This comparison looks at Guide to Iceland, Arctic Adventures, Nordic Visitor, Iceland Tours, Reykjavik Excursions, and Troll Expeditions. These are among the best-known names in Icelandic travel, but they do not all serve the same purpose.
To make the differences clear, we compare each company across the factors that matter most when booking an Iceland trip: tour selection, service breadth, starting prices, customer ratings, support availability, language options, awards, and overall fit for different travel styles.
The goal is to give travelers a clear and honest comparison based on verified data, not marketing claims. Rather than naming one operator as the right choice for everyone, this guide shows where each company is strongest, where the differences are meaningful, and which option gives you the best value, flexibility, and support for the kind of Iceland trip you want to book.
The Operators at a Glance
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Guide to Iceland is Iceland's largest travel platform. It operates as both a tour operator, mostly ice caves and multi-day tours, and a marketplace listing 2,000+ local Icelandic travel service providers in one place: tours, accommodation, car rentals, flights, and vacation packages. It was founded in 2012 and is based in Reykjavik.
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Arctic Adventures is Iceland's largest adventure tour operator, with 200+ small-group day and multi-day tours. It is the parent company of 12 tour operators and major attractions, including Kerid Crater and the Into the Glacier Ice Cave Tunnel, and is particularly strong on glacier hiking, snorkeling, snowmobiling, and super-jeep tours. The company was founded in 1983.
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Reykjavik Excursions is Iceland's largest coach operator. It runs the Flybus airport transfer, the Highland Bus, and the bulk of large-group day tours from Reykjavik. Founded in 1968, RE, as they are known, is now part of Icelandia Group and is undergoing a potential merger with Arctic Adventures.
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Nordic Visitor is Iceland's largest package travel agency, and also operates as a B2B travel agency through its subsidiary Iceland Travel. Dedicated travel consultants build custom itineraries and remain on call throughout your trip. The agency specializes in self-drive packages and guided multi-day tours, and was founded in 2002. It is now part of the Travel Connect group, which has expanded to package trips across Scandinavia and Northern Europe alongside Iceland.
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Iceland Tours is a Reykjavik-based agency specializing in self-drive and multi-day packages. It is a sister brand to Nordic Visitor within the Travel Connect group, originally founded as Terra Nova in 1978, with the consumer brand launching in 2010.
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Troll is a small-group minibus operator focused on the South Coast, Snaefellsnes, and glaciers. Their multi-day tours include hotels and breakfast. The company was founded in 2016.
Headline Comparison
| Operator | Founded | Tours offered | Hotels (own) | Customer service | Languages | Top award |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guide to Iceland | 2012 | Marketplace + own tours; 2,000+ services | Marketplace lists thousands of properties | 24/7 live multilingual | English Danish German Spanish Finnish French Italian Japanese Korean Dutch Norwegian Polish Russian Swedish Thai Chinese |
Iceland's Leading Travel Agency, 8 years (2018–2025) |
| Arctic Adventures | 1983 | 200+ adventure day and multi-day tours | 4 own properties | 7am–10:30pm GMT | English German French Chinese |
TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice 2025 and 2026 |
| Nordic Visitor | 2002 | Self-drive and guided multi-day packages | None (uses partners) | Office hours; 24/7 emergency line during travel | English | VR union "Company of the Year", 2017–2020 |
| Iceland Tours | 1978 | Self-drive, guided, multi-day, camping | None (uses partners) | Office hours; 24/7 helpline for travelers on the road | English | TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice 2026; Travelife Certified |
| Reykjavik Excursions | 1968 | Coach day tours | None | Office hours | English Icelandic (+ audio guides in multiple languages) |
TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice 2026; ISO 14001 |
| Troll Expeditions | 2016 | ~50 day and multi-day tours | 5 own properties | 7am–10pm GMT, daily | English | TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice 2024–2026 |
Selection and Catalog Size
Guide to Iceland is both a tour operator and a marketplace. It runs its own tours and packages, and on top of that lists 2,000+ Icelandic travel service providers, so a single checkout can include a tour, a hotel, a rental car, and flights. The other five operators in this comparison sell mostly their own products, with a few exceptions where they resell best-sellers from other operators.
