This is the history of our Ring-Road or why it is a misleading concept and not intended to be the simple concept that many tourists use as a guideline while traveling around Iceland today. This was “our ring road “back in 1974 so check out the full story before you do the roundtrip because there might be some better ideas out there for you, and welcome to Iceland.
Links to some of the places I’m showing in this video:
https://www.arcticcoastway.is/en
Dettifoss Waterfall: https://youtu.be/8FtrrPnhoTA
Snæfellsnes Peninsula: https://youtu.be/omk4h1PQmFM
The Road Tunnels to Siglufjörður: https://youtu.be/7asoDesJ_Do
Siglufjörður Herring Village: https://youtu.be/18S-NGIG53M
The island Hrísey: https://youtu.be/4lGbvdPBvqM
Elve Storie: https://youtu.be/vO7EB0xnib4
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My Music & Sound Effect source:
Do you like the music in my videos? I did a great deal when I subscribed to Envato Elements where I have access to over a million digital assets with one simple licence. Envato is one of my most important tools when it comes to ideas and creative work.
Check them out for your own work, and if you use my affiliate link, you help me even more with my creativity: https://1.envato.market/za76yO
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With Greetings from Iceland
Gylfi
45 Comments
My wife and I never understood, and will never, why most of the travel agencies promote the whole ring road nr. 1 in most of the time under 15, or so, travel days.
This does much injustice to your splendid natural wonder land and villages like you mentioned in this video.
In fact, Iceland is very easy to explore on your own without the help or preparation from a (abroad) travel agent.
All the info is on the internet and most of it on this splendid YouTube Channel, Thx Gylfi!
There is so much to explore and to do in the majestic West- and Eastfjords, Snæfellsnes, Northeast and ofcourse the indescribable (but you can Gylfi) Highlands.
Counting the days to explore the north.
Like how I view the Interstate Freeway system here in the US. Highway 1 is what you take to get to the roads that take you to the places worth visiting.
Fact is… the ring road is the way to get to places. But the ring road itself isn't a destination of course. Going inland you need a 4×4 (and preferably 4×4 driving skills), which makes that less likely to happen. I've been to Iceland twice now. Once shortly after the Eyjafjallajökull eruption and once shortly before the pandemic. First trip i did venture off the ring road. Also finding maps weren't quite telling the truth. The 917 showed as a regular road along the east coast. But tarmac turned into gravel into mud and then I was looking at a twisty dirt path straight up the mountain. My small rental made it up (didn't want to turn around) and I did pass by a Icelander in a 4×4 shaking his head. Fantastic view up top. Never doing that again 🙂
Second time I noticed how tourism has taking over everything. Where first time I could stumble upon an accessible crater and only one other car was parked at the base. That same place now has a paid for parking lot, a big toilet building and fences all over so you cannot walk into the crater. Same everywhere I really enjoyed raw nature first time. Fences, parking lots etc.
The downsides of tourism. Too crowded and people littering, peing and defacating everywhere (a few of those once beautiful moss covered lava fields were gross.
Real shame. But tourism did 'rescue' Iceland after the bank crisis.
I guess more reason to find ways to get further of the beaten path next time I visit Iceland.
I agree. But still the ring road is useful to come to the side tracks and other ring roads, though.
I’ve visited Iceland many times but never did the ring road. I only travel in winter and it took 3 attempts to reach Detifoss but it was worth the wait. I love being in the really rural areas much more than the overcrowded tours that leave from Reykjavik. Landmanalugar was stunning beyond words in the winter sun, the aurora danced at night and the barbecue had Icelandic lamb on it. Iceland has those moments that are just perfect.
Now there's some new road signs for ya … Turn left for the next Mysterious Natural Disaster and Beware of Primitive Tourist … Thanks ✌
Thank you for the as always excellent content. Although I enjoyed the ring road it was the side ring adventures that made my Iceland adventure an amazing experience! The incredible vista's, hikes & most importantly meeting the local people. I'm so looking forward to my next Iceland adventure. Got to get out & explore this amazing land!!!
