8-day Iceland Ring Road Tour: Reykjavik, Akureyri, Golden Circle & South Coast

What a great experience! Iceland is so beautiful and has so much to offer related to hiking, nature and general overall beauty! My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed this tour. Our group was diverse, friendly and so much fun. Our guide was Gunnar and he is second to none. Gunnar made sure we saw all the expected spots and also some unexpected areas he likes to share with his group. We would highly recommend scheduling a tour with Artic Adventures. You will not be disappointed! 😊

Two friends and I did the 8 day ring road tour with Magnus Dan and we had an amazing time. Magnus knew so much about Icelandic culture and had some off the path stops that were not on the itinerary that we loved!! I enjoyed his stories about Icelandic culture, myths/stories and history, which really enhanced the experience. Magnus did an excellent job as a guide.

My friends and I had an amazing experience on this tour. I usually prefer to figure things out on my own on trips rather than going on a guided tour, but I’m grateful we planned our trip this way. We were lucky to have an amazing guide (shoutout to Magnas) who was so passionate about Iceland, its history, and its culture. It was great to take in all of the amazing views that we got and also hear his take on the areas we were visiting. He had great tips and advice for us for each place we went, and answered any questions that we had. Magmas did a great job in sharing the beauty of Iceland and making us all understand the diverse landscapes we saw each day. Driving around the Ring Road would have been intimidating to do on our own, and it was great not having to stress about directions or accommodations. I will definitely recommend this tour to others looking to go on the Ring Road.

What an amazing trip! Our guide, Gunn, is one of Arctic Adventures best guides. I injured myself the day before the start of our tour and for the entire tour, Gunn went out of her way to ensure my comfort and safety. She is incredibly knowledgeable with little facts and stories of Iceland - this is something that made me realize I was glad I did a guided tour instead of a self-drive tour. Bring waterproof clothes, good shoes and layers! I cannot recommend this tour enough and if you’re lucky enough to get Gunn as your guide, you’ve hit the jackpot!

We had an absolutely fantastic Ring Road tour with Arctic Adventures, and so much of that was thanks to our guide, Gunn. One of my friends had been injured just before the tour, which added an unexpected complication to our trip. Gunn went out of her way to make things easier for both of us, helping me get my friend and I set up for success, making sure we were able to experience as much of the tour as possible. Her kindness, patience and willingness to help took a huge amount of stress off my shoulders and meant more to me than she probably realized. Gunn was a fantastic guide — knowledgeable, engaging, straightforward and funny, and clearly very experienced at managing both the logistics of a Ring Road tour and a group of very different people. She worked incredibly hard throughout the trip to give everyone the best experience she could. What really stood out was her genuine connection to and appreciation for Iceland. Her knowledge went far beyond simply pointing out the sights. She shared Iceland’s history, landscapes and culture, along with so many of the little details we otherwise would have passed right by. You could tell she wasn’t just reciting information from a tour script — she genuinely enjoys sharing her knowledge and her appreciation for this incredible part of the world, and that enthusiasm was contagious. She was also fantastic at adapting when Icelandic weather inevitably had other ideas for us. Rather than simply accepting that we would miss an experience, Gunn and the Arctic Adventure team worked to pivot our plans as needed. We ultimately still got to go whale watching and it turned into an absolutely beautiful sunset trip where we saw amazing humpback whales. It ended up being one of the highlights of the tour. The Ring Road itself is spectacular, but Gunn made this tour memorable in a completely different way. She was knowledgeable, funny, caring and adaptable, and handled whatever Iceland threw at us along the way. I would absolutely recommend Arctic Adventures, and if you’re lucky enough to have Gunn as your guide, you’re in very good hands. Thank you, Gunn, for an incredible trip — and especially for all the little things you did along the way to make ours easier and better. They didn’t go unnoticed.

Arny was an amazing guide on our six day portion of the tour. She is so warm, friendly, funny and filled with information. It was like having a best friend there. Viggo (?) was great for the one-day Jeep tour.

Our guide, Karl A. delivered an outstanding experience for our group of 10. His first hand knowledge as a native Icelander was really appreciated and we learned so much about Iceland. The accommodations and corresponding morning breakfasts were outstanding. Food was great. The van was new and clean inside and out. Arctic Adventures has a great offering for touring Iceland. I’d give them 10/10 for all aspects of the tour.

