Clockwise vs counterclockwise full#

It’s actually a fantastic place to see the northern lights from in the winter months. Þingvellir is at the center of this split.Īside from these three wonders, there are many other great places to explore in the Golden Circle area, such as the Secret Lagoon, Iceland’s oldest swimming pool. Iceland is being split in two, as half of it is located on the North American plate and half on the Eurasian plate. It is the site where Iceland’s (and the world’s) first parliament was held and is also a spot where you can stand on two tectonic plates at once. Þingvellir National Park is renowned for two reasons.

Clockwise vs counterclockwise full#

The Geysir geothermal area is a large expanse full of boiling mud pits, and the chief attraction is Geysir, one of the largest geysers in the world. Gullfoss is one of Iceland’s most famous waterfalls and is stunning to see any time of the year. This is the most famous tourist trip to take in Iceland and consists of three main stops: Gullfoss Waterfall, Geysir Geothermal Area, and Þingvellir National Park. The rest of the stops are further north and inland, making use of other highways. Only a part of the Golden Circle utilizes the ring road. You don't want to miss the opportunity of climbing a glacier at Skaftafell because you're drowsy and tired, right? Places to Stop on a Ring Road Tripįor this instance, I’ll describe the route in counterclockwise order: The Golden Circle

The activities in the Southern Highlands of Iceland and the Southern coast do require a bit of strength if you want to enjoy them at its fullest.

Getting up early, heading back to bed quite late, doing activities all day long.and so on. If you start your trip clockwise, by the time you reach the southern area of the island, you might have been touring for 5 to 6 days already. If the weather toughens or if your pace gets slowed down, you can always speed up your trip later on without missing the most important spots in Iceland.Īnother factor is the energy and stamina. At the beginning of your trip, you will have plenty of time to cover all of them. The most well-known touristic points and destinations are located in South Iceland.

The reason is simple, there are far more stops in the Southern Region of Iceland that in any other part of the country, for the most common itineraries. Why do many itineraries in Iceland recommend going anti-clockwise? They will have an idea of the best route to take for the specific season in which you are traveling. If you are hiring a car here, ask your car rental company for options and advice. There are so many ring road itineraries to choose from, the third consideration is, why choose between one direction or the other? After you have visited Iceland once, why not come back a second time and travel the ring road the opposite way? There are so many things to see, you would have missed out on some the first time. After that, you could join the ring road and make your way counterclockwise around the island, ending up in the Westfjords towards the end. It would also mean you could start your trip southwest of the capital, at the Snæfellsnes peninsula, where you could drop in at the Blue Lagoon and hike through Snæfellsjökull National Park. Making the Westfjords one of your last stops before traveling back down to Reykjavík would be a great end to an adventure. They’re not actually covered by the ring road, so you’ll have to detour a little. The second consideration is what you want to start and end your trip doing the Westfjords, in the northwest of Iceland, it is a peaceful place to visit. You can find detailed forecasts on the Icelandic Meteorological Office’s website, here: Things are a little more relaxed in the summer, but it has been known to rain a lot even then. Iceland is known for its bad weather, and in the spring, autumn and winter, sandstorms, snowstorms, and strong winds are common. Check the forecast and if the weather looks better in the north on the first few days of your planned trip than in the south, go clockwise. ‘Follow the Sun’ is the best piece of advice. The first consideration regarding which direction to travel in is the weather. Is it Best to Go Around Iceland Clockwise or Counter Clockwise? But which way, you ask? Clockwise or counterclockwise? Let’s take a look. So, the best way to explore all the land of fire and ice has to offer is to drive the ring road, with occasional detours. This is thanks to Route 1, the Iceland ring road which runs parallel to the coastline all the way around. In spite of its fairly undeveloped highway system, it’s easy to navigate around the country. Iceland is an extremely popular destination for road trips.