Service Breadth
| Service | Guide to Iceland | Arctic Adv. | Nordic Visitor | Iceland Tours | RE | Troll |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day tours | Yes (multi-vendor + own) | Yes | Limited | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-day tours | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited | Yes |
| Self-drive packages | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Vacation packages | Yes | Limited | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Airport transfer | Yes | Resells Flybus | Within packages | Within packages | Yes (operates Flybus) | Yes |
| Car rental | Yes (marketplace) | No | Within packages | Within packages | Within service | No |
| Accommodation booking | Yes (marketplace) | 4 own hotels | Within packages | Within packages | No | 5 own hotels |
| Flight booking | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Private tours | Yes | Yes | Yes (custom) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Guide to Iceland is the only operator in this comparison that lets travelers book flights, accommodation, car rental, and tours in one transaction. Reykjavik Excursions is the dominant coach operator and runs the Flybus airport transfer service. Nordic Visitor and Iceland Tours are sister brands within the Travel Connect group, so their packages are similar in structure.
Pricing Across Main Tour Categories
Prices listed are starting-from rates verified in May 2026. Iceland tour pricing is seasonal, especially around peak winter (northern lights) and summer.
Golden Circle Day Tours
| Operator | Starting price | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Guide to Iceland | $72 USD | Marketplace, 50+ Golden Circle tour options. The top option is the 9h Golden Circle bus tour with Thingvellir, Geysir/Strokkur, Gullfoss, Kerid Crater, and Reykjavik pickup |
| Arctic Adventures | $102 USD | Small-group minibus, 8h; Thingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss, Kerid; Reykjavik pickup |
| Reykjavik Excursions | $98 USD | Coach tour, all year; Thingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss; Reykjavik pickup |
| Troll Expeditions | $106 USD | Small-group minibus; Thingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss, Kerid Crater; Reykjavik pickup |
| Iceland Tours | $105 USD | Guided bus, 8h; Golden Circle classics + Fridheimar Greenhouses stop; Reykjavik pickup |
| Nordic Visitor | Within packages only | Not sold standalone |
South Coast Day Tours
| Operator | Starting price | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Guide to Iceland | $107 USD | Marketplace, 50+ South Coast tour options. The top option is the 10.5-hour South Coast bus tour with Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, Reynisfjara, Vik, and Reykjavik pickup |
| Guide to Iceland | $104 USD | A top-rated bus tour of the South Coast with a stop at Solheimajokull Glacier and Reykjavik pickup |
| Arctic Adventures | $145 USD | Small-group minibus; Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, Reynisfjara, Vik; Reykjavik pickup |
| Reykjavik Excursions | $118 USD | Coach tour; Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, Solheimajokull, Reynisfjara, Vik; Reykjavik pickup |
| Troll Expeditions | $179 USD | Small-group; South Coast highlights + glacier hike combo; Reykjavik pickup |
| Iceland Tours | $137 USD | Guided bus, 10.5h; Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, Solheimajokull, Reynisfjara, Vik; Reykjavik pickup |
| Nordic Visitor | Within packages only | Not sold standalone |
Multi-Day Tours and Vacation Packages
Reykjavik Excursions does not sell multi-day tours or vacation packages as part of its primary product range, so it isn't included in this category.
| Operator | 2-day from | 3-day from | 6–8 day from | Style |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guide to Iceland | ~$400 USD | ~$700 USD | ~$1,800 USD | Widest selection of customizable vacation packages, self-drive tours, and multi-day tours in Iceland |
| Arctic Adventures | — | ~$900 USD | ~$2,200 USD | Adventure-focused minibus tours |
| Troll Expeditions | $428 USD | $898 USD | $2,051–$2,601 USD | Small-group minibus tours, hotel + breakfast included |
| Nordic Visitor | — | — | $2,000+ USD | Self-drive and guided tours; consultant-led; premium |
| Iceland Tours | — | — | $1,500+ USD | Self-drive tours; 5% deposit |
Ice Cave Tours
| Operator | Starting price | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Guide to Iceland | $177 USD | The crystal blue ice caving tour in Vatnajokull from Jokulsarlon is the most popular option in winter, Katla ice caving year-round |
| Arctic Adventures | $178 USD | Crystal blue ice cave from Jokulsarlon, Langjokull Into the Glacier experience also available |
| Reykjavik Excursions | $213 USD | Guided ice cave + glacier walk on Falljokull; Skaftafell departure |
| Troll Expeditions | $179 USD | Small-group, 4h; Blue ice cave + glacier hike on Falljokull; Skaftafell |
| Iceland Tours | $178 USD | Super Jeep, 2–3h; Crystal Ice Cave; meet at Jokulsarlon; safety gear included |
