ICELAND
The Land of Ice & Fire
THE ITINERARY 4 DAYS 4 NIGHTS
Arrival at Keflavík Airport
Dinner and have one night in Reykjavík
DAY 1
ARRIVAL
DAY 3
THE GOLDEN CIRLCE ROUTE
Road trip to the Southwest Iceland
Explore Gullfoss Waterfall, Geyser, and Þingvellir
Stay the night in Reykjavík or Southwest area
DAY 2
SOUTH COAST OF ICELAND
Road trip to the South Coast of Iceland
Explore Skógafoss waterfall, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach
Stay the night in Vík
DAY 4
SOUTH COAST OF ICELAND
Explore Reykjanesfólkvangur and go Aurora hunting Explore Reykjavík city center
DETAILS & TIPS DAY ONE
ARRIVAL AT KEFLAVIK AIRPORT
The airport is small and easy to navigate.
WHAT TO DO NEXT AFTER WALKING OUT OF THE ARRIVAL DOOR:
BUY YOUR SIMCARD GET TO THE CITY CENTER
(only if you need it)
Regular SIM Card
Green lime convenience store on your right-hand side after the arrival door (24 hours)
Siminn, Nova, Vodafone (best mobile data network)
$21 USD (10GB data)
Stronger signal in rural areas
e-SIM Card
Download airalo (use my referral code ANDINI4559 to get discount!)
$23 USD (10GB data)
More convenient, you can buy it before you arrive tips
eSIM worked well for me even in rural areas. 5GB is more than enough, as you will also have Wi-Fi in the hostel.
Travel
(an hour journey)
by Bus with Flybus
Buy the bus ticket online at re.is or at the Flybus counter at the arrival gate £22.8
Bus stop is located right in front of the arrival gate
Flexible timing, buses depart every hour
Rent A Car
Perfect for those who want to do a road trip throughout their journey
Near Keflafik airport
Car: £45/car/day
Gasoline: £31/car/day
tips
Make sure you choose unlimited km, extended insurance for winter tires, and pick-up service (the car rental is 10 minutes from the airport)
DAY TWO
Start your journey from Reykjavík in the early morning because it is a long journey! Take a 2.5-hour drive to Skógafoss waterfall.
Take a quick rest and lunch at Vík and see Reyniskirkja Church on the top of the hill. Then, continue driving to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon for another 2.5 hours.
ROAD TRIP TO THE SOUTH COAST
REYKJAVIK VIK
Stop by Skógafoss waterfall You can also hike up the stairs to the top of the waterfall (tip: the view from the top isn't that impressive, in case you prefer not to hike).
SKOGAFOSS
No entrance & parking fees.
It is just across the street from the glacier Have a relaxing time and spend your sunset at Diamond Beach
DIAMON BEACH
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon is the highlight of the day! absolutely breathtaking but very cold! If you have plenty of time, I recommend you to take the Ice Cave Tour
£6 parking fee per car
JOKULSARLON
SKOGAFOSS
THE GOLDEN CIRCLE ROUTE DAY THREE
Gullfoss Waterfall
Free entrance
Tips:
2 hours drive from Reykjavik
Park your car or stop at the upper parking lot, which is close to the Visitor Center and a restaurant (~an 8minute walk to the waterfall)
Have lunch at the restaurant and buy some souvenirs at the visitor center (the prices are comparable to those in other shops)
GEYSER GEOTHERMAL
Free entrance
10 mins drive from Gullfoss waterfall
One of the main attractions on the Golden Circle Route, it' s nice to visit, but personally, I don’t really see what's so special about it lol (perhaps because there are many geothermal spots in Indonesia).
Only 5 mins from the car park
The geyser erupts after about a 5-10 minute wait.
Þingvellir National Park
Free entrance
30 mins drive from Geyser
It is a very large place to explore with many attractions Some recommended spots to visit are Almannagjá, Öxarárfoss Waterfall, and Þingvallavatn Lake.
I don’t recommend visiting in the winter because the scenery and the overall views of the park will all look the same, covered in ice.