This was a well planned adventure. Our guide Karl was so knowledgeable. Activities were fun and everything was taken care of. Most hotels were great except the converted college dorm! We felt very cared for! Highly recommend seeing the whole island!

We came to Iceland for our honeymoon. We booked with arctic adventures because we did not want to plan out a whole trip ourselves. Our guide, Elisa, was amazing! She was very knowledgeable about the landscape, food, locals, and even Icelandic lore. She made the experience memorable for us! We stayed at nice hotels every night. Breakfast was included every morning and Elisa gave us plenty of options for lunch and dinner to fit every budget. She also kept eveyone on time so we could get to the hotel at a reasonable time so we could relax in the evenings. We went around all of the ring road and saw all of the tourist sites. We stayed at a great and unique hotel called Wildreness center. I would recommend this tour to my friends and family

Our trip to Iceland with the Ring Road Tour was excellent! Our guide for the road trip, Ronan and our guide for the glacier hike, Justyna were knowledgeable, well trained and Kind. They encouraged everyone to try the activities and made sure we were all safe. They both had great personalities and made the trip very enjoyable. The whole trip was well planned and executed. We had a great time!

My trip with Arctic Adventures for the 8-Day Ring Road Tour was nothing short of magnificent! The size of the group was perfect for socializing yet small enough to feel personal. Our guide Bjorn was fabulous with the amount and type of history and information he provided. He kept us highly engaged while making sure to meet our needs and desires as a group. What we saw and experienced was more beautiful than I could have imagined.

This Iceland trip was honestly the best trip I’ve ever been on! Arctic Adventures did such an amazing job planning everything. The adventures, itinerary, timing, and all the places we visited were so well thought out. We got to see so much of Iceland, and every day was something new and absolutely beautiful. And Siggy was the BEST guide! His knowledge of Iceland’s history and all the stories behind the places we visited made everything so much more interesting. He was so much fun to learn from and really made the trip that much better. My mom and I truly couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Everything about Arctic Adventures was wonderful, and Siggy made an already amazing trip even better. Highly, highly recommend Arctic Adventures! And if you get Siggy as your guide, you hit the jackpot!

Gunn was our CEO of the tour and I can’t tell good things about how great she was as a tour guide. If Artic adventures is looking for a model employee then Gunn Iren is the one! Keep her at any cost!

Was a magnificent tour with a fantastic tour guide Siggie! He made the trip so special for everyone. He was so knowledgeable about the country, had many wonderful stories to tell and was so witty and kind! The sights on the tour were absolutely amazing and mind boggling! I would recommend this trip to everyone, a once in a lifetime experience!!

Ronan was our tour guide. He was one of the best tour guides I’ve ever experienced while traveling abroad. The places we went, his attention to detail and stories about the history of this amazing country was worth the trip alone. He kept a schedule which helped us see even more than expected. Hands down the best experience.

A fantastic, very concise, very enjoyable tour. Ronan, our tour guide made this a truly exceptional vacation. The small group of 18 participants gave us the flexibility to move quickly between locations, and access to places large tour busses could not go. Every day we covered may beautiful and remote locations. Ronan's detailed knowledge of the entire island was extensive, his local folklore and insights created an unforgettable experience well worth requesting his leadership when we hopefully return next year to visit the West Fjords. I highly recommend Ronan and ArcticAdventures.

Horrendous - canceled day before the tour

Could not have asked for anything better, our driver/guide jói was GREAT...organized, funny, informative....wonderful to experience Iceland while listening to his stories (and music). We packed in full days, but jói made time for a few surprise stops. Would not have been the same trip without him. BIG big THANKS.

Our son’s high school graduation gift from us. We had a ball! Each day was an adventure, often traveling to a new location, hiking, eating, and admiring this beautiful country. Lili was our guide and her passion for and knowledge of Iceland was energizing and melded our diverse group quickly. Truly a fun trip I’d love to do again. I’ve never done a tour like this, and now would do another without hesitation. Friendly, thoughtful, educational but not stuffy, and enjoyable.

