Self-Launched 5-Day Christmas & Northern Lights Adventure in Iceland
5 days · Iceland (Reykjavik, Reykjanes & the South Coast)
GJ Travel charges £1,550
No-markup version: ~£620 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, independent version of GJ Travel's 5-day Christmas & Northern Lights tour. You'll base yourself in Reykjavik, do the Golden Circle and South Coast on self-bookable day tours (or a cheap rental car), soak in the Blue Lagoon, hunt the aurora on your own with free forecasts, and eat well for far less than the coach-tour price. Iceland in December is pricey, but going it alone on budget guesthouse dorms and public/shared transport still undercuts the US$1,972 (approx £1,550) per-person group price. All costs are rough backpacker estimates in GBP and assume a 4-share dorm or budget guesthouse and self-catering plus cheap eats.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Reykjavik & settle in
Reykjavik
Land at Keflavik (KEF) and take the Flybus or Strætó airport coach into Reykjavik (about 45-50 min, ~£22-25 one way; book the Flybus at the arrivals desk or online). Check into a downtown hostel or budget guesthouse — hostels like Kex, Loft or Bus Hostel run ~£30-45/night for a dorm in the Christmas period, budget guesthouses ~£60-80 for a twin. Spend the afternoon wandering the old harbour, Hallgrímskirkja church (free to enter, small fee for the tower) and Laugavegur street. Self-cater or grab a cheap hot dog at Bæjarins Beztu (~£3) and a bowl of soup. Tonight check the aurora forecast on vedur.is and the free Aurora Forecast app — if KP index and cloud cover look good, walk or bus to the Grótta lighthouse or Öskjuhlíð for a free northern-lights attempt.
🚌Flybus/Strætó airport coach KEF → Reykjavik BSI (~£22-25); walk/Strætó city bus in town
🛏Downtown Reykjavik hostel dorm or budget guesthouse (e.g. Kex Hostel, Loft Hostel or a guesthouse near Laugavegur)
- →Explore Reykjavik old harbour and Hallgrímskirkja
- →Free northern lights attempt at Grótta lighthouse
- →Check vedur.is aurora and cloud forecast
Reykjanes Peninsula, Blue Lagoon & Christmas dinner
Reykjanes Peninsula & Hella
Do your own Reykjanes loop: either join a self-bookable small-group Reykjanes day tour from Reykjavik (GetYourGuide/Klook, ~£70-90) or, if you've rented a car, drive yourself past the Gunnuhver hot springs, the Bridge Between Continents and the Reykjanesviti lighthouse. Pre-book a Blue Lagoon Comfort ticket online (~£55-70, cheaper than walk-up) or swap for the more budget-friendly Sky Lagoon or a public swimming pool with hot pots (~£8-12) if you want to save. Overnight on the South Coast near Hella or Hvolsvöllur — self-drive gives you the most freedom, or take the Strætó bus 51 south (~£15) and stay in a Hella guesthouse (~£40-55 dorm). For a Christmas Eve meal, book a table at a local guesthouse restaurant (festive set menus ~£35-45) or self-cater in a hostel kitchen.
🚌Self-booked Reykjanes day tour (~£75) or rental car (~£50-70/day split); Strætó bus 51 to Hella (~£15)
🛏Guesthouse or hostel near Hella/Hvolsvöllur (budget dorm or twin)
- →Reykjanes Peninsula geothermal area
- →Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon soak (pre-booked)
- →Christmas Eve dinner at a local guesthouse
South Coast waterfall & black-sand beach day
South Coast (Seljalandsfoss, Skógar, Vík)
Head east along the Ring Road: Seljalandsfoss waterfall (you can walk behind it, ~£0-3 parking), Skógafoss with its 60m drop and staircase, the Skógar Folk Museum and turf houses (~£15 entry), then Reynisfjara black-sand beach and the Dyrhólaey cliffs. Join a self-bookable South Coast minibus day tour from Reykjavik if you're not driving (GetYourGuide/Klook, ~£75-95) or drive yourself. Overnight near Vík (~£45-60 dorm) if self-driving, or return to Reykjavik. If you're staying out of the city, tonight is the best aurora chance — no light pollution; use the vedur.is forecast and look north from the beach or your guesthouse.
🚌Self-booked South Coast minibus day tour (~£85) or rental car along Route 1 (~£60 split)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Vík (self-drive) or Reykjavik hostel (day-tour option)
- →Seljalandsfoss & Skógafoss waterfalls
- →Skógar Folk Museum and turf houses
- →Reynisfjara black-sand beach & Dyrhólaey
- →Evening aurora hunt away from city lights
Golden Circle & Icelandic horses, back to Reykjavik
Golden Circle (Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss) → Reykjavik
Do the Golden Circle your own way: either a self-bookable Golden Circle day tour (~£65-85) or self-drive. Hit Þingvellir National Park (free, small parking fee), the Geysir geothermal area with Strokkur erupting every few minutes, and Gullfoss waterfall. Add a short Icelandic horse ride (~£60-75) or visit a geothermal greenhouse (Friðheimar, ~£25 for the tour and a tomato soup lunch) if you want the extras GJ includes. Drive or bus back to Reykjavik for your final night in a downtown hostel. Treat yourself to a good dinner — Reykjavik has excellent but pricey restaurants; budget ~£30-40 for a mid-range meal or ~£15 for a cheap noodle/fish-and-chips dinner.
🚌Self-booked Golden Circle tour (~£75) or rental car (~£60 split); return drive to Reykjavik
🛏Downtown Reykjavik hostel or budget guesthouse
- →Þingvellir National Park
- →Geysir & Strokkur geyser
- →Gullfoss waterfall
- →Optional Icelandic horse ride or Friðheimar greenhouse
Reykjavik morning & fly home
Reykjavik → Keflavik Airport
Free morning to explore Reykjavik's museums (Settlement Exhibition or the free National Gallery), buy a last coffee and pastry, then take the Flybus or Strætó coach back to Keflavik airport (~£22-25, allow at least 3 hours before your flight). If you have a late flight, a public geothermal pool like Laugardalslaug (~£8) is a cheap final soak.
🚌Flybus/Strætó airport coach Reykjavik → KEF (~£22-25)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Reykjavik museums or shopping
- →Optional Laugardalslaug public pool
- →Airport transfer
Self-launched vs. GJ Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | GJ Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£620 | £1,550 |
| Duration | 5 days | 5 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £930 per person (60%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more GJ Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£620
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 5-Day Christmas & Northern Lights Adventure in Iceland cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £620 per person for 5 days in Iceland (Reykjavik, Reykjanes & the South Coast). 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 GJ Travel?+
Yes — GJ Travel charges around £1,550 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £620 — a saving of roughly £930 (60%) per person.
How long is the Iceland (Reykjavik, Reykjanes & the South Coast) trip?+
This itinerary runs 5 days, covering 5 day-by-day stops through Iceland (Reykjavik, Reykjanes & the South Coast).
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, hiking trip through Iceland (Reykjavik, Reykjanes & the South Coast), 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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