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Where to stay. What to drive. Things to do. What to pack. The Ultimate Affordable Iceland Itinerary.
Surprisingly enough, this was an extremely affordable trip. Iceland is known to be very expensive (and the food was), but there are ways to save money! I have added up the total cost below.
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Table of Contents
Flights
While looking on Google flights (because that is what I do for fun…) I found ROUND TRIP flights to Iceland for 230 dollars. We flew with WOW air, and unfortunately, they have since ceased operation.
But, it just shows the importance of being flexible with destination and dates (see additional tips here).
I checked my school calendar to check for my next day off. I took the remaining two days off and began to plan out a 4-day itinerary.
Of course, I would have loved to have had more time to explore, but I found 4 days to be enough time to see the points I wanted to see the most.
Where to Stay?
I had read a lot about the food in Iceland being extremely expensive (they weren’t wrong), so I knew I was going to look for a hotel with Continental Breakfast. The choices were limited, but we booked HotelHotels in Hotel Viking Hafnarfjordur” target=”_blank”> Viking.
This was an awesomely unique hotel with breakfast available every morning… the best part š
We had a nice view from our room and it was centrally located. They even had a festive Viking Restaurant onsite with delicious (and unique) food.
Tip:: I booked the hotel through HotelsCombined (it is an AWESOME search engine that will find the best deal), but if you would prefer to use Airbnb you can use this link for 40 dollars off your first stay!
Cost: 520 dollars
What to Drive?
We visited in October before the snow hits, so we were able to rent a two-wheel drive car. The car still had chains on the tires just in case.
If traveling in the winter, I would recommend a 4-wheel drive rental. There were times when we were driving that we didn’t see anyone for miles…so better safe than sorry.
I have also read that they are very strict about speeding. We didn’t run into any problems, but make sure you are following the speed limits!
Tip: Make sure your car has a GPS or rent a portable wifi hotspot. We were able to do so right at the car rental shop.
Cost: 150 dollars
What to eat?
Again, food is extremely expensive in Iceland. We paid around 45-75 usd for EACH dinner option.
You can save money by packing some snacks (if you have room) and stopping at the grocery store for lunch materials.
These protein bars and fruit bars are the perfect (healthy) snacks that are great for on the go and can be easily packed. They are filling and delicious!
Save your money to have nice dinners!
Weather?
When we first looked at the weather forecast, it said pouring rain the entire time. I usually try to not stress over the weather beforehand because it can change so often.
It was overcast the whole time, but only lightly rained several times. It was usually between 35-45 degrees Fahrenheit, but I was never really felt cold.
As long as you bring warm clothes, you’ll be just fine outside š
The views make up for the cold!
4 Day Iceland Itinerary
Day 1: Overnight Flight from Dallas/Reykjavik
We arrived in Iceland around 5 am. The city is basically closed down during this time. We headed towards our hotel hoping to get an early check-in and take a quick nap.
Unfortunately, this wasnāt the case. We parked our car in the parking lot and took a nap.
Once the city started to wake up, we drove around to find a breakfast place. We found a cute cafe close to our hotel.
This was our first sign that food in Iceland is EXPENSIVE. Be prepared to spend some money to eat. I think we paid close to 30 dollars for one breakfast plate.
We then made our may downtown to explore Reykjavik
While downtown, we walked by the water, climbed the tower of HallgrĆmskirkja church to get a view of the city (you can buy your ticket there), and of course made a stop at the Penis Museum; more precisely the “Icelandic Phallological Museum“.
Yes, exactly as it soundsā¦ a museum full of penises. Sometimes, I am convinced I am married to a 16-year-old, because he LOVED it.
I had a hard time taking it seriously, but the other people in the museum were extremely serious and reading each description. If you were to ask my husband his favorite part about Iceland, he would say this.
We then made our way back to our hotel, checked in, and unpacked. We knew we were going to have an early morning tomorrow so we decided to go to bed early.
Affordable Iceland Daily Cost: 20 dollars pp. (excluding food)
Day 2: Golden Circle
When you are reading guides about Iceland, you will always see the Golden Circle Tour.
Although it was not my favorite part, the drive is still worth making. There are many guided tours you can take, but it was perfect to just drive ourselves. This way, we were able to decide how long to stay at each stop.
If you feel more comfortable on a tour (or do not want to deal with driving), here are some great options!
First Stop: Thingvellir National Park
About 45 minutes from our hotel, we stopped at Thingvellir National Park. We walked a couple of short trails and admired some viewpoints, but we were probably only here for one hour or so. It was busy and not the most exciting place. Worth a quick stop though.
Cost: 3 dollars (Parking)
Second Stop: Gullfoss Waterfall
About 1 hour away from stop one. We spent another 30 minutes here. It was impressive to see, but very touristy as well. It is just a short hike from the parking lot.
Cost: Free
Third Stop: Geysir
A quick 10-minute drive away was the Geysir. This was impressive and erupts every 6-10 minutes.
It required a very short hike to see it.
Cost: Free
Fourth Stop: Crater Kerid
About 45 minutes from the last stop, the Crater Kerid was located right off the road. It is a very cool ridge hike around the crater.
