed in Selfoss at the Hotel South Coast.

Since you’re going to the Westman Islands to see puffins tomorrow, you might want to stay closer to the ferry terminal in Landeyjahöfn. This is a good spot to stay for two nights, which gives you one full day in Heimaey, and allows you to stay the night again in the same place, so you can start the tour of the south coast waterfalls the next day.

But, in case you want to stay in Selfoss, which is an hour away from the ferry terminal, here are some photos of the Hotel South Coast and their breakfast, which was fabulous.

After we ate breakfast, Rick waited around in the lobby until somebody showed up so he could get some ice from their bar. It took a while, but he eventually was able to get some ice, and off we went.

If you’re doing the Ring Road and taking the Westman Island ferry trip, you’d probably want to catch the ferry first, stay overnight again, and then visit the waterfalls, and then continue on the rest of the way. That gives you an extra day that you don’t have to pack/unpack.

Day 2 – Heimaey (Westman Islands) for Puffins

Ferry to Heimaey (Westman Islands)

Drive Time: Selfoss to Landeyjahöfn = 1 hour, 5 minutes

You’ll catch the ferry in Landeyjahöfn. You need to arrive 30 minutes before the ferry’s departure time. Purchase tickets ahead of time and book passage for your vehicle. The reason I say this is that the Puffin Lookout is in the south of Heimaey. The ferry port is in the north. It will take you an hour and twenty minutes each way to walk to and from the puffin lookout.

If you want to see Heimaey and don’t care about puffins, then you can leave your car in Landeyjahöfn at the ferry terminal and enjoy a walk around the town. Here’s what to see in Heimaey.

On the return, you’ll stay overnight again near Landeyjahöfn, and start day 3 with the nearby waterfalls.

Day 3 – Waterfalls and the South Coast Drive

Explore Selljalandsfoss and Gljufrabui

Drive Time: Landeyjahöfn to Selljalandsfoss = 14 minutes

Next stop, Seljalandsfoss, where you can stroll behind the cascade. Water pounds down, creating a cave feel. Pack waterproof layers; you’ll get drenched, but the experience is worth it. When we first arrived, we did not see a sign for parking. We decided to try to capture some photos before we went hunting for parking info.

There’s a bridge over a river facing the waterfall. The river carries the water from the waterfall out to the ocean. So, it’s a pretty good vantage point for a photo, except that when people see you with a camera and a tripod, they tend to gather around you. Consequently, there was a lot of trampling on the bridge where my tripod was stationed, which is not conducive to taking shots at a slow shutter speed. At this point, there was only one tour bus in the parking lot.

So we decided to head over to nearby Gljufrabui, a tucked-away fall in a narrow gorge. We waited for most of the people to leave and then climbed in for a private splash. After visiting Gljufrabui, we went back to Selljalandsfoss, thinking the crowds might have died down. No such luck, though. The parking lot seemed to be mostly occupied by tour buses at this point. So, we got in the long line to walk behind the waterfall and then went back to the bridge to take some more pics.

Here are the shots we got at Selljalandsfoss and Gljufrabui.

As you can see from the photos, there is a little deli at Selljalandsfoss, and there are restrooms. Look carefully at the signs on the restroom doors because these are gender-specific, unlike almost every other place we went to in Iceland.

Also, make sure to pay the parking fee on the Parka app. This is the one place we missed on our whole journey, and it cost us three times the amount of the parking fee because we missed it while we were there.

Check Out Skogafoss and Kvernufoss

Drive Time: Selljalandsfoss to Skogafoss = 30 minutes

Next, you’ll head down the road to Skogafoss, which has stairs going up to a rainbow viewpoint. Climb for the full force, or stay low to dodge the spray. This day builds the south coast’s dramatic pull. If you stay below, be prepared for lots and lots of selfie-takers and people walking through the river to get to the other side, which will put them front and center in your composition. If you walk up closer to the falls, you will find people taking turns to get their shots. This takes some time. Here are a couple of the shots we got of Skogafoss.

If you take the trail to the top of Skogafoss, you can continue on the trail where it runs along the river that feeds Skogafoss. And if you have time for a 16-mile hike, there are several other beautiful waterfalls behind Skogafoss. We, unfortunately, did not have time.

Instead of climbing up and behind Skogafoss, you could drive over to the nearby Skogar Museum, park, pay for parking, and take the trail to Kvernufoss. Bonus: If you pay for parking at the Museum, you can use their restrooms.

