6-Day Self-Launched Ring Road Adventure: Golden Circle, Ice Caves & East Fjords
6 days · Iceland
Troll Expeditions charges £1,785
No-markup version: ~£1,180 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched take on Troll Expeditions' 6-day summer minibus circuit of Iceland — same waterfall-and-glacier highlights, done on your own schedule. Share a hire car (Iceland is brutal on solo-transport costs, so a 2-4 person crew is the sweet spot) or use the public Strætó bus network plus a handful of booked day tours for the glacier hike, ice cave and whale watching. You sleep in hostels and guesthouses along the Ring Road, cook or self-cater where possible, and book only the three big-ticket activities in advance via GetYourGuide or directly with the local operators. Costs are estimates for a shared-car scenario; solo travellers using buses will pay more for transport and should look at the regional Strætó route passes or the occasional Air Iceland Connect hop.
Day-by-day
Golden Circle: Þingvellir, Geysir & Gullfoss
Reykjavík → Þingvellir → Geysir → Gullfoss → Hvolsvöllur/Seljalandsfoss area
Pick up a shared hire car in Reykjavík (book well ahead — summer rates are steep; a compact car split 3-4 ways runs about £45-60 per day total). Drive Route 36 to Þingvellir National Park and walk the Almannagjá rift between the tectonic plates (free, small parking fee ~£4). Continue to the Geysir geothermal field — Strokkur erupts every 5-8 minutes, and the mud pools and hot springs are free to wander. Hit Gullfoss waterfall, then push south-east along the coast to Seljalandsfoss, where you can walk behind the curtain of water (bring the waterproofs — you will get soaked). Overnight in a hostel or farm guesthouse around Hvolsvöllur or Hella. Cook dinner in the communal kitchen; the local Bónus or Krónan supermarket is your friend for the whole trip.
🚌Shared hire car from Reykjavík, ~200 km driving. Parking fees ~£8 total. Fuel ~£20/car.
🛏Hostel dorm or farm guesthouse near Hvolsvöllur/Hella (~£28-35 pp)
- →Self-drive Golden Circle (Þingvellir, Geysir/Strokkur, Gullfoss)
- →Walk behind Seljalandsfoss waterfall
- →Optional: Gljúfrabúi hidden waterfall across the road (free)
South Coast Waterfalls & Katla Ice Cave
Hvolsvöllur → Skógar → Vík → Kötlujökull (Katla Ice Cave) → Vík area
Start with Skógarfoss — climb the 527 steps to the top for coastal views if the legs are willing. Then Reynisfjara black sand beach: watch the sneaker waves from well back, they genuinely kill tourists here. The afternoon's highlight is the Katla Ice Cave under the Kötlujökull outlet glacier — book a guided ice cave tour directly with a local operator (Southcoast Adventure, Arctic Adventures or similar) or via GetYourGuide, roughly £110-130 per person including super-jeep transfer and all glacier gear. Overnight in Vík or just east of it; Vík has a decent hostel and a couple of cheap-ish pizza/grill options.
🚌Self-drive ~150 km. Fuel ~£18/car. Ice cave tour includes 4x4 transfer from the meeting point near Vík.
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Vík (~£30-38 pp)
- →Skógarfoss waterfall and optional 527-step climb
- →Reynisfjara black sand beach and basalt columns
- →Guided Katla Ice Cave tour with crampons and helmet
Glacier Hike at Skaftafell & Jökulsárlón Lagoon
Vík → Skaftafell → Jökulsárlón → Höfn area
Drive east across the vast Skeiðarársandur outwash plain to Skaftafell in Vatnajökull National Park. Book a 3-hour guided glacier hike on Breiðamerkurjökull/Falljökull with a certified glacier guide (Glacier Guides, Icelandic Mountain Guides or Troll's own day tour via GetYourGuide) — about £95-115 pp including crampons, harness and ice axe. Afternoon at Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon: walk the shoreline for free, or take the amphibian boat tour (~£45 pp, book on arrival or online) to get among the icebergs. Diamond Beach across the road is free and photogenic. Overnight in Höfn or a guesthouse along the southeast — Höfn is the lobster capital, so a langoustine soup is worth the splurge.
🚌Self-drive ~270 km. Fuel ~£28/car. Glacier hike operator may offer meeting-point parking included.