Cost: 3 dollars
5th stop: Reykjadalur Hot Spring Thermal River
After we finished all our stops, we searched for another hike I had read about to a hot spring river.
It was only about 40 minutes from our last stop. It was a little hard to find, but eventually, we found the entrance. We arrived late (it was already starting to get dark), so the parking lot was mostly empty.
I figured we could hike it quickly (it’s a little under a 4-mile hike), jump in the river, and head back.
The Hike…
Weeelllll we took off and it started to sprinkle. Nothing terrible, but it was a little chilly. I was looking forward to a soak in a hot spring.
We finally made it up to the top (it was almost completely dark at this point). I tried to go off the trail to get down to the river at one point and sunk down to my thigh in mudā¦ so be careful and stay on the trail š
We made it down to one of the wooden platforms to change into our swimsuits.
It was 36 degrees still raining and freezing, so taking off my three layers wasnāt the easiest. I ran to the river anddddd it was could hardly be considered a āhotā spring. Lukewarm at most. Maybe I’m just a wimp š
We laid completely under trying to stay warmer than the air. Now I was really dreading getting out, and putting my layers back on. Tip::: bring a towel.
We jumped out, dried off with some extra clothes and quickly put our layers back on. We proceeded to run the entire trip back (well run/walk for me because I.am.not.a.runner).
Overall, it was a great memory to add to our trip and I would HIGHLY recommend experiencing the luke-warm spring for yourself! Seriously, its one of my favorite memories.
Affordable Iceland Total daily cost: 6 dollars
Day 3: South Iceland
This was definitely my FAVORITE day. We again left the hotel early (after eating continental breakfast of course) and took off toward South Iceland to some of the most amazing waterfalls!!!
First Stop: Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach.
We decided to drive to the furthest spot first and make the rest of the stops on the way back.
This black sand beach is about 100 miles from downtown Reykjavik. It was windy and rainy, but I did not care because the sights were so amazing! We spent an hour walking the beach, exploring the cave, and climbing the rocks.
Second Stop: SkĆ³gafoss Waterfall.
This was the most breathtaking waterfall!
There are restaurants on-site with a marvelous view of the waterfall. After grabbing a quick snack, we went to explore.
We walked up close to the waterfall and became completely soaked.
We then hiked up the stairs to see the waterfall from above. There is also a trail to walk when you reach the top. Definitely worth doing!
Third Stop: Seljalandsfoss Waterfall.
This was another unique waterfall that you could walk right behind!
The best part about this spot was the hidden waterfall down the path. If you walk (maybe .25 mile?) to the right of the main waterfall, you will find a hidden entrance.
Here, you have to walk through the water (into a cave-like entrance) and it will open up to the coolest waterfall.
We were the only ones in here for a good 15 minutes! DO NOT MISS IT!
Affordable Iceland Total Cost: Free (excluding gas and food)
** And we got to stop to pet ponies on the side of the road š
Day 4: Blue Lagoon
Our flight was scheduled to depart later today (hurray for late flights) so we had time to make a pit stop at the Blue Lagoon on the way to the airport.
This was definitely the most expensive activity of our trip. It is only about 20 minutes from the airport. We spent about 2 hours sitting in the lagoon, putting on the included face mask, and drinking a smoothie.
It is touristy, but still a bucket list experience.
***You do have to make a reservation, so do this before your trip so you can schedule it on arrival or departure day
Affordable Iceland Daily Cost: 82 dollars pp.
In just four days in Iceland we saw…
- A black beach
- 4 waterfalls
- The Blue Lagoon
- Downtown Reykjavik
- A National Park
- A Geyser
- A crater
- A Hot Spring River
With a total cost of…. 1,340 for two people!! (Flight, hotel, car, and activities included)… I wasn’t lying. Iceland can truly be affordable.
***If you are just planning on eating out for only dinner (continental breakfast and packing a lunch), I would budget 45-75 dollars a day for food per person.
Helpful items to pack for your Affordable Iceland trip…
- Winter Boots. I used these ones. They are affordable, comfy, cute, and they kept my feet warm!
- Go Pro and Tripod
- Rain jacket!
- Thermal Layers
- Thermal Socks
- Sleeping Mask (overnight flight)
- Neck Pillow (this is the most comfy one I have used)
10 Quick Tips to Know Before You Go:
- Rent a Portable GPS when you pick up your rental car
- Stop at Blue Lagoon upon Arrival or Departure (It is close to the airport)
- You NEED a reservation for the Blue Lagoon…It fills up quickly.
- You do NOT need to book tours. Driving was easy and completely do-able.
- If arriving early, call your hotel and see if you can get early check-in (so you can take a quick nap before the day).
- Book a hotel with continental breakfast.
- The airport is 45 minutes away from downtown Reykjavik
- Do not stress about the weather, just bring the right clothes š
- Bring snacks on your drives. There are not a lot of places to stop.
- Make sure to fill up with gas before the Golden Circle tour and South Iceland so you don’t have to worry.
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