I did 8 day tour. Booking was not clear emailed and called comparing 8 versus 7 day and was never explained that was a 6 day tour and 2 one day tour. 6 day portion we t great with great guide, enjoyed sights and all but last hotel nice. 7th day snaefellsnes peninsula disaster. Guide driver awful, skipped stops one stop for seals only 10 minutes total when takes 10 minutes just to walk to beach. Drivers not expecting me 7 and 8 day as continuation so confusion with hotel and luggage. 8th day guide good and enjoyed highlands.

This was a remarkable experience especially with our guide Tom! So much to learn and see!

We are the group of ten ladies. We had the pleasure of being shown around Iceland by this incredible guide, Ronan, and I honestly can't say enough good things about him. From the very start, it was clear that he genuinely loves what he does — his passion for guiding shines through in every moment of the tour. Throughout our journey, he generously shared so many of his own personal adventures and stories from exploring Iceland, which made the experience feel so much more authentic and personal. He didn't just stick to the basics either — he always took things a step further, giving us in-depth explanations about the volcanoes and lava formations we encountered. His knowledge of Iceland's geology was fascinating, and he had a real gift for making complex things easy and exciting to understand. One of my favorite parts was when he shared the magical folklore of Iceland with us — the tales of trolls and elves that are woven into the country's culture. The absolute highlight was when we made offerings to the elves: he helped us carefully pick out exotic foreign sweets that he said the elves would love most. It was such a fun, whimsical, and memorable experience that I'll never forget. Honestly, he is the best tour guide I have ever had — kind, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and full of charm. Next time I visit Iceland, I will absolutely be booking him again. If you're looking for a guide who will make your trip truly unforgettable, look no further!

We truly needed to get away, a REAL VACATION. Oh Boy, did we fall into the right hands!!! John was our guide during the 8 day Ring Tour of Iceland and he was Fantastic. It was immediately apparent that he was in it to please his passengers. We let go and let John and had a FANTASTIC trip. John has adopted Iceland as his home and he shares that love and knowledge with you. He is a geographer so we got a great insight into the land of fire and ice. You can read all about the awesome landscape and the places we went and great activities we did from other reviews but you need to request John as your guide if you want THE BEST VACATION! He aims to please and he takes care of every need that arises from the passengers such that we were truly able to enjoy the trip with no mundane concerns getting in the way. If we decide to go for the Northern Lights to Iceland we will only reserve it if John is our guide.

My husband and I went on a 8 day trip in Iceland with Arctic Adventures. We had an amazing experience touring Iceland with Bjorne. His knowledge of the country’s history, geology, and culture was outstanding, and he shared everything with genuine enthusiasm and professionalism. What made the tour extra special was that he took us to several beautiful places not included on the original itinerary — some of our favourite memories from the trip! Some were the waterfalls, Glacier hike, Ice Caves and the Whale watching. Bjorne truly went above and beyond to make our experience unforgettable. We highly recommend him as a tour guide. Jan & Don Roeder

My friends and I enjoyed out trip immensely. I cannot thank Vignir enough for his care - he did his best to give us the best experience while keeping us safe. He was always mindful to ensure we were comfortable and was always obliging when one of us on the tour wanted to do something extra - like play in the snowbank - or needed an urgent toilet break. By a stroke of luck, we managed to see the dancing aurora which made our trip - it bonded all of us on the bus immediately because we were so happy and you could see Vignir was happy for us. He always tried to show Iceland at its best even when he told us stories about the hard life Icelanders had in the past. You could tell he wanted to ensure we had the best time on this trip.

My mom and I had a wonderful time on this tour with Matt as our tour guide! We enjoyed the history and stories Matt told us about each place with humor sprinkled in everywhere. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone who wants a comprehensive experience of the whole Iceland.

