Private tours in Iceland are worth it if you are four or more people, travelling with children or older relatives, visiting in winter, or want a day built around you. For one or two people watching the budget, a small-group tour is usually the better buy. The price is per vehicle, so the answer depends mostly on how many of you are sharing it.
The short answer
A private tour costs more than a seat on a bus, and we will not pretend otherwise. What matters is how much more once you divide it by your group, and what you get for the difference.
- Usually worth it: groups of four or more, families, grandparents and anyone who walks slowly, winter visitors who do not want to drive on ice, photographers, honeymooners and people on a short stopover.
- Usually not worth it: solo travellers and couples on a tight budget, people who are happy on a fixed route, and confident drivers visiting in summer.
- The tipping point: on our South Coast day trip, a private tour for four costs about 1.5 times a small-group seat. For twelve people it is only slightly more, and for eighteen it can be less.
What you get on a private tour
A private tour means your own guide and your own vehicle, with nobody else on board. You choose the start time, and the guide collects you from your Reykjavík accommodation or a nearby bus stop. The route can bend during the day: stay longer at a waterfall you like, skip a stop that does not interest you, or leave early to beat the weather.
Our private tours in Iceland are priced per vehicle, for your whole group, not per person. Several also include things that cost extra on a shared tour. The Golden Circle Private Tour, for example, includes entry and parking fees on the route as well as hotel pickup and drop-off. Child seats are available on request on the Golden Circle, South Coast and Snæfellsnes private tours.
What it does not change is the weather. A private guide can reshape the day around a storm, but cannot make the path behind Seljalandsfoss ice-free or guarantee the Northern Lights.
What private tours really cost per person
The South Coast is the clearest example, because the price for each group size is listed on the tour page. Our Private South Coast Tour costs from 140,000 ISK per vehicle for one to four people, 255,900 ISK for five to eight, 299,900 ISK for nine to twelve, and 380,000 ISK for thirteen to eighteen. Our small-group South Coast Tour costs from 23,300 ISK per person. Here is how that works out:
- 2 people: about 70,000 ISK each on a private tour, roughly three times the small-group price.
- 4 people: about 35,000 ISK each, roughly 1.5 times the small-group price.
- 8 people: about 32,000 ISK each, with the whole vehicle to yourselves.
- 12 people: about 25,000 ISK each, only a little more than a small-group seat.
- 18 people: about 21,100 ISK each, less than the small-group starting price.
The same sums for the Golden Circle and the Northern Lights
The Golden Circle Private Tour starts from 120,000 ISK per vehicle and takes 8–9 hours. The small-group Golden Circle tour starts from 14,990 ISK per person and the coach tour from 11,990 ISK. See our Golden Circle guide for what you see along the way, or browse all Golden Circle tours.
The gap is smallest on the Northern Lights Private Tour, which costs from 80,000 ISK per vehicle for one to four people. That is 20,000 ISK each for four, against 13,990 ISK for a seat on our Northern Lights minibus tour. For a small premium, four people can leave when they like, stay out longer if the sky opens up, and avoid sharing the vehicle with a group.
When a private tour is good value
These are the situations where we would book private ourselves.
- Families. You set the pace, stop for toilets and snacks when you need to, and there is no group waiting for a tired child. Tell us ages when you book so the guide can plan the day, and see our family-friendly tours too.
- Groups of friends or relatives. Once you fill a vehicle, the per-person cost drops quickly, and everyone stays together.
- Older travellers or limited mobility. Tell us when you book and the guide can plan shorter walks and more time at each stop.
- Winter visitors. Daylight in December is only about 4–5 hours and roads can be icy. A local driver takes that off your hands. Read our guide to driving in Iceland in winter if you are unsure.
- Photographers. You decide how long to wait for the light, which a shared tour cannot offer.
- Special trips. Our Iceland honeymoon guide shows how private days fit a romantic trip.
