Iceland: Waterfalls, Hot Springs & Volcanic Landscapes — Self-Launched
8 days · Iceland
G Adventures charges £4,420
No-markup version: ~£1,535 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An independent 8-day south-and-west Iceland loop hitting the same headline sights as the G Adventures Geluxe "Waterfalls, Hot Springs & Hiking Volcanic Landscapes" trip: the Golden Circle (Þingvellir, Geysir/Strokkur, Gullfoss), the Seljalandsfoss/Skógafoss waterfall country, Gjáin valley, the Secret Lagoon, a Langjökull glacier ice-tunnel tour, the geothermal rye-bread bakery at Laugarvatn and the Víðgelmir lava cave. Instead of a private vehicle and CEO, you self-drive an economy rental car (or use Strætó buses + day tours if you'd rather not drive), stay in hostels and guesthouses, and book the glacier and cave tours directly with the operators via GetYourGuide or their own websites. Note: Iceland is expensive even at backpacker level — the big savings come from dropping the premium hotels and half-board meals, not from cheap daily living.
Day-by-day
Arrive Keflavík & transfer to Hella via Seljalandsfoss
Reykjavík – Hella
Land at Keflavík and pick up your rental car at the airport (book well ahead — a small 4x4 or compact for 7 days runs roughly £450-600 total, so ~£60-80/day split between passengers). Drive the ~2 hrs to Hella in South Iceland, breaking the journey at Seljalandsfoss to walk behind the waterfall (bring a waterproof). If you'd rather not drive, take the Flybus into Reykjavík (~£22) and a Strætó bus or a South Coast day tour to Hella. Check into a guesthouse in Hella, stock up at Bónus or Krónan supermarket (self-catering is your biggest money-saver in Iceland), and do a short evening walk.
🚌Keflavík airport rental car pick-up, ~2 hr drive to Hella (~£65/day car); or Flybus ~£22 + local bus
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Hella (dorm or private twin), ~£35-50 pp/night
- →Seljalandsfoss waterfall walk-behind
- →Supermarket grocery stock-up
- →Evening walk in Hella
Gjáin Valley hike, Hjálparfoss & the Secret Lagoon
Hella / Flúðir
Drive ~40 mins to the Gjáin valley trailhead for a 2-3 hr self-guided hike through the mossy volcanic gorge of Rauðá river with waterfalls and basalt columns — free and far quieter than the Golden Circle. Stop at Hjálparfoss where the Fossá and Þjórsá rivers meet. In the afternoon soak at the Secret Lagoon (Gamla Laugin) in Flúðir — pre-book a slot online, ~£25-30. Eat dinner at your guesthouse or a local restaurant in Hella.
🚌Self-drive, ~1 hr total driving; or a South Coast day tour from Reykjavík
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Hella, ~£35-50 pp/night
- →Gjáin valley self-guided hike
- →Hjálparfoss waterfall viewpoint
- →Secret Lagoon geothermal pool
Skógafoss & the Skógar waterfall hike
Skógar / Hella
Drive east to Skógafoss (~50 mins from Hella) and climb the 527 steps to the top for the classic view, then hike up the Fimmvörðuháls trail along the Skógá river past a string of waterfalls (2-4 hrs round trip, free). Visit the Skógar Folk Museum if the weather turns. Optional guided glacier walk on Sólheimajökull (~£85) or the Lava Centre in Hvolsvöllur (interactive volcano exhibit, ~£22) — book via GetYourGuide or direct. Return to Hella for the night.
🚌Self-drive, ~1.5 hr driving; Fimmvörðuháls trail on foot
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Hella, ~£35-50 pp/night
- →Skógafoss waterfall & stairway
- →Skógá river waterfall hike
- →Optional Sólheimajökull glacier walk or Lava Centre
The Golden Circle to Húsafell
Þingvellir – Geysir – Gullfoss – Húsafell
Drive north and do the Golden Circle independently: Þingvellir National Park (walk the rift between the North American and Eurasian plates to Öxarárfoss, ~1.5 hrs, free parking fee ~£5), then Geysir and Strokkur erupting every ~10 mins, then Gullfoss. Add the Laugarvatn geothermal rye-bread bakery experience (book direct, ~£25) where dough is buried in hot sand. Continue to Húsafell and check into the Húsafell campsite cabins/hostel or a nearby guesthouse. Cook dinner in.
🚌Self-drive Golden Circle route, ~2.5 hr driving total
🛏Húsafell cabin, hostel or guesthouse, ~£45-65 pp/night
- →Þingvellir rift walk to Öxarárfoss
- →Geysir & Strokkur
- →Gullfoss waterfall
- →Laugarvatn geothermal bakery experience
Into the Langjökull glacier ice tunnels
Húsafell / Langjökull
Book the Into the Glacier ice-tunnel tour from Húsafell base camp directly with the operator or via GetYourGuide (~£150-175 including the monster-truck transfer onto the ice cap). Half-day trip: you ride up the white slopes of Langjökull and walk the man-made illuminated tunnels inside the glacier. Rest of the day is free — hike to a nearby hot spring, use the Húsafell geothermal pools (~£8) or just rest.
🚌Self-drive to Húsafell base camp + operator monster-truck transfer up the glacier
🛏Húsafell cabin, hostel or guesthouse, ~£45-65 pp/night
- →Langjökull glacier ice-tunnel tour
- →Húsafell hot pools
Your own hike day around Húsafell
Húsafell
Pick your own walk: the moderate Húsafell trail toward the small natural springs, or a longer canyon hike to see Páll Guðmundsson's rock sculptures. Add the Húsafell Canyon Baths (book online, ~£30) if you want a quiet, geothermal alternative to the Blue Lagoon. Free afternoon for laundry and re-packing; fuel up at the Húsafell shop or restaurant.
🚌On foot from Húsafell
🛏Húsafell cabin, hostel or guesthouse, ~£45-65 pp/night
- →Self-guided Húsafell canyon or spring hike
- →Optional Húsafell Canyon Baths
Víðgelmir lava cave & back to Reykjavík
Húsafell – Reykjavík
Morning tour of Víðgelmir lava cave — book direct with the cave operator at Húsafell or via GetYourGuide (~£55, includes helmet, headlamp and guide). Then drive back to Reykjavík (~2 hrs) and return the car. Stay in a hostel or budget guesthouse in Reykjavík (dorms from ~£35 pp, private twin ~£90-120). Evening walk through the city centre, Hallgrímskirkja, the old harbour and a local hot-dog stand or cheap noodle bar for dinner.
🚌Self-drive ~2 hrs back to Reykjavík, rental car drop-off; or Strætó bus route 55
🛏Reykjavík hostel or budget hotel, ~£40-60 pp/night
- →Víðgelmir lava cave tour
- →Reykjavík old town evening walk
- →Hallgrímskirkja
Reykjavík & depart
Reykjavík – Keflavík
Free morning in Reykjavík — quick swim at a city geothermal pool (~£8), coffee and a final supermarket lunch, then SkyBus/Flybus out to Keflavík airport (~£22, ~45 mins) for your flight. The same day-tour and rental bookings can be shifted a day if you want to stretch the trip.
🚌SkyBus/Flybus to Keflavík airport ~£22
🛏None (departure day)
- →Reykjavík city geothermal pool
- →Final city wander
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,535 | £4,420 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £2,885 per person (65%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,535
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: Waterfalls, Hot Springs & Volcanic Landscapes — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,535 per person for 8 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 £4,420 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,535 — a saving of roughly £2,885 (65%) per person.
How long is the Iceland trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 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, slow-travel 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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