Transform Your Life Through Travel with Sahara Rose Travels: Too Expensive to Go to Another Planet? How to Visit Iceland on a Budget!

I had a cruise booked for Scandinavia and wanting to make the most out of my trip, I looked into visiting Iceland as well since I would be in that region of the world anyways. I’ve always wanted to go to Iceland so I was extremely excited when I found really affordable flight prices. A friend of mine posted a link for WowAir.com on social media for anyone looking for cheap flights to Iceland. I had never flown nor heard of https://wowair.com/ before that. WowAir flies from Boston or Washington DC for pretty cheap. I’ve never been to Boston so chose to fly from Boston to Reykjavik, Iceland for $200. I then bought a flight from Chicago to Boston for $130. After staying the night in a Boston hostel and touring around the city before my flight, I was ready to head to Iceland.

I love Iceland! It’s a no brainer why outer space and other movies are filmed in Iceland. The terrain is just incredible. You’ll see everything from jagged fissures, green grass fields, ice fields, black sand beaches, barren plateaus, mountains, snowy peaks, hot springs, geothermic ground, geysers, and glaciers. Iceland is also speckled with stunning waterfalls and basalt pillar formations.

I had an early arrival in Reykjavik so I had time to figure out what I wanted to do. The sun hadn’t risen yet so there wasn’t much to do. I knew that I wanted to figure out how and when I could go to the Blue Lagoon because I heard that you could go right from the airport. The Reykjavik airport is fairly small and there was quite a bit of construction going on so there weren’t many options on where to hang out. Luckily, there was free WiFi. There were several other travelers sleeping on the floor of the airport in sleeping bags. Once the sun came up and the airport got a bit busier, they were woken up by security. There were multiple tour company booths that were open so I was able to compare prices and choices on what to do. I knew that I wanted to book some tours in Iceland to make the most of my time there. I usually don’t book tours since I enjoy walking everywhere when I travel but, Iceland is quite spacious and you need to either rent a car or book a tour. I wasn’t sure if it was best to book tours online before I got to Iceland or if I could do it when I got there. Sometimes tours must be booked a few days in advance or they can be filled quickly if it’s a popular time of year to go so I was unsure of what to do. I try not to get overwhelmed when planning trips so I decided to just do it all when I got there. I was happy to see the tour booths open so early in the morning. I learned that you can book pretty much anything at any time when in Iceland, despite the websites saying that pre-booking is required. It’s not.

I bought a ticket from the Keflavik airport to the Blue Lagoon for roughly $37 (4,200 ISK Icelandic Krona) with the Flybus. The FlyBus price included my ride from the airport (you can choose any time that you prefer to go) to the Blue Lagoon (no entrance fee included) and then a ride into the city center of Reykjavik where I was staying. Since I didn’t have any currency yet, I used my credit card that has no foreign transaction fees on it. I also got some money from an ATM at the airport with my PNC debit card that automatically refunds any ATM fees worldwide. I got more money when I got into town from an ATM but I used my credit card whenever I could. Right now, $1 is roughly 114 ISK.

You can choose to buy a bus ticket plus the Blue Lagoon entrance fee (which is roughly $50 on its own) for around $80. Keep in mind that it’s around $7 for towel use unless you have your own. Being as prepared as possible can help save you money. There are different Blue Lagoon packages to buy when entering but the adult original is just fine. It includes all day entrance and a Silica mud mask. The Silica mud mask is awesome. It’s sold all around Iceland for a lot of money but, you can use it when at the lagoon. Just ask someone where you can get it from and somebody working there will help give you some from a big scooper. The shower rooms at the Blue Lagoon are awesome. They have hair dryers and other things for you to use for free. Be sure to have flip flops handy too. You’ll have to shower before going into the lagoon, which there will be people monitoring that everyone does, for the most part. Since the sulfur in the water can make your hair feel gross, it’s suggested that you put the conditioner that’s available for free in the showers in your hair and leave it there until you shower afterwards. The shampoo and conditioner in the showers are the best! The Blue Lagoon is a geothermic spa so the water may not be good for your hair but it’s great for your skin and muscles.

When pulling up to the Blue Lagoon, the strong smell of sulfur (aka rotten eggs) hits you like no other. Luckily, it does not smell like that inside of the lagoon. The air was freezing when I was there in May on that day so it was torture going from the showers to the hot lagoon. It’s a huge lagoon and does have quite a few people there. I walked around to find the hot spots in the ground. I found a pretty hot one that jolted me. I made friends with a girl that we picked up from her hostel on the way from the airport to lagoon on the bus. We hung out in the lagoon and took pictures, being very cautious not to drop our cameras (meaning my IPad) into the water. The staff at the lagoon is really kind and they’ll gladly take photos for you if you ask them to.

