Winter in Iceland: Waterfalls & Aurora Nights (Self-Launched)
5 days · Iceland
G Adventures charges £2,290
No-markup version: ~£1,470 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of G Adventures' 5-day winter Iceland loop: two nights in Reykjavik and two in the south-coast village of Hella, covering Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, the Sólheimajökull glacier, the Golden Circle (Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss), the Secret Lagoon, an Icelandic horse farm and as many Northern Lights hunts as the weather allows. Instead of a private bus and CEO you'll use Flybus/Strætó, a self-drive or seat-in-coach day tour, public geothermal pools and free aurora forecast tools. Iceland is expensive — this is a lean-but-comfortable budget build, not a shoestring one, and costs are approximate.
Day-by-day
Reykjavik: A Northern Metropolis
Reykjavik
Land at Keflavík and take the Flybus or Strætó bus 55 into Reykjavik (~£22-28 one way, 45-50 min) — book online in advance for the cheapest fare. Check into a central hostel or guesthouse around Laugavegur/Skólavörðustígur. Spend the afternoon on a free self-guided wander: Hallgrímskirkja church (tower lift ~£8), the Sun Voyager sculpture, Harpa concert hall and the old harbour. Grab a cheap dinner at a Bæjarins Beztu hot dog stand (~£4) or a hostel kitchen meal, then check the Icelandic Met Office aurora forecast (en.vedur.is) and the Veður app — if KP and cloud cover look good, join a budget minibus aurora hunt from the BSÍ terminal (~£45-60) or walk to the Grótta lighthouse for a free attempt. Stock up on groceries at Bónus for the next two days.
🚌Flybus or Strætó bus 55 from Keflavík (~£22-28); everything central on foot
🛏Central Reykjavik hostel (dorm bed or private budget room, e.g. Kex Hostel or a Laugavegur guesthouse)
- →Flybus/Strætó transfer from Keflavík
- →Hallgrímskirkja church and tower
- →Old harbour and Harpa walk
- →Aurora forecast check / optional minibus hunt
Hella: Waterfalls and a Glacier
Hella / South Coast
Travel the south coast today. Cheapest option is the public Strætó bus 51 from Mjódd towards Vík, hopping off at Seljalandsfoss (~£12-15) and Skógafoss — but be warned services are sparse in winter, so a seat-in-coach South Coast day tour (~£85-110, bookable on GetYourGuide/Klook) or a small-group tour that drops you in Hella is often the better value. Walk behind the curtain of Seljalandsfoss (crampons advised in winter), then climb the stairs above Skógafoss. Add a guided glacier walk on Sólheimajökull (~£95-120 with a certified operator, direct booking) or the Skógar Museum (~£12) as the G Adventures version offers. Continue to Hella and check into a guesthouse or the Hostel Hella area — self-cater or eat at a local grill. After dark, drive/walk 10-15 minutes out of the village lights for an aurora attempt.
🚌Strætó bus 51 or a seat-in-coach south-coast tour; local walking/short taxi in Hella
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Hella (private room or dorm)
- →Seljalandsfoss waterfall (walk behind it)
- →Skógafoss waterfall
- →Sólheimajökull glacier hike OR Skógar Museum
- →Evening aurora watch outside Hella
Hella: The Golden Circle
Hella / Golden Circle
Do the Golden Circle as a self-booked small-group day tour from Hella/Reykjavik (~£70-90 on GetYourGuide or Klook) — it covers Þingvellir National Park's tectonic rift (free entry to the park itself), the Geysir geothermal area with Strokkur erupting every ~10 minutes, and the two-tier Gullfoss waterfall. For the tomato-greenhouse lunch, book Friðheimar directly (~£25-35 for soup and bread) or bring supermarket supplies. Finish at the Secret Lagoon in Flúðir — book direct online (~£25-30, cheaper than the Blue Lagoon and far less crowded). Back in Hella, eat at a guesthouse or the local pizza/grill spot, then head out again with your headtorch and the aurora forecast for a second Northern Lights attempt.
🚌Golden Circle small-group tour or self-drive hire car (share with 2-3 people)
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Hella
- →Þingvellir National Park
- →Geysir geothermal area and Strokkur
- →Gullfoss waterfall
- →Secret Lagoon geothermal pool
- →Second aurora hunt
Reykjavik: Horses, Museums and a Night Out
Hella to Reykjavik
Morning at a working Icelandic horse farm near Hella for a meet-the-horses visit or a short ride (~£35-60, book direct with farms such as those around Rangárvellir). Take the Strætó bus 51 back to Reykjavik (~£15) or your tour transfer. In the afternoon pick your own: Hallgrímskirkja tower (~£8), the National Museum of Iceland (~£17) or the Settlement Exhibition. Regroup for a farewell dinner in town — the cheap-but-good route is a hostel-cooked meal or a bakery-and-soup combo; a mid-range restaurant main is ~£25-35. One last aurora check from the Grótta lighthouse path if the sky is clear.
🚌Strætó bus 51 back to Reykjavik (~£15); city on foot
🛏Central Reykjavik hostel or guesthouse
- →Icelandic horse farm visit or ride
- →National Museum of Iceland or Hallgrímskirkja
- →Reykjavik farewell dinner
- →Optional final aurora walk
Reykjavik
Reykjavik
Depart at any time. The Flybus runs to Keflavík for every departing flight (~£22-28) and is bookable on the day — allow 3 hours before your flight. If you have a late flight, use the morning for a last swim at Laugardalslaug public pool (~£8, cheaper than the tourist pools) or a coffee-and-pastry crawl along Laugavegur.
🚌Flybus to Keflavík airport (~£22-28)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Flybus to Keflavík
- →Optional Laugardalslaug public pool
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,470 | £2,290 |
| Duration | 5 days | 5 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £820 per person (36%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,470
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 Winter in Iceland: Waterfalls & Aurora Nights (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,470 per person for 5 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 £2,290 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,470 — a saving of roughly £820 (36%) per person.
How long is the Iceland trip?+
This itinerary runs 5 days, covering 5 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, slow-travel, 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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