Iceland Ring Road or Snæfellsnes and Westfjords?
Iceland Ring Road or Snæfellsnes and Westfjords? Both routes compared: length, driving time, best season, tolls and road limits, with our recommendation.
| Iceland Ring Road | Snæfellsnes and Westfjords | |
|---|---|---|
| Route | Reykjavík → Reykjavík | Borgarnes → Borðeyri |
| Suggested days | 8 | 8 |
| Distance | 1,242 km (772 mi) | 671 km (417 mi) |
| Driving | 17 h 09 min | 9 h 16 min |
| Stops | 14 | 14 |
| Best time to go | – | – |
| Tolls and vignettes | None expected | None expected |
| Good to know | – | – |
Our recommendation
Choose the Ring Road for a first Iceland trip that covers it all in eight days: about 1,242 km from Reykjavík via the Golden Circle, the south coast, Jökulsárlón, the East Fjords, Mývatn and Akureyri. Expect wind strong enough to push tall vehicles. Pick Snæfellsnes and the Westfjords for quieter roads: about 671 km from Borgarnes to Borðeyri, with Kirkjufell, the Baldur ferry, Látrabjarg’s puffins and Dynjandi, but also gravel, single-lane tunnels and long stretches without fuel. On both, November–March is cold and dark, July and August are busiest, and F-roads need a 4×4.
Both routes in detail
Photo by Tom Podmore on UnsplashIn-depth road trip guides
Glacier wind, basalt coasts and steaming ground – all the way round Iceland on the Ring Road by camper
© MarcelDominic · Pixabay Content LicenseIn-depth road trip guides
Bird cliffs, fjord gravel and glacier light – by camper across Snæfellsnes into the Westfjords
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