Arctic Coast Way Road Trip: Itinerary, Cost & How Many Days
Route at a glance
- Route length
- 900 kmOfficial route from Hvammstangi to Bakkafjörður
- Time needed
- 5–8 daysideal: 6
- Best time
- June–September
- Vehicle
- 4x4 recommended
- Start
- Hvammstangi (west end) or Bakkafjörður (east end)
- Typical camper rate
- €251–€478/day · live, a summer pickup
About the route
The Arctic Coast Way (Norðurstrandarleið) is Iceland's first officially waymarked scenic route, opened in 2019. It threads 900 kilometres along the north coast from Hvammstangi in the west to Bakkafjörður in the east, linking 21 fishing villages and swinging out onto six peninsulas that most Ring Road travellers never see. It has its own brown-and-white signage, so once you leave Route 1 you can largely follow the markers.
The appeal is remoteness rather than headline waterfalls. You trade the tour-bus honeypots of the south coast for near-empty roads, working harbours, geothermal pools with sea views and coastline facing the Greenland Sea. Whales, seals, puffins and Arctic terns are the main attractions, along with big-sky emptiness on the low Melrakkaslétta plain and the Langanes peninsula, where you can drive for an hour without meeting another car.
This is not a single ribbon of tarmac. Roughly a third of the full route is gravel, concentrated on the outer peninsulas (Vatnsnes, Skagi, Melrakkaslétta, Langanes). The main spine through Skagafjörður and Tröllaskagi is paved and easy. A 2WD campervan can complete the route in summer if you drive the gravel with care, but a 4x4 is more comfortable and gives you margin on the rougher spurs.
Because the route runs point to point, plan your campervan pick-up and drop-off around it. Most travellers collect the van in Reykjavík or at Keflavík Airport and drive north to Hvammstangi (about 2.5 hours) to start; Akureyri sits roughly in the middle and has its own rental depots if you want to trim the driving.
Watch out: "\"Travellers underestimate the gravel. It is only about a third of the route, but it is the third with the best scenery, so you cannot simply skip it, and it is where windscreen chips and stone damage happen. Slow right down, especially when meeting oncoming vehicles, take gravel and sand-and-ash insurance seriously, and do not treat the peninsula tracks like the paved coast road.\""
How many days do you need?
5 days
The efficient run
Confident drivers happy to prioritise; you will cover the spine and pick two or three peninsulas rather than all six
6 days
The ideal loop
Most travellers; time for Vatnsnes, Tröllaskagi, a Grímsey day and Húsavík whales, with a brisker push through the eastern peninsulas at the end
8 days
The full explorer
Those who want the remote east; unhurried days on Melrakkaslétta and Langanes, weather buffer built in
What a Arctic Coast Way trip costs
The camper figures on this page are pulled from our daily price checks across every major Icelandic rental company, so the trip totals shown here reflect what a van for the Arctic Coast Way actually costs right now rather than a sticker rate. The single biggest lever is trip length: at six days you are paying for a full week of van hire, and each extra day you add for Langanes or a weather buffer moves the total in a straight line. Season is the next lever, with peak July and August rates well above the May and September shoulders for the identical vehicle.
Vehicle class matters more on this route than on a paved Ring Road trip. Because so much of the Arctic Coast Way is gravel, many travellers step up from a basic 2WD to a 4x4 or a larger camper, and that choice can shift the daily rate substantially; the live figures let you compare the two side by side. Booking lead time is the quietest cost driver: north-of-Akureyri demand spikes in summer, and vans booked weeks ahead consistently beat last-minute rates. Because the route runs point to point, also check the drop-off terms before you book: collecting in Reykjavík and returning the van in Akureyri can carry a one-way fee that returning to the same depot avoids.
