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Iceland’s Golden Circle is an adventure you definitely don’t want to miss!
So what is the Golden Circle? It’s the nickname of a driving route close to the main city Reykjavik that connects some of Iceland’s natural wonders. There are so many amazing places to explore in Iceland, it’s an outdoor lovers paradise. The Golden Circle is a great way to get a taste of Iceland’s amazing landscapes if you’re visiting just for weekend or to kick start a week long Iceland road trip. Whatever your plans are, this post has you covered! Keep reading for a complete guide to Iceland’s Golden Circle including a full day trip itinerary!
Highlights: Map of Iceland’s Golden Circle
- A: Leave from Reykjavik
- B: Thingvellir National Park
- C: Geysir
- D: Gullfoss
- E: Kerid Crater
- F: Selfoss
- G: Return to Reykjavik
What’s the easiest way to get around the Golden Circle?
The best way to get around Iceland’s Golden Circle is by renting a vehicle. You can either rent a car for the day or if you’re taking a week long road trip around Iceland you should definitely look into getting a campervan. If you want to get a taste of the #VanLife, Iceland is definitely the place to do it! If you aren’t interested in driving there are a variety of tour bus options available as well.
How long does it take?
You can drive the Golden Circle in one day and hit all the main spots. If you’d like to spend a little extra time at each location or hit some of the secret spots I mention later in this article, I recommend spending 1.5 days and booking accommodation or camping somewhere on the Golden Circle. Before setting out, take a look at all the options and come up with a plan that best suits your interests. Don’t forget that in the winter Iceland has limited sunlight so this might cut your days much shorter! You can read more about winter in Iceland and what to pack for your Iceland adventures here.
Day Trip Itinerary around Iceland’s Golden Circle:
- 9:00 – Leave Reykjavik head for Thingvellir National Park (45 minute drive)
- 10:00 – Visit Thingvellir
- 12:30 – Head to Geysir (35 minute drive), stop along the way for a short lunch
- 13:30 – Spend some time at Geysir, wander around and watch The Great Geysir erupt
- 15:00 – Head to Gullfoss (10 minute drive)
- 16:00 – Drive to the Kerid Crater (45 minute drive)
- 17:30 – Return to Reykjavik (1 hour drive)
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1) Thingvellir National Park
It’s not everyday that you get to say you’re standing between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates and that’s why this is one of my favourite places in Iceland. Not only does this national park hold historical meaning for the Icelandic people but the landscape in this park is phenomenal. I recommend hopping in the cold water (with a tour guide of course) to snorkel between the tectonic plates in the Silfra fissure. This fissure is known for some of the clearest waters in the world thanks to the purity of the glacier water that fills it! I’ve written a complete guide to snorkelling in the Silfra Fissure which you can read more about here.
2) Geysir
This is the location of the original Geysir, although it is not very active anymore, there are many other geysers in the park that are amazing to watch erupt. The most popular and most active one is Strokkur, which is pictured below. Seeing this erupt in person is amazing!
3) Gullfoss
Fun fact alert: Gullfoss stands for Golden Falls. Its an extremely powerful waterfall and a beautiful natural wonder! Iceland it known for its waterfalls so if you’re a waterfall fan you will love this stop!
4) Kerid
I’m told this crater is called “The Tub” – a fitting name! The inside has a beautiful blue lake, perfect for photo ops! You can hike along the top of the crater if you have spare time and take in the beautiful blue colour from above!
The Secret Spots on the Golden Circle: Thermal Hot Pots
All of these are amazing thermal hot pots that are the perfect place to take a relaxing break while on your road trip. Plan to spend at least a few hours at each thermal pool to fully enjoy the experience!
(1) Fontana Baths
Fontana Baths is located right along the driving route of the Golden Circle. They offer geothermal pools from hot to cold, and a sauna. The facility also has a dock on the Laugarvatn Lake in which you can do a cold plunge in! We really enjoyed our time here and went in the evening so it wasn’t as busy.
(2) The Secret Lagoon
The Secret Lagoon, also known as Gamla Laugin is the oldest geothermal pool in Iceland! They have one main pool that is from 38-40 degrees Celsius. This is an especially fun spot to visit in the winter as it feels really magical with the snow!
(3) Reykjadalur Thermal River
I can’t emphasize enough how cool this thermal river experience was, although it’s quite the hike to get there! It’s a 6 km hike round trip, but on the way there you are walking straight uphill. I would budget at least an hour from the parking lot to the river. Ensure you have enough time before the sunsets as being up there in the dark would not be fun! My recommendation would be to allocate at least 4 hours, 2 for hiking and 2 to enjoy the hot springs and perhaps a picnic up in the mountains!
There you have it! This post was all about Iceland’s Golden Circle and included a day trip itinerary. I hope your Iceland trip is magical!
