Best of Iceland — Self-Launched Ring of the West & North
9 days · Iceland
Collette charges £4,650
No-markup version: ~£2,345 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Collette's 9-day "Best of Iceland" coach tour: Reykjavík, the Golden Circle, Húsafell and the Langjökull glacier tunnel, the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Goðafoss, Lake Mývatn and a whale-watching RIB cruise from Húsavík. Instead of a 44-person escorted coach, you'll hire a small car (or use a mix of Strætó buses and day tours), sleep in hostels and guesthouses, and book the same headline experiences directly — glacier tunnel, whale watching, goat farm, Sky Lagoon. Costs are rough per-person estimates for one traveller sharing a dorm or twin; self-driving Iceland is expensive, so this saves on the tour markup but not on Iceland itself.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Fly into Keflavík (KEF) and take the Flybus or Strætó bus 55 into the city centre (~£20-25 one way; Flybus + is roughly £30 return). Check into a hostel dorm or private room in the 101/Miðborg area. Spend the evening wandering Laugavegur and the old harbour, and buy groceries at Bónus or Krónan for the road days ahead — eating out in Iceland is brutal on the wallet.
🚌Flybus/Strætó bus from KEF, ~45 min, ~£20-25
🛏Hostel dorm or guesthouse, central Reykjavík (e.g. Kex Hostel, Hostel B47, or a Miðborg guesthouse)
- →Self-guided evening walk of Laugavegur and the old harbour
- →Grocery shop at Bónus/Krónan
Reykjavík on foot
Reykjavík
Do the Old Town loop yourself: Parliament (Alþingi), Dómkirkja, City Hall and the harbourfront, then Harpa Concert Hall (free to enter, best light in the afternoon). Add Hallgrímskirkja tower (~£7) and a soak at a public geothermal pool like Sundhöllin or Laugardalslaug (~£7-9) rather than a pricey lagoon. Pick up your hire car late afternoon or first thing tomorrow — book well ahead in summer.
🚌On foot; local bus single ~£3 if needed
🛏Hostel dorm or guesthouse, central Reykjavík
- →Self-guided Old Town walk: Parliament, City Hall, harbour, oldest building
- →Harpa Concert Hall (free)
- →Hallgrímskirkja tower climb ~£7
- →Public geothermal pool ~£8
Golden Circle by hire car
Golden Circle / Borgarnes
Collect the car and drive the classic Golden Circle on your own schedule: Þingvellir National Park (walk between the North American and Eurasian plates along the Almannagjá rift), then the Geysir geothermal area for Strokkur erupting every few minutes, and Gullfoss waterfall. Skip the overpriced lava-bread gimmick and stop at Efstidalur or Friðheimar if you want a farm lunch. Finish with the drive west to Borgarnes to base for Snæfellsnes.
🚌Hire car, ~£55-70/day split per person (small 2WD, booked in advance); ~250 km driving
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Borgarnes (e.g. Borgarnes HI hostel or a farm guesthouse)
- →Þingvellir National Park — Almannagjá rift walk (free, ~£5 parking)
- →Geysir area and Strokkur geyser (free)
- →Gullfoss waterfall (free, ~£5 parking)
Húsafell, goat farm and Langjökull glacier tunnel
Húsafell / Borgarnes
Drive to Húsafell and walk the short Húsafell waterfall trail. Visit Háafell goat farm (~£12-15) to meet the Icelandic goats, then book the Into the Glacier tour from Húsafell — the monster-truck ride up onto Langjökull and the man-made ice tunnel (~£130-150, book direct with the operator). This is the biggest single spend of the trip; if budget is tight, swap it for a guided glacier hike on Sólheimajökull (~£90) or just the waterfall hikes.