We did the 8-day tour in mid-November. It was great. We had a 19-person van with the 10 of us (family and cousins). It was cold in the south and very cold/snowy in the north. We saw some stunning landscapes, northern lights, frozen waterfalls, and much more. And the food was great. They provided dinners (they arranged we paid) for most nights. All-in-all a great trip. Our guide VJERAN was great. He was very knowledegable about Iceland and knew a great deal about America. We sang songs, Played music. He had a 6-day running commentary on what we were looking at along the way at at our many stops. Iceland is very expensive. Lunches were usually in the $45 - $55 range, and dinners were around $65 - $75 per person. We spent the first 2 nights at Hotel Island and the last night as well. The resturante there was fantastic and the least expensive place we eat dinners. One tip in travelling in Winter: The wind is absolutely brutal. Many places in the north were around 20-degrees but if the wind was blowing it felt more like 10 to -20. Dress warm in layers. Iceland indoors is kept around 75-degrees os so, so you spend a lot of time adding and removing layers.

Just completed 8 day aurora tour with arctic adventure and give it a hands down 5 stars! Our guide, Vjeran, made this family trip. He was funny, intelligent and totally aware of our group and individual needs. Winter in Iceland is no easy feat for older adults but his focus was on our safety while showing us the best of Iceland. The company went the extra mile to locate and return items which were, inevitably. left behind in a hotel as we moved through Iceland. They don't kid about the wind here. Nor how nature directs your adventure. A snow storm or incredible winds can close a pass or a specific site but there was always an alternate plan that never disappointed. My favorite stay was at the Wilderness lodge which is an old converted family farm. Had the best lamb I've ever eaten here prepared by one of the two caretakers(the other serves). I love horses so the visit to an Icelandic horse farm was right up my alley. My only regret was not being here in Summer or Spring when you can ride these incredible special gaited horses. My final comment: This is a trip like no other where you are dropped back in time to a place on earth that is still very much alive and ever changing. It's how the earth was in its infancy with volcanic explosions, bubbling mud pots and lava, lava everywhere! It's brutal, austere beautify is life inspiring. Do it. Before it is discovered by the flood of tourists. Make it multiday with Artic Adventure. I can't recommend it enough.

The first 6 days were amazing — you get to see many incredible places in Iceland, and while some days are faster paced than others, it balances out overall. It’s an easy and accessible trip, except for the ice cave, which involves a tougher walk on unstable terrain with microspikes. Our guide was fantastic: friendly, attentive, and always made sure everyone was enjoying themselves. What’s not clear from the description is that this is actually three separate tours combined into one. You switch groups on days 7 and 8, which was disappointing since our first group had really bonded. This also means extra pickup/drop-off logistics and some confusion with luggage capacity. Day 7 was still great — the peninsula is stunning — but the schedule felt rushed. Some stops didn’t allow enough time to do the walks properly. Day 8, however, was underwhelming unless you’re really interested in snowmobiling. You spend over 5 hours in a very loud super jeep for just an hour on the glacier. The snowmobiles can be intimidating for beginners, especially on ice (if there hasn’t been fresh snow), and the helmets are heavy and uncomfortable. Overall, we had a wonderful time, but I’d recommend the 7-day tour instead — unless snowmobiling is a must for you. Hopefully, they’ll make it a single, continuous tour in the future rather than three combined ones.

Wonderful guide great accommodations, good food, a few too many waterfall. Loved tomato greenhouse. The lava museum was fantastic. The fact that Iceland is growing in size.

Excellent guide Kacper (produced Casper) absolutely made the trip. He was energetic, enthusiastic, very knowledgeable about all aspects of Iceland, and just plain fun!! Less impressed with Arctic adventures as they changed itinerary at the very last minute, which meant Kacper was rerouting and finding us other attractions on the fly - which he seamlessly did. We were a group of 6 women who paid for 3 rooms but twice put us in 2 triples (1 bathroom each) and one night we were told one of our 3 rooms had to go down the hall to use the shared bathroom!! Not acceptable. Ultimately our guide took the room and said he waited an hour to use the bathroom!! In all cases we didn’t know hotel locations until a few days before arrival and even then made last minute adjustments. Very disappointed with the management, but again, our guide Kacper was outstanding!!

We had a fantastic time with our guide/driver, Vjeran! The road trip although tiring was filled with everything you could ask for plus a few extras thrown in by Vjeran. On hindsight, I would rather have done the 6 day package but it was good nonetheless

It was the best trip with spectacular views and a superb guide! Vjeran went out of his way to make the trip memorable for us, including taking us to beautiful spots not listed on the trip itinerary. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone looking for an unforgettable and amazing experience!