Beyond the van, budget for the on-the-ground extras this itinerary implies. Registered campsites run roughly €12–20 per person per night; expect €40–90 of fuel per driving day given the long, remote legs on days five and six; and food or groceries land around €15–25 per person per day if you self-cater from village shops. Add the paid experiences that make this route (a Húsavík whale tour, the Grímsey ferry, the Hofsós pool), and you have the full picture alongside the camper-only totals in the table.
Camper rental for this triplive
| Trip length | 2-person camper | 4x4 camper | Family camper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 days | €1,062 | €1,949 | €2,263 |
| 6 days | €1,274 | €2,338 | €2,716 |
| 8 days | €1,699 | €3,118 | €3,621 |
Camper only, at the live median daily rate for a summer pickup — campsites, fuel and food are extra. Longer rentals often lower the daily rate, so treat these as an upper guide.
Estimate your own trip
Pick your travel month, trip length and group size — the camper line prices straight from our live database (rates swing with the season), and you get a budget and a comfort scenario side by side.
marks the best months for this route
A 4x4 is recommended on this route's rougher gravel — the comfort estimate prices one; the budget estimate sticks to a 2WD camper.
Budget
€1,416–€2,292
€708–€1,146 per person · 2-person camper
Camper sized to your group, every meal self-cooked, base CDW insurance only.
For 2 travellers · flights and activities not included
Comfort
€3,084–€4,165
€1,542–€2,083 per person · 4x4 camper
One berth size up, full insurance package, eating out roughly one meal in five.
For 2 travellers · flights and activities not included
Camper rates are live medians and quartiles from our daily price checks for a June pickup; campsites, fuel, food, insurance and fees are typical 2026 estimates. Run a live search for exact quotes on your dates.
Based on 58,031 price checks across 14 rental companies over the last 22 days (through July 22, 2026). Prices are in EUR and update as vendor availability changes.
Arctic Coast Way itinerary, day by day
Day 1
Hvammstangi and the Vatnsnes peninsula
Hvammstangi → Vatnsnes loop (Route 711) → Hvammstangi · ~100 km
Start at Hvammstangi, the small town that anchors the west end of the route and home to the Icelandic Seal Centre. From here drive the gravel loop road (711) around the Vatnsnes peninsula, one of Iceland's most reliable places to see harbour and grey seals hauled out on the rocks; the viewing platform at Illugastaðir is signposted. The peninsula's star is Hvítserkur, a 15-metre basalt sea stack shaped like a drinking troll or dragon, best photographed near low tide from the clifftop car park. The road is rough gravel in places, so keep speeds down. Ease into the trip rather than racing the full loop.
HvammstangiIcelandic Seal CentreIllugastaðir seal colonyHvítserkur sea stackOvernight: Kirkjuhvammur campsite, Hvammstangi (open summer only)
Day 2
The Skagi peninsula and Skagafjörður horse country
Hvammstangi → Blönduós → Skagi loop → Sauðárkrókur → Hofsós · ~180 km
Cross to Skagafjörður, the valley Icelanders associate with horses; you will pass paddocks of them and can visit the turf-house museum at Glaumbær. The full loop around the remote Skagi peninsula is long, exposed gravel with lighthouses and empty coves, and it is optional if the weather turns. End the day at Hofsós, whose small geothermal infinity pool appears to spill straight into Skagafjörður, with the island of Drangey offshore. It is one of the most photogenic swims in the country and a fine reward after a gravel day. Fill fuel at Sauðárkrókur before the quieter stretch ahead.
Glaumbær turf farmSkagi peninsula gravel roadSkagafjörður horse farmsHofsós infinity poolOvernight: Hofsós campsite, or the larger campsite at Sauðárkrókur
Day 3
The Tröllaskagi coast road and herring towns
Hofsós → Siglufjörður → Héðinsfjörður tunnels → Ólafsfjörður → Dalvík · ~120 km
This is the scenic heart of the route: the paved coast road hugs the base of the Tröllaskagi (Troll Peninsula) mountains, which drop almost sheer into the sea. Siglufjörður, once Iceland's herring capital, has been restored into a handsome harbour town, and its award-winning Herring Era Museum is the best small museum in the north. From there the free, two-lane Héðinsfjörður tunnels carry you through the mountains to Ólafsfjörður; the final hop on to Dalvík runs through Múlagöng, a single-lane tunnel with passing bays, so ease off and give way to oncoming cars. Distances are short, so take your time on the switchbacks and viewpoints. Book tomorrow's Grímsey ferry tonight if you have not already.
