Golden Circle & Kerid

The “Golden Circle” encompasses some of Iceland’s most prized attractions and is our best selling shore excursion from Reykjavik.

We start the tour by driving to the south coast, stopping in the geothermal town of Hveragerdi to stretch our legs, before arriving at Kerid, a remarkable lake in a volcanic crater. The red hues of the rock make for a striking contrast with the vivid blue-green water.

Continuing north, we head to Gullfoss, one of Iceland’s most dramatic waterfalls. Translated as “golden waterfall”, its name relates either to its signature golden glint on sunny days, or to the legendary gold at the end of the rainbow, as Gullfoss often creates perfect rainbows in its mist. The river Hvita originates within Langjokull glacier, and at Gullfoss it plunges 32 metres into a narrow and deep canyon. On clear days here, you can see Langjokull (Iceland’s second-largest glacier) in the distance.

Next, we visit Geysir, one of the world’s greatest geysers, which actually gave its name for the English word ‘geyser’. Although Geysir itself erupts only every few years in recent times, its neighbour Strokkur erupts up to 30 meters into the air every seven or eight minutes – much to the delight of visitors. Strokkur may be the attention-grabber of this stop, but the surrounding area is no less remarkable. In fact, it’s a geologist’s dream. So be sure to walk around and take in the many bubbling hot springs, steaming vents, and colourful fissures.

Our final stop is at Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is historically significant for being the first meeting place of the Icelandic parliament in 930 AD, which is today recognised as the oldest surviving parliament in the world. Thingvellir is located in the rift valley between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, and Iceland is the only place where this rift is above sea level. We can walk alongside the plates and through the Almannagja gorge to the beautiful Oxararfoss waterfall. The park is also known as one of the filming locations for Game of Thrones.

This is a small group tour. We also offer a private Golden Circle tour which is great for larger families and groups, or those looking to customise the itinerary or add extra activities.