Discover the Ring Road on with your own private guide
On this trip of a lifetime, you’ll explore the Ring Road with a local driver-guide. With their insider knowledge and passion for Iceland, you’re sure to have a memorable experience!
On this tour you will...
Head to Snæfellsnes peninsula, home to a glacier-topped volcano
See dazzling icebergs bob out to sea from Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon
Hear the folk tales surrounding mysterious spots like the Dimmuborgir lava field
Check out awe-inspiring waterfalls like Skógafoss, Seljalandsfoss, and Dettifos
Look out for whales and puffins as you trace the country’s stunning coastline
Dive into the local culture, food scene, and nightlife in downtown Reykjavík
Top attractions
Why book a privately guided trip with Iceland Tours?
Let your own driver take you around Iceland
Expert local guidance in English
Start your tour on the date that suits you
24/7 emergency helpline in Iceland
Secure your booking with just a 5% deposit
Handpicked local accommodation options
Your 8-day privately guided itinerary
Your memorable Icelandic adventure begins today. Your personal driver-guide will pick you up from your hotel and take you to explore the natural wonders of the Snæfellsnes peninsula. You will discover several sites including the Eldborg volcanic crater, Gerðuberg basalt columns, Búðir, and Djúpalónssandur with views of the majestic Snæfell volcano.
Highlights
Extra activities
From Stykkishólmur, the guide will take you to the south-west of Iceland towards Borgarfjörður, an area rich in heritage as its vast lands served as the setting for many Icelandic sagas. It is also home to gorgeous waterfalls and the Langjökull glacier.
Today‘s itinerary takes you north as your guide drives you through thick farm fields and the Skagafjörður region, which is known for Icelandic horse breeding. You will surely encounter several of these adorably stocky horses grazing in the fields along your way to Akureyri. Before you reach the “capital of the north”, you will take a few detours such as the Vatnsnes peninsula where you can spot seals, and Glaumbær, a turf-house museum, among other sights.
More natural wonders are on the program today! Our first stop is at the impressive Goðafoss, known as “the waterfall of the gods”. Before heading to Mývatn, you will visit several awe-inspiring attractions such as the Dimmuborgir lava field labyrinth and the pseudo-craters of Skútustaðir. You will also get to walk through one of Iceland‘s largest sulphurous hot spring areas, the solfataras of Námaskarð.
Before heading east, you will continue exploring the northern part of the country. The peninsula of Tjörnes has many surprising sites in store for you. There is the lush green area of Ásbyrgi, a horseshoe-shaped gorge, and the impressive Dettifoss with a fall so powerful that you will feel the ground shake under your feet.
Today you discover the East Fjords. Your driver will start towards Reyðarfjörður, where you could visit a small but interesting World War II history museum. Then you‘ll continue along the fjords toward south-east Iceland. At times, the roads are perched high on the mountains giving exceptional views. Finally, you‘ll pass through the tunnel of Almannaskarð to arrive in the Höfn region for an overnight stay.
Our next stop is Iceland’s scenic south-east. After passing various outlet glaciers belonging to Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest ice cap, you‘ll arrive at the stunning, surreal beauty of Jökulsárlón, a glacial lagoon. This exceptional natural attraction sits at the foot of Iceland’s highest mountain Hvannadalshnúkur. It offers the unique possibility to explore it up close by taking a guided boat tour between the floating icebergs.
Next you get to visit Skaftafell, an oasis surrounded by glaciers and black sand beaches with a broad range of options for spectacular hiking. You‘ll then continue through Kirkjubæjarklaustur, the Eldhraun lava field and the Mýrdalssandur plain before arriving in the Vík area.
Today, your guide will drive along the south coast of Iceland, exploring many breathtaking landmarks such as Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls. You‘ll also explore the highlights of the Golden Circle with its three-tiered Gullfoss waterfall, geyser area where Strokkur ejects its warm water column in the air every 5-10 minutes, and the famous Þingvellir National Park.
After visiting Þingvellir, it is now time to head back to the capital where your private Iceland adventure ends. If you are staying extra nights in the capital, we can help you plan some optional activities. Please contact your travel consultant for more information.
What’s included?
Comfort or Quality accommodation every night
Continental breakfast every day
Rental car of your choice for 8 days
Private driver-guide
Unlimited in-car Wi-Fi
24/7 emergency helpline when you’re in Iceland
VAT, taxes & service fees
Flights to Iceland
Airport transfer
Accommodation in Reykjavík
Food & drink, unless otherwise stated
Attraction entrance fees, unless otherwise stated
Personal travel insurance
FAQs about our private guided trips
All of our private guided tours start in Reykjavík. Here your driver-guide will pick you up from your accommodation and you’ll hit the road.
With your enthusiastic guide leading the way, you will head out into the Icelandic countryside. As you’re immersed in the country’s incredible nature, you’ll learn from your guide about the places you’re visiting.
Once you’ve arrived at your accommodation for the night, you and your guide will say goodbye until the morning. You’ll have time to yourself to enjoy dinner and recharge before the next day’s adventure.
At the end of your tour, you’ll be dropped off back at your hotel in the capital.
Good to know: Our private tour packages do not include hotel stays in Reykjavík at the start or end of the tour, or a transfer from the airport as standard. If you’d like us to arrange this for you, please let us know in the ‘Special requests’ box at checkout.