Yes, the Blue Lagoon can be considered a tourist trap that’s extremely overpriced but, it is a stunning place and a fun experience but, if you are really tight on a budget, there are lots of other hot springs throughout Iceland to relax in. Although the flights to and from Iceland are quite affordable, Iceland is very expensive country. Next to Norway, Iceland is the second most expensive country that I’ve ever visited. Accommodations, food, gas, and shopping; are just some of the money suckers in Iceland.

After leaving whenever I wanted to, I jumped on the next FlyBus (which was included in my ticket that I bought at the airport) into the city center of Reykjavik. I showed the bus driver the address of my hostel that I had written down in my notebook and he gave me an idea of the direction to walk there. Don’t be afraid to email your accommodation and ask for directions, walking distances, or taxi prices from drop off to them. It was less than a 10 minute walk and I got to get a good look at the town on my way there. I booked a hostel in the city center that I found on www.hostelworld.com (check out my blog post about accommodations to find other affordable accommodation sites that I like to use). My hostel was called Reykjavik Backpackers. It was a cute hostel that was attached to a bar/restaurant. It was a trendy place that made it really easy to meet tons of other people. I paid 88 euros ($96) for 4 nights at the hostel. I knew that I wasn’t going to be spending much time in my hostel so I booked the cheapest room that they had which was a mixed dorm with around 12 beds. It was a busy hostel and the room was always filled but, everyone is always out and about all day so no one is ever really in the room until late at night. Therefore, although it’s a room with lots of people, it’s usually empty and easy to relax in. Iceland and Norway are the only two countries that I have visited that make you pay separately for bedding in the hostel. What?! I have never had to do that. Bedding is always included. But it’s Iceland, it’s expensive. It cost me $10 for the bedding. Some places will allow you to use your sleeping bag if you have one.

Reykjavik Backpackers hostel doesn’t exist anymore, I don’t believe, but some other hostels there that I heard are great are KEX Hostel, Reykjavik Downtown Hostel, Reykjavik Hostel Village, and Loft Hostel. There are a lot of places to choose from. Most hostels don’t let you check-in until after noon (or sometimes 1pm) which is another reason why making a stop at the Blue Lagoon is great or walking around town for a bit is a good idea. Most places will let you leave your luggage there as you walk around before checking in. The Blue Lagoon has lockers for you to use for no extra charge. Your bracelet that they give you will open and lock your locker. They’ll all have tour desks for your convenience of easily booking tours at your hostel (or any hostel that you walk into). They’ll have lots of tour brochures to look at too. Before I book tours, I usually walk around town wherever I go to try to find the best prices. In Reykjavik, the tour prices are mostly the same and therefore, it’s just easier to book right from your hostel so they can set up pick-up easily for you.

My hostel had a kitchen in it, which is pretty common for hostels. This is great because the food in Iceland is extremely expensive. I met a couple who told me that they went to a restaurant and ordered two burgers with fries, two cokes, and a beer or two and their total bill was close to $85! That’s insane. People at my hostel told me that the trick to drinking in Iceland is to buy bottle at the airport since it’s cheaper and tax-free. There is a fairly large supermarket in Reykjavik called “Bonus” that I would buy all of my meals from. I cooked my meals in the hostel kitchen which will also have a refrigerator in it for you to store your belongings. Be sure to bring your own bag or something to carry your groceries in at the supermarket because most supermarkets in almost every other country in the world charges you for a bag. Every bit of change counts when traveling on a budget, especially in an expensive country like Iceland. I bought my dinners there to cook as well as any snacks and beverages for my tour rides (anywhere that your tour bus stops will be expensive so have your own things on hand already). I always use any extra coins to buy travel-friendly snacks for my next adventure to avoid airport prices such as apples, bananas, nuts, and muesli. Most currency exchange places do not accept coins anyways so to avoid wasting money, try to use it where you can! Another tip on budgeting in Iceland is saving your receipts. If you spent more than 7,000 Icelandic Krona at a time, you can file for a tax refund when departing at the airport. It’s worth a try!

