10 Days Around Iceland's Ring Road: My Solo Rooftop Tent Adventure
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After years of dreaming about Iceland from my desk in Austin, I finally pulled the trigger. It wasn't some grand planned moment - it all just came together.
Fresh off my first big photography trip post-recovery from Bell's palsy (that Yellowstone wolf adventure that reminded me why I love this), I was feeling inspired again. When I started looking at flights, a decent deal popped up for July when I had a week off from my day job.
I'll be honest - I still had doubts. I booked refundable flights because I wasn't sure if now was really the time. Then I met a new friend who absolutely loved Iceland and shared this massive Google Maps list of locations with me. That gave me the confidence to dive fully into planning.
Between his recommendations and my own research, I realized I had way more places than any hotel-hopping schedule could handle.
Enter the rooftop tent.
The Rooftop Tent Reality
I went with a high-quality iKamper setup, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions of the trip. The flexibility to just roam and stop wherever I ended up each day was incredible. No reservations, no rigid schedule - just pure exploration freedom.
Though I learned a thing or two about comfort. I recently bought my own iKamper for my truck, but upgraded the mattress based on that Iceland experience. Let's just say stacking mattress pieces to stay comfortable isn't ideal after a long day of hiking and photography.
The tent worked great overall, and I camped everywhere from touristy spots to remote back-road gems. My favorite? A small campground in a tiny village that I stumbled upon taking a shortcut from the Golden Circle to the Ring Road. It was packed with locals, had a river running behind it, and gave me my first taste of that famous midnight sunset that lasted nearly two hours. More on that cultural experience in a future post - it was unforgettable.
Speaking of underestimating things, let me tell you about my biggest miscalculation of the entire trip.
Ring Road Reality Check: It's Bigger Than You Think
Here's what nobody tells you about the Ring Road: I vastly underestimated how long it takes to actually get around. I'm talking seriously underestimated. What looks like a simple coastal drive on the map becomes an all-day affair when you factor in the reality on the ground.
The southern section was the biggest wake-up call. Low speed limits through populated areas, single-lane bridges that back up traffic, and crowds at every major stop that turn quick photo opportunities into hour-long affairs. You know those Instagram photos of empty Iceland with perfect solitude? Yeah, that's not southern Ring Road reality in summer, though you'll find plenty of that peace once you hit the east and north. Every famous southern waterfall, black sand beach, and glacier lagoon has tour buses and rental cars lined up like it's Disney World.
One planned stop nearly derailed my entire schedule and taught me a valuable lesson about flexibility. I wanted to photograph a cliffside near Grindavik, but recent volcanic eruptions had closed the northern route I'd planned to take from the Golden Circle. Instead, I had to backtrack from Vik on day two - adding hours to an already packed itinerary - and approach from the south through a much longer route. The irony? The shots weren't even that great, and I spent most of my time being dive-bombed by protective birds.
But here's the thing about unexpected detours - they often lead to the best discoveries. That volcanic reroute is exactly why I ended up in that authentic local campground I mentioned earlier, where I'd have one of the most memorable cultural experiences of the entire trip. Sometimes the universe has better plans than your carefully crafted itinerary.
The lesson? Build way more buffer time into your Ring Road plans than you think you need. What Google Maps says will take 3 hours might actually take 6 when you account for photo stops, traffic, and the inevitable "I have to pull over for this view" moments that make Iceland so magical.
Now, about that main reason I came to Iceland in the first place...
Mission: Puffins
Let me be clear - I came to Iceland for puffins. Years of dreaming about these little clowns of the sea, and I wasn't leaving without some serious puffin photography.
Dyrhólaey: The Accidental Discovery
Dyrhólaey delivered beyond my expectations. I actually stopped there for the famous sea arch, but thick fog had completely obscured it. Disappointed, I was just shooting some landscape photos of the endless black sand beach when I noticed people leaning over the cliff with their phones. I had no idea puffins could even be there - I was focused entirely on the eastern locations I'd researched. Curious, I walked over and discovered the cliff face was absolutely covered in puffins.
I ran back to the jeep for my telephoto lens (rookie mistake having only my landscape lens ready), frantically changing lenses in the light rain while somehow managing not to get water in my camera body. I spent the next hour in puffin paradise despite the drizzle. The lighting was perfect, and I captured one of my favorite shots - a single puffin curiously peeking around a rock that I later named "Honey, is that you?" It's now featured in my magnet calendar.
