Land of the Northern Lights — Self-Launched Iceland South Coast & Golden Circle
5 days · Iceland
On The Go Tours charges £1,230
No-markup version: ~£885 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of On The Go Tours' 5-day "Land of the Northern Lights Comfort" itinerary: Reykjavik, the Reykjanes Peninsula and Blue Lagoon, the south coast waterfalls and Reynisfjara black sand beach, and the full Golden Circle — all done independently using Iceland's excellent public buses, a couple of bookable day tours, and hostel/guesthouse stays instead of a coach group. You sleep in Reykjavik and/or the Hella/Hvolsvöllur area and chase the aurora on your own with a free forecast app plus one guided small-group hunt for the best odds. Costs are rough backpacker estimates in GBP — Iceland is expensive, but doing it yourself still lands far below the tour price.
Day-by-day
Arrival in Reykjavik
Reykjavik
Fly into Keflavík (KEF). Take the Flybus or Strætó bus 55 into the city centre (~£18–22 one way, 45–50 min) — cheaper than a taxi. Check into a downtown hostel or guesthouse and spend the afternoon walking the compact centre: Hallgrímskirkja church tower, the Sun Voyager sculpture, and the old harbour. Stock up on groceries at Bónus or Krónan (Iceland's budget supermarkets) to keep food costs down. After dark, download the Vedur.is aurora forecast and check the cloud map — if the KP index and skies look good, walk to Öskjuhlíð or the Grótta lighthouse for a free aurora attempt.
🚌Flybus/Strætó from KEF to city centre, ~£20
🛏Downtown Reykjavik hostel (dorm) or budget guesthouse, ~£40–55/night
- →Self-guided Reykjavik walk: Hallgrímskirkja, Sun Voyager, old harbour
- →Free aurora spotting at Grótta lighthouse (weather permitting)
Reykjanes Peninsula, Blue Lagoon & on to Hella
Reykjanes / Hella
Book a small-group Reykjanes Peninsula day tour on GetYourGuide that ends at the Blue Lagoon (or do it by public bus: Strætó route 55 to Grindavík then a local connection), taking in the volcanic Reykjanes UNESCO Geopark, the bridge between continents and Gunnuhver hot springs. Pre-book Blue Lagoon Comfort entry direct on bluelagoon.com (from ~£65–75 incl. towel and silica mask) — book weeks ahead, it sells out. In the evening, catch the Strætó bus or a pre-booked shuttle down the south coast to Hella/Hvolsvöllur (~£20–25, ~2 hrs) and check into a hostel or farm guesthouse for two nights. Do your own aurora watch from the dark countryside — far better odds than the city.
🚌Day tour with drop-off + Strætó bus to Hella, ~£40 total
🛏Hella/Hvolsvöllur hostel or farm guesthouse, ~£45–60/night
- →Reykjanes Peninsula geothermal & volcanic landscapes
- →Blue Lagoon swim (pre-booked Comfort ticket)
- →Self-guided northern lights watch from countryside
South Coast: Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss & Reynisfjara
South Coast / Vík
Join a bookable South Coast day tour (GetYourGuide/Klook, ~£75–95) picking up from Hvolsvöllur/Hella or Vík and covering Seljalandsfoss (walk behind the waterfall — bring a waterproof), the Skógar Folk Museum and turf houses (~£12 entry, or skip), Skógafoss, and the Reynisfjara black sand beach with its basalt columns — obey the sneaker-wave warnings. Alternatively, use the Strætó south coast bus to hop between stops at your own pace. Back at the guesthouse, eat in (pasta/rice from Bónus) and check the aurora forecast again; a clear night on the south coast is your best chance of the trip.
🚌South Coast day tour with hotel pickup, ~£85
🛏Hella/Hvolsvöllur hostel or farm guesthouse, ~£45–60/night
- →Seljalandsfoss waterfall
- →Skógafoss waterfall
- →Reynisfjara black sand beach
- →Skógar Folk Museum & turf houses (optional, ~£12)
- →Evening aurora watch
Golden Circle back to Reykjavik
Golden Circle / Reykjavik
Do the Golden Circle independently: take the Strætó bus or a bookable Golden Circle day tour (~£70–85) to Þingvellir National Park (walk the rift valley between tectonic plates), the Geysir geothermal area with the erupting Strokkur, and Gullfoss waterfall — stop for lunch at the Geysir complex where there are several dining options, not just the quick-serve one. Add a short stop at a geothermal tomato greenhouse or an Icelandic horse farm if your tour includes it. Return to Reykjavik in the evening and check into the city hostel. If the forecast is strong, book an optional northern lights minibus hunt (~£55–65) as a final shot — it'll rebook you free if nothing shows.
🚌Golden Circle day tour or Strætó buses, ~£75
🛏Downtown Reykjavik hostel (dorm) or budget guesthouse, ~£40–55/night
- →Þingvellir National Park
- →Geysir & Strokkur geyser
- →Gullfoss waterfall
- →Optional geothermal greenhouse / horse farm stop
- →Optional northern lights minibus hunt (~£60)
Departure from Reykjavik
Reykjavik
A final morning in the city: soak at a local geothermal pool like Laugardalslaug (~£8, far cheaper than the tourist lagoons), grab a cheap bakery breakfast, and pick up any last souvenirs on Laugavegur. Take the Flybus back to Keflavík allowing at least 3 hours before your flight (~£20). If your flight is later, the free Reykjavik city walk or the National Museum (~£15) fills the time nicely.
🚌Flybus to KEF, ~£20
🛏—
- →Laugardalslaug geothermal pool (~£8)
- →Self-guided Reykjavik shopping & museums
Self-launched vs. On The Go Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | On The Go Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£885 | £1,230 |
| Duration | 5 days | 5 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £345 per person (28%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more On The Go Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£885
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 Land of the Northern Lights — Self-Launched Iceland South Coast & Golden Circle cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £885 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 On The Go Tours?+
Yes — On The Go Tours charges around £1,230 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £885 — a saving of roughly £345 (28%) 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, culture, 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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