Self-Launched 12-Day Grand Tour of Iceland

Land at Keflavík and take the Flybus (or Flybus+ door-to-door) to Reykjavík — buses leave 35–40 minutes after each flight arrival, no pre-booking needed for the standard service. Check into a hostel in the 101 downtown area, then do a free self-guided wander: Hallgrímskirkja, the Sun Voyager, Harpa and the Old Harbour. Cheap dinner at a Bæjarins Beztu hot dog stand (~£4) or a hostel kitchen cook-up, and stock up at Bónus supermarket.

🚌Flybus from Keflavík Airport to BSÍ bus terminal, ~£25 one way

🛏Downtown Reykjavík hostel dorm (e.g. Kex Hostel or Hlemmur Square area), ~£40/night

• →Self-guided walk of Reykjavík old town and harbour
• →Hallgrímskirkja tower
• →Bónus supermarket stock-up

Do the Golden Circle independently: take the Strætó bus 51 from Reykjavík's Mjódd terminal to Þingvellir (~1 hr, ~£8), walk the Almannagjá rift and Öxarárfoss. Continue by car-share/full-day minibus ticket or a one-day Golden Circle bus pass to Strokkur geyser, the Geysir geothermal area and Gullfoss waterfall. Horse stables and the Friðheimar geothermal greenhouse are a short taxi/bike detour if you want them. Return to Reykjavík in the evening.

🚌Strætó bus 51 + Golden Circle day bus pass, ~£30 total

🛏Reykjavík hostel dorm, ~£40

• →Þingvellir National Park walk
• →Strokkur and Geysir geothermal area
• →Gullfoss waterfall
• →Optional: Friðheimar geothermal greenhouse visit

Take the early Strætó bus 57 from Reykjavík to Borgarnes and on to Stykkishólmur (~3 hrs, ~£20), the gateway to Snæfellsnes. Base here for two nights. Book the 45-minute Vatnshellir lava cave tour directly with the national park operator (~£35). Views of Snæfellsjökull volcano from the coast road; Kirkjufell is reachable by local bus/taxi in the afternoon.

🚌Strætó bus 57 Reykjavík–Borgarnes–Stykkishólmur, ~£20

🛏Stykkishólmur guesthouse or hostel, ~£55

• →Vatnshellir lava cave tour (book direct)
• →Snæfellsjökull National Park viewpoints
• →Kirkjufell photo stop

Morning ferry from Stykkishólmur across Breiðafjörður to Brjánslækur, with a stopover option on Flatey island (~£30, book with Sæferðir in advance — summer only). From Brjánslækur take the local Westfjords bus toward Patreksfjörður. Afternoon walk to the Látrabjarg bird cliffs (puffins, razorbills in summer), then Rauðisandur red-sand beach if transport allows — otherwise hire a bike or share a taxi with other travellers at the guesthouse.

🚌Breiðafjörður ferry ~£30 + Westfjords local bus ~£15

🛏Patreksfjörður guesthouse, ~£60

• →Breiðafjörður ferry crossing (optional Flatey island stopover)
• →Látrabjarg bird cliffs walk
• →Rauðisandur beach

Visit the small Hnjótur folk and transport museum near Látrabjarg (~£8 entry). Then take the Westfjords bus east along Arnarfjörður; get off at the Dynjandi waterfall trailhead for a 20-minute walk up to the tiered falls. Continue to Þingeyri or Hólmavík for the night — a working farm visit at Erpstaðir can be arranged locally. Note Westfjords buses run only a few days a week, so check the Strætó/Veiðivöllur timetable before booking accommodation.

🚌Westfjords local bus, ~£18

🛏Þingeyri or Hólmavík guesthouse, ~£55

• →Hnjótur folk and transport museum
• →Dynjandi waterfall hike
• →Optional farm visit

Take the bus down to Hvammstangi on the Vatnsnes peninsula and hitch/cycle/taxi out to the Hvitserkur sea stack. En route, stop at the Víðimýri turf church and Glaumbær turf farm museum (~£12 entry) near Sauðárkrókur. Evening bus into Akureyri, Iceland's northern capital — check into a hostel and self-cater or grab a cheap bowl of lamb soup.

