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Iceland’s Golden Circle is one of the most popular tourist destinations. The Golden Circle is made up of a series of different sites that can be easily visited as a day trip (or a few day trips) from Reykjavik depending on how long you want to spend at each stop and the activities you want to partake in!
It get it’s name from the circular route it creates on a map, making it an ideal day trip loop! Keep reading for all the details on Golden Circle highlights, self drive vs guided day trip options + how many days to spend exploring the Golden Circle! I’ve visited these spots several times in different seasons and they never get old!
Planning and Iceland Adventure? See my full Iceland Travel Guide here to plan the perfect trip!
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Golden Circle Highlights Map
Where to Stay to Explore the Golden Circle
The highlights of the Golden Circle are all in easy day trip distance from Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital city. Reykjavik is the ideal place to stay when exploring the Golden Circle. It has tons of accommodation options & restaurant options. The highights of the Golden Circle are all in more remote areas and there aren’t many options to stay near most of them!
I loved staying in Reykavik. I’ve stayed there for a few nights on both of my recent trips to Iceland. My top hotel recommendations below:
Hotel Reykjavik Saga
I stayed at the Hotel Reykjavik Saga on my most recent trip to Iceland and can not say enough good things about it! The hotel is super new, located in a convenient location downtown, the rooms were really cozy & the bed was so comfortable. The breakfast was amazing, and I don’t even usually eat breakfast
I will definitely be staying here again on my next trip to Iceland
Apótek Hotel
Another great option in the perfect location in Reykjavik is Apótek Hotel. This hotel is stunning, right on one of Reykjavik’s main streets, is home to one of Reykjavik’s best restaurants & offers parking (for an additional cost) Parking can be a bit complex in Reykjavik, so this is a nice perk if you’re renting a car and need to park it overnight!
Should I rent a car or take a guided tour to explore the Golden Circle?
You have many options for exploring the Golden Circle – you can rent a car and explore at your own pace, or you can do a guided day trip. There are tons of options for guided day trips and each are different lengths of time, include different stops or activities, and are different sizes, so read carefully!
There are definitely pros and cons of each and I’ve done both, keep reading below for details on both options!
Golden Circle Guided Tours
I did a guided tour on my first trip to Iceland and would recommend it to anyore looking for the most convenient and cheapest option!
Pros
- Guided day tours tend to be cheaper (especially if you’re ok with taking a large coach bus tour)
- They also are super convenient, most pick up and drop off right outside your hotel
- I also find it interesting to listen to a guide and learn more about the places I’m visiting!
- There are tons of options for each budget, the amount of time you want to spend, what you want to see & more
- You don’t have to deal with the hassle of renting a car and the crazy Iceland climate!
Cons
- No flexibility over how long to spend in each place
- Popular spots are crowded because you can’t get there earlier/later to explore without the crowds
- Most guided tours don’t include all the highlights of the Golden Circle mentioned in the highights below!
Tour options reocmmendations:
Classic Golden Circle – 7 Hours
Includes Thingvellir National Park, Geysir, & Gullfoss Waterfall stops
$77 per person, usually part of a large coach bus tour
Golden Circle Classics with Kerid Crater – 8 hours 30 minutes
Includes Thingvellir National Park, Geysir, & Gullfoss Waterfall stops & a stop at the Kerid Crater
$74 per person, usually part of a large coach bus tour
Explore the Golden Circle on Your Own
On my second trip to Iceland I rented a car to explore some of the spots on the Golden Circle not included in guided tours. I was visiting in the winter and a bit nervous about driving, but overall it wasn’t too bad. The roads were well maintained (some snow) but ok overall.
The biggest thing to be aware of in Iceland is the wind! I took a guided tour down the south coast and was glad I did, the weather and wind got really crazy as we got towards Glacier Lagoon, and even in a large van we were impacted by the wind, so I was glad to not be in a compact rental car.
SafeTravel.is is a weather app that has real time updates on alerts and will let you know if roads are going to be closed in any area due to weather conditions!
Pros
- Flexibility on how early to get places and how long to stay
- Easier to see spots like Brúarfoss, Reykjadalur Hot Spring Thermal River & to do activities like snorkel/scuba dive at Thingvellir
Cons
- Renting a car can be more expensive
- You have to do all the planning/coordination
- You miss out on having a tour guide to give you info about the sites
- Weather can be a challenge in Iceland at times
Golden Circle Highlights
- Thingvellir National Park
- Öxarárfoss Waterfall
- Brúarfoss Waterfall
- Geysir
- Gullfoss Waterfall
- Kerid Crater
- Reykjadalur Hot Spring Thermal River
Thingvellir National Park
Thingvellir is a popular Golen Circle stop (and included in almost all Golden Circle tours) This National Park is known for being the birtplace of democracy in Iceland. The park features coastal views & epic gorges. You can wander and explore the views & the history. Thingvellir sits in a rift caused by the separation of two tectonic plates.
Included on Golden Circle Guided Tours?
Yes, most tours include time to explore Thingvellir (you won’t have time to scuba/snorkel or see Öxarárfoss (the small waterfall at the bottom of Thingvellir as part of most tours)
Tickets/Parking Costs?
Entrance is free, but it is about $5 to park for the day if you’re driving.
How Long to Spend at Thingvellir?
If you’re not snorkelling/scuba diving you probably don’t need much more than an hour here.
