Diamond Circle Road Trip: Itinerary, How Long It Takes & vs the Golden Circle
Route at a glance
- Route length
- 250 kmSigned loop in North Iceland from Akureyri or Húsavík
- Time needed
- 1–3 daysideal: 2
- Best time
- May–October
- Vehicle
- 2WD is fine
- Start
- Akureyri or Húsavík (loop)
- Typical camper rate
- €250–€476/day · live, a summer pickup
About the route
The Diamond Circle is a signed touring loop in North Iceland, running roughly 250 km out of Akureyri or Húsavík (about 224 km if you measure it purely from Akureyri) and taking in five headline sights: Goðafoss, the Lake Mývatn geothermal area, Dettifoss, Ásbyrgi canyon and the whale-watching harbour town of Húsavík. It was built as the north's counterpart to the Golden Circle, but the distances are bigger, the crowds thinner and the scenery more varied, swinging from a lava-field lakeland to a glacier-fed canyon in a single afternoon.
Almost nobody flies to Iceland to drive the Diamond Circle on its own. It sits at the top of the country, about a 4.5-to-5-hour drive from Reykjavík on a clear day, longer once you factor in stops or winter conditions, so in practice you reach it as a leg of a Ring Road trip or a dedicated North Iceland fly-in via Akureyri airport. That is the honest framing for a campervan traveller: think of it as two of the best days on a longer loop, not a standalone destination you double back to.
The good news for van renters is that the core route is almost entirely paved and 2WD-friendly. You do not need a 4x4 to see Goðafoss, Mývatn, the west side of Dettifoss, Ásbyrgi or Húsavík. The only place a four-wheel drive earns its keep is the gravel east-bank road to Dettifoss, and even that has a fully paved alternative on the west side.
The whole thing is doable in a rushed day, comfortable in two and relaxed in three. Because it is compact and well served by campsites at Mývatn, Ásbyrgi and Húsavík, it slots neatly into a camper itinerary without long transfer drives between overnight stops.
Watch out: The charge most travellers never see coming is the Vaðlaheiðargöng toll tunnel just east of Akureyri, which your GPS treats as the default route towards Goðafoss and Mývatn: there is no booth to stop at, so the camper is billed automatically by number-plate recognition. Settle it online promptly, because an unpaid toll of a few euros quietly grows once the collection fee is added.
How many days do you need?
1 day
The dash
Ring Road travellers passing through with only one night in the north who want to hit Goðafoss, Mývatn and Húsavík and skip the deeper Dettifoss and Ásbyrgi detour.
2 days
The ideal
Most campervan travellers. One night at Mývatn or Húsavík lets you cover all five sights without rushing, with time for a geothermal bath and a whale tour.
3 days
The unhurried
Slow travellers and photographers who want to hike in Ásbyrgi, do a longer whale-watching or puffin trip, and explore the Mývatn craters and lava fields properly.
What a Diamond Circle trip costs
The camper figures shown on this page come from our own daily price checks across every major Icelandic rental company, so the trip totals in the table reflect what a 2WD or 4x4 van for the Diamond Circle is actually costing right now, not a list rate. Because the loop takes one to three days, the single biggest lever on your number is simply how long you keep the van and how it fits into your wider Ring Road or North Iceland trip. The live figures here isolate the vehicle cost; the on-the-road extras below sit on top.
The other cost drivers are the usual ones. Season matters most: summer, when the Mývatn and Ásbyrgi campsites and Húsavík whale tours are all running, carries the highest van rates, while shoulder months are cheaper. Booking lead time moves the price too, since the cheapest vans in North Iceland sell out first in July and August. Vehicle class is a real choice on this route, but only for one reason: the paved west side of Dettifoss means a 2WD camper covers everything, so you are not forced into a pricier 4x4 unless you want the gravel east bank or plan more of the Ring Road.
For the non-camper spend, budget campsites at roughly EUR 12 to 20 per person a night (Mývatn, Ásbyrgi and Húsavík all charge in that range), fuel at around EUR 40 to 90 per driving day depending on your van and how far you range, and food at about EUR 15 to 25 per person a day if you cook in the van. A whale tour from Húsavík and the geothermal baths are the two extras worth pre-budgeting, and insurance add-ons on the van itself will nudge the live figure up if you add gravel or sand-and-ash cover for onward driving.
Camper rental for this triplive
| Trip length | 2-person camper | 4x4 camper | Family camper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 days | €211 | €390 | €453 |
| 2 days | €423 | €779 | €905 |
| 3 days | €634 | €1,169 | €1,358 |
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
Budget
€475–€776
€238–€388 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
€1,144–€1,328
€572–€664 per person · family camper (3+ berths)
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 55,304 price checks across 14 rental companies over the last 21 days (through July 21, 2026). Prices are in EUR and update as vendor availability changes.