GULLFOSS
EXPLORING REYKJAVÍK DAY FOUR Exploring the charming streets of Reykjavík by foot Breakfast at Brauð & co Visit Hallgrimskirkja Church
famous bakery in Reykjavík, super recommended!
sure to order the cinnamon rolls
Come in the morning before they are sold out
your time in Reykjavík is limited, here' s a list of spots you can discover in just half a day 6:30am - 5pm £3-6 10am - 5pm ISK 1,000
is no entrance fee to enter the church
recommended
the
Try The Icelandic Hot Dog Visit Vikinga Pylsur food truck for a quick nibble In front of The Church £4-7 Strolling around Reykjavík Streets
The
Make
.
! If
There
, but it is
to go to the top of the tower to see
Reykjavik view from high up.
Immerse Yourself in The Local Music Visit Smekkleysa Record Shop, buy some vinyl records, and attend concerts by local artists Lunch at Babalu Cafe Very cute cafe! Come here for lunch to enjoy a sandwich or panini, or just stop by for a tea They have a great chai latte! ISK 400-1800
The city center is easily walkable. Dive into the old harbor and meander through the main shopping streets to discover local shops and vibrant art galleries.
OPEN TRIP OPTIONS
For those who plan not to rent a car, worry not, there are plenty of daily open trips offered
1
golden circle tour (full day tour)
tour duration: 8 hours £ 58
The tour covers a visit to the geysers of Haukadalur, Gullfoss waterfall, and Þingvellir National Park.
Booking link: Golden Circle Tour Trip
Other options: 8 hours trip (£114) , 6 hours trip (£55) , 10 hours trip (£95)
2
SOUTH COAST ICELAND tour WITH GLACIER WALK (full day)
tour duration: 10 hours £145
You’ll make stops at Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls before continuing to Reynisfjara. You’ll also pay a visit to the Sólheimajökull glacier, where you’ll set off on a walk along the glacier itself
Booking link: South Coast Tour with Glacier Walk
SOUTH COAST ICELAND tour (FULL DAY)
tour duration: 14 hours £137
Destination: Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, Diamond Beach, Fjallsárlón Lagoon, Stjórnarfoss waterfall , Seljalandsfoss waterfall
Booking link: South Iceland Tour
3 AURORA hunting tour
tour duration: 3-5 hours £94
Head out of the city center at night to hunt the Northern Lights. If the weather is unfavorable and you can 't see the northern lights, you can join the tour on another day.
Booking link: Northern Lights Tour
Round trip flight
Car rental
Gasoline Parking Fee
Hostel (1 night)
Airbnb (2 nights)
FOOD & BEVERAGE
Meals (lunch 4 days)
Groceries (dinner 4 days)
Snack
SHOPPING
Souvenirs
TOTAL TRIP
THE MONEY..
LET’S TALK
ABOUT ACCOMODATION TRANSPORTATION
4
4
days
nights
£ 93 £ 182/car £ 125/car £ 12/car price/person £ 93 £ 45 pp £ 31 pp £ 3 pp Note: Flight: LDN-Reykjavik with Wizz Air, basic fare (no additional bag) 1 All costs related to the car are divided among 4 people 2 price/person £ 29 pp £ 49 pp £117/room £197 price/person £60 pp £15 pp £15 pp price/person £20 pp Note: We stayed at the airport on the last day because our flight was in the early morning ^^ ~ £350-400
OTHER TIPS
Some tips that you'll probably need
....
AURORA HUNTING
Hunting with tour
Pros: You will be guided by the locals and they know the best spots to search for the northern lights
Tips:
Before you book, make sure you can join another tour date if you are unable to see the Northern Lights.
2.
1. Wear warm clothes and bring snacks! You will be waiting for hours inside a bus
Hunting without tour (road trip)
Pros: Way more flexible and comfortable!
Tips:
1
You know nothing at all about the area, so you need to regularly check the solar activity and cloud movement.
2.
As your guide, download an app called Aurora and follow Icelandic aurora real-time reports on X (@IcelandToursX), and join the FB group
3.
Choose an Airbnb located in a rural area to increase your chances of seeing the aurora.
CLOTHING
Important item
If you visit when the roads are covered with ice, don't forget to bring CRAMPONS! They helped me a lot at every tourist attraction because it was very slippery!
Easy to use, just set on your shoes.
Link to buy: Crampons
@ANDILAILAS