Additional Activities:
You have the option to snorkel or scuba dive at Thingvellir. Silfra is a rift caused by the separation of two tectonic plates. You need to book a separate tour to do either, and most tours are meet on location, so you’ll need to drive to Thingvellir to do the tour. Tours are between 2-3 hours!
Check availability for snorkeling at Silfra here, cost $134 per person.
Check availability for scuba diving at Silfra here, cost $254 per person
Öxarárfoss
A slightly less popular, but till stunning waterfall on Iceland’s Golden Circle, Öxarárfoss, is located at the very bottom of the Thingvellir National Park. If you drive to the lower parking lot you can walk into the waterfall in about 10 minutes.
Included on Golden Circle Guided Tours?
No, most tours don’t have time to stop here
Tickets/Parking Costs?
Entrance is free, but it is about $5 to park for the day if you’re driving.
How Long to Spend at Öxarárfoss?
It takes about 10 minutes each way to walk in and out, you probably only need about 10 minutes to view the falls themselves!
Brúarfoss
Another stunning waterfall on the Golden Circle loop is Brúarfoss (the blue waterfall) You’ll see where it gets it’s name from when you see the stunning blue water that needs to no editing!
Included on Golden Circle Guided Tours?
No, most tours don’t have time to stop here
Tickets/Parking Costs?
Entrance is free, but it is about $3 to park for the day if you’re driving.
How Long to Spend at Öxarárfoss?
It takes less than 10 minutes each way to walk in and out, you probably only need about 10 minutes to view the falls themselves!
Geysir
Next stop on the Golden Circle route would be Geysir! It is the original “geysir” and known for being the inspiration for the name of all other Geysirs in the world.
It’s located in a geothermal area bubbling with activity. You’ll notice the ground slightly smoking wherever water is visible, and you need to stay on the designated paths to make sure you don’t accidentally step in any of the still burning water.
Geysir itself only erupts very rarely these days, but right next to it is an active geysir that shoots bright blue, burning hot water high into the air every few minutes you can visit!
This is also a great spot to have lunch. Right across the street next to the parking area is a large visitor center with several lunch options, including quick grab & go options and more sit down type options.
Included on Golden Circle Guided Tours?
yes
Tickets/Parking Costs?
Entrance & parking is free
How Long to Spend at Geysir?
The geysir erupts every few minutes, so you don’t need too long here. I’d watch it erupt a few times, some are way more impressive than others!
Gullfoss
Another must-see stop on your Golden Circle trip is Gullfoss, arguably the most famous of Iceland’s many waterfalls! The massive waterfall drops 105 feet into a deep canyon.
You can view the waterfall from the walking paths above and you can also walk in to the waterfall viewing platform (except in the winter) be prepared to get wet if you choose this option!
If you can visit Gullfoss on a sunny day you’ll be treated to a series of rainbows!
Included on Golden Circle Guided Tours?
yes
Tickets/Parking Costs?
Entrance & parking is free
How Long to Spend at Gullfoss?
You’ll probably want at least 30 minutes here, if not a little longer. There are a bunch of different viewpoints you can walk to!
Kerid Crater
Kerid Crater is another unique stop on your Golden Circle tour. The volcanic crater feels like something from a different planet. At the bottom of the deep crater is an almost eerie, but pretty deep teal lake
Included on Golden Circle Guided Tours?
Some, you usually need to book a longer tour for this stop to be included
Tickets/Parking Costs?
Entrance is free, there is a small parking fee (about $3)
How Long to Spend at Kerid?
You can hike the short circle around the crater (15 min max) and hike down to the lake as well (about 10 min if that) If you don’t want to do the hikes 10 minutes is enough here!
Reykjadalur Hot Spring Thermal River
The Reykjadalur Hot Spring Thermal River was one of the top recommendations I consistently heard from some of the local Icelanders I met. You’ll need to do a bit of hiking to get to the river, but it’s not difficult to reach. This spot is technically on the Golden Circle and on the way to Iceland’ South Coast, so I’ve included it in both travel guides!
From the parking lot it’s about 3km, mostly uphill, so it can take about 45 minutes to get to the river. You’ll hike past many hot pools, brimming with steam that fills the valley. You have to be very careful not to go in any of these pools, they are actual boiling water and will cause injury.
Once you make it to the river you’ll know you’re safe to go in the water when you see groups of locals and tourists soaking in the warm water. The river is large, so you should have plenty of space.
There are two rivers that meet (the hot and cold river) the farther you get from the cold river, the warmer the water gets, it can be quite warm as you get farther from where the two rivers meet.
Included on Golden Circle Guided Tours?
No, most tours don’t have time for this stop
Tickets/Parking Costs?
Entrance is free, there is a small parking fee (about $3)
How Long to Spend at Reykjadalur Hot Spring Thermal River?
The hike in and out can be about an hour and a half round trip, so if you want an hour to soak in the river allot at least 2 and a half – 3 hours for this! If not longer
How many days to spend exploring the Golden Circle?
1-2 days
Whaty you want to see, which activities you want to do, and your willingness to rent a car will all impact how many days you need!
1 Day – is enough to do a day tour of the highlights or to explore the highlights on your own (not including snorkeling/scuba diving) 1 day may be enough to hike into the thermal river (depending on the season) In the summer you’ll have plenty or time and daylight, winter this would be more tough!
2 days – is perfect for those who want to explore the highlights, take their time and/or add on activities like scuba or hiking into the hot spring river!