We booked an 8 day private tour through Arctic Adventures. Sophia was the representative that I booked the trip through. She was very responsive to my emails and answered all of my questions. We had one tour guide (Bjorn) for the entire 8 days and it was incredible. Bjorn made this trip unforgettable. If you book a private tour, I would highly recommend Bjorn. I have included the email that I sent to Artic Adventures regarding our experience with him. On this trip it was my husband, our teenage daughter, our daughter's best friend and myself. We circumnavigated Iceland in 8 days. We saw all of the highlights and so much more. We went snowmobiling on a glacier, hiked in ice caves, rode horses on the black sand beach, stopped at lighthouses, walked through churches, walked through lava tubes and saw the most incredible waterfalls. I have never seen anything as beautiful as Iceland. We are already planning another trip. There is a saying in Iceland that if you don't like the weather, just wait 5 minutes :) Dress in layers! In one hour, we experienced sunshine, rain, sleet, and snow. Everyone we encountered were friendly and happy to chat. We stopped at plenty of coffee shops, restaurants and small bakeries. Gaeta Gelato is a must! This trip will be hard to beat. Even my teenager said this is her favorite place that we have been to and we travel quite a bit. Email to Arctic Adventures - Incredible Experience with Bjorn – The Heart of Our Iceland Adventure Our family’s trip to Iceland was unforgettable, and so much of that is thanks to our tour guide Bjorn. From the moment we met him, his passion for Iceland and its rich history was evident. Every stop along the way came to life through his incredible storytelling. He didn’t just share facts, and he knew a ton of facts, but wove them into captivating narratives that made us feel connected to the landscapes and culture around us. Bjorn had an amazing ability to read our group and adapt the experience to fit our energy. Whether we were marveling at waterfalls, chasing the northern lights, or exploring hidden “secret” gems, he knew exactly when to dive into fascinating details and when to let us soak in the moment. His communication was crystal clear, and he always made sure everyone felt included and engaged. What really stood out was his warmth and sense of humor. He made every day fun, light-hearted, and memorable, while still keeping everything organized and running smoothly. We never felt rushed, yet somehow we saw and learned so much more than we expected. Another thing we deeply appreciated was Bjorn’s passion for supporting local businesses. He introduced us to some of his favorite food places, cozy and fantastic coffee shops, and we even meet some of his friends along the way. It was clear he cared about his community and helping visitors experience the authentic side of Iceland. Bjorn’s knowledge, storytelling, and genuine care for our experience made this trip far more special than we could have imagined. He didn’t just “guide” us, he created memories we’ll cherish forever. He’s the kind of person who turns a trip into an adventure of a lifetime.

This tour exceeded my expectations and was indeed a memorable experience. Apart from the first day of travelling we were very fortunate to have dry and often sunny weather. We also had a marvellous guide who was knowledgeable, well organised, and occasionally funny. He managed to get the balance of Icelandic music, informative commentary, and contemplative solitude absolutely correct. Thank you Siggi. Iceland is a magnificent country with stunning geology, a deep sense of its history and beautiful scenery. We saw all of that on this trip. The highlights - and there were many: Northern Lights several times, a humpback whale so close it felt touchable, the Myvatn hot lagoon to ourselves, and a stunning drive across the snowy wild country from Egilsstaðir to Myvatn. Most of all being woken by my Aurora App at 0430 and having the northern lights roaring silently above me at the Wilderness centre outside in the cold windy darkness. The hotels were all comfortable, especially the Berjara chain in which we stayed twice. I have seen sixty seven winters this was the first 'organised tour' holiday I have ever done - to my surprise it was excellent.

The trip is amazing, lovely landscapes very well organized, interesting activities and our guide Diddi was great, he is very passionate about it and has great knowledge about the country and its history

Overall the tour was an amazing experience. Great way to see all the highlights of Iceland. Our guide Diddi was amazing and provided great commentary about the sights, landscape, history and everyday life in Iceland. The only negative was that the whale watching tour was cancelled due to bad weather, which was replaced with a museum visit. However, being winter in Iceland, we were fortunate that this was the only schedule change.

Professional company and a great tour. Even where there was an incident where the guide had to be replaced due to an injury, the company flew out a new guide, got us back underway as soon as possible, and made it right by issuing a partial refund.