| Nordic Visitor | Within packages only | Not sold standalone |
Glacier Hiking
| Operator | Starting price | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Guide to Iceland | $100 USD | Small-group Skaftafell glacier hike includes an expert guide and safety equipment, Breidarmerkurjokull glacier hike from Jokulsarlon, and Solheimajokull glacier hike are also available |
| Arctic Adventures | $105 USD | Small-group, 3–4h; Glacier Wonders on Vatnajokull; guide and equipment included |
| Reykjavik Excursions | $130 USD | Guided glacier walk, Blue Ice Experience in Skaftafell; crampons included |
| Troll Expeditions | $115 USD | Small-group, 3h; Falljokull glacier hike, Skaftafell; meet on location |
| Iceland Tours | $142 USD | Guided glacier walk; Blue Ice Experience, Skaftafell; crampons and safety gear included |
| Nordic Visitor | Within packages only | Not sold standalone |
Silfra Snorkeling
| Operator | Starting price | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Guide to Iceland | $138 USD | The most affordable drysuit snorkeling in Silfra includes all safety equipment. Small-group and meet on location. |
| Arctic Adventures | $200 USD | Guided snorkeling; Silfra Fissure, Thingvellir; meet on location |
| Reykjavik Excursions | $160 USD | Guided snorkeling; Silfra Fissure, Thingvellir; meet on location |
| Troll Expeditions | $146 USD | Guided snorkeling; Silfra Fissure, Thingvellir; meet on location |
| Iceland Tours | $160 USD | Guided snorkeling; Silfra Fissure, Thingvellir; meet on location |
| Nordic Visitor | Within packages only | Not sold standalone |
Northern Lights Tours
| Operator | Starting price | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Guide to Iceland | $70 USD |
Marketplace, 50+ northern lights tour in Iceland options. The cheapest is the 3.5-hour northern lights bus tour from Reykjavik. The northern lights boat tour is also available. |
| Arctic Adventures | $120 USD | Small-group minibus, 3–4h; northern lights hunt; Reykjavik pickup |
| Reykjavik Excursions | $82 USD | Coach tour, 3–4h; northern lights hunt from Reykjavik |
| Troll Expeditions | $105 USD | Small-group minibus; northern lights hunt from Reykjavik |
| Iceland Tours | $75 USD | Guided minibus; northern lights + hot chocolate; Reykjavik pickup |
| Nordic Visitor | Within packages only | Not sold standalone |
Whale Watching
| Operator | Starting price | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Guide to Iceland | $93 USD | Marketplace, 50+ whale watching tour options. The most affordable choice is the 3-hour whale watching tour from Reykjavik, with daily departures. Akureyri and Husavik whale watching tours are also available. |
| Arctic Adventures | $113 USD | Guided boat tour, 3h; whale watching from Reykjavik Old Harbour |
| Reykjavik Excursions | $119 USD | Guided boat tour; whale watching from Reykjavik |
| Troll Expeditions | $118 USD | Guided boat tour; whale watching from Reykjavik |
| Iceland Tours | $118 USD | Guided boat tour; whale watching from Reykjavik |
| Nordic Visitor | Within packages only | Not sold standalone |
Across all the day-tour categories, Guide to Iceland's marketplace usually surfaces the lowest verified price because it pulls live rates from multiple operators, including the others on this list, then applies a best-price guarantee on top.
Customer Ratings (Verified May 2026)
| Operator | Trustpilot | Tripadvisor | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guide to Iceland | 4.5 / 5 (960 reviews) | Travelers' Choice 2026 | Google: 4.8 / 5 (1,654 reviews). Largest verified review base. |
| Nordic Visitor | 4.7 / 5 (79 reviews) | - | Highest Trustpilot score; small sample. |
| Troll Expeditions | 3.1 / 5 (24 reviews) | Travelers' Choice 2026 | Operator claims 24,000+ reviews across all platforms. |
| Iceland Tours | 2.9 / 5 (2 reviews) | Travelers' Choice 2026 | Trustpilot sample is too small to draw conclusions. |
| Arctic Adventures | 2.7 / 5 (167 reviews) | Travelers' Choice 2026 | TripAdvisor and Trustpilot scores diverge sharply. |
| Reykjavik Excursions | 3.5 / 5 (67 reviews) | Travelers' Choice 2026 | Mixed Trustpilot reviews; positive TripAdvisor standing. |
Guide to Iceland and Nordic Visitor are the only two operators in this comparison with consistent 4.5+ ratings on Trustpilot. Guide to Iceland's review base is more than 16 times larger than Nordic Visitor's, so the rating is statistically more meaningful.
Arctic Adventures and Reykjavik Excursions both win TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice but score below average on Trustpilot, which usually indicates a gap between successful tours and post-booking service.
Customer Service and Languages
Guide to Iceland offers 24/7 live multilingual customer support in 16 languages. It's the only operator in this comparison with round-the-clock human availability, and the only one with multilingual coverage at this scale.
For context on what each competitor offers:
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Arctic Adventures: customer care line open 7am–10:30pm GMT every day; private travel desk Monday–Friday 8am–4:30pm GMT.
