18 million years in the making, 9 days to blow your mind—welcome to Iceland! There’s really no better way of taking in the country’s surreal blend of volcanic and glacial activity than the iconic Ring Road. Circling The Land of Ice and Fire, the 1328-kilometer (825-mile) road links together Iceland’s must-see wonders in one unforgettable journey. Think black sand beaches, lava fields, steaming vents, ice caves glowing blue, rust-red terrain, bubbling hot pools, and so much more. Days are for exploring geologic magic, but our nights are for chasing the Northern Lights across Iceland’s crisp, dark skies.
What better way to spend 9 days in Iceland than by visiting all its hottest locations in a single trip? Join a group of like-minded adventurous women and complete the iconic Ring Road, featuring the most Instagrammable winter wonderland in the world! If you’re on your own, no worries—this is the perfect opportunity to forge meaningful friendships in a safe and welcoming environment. Enjoy rugged landscapes by day and elegant hotels by night, all while keeping an eye out for that magical glow of the Northern Lights in the sky.
Meet your guide at around 6pm in downtown Reykjavik. You’ll have an introductory meeting about the itinerary and a welcome dinner with your fellow hikers. Get to know your group and have a good night’s sleep for the adventure ahead of you.
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Exeter Hotel or similar
Every day you’ll be hitting the road between 8 and 9 am. Kick off the trip with a Golden Circle tour, a 190-mile route of Iceland’s three major natural attractions. Walk in the seismic rift valley of the Thingvellir National Park, marvel at the highly active Geysir Geothermal Area, and feel the drizzle of the 105-foot-tall Gullfoss, the golden falls.
Next stop is the Friðheimar greenhouse—learn how they use geothermal heating to grow vegetables, pick fresh tomatoes from above your table, and have lunch. End your day by unwinding in the Secret Lagoon, the oldest geothermal pool in Iceland surrounded by natural hot spring baths. As a cherry on top of each day, you’ll be on the hunt for Northern Lights every single night! Spend the night in Hella.
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Accommodation: Stracta Hotel or similar
Today you’re taking a deep dive into Iceland’s Southcoast. Visit the 200-foot-high Seljalandsfoss waterfall, and if the weather allows you, go behind it to capture that iconic viewpoint through the hole. Continue onto the mighty Skógarfoss waterfall, after which you’ll do around 3 hours of glacier hiking on the Sólheimajökull glacier, sitting atop the Katla volcano.
Walk along on black sand beaches, then hike through the Fjaðrárgljúfur, a lush green canyon with a river carving through jagged cliffs. Spend the night in Kirkjubæjarklaustur.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel Skaftafell or similar
New day, new natural phenomena. With an off-road drive in a massive jeep, you’ll reach ice caves, formed in glaciers. Take a tour of 700-year-old ice formations with an expert guide and see turquoise-tinted crystal caves. Next stop is the Glacier Lagoon, after which you’ll head to Diamond Beach. Its black sand and glistening icebergs are like no other place on Earth. Finally, retreat to your hotel in Höfn, the lobster capital of Iceland, and look forward to a delicious dinner.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hótel Höfn or similar
This day is dedicated to cultural exploration of East Fjords. Visit old houses along the coast and numerous quaint villages, such as Djúpivogur. Take a 3-mile hike to Hengifoss, a 420-foot-tall waterfall dropping into a gorge. Spend the rest of the day and the night in Egilsstaðir, East Iceland’s largest town, and get to know its local culture!
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Berjaya Egilsstaðir
Start off the day with a drive to Dettifoss, Europe’s most powerful waterfall, fed by a river flowing from the largest glacier in Europe, Vatnajökull. Tour the waterfall and pass by the highest inhabited point in Iceland. Next up is the Námaskarð geothermal area, a Mars-like zone with no vegetation, but with a palette of vivid colors streaking through the earth.
Continue to Lake Mývatn, where you will explore the area. Walking through the lava field nearby will give you serious Game of Thrones vibes. Second to last stop is Goðafoss, “Waterfall of the Gods”, a symbol of Iceland’s conversion from Norse mythology to Christianity. As you reach Akureyri, your stay for the night, feel free to stroll around the city and explore its selection of Icelandic cuisine.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hótel Kea Akureyri or similar
Put on a warm flotation suit and board a fishing boat in Dalvik! Sail through the fjords for three hours and spot some whales along the way. Following the boat ride, drive through Tröllaskagi, the Troll Peninsula, a beautiful road trip area offering something new at every turn you take. End your day in Hotel Bifröst, a charming hotel built next to and old volcano called Grábrók.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hótel Varmaland or similar
Tour the Snaefellsnes peninsula in West Iceland and a volcanic crater. See Kirkjufell, the actual Arrowhead mountain of Game of Thrones and pass the center of the Earth, at least according to Jules Verne. Head to the Ytri Tunga beach, one of the best places for spotting seals in Iceland! Head back to Reykjavik and have a goodbye dinner with your group.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Accommodation: Exeter Hotel or similar
Book your flight in the afternoon so you can take a dip in the Blue Lagoon, only a 15-minute drive from the airport. As a perfect ending to your trip, swim in this turquoise geothermal spa located inside a lava field. If you want to stay a bit longer in the land of ice and fire, feel free to go back to Reykjavik with your guide. However, if you’re ready to go home and eager to comb through all the incredible photos from the journey, there’s going to be arranged transportation to the airport.
