This article is part of the Complete Guide to Photography in Iceland
Iceland is a huge location for photography, with an impossible number of places to visit in one trip. Any itinerary you plan will involve compromises, and there are many possible variations on your route and the places you might see.
The timing of your trip may help narrow down your options. In the winter, you’ll be restricted to areas around the coast. In the summer, you might take advantage of the wildlife photography locations. Whenever you visit, there will always be more spots than can fit into any one trip, and you'll need to prioritise your time.
The main decision as a photographer is between visiting the more popular tourist spots or the best photography locations. The most visited sights in Iceland aren't always the most rewarding areas for photography, and it will help to have a clear purpose for your trip.
These itineraries are based on 10-day journeys for photographers and are easy to extend, reduce or combine to fit your own plans and availability.
10 Day Iceland Itinerary: South Coast Photography
Map data from OpenStreetMap
This starter photography Iceland itinerary will take you to the most popular spots with the easiest journey. These locations are easy to reach if you rent a car and are accessible all year round. This route will take full advantage of the research done by other photographers and allow you to focus on capturing great images in stunning locations.
This itinerary contains no off-the-beaten-path areas or hidden gems, but it does miss the tourist hotspots to focus on the best photography spots. You won’t get the most original compositions on this trip, but this route will pass some less-visited places as well as the highlights.
Days 1-6: Travel along the south coast from the area around Reykjavik, through Vik, and as far east as Vestrahorn in the southeast corner of the country. You can complete this journey almost exclusively on Route 1, which tracks the coast and passes close to many of the most popular photography spots.
You can divide this time with frequent stays along the coast, but spend longer in Vik and Hofn if you prefer not to move accommodation. Photography highlights on this route include:
The waterfalls Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss.
The Solheimasandur Plane Wreck
The coastal spots of Reynisfjara Beach and the Dyrholaey Peninsula
The ice lagoon Jokulsarlon
Glaciers at Solheimajokull, Fjallsarlon, Heinabergsjokull
The incredible mountains Vestrahorn and Eystrahorn
Day 7: Travel back west along the south coast, stopping at any highlights you want to revisit before you reach the Snaefellsnes Peninsula.
Days 8-10: Explore the beautiful Snaefellsnes Peninsula, especially the highlights of Kirkjufell, The Black Church and Londrangar Cliffs.
All the great spots are close together in this area, and you can stay in one location (I recommend Grundarfjordur for your whole visit).
10 Day Iceland Itinerary: Photography in the North
Map data from OpenStreetMap
The easiest way to find quieter parts of Iceland is to focus on the north. There are plenty of hotels, restaurants, and visitor highlights, but Iceland gets less busy the further you travel from Reykjavik. The north is a good combination of being easy to access and a less busy than the south.
If you are planning a long trip to Iceland (three weeks or more), you could combine this itinerary with the South Coast Itinerary above for a more comprehensive view of all the sights around Route 1. You may have to prioritise some areas to fit a double itinerary into a shorter trip, but you can still circle Iceland in two weeks without being rushed.
Days 1-2: Start in the east fjords, using Egilsstadir as a base for exploring the fjords and nearby waterfalls of Hengifoss and Klifbrekkufossar. The east fjords are ideal for exploring by car, and there are spectacular views around every corner if you follow the route around the coast.
Days 3-6: Head to Myvatn for a few days, where you'll find a beautiful lake and a great base for photography highlights in this area. Myvatn is inland, and this area is full of volcanic landscapes and stunning waterfalls.
From here, you can visit the incredible waterfalls of Dettifoss, Selfoss and Godafoss, all highlights of Iceland but slightly less busy for being so remote. You can also explore the geothermal areas of Krafla and Hverir and stop in the northern equivalent of the Blue Lagoon, the Myvatn Nature Baths.
For something different and a variation in your experience of Iceland, head to Husavik for a whale-watching adventure (if you are visiting between April and September).
Days 7-8: The north coast is long, and some sights towards the northwest are hard to reach from Myvatn. Stop for a day or two west of Akureyri for more unusual and less-visited spots around the coast.
The highlight of this area is the beautiful sea stack Hvitserkur, which is a great place to spend at least one sunrise or sunset. You’ll also find some pretty villages, a few waterfalls and some traditional buildings in this area.
Days 9-10: The west fjords are harder to access than the east fjords, and there are areas with no roads at all. The best place to focus for photography is the southwest corner, and a good base would be in the fjords south of Isafjordur. In winter, this region can be difficult to access, and you are more likely to be delayed on the roads.
The west fjords contain some of the most beautiful locations in Iceland, including the veil waterfall Dynjandi and the bird nesting sites along the Latrabjarg Cliffs.
10 Day Iceland Itinerary: The Highlands
Map data from OpenStreetMap
The Highlands are only accessible during the summer but contain some of the best landscape photography in Iceland. If you are planning a summer visit and want to make the most of this part of the country, this itinerary will take you to locations that are off-limits in the winter.
You may need to plan and make bookings in advance for a trip like this, as the accessibility of the Highlands coincides with peak tourist season when prices are high and availability is low.
Days 1-3: Start on the south coast to get familiar with Iceland and visit some of the coastal highlights around Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss. Head into the Highlands to Thorsmork, which is on a spur road with no onward access to other locations; this will be a return trip down F-249.
Use the time to hike around Thorsmork, and don’t miss the Valahnjukur Viewpoint for a sunset or sunrise. Stay in the Volcano Huts or a campsite to get the most out of this location and explore the valley in different conditions.
Day 4: Haifoss is not an F-Roads location, but it’s down a very bumpy route and only accessible in the summer. It’s a spectacular waterfall, and you can combine this area with Gullfoss to make the onward journey a little easier.
Days 5-6: Head 1h30m north on F-35 from Gullfoss to the geothermal mountain range of Kerlingarfjoll, one of the most alien landscapes in Iceland. This can be a tricky road with several river crossings, so plan your journey carefully and stay overnight near Kerlingarfjoll for a longer trip.
There are several day hikes around Kerlingarfjoll, with some beautiful geothermal areas at Hveradalir and further north on F-35 at Hveravellir.
To make your onward journey easier, consider only staying one night at Kerlingarfjoll, with another night further south near Gullfoss or Haifoss. This would avoid a long day of Highlands driving for the next stop.
Days 7-8: Landmannalaugar is a stunning mountain range of colourful rhyolite peaks and one of the richest photography locations in the Highlands. You can camp or stay in the huts here and do day trips in the car to some great photography destinations on the nearby F-Roads.
Photography here will be a mix of hiking the trails to viewpoints around Landmannalaugar and driving to nearby destinations around F-208. There are several day hikes from the campsite, or you could try a multi-day route and extend this part of the journey.
Many locations around Landmannalaugar look best with a drone. The landscape consists of ancient volcanic peaks and enormous craters that are much easier to capture from above.
Days 9-10: Alftavatn and Lakagigar are photography highlights that feature volcanic peaks in a barren landscape of black sand and lava fields. Alftavatn is not easy to reach, but they are both in the landscape south of Landmannalaugar, and it's possible to explore them in a couple of days.
You might choose other priorities for the last few days of this intense itinerary, or extend it slightly to spend more time in the landscape around Landmannalaugar.
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