Last Updated on July 24, 2022
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With stunning nature and dramatic landscapes, Iceland is every nature lover’s dream. It’s a country with a lot of incredible, untouched beauty, unique natural wonders and many extremes. Active volcanoes among frozen glaciers earned Iceland the nickname ” The Land of Fire and Ice”. There’s a lot to see all over the country, but if you are not sure where to start or are short on time, Golden Circle is a great introduction to Iceland’s natural wonders. It’s hands down the most popular day tour out of Reykjavik, and the 3 classic Golden Circle stops are a great sample of what Iceland has to offer.
Golden Circle is a 300 km ( 185 miles ) loop starting and ending in Reykjavik. Whether you self drive or choose to take a tour, it’s the perfect day trip, especially if you’re based in Iceland’s capital. The scenic drive includes 3 classic stops:Þingvellir National Park, Haukadalur geothermal area and Gulfoss waterfall. If you self drive you have the flexibility, time permitting, to make extra stops like Kerið Volcano Crater or the Secret Lagoon. If you decide to join an organized tour, some companies also add on to the classic Golden Circle stops.
Golden Circle stops on the map
How to visit the Golden Circle in Iceland
Self Drive
Driving the 300 km loop is very easy and a great option for those who are visiting Iceland for several days. The roads are well paved, maintained and traffic is a non issue. The biggest advantage of self driving is, that you will be able to go at your own pace and stay however long you’d like at each attraction. You can also time it, so you arrive before or after tour buses and can enjoy the attractions with fewer people.
Since you have freedom to stop anytime you want, you can also see more than the 3 classic Golden Circle stops ( Þingvellir National Park, Strokkur Geyser and Gulfoss Waterfall ). Especially if you visit Iceland in the summer, when the sun barely sets, you can stretch your days long and make additional stops.
If you decide to drive and need to rent a car, Discover Cars is a great site to find one at a great price. It’s a price comparison website, that searches all the best car rental companies to find the best deal.
Group Tours
Golden Circle is one of the top things to do in Iceland, and there are countless Group Tours offered out of Reykjavik. It’s a great option for those who are visiting Iceland for a short time and don’t want to deal with renting a car. Those tours last about 8-9 hours, so prepare for a long day.
When choosing a Golden Circle Tour, I highly recommend booking a small group tour. You will travel in a small van vs a large tour bus, which means significantly less people. This, of course, has many advantages. You are more likely to spend more time at each attraction, as you don’t waste it on waiting for a large group of people to get off and on the bus. Not to mention, there’s always that one person who’s always late.
There’s one specific tour I can highly recommend and it’s the Golden Circle and Secret Lagoon Day Trip. After exploring all the main Golden Circle stops, this particular tour ends with a visit to a Secret Lagoon. It’s the perfect way to end a day and a great addition to all the classic stops. Even though the lagoon is no longer a secret, it’s definitely less busy than the Blue Lagoon.
Main Golden Circle stops
Þingvellir National Park
About 45 km northeast of Reykjavik is the first of Golden Circle stops: Þingvellir National Park. It is the only UNESCO World Heritage Site you will find in Iceland, and it was declared as such in 2004. There a few things that make this park special and that earned it the UNESCO recognition. Aside from stunning landscapes, Þingvellir National Park is also a site of quite the historical importance. It was the location of the very first Parliament meeting in 930 AD and continued to be till 1798.
The park is also geologically unique, as it’s where North American and European tectonic plates meet. The plates have been slowly drifting apart, about 2 cm a year, creating fissures in the process. The most famous one is Silfra, which became a popular diving spot, often named as one of Top 5 diving spots in the world. The water is crystal clear, which guarantees amazing visibility up to 70-80 meters. If you can brave cold Icelandic waters, it’s definitely one of the coolest diving experiences you can have. This Silfra Fissure Snorkeling Tour comes highly recommended, and you get underwater photos of your adventure as a bonus.
The park is free to visit, but if you are self driving, there’s a parking fee of 750 ISK ( valid all day at all parking lots )
Strokkur Geyser
The next stop takes you to Haukadalur Valley, a geothermal field with many hot springs and mud pots. The earthquakes back in 1294 caused many changes to the landscape, and led to creation of hot springs. Although there are quite a few of them in the area, Geysir and Strokkur are the most famous ones. The Great Geysir, the bigger of the two, was the first geyser mentioned in printed source and actually how the geysers got its name. Over the years Geysir’s activity decreased significantly and the eruption happens only occasionally. You’d have to be really lucky to witness it.
The one you can definitely count on is Strokkur, that might be smaller in size, but it’s quite spectacular. These days it’s the most active geyser, erupting every few minutes, shooting boiling hot water up to 100 feet. It’s an incredible thing to see and natural wonders like this is what makes Iceland such a great and unique place.
Gulfoss waterfall
A short drive from Haukadalur Geysir is your 3rd stop: the massive waterfall Gulfoss. Out of 200 waterfalls in Iceland, Gulfoss is one of the most popular ones. Located on the Hvita River, the Golden Fall, stuns with its beauty and power. It cascades down 32 meters, which happens in 2 steps.
Thanks to a couple of different view points you can admire it from different perspectives. The main platform at the visitor’s center, boast amazing views of the waterfall from above. If you want to get closer to the gushing waters of Gulfoss, there is a pathway leading to the lower viewpoint. The accessibility depends on weather conditions, so not all view points will be open during winter months.
Visiting Gulfoss Waterfall is free, and so is the parking.
Secret lagoon – Gamla laugin
Almost everyone who visits Iceland wants to go to Blue Lagoon, but the volcanic Iceland has its good share of natural geothermal pools. Gamla Laugin, located in the sleepy village of Fludir is one of them. Also known as the Secret Lagoon, it can easily be added to your Golden Circle route. It’s not so secret that you will be the only one there, but it’s not even close to crowds seen at the Blue Lagoon.
Although Gamla Laugin has some facilities, it will definitely give you a more authentic experience than the commercialized Blue Lagoon. As you soak in the warm water, you will see the steam rising from the hot pools behind the lagoon. Make sure to take a walk there after you are done, to see the little bubbling geyser, that erupts every 5 minutes.
Entrance to the Secret Lagoon is 3000 KR
READ NEXT:
- Exploring the South Coast of Iceland
- Top things to do in Reykjavik, Iceland
- Tips for visiting Blue Lagoon in Iceland
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