Ranked as the second most expensive country according to the Cost of Living Index, Iceland offers beauty at a premium price. But with strategic planning and judicious spending, the Pune-based couple managed to make their trip a reality without going over budget.
The couple traveled during shoulder season, only booked Airbnbs so they could self-cater, and planned the road trip meticulously to avoid paying for paid tours. As part of Mint's travel series, Jain shares a first-hand account of their 10-day Iceland adventure, which they completed in approximately ₹5.2 million.
Planning pays off
This party was a pact that four friends made many years ago. This year we finally decided to make it happen. We chose September to travel for a mix of pleasant weather, favorable conditions for viewing the Northern Lights, and shoulder season to help us save on costs.
We are seasoned travelers and plan all our vacations meticulously. This one is even more so since we knew how expensive Iceland is. Firstly, we booked everything four months before the travel dates to guarantee good prices.
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We chose to travel to Iceland via Amsterdam, taking advantage of the low fares offered by Play Airlines for the Amsterdam-Iceland portion of our trip. Additionally, flights from Mumbai were cumbersome, with long layovers at the connecting airport, and were priced at ₹80,000 to 90,000 per person. There is a direct flight to Helsinki from Delhi, but it cost approx. ₹1.3 lakh per person. The Amsterdam option turned out to be the cheapest and most convenient for us. Since we used credit card points for hotels in Amsterdam and Copenhagen, where we stayed one night before catching the flight home, there were no additional charges for the stay either.
In Iceland, we prioritized budget-friendly but comfortable stays. After finalizing our itinerary, we mapped our stops along the ring road, selecting accommodation at pit stops to minimize travel time. Booking through Booking.com gave us flexibility, with free cancellation if there was a change of plans. Our mid-range BnBs or guesthouses averaged approximately ₹12,000 per night.
Hotels and meals are two major costs in Iceland. We saved on both thanks to Airbnbs. We cooked most of our meals, with the exception of visiting some cafes for coffee and croissants. Even shopping in Iceland is quite expensive but pales in comparison to the cost of restaurant meals. A simple breakfast would cost around ₹2,500 per person, while cooking at the BnB saved about an eighth of the cost.
Even though we had made our reservations four months in advance, we revisited them later to see if better deals were available. To our surprise, prices across the board, especially for car rentals, have increased significantly. At that point we felt relieved that we had made our reservations in advance.
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DIY Aurora Adventure
Renting a car in Iceland was one of the best decisions we made for our trip. It was convenient, gave us the freedom to take detours to explore some hidden gems along the ring road and even cheaper.
Iceland doesn't have a robust rail network like the rest of Europe, so the only option is to drive yourself or book tours. Tours are restrictive and cost much more than renting a car.
With our own car, we were able to forgo expensive excursions to view the Northern Lights, as Iceland offers many fantastic natural sights on nights when the forecast is favorable. We would travel to remote locations, away from city lights, to have an authentic and peaceful experience of the Northern Lights.
We booked the car through Rentalcars.com, which allowed us to compare and book options from various third-party rental agencies, all in one app. We easily picked up and dropped off the SUV at the airport, eliminating additional taxi costs.
With four travelers sharing the cost, the total cost came to ₹85,000 including insurance: a good deal we got by booking well in advance.
The Odyssey of the ring road
Ten days on the Icelandic ring road were a journey through a surreal landscape. From the moment we set out, we were captivated by the ever-changing landscapes: rugged coastlines, cascading waterfalls and mystical volcanic landscapes.
We crossed rivers and felt the thrill of adventure at every turn in the road, surrounded by natural beauty that made us make several pit stops to soak it all in.
Among the many attractions, those that stood out to us include Iceland's stunning canyons, Iceland's Foss, Thingvellir National Park, black sand beaches, Game of Thrones filming locations and glaciers by Jökulsárlón.
As a die-hard Shah Rukh Khan fan, I had a unique item on my bucket list: visiting the filming locations of Geroua. Standing beneath the magnificent Seljalandsfoss, I felt transported to the film itself.
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To keep costs down, we opted for self-guided exploration, renting a car, and staying in affordable accommodation. Many key attractions were accessible by car and having our own vehicle allowed us to travel at our own pace.
To enjoy unique experiences like a glacier hike, we decided to prioritize one or two notable activities instead of cramming our itinerary with all the available visits.
To sum up the trip in one sentence, Iceland seemed like a different planet.
