After the rainy day from Day 1, we were surprised to wake up in the perfect sunny and clear sky day.

We had an excellent breakfast in the barn, we cook some food for the road, and around 10:00 am, we hit the road one more.

Our plan for this day was the most relaxed in terms of travel time (~ 4 hours) and driving distance (~250 km/150 miles) planned from our Airbnb nearby Vík to Höfn. From the first moment, we prepare ourselves for detours or cut some destination depending on how much time we have left. If you check our post Day 1: Ring Road Itinerary, via the Golden Circle, you will see our last stop was Skógafoss waterfall, that we arrive there already late at night, that we were tired and soaking wet. But thankfully, this magnificent waterfall was just a 20 minutes detour, so we decide to come back and enjoy it one more.

*All the prices shown in this post are from August 2020.

Day 2 itinerary:

1. (12:00) Dyrhólaey
2. (13:30) Reynisfjara
3. (15:00) Vík
4. (17:00) Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon
5. (19:00) Skaftafell
6. (21:00) Svínafellsjökull
7. (22:30) Accommodation: Guest house Reynivellir

Dyrhólaey

• Free parking.
• 4×4 recommended.
• WC.
• No drones allowed.
• Not food available.
• Time spend there: 30 minutes-1 hour.

Half an hour from Skogafoss, you can find Dyrhólaey lighthouse. A beautiful view over the sea is not the only thing this destination has to offer. You will be able to see a black sand beach, white peaks from Mýrdalsjökull glacier, volcanic rock formations, and if you have good luck, even Puffins.

It can be very windy, so might your steps when you are closer to the border of the cliffs.

Reynisfjara

• Free parking.
• WC and restaurant.
• Time spend there:1 hour-1:30 hours.

Twenty minutes ride, we found the most famous black sand beach in Iceland. This might not be a destination to go swimming, but it has many to offer. From the moment you enter, you will be captivated by the number of puffins flying over the basalt columns. This beach is also home to Reynisdrangar, the basalt stacks that stick out of the sea. And one of the most pictured spots in Iceland.

The waves from Reynisfjara can be very high and dangerous, so be alert during your visit.

Vík

• Free parking.
• WC and restaurant.
• Time spend there:1 hour.

In the area nearby Vík, you have not only Dyrhólaey and Reynisfjara, but the central city, ten minutes from the last destination, has many beauty to offer. From the most classic picture from the back of the church to cozy restaurants and exhibitions.

Honestly, we didn’t spend as much in the city as we would like, but we took the time to stop, refill the car, take some pictures, and have lunch with a perfect view of the classic red roof Vík í Mýrdal church.

Fjaðrárgljúfur

• Free parking.
• WC.
• Not food available.
• Time spend there: 30 minutes-1 hour.

From what we read, this was one of the hidden gems of Iceland. But in recent years, after the popular music video, I’ll Show You, from Canadian musician Justin Bieber, was filmed in this location, many people discovered this hidden spot one hour from Vík.

Skaftafell

• Parking fee with automatic machine*: 400 ISK (~ 2.70 €/ $3 ).
• WC and cafeteria
• Camping area.
• Time spend there: 1.5 – 2 hours.

One more hour on the road, and we reach our next destination. Skaftafell National Park was even better we were expecting. With a 30 minutes hike, you can reach Svartifoss waterfall. On the way there, you will also find Hundafoss, another beautiful waterfall that you can admire while you rest from the first part of the hike. While you walk to the top, you will be able to catch a magnificent sunset or sunrise if you visit it during the right time window. This National Park has many other trails to offer if you are looking for a more challenging hike.

Svínafellsjökull

• Free parking.
• Not WC or food available.
• 4×4 recommended.
• Time spend there: 30 minutes.

Getting already late night and on the way to our guesthouse, we decided to do one more stop, just 15 minutes from the national park. Thus, Svínafellsjökull glacier tongue was the perfect close to the day. Moreover, it offers us a preview of what we expect the next day while we border the main glacier Vatnajökull in our way to Egilsstaðir.

Please be careful, this area has claim lives, and you will need to climb up around some slippery rocks.

Some of the links on this post contains affiliate links. If you click through and purchase something we may receive payment. Although all these recommendations are based on our personal experience.

For the night, we choose a guest house one hour from Svínafellsjökull and passing by Jökulsárlón, which was our first destination from day 3 in the ring road. Reynivellir was even better we were expecting. We arrive in the middle of the night, so at first, we couldn’t really appreciate what we had around. Immediately after arrival, we refresh and enjoy some light dinner with some hot cocoa in a very cozy living room, sharing with other people. Still, we arrive such late at night that everyone else was already in bed.

To our surprise, the following day, we found this beautiful view from our balcony.

If we had a regret was not to take our breakfast seating in the terrace by the morning sun with the perfect view.

• Parking included.
• Shared: kitchen, tables, chairs, bar, refrigerator, microwave, heat boiler, freezer, baking oven, free coffee machine, and wifi connection.
• Two shared showers and bathrooms.
• Our experience: We paid 96 euros for a room for 4 people, which we find comfortable and with everything we needed for the night. Because we arrive out of reception time, we had to come to the other property a few meters after the house to pick up the keys. All this is also indicated in the confirmation email and the indication to find the property.

Tours

Two of the most exciting experience you can have in Iceland is an ice cave tour or a glacier hiking. In the area between Vik and Höfn, you have two glaciers perfect for this experience, Solheimajokull and Vatnajökull. Check a few of these tours at Viator.

Check our Day 2 adventure in Youtube