🚌Hire car, ~150 km round trip; glacier tour includes mountain truck
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Borgarnes
- →Húsafell waterfall trail (free)
- →Háafell goat farm visit ~£13
- →Into the Glacier Langjökull tunnel tour ~£140 (book direct)
Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Snæfellsnes / Borgarnes
A full self-drive loop of Snæfellsnes — 'Iceland in miniature'. Stop at the Arnarstapi sea cliffs and arch, Djúpalónssandur black beach, Skarðsvík, and the view of Mount Kirkjufell near Grundarfjörður. Lunch in Arnarstapi or Stykkishólmur (fish soup ~£15-20) instead of a group set menu. Return to Borgarnes in the evening.
🚌Hire car, ~250 km loop
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Borgarnes
- →Arnarstapi fishing village and sea cliffs (free)
- →Djúpalónssandur black sand beach (free)
- →Mount Kirkjufell viewpoint (free)
- →Snæfellsjökull National Park visitor centre (free)
North to Húsavík via Goðafoss
Húsavík
Long driving day (allow 5-6 hours excluding stops). Take Route 1 north through Norðurland vestra, stopping at the turf church at Víðimýri and the waterfalls of the Skagafjörður area. Visit Goðafoss — 'Waterfall of the Gods' — about 40 minutes south of Húsavík, then settle into Húsavík for two nights. If you prefer not to drive, fly Reykjavík–Akureyri with Icelandair domestic (~£90-120) and take a bus/local transfer instead.
🚌Hire car, ~450 km / 5-6 hrs driving; or domestic flight + bus alternative
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Húsavík (e.g. Húsavík HI hostel or a harbour guesthouse)
- →Víðimýrarkirkja turf church (~£5)
- →Goðafoss waterfall (free)
- →Húsavík harbour evening walk
Lake Mývatn, Hverir and whale watching
Mývatn / Húsavík
Morning drive to Lake Mývatn: walk the Dimmuborgir lava formations and caves on marked trails (no guide needed), then the Hverir geothermal area with its bubbling mud pots and steaming fumaroles (free, stay on the paths). Optionally add the Mývatn Nature Baths (~£40) instead of the Blue Lagoon. Back in Húsavík, take a RIB/Zodiac whale-watching cruise on Skjálfandi Bay (~£95-110 — book direct with North Sailing or Gentle Giants); summer trips usually see humpbacks and puffins.
🚌Hire car, ~120 km round trip
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Húsavík
- →Dimmuborgir lava formations walk (free)
- →Hverir geothermal area (free)
- →Skjálfandi Bay RIB whale watching ~£100
- →Optional Mývatn Nature Baths ~£40
Akureyri and back to Reykjavík
Akureyri / Reykjavík
Drive to Akureyri for lunch and a wander through the old town and botanical garden, then take Route 1 back to Reykjavík (~4.5 hrs, or fly Akureyri–Reykjavík if you hired one-way). Return the car and finish with a self-booked Sky Lagoon geothermal session (~£65-80, book a late slot direct) or a cheaper city pool. Treat yourself to one Icelandic dinner out — lamb soup or a fish dish at a mid-range bistro, ~£30-40.
🚌Hire car, ~390 km; or domestic flight ~£90-120 + car drop-off
🛏Hostel dorm or guesthouse, central Reykjavík
- →Akureyri old town and botanical garden (free)
- →Sky Lagoon geothermal bathing ~£70 (self-booked)
- →Farewell dinner in Reykjavík ~£35
Depart Reykjavík
Reykjavík / Keflavík
Final morning for a coffee and last souvenir shopping, then take the Flybus back to Keflavík for your flight home. If you have a late flight, the free National Museum or the Árbærjarsafn open-air museum make an easy last stop.
🚌Flybus/bus 55 to KEF, ~£20-25
🛏None (departure day)
- →Optional National Museum or Reykjavík Art Museum ~£12
Self-launched vs. Collette
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Collette | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£2,345 | £4,650 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £2,305 per person (50%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Collette-style trips? Check them out here.~£2,345
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 Best of Iceland — Self-Launched Ring of the West & North cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £2,345 per person for 9 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 Collette?+
Yes — Collette charges around £4,650 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £2,345 — a saving of roughly £2,305 (50%) per person.
How long is the Iceland trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 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, wildlife 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?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
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