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Ring Road Clockwise or Counterclockwise: How to Choose
Both directions work. Iceland’s Ring Road passes the same waterfalls, glaciers and fjords either way, and Visit Iceland says there is no right or wrong way to leave Reykjavík. What changes is the order in which you meet them, how crowded the first days feel, and how much weather risk you carry into the stretches that are hardest to reroute. Our short answer: go counterclockwise if you have a week or less, or if you are traveling in winter. Go clockwise if you have 10 days or more and want the trip to build toward the South Coast. Let the forecast overrule both.
TL;DR
Counterclockwise (Reykjavík, South Coast, East, North) puts the busiest, best-served sights first. It suits short trips and winter.
Clockwise (Reykjavík, West, North, East, South Coast) starts quieter and saves the South Coast for the end. It suits 10 days or more and a slower pace.
The total distance is the same, about 1,322 km. Direction does not save you time or fuel.
Check umferdin.is and the Icelandic Met Office forecast each morning. Flexibility beats a fixed direction.
Not driving yourself? A driver-led bus or minibus lets the whole group enjoy the scenery and lets us change direction when the weather does.
Table of Contents
What actually differs between the two directions
The loop is closed, so you pass every town in both cases. Think of it as two different stories told with the same scenes.
Counterclockwise leaves Reykjavík eastward along the South Coast: Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Reynisfjara, Vík, Skaftafell, the glacier lagoons near Höfn. Then it climbs through the East Fjords to Egilsstaðir, crosses the highlands toward Mývatn, and finishes through Akureyri and the west.
Clockwise heads north out of the capital through Borgarnes, crosses to Akureyri and Mývatn, drops into the East, and then runs the South Coast from east to west, ending near Reykjavík.
Because the route is the same, every claim that one direction is “more scenic” is really about pacing. Industry guides make the same point: the choice is about pacing, crowds and season, not about better or worse scenery.
Counterclockwise: when it makes sense
Counterclockwise is the most common recommendation for good reasons.
Short trips. If you have 7 to 8 days, you want the headline sights guaranteed while you still have slack in the schedule. Seeing the South Coast first means a late weather delay costs you a quieter northern stop, not Skógafoss or the glacier lagoon.
Winter and shoulder season. The South Coast has the most services and the most traffic, so help, fuel and open restaurants are close in the first days. Roads in the North and East can close with little notice. Our guide on when Iceland roads close explains which stretches to watch.
First-day logistics. You leave Reykjavík on a good, wide road and settle into driving on the right, in Icelandic conditions, before you reach single-lane bridges and gravel shoulders in the East.
The cost: you meet the crowds immediately. On the South Coast the car parks at the big waterfalls fill up in summer, and midday is the worst time. Start early, or do the South Coast stops in the evening light, which is long from June to August.
Clockwise: when it makes sense
Clockwise rewards a longer trip.
10 days or more. You have time for detours, such as the Snæfellsnes Peninsula or a Westfjords loop, without pressure to rush the rest.
Avoiding the first-day crowds. The northwest and north are calmer in the opening days, and the build-up toward the South Coast finale feels like a payoff rather than a repeat of postcard stops.
Following northern good weather. If the forecast favors the North and East early in your window, clockwise lets you use it.
The cost: the South Coast comes last, when you are tired and possibly short on time. If a storm closes a road near the end, the sights you most wanted may be the ones you miss. Clockwise also sends you through the remote North and East first, where services are thinner.
Side-by-side comparison
Criterion | Counterclockwise | Clockwise |
Best trip length | 7 to 8 days | 10 days or more |
First days | Busiest sights, most services | Quieter, more remote |
Winter | Usually the safer choice | Higher risk of late-trip closures |
Crowds | Meet them early, then fade | Avoid them early, meet them late |
Pacing | Big highlights first, gentler end | Slow build, South Coast finale |
Flexibility to switch | Easy in the first two days | Easy in the first two days |
Let the weather decide
Weather in Iceland changes quickly, and ICE-SAR and Safetravel urge visitors to put safety ahead of finishing an itinerary. A practical way to use direction is the “follow the sun” method. Look at the seven-day forecast before you leave Reykjavík. If the North looks clear and the South looks stormy, go clockwise. If it is the other way round, go counterclockwise. Storm systems often move west to east, so checking the forecast each morning helps you stay on the better side of them.
For road status, do not rely on a navigation app. Use umferdin.is for real-time conditions, because Safetravel warns that Google Maps often misses closures and impassable roads. If you read Italian, our overview of weather apps for Italian travelers explains why one app is never enough.
Three decisions that matter more than direction
How many days you really have
The Ring Road is about 1,322 km, but the real limit is time at each stop. Eight days gives you roughly four hours behind the wheel each day with little room for walking. Ten to twelve days is where the loop becomes enjoyable rather than a drive-by. If you are budgeting, our 10-day trip cost guide shows where the money actually goes.