Tröllaskagi coast road (Route 76)Siglufjörður Herring Era MuseumHéðinsfjörður tunnelsÓlafsfjörðurDalvíkOvernight: Dalvík campsite, beside the town swimming pool
Day 4
Grímsey and the Arctic Circle
Dalvík → Grímsey (Sæfari ferry) → Dalvík · ~20 km
Grímsey, 40 kilometres offshore, is the only part of Iceland crossed by the Arctic Circle, and stepping across the marker is the trip's novelty. The Sæfari ferry sails from Dalvík and takes about three hours each way, so this is a full day; leave your campervan at the Dalvík campsite or the harbour car park and travel as a foot passenger. The island is tiny, walkable, and loud with nesting seabirds including puffins in early summer. Crucially, the ferry runs only on certain days (typically a few sailings a week) and cancels in swell, so check the timetable and build flexibility in. If the crossing is off, spend the day in Akureyri instead.
Sæfari ferryGrímsey islandArctic Circle markerPuffin and seabird cliffsOvernight: Dalvík campsite, or Hamrar campsite in Akureyri
Day 5
Húsavík whales and Ásbyrgi canyon
Dalvík → Húsavík → Tjörnes → Ásbyrgi · ~150 km
Round the head of Eyjafjörður and cross toward Húsavík, Iceland's whale-watching capital, where Skjálfandi bay reliably produces humpbacks and minke whales through the summer; boats depart from the pretty timber-lined harbour. The direct Route 1 crossing passes through the tolled Vaðlaheiðargöng tunnel, though the old Víkurskarð mountain pass runs alongside it toll-free if you prefer. Book a morning sailing so you have the afternoon to drive the Tjörnes coast to Ásbyrgi, the horseshoe canyon carved by glacial floods and, in folklore, a hoofprint of Óðinn's horse. The sheltered wooded floor and pond make it one of the calmer camps on the route. From here east the traffic thins out sharply, so top up fuel and groceries in Húsavík.
Húsavík harbour and whale watchingHúsavíkurkirkjaTjörnes cliffsÁsbyrgi canyonOvernight: Ásbyrgi campsite (Vatnajökull National Park), or Húsavík campsite
Day 6
Melrakkaslétta, Langanes and the eastern finish
Ásbyrgi → Kópasker → Raufarhöfn → Þórshöfn → Bakkafjörður · ~250 km
The final day is the emptiest and, for many, the most memorable, though covering it in a day makes for a long, gravel-heavy push. Route 85 loops around the low, boggy Melrakkaslétta plain, part paved and part gravel, past bird-rich lakes to Raufarhöfn, where the unfinished Arctic Henge stone circle frames the midnight sun. Detour out onto the long finger of Langanes for genuine end-of-the-world remoteness, gannet colonies and the Fontur lighthouse at its tip (a rough track worth a 4x4). Close the route at the tiny village of Bakkafjörður, the official east end. From here you are within reach of Egilsstaðir and the east fjords, or the road back south.
Melrakkaslétta plainArctic Henge, RaufarhöfnLanganes peninsulaFontur lighthouseBakkafjörðurOvernight: Þórshöfn campsite, or the small campsite at Bakkafjörður
Highlights along the way
Hvítserkur
Basalt sea stack on Vatnsnes shaped like a drinking troll; photograph it near low tide.
Vatnsnes seal colonies
One of Iceland's most dependable spots for wild harbour and grey seals, viewed from Illugastaðir.
