Self-Launched Ring of Iceland: Waterfalls, Glaciers & the Golden Circle
9 days · Iceland
G Adventures charges £2,760
No-markup version: ~£1,305 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 9-day loop of Iceland's south coast and Snæfellsnes Peninsula, covering the same headline stops as the National Geographic Journeys with G Adventures "Explore Iceland" itinerary — Seljalandsfoss, Jökulsárlón, a Skaftafell glacier walk, Reynisfjara, the Golden Circle, Þingvellir and Kirkjufell — but built around hostel/guesthouse stays, public buses and Strætó, and self-booked glacier hikes and geothermal baths. Note: Iceland is expensive wherever you sleep or eat, so the savings here come mostly from cutting the guide, private minivan and hotel upgrades rather than from ultra-cheap living. Budget figures are realistic backpacker/mid-budget estimates in GBP and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Reykjavík — settle into the city
Reykjavík
Land at Keflavík (KEF) and take the Flybus or Airport Express coach into Reykjavík city centre (roughly 45 mins, ~£22-27 one way, book online in advance). Check into a hostel dorm or private budget room in the 101/Miðborg area and spend the afternoon walking Laugavegur, Hallgrímskirkja and the old harbour. Stock up on supermarket food at Bónus or Krónan — eating out in Iceland is brutal on a backpacker budget. If you want the Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon, book it for today or after your return rather than squeezing it in mid-loop.
🚌Flybus/Airport Express KEF → Reykjavík BSÍ or direct to hotel, ~£22-27
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Reykjavík city centre (£30-45/night dorm; £65-90 private budget room)
- →Walk Laugavegur shopping street
- →Hallgrímskirkja tower viewpoint
- →Old harbour & Harpa concert hall
- →Supermarket shop at Bónus/Krónan
South coast to Vík — Seljalandsfoss, Gljúfrabúi and Reynisfjara
Vík
Join a scheduled south-coast minibus tour (Gray Line, Reykjavík Excursions, Arctic Adventures or BusTravel all run the route daily) or, if you're confident driving, hire the cheapest compact car with full insurance. Highlights on the way: Seljalandsfoss (walk behind the curtain of water — bring a waterproof), the hidden canyon falls of Gljúfrabúi, and a stop in Hveragerði for the geothermal garden and hot-spring rye bread. The LAVA Centre in Hvolsvöllur is an optional paid add-on (~£28) — worthwhile if volcanoes interest you. Overnight in Vík.
🚌South coast minibus tour ~£85-105 pp, or self-drive rental (~£55-75/day + fuel)
🛏Vík hostel or guesthouse (dorm £35-50; private room £85-110)
- →Seljalandsfoss waterfall
- →Gljúfrabúi hidden waterfall
- →Hveragerði geothermal garden & hot-spring bread tasting
- →Optional: LAVA Centre, Hvolsvöllur (~£28)
Jökulsárlón, Diamond Beach and Vatnajökull
Höfn / Skaftafell area
Continue east along Route 1 through moss-covered lava fields to Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon — icebergs calving off Breiðamerkurjökull and drifting toward the sea, with seals often hauled out on the ice. Cross the road to Diamond Beach where bergs wash up on black sand. Optional Zodiac or amphibian boat ride on the lagoon (~£32-55 — book direct with the lagoon operators). In the afternoon hike the short trail from Skaftafell visitor centre to Svartifoss, the waterfall framed by basalt columns (~1.5 hrs return, free). Base yourself overnight in Höfn or near Skaftafell.
🚌Continue on the south-coast tour or self-drive (~200 km, fuel ~£25)
🛏Höfn or Skaftafell-area hostel/guesthouse (dorm £40-55; private £95-130)
- →Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon
- →Diamond Beach
- →Optional lagoon boat ride (~£32-55)
- →Svartifoss waterfall hike, Skaftafell
Glacier walk on Falljökull + Reynisfjara black sand beach
Vík
Book a guided glacier hike directly with one of the Skaftafell operators (Glacier Guides, Arctic Adventures, Troll Expeditions) — the same activity the group tour includes, just self-booked. Expect ~3-4 hours total with around 1.5 hrs actually on the ice with crampons, plus a guide explaining crevasses, sinkholes and how the glacier is retreating. Then drive or ride back west to Reynisfjara to see the Reynisdrangar sea stacks — obey the sneaker-wave warnings, the surf here kills people. Overnight in Vík again.
🚌Return transfer/self-drive Skaftafell ↔ Vík (~140 km each way)
🛏Vík hostel or guesthouse (dorm £35-50; private £85-110)
- →Guided glacier hike on Falljökull (~£85-105, self-booked direct)
- →Reynisfjara black sand beach & Reynisdrangar sea stacks
Skógafoss, the Golden Circle and a geothermal soak
Selfoss / Hveragerði
Stop at the Skógar Folk Museum (~£15) and climb the 400+ steps beside Skógafoss for the top-down view (free). Then work the Golden Circle under your own steam: Strokkur geyser erupting every ~10 minutes, and Gullfoss thundering into its canyon — both free. If self-driving, do the loop in your own order and time; if not, a scheduled Golden Circle day tour from Reykjavík is the practical option, or use the public Strætó bus to Selfoss and take a local Golden Circle shuttle. Finish with a budget geothermal soak at Secret Lagoon in Flúðir (~£25) rather than the pricey Blue Lagoon.
