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[quote=Anonymous]At least a week. But would depend on what you want to see / do and if you plan to go back or want to make this a "once in a lifetime" experience.
We were in Iceland two years ago (August 14).

First three days in Reykjavik, including one day with a combined whale watching (didn't see any whales) and Blue Lagoon Tour.

We then took a regular scheduled bus from Reykjavik to Akureyri through the Highlands (Kjölur).
They do touristy stops on the way which include Geysir and Gullfoss, which is most of the Golden Circle Tour (you miss Thingvellir). The bus trip is quite impressive as it takes you between the Langjökull and Hofsjökull glaciers.

In Akureyri we did a day tour through the lake Myvatn area (Diamond Circle Tour - Godafoss, Myvatn, Asbyrgi, Dettifoss, Dimmuborgir).
We found northern Iceland much more impressive than the Reykjavik area. The nature is simply astonishing! You have the green areas around Myvatn lake, then a very short drive up to where to tectonic plates meet, where you have fumarols (Namafjell, I think). Dettifoss is a huge waterfall and you can walk up right to the water. Asbyrgi is where Odin's horse touched the ground with one of its hooves. Dimmuborgir (dark castle) is a lava field.

On the way back we took the Sprengisandur route, between the Hofsjökull and Vatnajökull glaciers.
Again, impressive! That's what the moon has to look like. It's only accessible in summer, the bus alone is impressive... it drives you through creeks so deep that the water hits the windows.

Back in Reykjavik we took another day tour to the Jökulsarlon glacier lagoon.
We booked with Time Tours but I have to admit that I wasn't impressed. We were picked up by a different tour operator without being informed about this, had he not asked who we had booked with when picking us up at the hotel we never would have approached him. The small bus (I think it was a 12 seater maybe?) was at full capacity and it was a bit crammed. The trip itself was a bit meh, very few stops, long trip. It was worth it, even though the weather was dispicable. The boat tour on the lagoon was a.ma.zing.

We didn't rent a car because DH doesn't drive. Also you need a 4x4 to drive the Sprengisandur which I have never done and wasn't comfortable with (they also advise not to cross rivers alone - no bridges on the whole route, you just drive straight through) and we really wanted to go through the highlands. Kjölur is okay with a regular car. The ring road which goes around the island is also easy to drive. Right side of the road. Very little traffic outside of the Reykjavik area.

We thought it would be a once in a lifetime bucket list trip but are already planning to go back.
I want to visit the Snæfellsnes area, I want to snorkle the Silfra rift, we didn't manage to visit Thingvellir and I want to do the West Fjords. There is a lot to do and to see. But... Iceland is expensive. You can get inexpensive flights and you can find hotels for an okay price - car rental, day trips, entrance fees (Blue Lagoon), gas and food are quite costly through.
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