by Bassit Abbas
When my partner and I landed in Iceland on 21 May, we knew we were about to start an adventure, but I don’t think either of us fully understood just how special the trip would become. Little did my girlfriend know, she would end up with a ring after completing the Ring Road.
This is the story of our 10 days in Iceland: a full Ring Road loop in a Toyota Hilux 4×4 camper, from the South Coast to the East Fjords, the north and Snæfellsnes, ending with a surprise proposal.
Picking Up Our Toyota Hilux 4×4 Camper for 10 Days in Iceland
We picked up our Toyota Hilux 4×4 camper from Rent.is and set off with a simple plan: drive the full Ring Road, take our time, stop wherever Iceland made us stop, and experience the country properly from the road. From 21 to 30 May, that camper became our home, our kitchen, our shelter from the Icelandic wind, our road trip companion, and the place where so many of our favourite memories began and ended.
The freedom of having the Hilux was what made the trip feel different from any other holiday we had taken. We were not tied to one hotel or one town. Every day we could wake up, make coffee, look at the map, check the weather, and decide where the road would take us next. Some days we had a rough plan. Other days, Iceland made the plan for us.
Our Ring Road Route at a Glance
- South Coast: Vík and the black sand beaches
- Southeast: Kirkjubæjarklaustur, Fjaðrárgljúfur, the glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach, Höfn
- East Fjords: Reyðarfjörður and Seyðisfjörður
- North: Akureyri, whale watching and Mývatn
- West: Hvammstangi, Snæfellsnes and Grundarfjörður
- Finale: two nights at the ION Adventure Hotel, and a proposal
The South Coast and Vík
We began by heading towards the South Coast and Vík, where the landscapes immediately felt dramatic and unreal. The black sand beaches, cliffs, open roads and powerful coastline made us feel like we had arrived somewhere completely different from anywhere else we had travelled. It was the first part of the trip where we kept saying, “How is this real?” We quickly learned that in Iceland, you don’t just drive from one destination to another. The drive itself becomes one of the main experiences.
Vík to Höfn: Canyons, Glaciers and Seals
From Vík, we continued east towards Höfn, passing glaciers, waterfalls, canyons and wide open stretches of road that seemed to go on forever. We stopped constantly, sometimes for proper sights and sometimes simply because the view outside the window was too beautiful to ignore. That became a theme of the trip. We would be driving somewhere, then one of us would say, “We have to pull over,” and suddenly a random roadside stop would become one of the best moments of the day.
One of the most memorable parts of this stretch was seeing the glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach. Watching icebergs float through the lagoon and then wash up on the black sand felt surreal. We also saw seals near the glacier lagoon, which made the whole place feel even more alive. Standing there, wrapped up against the wind, watching seals swim around pieces of ice, was one of those moments where we both went quiet and just took it all in. Both lie within Vatnajökull National Park.
Life in the Camper
The camper made those long days easy in a way we really appreciated. After exploring glaciers, beaches or canyons, we could come back to the Hilux, warm up, make food, reorganise ourselves and keep going. We cooked in the camper at campsites, ate simple meals that somehow tasted better because of where we were, and got used to our little routine. By the end of the trip, opening the camper, setting up, cooking, packing away and planning the next day felt completely natural.
The East Fjords and Seyðisfjörður
As we made our way into the East Fjords and towards Seyðisfjörður, the landscapes kept switching between quiet fishing villages and stretches of wild scenery. This was also where the road trip soundtrack became very important. We kept playing Lord of the Rings music while driving through the more dramatic landscapes, and honestly, it felt like it was made for Iceland. There were moments where the music, the mountains and the empty roads all came together perfectly, and we just laughed because it felt so cinematic.
Seyðisfjörður was one of our favourite stops. The drive in was beautiful, the town had so much character, and we enjoyed discovering a local microbrewery nearby. After days of driving and exploring, having a local beer and looking back on the route we had already covered was a good reminder to slow down and enjoy the smaller moments too.
Akureyri and Whale Watching in the North
From there, we continued around the north, stopping in Akureyri and the surrounding areas. Whale watching was one of the big highlights of this part of the trip. Being out on the water in Iceland, scanning the sea and then suddenly seeing whales, was unforgettable. It was another reminder of how varied the trip had become. In just a few days we had gone from black sand beaches to glaciers, from canyons to fjords, and now to whale watching in the north.
