ICENAVI ROAD FILE · VOPNAFJÖRÐUR → ÞÓRSHÖFN
This route suits travellers who want to put a remote coast into the itinerary. Húsavík handles supplies and the first night, while Þórshöfn opens the way north; in winter, road conditions, daylight and restaurant hours decide where you should turn back sooner than the number of sights does.
If you join a whale-watching trip in Húsavík in the morning, the boat usually takes up the morning, and you still need time for lunch, recovering from seasickness and collecting the car. Do not chase the farthest northern point that day; make the whale trip your main activity, drive only part of Route 85 in the afternoon, and continue towards Þórshöfn the following day. When you have no fixed sailing time, Ásbyrgi canyon or the Northeast Coast can fit into the same day.
Travellers arriving from Lake Mývatn should deal with fuel and food in Húsavík before deciding whether to go out on the water. Travellers returning from the east can use Þórshöfn as their northern turning point. This order gives each night a clear purpose and reduces the chance of looking for a room at the last minute on a remote stretch of road.
The key decision is where to finish the drive
After turning off Route 1 towards Húsavík, the town itself becomes a practical base for the Northeast Coast. Fill the tank, buy breakfast and water, and check whether Þórshöfn has a room and somewhere to eat that night. A map may show two towns separated by a simple coastal distance, but there is no dependable chain of shops in between to rescue a late afternoon.
Þórshöfn works well as a northern base, especially if you plan to take Route 85 or continue towards Raufarhöfn the next day. If your only aim is to travel from the east to Lake Mývatn, this route adds extra mileage off the main line; it earns a separate night when the Northeast Coast, a lighthouse or a pool is part of the plan. Read the Húsavík destination guide and Þórshöfn destination guide first, then choose the base you actually need.
| Trip aim | Recommended base | How to plan it | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coast after restocking | Húsavík | Short town stop, then return to the main route the next day | Less of the northern coast |
| Þórshöfn and Digranes | Þórshöfn | At least one night; arrive before afternoon | Fewer restaurants and rooms |
| Selárdalur pool | Plan around the pool opening | Check the hours first, then set the driving schedule | No daily fallback is guaranteed |
| Winter Northeast transfer | The town you can reach safely | Keep daylight and a route back in reserve | You may skip Route 85 |
Húsavík: finish the small jobs before leaving
Buying food in Húsavík is more reliable than looking for dinner after arriving in Þórshöfn. Keep enough fuel for a return or a route change, download an offline map, and put wet clothes, water and snacks somewhere easy to reach in the car. These preparations do not make a travel photograph, but they can save a return trip when sea fog rolls in or daylight fades early.
If you start in Egilsstaðir that day, calculate the transfer to Húsavík before adding Route 85; do not treat the journey from the eastern town to the northeastern port as a small afternoon hop. Add a museum, coastal stop or river valley only if you still have time in town. When evening is approaching, staying overnight in Húsavík is often the most useful choice.
How to divide the pool, lighthouse and free coast
Selárdalur pool is a low-cost local experience, but check its opening arrangements and season first. The water may take only an hour, while the access road and changing time can split the day in half; an afternoon without a fixed boat departure is the sensible place for it. If someone in your group does not want a swim, use the time for supplies in Húsavík or keep it for Þórshöfn.
Digranes Lighthouse fits when the weather is stable and you have already settled where you will finish the drive. It is not a city attraction you can simply add in five minutes: allow for coastal wind, gravel and the actual parking position. On a clear day, put the lighthouse into the afternoon before Þórshöfn; in low cloud or strong wind, a harbour walk is enough. Free sights still use fuel and daylight, which is why Route 85 should not be budgeted by entrance fees alone.
Driving distance, fuel and one-day costs
The full-day distance from Húsavík to Þórshöfn varies with your starting point, whether you visit the lighthouse and whether you turn back. For planning, use roughly 7–9 litres per 100 kilometres for a medium-sized car; if the day covers about 250–350 kilometres, fuel comes to approximately 2,000–4,000 ISK (about HK$110–220 / NT$460–920), before the daily car-hire cost, food and accommodation. This is a planning range, not a supplier quote, but it is enough to show why a free coastline is not a cost-free day.