🛏Guesthouse in Höfn or southeast farm stay (~£32-40 pp)
- →3-hour guided glacier hike at Skaftafell (equipment included)
- →Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach
- →Optional amphibian boat ride among the icebergs (~£45)
East Fjords: Djúpivogur, Egilsstaðir & VÖK Baths
Höfn → Djúpivogur → Egilsstaðir → Lagarfljót
A gentler driving day through the East Fjords — winding coastal roads, fishing villages and very few other cars. Stop in Djúpivogur for the Eggin í Gleðivík sculptures and a coffee, then continue to Egilsstaðir on Lagarfljót lake (home of the legendary worm monster, allegedly). Optional extras: a horseback riding tour from a local farm such as Galdrahestar (~£75-90 pp, book direct) or a soak at VÖK Baths on the lake (~£40-45 pp, book a slot online in advance as summer fills up). If budget is tight, skip both and do the free hike to Hengifoss waterfall instead — one of Iceland's tallest. Overnight in Egilsstaðir hostel or guesthouse.
🚌Self-drive ~260 km. Fuel ~£26/car.
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Egilsstaðir (~£30-38 pp)
- →Djúpivogur village and Gleðivík egg sculptures
- →Lagarfljót lake and Egilsstaðir
- →Optional: horseback riding from a local farm (~£80)
- →Optional: VÖK Baths geothermal soak (~£42)
- →Free alternative: Hengifoss waterfall hike
Stuðlagil Canyon, Dettifoss, Mývatn & Goðafoss
Egilsstaðir → Stuðlagil → Dettifoss → Mývatn → Akureyri
Big day: leave early for Stuðlagil Canyon, the basalt-column gorge that blew up on Instagram — park at the east-side lot and walk ~40 minutes in (free). Then the short gravel detour to Dettifoss, Europe's most powerful waterfall by volume; the spray is immense, so keep the camera covered. Loop around Lake Mývatn: Dimmuborgir lava formations, the Námaskarð geothermal area with its bubbling mud pots and sulphur stench, and Skútustaðagígar pseudo-craters if time allows. Finish at Goðafoss on the way into Akureyri. Evening wander around Akureyri's compact harbour and main street — Iceland's second city and pleasantly low-key. Overnight in an Akureyri hostel.
🚌Self-drive ~350 km (longest day). Fuel ~£35/car. Note: the Stuðlagil east access road is gravel — check conditions.
🛏Akureyri hostel dorm (~£32-40 pp)
- →Stuðlagil Canyon basalt gorge walk
- →Dettifoss waterfall
- →Dimmuborgir lava formations
- →Námaskarð geothermal area
- →Goðafoss waterfall
- →Evening walk in Akureyri
Whale Watching from Hauganes & Return to Reykjavík
Akureyri → Hauganes → Reykjavík
Drive north to Hauganes on Eyjafjörður fjord for a whale watching tour with North Sailing or a local Hauganes operator (book direct or via GetYourGuide, ~£85-100 pp, 2.5-3 hours). Humpbacks are near-guaranteed in summer and puffins nest on the cliffs May-August, so bring binoculars. Wander the black sand beach and harbour afterwards. Then the long drive back to Reykjavík via the Vaðlaheiði tunnel and Route 1 (~4.5-5 hours, ~380 km) — or, if you're travelling solo and relying on buses, take the Strætó Route 57 bus Akureyri-Reykjavík (~£45-55) and do the whale watching as a morning tour. Drop the hire car in Reykjavík and reward yourself with a hot dog at Bæjarins Beztu.
🚌Self-drive ~400 km. Fuel ~£40/car. Solo alternative: Strætó bus 57 Akureyri-Reykjavík ~£50.
🛏Reykjavík hostel dorm (~£35-45 pp) — final night not always needed if you fly out late
- →Hauganes whale watching tour (humpbacks and puffins in season)
- →Black sand beach and harbour walk at Hauganes
- →Evening in Reykjavík
Self-launched vs. Troll Expeditions
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Troll Expeditions | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,180 | £1,785 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £605 per person (34%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Troll Expeditions-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,180
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does 6-Day Self-Launched Ring Road Adventure: Golden Circle, Ice Caves & East Fjords cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,180 per person for 6 days in Iceland. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Troll Expeditions?+
Yes — Troll Expeditions charges around £1,785 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,180 — a saving of roughly £605 (34%) per person.
How long is the Iceland trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 day-by-day stops through Iceland.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, hiking, road-trip trip through Iceland, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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