A day's loop from Reykjavik through Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss: the map, the time it takes, and 28 tours compared.
A loop of about 250 km from Reykjavik, through Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss.
It is one of Iceland's most popular routes, and you can do it in a day, by car or on a tour.
Þingvellir is where the tectonic plates drift apart and where Iceland's assembly met from around 930 until 1798. At Geysir, the Strokkur hot spring erupts every few minutes. Gullfoss, the Golden Waterfall, falls in two stages into a canyon.
Many routes and tours add Kerið, a red volcanic crater with a lake. The distance depends on what you add and who counts: about 230 km without detours, 242 km past Kerið, and up to about 300 km.
Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss, and often Kerið.
Distances and times are from Reykjavik.
About 45 min away
Walk through the Almannagjá gorge, where the plates pull apart. There is no entrance fee, but a car pays 1,000 ISK to park. Allow about 90 minutes for a short visit.
About 107 km away
Strokkur erupts every 5 to 10 minutes, and sources give 20 to 30 m high. The Great Geysir itself has been quiet since 1916. It is free, and 45 to 60 minutes is enough.
About 116 km away
Two drops, 31 or 32 m in all depending on the source. Bring a raincoat: the spray is cold even in the sun. It is free at all hours, and takes 45 to 90 minutes.
About 75 km away
A crater about 55 m deep, 270 m across, with a lake at the bottom. It is the only one of the four with an entry fee: 700 ISK, parking included. Not every tour stops there.
All about KeriðIn southwest Iceland, all within about 116 km of Reykjavik.
Drive for your own pace; book a tour if you have no car.
Or if you would rather leave the winter roads to someone else.
The main roads are serviced all year and any car can reach Gullfoss, though Route 35 can be icy in winter. You stay as long as you like.
Someone else drives, and a guide explains the stops. The time at each stop is set: on the most reviewed tour, from 20 minutes at Kerið to 80 at Geysir.
For a first trip, the full day by coach with Kerið: it has far more reviews than any other.
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4 tours from €70, 6 h 30 to 7 h.
From Reykjavik
For a first trip: the most reviewed tour here by far, with the three main stops and Kerið.
From Reykjavik
For the lowest price here, and a guide in your language through an app.
19 people at most, from €98.
Pickup in Reykjavik
For a full day in a group of 19 at most, with pickup included.
From Reykjavik
For a free morning in a group of 19 at most, with Kerið's fee included.
A longer day, up to 11 h.
From Reykjavik
For the most reviewed bath tour here, at a far lower price than the Blue Lagoon.
Pickup in Reykjavik
For the Blue Lagoon with your ticket booked, and about 2 hours there.
From Reykjavik
For an hour on the glacier, in the most reviewed of these tours.
Prices and ratings are read from GetYourGuide. Prices are rounded up. Last checked on 4 Nov.
Every tour here is free to cancel up to 24 hours before it starts.
| Tour | Duration | Starts | Min. age | Rating | From | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The classic day | ||||||
Most reviewedFull day by coach, with KeriðBusTravel IcelandGroup size: Up to 65 peopleStops and time there: Kerið 20 min, Gullfoss 45 min, Geysir 80 min, Þingvellir 45 minKeep in mind: Departures at noon or later skip Kerið. Allow 7 to 8.5 hours, and it can carry up to 65 people. What's includedIncluded
Not included
| 7 h | Bus Stop 12, Reykjavik, or pickup as an option | 2 years | €83 | See dates: Full day by coach, with Kerið | |
Lowest priceThree stops by coach, audio guide in 10 languagesGray Line IcelandStops and time there: Þingvellir 45 min, Geysir 1 h, Gullfoss 1 hKeep in mind: It has the lowest rating of the classic days, and no stop at Kerið. Bring your own headphones. What's includedIncluded
Not included
Bring
| 6 h 30 | BSÍ bus terminal, Reykjavik, or pickup as an option | €70 | See dates: Three stops by coach, audio guide in 10 languages | ||
| In a small group | ||||||