Hofsós infinity pool
Geothermal pool that appears to pour into Skagafjörður, with Drangey island offshore.
Siglufjörður Herring Era Museum
Award-winning museum in a restored herring town at the tip of Tröllaskagi.
Héðinsfjörður tunnels
Free, two-lane mountain tunnels linking Siglufjörður and Ólafsfjörður through Tröllaskagi.
Grímsey
Arctic Circle island reached by the Sæfari ferry from Dalvík; puffins and a boundary marker.
Húsavík whale watching
Reliable summer humpbacks and minkes in Skjálfandi bay from a photogenic harbour.
Ásbyrgi
Horseshoe canyon with sheltered woodland and a mirror pond, a rare wooded camp in the north.
Arctic Henge, Raufarhöfn
Modern stone circle on the Melrakkaslétta plain built to frame the midnight sun.
Langanes peninsula
Remote spit with gannet cliffs and the Fontur lighthouse; the route's most genuinely empty corner.
When to go
June to September is the practical window. High summer (late June to mid-August) gives you near-endless daylight, open peninsula roads, running ferries and whale tours, and every campsite open; it is also busiest and priciest, though 'busy' up here is still far quieter than the south.
June brings the midnight sun (superb at the Arctic Henge) and peak seabird activity, while September rewards you with quieter roads, the first autumn colours and a chance of early aurora, at the cost of shorter days and some seasonal services winding down.
Outside June–September the outer gravel roads and some campsites close, the Grímsey ferry runs a reduced timetable, and daylight collapses; the route is not designed for winter driving.
Driving & road conditions
Road surface
A mix of paved spine and gravel spurs. The main run through Skagafjörður and the Tröllaskagi coast road (Route 76) is sealed and easy. Roughly a third of the full route is gravel, concentrated on the Vatnsnes, Skagi, Melrakkaslétta and Langanes peninsulas, where surfaces range from graded gravel to rough, potholed tracks. Reduce speed sharply on gravel and slow right down for oncoming vehicles to avoid flying stones.
Fuel
Fill up at the larger towns and do not gamble on the peninsulas. Reliable stations sit at Hvammstangi, Blönduós, Sauðárkrókur, Siglufjörður, Dalvík, Akureyri and Húsavík. East of Húsavík, fuel is sparse: Kópasker, Raufarhöfn and Þórshöfn have pumps but limited hours, so top up before the long day-six loop.
In winter
Not a winter route. The gravel peninsula roads and several campsites close for the season, the Grímsey ferry drops to a bare timetable, and short daylight plus ice make the exposed coastal stretches genuinely hazardous. Drive it June to September.
- Check road.is for live surface and closure status and vedur.is for weather before each peninsula, especially Skagi and Langanes.
- The Akureyri–Húsavík leg on Route 1 passes through the tolled Vaðlaheiðargöng tunnel; the old Víkurskarð mountain pass runs alongside it toll-free if you would rather avoid the charge.
- The Sæfari ferry to Grímsey runs only a few days a week and cancels in swell; confirm sailings before committing your day four to it.
- Fontur at the tip of Langanes is reached by a rough track better suited to a 4x4; assess conditions before attempting it in a 2WD camper.
- File a trip plan on safetravel.is for the remote eastern legs where mobile coverage is patchy.
Where to camp
Kirkjuhvammur campsite
Hvammstangi (west end)
Simple site at the start of the route; summer opening only, good base for the Vatnsnes loop.
Hofsós campsite
Skagafjörður
Small village site walkable to the infinity pool; summer only, larger backup at Sauðárkrókur.
Siglufjörður campsite
Tröllaskagi
Central to the herring town and museum; handy if you split the Tröllaskagi day.
Dalvík campsite
Eyjafjörður
Beside the swimming pool and the Grímsey ferry harbour; the natural base for the Arctic Circle day.
Ásbyrgi campsite
Vatnajökull National Park
Sheltered wooded site on the canyon floor; among the calmest camps on the route.