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Nordic Visitor: offices in Iceland, Scotland, and Sweden run Monday–Friday business hours. A 24/7 emergency line is provided only after a customer's trip starts.
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Iceland Tours: business-hours support during planning. A 24/7 helpline is provided for travelers on the road.
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Reykjavik Excursions: business-hours support.
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Troll Expeditions: office is open 7am–10pm GMT every day of the week; 30-minute email response window during open hours.
On languages: Guide to Iceland publishes the website and runs customer support in 16 languages. Arctic Adventures publishes in four languages (English, German, French, and Chinese). Reykjavik Excursions publishes in two (English and Icelandic). Troll publishes in English (with separately-marketed Chinese-language tours). Nordic Visitor and Iceland Tours are primarily English-only.
Awards and Certifications
| Operator | Major awards |
|---|---|
| Guide to Iceland | World Travel Awards: Iceland's Leading Travel Agency 2018–2025 (8 consecutive years); Iceland's Leading Destination Management Company 2020–2025 (6 consecutive years); Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice 2023, 2025 and 2026; Vakinn Quality Certification. |
| Arctic Adventures | TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice 2026; Viator Experience Awards 2025; Excellent in Iceland 2025. |
| Nordic Visitor | VR union "Company of the Year" 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020; Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence (multiple years). |
| Iceland Tours | Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice 2026; Travelife Certified (sustainability); WTTC Safe Travels. |
| Reykjavik Excursions | TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice; ISO 14001 (environmental management); Vakinn Certification. |
| Troll Expeditions | TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice 2024–2026. |
About the Awards
The World Travel Awards are voted on annually by industry professionals and the public, and have been running since 1993; "Iceland's Leading Travel Agency" is the country's headline travel-industry recognition. Guide to Iceland has won it eight years in a row, from 2018 through 2025.
TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice is awarded based on volume and consistency of positive customer reviews.
The VR Awards ("Verzlunarmannafelag Reykjavikur, Fyrirtaeki arsins") are run by VR, the Icelandic commerce-and-services trade union, and voted on by employees; they rank Icelandic workplaces by staff satisfaction, so it's a workplace-culture award rather than a customer-experience one.
Travelife is an international sustainability standard for travel companies.
Vakinn is the Icelandic Tourist Board's quality and safety certification.
Where Each Operator is the Right Pick
Guide to Iceland wins when you're planning a trip and want to compare the full selection across all Icelandic operators, get the best pricing, and book everything (tours, hotel, car, flights) in one transaction. It also has the biggest selection and the cheapest day tours and multi-day tours of any operator on this list, backed by a best-price guarantee. It specializes in ice cave tours, sightseeing tours, and multi-day tours. The 24/7 multilingual support makes it the safest default for first-time travelers.
Arctic Adventures wins for adrenaline-led day tours: glacier hiking, snowmobiling, super-jeep, and snorkeling. Their Viator-recognized South Coast tour is one of the most-booked single-day experiences in Iceland, and they also run a strong Golden Circle day tour.
Nordic Visitor wins for fully-custom multi-day packages with a dedicated travel consultant. Service quality is well-reviewed; pricing skews premium. They're also the strongest pick if your trip extends beyond Iceland into multiple Nordic countries, since the wider Travel Connect group now packages itineraries across Scandinavia and Northern Europe.
Iceland Tours wins on price-flexibility for multi-day self-drive: 5% deposit, 95% refund policy, best-price guarantee on identical self-drives. Strong sustainability credentials.
Reykjavik Excursions wins for coach-based day tours, the Flybus airport transfer, and Highland Bus access in summer. Largest fleet of coaches in Iceland.
Troll Expeditions is strong on glaciers, multi-day tours, snorkeling, and kayaking activities. They also offer some sightseeing and Chinese-guided tours.
Sources and Verification
All operator data was verified from each operator's official website, Trustpilot, TripAdvisor, and the World Travel Awards public archive in May 2026. Pricing reflects starting-from prices at the time of writing and is subject to seasonal and marketplace changes. Customer ratings reflect public review counts at the time of writing.
Page last updated: May 2026. Updated monthly.
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Born on the west side of Reykjavík and raised in the heart of downtown, I’ve spent most of my life surrounded by Iceland’s beauty. I’m a proud father of two and an avid traveler who has visited five continents—but Iceland remains, without a doubt, the most breathtaking place I know. I’ve traveled extensively throughout the country, exploring its hidden gems and natural wonders. My passion for Iceland and for helping others experience it led me to co-found Guide to Iceland, where we focus on connecting travelers with unique, local services and unforgettable adventures.