When a private tour is not worth it
If you are travelling alone or as a couple and the budget is tight, a small-group tour gives you the same waterfalls for far less. Two people pay about three times as much to go private on the South Coast, and that money could pay for an extra activity or another night.
If you enjoy driving and are visiting in summer, a self-drive trip may suit you better. Our 5-day South Coast self-drive starts from 103,600 ISK per person with four hotel nights, breakfast and a rental car. From October to April a 4×4 is included, and the kilometre fee is paid separately. Browse all our self-drive packages.
A private tour also adds less on a day built around one fixed activity with a set schedule. On those days the activity itself is the point.
The best private day tours to start with
If this is your first time in Iceland, start with the classics. The Golden Circle Private Tour covers Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss and Kerið, about 300 km in total. The Private South Coast Tour takes you to Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss and Reynisfjara in about 9 hours.
For a quieter day, the Snæfellsnes Private Tour runs for about 8 hours from Reykjavík, with Kirkjufell and Arnarstapi, from 150,000 ISK per vehicle. If you are already in Vík, the Katla Ice Cave Private Tour takes about 3 hours by super jeep, from 175,000 ISK per vehicle, with a minimum age of 8. For a very long day to the ice, the Private Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Tour takes about 14 hours, from 279,900 ISK per vehicle.
Private tours over several days
Private packages are where your own guide helps most, because you unpack once and someone else handles every drive. The 5-Day Iceland Private Tour Package starts from 495,800 ISK per vehicle for one to four people, or about 124,000 ISK each for four, before hotels. It includes private airport transfers and private days on the Golden Circle, the South Coast and Snæfellsnes. You can add 3-star or 4-star Reykjavík hotels with breakfast when you book. The 6-Day package adds a free day in Reykjavík. Both are priced for groups of up to 18, and you pay a 20% deposit when you book.
To go further along the south, the 2 Day South Coast Private Tour starts from 659,980 ISK per vehicle and includes one night in the countryside, an ice cave, Jökulsárlón and a Northern Lights hunt in season.
Every tour on our private Ring Road tours page can be arranged for your group. Tell us your dates and group size and we will reply within 24 hours with a plan and a price. Not sure how long to stay? See how many days you need in Iceland, or look at our multi-day trips.
How to decide
Ask yourself three things. How many people will share the vehicle? Does anyone in the group need a slower pace or a fixed start time? And is there a place where you would hate to be called back to the bus? If you are four or more, or answered yes to either of the others, a private tour is likely to be money well spent. If you are two people and none of this matters, save the money and book a small-group tour.
Tours to book
Our four most useful private tours, depending on your trip:
- Golden Circle Private Tour: the best first private day, with entry and parking fees included.
- Private South Coast Tour: waterfalls and Reynisfjara, and the best value for larger groups.
- Northern Lights Private Tour: the smallest price gap over a shared tour for four people, September to April.
- 5-Day Iceland Private Tour Package: your own guide and airport transfers for the whole trip.
Questions people ask
How much does a private tour in Iceland cost?
Our private day tours from Reykjavík start from 120,000 ISK per vehicle for the Golden Circle and 140,000 ISK per vehicle for the South Coast. The price is for your whole group, and it rises with group size and on longer trips.
Is a private tour cheaper than a group tour for a family?
Rarely for a small family, but the gap shrinks fast. On the South Coast, four people pay about 35,000 ISK each private, against 23,300 ISK for a small-group seat. From about twelve people, private costs about the same.
Can we change the route on a private tour?
Yes, within what the day and the roads allow. You can spend longer at a stop, skip one or change the order, and your guide will adjust for daylight and weather.
How many people can join a private tour?
Many of our private tours take up to 18 people, including the South Coast, Snæfellsnes and the 5-day package. The price is set by group size. For larger groups, ask us.
Does a private tour pick us up at the airport?
On day tours, pickup is from Reykjavík and airport pickup costs extra. The 5-day and 6-day private packages include private airport transfers both ways.