We went on a mother daughter trip to celebrate our birthdays. I would highly recommend this trip. Our tour guide, Siggi, was the absolute best. He was very knowledgeable and kind. He insured our safety as some roads in the winter gets scary. We felt like we were in the movies as the views were stunning!

Wonderful scenery and superb knowledge and commentory by the driver/guide. However, the entire trip was marred by unwanted and unwarranted advances by the driver toward a solo travelling young Asian lady. The overt antics embarrassed not only the young lady but the entire group. When confronted, the guide did apologise to the young lady but the damage was done.

DiDi was the best guide we could ever have. He was so knowledgeable, patient and he really knew what he was doing. Loved it!

This tour was absolutely amazing!! Our guide Vjeran went above and beyond to make this experience even better! I highly recommend traveling with arctic adventures if you are visiting Iceland!!! Stay wonderful!!

This tour was AMAZING. Vjeran our guide was unbelievable. His knowledge of the area and his enthusiasm is undeniable. His driving skills are impressive. Every day we were greeted with a smile and a day of adventures. I would absolutely recommend this tour with Vjeran as your guide.

Amazing views great tour guide. Great tour overall. The views were spectacular. Could not really fault anything on the trip. Great tour overall have an Icelandic tour guide and get local knowledge and wisdom. Bjorn was wonderful

Great trip. Great guide and great people! We loved this trip. The guide Vjeran was absolutely on point! He was full of knowledge, made extra stops and catered to the clients needs and wants! We had such a ball~thank you!

Everyday was amazing and everyday was totally different. We went from cold and wet to blue skies and hot. Blown away by the varied scenery. Vignir as our guide was the best - cool and calm and funny and knowledgeable. I learnt a lot and have a deep admiration for the Icelandic people and culture. Feel privileged to have spent this time with him and will miss everything.

The 8 day Highlights Hitter tour is actually the 6 day ring Road tour with 2 additional day trips added at the end The 6 day Tour was excellent- Nick was our guide and he was fantastic. We saw so many waterfalls, so many sheep, walked on a glacier and enjoyed the Myvatan geothermal hot baths- so many things we would never have accomplished trying to do it on our own. Great to have a guide like Nick getting us there, and most excursions were covered (whale watching, ice cream at a dairy but not riding the Icelandic horses for example) Food and lodging was great-lunch spots for bread and soup not to be missed. And Nick continually pointed out spots that were used in the series Game of thrones and other TV/movie sets. Elisa for the Snaefellnes peninsula was very good and again got us to places we would not know to go look for. We saw an Arctic fox! The final day was Super Jeep in the highlands- we were a little anxious about how rough a ride it would be. Martin and the SuperJeep were great and the ride was smooth. More beautiful waterfalls and then a walk through lava fields- other worldly. We saw so much more than we could have done on our own in an 8 day time frame- busy but amazing. Given we were in the vans so long, the guides were excellent about bathroom breaks. Only criticism is the hand off for the 2 Day excursions on day 7 and 8 could be smoother- our guides were surprised we were travelling with luggage, but they worked it out. Highly recommend.

Truly memorable trip around the entire island of Iceland with Diddi. What a phenomenal guide! This trip involves a LOT of riding in a 19 passenger mini-bus, and Diddi made it exceptional by sharing all his knowledge of Icelandic history and culture. He also went out of his way to share some wonderful surprises, like a side trip to a puffin nesting ground, a visit to an Icelandic horse farm, and so much more.

We’ve just completed the 8 day ring road Iceland tour. It was absolutely brilliant. Our tour guide Karl was fantastic. He went above and beyond to make our trip sensational. My only feedback was that we only ‘toured’ for 6 days. The extra 2 days was really only Arctic Adventures organising the accommodation for the nights In Reykjavik either side so effectively it really was just a 6 day tour. That said by them organising those 2 nights accommodation saved me from having to do it. The accommodation throughout the 8 days was sensational and Karl certainly guided us to the best restaurants along the way. We ended up with only 9 on the tour and we all got on brilliantly. It was a week I’ll never forget. Iceland certainly lived up to its reputation and so too did Arctic Adventures. They run a fabulous and reputable company.