Diamond Circle itinerary, day by day
Day 1
Akureyri to the Mývatn lakeland
Akureyri → Goðafoss → Lake Mývatn · ~85 km
Leave Akureyri on Route 1 and stop after about 40 km at Goðafoss, the horseshoe-shaped Waterfall of the Gods, where a short paved path reaches both banks. Carry on 30 minutes to Lake Mývatn and spend the afternoon in its geothermal cluster: the lava labyrinth of Dimmuborgir, the steaming mud pots and fumaroles of Hverir, the small cave pool at Grjótagjá, and the Krafla crater area just north. End the day easing into the milky-blue Mývatn Nature Baths, the north's quieter answer to the Blue Lagoon, before settling at a lakeside campsite in Reykjahlíð.
GoðafossDimmuborgirHverirMývatn Nature BathsGrjótagjáOvernight: Bjarg or Vogar campsite, Reykjahlíð (Lake Mývatn)
Day 2
Dettifoss, Ásbyrgi and Húsavík whales
Mývatn → Dettifoss → Ásbyrgi → Húsavík → Akureyri · ~240 km
Head north on Route 1 then the paved Route 862 to the west bank of Dettifoss, the most powerful waterfall in Europe; a 15-minute walk reaches the viewpoint, with gentler Selfoss just upstream. Continue to Ásbyrgi, a horseshoe canyon with sheer cliffs and a still pond, good for an hour's walk. Then drop to Húsavík for an early-afternoon whale-watching tour from the harbour, Iceland's best-known whale port. Close the loop back to Akureyri on Route 85, roughly 90 km, or overnight in Húsavík if you want a slower morning and its GeoSea sea baths.
DettifossSelfossÁsbyrgiHúsavík whale watchingGeoSea bathsOvernight: Húsavík Campsite, or Hamrar campsite back in Akureyri
Highlights along the way
Goðafoss
Wide horseshoe falls right off Route 1, with paved paths to both banks and no detour needed.
Lake Mývatn geothermal area
A half-day cluster of craters, lava fields, mud pots and the Mývatn Nature Baths.
Dettifoss
The most powerful waterfall in Europe by force; the west-side viewpoint is reached on a paved road.
Ásbyrgi
A vast horseshoe-shaped canyon with sheer walls and easy walking trails on the forest floor.
Húsavík
Iceland's whale-watching capital, with three to four-hour boat tours and the clifftop GeoSea baths.
Hverir
Ochre-coloured geothermal field of bubbling mud pots and hissing steam vents beside Mývatn.
Dimmuborgir
A dramatic maze of lava pillars and arches with looped walking paths of varying length.
When to go
May to October is the practical window. This is when the paved west-side Dettifoss road, the Mývatn campsites and the Húsavík whale tours are all reliably open, and the long northern daylight of June and July gives you unhurried evenings at Goðafoss and Mývatn.
July and August are peak: warmest, busiest and best for whale watching, when humpbacks and even blue whales are most active off Húsavík. Book vans and tours ahead. Late May, June and September are quieter and cheaper while still fully drivable.
In winter the loop is technically driveable in a 2WD on the main paved roads but far more demanding: short daylight, snow and ice, closed side roads and stripped-back services, plus the east-side Dettifoss road (864) is shut. Always check road.is and vedur.is before setting out.
Driving & road conditions
Road surface
The core loop is paved and 2WD-friendly: Route 1, Route 85 around the coast and the west-side Dettifoss road (862) are all sealed. The exception is Route 864 on the east bank of Dettifoss, which is gravel, only opens around late May to early October, and is best left to 4x4 vans.
Fuel
Fill up in Akureyri, which has the widest choice and best prices, and top off at Reykjahlíð (Mývatn) or Húsavík, both of which have fuel. Distances between stations are long once you leave those hubs, so do not run the tank low before the Dettifoss and Ásbyrgi spurs.
In winter
Viable but demanding November to April. The main paved roads are usually kept open, but expect ice, snow, very short daylight, closed side roads including the Dettifoss east bank, and reduced services. Only attempt it with winter tyres, weather buffers and a checked road.is forecast.
- Type 'Dettifoss' into a GPS and it may route you onto the gravel east-side road 864; deliberately choose the paved west road 862 if you are in a 2WD van.
- The Vaðlaheiðargöng tunnel on Route 1 just east of Akureyri is Iceland's only toll tunnel and the default GPS routing towards Goðafoss and Mývatn: it costs about 2,216 ISK (roughly EUR 15) per passenger vehicle, is billed automatically by number-plate recognition, and adds a collection fee if you do not pay online within 24 hours. To skip the charge entirely, take the free but slower Víkurskarð mountain pass over the top.
- Húsavík whale tours run to a schedule and popular slots sell out in summer, so book before you arrive rather than turning up on spec.
- There is no legal wild camping for campervans in Iceland; you must overnight at a registered campsite, and the ones at Mývatn, Ásbyrgi and Húsavík fill up on peak summer nights.
