I embarked on my solo travel to Iceland in September of 2015. To be honest, I purchased my flight after 3 glasses of red wine, and justified the expensive flight with “but this is #1 on my bucket list!”
This was my very first international solo trip, so of course I devoted countless hours of research on EVERYTHING. Where to stay? What to see? How to budget? How to meet new friends? Which tours should I book, when should I book them? If those are some of the questions lingering on your mind too, I’ve got you covered! Enjoy my guide on solo travel in Iceland on a budget.
TRAVEL TIP: Most if not all Icelandic locals speak English, and of course Icelandic.
Some links in this article are affiliate links, which means that I get a small commission each time you purchase something through them. (At NO EXTRA COST for you) I only recommend products and services that I trust. Thank you for supporting Here With Dia by using these links for your online purchases.
me holding a chunk of ice from the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
When’s the best time to travel to Iceland
Spring: March – May
Summer: June – August
Fall: September – November
Winter: December – February
This depends on what kind of trip you’re looking for. Iceland is scenic and beautiful all year round. I would say the safest bet for all-around convenience is either in spring or fall. If you want to catch the northern lights – mid to late September is at the start of when they appear, and mid to late April is when they’re near the end. Before you decide to go between November to March, note that during the winter months there are often closed roads due to weather conditions, so driving around will be tougher, and some tours may be canceled. Summer months are great, you get to experience the midnight sun, having light in the sky all day is great for extended exploration, however, this might mess with your internal clock if you’re not used to it.
Finding cheap flights to Iceland
Iceland Air rolls out promotions and discounted airfares at times, so it’s always good to check directly on their website for any deals.
TravelPirates is a good app and site if you have a flexible traveling schedule. They find and compile mistakes or airline sales worldwide.
Another good option is to check with SkyScanner. This is the app and website I always use when booking flights. You can get an overview of the year or month to see when it’s cheapest to fly. I’ve also made a comparison to other booking sites and SkyScanner always finds the cheapest deals.
➣ Compare airlines, dates and prices all in one place with Skyscanner
Arriving in Reykjavik
I knew I wasn’t going to rent a car during my trip in Iceland, so I booked transportation to take me from the airport to my accommodation. There are a lot of options to choose from, you can get bus transport to minivan to private car transport.
Since our focus here is budget, here are some affordable options: ($20-29 USD)
Where to stay in Iceland
Most people who aren’t planning a road trip around Iceland will opt to stay in the Reykjavik city center. It’s convenient to walk around, grab food or groceries and meet new friends. I stayed in a social-friendly hostel called Bus Hostel. Social-friendly simply means they have a good kitchen + lounge space for people to meet, talk, hang out and grab a beer at happy hour. Not all hostels offer this kind of atmosphere, I stayed in a different hostel more central in town and ended up moving back to Bus Hostel after 1 night. Note: It’s not directly in the center of town, but rather about a 5-minute walk, so it’s quiet but still close.
Here are some other great options for budget stays in Iceland ($21- 54 USD per night):
Capital Inn Hostel ($21-24/night) – 3.4 km to city center, dorms from 4-10 beds | review score: 8.4
Retro Hostel ($18-34/night) – 2.1 km to city center | review score: 7.6
Bus Hostel ($24-53/night) – 1.8 km to city center | review score: 8.2
B14 Hostel (38$/night) – 4.2 km to city center | review score: 8.2
Laekur Hostel ($46-54/night) – 2.7 km to city center | review score: 8.4
Renting a car or booking tours?
If you’re planning to drive in Iceland, especially during the winter months, only consider it if you’ve had experience driving in harsh snowy conditions and you know how to brake on icy roads. A lot of rental cars in Iceland are also with manual transmission, but you can find automatic ones as well.
Here are some highly recommended car rental agencies in Reykjavik ($39-90 per day)
Reykjavík Auto – Iceland Car Rental
Cars Iceland – Car Rental Iceland
How to meet people or join a road trip?
I ended up meeting some great new friends while staying in Bus Hostel. One of them offered to take me and 2 other travelers along on a road trip to Snaefellsnes. I think he didn’t even let us chip in for gas cost. I also used CouchSurfing to meet up with a couple of Icelandic locals and had a wonderful time staying out in the country and visiting The Secret Lagoon the next day.
