Iceland beyond the Golden Circle

The Golden Circle is famous mostly because it can be done in a day from Reykjavík. Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss are worth seeing: go early in the morning, before the coaches. Then the rest of Iceland begins, and that is where the trip changes pace. Here are the areas that deserve your time, how many days each route needs and the practical rules for driving without nasty surprises.

The south coast: two nights, not one

Between Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss and Jökulsárlón there are waterfalls a few steps from the road, black sand beaches, glacier tongues you can walk with a guide and a lagoon where icebergs drift out to sea. Doing it in a single day means seeing all of it through the windscreen. With two nights, for example one near Vík and one towards Skaftafell, you can stop where you like and reach Jökulsárlón without rushing.

At Reynisfjara, near Vík, watch out for sneaker waves: they run much further up the beach than the others, with no warning. At the entrance to the beach there is a light system: when the light is yellow or red, some zones are off limits. Check the sign before you walk down and never turn your back on the sea.

Snæfellsnes: Iceland in miniature

The Snæfellsnes peninsula is the best compromise for a short trip. Two to two and a half hours' drive from Reykjavík you will find Kirkjufell mountain, the fishing villages of Arnarstapi and Hellnar, the black pebble beach of Djúpalónssandur and the Snæfellsjökull glacier, at the heart of a national park. Traffic is much lighter than on the south coast. Two nights are enough: one in Stykkishólmur or Grundarfjörður, one on the south side of the peninsula.

The north: Mývatn and Húsavík

If you have more time, the north is worth the detour. Around Lake Mývatn there are the fumaroles and mud pools of Hverir, the lava formations of Dimmuborgir, the Hverfjall crater and the geothermal baths on the lakeshore. Less than an hour's drive away, Húsavík is one of the best harbours in the country for whale-watching boat trips: they run from April to October, and humpbacks are most frequent between June and August. Nobody can guarantee a sighting, but in summer the odds are high.

The Westfjords and the East Fjords

The Westfjords are the most remote part of Iceland you can reach by car. Slow roads that follow every fjord, long gravel stretches, few people. In return you get Dynjandi waterfall and the Látrabjarg cliffs, where puffins nest along the edge in June and July. Add them only if you have at least ten days. From Stykkishólmur the Baldur ferry crosses Breiðafjörður to Brjánslækur and also carries cars: book ahead.

The East Fjords are on the Ring Road and quicker to cross. Stop for at least one night. Seyðisfjörður is the most photographed town; at Borgarfjörður eystri, in summer, you can watch puffins from wooden boardwalks a few metres from their burrows.

Driving in Iceland: the rules that matter

• Speed: 90 km/h on paved roads, 80 on gravel, 50 in towns.
• Gravel roads: slow down when the tarmac ends and when you pass another car. Gravel chips windscreens and paintwork.
• Single-lane bridges: slow down before you enter and check that nothing is coming from the other side.
• F-roads: these are the highland roads. By law you can only drive them in a 4x4. They usually open between mid-June and early July, depending on snow, and close in September. Many have unbridged river crossings, which rental car insurance generally does not cover. Off-road driving is illegal.
• Wind: open the car door holding it with both hands. A gust can bend it, and the damage is usually not covered by insurance.
• Sheep: in summer they graze freely and cross without warning. If you see a lamb on one side of the road and its mother on the other, slow down.
• Lights and stops: headlights on at all times, even in daylight. Never stop on the road to take photos.
• Fuel: many petrol stations are self-service and some are unstaffed. At the pump you need a card with a PIN; otherwise buy a prepaid card for that brand at a station with a shop. In the south-east and east there can be up to 200 km between stations: fill up when you are at half a tank.

Planning around the weather

In Iceland, planning around the weather matters more than planning the route. Forecasts change by the hour, and it is often wind, not just snow, that closes roads. Keep one free day for every four planned and check three sites every morning:

• vedur.is for weather and wind and, in winter, the northern lights forecast.
• umferdin.is for road conditions and closures (or call 1777).
• safetravel.is for the day's alerts and safety advice.

How many days for which route

• 4 to 5 days: the Golden Circle and the south coast as far as Jökulsárlón, or the Golden Circle and Snæfellsnes.
• 7 days: the Golden Circle, the south coast with two nights and Snæfellsnes.
• 8 to 10 days: the Ring Road, about 1,300 km, with Mývatn, Húsavík and a night in the East Fjords.
• 12 to 14 days: the Ring Road plus Snæfellsnes or the Westfjords.

In winter, keep the loop smaller. The south coast and Snæfellsnes are enough, and you do not have to close the circle.

Best time

• June to August: very long days, puffins (especially in June and July), whales at Húsavík and open highland roads.
• May and September: fewer people and more changeable weather. In May most of the highlands are still closed.
• Late August to mid-April: northern lights season, with the darkest nights between November and January. Days are short and roads are often snowy or icy. February and March often give the best balance between darkness and daylight.