- File a trip plan and check alerts at safetravel.is if you are extending onto rougher roads or highland routes beyond the Diamond Circle.
Where to camp
Bjarg Campsite
Reykjahlíð, Lake Mývatn
Lakeside site in the main Mývatn village, walkable to shops and the ring-road sights. Summer season, fills fast in July and August.
Vogar Camping
Lake Mývatn (south shore)
Farm-run site near Dimmuborgir and the Nature Baths, a good base for the geothermal cluster. Seasonal, roughly June to September.
Ásbyrgi Campground
Ásbyrgi canyon (Vatnajökull National Park)
Set on the wooded canyon floor with trails from the door. Run by the national park; typically open late spring to early autumn.
Húsavík Campsite
Húsavík town
Walkable to the harbour and whale-tour boats, with the GeoSea baths nearby. Standard summer opening; a handy last night before the drive back to Akureyri.
Hamrar Campsite
Akureyri
Sheltered, forested site on the edge of Akureyri, well suited to arriving or closing the loop. Open through the main season with good facilities.
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.
Golden Circle vs Diamond Circle
The honest split is access versus scale. The Golden Circle wins on convenience: it is a 230-ish km loop straight out of Reykjavík, doable as a day trip, with Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss packed close together and on nearly everyone's first Iceland itinerary. The Diamond Circle is bigger, wilder and far less crowded, but it sits at the top of the country, so you reach it as part of a Ring Road or North Iceland trip rather than a quick spin from the capital.
On the sights themselves the Diamond Circle arguably has more range: Goðafoss and Dettifoss are both serious waterfalls, Mývatn is a full geothermal region rather than a single geyser field, and Húsavík adds whale watching that the Golden Circle simply cannot offer. The trade-off is time and distance, with longer drives between stops.
For most campervan travellers it is not really either/or. If you are driving the Ring Road you will pass through both, doing the Golden Circle early from Reykjavík and the Diamond Circle days later in the north. If you only have a short trip based in the capital, the Golden Circle is the realistic choice; the Diamond Circle earns its place once you are already touring the whole island or flying into Akureyri.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need for the Diamond Circle?
Two days is the sweet spot. You can drive the signed 250 km loop in about four hours of pure driving, so a single long day covers the highlights if you are tight on time. But the Mývatn geothermal area alone deserves half a day, Dettifoss and Ásbyrgi are worth unhurried stops, and Húsavík whale tours run three to four hours, so most travellers give the Diamond Circle two days with one overnight, or three if they want to slow down and soak in the Mývatn Nature Baths.
How much does a Diamond Circle campervan trip cost?
Based on our live price checks for a summer pickup, the camper alone typically runs €146–€390 per day — roughly €292–€779 for 2 days — before campsites (€12–20 per person/night), fuel and food. The live cost section on this page breaks totals down by camper type.
Do I need a 4x4 to drive the Diamond Circle?
No. The entire core loop, including the west-side viewpoint of Dettifoss on the paved Route 862, is sealed road that a 2WD campervan handles fine. You only need a 4x4 if you specifically want the gravel east bank of Dettifoss (Route 864) or plan to continue onto highland F-roads elsewhere in Iceland.
Which side of Dettifoss should I visit, east or west?
For a 2WD camper, take the west side on the paved Route 862; it has a car park, facilities and a 15-minute walk to the viewpoint, plus nearby Selfoss. The east side (Route 864) is gravel, only open roughly late May to early October, and needs a higher-clearance or 4x4 vehicle, though it gives a closer, more dramatic view for those equipped for it.
Can I do the Diamond Circle as a day trip from Reykjavík?
Not realistically. Akureyri, the usual starting point, is about a 4.5-to-5-hour drive from Reykjavík one way, so a same-day return is impractical. Most travellers reach the Diamond Circle as a leg of a Ring Road trip or by flying into Akureyri, then give it one or two overnights in the north.
When is the best time for whale watching in Húsavík?
June to August is peak season, when humpbacks are most active and blue whales are occasionally seen. Tours generally run from around April into October. Book ahead in midsummer, as the popular afternoon departures fill up, and allow three to four hours for a trip when planning your Diamond Circle day.
Is the Diamond Circle worth it if I've already done the Golden Circle?
Yes, if you are touring the north anyway. It is a different experience: a full geothermal region at Mývatn, two major waterfalls, a canyon and whale watching, with far fewer crowds than the Golden Circle. It is less worth a special trip from Reykjavík purely on its own, which is why it usually forms part of a Ring Road route.
Can I start the loop from Húsavík instead of Akureyri?
Yes. The Diamond Circle is a signed loop, so it works clockwise or anticlockwise from either Akureyri or Húsavík. Akureyri is the more common base because it has the airport, the largest town services and the widest choice of fuel and groceries, but starting in Húsavík is perfectly viable if that suits your Ring Road direction.
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