Ég vil þakka þér kærlega fyrir allar frábærar myndirnar af Íslandi og góðu ráðin sem þú hefur deilt með okkur á vefnum. Það hefur verið ævintýr að fylgjast með ferðum þínum og sjá þessa frábæru náttúru sem þú hefur deilt með okkur. Ég vona að þú haldur áfram með þessa stórfelldu störf og deilir þínum sérþekkingu og upplifunum með okkur í framtíðinni.
I hitch hiked the ring road in 1984. With some detours 🙂
it's getting too expensive for me to visit iceland, all those tourists drive up the prices
I wouldn’t ride the whole ring road if I would visit Island. I would visit the inland attractions.
Nice to see so many places that we visited last year in the north. Can highly recommend the 744 from Blönduós to Skagafjördur. Then follow the coast via 76 and 82 to Hofsós (that pool ❤) Siglufjördur, Dalvik and Akureyri before going on to Húsavik and returning by the same route. 4 wonderful nights. Amazing memories.
We’re heading back for a second summer in a row. This time we’re spending most of our time in the north, which was definitely our favourite place!
The ring road may be misleading only superficial tourists. For me the Ring Road is great, for it helps me to get from A to B fast, sparing my time to explore "the real deal" (last year the West Fjords and the North, this year the North-East and East Fjords). Thank you,Gylfi, for your work, it is an excellent source of information and motivates me to seek for unique places in Islandi.
1100 years of history!😯
So true – my longest, most memorable day’s journey in Iceland was mainly on smaller roads: woke deep in the Eastfjords, visited the nearby grave of an ancient völva, then elves in Borgarfjörður eystri, huldufólk in Ásbyrgi, circled to Mývatn via Húsavík, then searched for trolls at Dimmuborgir after a lakeside dinner. Avoided the Ring Road wherever possible.
Id definitely take the detours just to make sure i saw as much of the country i could. Take care and thanks for sharing that there’s more than just the ring road 👍🙏❤️
currently here with my family and we were trying to do the full ring road but due to road closures from an avalanche we will sadly not get to see the northern region of iceland this time around, however the sections we have seen a long the way have been breathtaking! you don’t have to detour too far to see some amazing sights!
Clearly, Iceland needs to instead create a signage and token system that guides people around the ring road and onto these detours with a touring card that can only be stamped at certain places on those detours. Once a tourist has completed the card, they get an Icelandic tourer certificate, medal or trophy to commemorate their endeavour.
Drive the perimeter might be a good concept.
To us the Ring Road was just a quick way to get to the out-of-the-way places like Asbyrgi, Snaefellsnes, the West Fjords, Husavik, etc.
Very informative! I enjoyed this so much.
I have twice driven the ring road over the course of a week, but it’s very much a means to an end and as part of one or both trips I took detours to Dettifoss, Húsavík, Hvammstangi and Snæfellsnes. I’ll need at least another week to tour the Westfjords. Soon!
Great ! Can you make a video on some Local celebrate carnival or festival ! Love from Nepal !
When I went to Iceland we looked at the erupting volcano that had started just 5 days before we got there last August. After watching the eruption and looking at some local sights for three days or so we took a guided tour of the Westfjords and it is well worth the time to go there. The lodging was inexpensive and included breakfast and sometimes supper too. I do not think we paid much more than $100 USD per night and it was a great week and hardly any crowds at some beautiful waterfalls. Having a guide made a difference as she saw that we didn't miss anything important. It isn't necessary to have a guide, but it was nice to have an interpreter sometimes and to tell us what some food items were.😁
A week isn't long enough to see everything without hurrying in the Westfjords. We just took our time. We will go back next summer and catch the rest.