Full day in a small group, with KeriðNicetravelGroup size: Up to 19 peopleKeep in mind: Lunch is not included. What's includedIncluded
Not included
Bring
| 8 h | Pickup in Reykjavik | 5 years | €109 | See dates: Full day in a small group, with Kerið | |
Afternoon in a small group, with KeriðArctic AdventuresGroup size: Up to 19 peopleStops and time there: Þingvellir 25 min, Gullfoss 20 min, Geysir 45 min, Kerið 20 minKeep in mind: Shortest of the small groups: 20 to 45 minutes per stop. What's includedIncluded
Not included
Bring
| 6 h | Pickup in Reykjavik | 5 years | €98 | See dates: Afternoon in a small group, with Kerið | |
| With a bath or the glacier | ||||||
Golden Circle, Kerið and the Secret LagoonBusTravel IcelandStops and time there: Secret Lagoon 90 min, Geysir, Gullfoss, Þingvellir, KeriðKeep in mind: Bring a swimsuit and a towel, or rent the towel there. What's includedIncluded
Not included
Bring
| 10 h | Bus Stop 12, Reykjavik, or pickup as an option | 2 years | €121 | See dates: Golden Circle, Kerið and the Secret Lagoon | |
Golden Circle, Kerið and the Blue Lagoon, by minibusNicetravelStops and time there: Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss, Kerið, Blue LagoonKeep in mind: Choose the ticket type when you book. Bring a swimsuit. What's includedIncluded
Not included
Bring
| 11 h | Pickup in Reykjavik | 5 years | €224 | See dates: Golden Circle, Kerið and the Blue Lagoon, by minibus | |
Golden Circle and 1 hour by snowmobile on LangjökullIcelandiaStops and time there: Þingvellir, Geysir 1 h, Gullfoss, LangjökullKeep in mind: Two people share a snowmobile, and the driver needs a licence. Weather can cancel the ride. What's includedIncluded
Not included
Bring
Not suitable with
| 10 h | BSÍ bus terminal, Reykjavik, or pickup as an option | 5 years | €295 | See dates: Golden Circle and 1 hour by snowmobile on Langjökull | |
Compare all 28 toursEvery Golden Circle tour on GetYourGuide
About 3 hours of driving, and most of a day with the stops.
Most travellers take 5 to 6 hours for the three main stops. Add Kerið or a bath and it fills the day.
About 45 minutes from Reykjavik. Allow about 90 minutes for a short visit.
45 to 60 minutes among the hot springs. Tours often stop for lunch here.
45 to 90 minutes. A boardwalk from the café takes about 3 minutes.
Directly, or past Kerið, which adds a short walk.
The itinerary, hour by hourAll year: the route stays open, and what changes is the light.
About 21 hours of daylight around 21 June, and the most people: Gullfoss sees more than 2,000 a day.
About 4 hours of daylight around 21 December. Ice can close the lower paths at Gullfoss. See the Golden Circle in winter.
About 11 h 40 of daylight in mid-March, and about 6 h 30 in mid-November.
Kerið, your pickup and your lunch.
Not every tour stops there. On the most reviewed one, departures at noon or later skip it.
Several tours start from a bus stop or terminal in Reykjavik, and pickup is an option you choose when booking.
Almost none of these tours include it. Most stop where you can buy food, so bring cash or a card, and a raincoat for Gullfoss.
Yes if you have no car; if you have one, you may not need it.
About three hours without stopping, and 5 to 6 hours or more with the three main stops.
The itineraryTransport and a guide. Pickup, Kerið's entry fee and Wi-Fi depend on the tour, and almost none include lunch. Each tour's list is under “Compare in detail”.
Compare the toursFrom €70 on a coach and from €98 in a small group. With a bath, from €121. A private tour starts at €700 for a group of up to 3.
All the pricesGullfoss and Geysir are free. Þingvellir has no entrance fee, but parking costs 1,000 ISK for a car. Kerið costs 700 ISK.
They are not the same trip. The Golden Circle fits in a day from Reykjavik, and Iceland's tourist board lists the Ring Road as a route to combine it with.
The Almannagjá gorge at Þingvellir, an eruption of Strokkur, from the upwind side, and the lower paths at Gullfoss when they are open.
On some coach tours, children from age 2. Limits are higher with an activity: 5 or 8 on a snowmobile tour and 12 at Silfra. Each tour shows its own limit.
Pick how you want to spend the day, then your tour.