Experience Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss and Kerið Volcano in one tour
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The Golden Circle is not only the most popular day tour we run here at BusTravel Iceland but perhaps also the most popular trip that leaves Reykjavik.
We will combine all of the famous sights with a few extra stops to make your day as special as we possibly can, this means you will get to see Þingvellir national park, the geothermal wonders of Geysir, and the golden waterfall Gullfoss. At BusTravel Iceland though our motto is “More nature, more fun” so we also make an additional stop at Kerið volcanic crater. You should expect a packed day full of adventure!
Our Golden Circle tour begins with a fast and efficient pick up service. You only need to be on time at the designated pick up point and we'll take care of the rest. Once we have collected all our guests we set off to the first major attraction.
Kerið volcanic crater is the first stop we make. Kerið is a crater lake that became a focal point for tourist activity thanks to the breathtaking contrast of its blue waters and red lava rock surroundings. Now there are walking paths enabling guests to do the tour of the crater rim or walk down to the bottom of the crater and walk around the lake.
It was once believed that Kerið was a volcanic crater created after a large explosion but study of the area showed no evidence of any explosions of the required magnitude had occurred here. Current theories state that Kerið was in fact itself a volcano that emptied its magma reserves and collapsed in on itself.
Our next stop is the Gullfoss (Golden falls). Gullfoss is one of Icelands most majestic waterfalls. The waterfall originates in the Langjökull glacier and gets it's name from the gold hue it gives off as it tumbles downward into the canyon.
The waterfall drops down into a crevice of 32 meters (105 ft) in two steps being 11 meters and 21 meters each. On many occasions rainbows can be observed dancing across the top of this magnificent sight. Gullfoss has an interesting history that involves investors trying to harness its awesome power.
The waterfall can viewed from a few different locations. The upper deck next to the visitor center gives a great view from above. By walking down the staircase the waterfall can be viewed from the lower deck. From there the waterfall seems to vanish into the earth.
From the lower deck you can walk a path that leads towards the first plunge of the waterfall. This will give you a great view into the crevice and a feeling of the true power of the waterfall. This path can be closed if the path is icy and conditions are not good.
After the waterfall we head to the geothermal area called after the original geyser called Geysir. The Geysir area boosts with steam vents, bubbling pits, hot ponds, magnificent colours and the highlight of the site, Strokkur Geyser. Strokkur performs natural and powerful eruptions, spouting water and steam some 20 m up in the air every 10 minuets. Walking paths take you between interesting geothermal features so you don't miss out on any wonder or smell!
The Geysir area offers large visitor centre with souvenirs, local products and many possibilities for purchasing lunch.
The last stop (certainly not the least) is the National Park and UNESCO World Heritage site called Þingvellir (Thingvellir). Þingvellir is Icelands most important site when it comes to history and geology.
This is where the worlds first parliament was established by the vikings in 930 AD, making it the oldest parliament, still active, in the world. The park sits in a rift valley caused by the separation of 2 tectonic plates, the Eurasion and the North American one.
Starting from the bottom of the Rift Valley you walk in the footsteps of the Vikings, along impressive Almannagjá all the way to Hakið. Hakið is an ideal viewing point giving you a great overview of the whole area. You can almost witness the continental drift as you take a walk between the American and Eurasian tectonic plates.
As you walk up to the North American plate via Almannagjá you can read interesting tidbits about our history, viking era and how the laws of the land were established.
Þingvellir is also a natural treasure with it's vast lava fields and rivers leading into Icelands largest lake. The Þingvellir valley has been an inspiration for numerous painters and photographers alike.
After the National Park we have around 45 min drive back to Reykjavík.
It took me 4 attempts to be able to see the Northern lights! But I am very glad I didn't give up. It was absolutely amazing! Daniel, which was our tour guide was super nice and very very knowledgeable about the auroras, he explained the process and even showed us some constellations in the dark sky while we waited. He knows a lot about this stuff!!! Very nice experience
On the day of our tour we unfortunately had bad weather (was raining the entire day) but our guide Monika really came through and saved the mood in my opinion. She was really informative and helpful (always ready to help take pictures). My personal highlight of the tour was the Gulfoss Waterfall simply magnificent!! Another very unique experience was seeing the Geysir going off (little note: it might smell a bit bad once you are close to geysirs but you get over it) Definitely a tour you shouldn't miss out on!!