The trail to Kvernufoss runs along another river. Along the way, you’ll see sheep, but few other people. That’s because tour buses, which do park near the museum to let their groups get out and get something to eat at the nearby FreyaCafe, do not allow them to take a hike down this trail. This hike is very beautiful in itself, but what awaits at the next stop is an uncrowded, walk-behind waterfall. Here are some photos.

When you walk back to the parking lot at the museum, you can see some Icelandic turf houses. There is a lot to learn about turf houses, especially what they looked like inside. The turf houses here are reconstructions, but contain elements from the 1830s.

Travel to Dyrholaey for Puffins and/or the Arches

Drive Time: Skogafoss to Dyrholaey = 25 minutes

Since you’ve already gone to Heimaey, you may want to bypass Dyholaey. It does have dramatic arches, but depending on when you arrive, the puffins may or may not be here. The sea stacks visible along the cliffs do look like giants frozen in time.

When we arrived around 4 PM at Dyrholaey’s viewing area, which is high up, the fog was heavy. You couldn’t see the sea or the arches. However, there were puffins galore because they weren’t flying out to sea in search of food. I got several great photos of them just walking around the parking lot. But we walked along the cliffs and found many more very inquisitive puffins. So we took quite a few photos of them. The first nine shots I took with my phone were in the parking lot. The rest I took with my camera farther along the cliff path.

Stay overnight in Vik

Drive Time: Dyrholaey to Vik = 17 minutes

This gives you an opportunity to visit the black sand beach, fuel up, and get some groceries if you need to before you continue to Eastern and Southeast Iceland and the rest of the Ring Road.

If you’re not driving the Ring Road, you’d turn back at this point and head to the Reykjanes Peninsula.

Day 4 – Reykjanes Peninsula

Here are some of the sights to see on the Reykjanes Peninsula:

Bridge Between Continents

Drive Time: Vik to Bridge Between Continents = 3 hours, 4 minutes

Of all places in Iceland, this is the place you want to look at the road.is and SafeTravels.is sites before walking around any of them. For example, right now it’s showing large crevasses having opened up at the Bridge Between Continents, and advises people to stick to the path. There are lots of areas to play in the sand there, so when we went, we had no idea that there was a sinkhole warning, so we had been walking all around the sand area! You can find out more about the Bridge Between Continents on the VisitReykjanes site. Here’s what it looked like while we were there.

The Reykjanes Lighthouse

Drive Time: Bridge Between Continents to Reykjanes Lighthouse = 9 minutes

This place has public restrooms, but to use them, you must pay for parking. You can use the Parka app. This is one of the places that records your license plate as you drive in. Find out more about the Reykjanes Lighthouse on the VisitReykjanes site. Here’s what the lighthouse looked like while we were there.

Brimketill Lava Rock Pool

Drive Time: Reykjanes Lighthouse to Brimketill Lava Rock Pool = 10 minutes

The wind was whipping, and the waves were wild while we were there. It reminded me of Queen’s Bath in Kauai and Devil’s Cupper in Sint Maarten. You can find out more about the Brimketill Lava Rock Pool on the Guide to Iceland site. Here’s what it looked like while we were there.

Reykjanes Peninsula Volcanoes (if eruptions have occurred recently)

Drive Time: Brimketill Lava Rock Pool to Volcano Viewing Area = 15 minutes

When we were there, the Sundhnukur Volcano (or volcanic chain) erupted the week before we got to the Peninsula. It was difficult to apply a review to the correct volcano because that particular volcano doesn’t show up on most Iceland volcano maps. I eventually was able to apply it correctly after viewing the activity on the Icelandic Meteorological Office website. As I look at the site now, it’s showing an increased likelihood of an eruption in that same area due to magma buildup. So, it’s also a good place to check before you head to the Reykjanes Peninsula.

The Perlan also has an excellent overview of the volcanoes on the Reykjanes Peninsula.

Here are a few pics of what we saw when we went out to view the still spewing volcano. It had erupted on July 16th, and these pictures were taken on July 20th. We took these from a rugged parking area that we got to by taking a dirt road turnout off of highway 43, roughly halfway between highway 41 and Grindavik. I’ve added a picture of our location from one of the photos.

Conclusion: Your Southwest Iceland Journey Awaits

The Southwest corner delivers epic views and easy access, perfect for your first Iceland spin. From Golden Circle rifts to Vik’s black sands, this route blends thrill and calm. Prep your vehicle, watch the weather, and dive in for memories that last.

Key takeaways include: Pack layers for wild shifts (the outer layer should be waterproof), book stays early to snag deals, respect speed limits to stay safe, fill gas often on sparse stretches, and check road.is and safetravel.is daily. Your road trip waits—grab the keys and go chase those horizons.