4 Days in Iceland: My Exact Summer Itinerary Without a Rental Car

This post contains affiliate links.

I spent 4 days in Iceland this July with no rental car and a plan built entirely around guided tours. I’m Toni, one third of Soul Sisters Travel, and I am a hot-weather girl through and through. Give me two nights in the Sahara Desert over a glacier any day. So Iceland was a stretch for me but it ended up being a beautiful one.

In four nights I walked through a lava tunnel, hiked on a glacier, stood inside an ice cave, floated in a geothermal lagoon, and made it all the way to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. I did it solo, as a vegan, using Reykjavík as my base.

This is the exact trip I took. The tours I booked, where I slept, what I paid where I have the numbers, and what I’d skip next time.

My 4 Days in Iceland, Day by Day

• Day 1: Raufarhólshellir Lava Tunnel, then Sky Lagoon in the evening
• Days 2 and 3: A two-day South Coast tour with a glacier hike, Katla Ice Cave, and Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
• Day 4: A day trip to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Book your tours early, especially in summer. The Viator page for my South Coast tour says it’s booked 88 days ahead on average.

I learned that the hard way. I booked this trip very last minute, basically the week before I left. Because it was high season, hotels outside Reykjavík were difficult to book and a lot of places were already at capacity. That was actually how I ended up booking the two-day South Coast tour. It solved the lodging issue while also letting me see that part of Iceland. For a similar summer trip, I’d recommend booking much earlier than I did.

Day 1: Raufarhólshellir Lava Tunnel and Sky Lagoon

Raufarhólshellir Lava Tunnel

My first stop was underground. Raufarhólshellir is a lava tunnel, a long cave left behind by flowing lava. I booked the Raufarhólshellir caving tour from Reykjavík and paid extra for pickup in the city, since I didn’t have a car.

I really enjoyed it. It’s cold inside, so dress for it, and wear sturdy shoes. The tour provides the equipment you need.

One thing to know: a lava tunnel and an ice cave are two completely different experiences. One is rock shaped by fire. The other is ice. I did both on this trip and I’m glad I didn’t treat them as either/or.

Sky Lagoon

That evening I took a taxi to Sky Lagoon. It’s worth knowing before you go that Sky Lagoon is a man-made geothermal lagoon, not a natural hot spring.

So is the Blue Lagoon, the one most Iceland itineraries send you to. For a trip without a car, the big difference is distance. Sky Lagoon is about 15 minutes from downtown Reykjavík. The Blue Lagoon is about 50 minutes away, out near the airport.

I chose Sky Lagoon instead of the Blue Lagoon because my research suggested it would be less crowded and touristy. Being only 15 minutes away instead of almost an hour appealed to me more too.

I chose the Saman package, which cost me ISK 14,990. It’s the less expensive option because you change in the shared women’s locker room instead of a private changing room. There’s a bathroom if you want privacy while you change, and the locker rooms and showers were nice.

I did the seven-step ritual and skipped exactly one step. The cold plunge. Hot-weather girl, remember? The rest of it I loved.

The downside was the crowd. I went in the evening on purpose because it’s supposed to be quieter, and it was still busy. Getting a photo without strangers in it was hard. I stayed about an hour and a half and didn’t eat or drink there.

I’m glad I went once. Next time I’d skip it and look for natural hot springs instead.

Days 2 and 3: The South Coast, a Glacier Hike, and an Ice Cave

This was the centerpiece of my trip. I booked a 2-day South Coast tour with Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and a glacier hike and paid $696.54 per person, which included transportation, lodging, and breakfast.

Two days let me see far more of the South Coast than I could have squeezed into a single day trip from Reykjavík. Here’s what I saw:

• Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls
• Reynisfjara black-sand beach
• A glacier hike on Sólheimajökull
• Katla Ice Cave
• Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, by boat
• Diamond Beach

My guide, Branimir

My guide was Branimir, and he was fantastic. Patient, inclusive, and a great driver. The van was comfortable and had high-speed Wi-Fi, which is a real bonus with this much road time.

Here’s the moment I keep telling people about. While I was out on the boat at Jökulsárlón, Branimir went and bought me a vegan sandwich so I’d have something to eat. Nobody asked him to. That’s the kind of care I felt on this tour.

Reynisfjara black-sand beach

Reynisfjara is the famous one, with black sand and basalt columns. It is also dangerous. The beach is known for sneaker waves, which surge much farther up the sand than the waves before them, with no warning.

There’s a warning light system at the beach. Follow it, stay well back from the water, and don’t turn your back on the ocean. You can check current conditions on SafeTravel, Iceland’s official travel safety site, before you go.

Hiking on Sólheimajökull glacier

A highlight, easily. I didn’t just look at a glacier from a viewpoint. I walked on one.