You’ll get to meet your guide for the first time when they collect you from your hotel in Reykjavík. Over the course of your trip, you’ll have the chance to get to know them and swap stories and jokes!
Guidance is in English as standard, although if you would like a guide that speaks a different language, please let us know in the ‘Special requests’ box at checkout.
We can’t guarantee that a guide that speaks a language other than English will be available for your selected tour dates, but we’ll do our best to honor your request.
It’s normally possible to book a guide that speaks Spanish, French, Italian, German, Dutch, or a Scandinavian language. Note that there may be an additional charge for a non-English-speaking guide.
In Iceland, tipping is not commonplace in restaurants, hotels, taxis, and the like.
That said, if your guide goes above and beyond to make your tour extra special, they would graciously receive a tip. Just know that it’s not expected, so it’s totally up to you.
You can customize your trip to Iceland with extra days in Reykjavík at the start or end of your trip. This is your chance to pack in day tours and activities like snowmobiling and ice caving.
If you want to customize the itinerary of your actual guided tour, contact us and we’ll be happy to help. Just so you know, there’s an extra fee for this service. See our terms and conditions for all the details.
Packages from Iceland Tours don’t include flights. We do this so that you can get a wider choice and a better price overall. When you’ve figured out roughly what your travel dates will be, you can start to look for flights online.
There are direct flights to Iceland from many cities across Europe and North America, with connections further afield also available. Major airlines such as British Airways, easyJet, Delta, and Icelandair all fly to Iceland.
On a privately-guided package with Iceland Tours, you can choose from 2 levels of accommodation:
- Comfort – Hotels or guesthouses of around 3 stars, with private bathrooms
- Quality – Hotels or guesthouses of around 4 stars, with private bathrooms
Each accommodation level offers different types of rooms. We’ve described them below to help you choose the best one for you. Just keep in mind that not every hotel has all these room types available.
- Single room: one single bed in a room, perfect for solo travelers.
- Double room: a full-sized double bed for 2 people.
- Twin room: a room with 2 single beds that fit 1 person each.
- Triple room: these vary in size and layout, but are designed to fit 3 adults. Triple rooms feature a combination of double, single or sofa beds, depending on the hotel.
No matter which accommodation level you pick, breakfast is included. Read more about the differences between the levels on this accommodation page.
Our drivers are experienced guides that know Iceland inside-out. They’ve built up years of local knowledge. This means they’ll be able to add those special moments and surprises to your itinerary that you can only get by going private.
Most of our guides have had formal training and qualifications. In any case, they’ll use their know-how to add that element of delight to your private trip.
Start by browsing the vacation packages above. You can choose from both summer and winter trips.
Once you’ve picked out your perfect package, simply follow the steps on the tour page to complete your booking. At checkout, you can add more days and extra activities so you can get even more out of your trip.
You’ll then receive a confirmation by email. Closer to your time of travel, we’ll send you all the documents you need for your upcoming Iceland vacation.
All of the privately guided vacation packages featured on this page include:
- Comfort or Quality accommodation each night
- Continental breakfast every morning
- Rental vehicle of your choice (4x4 or van)
- Expert guidance in English
- 24/7 helpline while you’re in Iceland
For info about the difference between Comfort and Quality options, see our accommodation page.
Good to know: These private trips do not include transfers to and from Keflavík airport or accommodation in Reykjavík. If you’d like us to arrange this for you, please let us know at checkout.
The different seasons offer completely different experiences in Iceland, so there’s no one best time to go.
In winter in Iceland, you can chase the Northern Lights and visit ice caves. There’s a good chance the country will be blanketed in fresh snow.
On the other hand, Icelandic summer gives you longer hours of light, so you can fit more into each day of your trip. You’ll also get warmer weather and see greener landscapes.
If you still can’t make up your mind between summer and winter, check out this blog about the best times to go to Iceland.
No matter what time of year you choose to visit, it pays to pack well so you stay warm and comfortable throughout your stay.
Here’s a suggested Iceland packing list:
- Warm, waterproof jacket
- Sturdy hiking boots
- Thermal layers
- Light raincoat
- Gloves, scarf, and hat
- Sunglasses
- Swimming gear (for hot springs and pools)
- Moisturizer and lip balm
For all the info on what conditions you can expect, check out this guide to weather in Iceland.
Iceland is stuffed to the brim with jaw-dropping natural attractions and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Take a private tour and you could:
- Watch a geyser erupt on the Golden Circle route
- Follow in the footsteps of Vikings at Þingvellir National Park
- Come up close to Vatnajökull, Iceland’s largest glacier
- Chase the Aurora Borealis under the clear winter skies
- Walk behind the powerful Seljalandsfoss waterfall
- Explore the awesome sights of Snæfellsjökull National Park
- Wind in and out of the spectacular Eastfjords
- See freshly calved icebergs drift by at Jökulsárlón
- Roam the jet-black sands of Reynisfjara beach
- Hike the picturesque trails of Skaftafell
- Savor mouth-watering cuisine at Iceland's best restaurants
You can also enhance your trip with exciting optional activities like:
- Relaxing in hot springs like the Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon
- Gliding on top of a glacier on a snowmobile
- Horseback riding through moss-blanketed lava fields
- Touring natural ice caves with a guide in wintertime
- Snorkeling between the tectonic plates at Silfra
To see the available upgrade options, check out the detailed itineraries for one of the tour packages above.