The town of Reykjavik is small but pretty cool. It has great night life and a lot of people from all around the world. It’s quite hilly and there’s a lot of walking to be done. Iceland is known for its wool products such as sweaters, gloves, socks, and blankets but it is so expensive. The items are really beautiful though. And very warm. Shopping in Iceland is just ridiculous. Even a cute necklace at a gift shop was $60! I didn’t buy much while I was there. I did see some handmade bracelets made from lava rocks and stones that I loved but everywhere I looked, they were so pricey. One day, when I was walking around town trying to find a semi-affordable sweatshirt because I clearly didn’t pack warm enough, I stumbled upon a flea market inside a big building. I found a used black zip-up sweater that was exactly what I was looking for and I paid only $7 for it! Just outside of the building I saw a few tables set up. Some ladies were selling handmade jewelry, including the lava bracelets that I wanted! I negotiated with one lady and she wound up selling me two bracelets for $15 each! They were usually $70 each. What a find! I was so happy. These bracelets bring good energy and each stone represents something different; prosperity, serenity, joy, etc.

Reykjavik is along the water and has great views. It’s really easy and quick to walk to the waterfront from the city center. You can walk to the largest church in Iceland that is quite iconic called the Hallgrimskirkja, the main shopping street called Laugavegur, the popular glass dome landmark called the Perlan, the public square park that’s filled with restaurants and bars called Austurvollur, or the National Museum of Iceland. These are all easy to walk to when in Reykjavik. There’s also an artificial hot spring and heated beach called Nautholsvik that’s close to Reykjavik.

I booked two tours from my hostel. I was in Iceland for only 5 days so I wanted to see as much as I could. If you’re pretty adventurous and want to save more money, you can rent a van or car and travel around Iceland. It’s really easy to find people in town or at your hostel that are looking for people to pitch in some money and join in on the road trip. It’s a nice way to meet people and to travel around Iceland. If you rent a van, you can save money on accommodations and just sleep in it where you’re allowed to. I booked one tour called the Golden Circle Tour and another called the South Shore Adventure Tour. I paid around $180 total for both tours combined through the Reykjavik Adventures Company on a brochure that I found. You may hear or read that you can do without the Golden Circle Tour when in Iceland because it may be too touristy or over-rated but, I really liked it! I’m not one to do what all other tourists do but we got to see a lot on that tour. It’s the most popular tour and takes you a geothermic area that has Geysir and Strokkur (which erupt all the time), Gullfoss waterfall, Haukadalur, and Thingvellir National Park/Parliament. It also stops at other places and waterfalls along the way. My best friend in Iceland was my over-sized rain coat that I found at a thrift store back at home. The weather in Iceland changes constantly. One minute it’s sunny, then it’s raining, then it’s freezing, then it’s super windy, and then it’s sunny again. I just made sure to have lots of layers so that I could take some off it I needed. When I was cold at the geothermic area, I stood right beside the smelly Geysir and when it erupted, I was misted with warm stinky air. It sure felt good though.

I really enjoyed the South Shore Adventure Tour. You must travel to the South of Iceland when you’re there. There is so much to see. The tour took us to the Reynisfjara shore near Vik on South coast where the black sand beaches and basalt caves are. The black sand beaches are stunning. The waves were incredibly big and scary. We went to the Seljalandsfoss Waterfall and the Skógarfoss Waterfall. The waterfalls are massive and incredible. Near Skogarfoss, there is a Viking museum that we got a tour of and we got to venture into Viking homes. Yes, it was difficult for a six foot tall girl to fit through a viking’s doorway. We even got to take a short hike to a glacier. It was a remarkable scene with the foggy air and water below. There are tours to go on longer and more adventurous hikes on glaciers.

I want to go back to Iceland one day so I can see the Aurora Borealis Northern Lights. You will need a few days in Iceland if you book this tour because the lights are not a guarantee but the tour will allow you to reschedule for another day if you don’t see any lights. Other tours entail horseback riding and ATVs. Any time other than May to June and in mid-August, you may sight a puffin in Dyrholaey in the South. I’d love to see a puffin, they’re adorable! But, I didn’t see any when I was there unfortunately.

Iceland is one of my most favorite travel destinations. Everywhere you turn there is something different. It’s the perfect place to visit if you love adventure, being active, nature, and topography. There are countless giant waterfalls to see as well as hot springs and geothermic spas to relax in, geysers to watch erupt, lava to witness, green grass to admire, animals to adore, mountains to look up at, basalt caves to explore, black sand beaches to enjoy, cities to walk around in, museums to learn from, glaciers to hike, bodies of water to see, native people to meet, Viking homes to walk through, and much more! Iceland is surreal. Just incredible. I can’t wait to return one day and explore more of the country!