What type of vehicles are typically provided for self drive tours?

The cars you'll get depend on how many people are traveling with you. In Iceland, if you're traveling solo or as a pair, you'll get an automatic Volkswagen Polo. Groups of 4-5 get a Toyota RAV4 4x4 automatic. If you're doing the Portugal Discovery tour, you'll drive cars like the VW Polo that come with unlimited miles and road assistance. One of our travelers recently mentioned that "The highways in Portugal may be the best in the world" - making it a really easy country to drive through.

What kind of accommodations can I expect on a self drive tour?

You'll stay in good 3-star hotels where you'll have your own bathroom and breakfast included each morning. For example, if you're doing the Iceland Ring Road tour, you'll spend nights at places like Hotel Borgarnes, Hotel Akureyri, Hotel Herad, and Fosshotel Baron in Reykjavik. All the hotels are picked because they're in great spots for exploring and many have nice views too. One of our travelers told us "the accommodations were clean and comfortable."

How flexible are self drive tour itineraries?

You can be pretty spontaneous with these tours. We'll give you an e-itinerary with maps and suggestions, but you can go at your own pace and take detours when you want. Take Iceland's Ring Road - if you want to spend extra time watching the icebergs at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon or go whale watching in Akureyri, you can. A recent traveler told us, "The itinerary allowed enough flexibility for us to detour at will and still visit key sites."

How much driving time should I expect per day on a self drive tour?

Most days you'll drive between 2 and 5 hours, which leaves plenty of time to stop and explore. In Spain's Down South tour, for example, it takes about 1.5 hours to drive from Seville to Cordoba (140km), while Madrid to Cordoba is a longer 4-hour drive (400km). Our travelers like this setup because, as one put it, it "gives you the ability to stay on your own schedule" and "stop while on the road to explore."

What additional costs should I budget for on a self drive tour?

You'll need to cover gas, parking, entrance fees to attractions, and most of your meals except breakfast. Some activities cost extra - like visiting the Blue Lagoon or going on glacier hikes. On Iceland's Ring Road, you might want to try things like whale watching in Húsavík or snowmobiling on Langjökull glacier, which aren't included in the basic tour price. If you want WiFi or GPS in your car, these usually cost a bit extra too.

10 Best Road Trip & Self-Drive Tours & Trips 2026/2027

Complete Iceland Circle - 8-Day Self-Drive Tour

Complete Iceland Circle - 8-Day Self-Drive - 31 destinations

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Road Trip & Self-Drive

Complete Iceland Circle - 8-Day Self-Drive

4.5 (5 reviews)

Duration: 8 days
Destinations: Keflavik, Reykjavik, Seljaland, Skogafoss, Reynisfjara, Vik,Vatnajokull National Park,Skaftafell,Svartifoss,Jokulsarlon,Hofn,Djupivogur,Faskrudsfjordur,Egilsstadir,Myvatn,Dettifoss,Mount Namaskard,Hverfjall Volcano,Dimmuborgir,Godafoss,Akureyri,Borgarfjörður,Reykholt,Hraunfossar,Borgarnes,Thingvellir National Park,Haukadalur,Geysir,Gullfoss+23 more
Age Range: All Ages Welcome
Country Region: Iceland Ring Road
Operated in: English, German,Italian,French,Spanish+3 more
Operator: Snaeland Travel

From: US$1,397per person

Price based on Private Double Room

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