This is a guided hike, and the tour includes the glacier safety gear. Hiking boots and a waterproof jacket and pants can be rented for a fee if you don’t bring your own. The tour page lists about three hours at the glacier and says most travelers can participate.

I’d call the glacier hike moderate for me, as someone who does cardio regularly. Some people had a harder time, particularly anyone who struggled with balance, and a few people opted out because they were nervous. They supplied walking sticks and all of the necessary equipment. The group moved at a slow, relaxed pace, and the guides waited for anyone who was struggling, so it didn’t feel rushed.

Katla Ice Cave in summer

Most people think of Iceland’s ice caves as a winter thing. I stood inside one in July.

Katla Ice Cave was an add-on to the two-day South Coast tour. Our group asked if we could add it, and they accommodated us. It’s normally priced at ISK 30,000, and we were able to join for only ISK 10,000 per person. We skipped the DC-3 plane wreck.

After the lava tunnel on day one, the contrast was striking. If you can only pick one, know that they are not interchangeable.

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach

We went all the way to Jökulsárlón, which is the reason to do the overnight version of this tour. I did the boat experience on the lagoon instead of only viewing it from shore. Diamond Beach is right nearby, so the two are really one stop.

The overnight stay

We spent the night at Vík Tröll Hotel by Troll.is, formerly Puffin Hotel, which was included as part of the tour. I’ll be honest, I was nervous when I saw the included accommodation was only rated two stars.

It was completely fine. Comfortable, a nice breakfast, and most importantly, I felt safe.

And then the surprise. The hotel was next to a black-sand beach. I walked over in the morning and had the entire beach to myself. No tour buses. No one else at all. One of my favorite memories of the whole trip.

Day 4: Snæfellsnes Peninsula

For my last full day I chose the Snæfellsnes Peninsula over the Golden Circle, and booked a premium Snæfellsnes day trip from Reykjavík. I specifically wanted a small group instead of a huge tour bus.

The day included:

• Kirkjufell
• Snæfellsjökull National Park
• Djúpalónssandur
• Lóndrangar
• Arnarstapi
• Búðir
• Ytri Tunga

If you only have one extra day after the South Coast, this is the choice you’ll be weighing. The Golden Circle is the classic loop close to Reykjavík: Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir geothermal area, and Gullfoss waterfall. Snæfellsnes is a longer day, but it packs a mountain, a national park, sea cliffs, and beaches into one peninsula.

The entire Snæfellsnes drive was beautiful, so I enjoyed the scenery throughout the day. One of my favorite stops was the sea cliffs. They were really beautiful and swarming with birds, and they stood out to me from the trip.

If day trips are your style, we also wrote up our day trip to Morocco’s Blue City.

Where I Stayed in Reykjavík

I stayed at two hotels, and I’d recommend both for different reasons.

Grandi by Center Hotels

I spent one night at Grandi by Center Hotels in a Deluxe King with Spa Access. I stayed there alone and paid $464.99 for the night, which included breakfast, spa access, and a complimentary drink.

The room was nice and the bed was comfortable. But the real star was the blackout curtains. In July, you need them.

It’s also right next to a bus stop. That matters more than you’d think, because so many Iceland tours pick up from designated Reykjavík bus stops.

Alda Hotel Reykjavík

Alda Hotel Reykjavík is on Laugavegur, right in the center. I stayed two nights in a King Guest Room with the breakfast buffet included, and paid $598.38.

I especially liked the location. I could walk to restaurants, shops, and a grocery store. If you want to explore Reykjavík on foot, this is the one.

Eating Vegan in Iceland

Food is usually the heart of a Soul Sisters trip (see our foodie guide to Italy), and I eat vegan, so I pay attention.

Reykjavík was relatively easy. It was also expensive. My standout was Loving Hut. Delicious, completely vegan, and somehow the least expensive meal of my whole trip.

I ordered several things, including a noodle soup, a noodle dish, a vegetable dish, and cheesecake. There were nonvegetarians eating there too, and they told me they kept coming back because it was cheaper than most of the restaurants in Reykjavík. I thought that was interesting, because it wasn’t just somewhere vegans were going specifically for vegan food. It was a comparatively affordable place to eat in an expensive city.

Outside the city, on the long tour days, food took more thought. My advice:

• Tell your tour company about your dietary needs ahead of time.
• Carry snacks. Don’t assume there will be a real vegan meal along the route.

Branimir’s sandwich run was incredibly kind. It’s not something to count on.

What Iceland Is Really Like in July

People’s idea of “summer” varies a lot, so let me be specific. I was there July 20 to 24, and the highs were in the 40s and low 50s. For someone who loves heat, that was the hardest part of the trip. Pack layers. Our guide to building a capsule wardrobe for every trip is a good place to start.

