Forum members,

I am hoping to go to Iceland either in very late August or early September 2024 (assuming I can find accommodations - if I run in to difficulty, I'd do the trip next year so your feedback will still be very helpful). I would be renting a car and plan to cover the following areas: (1) Reykjavik and the Reykjanes Peninsula, (2) Snaefellsnes Peninsula, (3) Golden Circle, (4) Southern Coast east to Jokullsarlon. I will be traveling by myself. I am an amateur photographer and want to have adequate time to take photos, and not just of the usual tourist sights. I want to spend enough time so that I can linger someplace that I find interesting, although I realize some activities require advance reservations so obviously I need to be on time for those. Yet if I find a museum interesting, I don't want to be forced to leave after 30 minutes as if I was on a guided tour. I also don't mind one-night overnight stays.

Here is an itinerary I put together. I would appreciate any comments or suggestions. After the itinerary, I have a few more questions below.

Day 1: Morning: Arrival from US. Drive to Reykjavik. Light sightseeing in afternoon. (Overnight: Reykjavik)
Day 2: Sightseeing in and around Reykjavik.(Overnight: Reykjavik)
Day 3: Sightseeing in and around Reykjavik. (Overnight: Reykjavik) (I probably don't need a car in Reykjavik, but I think it would be so much easier to pick it up at KEF than in the city, and I suspect there is a larger selection of vehicles at the airport as well).
Day 4: Drive to Stykkisholmur, stopping to see War and Peace Museum at Hvallfjordur (if open) and Settlement Centre in Borgarnes. (Overnight: Stykkisholmur).
Day 5: Tour Snaefellsnes Peninsula counterclockwise, via Road 54. (Overnight: Borgarnes).
Day 6: Visit area n.e. of Borgarnes incl. Deidartunguhver thermal region, Barnafoss and Hraunufoss waterfalls. Possible visit to Krauma spa. Possible tour of Vidgelmir ice cave or Langjokull glacier. (Overnight: Borgarnes).
Day 7: Golden Circle (Thingvellir NP, Laugarvatn, Geysir area, Gulfoss, Fludir/Secret Lagoon if time, Kerid Crater). (Overnight: Somewhere between Selfoss and Hvolsvollur).
Day 8: South Coast, incl. Lava Centre in Hvolsvollur, Seljalandsfoss and Glufrabui waterfalls, Skogar (waterfall and folk museum). Vik seaside areas (e.g., Dyrholaey, Reynisfara black sand beach). (Overnight: Somewhere between Vik and Skaftafell, e.g., Kirkjuebaeklaustur).
Day 9: Lagoon boat tour, Skaftafell area, incl. Svartifoss, possible organized glacier tour/hike). (Overnight: Same as Day 8).
Day 10: Hike to Fjadrargliufur canyon near Klaustur, head west on Ring Road, covering any sights I missed on eastbound trip. (Overnight: Selfoss area).
Day 11: Eyerbakki Museum, Hveragerdi geothermal area, Reykjanes Peninsula (esp. lighthouses, etc., on western coast). Possible visit to Blue Lagoon. Specific plans would obviously depend on whether there is volcanic activity in the area. (Overnight: Keflavik area).
Day 12: Fly home to US.

I also had two other questions.

1. I would like to include activities such as hot spring baths, glacier or lava cave tours, glacier lagoon boat tours, etc. Just one from each category - I don't need to sample every hot spring nor walk on every glacier. However, there are so many options in so many different areas I will be passing through, e.g.,
* Hot Springs - Blue Lagoon, Sky Lagoon, Krauma Spa, Fontana, Secret Lagoon.
* Glaciers, ice caves, lava tubes guided tours/walks - Snaefelljokull (Glacier, Vatnshellir Lava Tube), Vidgelmir ice cave, Langjokull glacier, Solheimajokull glacier, Skaftafellsjokull glacier.
* Glacier Lagoon Boat Tours: Jokullsarlon, Fjallsarlon.

Any recommendations for which hot springs, glacier tours, boat tours, etc., are the best?

2. I am also considering a visit to the Westman Islands. Is this worth an extra day? If I did this, I would stay near Hvolsvollur on Day 7, then add an extra day where I would take the ferry to the islands (without the car), walk around and/or take a guided tour, then return to Hvolsvollur before continuing on with the itinerary as planned. A friend of mine went to Iceland last year and had planned a visit to the islands but it was canceled last minute due to rough seas. I'm not sure what I would do with the extra day if I scheduled a visit to the islands and that happened to me as well.

Forum members have provided so many useful suggestions in the past, so I am anxiously looking forward to receiving your feedback.

Thanks!

The plan is very detailed and well sought.

There was nothing on whale watching. The whale watching with fast rib boat is quite exciting, if not experienced a rib boat before.

Normal cars are fine in Iceland. But if thinking to go offroad, basic 4wd is not enough. When getting the car, there is a big sign not to go offroad. So if planning to go wild, please make sure that they allow to drive also offroad. It should be Nissan Patrol or something else big.

Another thing for your consideration is to hire a camper van instead of a car. We did this in May/June and it gave us more flexibility. Also, depending on your interests, I wondered whether you'd need to spend 3 nights in Reykjavik, when whale watching e.g. might give you more photo ops.