Grand Golden Circle & Whale Watching Tour
Short on time and looking to make lasting memories in just one day. Our combo tour featuring whale watching and the Golden Circle might just be perfect for you.
Join the best whale watching tour Reykjavik has to offer and cruise the waves in search of a variety of creatures including minke whale, dolphins and seabirds. Humpback and orca sightings are somewhat rarer but can´t be ruled out.
After your time spent on the open seas, join your bus tour of the Golden Circle, featuring some of Iceland´s most popular natural wonders. Travel in a landscape shaped and influenced by the forces of glacier ice and volcanic fire.
Enjoy the eruptions of steam and boiling water at Geysir; the mind-blowing power of Gullfoss waterfall; The volcanic crater at Kerið; and the impressive geology at Thingvellir National Park.
Tour highlights & itinerary
- Professional guide
- Pickup and drop from various central locations
- Whale watching boat tour ticket
- Kerið volcanic crater entrance fee
- Free WiFi on board
- Food or drink
- Warm, water- and windproof clothing are always useful in Iceland. Warm overalls are available for the whale watching tour
- All tickets are e-tickets so there is no need to print them out
- If you don´t see any whales on the tour, you can see join the boat tour again on another day for free
- The Whale Watching Boat tour is operated by our trusted partner, Elding. If you are making your own way to the Old Harbour, please arrive to Elding´s ticket office by 08.45. The address is Ægisgarður 5c (Old Harbour), 101 Reykjavík, Iceland.
- Disclaimer: The full duration of this combo experience is around 11.5 hours in total. Please be aware that the tour could run longer if affected by bad weather or other delays
- Disclaimer: Full refund if canceled more than 24 hours before departure. No refund if canceled with less than 24 hours notice
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Itinerary
Itinerary
ReykjavíkElding´s pickup bus services various designated central locations.
Please be patient while they collect all passengers.
1 Whale Watching Boat TourYour day begins with our Reykjavik whale watching tour. Reykjavík´s sits on Faxaflói bay, which is known for its abundance of plankton and krill, perfect fodder for a variety of whales and other sea life. Join Elding´s modified whale watching vessel which has an indoor seating area as well as various viewing decks. The north Atlantic can be cold and windy so we provide overalls and blankets for all passengers.
Admire the Reykjavík coastline as well as Mt Ésja to the north, as we cruise out to sea in search of these sometimes shy inhabitants of the waters here. The most commonly seen whales are minke, but sightings of humpbacks and orcas are not unusual. We also often see dolphins, seals and sea birds.
Our passionate guides are experts on the sea life here and will educate and entertain you between sightings.
After your return to port, make the short walk from the boat to Tour Bus Stop # 4 for your Grand Golden Circle tour pickup.
2 Thingvellir National ParkWe head east from Reykjavík towards our first stop of the day at Thingvellir National Park. This UNESCO world heritage site is renowned both for its geological features as well as its important role in Icelandic history and culture. The most impressive area of the park is no doubt Álmannagjá gorge which marks the mid-atlantic rift, where the eurasian and north-american tectonic plates meet.
Thingvellir is also the former site of the first Althing, the world´s oldest continuous parliament having first met here in 930ad.
3 Geysir geothermal areaNext up is Geysir in Haukadal valley. All geysers in the world are named after the eponymous example here. Geysir itself no longer erupts but its little sister Strokkur can be relied upon to erupt every 7 minutes or so. It´s a wonderful sight to behold as a burst of boiling and steaming water erupts up to 30 meters into the air. You will have time to enjoy several eruptions as well as a stroll around other hot-springs and mud-pools.
4 Gullfoss waterfallWe continue on to Gullfoss Waterfall. The raging waters of the Ólfusá river crashes down several levels here before continuing its long journey towards the sea far to the south. View these magnificent falls from one of several viewing points.
5 Kerið volcanic craterWe have time for one final stop before our tour ends. Kerið Volcanic Crater is the remnant of a massive eruption approximately 6500 years ago. Today a small lake fills the center of the crater and you can take the winding path down towards the water. Kerið is yet another example on today´s tour that demonstrates the creative and destructive effects of the natural forces at work in Iceland.
- Reykjavík
Our bus drop you back to Reykjavík, to the location from which you were picked up earlier in the day.
Elding´s pickup bus services various designated central locations.
Please be patient while they collect all passengers.
Your day begins with our Reykjavik whale watching tour. Reykjavík´s sits on Faxaflói bay, which is known for its abundance of plankton and krill, perfect fodder for a variety of whales and other sea life. Join Elding´s modified whale watching vessel which has an indoor seating area as well as various viewing decks. The north Atlantic can be cold and windy so we provide overalls and blankets for all passengers.
Admire the Reykjavík coastline as well as Mt Ésja to the north, as we cruise out to sea in search of these sometimes shy inhabitants of the waters here. The most commonly seen whales are minke, but sightings of humpbacks and orcas are not unusual. We also often see dolphins, seals and sea birds.
Our passionate guides are experts on the sea life here and will educate and entertain you between sightings.
After your return to port, make the short walk from the boat to Tour Bus Stop # 4 for your Grand Golden Circle tour pickup.
We head east from Reykjavík towards our first stop of the day at Thingvellir National Park. This UNESCO world heritage site is renowned both for its geological features as well as its important role in Icelandic history and culture. The most impressive area of the park is no doubt Álmannagjá gorge which marks the mid-atlantic rift, where the eurasian and north-american tectonic plates meet.
Thingvellir is also the former site of the first Althing, the world´s oldest continuous parliament having first met here in 930ad.
Next up is Geysir in Haukadal valley. All geysers in the world are named after the eponymous example here. Geysir itself no longer erupts but its little sister Strokkur can be relied upon to erupt every 7 minutes or so. It´s a wonderful sight to behold as a burst of boiling and steaming water erupts up to 30 meters into the air. You will have time to enjoy several eruptions as well as a stroll around other hot-springs and mud-pools.
We continue on to Gullfoss Waterfall. The raging waters of the Ólfusá river crashes down several levels here before continuing its long journey towards the sea far to the south. View these magnificent falls from one of several viewing points.
We have time for one final stop before our tour ends. Kerið Volcanic Crater is the remnant of a massive eruption approximately 6500 years ago. Today a small lake fills the center of the crater and you can take the winding path down towards the water. Kerið is yet another example on today´s tour that demonstrates the creative and destructive effects of the natural forces at work in Iceland.
Our bus drop you back to Reykjavík, to the location from which you were picked up earlier in the day.