Golden Circle & Secret Lagoon Small-Group Tour from Reykjavik
Description
Indulge in a tour of the Golden Circle - the relaxing way, and explore some of Iceland's most famous sights, including Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss waterfall and the Geysir hot spring. Plus, see the erupting geyser Strokkur in Haukadalur geothermal area and visit the Secret Lagoon hot spring bath. Your tour begins with a mid-morning pickup from the city centre or cruise port. Board a climate-controlled minivan destined for the Golden Circle route. Over the course of the morning, stop at Gullfoss Waterfall, the Geysir Geyser, and Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates collide. On this tour, you will also spend free time soaking in the Secret Lagoon hot spring pool.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Golden Circle tour is the tour to take if you only take one tour in Iceland! The duration of the stops vary, but it is (very roughly) at least 30 min at each of the main sights.
You will take a short walk through Thingvellir, a National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site, located directly between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. The history here is also fascinating; Thingvellir was the original site of what is now the longest-running parliament in the world, formed in 930 AD.
Another stop will be in the geothermal are near Haukadalur valley. This hilly area has a lot of hot springs, but what it is most renowned for is its geysers. The largest, Geysir gave the world the word geyser, while Strokkur is the most active in the area, shooting water up to 30 meters high every five to ten minutes.
Admire the majestic waterfall Gullfoss. The sheer power of the falls is mesmerizing, and its history is inspiring.
On this tour, you will also get the time to slow down and relax like a local. Secret lagoon is Iceland’s oldest swimming pool, filled with water trickling in from an adjacent geothermal area, which, as an added bonus, has another little geyser. Its location could not be more serene, and you will no doubt ease away any tension built up over your holiday in its healing waters.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
*Please include the name of your ship if you are arriving at Skarfabakki Cruise Port* Some of the center hotels are located in the restricted area where we aren't allowed to drive. Please find your hotel below and meet us at it's designated bus stop. Thank you for understanding. PLEASE NOTE: These bus stops for tour buses are not the same as the bus stops for city buses. The tour bus stops have a blue pillar with pink bus sign at the top and the number and name of the bus stop. The city bus stops have a yellow "S" in a red circle (S as Strætó - city bus). Please do not wait at the city bus stops! Once you submit/confirm with us a specific bus stop, please meet us exactly at that bus stop and not any other. ___________________________ Bus stop 1 – Ráðhúsið – City Hall: Center Hotels Plaza Downtown Hostel Hotel Reykjavik Centrum Iceland Parliament Hotel Kvosin Downtown Hotel ___________________________ Bus stop 3 – Lækjargata (near the Hard Rock Café): Alva Apartments Apotek Hotel City Center hotel Hotel Borg Hotel Reykjavik Saga Radisson Blu 1919 Reykjavik Konsulat Hotel ___________________________ Bus Stop 4 - Miðbakki Black Pearl Apartment Hotel Exeter Hotel ___________________________ Bus stop 6 – Safnahúsið – The Culture House (corner of Ingolfsstraeti and Hverfisgata: 101 Hotel Canopy by Hilton Reykjavik City Centre Center Hotels Arnarhvoll Center Hotels Skjaldbreid Hotel Frón Loft Hostel Thingholt by Center Hotels Vintage Hotel Apartments ___________________________ Hallgrímskirkja (Bus Stop 8) B47 Hostel Baron's Hostel Hotel Holt Hotel Odinsve Leifur Eiriksson Reykjavik Downtown Hotel Sunna Guesthouse ___________________________ Bus stop 9 – Snorrabraut: 100 Iceland Hotel 4th Floor Hotel Alfred's Apartments Center Hotels Laugavegur Hotel Vera Hotel Von Laugavegur Apartments Skuggi Hotel ___________________________ Bus stop 12 – Höfðatorg (in front of Fosshotel Reyjavik): - Storm Hotel - Fosshótel Reykjavík - Tower Suites ___________________________ Bus stop 13 – Rauðarástígur (in front of Centerhotel Miðgarður): - Centerhotel Miðgarður ___________________________ Bus stop 14 - Skúlagata (corner of Skúlagata/Klappastígur) 41 - A Townhouse Hotel Alfred's Studios Ion City Hotel Reykjavik Residence Hotel Reykjavik Residence Suites Sandhotel The Swan House ___________________________ Bus Stop 15, Vesturbugt: - Reykjavík Marina - Berjaya Iceland Hotels - Grandi by Center Hotels ___________________________ BSÍ Bus Terminal: Travel Inn ___________________________ If your accomodation is located more than 10minutes walking from our pick up locations, you can contact us directly though Viator chat or send us an an email. We will try to arrange the best pick up location for you.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Bathing suit required for Secret Lagoon visit
- Please note: due to the driving restrictions in Reykjavík, we cannot guarantee a hotel pickup from all hotels. In case your hotel is located in the restricted area, we will ask you to meet us at a designated bus stop, which is never more than few minutes walking distance.
- Please notify us in case you need us to provide you a child seat or when you travel with a service animal.
- The tour operates with minimum 4 adult participants.
Reviews(1,948)
Rakel is the most amazing guide we've had on this trip so far! She is funny and engaging and great with children and tweens. She knew so much about Iceland and had stories to share about just about everything we passed or saw on the route. And not just facts and geology but folklore and history. She gave us tips at each location and allowed us space to explore on our own, at our own pace. I learned so many interesting things, not just about the Golden Circle but all of Iceland. I'm really glad we selected this tour! Highly recommend!
Great tour, great sights
Absolutely superb!! Rakel was the perfect guide. She gave us lots of personal insights to Icelandic culture and showed us places no other tour groups had found. She was funny and friendly and it’s clear that she truly loves her job. We got lucky and only had five people on the tour. For so many reasons, this was one of the best days we had in Iceland and I will remember it the rest of my life!
Rakel was a fantastic guide on an incredible tour. We learned so much. The highlight for me was the tectonic rift followed by the secret lagoon. Great day!
Ian knows the area well and enthusiastically shares his knowledge. His explanations are clear and easily understood. The whole day was enjoyable despite the constant rain.
The driver and guide was extremely authentic, knowledgeable, compassionate, and entertaining. Rakel was one of the best guides we’ve had. The day was very rainy, so it did put a little bit of a cloud over our experience.
Wonderful! The guide, Trond, was very professional and gave explanations along the way, answering all our questions and framing our visits with schedules that were generous enough to see the sites while still allowing us to do all the planned activities. The minibus is very modern, with USB ports for everyone. We even received a text message at the appointed time indicating the exact arrival time. Due to the pace, however, it is better to be in good health...
Trond was a great guide. He was entertaining, informative, relaxed and organized. Without feeling rushed, we had a very full and interesting day. We visited the national park and stood on the teutonic rift, saw the gorgeous waterfalls and geysers and had a soak in the secret lagoon. He even made time for us to stop at a favorite ice cream shop and dairy farm. It was some of the freshest and best ice cream we have had. We definitely recommend this excursion.
Trond our guide was fantastic at explaining the sights and life in Iceland. The bus was very comfortable and the sights were worth the visit. Trond tried to get us to the sights when the crowds were a little less. The stop at the Secret Lagoon was so relaxing!! Would love to have him guide me again in the future. Small groups are the way to go!!
The Golden Circle was a great tour. What made it absolutely magical was our guide Rakel! She was funny, knowledgeable and the love of her country shone through with every question she answered.