🚌Golden Circle day tour ~£65-85 pp, or self-drive ~£20 fuel; Strætó Reykjavík–Selfoss ~£12
🛏Selfoss or Hveragerði guesthouse/hostel (dorm £35-50; private £90-120)
- →Skógafoss waterfall & viewing platform
- →Skógar Folk Museum (~£15)
- →Geysir & Strokkur hot spring
- →Gullfoss waterfall
- →Secret Lagoon geothermal bath, Flúðir (~£25)
Þingvellir, a farm lunch and on to Snæfellsnes
Snæfellsnes Peninsula (Grundarfjörður/Stykkishólmur)
Morning walk in Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO site where you can literally walk the rift between the North American and Eurasian plates — free entry, small parking fee. Optionally snorkel Silfra between the plates (~£120+, book direct with Dive.is or Arctic Adventures — expensive but world-class). Then head via the Hvalfjörður tunnel toward Snæfellsnes, stopping at a working farm for a farm-to-table lunch or a farm-gate ice cream if you want the budget version. Base in Grundarfjörður or Stykkishólmur for two nights.
🚌Self-drive ~250 km (~£30 fuel) or Strætó/West Iceland coach ~£30
🛏Grundarfjörður/Stykkishólmur hostel or guesthouse (dorm £40-55; private £95-130)
- →Þingvellir National Park tectonic rift walk
- →Optional Silfra snorkel between the plates (~£120+)
- →Hvalfjörður fjord drive
- →Farm-to-table lunch or farm-gate stop
Snæfellsnes loop — Kirkjufell, Djúpalónssandur and Búðir
Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Full day circling the peninsula, all free sights, all self-navigable. Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellsfoss (the Game of Thrones 'Arrowhead Mountain' and its photogenic falls), the tiny black church at Búðir alone in a lava field, the Lóndrangar basalt sea stacks, Djúpalónssandur's black pebble beach with its shipwreck fragments and lifting stones, and the glacier-topped Snæfellsjökull volcano that Jules Verne put at the entrance to the centre of the earth. Pick up groceries in Stykkishólmur and cook at the hostel.
🚌Self-drive peninsula loop ~£15 fuel; or local Snæfellsnes day tour ~£85-100
🛏Grundarfjörður/Stykkishólmur hostel or guesthouse (dorm £40-55; private £95-130)
- →Kirkjufell mountain & Kirkjufellsfoss
- →Búðir black church
- →Djúpalónssandur black pebble beach
- →Lóndrangar sea stacks
- →Snæfellsjökull National Park
Borgarfjörður sagas, hot springs and back to Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Loop back east through Borgarfjörður: the Hraunfossar falls that seep out from under a lava field and Barnafoss beside it (free), the medieval writer Snorri Sturluson's homestead at Reykholt, and Deildartunguhver — Europe's most powerful hot spring, steaming at 100°C and heating most of west Iceland. Finish with a budget geothermal soak at Krauma, which uses Deildartunguhver's water (~£40 pre-booked online; the group tour's included spa, but you pay it yourself here) and roll into Reykjavík for a final night out on Laugavegur.
🚌Self-drive ~200 km (~£25 fuel) or Strætó/coach back to Reykjavík ~£25
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Reykjavík (£30-45 dorm; £65-90 private)
- →Hraunfossar & Barnafoss waterfalls
- →Reykholt Snorri Sturluson homestead
- →Deildartunguhver hot spring
- →Krauma Spa geothermal baths (~£40)
Reykjavík and depart
Reykjavík
Final morning for a free Reykjavík walk — the Sun Voyager sculpture, the old harbour, or a cheap swim at Laugardalslaug public pool (~£7) with its hot pots and steam room, which is how locals actually do geothermal bathing. Then take the Flybus back to Keflavík. If your flight is late, the Blue Lagoon is on the airport road and can be pre-booked as a stop-off.
🚌Flybus/Airport Express Reykjavík → KEF, ~£22-27
🛏None (departure day) — or add a final hostel night if your flight is the next morning
- →Sun Voyager & harbour walk
- →Laugardalslaug public geothermal pool (~£7)
- →Optional Blue Lagoon en route to airport (pre-book)
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,305 | £2,760 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,455 per person (53%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,305
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 Self-Launched Ring of Iceland: Waterfalls, Glaciers & the Golden Circle cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,305 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £2,760 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,305 — a saving of roughly £1,455 (53%) 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, 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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