Puffin Rock: The Main Event
But Puffin Rock (Borgarfjarðarhöfn) was the real show. I'd researched this spot specifically and planned my route around it. This little rocky area with boardwalks was completely surrounded by puffins - flying, grunting, diving for fish, swimming, and landing back on the rocks. The lighting wasn't ideal since it was midday, but being immersed in their world was incredible.
I stayed for three hours and took nearly 6,000 photos. Yeah, you read that right. When you're surrounded by puffins doing their thing, you don't leave. I have some incredible in-flight shots from that session that I'm still working through.
But puffins weren't the only magic I discovered during those 10 days around the Ring Road.
Ring Road Highlights Worth the Detour
Skógafoss at Midnight
Skógafoss at midnight was pure magic. I rolled up around 12:30 AM just after sunset (gotta love those endless summer days) to find Iceland's most famous waterfall completely abandoned. No crowds, no waiting for clear shots - just me and this massive cascade in perfect blue hour light. The twilight shots I captured required zero people-removal editing, which felt like winning the lottery.
"Rivers of Light"
"Rivers of Light" happened by accident. Running behind schedule in the east, I took a small gravel road detour up one of the fjords and over a mountain pass on a mission to reach Egilsstaðir by sunset. That shortcut led to one of my favorite captures of the entire trip - a dynamic glacial valley with perfect light rays streaming down from dramatic clouds. It's now part of my Iceland collection, and it only exists because I was trying to make up time.
"Wind Swept Companions"
"Wind Swept Companions" came from persistence. I'd made another detour off the Ring Road to photograph a sea arch, but wasn't thrilled with what I captured (mainly because I was being attacked by protective birds the entire time, again). On my way out, determined not to leave empty-handed, I spotted two perfect Icelandic horses standing in front of a house near the road. They were down this gravel back road, completely off the beaten path. Sometimes not giving up pays off.
Of course, Iceland isn't just about the photographs - some of my favorite moments had nothing to do with my camera.
Beyond the Photos
Pro tip: Skip the Blue Lagoon crowds and hit Mývatn Nature Baths on the northeastern coast. It's right off the Ring Road after a cool thermal area where you can walk through fields of steaming vents. Same concept as the famous Blue Lagoon but with way fewer tourists and more locals. Plus, you don't need advance reservations or premium pricing.
So after all those years of dreaming, how did Iceland actually measure up?
The Verdict: Iceland Lived Up to the Hype
After all those years of dreaming, Iceland delivered everything I hoped for and more. But here's my honest take - 10 days wasn't nearly enough. The Ring Road was like the ultimate teaser trailer for what Iceland has to offer.
Real talk on the budget: I knew Iceland would be expensive, but I didn't expect nearly $9,000 expensive. Gas and food costs are absolutely brutal - even cooking at camp and living on sandwiches most days, the grocery bills added up fast. That jeep with big off-road tires was a gas guzzler, and fuel prices made every fill-up painful. But you know what? It was worth every penny for the experience and the shots I came home with.
If I were doing it over again:
- Minimum 14 days, preferably more
- Consider a campervan for the Ring Road - I loved my rooftop tent setup, but on those rough weather days in the west (I actually got a hotel for two nights when the wind was howling), a campervan would've been clutch
- Save the rooftop tent rig for dedicated highland adventures where you really need that rugged vehicle capability
I'm already planning my return - possibly an extended trip into the Westfjords or a dedicated highlands expedition. This Ring Road adventure was just the beginning.
The Iceland Collection
Most of the pieces in my Iceland collection actually came from these Ring Road detours rather than the main stops everyone hits. "Rivers of Light," "Wind Swept Companions," and that perfect puffin shot "Honey, is that you?" all tell stories of unexpected discoveries and persistence paying off.
I've got an incredible shot of Godafoss from the north that's not in the collection yet (haven't finished baking it yet), but it might be one of the best images I've ever captured - buttery smooth long exposures with blue water gleaming on a perfectly cloudy day.
Browse the complete Iceland Collection →
Want to hear about my highland adventure to Hveradalir, Iceland's hidden thermal wonderland? That's coming up in the next post, along with the story of that unforgettable night in the local campground.
Exploring from Austin, one unexpected adventure at a time.
Ready for your own Iceland adventure? Save this post and start planning - just give yourself more time than you think you need. Trust me on this one.
What questions do you have about Ring Road logistics or rooftop tent camping in Iceland? Drop them in the comments below.