Iceland Hike, Bike & Raft — Self-Launched
7 days · Iceland
G Adventures charges £1,570
No-markup version: ~£1,160 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, DIY version of G Adventures' 7-day "Iceland Hike, Bike & Raft" multi-sport loop from Reykjavik. You'll cover the same ground — city cycling, the Golden Circle (Thingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss), Silfra snorkelling, fjord kayaking at Hvalfjörður, a hot-spring hunt in the Hellisheiði range and whitewater rafting on the Hvítá — but booking each activity direct via GetYourGuide, Arctic Adventures, Dive.is or the local operator, sleeping in Reykjavik hostels and a Laugarvatn guesthouse, and getting around on the public Strætó bus network instead of a private minibus. Iceland is expensive: this is the region's Western-Europe-plus bracket, so budget carefully for food and transport, and book rafting/Silfra slots well ahead in peak summer.
Day-by-day
Arrive Reykjavik — settle in and meet fellow travellers
Reykjavik
Arrive at Keflavík Airport and take the Flybus or Airport Express coach into the city centre (~£22-27 one way, 45 mins) rather than a taxi (£100+). Check into a central hostel — Kex Hostel, Loft HI Hostel or Bus Hostel all have dorm beds around £35-45/night in summer, with cheaper shoulder-season rates. Spend the afternoon walking the harbour, Hallgrímskirkja and the old town, buy groceries at Bónus (the cheapest supermarket chain) for breakfasts and trail snacks, and cook in the hostel kitchen. In the evening head to a hostel bar or the Laugavegur strip to find other active travellers to share costs with.
🚌Flybus / Airport Express coach from Keflavík (~£22-27)
🛏Kex Hostel or Loft HI Hostel, Reykjavik (dorm bed)
- →Airport coach transfer to Reykjavik
- →Old town and harbour walk
- →Supermarket grocery stock-up at Bónus
Cycle Reykjavik and the Sæbraut coast
Reykjavik
Rent a bike for the day (about £30-40 from Bike Rental Reykjavik or a hostel partner) and replicate the operator's city cycling day: ride the seafront Sæbraut path out to the Sólfarið Sun Voyager sculpture, around the old harbour, through Laugardalur valley and out to the Grafarvogur shoreline for open sea views. Alternatively join a guided city cycle tour on GetYourGuide (~£55) if you'd rather have company and commentary. Grab a cheap lunch from a bakery (Brauð & Co) or the hot dog stand, then spend the late afternoon in a public geothermal pool — Sundhöllin or Laugardalslaug (~£8-10) — which is a far cheaper introduction to Iceland's hot water than the Blue Lagoon.
🚌Bike rental (~£35) and walking
🛏Kex Hostel or Loft HI Hostel, Reykjavik (dorm bed)
- →Self-guided city and coastal cycling
- →Sundhöllin or Laugardalslaug geothermal pool
- →Harbour and Laugardalur valley ride
Silfra snorkelling + Golden Circle
Laugarvatn
The big day. Book Silfra fissure snorkelling direct with Dive.is or Arctic Adventures (~£120-135 including dry suit, guide and hot drinks) with an early morning slot — this is the same experience the tour includes, snorkelling between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates in 2°C glacial meltwater. Afterwards take the public Strætó bus route 51 from Reykjavik towards Selfoss/Laugarvatn, or a Strætó #72 connection, and join a Golden Circle day tour (~£45-60 on GetYourGuide) covering Thingvellir National Park's tectonic rift, the Geysir geothermal area with Strokkur erupting every ~10 minutes, and the two-tiered Gullfoss waterfall. Check into a guesthouse in Laugarvatn for the next few nights — Héraðsskólinn Historic Guesthouse (the converted boarding school the operator uses) has twin/dorm rooms from ~£55-75/night.
🚌Strætó bus route 51 Reykjavik–Selfoss/Laugarvatn (~£12) + Golden Circle tour coach
🛏Héraðsskólinn Historic Guesthouse, Laugarvatn (shared room)
- →Silfra fissure snorkelling between tectonic plates
- →Thingvellir National Park walk
- →Geysir and Strokkur hot spring
- →Gullfoss waterfall
Kayak Hvalfjörður fjord
Laugarvatn
Take the morning bus back towards Reykjavik and join a guided sea-kayak tour on Hvalfjörður fjord (~£85-100, bookable via GetYourGuide or direct with the local kayak operator) — the sheltered glacier-carved fjord with calm water and views up to the mountains. Half-day tours leave around 10am and return early afternoon; pack a lunch. Return to Laugarvatn in the evening (Strætó bus, ~£12) and use the guesthouse's nearby swimming pool and hot pots (~£8) to unwind. If the fjord trip sells out, an alternative is the gentler kayak session on Lake Laugarvatn itself.
🚌Strætó buses (~£24 round trip)
🛏Héraðsskólinn Historic Guesthouse, Laugarvatn (shared room)
- →Guided sea kayaking on Hvalfjörður fjord
- →Laugarvatn swimming pool and hot pots
Hot-spring hunt in the Hellisheiði range
Hveragerði
Bus to Hveragerði (~£10, 40 mins on Strætó) — the geothermal 'hot river' town — and hike the Reykjadalur valley trail to the warm bathing river (about 3-4 hours round trip, free, well-marked). This is the self-launched equivalent of the operator's Hellisheiði hot-spring hunt: steaming vents, bubbling mud and a natural hot river to soak in. Bring a towel, swimwear and plenty of water. Alternatively, a guided Hellisheiði hiking tour is available on GetYourGuide (~£60) if you want a local naturalist. Head back to Laugarvatn in the evening; pick up dinner supplies in Hveragerði's supermarket.
🚌Strætó bus to Hveragerði (~£20 round trip)
🛏Héraðsskólinn Historic Guesthouse, Laugarvatn (shared room)
- →Reykjadalur hot river hike
- →Geothermal vents and hot spring spotting
- →Self-guided Hellisheiði foothills walking
Whitewater rafting the Hvítá + return to Reykjavik
Reykjavik
Book the Hvítá river rafting trip direct with Arctic Adventures or the on-river operator at Drumboddsstaðir (~£110-130, including wetsuit, safety kit and the riverside barbecue lunch the tour includes). You'll run the canyon rapids below Gullfoss — Class II-III in summer, punchy but fine for first-timers with a guide. Get there by Strætó bus towards Selfoss plus a short taxi/shuttle, or book a tour with pickup if the logistics feel tight. After the raft and lunch, take the bus back to Reykjavik (~£12), check into a hostel, and have a final cheap night out — happy hour beers on Laugavegur or a hostel kitchen dinner with the people you've met.
🚌Strætó bus + local shuttle (~£15-20)
🛏Kex Hostel or Loft HI Hostel, Reykjavik (dorm bed)
- →Whitewater rafting on the Hvítá river
- →Riverside barbecue lunch
- →Final night out in Reykjavik
Depart Reykjavik
Reykjavik
Depending on your flight, squeeze in a final swim at a local pool, a last bakery breakfast, or a free walking tour of the city centre before taking the Flybus back to Keflavík (~£22-27). Allow 3 hours before departure for the coach plus check-in.
🚌Flybus / Airport Express coach to Keflavík (~£22-27)
- →Free walking tour of Reykjavik (optional)
- →Flybus transfer to Keflavík Airport
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,160 | £1,570 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £410 per person (26%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,160
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 Iceland Hike, Bike & Raft — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,160 per person for 7 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,570 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,160 — a saving of roughly £410 (26%) per person.
How long is the Iceland trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 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, budget 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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