We went on the grand circle tour with a visit to the blue lagoon. Tom was our guide for the day and his dry sense of humour is hilarious. Great day all round and if your not on Toms bus your missing out!
We had a great trip with Monika who was very knowledgeable about the tour with a good mix of humour. It's hard to pick out one specific part of the tour because we loved it all. The crater was amazing, as were the geysers and waterfall. Not usually someone who goes on tours but this was really enjoyable and hassle free.
Our guide Iga gave us plenty interesting information during the day. Not just about the places that we visited but also her experiences in the country. It was a very fun tour.
What an amazing trip!! Well worth a visit and good value for money! Monika our guide was simply brilliant and so informative!! Michael our coach driver got us everywhere very safely despite pretty bad snow conditions. Would definitely do this again just for the breathtaking views ❤
This was an excellent tour, especially as we had limited time in the country and were conscious of limited hours of daylight (end Nov). The guide was entertaining and knowledgeable, and made sure we crammed all the sights during daylight hours. The coach was very clean, modern and comfortable (and warm!). Needless to say, the sights are definitely worth seeing even though our weather wasn’t great. We would love to do this tour again in the summer months to see how different it all is when not covered in so much snow! We felt this tour was really good value and well organised.
We had a great day with beautyfull weather and a amazing guide Omar, Who told us a lot of information in a lovely funny way! I realy loved it and of course the beauty of icelands nature is awesome!
Monika and Tomek are the best! Our Golden circle was not just a couple of extremely beautiful places but the unique Icelandic adventure with heartwarming music, personal stories and jokes. Wishes to acknowledge: - warm and attentive attitude of our guide Monika and great mood that she brought with herself; - fast and careful Tomek’s driving. Big thanks to guide and driver, it was amazing tour, cannot wait to repeat!
Absolutely awesome day out......the views,sights and places you visit are stunning. Omar our guide was brilliant from start to finish,funny informative and made the day even more enjoyable. One of the best trips ever and a must do when in Iceland.
Loved the tour our guide was brilliant again very knowledgeable and answered any questions promptly. I would love to do this tour again and probably try a summer tour as well
Great tour. The sights are so impressive and splendid, even in the rain. Guide Tommy was very funny and knowledgeable. Takk fyrir! Comfortable coach. Driver not really talkative but drove us safely. Hope to visit Ísland soon again!
I loved this tour so much! It was the best tour I did on Iceland. The Guide (Palli) was so good at telling interesting things about Icelandic culture, history, geology and attractions. I only wish that we would have had longer time at the Thingvellir National Park to actually get to explore the area. :)
An excellent experience for us. We enjoyed the many sights and side journey to the church. It was special to see a bride and her bridal party.
The weather was bad but the tour was great
Ist was such a great Tour. The tourguide was very nice and gave us a lot of information, mixed with funny jokes and Storys about trolls and fayries. Every time again.
We had lovely experience with Piter,thank you for the interesting and informative tour!
We were incredibly fortunate to be booked for the Golden Circle tour with Simon as our most impressive guide and host. He is without a doubt the most professional, yet personal, guide we have had the pleasure of spending our day with during our many travels. He was not only well versed in the history of his country and the places we visited along the way, but went out of his way to get us both on a second tour that same day without reservations in advance (Blue Lagoon.) He has been doing this for quite some time and it really shows through in his professionalism and enthusiasm. We would wholeheartedly recommend him for any tour you desire, from basic to the most complex customized multi day. Just get in contact with him and he will take care of it all for you so you do not have to worry about the minutiae. Sincerely, Joel and Galina
Tour mit den besonderheiten Islands. In kleiner Gruppe und sehr unnteerhaalttsamme Tourguide.
Excellent service and Bill and Bob did their best (Magic and Howser). We learned a lot aside from the wonderful views. The stories behind the people and the places are wonderful. It is a must. I would rather booked this tour than driving myself around. The visit to the home made ice cream and dairy farm as well as the horse petting is a bonus.
8,5 hours
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