A one-day drive from Húsavík to Þórshöfn is possible if you choose one main activity. Add the pool, lighthouse and several short stops, and lunch and the return buffer are the first things to disappear. A two-day version puts the first night in Húsavík or midway, then the second in Þórshöfn, leaving time to take in the coast; when rooms are scarce, book the accommodation before choosing the stops.
ICENAVI ROUTE FIT
Route 85: how much flexibility does the drive leave?
The scores measure driving difficulty and how easily the plan can be adjusted; the winter score is low because roads, daylight and available accommodation all tighten at once.
The season changes where you should finish
Long summer daylight lets you split the port and coast across two afternoons. In the shoulder season, treat the lighthouse and pool as optional, and protect the accommodation and return journey first. In winter, do not apply summer map times directly: check Iceland road conditions, wind and visibility. An open road is not automatically a road that suits your driving, especially when the next place to restock is far away.
In snow or strong wind, Húsavík is a sensible turning point; you can still refuel, eat and stay overnight in town. If you have reached Þórshöfn, look at Melrakkaslétta information the next day instead of adding its northernmost detour when daylight is short. Use the Húsavík and Þórshöfn winter comparison to put the northern main route and the Northeast Coast back into the same accommodation plan.
Two plans you can actually run
One-day version: Leave Húsavík in the morning, take the coast and one short stop, reach Þórshöfn around midday, then choose either Digranes or the pool for the afternoon and return to your accommodation by evening. Do not assume dinner will be available whenever you arrive; check opening arrangements first. If you return to the main route the next day, leave a proper road buffer.
Two-day version: Use Húsavík as the supplies and accommodation base on day one, then head north on day two; alternatively, reach Þórshöfn on day one and choose Melrakkaslétta according to the weather on day two. To connect the east and north, see the Northeast winter route and Húsavík so one long transfer does not consume the entire coast.
Have you chosen where to finish?
Compare stays in Húsavík and Þórshöfn first
Place supplies, pool hours and the next day's road beside the available rooms before deciding whether to drive more of Route 85.
Start with what each destination does
Húsavík handles supplies and the southern end of the drive; Þórshöfn handles northern activities and accommodation.
More reading
Then make the Northeast winter decision
Húsavík and Þórshöfn helps compare the northern main route; for a remote coast, read the weather and road decision guide first.
Q&A | Planning the Húsavík to Þórshöfn drive
Can you complete Húsavík to Þórshöfn in one day?
You can plan it, but choose only one main activity and leave time for the return and dinner; in winter, decide again after checking road conditions.
Where is the better place to stay?
Stay in Húsavík for supplies and more flexibility; stay in Þórshöfn when Melrakkaslétta or Digranes is the next day's priority.
Can the pool and lighthouse be done on the same day?
They can in stable summer weather, but each can take half a day once driving is included. If you have a fixed arrival time, choose one.
How much fuel should you allow?
Using 250–350 kilometres and 7–9 litres per 100 kilometres as an initial estimate, allow about 2,000–4,000 ISK; fill up in Húsavík before leaving.
References
- Visit North Iceland (background on Northeast Coast towns and activities).
- Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration (road conditions).
- SafeTravel Iceland (driving safety and weather guidance).
- OpenStreetMap contributors (the base map for the location figure).
There is another logistical issue that is easy to miss on this road: after reaching Þórshöfn, you may still have wet outerwear and unfinished food in the car for the next day's northbound drive. Separate food that can be eaten on the move, keep the chargers in the front seats, and deal with rubbish and fuel in Húsavík first. When your accommodation does not provide dinner, those preparations become part of whether a remote-coast night works at all. If the weather turns suddenly, return directly to Húsavík and keep the option of heading east or towards Lake Mývatn the next day; writing the way back into the plan stops one small town's sea view from dictating the direction of the whole ring road.
Before leaving, also write down the latest check-in time for your accommodation. No sight along Route 85 can guarantee you dinner, and finding a room and restaurant after arriving late often takes an extra hour. If you have a fixed meeting time for an activity, make it the first hard deadline on the route; the pool and lighthouse can fill only the gaps that remain. The approach sounds cautious, but it turns a remote-coast day from a hope of fitting everything in into a plan that can actually be completed.
If you are driving from the east, treat Húsavík as a reset point rather than a town you merely pass on a sign. Consider the fatigue from the previous leg, the next night's check-in and the day's wind together before deciding whether to continue north. That judgement protects the value of Route 85 better than adding another minor sight.