A 21 day wellness itinerary: the Ring Road and the Westfjords

Three weeks is the gift of a lifetime trip. It gives you the whole Ring Road at a gentle pace and still leaves room for the Westfjords, the wild northwest peninsula that most visitors never reach. This is where Iceland keeps its quietest roads and its most natural hot pools, simple stone and concrete tubs set right on the shore with the sea below and the mountains above. This route runs clockwise from Reykjavik, weaves the Westfjords in near the end, and keeps a warm soak close at hand throughout. Book the headline baths ahead and let the wild pools be your reward for the extra miles.

Days 1 to 2, Reykjavik and the southwest

Begin softly by the sea at the Sky Lagoon and its seven step ritual, then give a full day to the city, its pools, harbour and easy walking. Start the loop rested.

Days 3 to 5, Golden Circle and the south

Follow the Golden Circle to the rustic Hrunalaug and the historic Secret Lagoon in Fludir, then trace the south coast of waterfalls and black sand. Walk the green valley to Seljavallalaug for a soak set into the mountainside.

Days 6 to 7, glaciers and the southeast

Spend these days in glacier country, with the ice lagoon at Jokulsarlon and the diamond beach, the stops frequent and the driving unhurried. Overnight near Hofn before the road bends into the fjords.

Days 8 to 9, the Eastfjords and a slow stay

Into the calm of East Iceland, where the fjords open one after another and the crowds fall away. Float at the Vök Baths on the lake near Egilsstadir, then take a full slow day with a fjord walk, a village pool and good local food.

Days 10 to 11, the northeast and the Earth Lagoon

Carry on past Dettifoss to the Lake Myvatn area, where the Earth Lagoon (formerly Mývatn Nature Baths) overlooks a sweep of volcanic ground. Soak under the midnight sun or the northern lights, and give a second day to the craters and lava fields.

Days 12 to 13, Akureyri and the north

Drop to Akureyri and the Forest Lagoon among the birch above the fjord. Use the spare day for whales, gardens or simply a long, lazy morning before the road runs west.

Days 14 to 15, west to Borgarfjordur

Cross the open north into the west, pairing the geothermal Krauma baths with the Hraunfossar lava falls and a quiet night in the countryside. This is the threshold of the Westfjords, so rest well before the wild roads begin.

Days 16 to 18, into the Westfjords

Now for the peninsula most travellers miss. Wind north along the coast to the gentle stone pools of Reykjafjardarlaug and the seaside tub at Hellulaug, where you soak almost level with the water. Detour to the soaring Dynjandi waterfall, and end a day with a quiet float at the village pool of Pollurinn above Talknafjordur, looking out over the fjord.

Days 19 to 20, the Strandir coast

Trace the remote eastern shore of the Westfjords, the Strandir coast, where wild water meets the sea. Soak at the cliffside Krossneslaug with the surf breaking just beyond the wall, and dip in the shore side hot pots at Drangsnes, free tubs looking across to Grimsey island. On the way back, the saga era Gudrunarlaug in the Dales makes a fine, story rich stop.

Day 21, back to Reykjavik

Follow the shore of Hvalfjordur to the tidal pools at Hvammsvik for one last fjordside float, then the short drive back to the city. A full circle of the island, the wild northwest included.

Three weeks lets you reach the quiet edges, where the pools are simplest and the views are widest. This is Iceland almost to yourself.

Make it easy

A trip this long runs best when the baths and beds are arranged in advance, so each day is just the road and the water. Our Ring Road Wellness journey sets up the main loop as a self drive trip with the stops pre booked, and we can extend it with the Westfjords leg so the wild pools fold neatly into the plan.

Shorter on time? See the 14 day Ring Road itinerary or the 7 day route. Want more on the wild northwest first? Read about the natural pools of the Westfjords.