Þórshöfn campsite
Langanes / north-east
One of the few options on the remote eastern legs; useful before or after the Langanes detour.
Overnighting in a campervan is only legal at registered campsites in Iceland — plan each night around one. Seasonal sites can close outside summer; confirm opening dates before relying on them.
Arctic Coast Way or the Ring Road?
The Ring Road (Route 1) is the classic first-timer's loop: paved the whole way, packed with famous sights like Jökulsárlón and Seljalandsfoss, and busy in summer. The Arctic Coast Way covers only the north, swaps big-name waterfalls for empty peninsulas, seals, whales and fishing villages, and asks you to drive gravel. Choose it if you have driven the Ring Road before, or if solitude and coastline matter more to you than ticking off Iceland's greatest hits.
You do not have to choose outright. The Arctic Coast Way joins the Ring Road at several points, so many travellers splice a two or three day northern detour into a full loop, picking off Vatnsnes, Tröllaskagi and Húsavík without committing to the whole 900 kilometres.
For a campervan specifically, the north wins on camping atmosphere and losing the crowds, but demands more from your driving and your insurance; the south wins on paved comfort and services if you are new to Icelandic roads.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need for the Arctic Coast Way?
Give the Arctic Coast Way six days to do it justice. Five is the honest minimum if you skip a peninsula or two; six covers the route end to end but keeps the far-eastern legs brisk, so you still slow down for the Grímsey ferry and a whale trip; and eight turns Melrakkaslétta and Langanes into unhurried exploring with a weather buffer built in.
How much does a Arctic Coast Way campervan trip cost?
Based on our live price checks for a summer pickup, the camper alone typically runs €146–€390 per day — roughly €876–€2,338 for 6 days — before campsites (€12–20 per person/night), fuel and food. The live cost section on this page breaks totals down by camper type.
Can I drive the Arctic Coast Way in a 2WD campervan?
Yes, in summer and with care. The paved spine through Skagafjörður and Tröllaskagi is fine for any van, and a 2WD can manage most gravel spurs if you keep speeds low. A 4x4 is recommended rather than mandatory: it gives you clearance and confidence on the rougher peninsula tracks like the run out to Fontur on Langanes, and margin if the weather turns. Whichever you choose, add gravel insurance protection.
Which direction should I drive it, west to east or east to west?
Either works; the route is waymarked in both directions. Most travellers start at Hvammstangi in the west because it flows naturally from a Reykjavík or Keflavík pick-up and saves the remote Langanes and Melrakkaslétta finish for last, when you are used to the gravel. Driving east to west suits you if you are combining it with the east fjords or picking the van up in Egilsstaðir or Akureyri.
Do I need to book the Grímsey ferry in advance?
Yes. The Sæfari ferry from Dalvík runs only a few days a week in summer and takes around three hours each way, so it books up and it dictates which day you can visit. Reserve ahead, confirm the sailing the day before, and keep a flexible plan because it cancels in rough seas. If the crossing is off, you can also fly to Grímsey from Akureyri.
Is there mobile phone coverage along the route?
Coverage is good around the towns and the Tröllaskagi spine but patchy on the outer peninsulas, particularly Melrakkaslétta and Langanes. Download offline maps, do not rely on live navigation out east, and file a trip plan on safetravel.is before the remote legs so someone knows your route.
Can I sleep in the campervan anywhere along the route?
No. Overnighting a campervan outside registered campsites is illegal in Iceland, and it is enforced. The good news is that the route is well served: every leg in this itinerary ends at a real campsite. Plan your nights around them rather than pulling into a layby, and note that many smaller sites open only for the summer season.
How remote does it really get in the east?
Genuinely remote. Beyond Húsavík the villages are tiny, fuel and shops have limited hours, traffic thins to almost nothing, and Langanes can feel like the end of the country. That emptiness is the whole point, but it means you should carry food, fuel and water, and not leave the last long day until dark.
Keep planning
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