What to wear in Iceland in July

For highs in the 40s and low 50s, plus wind, rain, and waterfall spray, plan on:

• A waterproof jacket and waterproof pants
• Warm layers: a base layer, a fleece or sweater, and a light puffer
• Sturdy, waterproof shoes or hiking boots
• A hat, gloves, and a scarf, especially for the glacier and the ice cave
• A swimsuit for the lagoons
• A sleep mask, in case your room doesn’t have blackout curtains

Since I traveled with only a carry-on, I wore a lot of the same things throughout the trip. I brought green Arc’teryx Gamma pants, a thick hooded jacket from Amazon Essentials, running shoes, a thick scarf, a beanie, and warm socks. For the South Coast portion, I rented additional gear through Troll.is. I think I paid around $50 to rent waterproof pants, a waterproof jacket, and hiking boots. That was really helpful because I didn’t have to pack all of that bulky gear for the entire trip.

The tradeoff is the light. In late July there were about 19 hours of sunlight in Reykjavík, and it never got fully dark because it stayed in twilight between sunset and sunrise. That gave me so much flexibility for sightseeing. It’s also a big part of why I felt comfortable walking around the city alone.

The flip side is sleep. Blackout curtains are not optional.

Getting Around Iceland Without a Rental Car

My biggest takeaway: I didn’t need a rental car.

I saw an incredible amount using Reykjavík as a base and booking guided tours. On a short trip, I loved not thinking about navigation, parking, road conditions, or driving for hours after a full day of sightseeing. On the two-day South Coast tour especially, I could just relax in the van between stops.

The downside is that you’re on someone else’s schedule. For this trip, that tradeoff was worth it.

I usually travel with a pack (here’s why we love female group travel), but I did this one solo, and I felt safe the whole time.

Getting from the airport to Reykjavík

Keflavík Airport is about 45 minutes from Reykjavík, and you don’t need a car for that part either. I took the Flybus between the airport and Reykjavík both ways. The Flybus meets arriving flights and runs to the BSÍ bus terminal in the city for ISK 3,999 one way (2026 price). For a bit more, Flybus+ continues on to your hotel or the nearest bus stop. The public bus, route 55, is the cheapest option at about ISK 2,400. Taxis are available, but they cost far more.

A note on Icelandair carry-ons

I’d heard Icelandair can be strict about carry-on dimensions. I took a chance and brought my regular American-size carry-on, and I got it on board with no extra fee. That was my experience, not a guarantee. Check the current size rules before you fly.

What My 4 Days in Iceland Cost

Iceland is expensive, so here are the real numbers I have from my trip:

• Icelandair flights: $703.60
• One night at Grandi by Center Hotels: $464.99, with breakfast and spa access
• Two nights at Alda Hotel Reykjavík: $598.38, with breakfast
• Two-day South Coast tour: $696.54 per person, including transportation, one night of lodging, and breakfast
• Katla Ice Cave add-on: ISK 10,000 per person
• Gear rental through Troll.is: around $50
• Raufarhólshellir Lava Tunnel tour: the current listed price starts at $146 per person
• Sky Lagoon, Saman package: ISK 14,990
• Flybus: ISK 3,999 each way, about $29

What I Would Do Differently

Would I go back? Yes. But I’d do it completely differently.

• I’d go in winter. Even colder, I know. But I’d love the chance to see the Northern Lights, and after all that summer daylight it would feel like an entirely different trip.
• I’d skip Sky Lagoon and seek out natural hot springs.

If you like having the exact route laid out, we did the same thing for our Italy itinerary.

Iceland FAQs

Is 4 days in Iceland enough?

It was enough for me to see Reykjavík, the South Coast as far as Jökulsárlón, and the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. The key was the two-day South Coast tour with an overnight stay.

Can you visit Iceland without renting a car?

Yes. I based myself in Reykjavík and booked guided tours with city pickup for everything outside it. Airport buses cover the ride in from Keflavík.

Is Iceland cold in July?

It was for me. Highs were in the 40s and low 50s during my trip in late July.

Can you visit an ice cave in Iceland in summer?

I visited Katla Ice Cave in July. Ice caves are not only a winter activity.

Is Iceland vegan friendly?

Reykjavík is, though it’s pricey. On long tour days outside the city, tell your tour company ahead of time and bring snacks.

Can you see the Northern Lights in Iceland in July?

No. The nights are too bright in summer. Northern Lights season runs roughly from late August to mid-April, which is exactly why I want to come back in winter.

What should I wear in Iceland in July?

Layers and waterproofs. Highs were in the 40s and low 50s on my trip, so bring a waterproof jacket and pants, warm layers, and sturdy shoes.

Final Thoughts

Iceland was beautiful, and it pushed me well outside my comfort zone. Four nights, no rental car, and I still walked on a glacier and stood on a black-sand beach with no one else on it. I’ll be back for the Northern Lights. In a much bigger coat.