We went to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula as well and drove around its coastal road. Stayed in a small coastal town called Olafvik, where there is a neat waterfall just outside of town. The sights were astounding only wished the weather had been warmer, was a bit cold for August. Everywhere we went had just wonderful sights, friendly people who were not tired of crowds because there were hardly any the further North from Reykjavik we went. The Snæfellsnes Peninsula isn't that far from the capital either and did have a few more people than the Westfjords did, but not many more. Everyone it seemed was more interested in the eruption that was dying out when we left.
Unfortunately the clouds prevented us from seeing the top half of the Snæfellsjökull volcano.
I made a road trip and the whole ring road in 2021…. but the best and the most beautiful places were always when I took a detour (not the fastest road from A to B). Sometimes I just chose not to go through tunel, but I went around or over the hill. The best views ever!
Sadly I missed many places (like West fjords) because of lack of time so I hope that I will be able to get back soon and visit all the places I haven't seen yet.
I could of course look it up myself but it is easier to just ask. Can one rent an electric car and drive all around the ring road with detours? Is the charging network well built out?
I just discovered your videos and I'm very excited about your dry humor and your kind of storytelling.
At 2:56 you say there are routes for all types of cars in the highlands and I wanted to ask if you could recommend any that are non-four wheel drive.
When we were in the East Fjords this past year, we met some tourists who were driving the ring road in a week! It was a shame, because they didn’t have time to see the most interesting parts of Iceland and give them the time they deserve.
I have gone the entire way around the island, but it was a slow trip (6 months) and definitely took me way out to the West Fjords.
It’s simply not a country to see on a short trip. Take your time and meet the lovely people. It’s not a check mark on a bucket list as much as a destination in itself.
fascinating!
How many days does a trip around the ring road, with the important detours, usually take? Of course that depends on how many detours one wants to make.
I really look forward in seeing as much of your beautiful country as I can 😊
Gonna be in Iceland next Wednesday. Plan a ring road road but I know there’s a lot more to see. Problem is I’m going around in a motor home which I understand is not very versatile or off roady. Any recommendations for 7 days?
This is priceless information for anyone planning a ring road trip in Iceland, myself included. Many thanks!
The Johnny Cash Ring Road?
Stupid idea >>>
Great tour! Gylfi, every country has a "ring road" and though these routes certainly offer must-see places, the discerning traveller understands true gems lie beyond the ring.
I don't think I could spend less than a month exploring Iceland (someday soon, I hope!) My fear is that I couldn't force myself to leave afterwards.
Was Ásbyrgi carved out by a glacial outburst flood (jökulhlaup)? It looks remarkably like some of the features in eastern Washington state called the channeled scablands, which were created by a long series of truly humongous floods from Glacial Lake Missoula at the end of the last ice age.
djöfull er þetta flott hjá þér, þakka þér fyrir þetta. Mjög sammála þessari pælingu að það er varla hægt að sjá neitt við hringveginn. <3 ástar þakkir fyrir að nenna þessu.
I understand your point. But tourists don't usually stay in Iceland for months, unless they live here. So they try to see as much as they can with the time alloted. I would move here for a while, but I prefer warm/hot weather❤
I've done the ring road outside of tourist season but with quite a few diversions along the way. What you say is true but hiring a car, or motorhome is expensive and time limited. It's an ideal first or second trip and if you like Iceland you'll come back again and again as I have and explore specific areas.
now that Iceland may no longer be engaged in the barbaric practice of slaughtering Fin whales, I'm starting to have more warm & fuzzy thoughts towards the country. It sure is beautiful, would love to go there sometime. Assuming, of course, that they actually outlaw killing whales.
I just got back: had to give up on the north fjords, but I was able to visit Snaefellsness, Trollaskagi, Dettifoss and Seydisfjordur…and I’ll be back to see the detours I missed! Thanks for your wonderful advice and amazing channel, keep up the good work!
For those considering the Ring Road. With your own rented and suitable transportation, this is the road that gets you to the exciting roads. Some are unpaved. Some make you consider the correctness of your travel and mental state. But all, are worth the effort.