How to choose an Iceland tour at 55+

After deciding to go to Iceland in the first place and ruling out self-driving in winter without much debate, it felt like the major planning hurdles were behind us. That turned out to be an optimistic interpretation of the situation.

When I first started researching Iceland tours, I was completely overwhelmed within the first fifteen minutes. There are so many options—lots of the same sights, yet somehow all different. Which one should I choose? After hours of searching without getting any closer to making a choice, I decided to go into full spreadsheet creation mode. Everyone who knows me makes fun of my spreadsheets but I find them incredibly useful. I created rows with categories: what I wanted to see and do, what I definitely didn’t want, and everything else needed to make the trip feel enjoyable instead of a frantic dash from one attraction to the next. Checklist in hand, I dove back into the options. We only had time for a three-day tour, so I chose four three-day tours with good reviews. I then filled in the spreadsheet, colours and all, and ended up with a clear visual overview. You can download my spreadsheet below. I left all my categories in it but it’s adaptable so if you want you can use it for any and every tour. I’ll explain how it works later on. Although I created this spreadsheet while planning a trip to iceland, most of the criteria and questions apply just as well to guided tours elsewhere.

First, let me talk you through what I put in the spreadsheet, and why.

What I Considered When Comparing Tours

Activities and sights

This was the first thing I looked at. There were a number of sights I really wanted to see, and they had to be included in the tour. Of course, the Golden Circle was a must—preferably including the Kerið volcanic crater. Several waterfalls were also on my list, as was Reynisfjara black sand beach. I wanted to visit Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach. An ice cave or glacier hike had to be part of the itinerary; I leaned toward a jeep tour plus ice cave because I was a bit apprehensive about actually hiking a glacier. I needn’t have worried—but that’s another story.

Cost

I’ve always known Iceland is expensive. When I started researching tours, I also knew this might be the one and only time I’d visit Iceland (spoiler: I’m definitely coming back!). Price wasn’t my main consideration, but all else being equal, the lowest-priced tour would win. In the end, the differences in price weren’t huge—only group size really made a significant difference in cost.

Group size

I didn’t want to be herded on a bus with 60 strangers and have to wait for everyone at each stop. I also don’t enjoy noise and crowds. For me, group size was an important factor.

Required fitness level

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not unfit, but I’m in my late fifties. I don’t mind walking, climbing stairs (within reason), going uphill, or spending a longer period outside in the cold. What I do mind is tours that involve dangling off cliffs, hiking through mud for hours, or navigating glacier crevasses while hoping not to slip. Scuba diving between tectonic plates? No thanks. Rafting on a glacial river? Definitely not. I also didn’t want to be the one slowing down twenty-something backpackers. Fitness requirements were therefore an important criterion.

Pace

I have enough energy for a full day of sightseeing, but I also need some downtime to fully enjoy it. I didn’t want to spend fifteen minutes at a stunning location and only make it to the gift shop and the view from the parking lot. This meant I preferred not too many stops in a single day, and no days running from 7 AM to 11 PM. None of the tour descriptions mentioned toilet breaks , so if that’s a concern, it’s worth asking before booking. On the tour we chose, it was never an issue.

Accommodation and meals

Initially, I was interested in tours with very special accommodation: igloo huts to see the Northern Lights from the bed, hot spring resorts, or charming country houses with lovely meals included. These options were available, but they had a significant impact on cost. So significant I didn’t include any of them in my comparison. Most tours included breakfast and mid-range accommodation, but other meals were usually not included. All companies offered stops at restaurants or shops for lunch and dinner.

Information before booking and extra options

While not a huge factor, it was important for me to know exactly what I’d be booking. Tours with detailed itineraries, clear information on what to bring and wear, and guidance on who the tour was suitable for scored extra points. Even more if they offered rental of crampons, hiking boots, or outdoor clothing upon booking.

Scoring the tours

This is where the fun began. Armed with my spreadsheet, I compared the tours. I researched and entered information in all categories for four tours that looked most interesting and had the best reviews. On a second worksheet, I grouped the criteria into fewer categories, assigned weights, and started entering scores.

For example:

• All sights I wanted included → 5 points for activities
• Very expensive → 1 point for price
• Minimal pre-booking information → 2 points

Once I’d entered all the information, it became clear that NICE Travels’ South Coast Tour was the best option for us. We booked it, and it turned out to be the perfect tour.

The spreadsheet (and how to use it)

You can download the spreadsheet below for free—no subscription required, and zero Icelandic trolls were harmed in the making of this file.

The download includes:

• A clear comparison spreadsheet to help you line up different tours side by side
• A second worksheet with weighted scores, so you can see which tour comes out on top based on what matters to you
• A bonus worksheet with a checklist of questions to ask tour companies—useful for clarifying things that you can’t always find on websites, such as what “easy”, “moderate”, or “active” really mean, how full the days are, and practical matters like breaks and pacing.

If you enjoy using the spreadsheet and would like more travel planning tips aimed at 55+ travellers, you can subscribe for updates. Unsubscribing is easy and you can do it at any time—no awkward emails or hard feelings involved.

How to use the spreadsheet

Start with the first worksheet and fill in the details for the tours you’re considering. This gives you a clear overview of what each tour offers, without having to jump back and forth between different websites.

Once you’ve done that, move on to the second worksheet. Here you can group the criteria, give each category a weight, and score the tours based on your own preferences. For example, you might care more about pace and comfort than about fitting in every possible activity, or you might prefer smaller groups over lower costs.

The spreadsheet will calculate the total scores automatically. You can adjust the weights and scores as often as you like—this is not about finding a “perfect” tour, but about finding the one that suits you best.

The third worksheet contains a checklist of questions to ask tour companies before booking. It’s especially helpful if, like me, you want to know what a tour will actually feel like before committing, rather than finding out halfway through day one.

Interested in more posts about Iceland? You can find them all on my Iceland page.