Meals: Breakfast
Included:
Add-ons:
Not included:
This Ring Road tour for women is beginner-friendly! No special skills are required, just a basic level of fitness, as you’ll be leisurely walking and sightseeing for the majority of the tour. You’ll only do two hikes lasting around 3 hours, but other than that, you’ll be exploring Iceland at a relaxed pace!
Here’s a list of clothing & footwear you need to bring:
Here’s a list of personal items & equipment you need to bring:
Your main luggage for this Ring Road tour for women will be transported by transport vehicle, and you will not have access to it until you reach your accommodation in the afternoon. Everything needed for the day’s trek must be in your daypack.
You are allowed to take one piece of luggage on the tour. Your guide advises you not to bring a massive one—there are luggage lockers at four centrally located places in Reykjavik where you can store your extra luggage.
For your own well-being and safety, we strongly suggest following the advice of this equipment list. This includes having good quality rain gear, tops, and bottoms. Cotton clothing is not appropriate for any strenuous outdoor activity—nor are jeans and cotton t-shirts. Modern outdoor clothing is by far more comfortable and will greatly improve your experience.
Group sizes and prices:
Ring Road tours for women can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
To get to Iceland to your Ring Road tour for women, most people fly into Keflavík International Airport (KEF), located 45 minutes from downtown Reykjavik. From there, the best and the cheapest way is to take one of the public busses like Airport Direct or Flybus. Buses leave 35-40 minutes after the arrival of each flight, 24/7.
Make your way to the beautiful hotel room that your guides will have reserved for you. If you arrive before check-in, you can store your luggage at the hotel and explore the city at your own pace. In the evening, meet your guide and fellow travelers at 6pm for a welcome gathering on Day 1, followed by dinner in the city.
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both emergency medical and travel insurance. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, we partnered up with Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner!
Redpoint tailors their insurance packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations. Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.
Once your booking is confirmed and your trip is paid in full, you will be offered to purchase Redpoint’s insurance. If you need any help or require more information, let us know and we will be happy to help!
Iceland, the “Land of Fire and Ice”, has forever lived with volcanic activity. Minor and major eruptions have occurred every few years since the island was formed. Some of Iceland’s appeal, aside from sheer natural beauty, surely stems from this very fact.
However, every new eruption, such as the recent Reykjanes Peninsula fissure, will make some travelers, tourists, and adventurers uneasy, especially given the fact that sensationalist media is not immune to misinformation and speculation.
Since we work with a number of expert local guides in Iceland, we thought we’d share their input and fill you in on what’s actually going on.
First of all, air traffic has not been affected. Flights to and from Keflavík International Airport and Reykjavík Domestic Airport are operating as they always do.
Second, the effects of volcanic activity have been localized, with some roads closed, and all services in Iceland operating as usual. Reykjavik, the capital, is around 40 km (25 miles) away from the volcanic fissure, and life there is as normal as ever.
And third, trips offered by 57hours are taking place much further away, and are thereby even less likely to be affected by the volcanic activity, being perfectly safe for adventurers. Naturally, the authorities (and guides) are monitoring the situation and doing everything possible to keep both local residents and visitors safe and well informed.
In case you have any additional questions or dilemmas, feel free to get in touch with either your guide or 57hours. For more information, please visit:
https://safetravel.is/
https://www.visiticeland.com/article/volcano-info
Or watch the video with Dr. Matthew Roberts from the Icelandic Meteorological Office explaining the recent volcanic activities in Iceland:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QA3-BXYuYrw
Deposits
Secure your spot with a 30% deposit upon booking! The remaining 70% of the trip price must be paid 90 days prior to departure at the latest. If booking within 90 days of departure, the full amount is required at the time of booking.
Cancellations
Booking fees are non-refundable after a 48-hour grace period. During checkout, however, you can choose one of 57hours’ flexibility options—Basic, Flexible, or Super Flexible. Depending on which one you choose, a different cancellation policy will apply to your booking.
Basic
Flexible
Super Flexible
Early Bird booking
Want to be the first one to know when we publish new dates or secure your spot well in advance? Select a future month that suits you best and lock in your Early Bird spot in time with just a 10% deposit.
As soon as our guides publish new tour dates, you’ll be the first one to know. We’ll hold your spot for 2 weeks until you choose the date that suits you best.
More about how Early Bird bookings work below:
