Thursday, 09 June 2016 / Published in Destinations

On Pictures: Why the ring road in Iceland is the best road trip in the world

Need motivation for a road trip? Let me show why Iceland is the best place to drive around and explore wilderness

I visited Iceland and did a road trip around its famous ring road. It was one of the best driving experiences I had and a good way to connect with nature. I explored alien landscapes during the day and experienced starry skies at night.

In this photo essay I will show you my favorites landscapes and the beauty I encountered while driving Iceland Ring Road. It’s time to get some wanderlust and see Iceland with different eyes.

The famous Ring Road in Iceland

This road goes around whole Iceland and takes you to the country’s most inhospitable places. The total length of the ring road is 1,322 kilometres and most travelers cover it in 10-12 days.

sunset ring road iceland — *Displays of color during sunset*

No additional experience is require while driving the road. However, expect blizzards and snow storms if you are traveling in winter or early spring.

bumpy roads iceland-road-tripiceland — *Iceland is one of the countries I visited with the most diverse landscapes in the world. Some highways in Iceland passed the most bizarre landscapes I´ve ever seen.*

While some parts of the road look epic and taken out of a movie set, other parts of the road are monotonous and long. At the same time, some sections of the road are in excellent condition while others are not the best ones to drive at night.

good condition roads in iceland-icelandring-road — *For some roads we decided to simply get off the vehicle and walk around. Check the conditions of your vehicle to know in which routes you are allowed to drive and in which not.*

With hundreds of off roads, Iceland untouched beauty is better explored when leaving the ring road. However, if your vehicle does not have a proper insurance or you are not supposed to drive off road with it, I would not risk it. Iceland is one of the most expensive countries in the world and having a little damage in the car can cost several hundred of euros.

off roads iceland-roadtrip-iceland — *For some roads we decided to simply get off the vehicle and walk around. Check the conditions of your vehicle to know in which routes you are allowed to drive and in which not.*

Days can be 24 hours during Summer. Once I started driving around the ring road Iceland, I forgot when the day begins and ends. Sunsets lasted just minutes and time became basically unexistant.

Read more: How to travel Iceland on a budget

ringroadiceland -scenic views ring road — *Raw nature in Iceland. Here temperature and climate changed from one moment to another without any advice – This is a road trip in Iceland*

Strong winds are very common in Iceland. Several signs indicating this are located all over the ring road. Be careful while driving and stay in the speed limits. Even though Iceland has little traffic, nature can be sometimes the danger ahead.

long roads in iceland-ringroad-iceland — *Some roads are completely empty for hours and you rarely see another car coming in the other direction*

Webpages like road.is inform every day about the road conditions ahead. While the weather is mild in the southern side of the country, you might still encounter snow blizzards and icy roads on the north during summer.

Although we traveled in spring, we encountered some snow in Northern Iceland - Road trip in Iceland — *Although we traveled in spring, we encountered some snow in Northern Iceland*

Iceland is one of the wildest countries in Europe. It is also one of the least populated and it’s common to not see a single car or another person for hours while driving around. It’s pure contact with nature.

bridges in Iceland - ring road iceland — *Iceland landscapes can be as colorful as a surrealistic painting or monochromatic and apocaliptic.*

The ring road in Iceland is one of the most epic road trip experiences in the world. It is a full adventure you can do alone, with your partner or your best friends. It is one of these experiences you have to do at least once in a lifetime and a memory you will never forget.