Road Trip Food: Hot Dogs, Reindeer Burgers and Skyr
We also fully embraced the food side of the road trip. We ate Icelandic hot dogs at petrol stations, tried reindeer burgers, had Skyr constantly, and enjoyed local beers whenever we had the chance. There is something fun about the food memories on a trip like this. It is not always about fancy meals. Sometimes the thing you remember most is a hot dog after a long drive, Skyr for breakfast in the camper, or cooking something simple at a campsite while the weather changes every five minutes around you.
Snæfellsnes: A Trip Within the Trip
After Akureyri, we continued towards Hvammstangi and then on to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, including Grundarfjörður. Snæfellsnes felt like a whole trip within the trip. It had such a mix of landscapes: coastlines, mountains, lava fields, small towns and dramatic viewpoints. We visited Game of Thrones filming spots, saw the famous black church at Búðir, and spent time just exploring the peninsula at our own pace.
By this point, we had been travelling in the camper for several days, and the rhythm of the trip felt perfect. Wake up, drive, explore, stop for photos, eat something, find a campsite, cook, sleep, repeat.
What made it so special was that even though we were covering a huge amount of ground, it never felt rushed. The Hilux gave us flexibility. If the weather was better somewhere else, we could move. If we loved a place, we could stay longer. If we spotted a road, a viewpoint or a beach that looked interesting, we could follow it. That freedom is what made the camper experience feel so meaningful.
The Final Chapter: A Proposal at the End of the Ring Road
Eventually, after completing the Ring Road and making our way back towards Reykjavík, the camper part of the journey came to an end. But the trip itself had one final chapter.
For our last two nights, we stayed at the ION Adventure Hotel. My partner thought this was simply a special ending to an already amazing trip. What she didn’t know was that I had been planning something else for months.
Before we came to Iceland, I had secretly organised a photographer. After ten days of travelling around the country together, after glaciers, fjords, campsites, hot dogs, whale watching, long drives, Skyr breakfasts and Lord of the Rings music in the camper, I asked her to marry me.
She said yes.
It is hard to put that moment into words. Iceland had already given us so many memories, but that one changed the whole meaning of the trip. Suddenly, this was not just our Ring Road adventure. It became the place where we got engaged.
After the proposal, we had a photoshoot with the photographer I had secretly arranged. It felt so special to capture that moment in a country we had just spent ten days falling in love with. The photos are not just engagement photos to us. They represent the whole journey: the camper, the road, the landscapes, the adventure, and the beginning of a new chapter in our lives.
What 10 Days in Iceland by Camper Gave Us
Looking back, some of my favourite memories are not just the famous places we visited. They are the smaller moments in between. Sitting in the camper after a long day. Cooking at campsites. Laughing at how much Skyr we were eating. Playing epic music while driving through empty landscapes. Pulling over for views we could not believe were real. Waking up each morning knowing we had another day on the road together.
When we first picked up the camper, we saw the phrase “Home is where you park it.” At the start, it sounded like a nice slogan. By the end of the trip, it felt completely true.
For most of those ten days, our Rent.is Hilux was our home all around Iceland. It took us from Vík to Höfn, from Seyðisfjörður to Akureyri, from Hvammstangi to Grundarfjörður, around Snæfellsnes and back to Reykjavík. It carried us through one of the most beautiful countries we have ever visited and gave us the freedom to experience Iceland the way we had always hoped to.
We came to Iceland for an adventure.
We left with memories for life, a full Ring Road journey behind us, and a fiancée.
FAQ: 10 Days in Iceland by Camper
Is 10 days in Iceland enough to drive the Ring Road?
Yes. Ten days gives you time for the full Ring Road plus detours like Snæfellsnes and Mývatn, without driving all day, every day. We did the loop in eight days in the camper and spent the last two nights at a hotel.
Do you need a 4×4 camper in May?
Not for the Ring Road, which is paved. A 4×4 like the Hilux gives extra confidence on gravel side roads and in changeable spring weather. Highland F-roads are usually closed until mid to late June, so check Umferdin.is for road conditions before you go.
Where can you see seals in Iceland?
Seals are often seen swimming among the icebergs at Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, which is where we spotted them. Hvammstangi in North West Iceland is also known for its seal colonies.
Plan Your Own 10 Days in Iceland
The Toyota Hilux 4×4 camper seats five and sleeps four, with an automatic gearbox and the ability to drive Highland F-roads in summer. Pick it up from Rent.is, just five minutes from Keflavík Airport, with free 24/7 shuttle service.