🚌Strætó buses Hólmavík–Hvammstangi–Akureyri, ~£35

🛏Akureyri hostel dorm, ~£45

• →Hvitserkur sea stack
• →Víðimýri turf church
• →Glaumbær turf farm museum

Morning whale watching in Eyjafjörður fjord from Akureyri harbour — book directly with North Sailing or Elding (~£75–90, 3 hrs, humpbacks almost guaranteed in summer). Afterwards take the local bus to Siglufjörður (~1 hr) for the Herring Era Museum (~£15) and a herring-and-Brennivín tasting at a harbour café. Optional sea angling add-on. Return to Akureyri for the night.

🚌Local bus Akureyri–Siglufjörður return, ~£18

🛏Akureyri hostel dorm, ~£45

• →Whale watching in Eyjafjörður (book direct)
• →Herring Era Museum, Siglufjörður
• →Herring and Brennivín tasting

Bus to Goðafoss waterfall, then on to Lake Mývatn. Base for two nights in Reykjahlíð and explore on foot and by bike: Dimmuborgir lava field, the Hverfjall tephra crater rim walk (~1 hr), and the Námaskarð geothermal area. Dettifoss is 25 km north — take a local tour minibus or shared taxi from Reykjahlíð (~£35). Mývatn Nature Baths (~£40) is a cheaper, quieter alternative to the Blue Lagoon.

🚌Strætó bus Akureyri–Goðafoss–Reykjahlíð, ~£22

🛏Reykjahlíð guesthouse or campsite cabin, ~£50

• →Goðafoss waterfall
• →Dimmuborgir lava field
• →Hverfjall crater walk
• →Námaskarð geothermal area
• →Dettifoss waterfall (shared minibus)

Long bus day east along the ring road through the empty north-east to Egilsstaðir (~4 hrs, ~£35). Settle into a guesthouse, then head to Vök Baths on Lake Urriðavatn — geothermal pools floating in the lake, bookable directly (~£45). Visit Petra's remarkable stone collection in Stöðvarfjörður (~£10) if you time the bus stop; otherwise it's a short local hop from Egilsstaðir.

🚌Strætó ring-road bus to Egilsstaðir, ~£35

🛏Egilsstaðir guesthouse, ~£55

• →Vök Baths geothermal soak
• →Petra's Stone Collection, Stöðvarfjörður

Bus south to Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon (~£40). Book the amphibian or zodiac boat trip directly at the lagoon (~£50–70) — zodiac gets you closer to the icebergs. Walk across the road to Diamond Beach, then continue to Skaftafell for the short Svínafellsjökull glacier-tongue walk and the Svartifoss waterfall trail (~1.5 hrs round trip). Stay near Kirkjubæjarklaustur or Skaftafell.

🚌Strætó bus Egilsstaðir–Jökulsárlón–Skaftafell, ~£40

🛏Skaftafell/Kirkjubæjarklaustur guesthouse or hostel, ~£55

• →Jökulsárlón boat trip (book direct)
• →Diamond Beach
• →Svínafellsjökull glacier walk
• →Svartifoss waterfall hike

Bus west along the south coast: Reynisfjara black sand beach and Reynisdrangar sea stacks near Vík (mind the sneaker waves), Skógafoss waterfall and the Skógar Folk Museum (~£15), then Seljalandsfoss where you can walk behind the curtain of water. Optional stop at the Lava Centre in Hvolsvöllur (~£25). Arrive Reykjavík in the evening and celebrate with a farewell dinner at a local grill or the hostel bar.

🚌Strætó south-coast bus to Reykjavík, ~£40

🛏Reykjavík hostel dorm, ~£40

• →Reynisfjara black beach
• →Skógafoss waterfall
• →Skógar Folk Museum
• →Seljalandsfoss walk-behind
• →Optional Lava Centre

Last morning coffee in Reykjavík, then the Flybus back to Keflavík Airport, timed 3 hours before your flight. Duty-free and a final hot dog at the airport. Return home with the whole Ring Road and the Westfjords ticked off — self-launched, no coach group required.

🚌Flybus Reykjavík to Keflavík Airport, ~£25

🛏—

• →Optional last-minute Reykjavík shopping