When you travel
In summer, both directions are open and the long daylight forgives mistakes. In autumn, winter and spring, winter conditions can appear outside winter, and ice roads are difficult to drive. In that period counterclockwise is the safer default, with a shorter route if the forecast turns.
Your first morning
Many visitors arrive on early flights after a long journey. Safetravel’s guidance points toward resting before driving, and a night near Keflavík airport is cheap insurance. A tired driver on the first day is a bigger risk than choosing the wrong direction.
Rules that catch visitors out
Whichever way you go, a few Icelandic rules apply, all set out by Safetravel:
Headlights and taillights must be on at all times, in every season. An automatic setting may not switch them on in all daylight conditions, so turn them on yourself.
Everyone in the vehicle must wear a seatbelt, in every seat.
In roundabouts the inner lane has the right of way when exiting, so the outer lane must give way. Many visitors get this wrong.
You must drive according to current conditions, not the speed limit alone.
A sample plan for each direction
Counterclockwise, 8 days:
Reykjavík, Golden Circle, overnight near Hella or Selfoss
Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Vík
Skaftafell, glacier lagoon, Höfn
East Fjords to Egilsstaðir
Mývatn area
Akureyri and surroundings
Borgarfjörður and the west
Back to Reykjavík and the airport
Clockwise, 11 days:
Reykjavík, Snæfellsnes
Snæfellsnes, onward to the northwest
Skagafjörður, Akureyri
Mývatn and Húsavík
Eastward, Egilsstaðir
East Fjords
Höfn and the glacier lagoon
Skaftafell, Vík
Reynisfjara, Skógafoss, Seljalandsfoss
Golden Circle
Reykjavík
The Golden Circle is awkward on a clockwise loop, because reaching it means doubling back toward Reykjavík or adding a separate day trip. That is another small reason many travelers prefer counterclockwise. If you only have time for one or two sights near the capital, compare them in our Golden Circle vs South Coast guide.
Our perspective: direction is a tool, not a rule
We move groups around Iceland, and the question we hear most from travel agents and organizers is not “which way is correct” but “what happens if the weather turns on day four.” That is the right question. A fixed direction booked months ahead is the most fragile part of a group itinerary, because a closed pass or a storm warning leaves a coach full of people with nowhere to go.
Our approach is to plan a default direction and a fallback. For short or winter programs we usually lean counterclockwise, since the South Coast has the most services. For longer summer programs, clockwise can give a calmer start. We then keep the option to reverse or shorten the loop, which is much easier with a driver who knows the roads and reads the forecast each morning than with a self-drive group trying to decide at a junction.
Another point from experience: with a group, the real constraints are rarely the scenery. They are toilet stops, meal timing, accessibility, and the energy of the person behind the wheel. A driver who is not also the tour guide, photographer and navigator changes the day. That is why we build custom itineraries around group size, not around a template.
— Malik
Driving yourself or traveling with a driver
Self-drive gives you freedom, but it also puts one person in charge of icy roads, gravel, single-lane bridges and a long daily schedule. For groups, families and corporate trips, a guided day trip or driver-led tour compared with self-drive is worth a look before you commit to a 1,322 km loop. Larger parties will also find practical tips in our group transportation guide, and companies should read our note on corporate group logistics and safety plans.
Planning a group trip around the Ring Road
We offer bus and minibus rental with a driver, custom tour packages, airport transfers and event shuttles in Iceland, with vehicles from small vans to large coaches. If you are a travel agent, event planner or group leader weighing the Ring Road direction, send us your dates, group size and must-see stops, and we will build a route with a weather fallback. See the vehicles on our fleet page or request a quote through Tripiceland.
FAQ
Is it better to drive the Ring Road clockwise or counterclockwise?
Neither is better in every case. Counterclockwise suits trips of about a week and winter travel, because the South Coast comes first and has the most services. Clockwise suits trips of 10 days or more and travelers who want quieter early days.
Which direction avoids the crowds?
Clockwise avoids the crowds in the first days, since you start in the quieter West and North. You then meet the South Coast crowds at the end. Counterclockwise does the opposite. Starting early in the morning matters more than direction at the big waterfalls.
Can I change direction mid-trip?
Yes, especially in the first two days, before you are far from Reykjavík. Check the forecast and road conditions each morning. If a storm is heading for one side of the island, drive the other side first.
Is the Ring Road drivable in winter?
Often, but sections can close at short notice, and ice and wind are real hazards. Safetravel notes that winter conditions can occur in spring and autumn too. Check conditions every day and be ready to shorten the loop. Our guide on road closures has more detail.
How long is the Ring Road?
About 1,322 km (820 miles) according to Visit Iceland. Driving time alone is well over a full day, but you should plan at least 7 to 8 days to enjoy it.
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