- Hang out in the social areas of your hostel and bring your best friendly face to the table. I’ve met new friends while cooking ramen or shared a beer during happy hour. I even went to dinner with a fellow solo female traveler by just walking past each other on the bridge into town! (I consider myself an introvert, and if I can do it so can you!)
- Use CouchSurfing. It’s not only good for sleeping on someone’s couch or in their spare room for free but there’s a function on the app that allows you to meet up with other travelers in your near proximity! There are also CouchSurf meet-ups in Reykjavik. Another cool option is you can post on their website asking if other travelers are there around the same dates as you and if they would like to split the cost for a road trip.
- Iceland is notorious for solo travelers. If being social is your cup of tea, you won’t be without new friends on your trip, trust me!
Which tours should I book?
If driving around the country is out of the question, or if you only have a short amount of time in Iceland, booking tours in advance is a great idea. Consider your budget and look around. Larger group tours will obviously be cheaper. I researched A LOT about which places I should not miss, and the ones that were simply out of my budget.
TRAVEL TIP: Almost all of the tours include pick-up and drop-off in the prices.
Adventure Junkie:
Must See in Iceland:
Horse back riding tours in Iceland:
Game of Thrones fans:
How to budget in Iceland
HOT DOGS. No, I’m joking, but do try one of their famous Icelandic hot dog from Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur. I ate my fair share of hot dogs while traveling in Iceland because they’re cheap and delicious.
Unfortunately, Iceland is just an expensive country to visit. However, we can still find some ways to budget while traveling in Iceland:
- If you’re considering road tripping around Iceland, consider renting a van that can also double as accommodation. That way you have your transportation AND accommodation cost covered in one.
- Stay in hostels with kitchens and buy groceries to cook your meals. iheartreykjavik has a great and thorough post on grocery shopping in Iceland.
- Keep your boozing to a minimum. If you’re looking to party while in Iceland, stock up on some Duty Free alcohol on your way in, because alcohol is costly in Iceland. Also, take advantage of happy hour offered at practically every bar and restaurant in town.
- Split costs. Make new friends and share the costs for gas, car rental, etc.
What to pack for Iceland
layers, layers, layers. It’s not necessarily always cold in Iceland. However, it is never really warm. In the span of just 24 hours, you may see a wide range of changing weather conditions. The best way to prepare is by having layers that you can add or take off.
Here are some things I highly recommend packing for Iceland:
- Microfiber Towel 15.99$ -This was a lifesaver. A lot of the budget hostels offer towels for a price, this is a good way to save some money. Microfiber towels are also fast drying, so if you end up taking a dip in the Blue Lagoon or in a secret natural hot spring, you won’t have to worry about carrying a heavy wet towel around.
- Padlock 6.48$ – Hostels also might charge you an additional fee to borrow one of theirs. It’s so cheap on Amazon, I carried one with me and it definitely came in handy.
- Thick socks, gloves, beanies, and scarves – Are all essentials to help you survive the cold and changing temperatures while traveling in Iceland.
- Hiking shoes 105$ – If you even go off the beaten path a little bit to explore, you’ll need some solid hiking shoes to avoid slippage and ruining your normal sneakers.
- Colombia Water-proof jacket 50$ – Important word here is “water PROOF”, a lot of jackets you find are “water-resistant” which means baby raindrops – okay. Heavy downpour, you’re screwed.
some final words:
With my Iceland trip, I successfully crossed off the number 1 thing on my travel bucket list. The land of fire and ice has some serious life-changing experiences and sights to offer. Everything felt almost surreal and at times I felt like I was transported to another planet. Not only that, I found myself always in midst of friendly company even though I was traveling alone. If you have any other concerns or questions about traveling to Iceland alone + on a budget, please do feel free to reach out to me and I will be happy to share additional information and suggestions.
Related Read: Useful Tips for Solo Female Traveler | After 2 Years of Traveling
📌 Pin it for later:
This is a great post! I’ve been daydreaming of travel during these strange pandemic times and Iceland is definitely at the top of my list once things are safe again.