Icelandic Aurora Self Drive

Embark on the Icelandic Aurora Self‑Drive, a four-night autumn adventure designed to showcase both Iceland’s dramatic natural wonders and the magical Northern Lights. Collect your hire car from Keflavík Airport and begin with a night in Reykjavík before driving through the iconic Golden Circle to South Iceland. Along the way, explore thundering waterfalls, erupting geysers, volcanic black-sand beaches, and hidden geothermal springs. Spend your evenings in remote countryside locations where dark skies create ideal aurora viewing conditions.

Optional private guides are available for glacier valleys and off-grid exploration, adding extra depth to your experience. Accommodation, route planning, and expert local insight are all arranged for you (flights not included), ensuring peace of mind while maintaining your independence. Perfect for couples or solo travellers seeking a bespoke Iceland self-drive holiday, Northern Lights road trip, or Autumn Aurora break, this flexible itinerary combines comfort, freedom, and unforgettable encounters with Iceland’s untamed beauty.

This Icelandic Aurora Self‑Drive is a four-night autumn journey through Iceland’s most awe-inspiring landscapes. Starting in Reykjavík, travel at your own pace along the Golden Circle and south coast, discovering geysers, waterfalls, black-sand beaches, and geothermal pools.

Evenings are spent in rural areas, perfect for spotting the Northern Lights under clear, dark skies. With your car hire, accommodation, and itinerary support pre-arranged (excluding flights), you’ll enjoy total freedom with expert guidance when needed. Ideal for those seeking a tailor-made Iceland road trip or an aurora-chasing adventure, this experience delivers a perfect blend of natural wonder and independent exploration.

Location Iceland

Duration 4 Nights

Price per person from (excl. flights)

£4,350*

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Overview

Iceland in the Autumn months is one of the best times to visit the country – with the midnight sun finally setting the colours on the horizon begin to burst with fascinating displays, some of which might also give you a glimpse of the aurora borealis whose season begins at the end of August.

It is also a perfect time to head on a self-drive trip to explore parts of the island as the weather is generally much better at this time of year and there are still plenty of hours of light for you to discover your surroundings without the threat of it getting dark so quickly.

This suggested itinerary has you spend some time in the capital city before heading out to the south to a beautiful retreat, a perfect location for those autumnal evenings gazing at the night sky!

Your Trip, Your Way

This itinerary is just a starting point—a flavour of what’s possible. Whether you want to tweak the pace, upgrade your hotel, or deepen the culinary immersion, we’ll design your perfect trip from scratch.

Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1

Reykjavik and the Sky Lagoon

You’ll pick up your car hire from Keflavik airport and then head over to Reykjavik city where you will spend your first night.

Our Nordic Experience Curators will get you booked in for a visit at the trendy Sky Lagoon which is a new geothermal spa based close to the capital – a perfect way to start your trip!

Sky Lagoon

Day 2

Golden Circle & Torfhus Retreat

After breakfast and some additional time exploring the city, you can head out in your vehicle to being your adventure in the southern part of Iceland – starting with a stop at the famous Golden Circle and ending at your accommodation for the next couple of nights – Torfhus Retreat.

@ Torfhús Retreat

Day 3

Private Superjeep Tour

After a day of exploring with the car, you can take a break from it and instead spend the day with your own private guide who can take you to some key locations around you that are not possible to visit by standard vehicles.

You might want to discover Hekla and Mælifell or other volcanos such as Eyjafjallajökull! Those that might like something a little more adventurous can head out to go Ice Climbing, Snowmobiling, or even head into an Ice Cave!

Day 4

Reynisfjara Beach

Today you can get to discover the black sand beaches Vik, Reynisfjara Beach, and the stunning waterfalls that sit between your property and this popular location. It is the perfect location for such sights as Skogafoss and Seljalandsfoss – two famous waterfalls sitting along the south coast.

In the evening you can relax and give yourselves a final chance of spotting the elusive Aurora

@ Icelandic Explorer

Day 5

Reykjanes Penisula & Home

On your final day, you can make your way back to the airport, but make sure you plan on a route that takes in the Reykjanes Penisula which had some stunning gems to uncover.

Your trip doesn’t need to end here either – our Nordic Experience Curators are here to help design your dream trip and experience in Iceland. Get in touch and let them know what else you might like to discover and they can build a bespoke experience just for you.

@ Visit Iceland

Where You Could Stay

Hotel Umi

Connecting to nature, with peace and quiet in the Icelandic countryside

Skalatot Hotel

Close to stunning waterfalls, volcanoes, glaciers and black sand beaches

Hotel Húsafell

Relax in geothermal baths, with dark skies for seeing the Northern Lights

Apotek Hotel

Overlooking Austurvöllur Square, a great place for harbourside walks

Torfhús Retreat

Tranquillity and stunning scenery, in a place far away from the everyday

Hotel Ranga

A boutique hotel that go above and beyond in sustainability management

71 Nyhavn Hotel

Peaceful elegance, easy access to the capital’s thriving food scene

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Shared Experiences

From Our Customers

All reviews

I would thoroughly recommend this company. Their planning and advice was spot on. Alex responded to my calls and emails very promptly. I will definitely use them again for future trips.

Rosie

We originally hired Off the Map Travel in 2020 to set up a trip to see the Northern Lights. That didn’t happen, thanks to COVID. But, we persisted and in March of 2023, we took a 16-day trip that included both Iceland and Norway. IT WAS MAGICAL! Off the Map took care of everything! We were pampered at every stage of our trip. The people they hired and the activities they planned added up to a trip that will set the standard for any we’ll ever take in the future. Alex and his team were fabulous! We recommend them without restraint!

Jim & Kris

I used OTMT to organise a holiday to see the Northern Lights for my partner’s 50th birthday. They took the time to understand my priorities, the kinds of places we like to stay and the things we like to do. They recommended a fabulous itinerary in Norway centred around the Lyngen Experience Lodge. The holiday itself lived up to expectations and I have no hesitation in recommending OTMT. They listened carefully during the planning and delivered the perfect present for my partner.

Alex

The best travel experience ever on every level you can think of during a Lapland expedition (food, activities, timings, accommodation, transport, service, equipment…). I highly recommend Off The Map Travel for their outstanding level of professionalism and detail oriented mindset!

Sophie & Guy

Off the Map Travel was great! Alex helped us plan the most amazing 10 day honeymoon to Iceland. He gave us great recommendations and was so patient with us during the planning process!

Tori

Amy was a great help with planning this trip. Our trip turned out amazing. I also was very grateful for Off the Map’s Front Desk service, which promptly handled an on the spot issue we had.

Karen