Iceland

This self-launched version of CIE Tours' popular Taste of Iceland coach tour covers all 17 destinations — Golden Circle, South Coast waterfalls, black sand beaches, glacier lagoons, and the Blue Lagoon — but replaces the guided coach and premium hotel package with a self-drive rental car, guesthouses, and direct-bookable activities. Iceland is one of the most self-launch-friendly destinations in Europe: the Ring Road is straightforward to navigate, most attractions are free to access, and a hire car gives you total flexibility. All cost estimates are approximate and based on mid-2025 solo backpacker/budget traveller rates in GBP.

Travel Crew

~£950

Iceland's legendary Laugavegur Trail — 55km of rainbow-coloured rhyolite mountains, steaming hot springs, glaciers and black lava deserts — is one of the world's great hikes and is completely doable without a guided tour. Book your mountain hut nights directly through the Icelandic Touring Association (FÍ) website, jump on the publicly available Reykjavik Excursions bus to Landmannalaugar, and follow the well-waymarked trail at your own pace. This self-launched version replicates every night and every kilometre of the Much Better Adventures itinerary at a fraction of the cost.

Travel Crew

~£565

Do Iceland's legendary 55km Laugavegur Trail independently — the same multi-coloured mountains, steaming hot springs, glacial valleys and volcanic deserts, without the guided tour price tag. You'll book your own mountain hut nights directly with the Icelandic Touring Association (FÍ), catch public Reykjavik Excursions buses to the trailhead, and carry your own pack through one of National Geographic's 20 Best Hikes in the World. Accommodation, permits and buses are all straightforwardly self-bookable online. Note: all costs are approximate estimates for a solo budget traveller.

Travel Crew

~£570

Same jaw-dropping Iceland in 7 days — Northern Lights, waterfalls, geysers, lava caves, and geothermal soaks — without the group tour price tag. This self-launched version follows the same Reykjavik-to-Reykjavik loop, swapping private guided transport for a hired campervan or budget car rental (the most cost-effective way to travel Iceland independently), guesthouse stays for equivalent budget guesthouses and hostels, and guided activities for self-bookable equivalents via GetYourGuide or direct. All cost estimates are approximate and per person based on two people sharing a car/room.

Travel Crew

~£770

Experience Iceland's dramatic winter landscapes — glaciers, geysers, black sand beaches, ice caves, whale watching and the Northern Lights — entirely on your own terms. This self-launched itinerary mirrors the Troll Expeditions 8-day ring-road circuit but replaces the guided minibus with a hired campervan or budget rental car, swaps group-tour guesthouses for affordable hostels and guesthouses, and books activities directly or via GetYourGuide. Iceland is expensive no matter how you travel, but cutting out the operator premium saves you well over £600 per person. All cost estimates are approximate and based on current budget-traveller rates.

Travel Crew

~£1,290

Iceland's legendary Laugavegur Trail — 34 miles of multicoloured mountains, steaming hot springs, glaciers and volcanic deserts — is entirely doable without a guided group tour. Book your own mountain hut nights directly with the Icelandic Touring Association (FÍ), grab a bus pass with Reykjavik Excursions or Trex, and hike one of National Geographic's top 20 trails in the world at a fraction of the operator price. This self-launched version follows the same classic south-to-north route (Landmannalaugar to Þórsmörk), staying in the same network of mountain huts, for dramatically less per person. Costs are approximate estimates per person.

Travel Crew

~£560

Iceland's legendary Laugavegur Trail is one of the world's great hikes — and you absolutely don't need a guided group to do it. This self-launched version follows the same 55km route through Landmannalaugar's multi-coloured rhyolite mountains, steaming hot springs, black lava deserts and glacial valleys, finishing beneath Eyjafjallajökull at Þórsmörk. You'll book your own mountain hut bunks directly through the Icelandic Mountain Guides or Ferðafélag Íslands (FI), catch the public Reykjavik Excursions bus to the trailhead, and stay in budget guesthouses in Reykjavik at either end. All costs are approximate estimates.

Travel Crew

~£510

Experience Iceland's most iconic landscapes — geysers, glaciers, black sand beaches and thundering waterfalls — entirely on your own terms. This self-guided equivalent of Intrepid Travel's Six Days in Iceland follows the same Golden Circle and South Coast route, swapping the private minibus and group leader for a hired campervan or rental car, budget guesthouses and hostels, and self-bookable activities via GetYourGuide and direct operators. Iceland is never cheap, but cutting out the operator margin saves you hundreds. Costs below are approximate per-person estimates based on two people sharing a rental car and accommodation. All ISK optional activity prices converted at approximately 0.0068 GBP/ISK.

Travel Crew

~£610

Experience Iceland's most iconic landscapes — geysers, glaciers, black sand beaches and thundering waterfalls — entirely on your own terms. This self-launched equivalent of Intrepid Travel's Six Days in Iceland follows the same Golden Circle and South Coast route, swapping the private minibus and group leader for a hired campervan or rental car, budget guesthouses and hostels, and self-bookable activities via GetYourGuide and direct operators. Iceland is never cheap, but cutting out the operator margin saves you hundreds. Costs below are approximate per-person estimates based on two people sharing a rental car and accommodation. All ISK optional activity prices converted at approximately 0.0068 GBP/ISK.

Travel Crew

~£610

Iceland is one of the world's most dramatic destinations — and you don't need a luxury polar ship to experience it. This self-launched 12-day circumnavigation takes you around the entire island, hitting all the same highlights as Exodus's flagship expedition: the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, the wild Westfjords, the Diamond Circle in the north, East Iceland's glaciers and fjords, and the puffin-packed Westman Islands. You'll swap the ship for a campervan or budget guesthouses, use public ferries and buses, and book activities directly — saving thousands of pounds while getting genuinely closer to Icelandic life. Costs are estimates based on current budget traveller rates and will vary by season.

Travel Crew

~£2,850

Iceland's legendary Laugavegur Trail is one of the world's great hikes — and you don't need a guided group to do it. This self-launched version covers the same 55km route through rainbow-coloured rhyolite mountains, steaming hot springs, black volcanic deserts and glacier-carved valleys, finishing beneath Eyjafjallajökull. You'll stay in the same iconic mountain huts along the trail and the same style of central Reykjavik guesthouse at either end. By booking your own hut permits directly through the Icelandic Touring Association (FÍ) and catching the public Reykjavik Excursions (RE) buses to the trailheads, you can shave hundreds of pounds off the guided tour price while enjoying the full experience on your own terms. Note: all cost estimates are approximate and based on current budget traveller rates.

Travel Crew

~£560