you can walk up to the fence and pet these guys. Here’s how I find the cheapest airline flights. Here are a few more wanderlust-inducing articles that I recommend you read next: Have any questions about driving Iceland’s Golden Circle? It’s not possible to fit it into a day trip with the Golden Circle, you’d need to spend a night out there too. If you're asking yourself, 'what is the Golden Circle?' What activities are available, and how do they differ between the summer and the winter? Ready to fly? Parts of this road are gravel, so take your time and go slowly. Once a typical cone-shaped volcano, the top has since collapsed into an empty magma chamber. If you long for some more activity, then you could book a snorkeling tour in Silfra by Thingvellir or a horseback riding tour on the outskirts of Reykjavík and get back to the city in the late afternoon or early evening. Home » Europe » Iceland » Driving The Golden Circle: Iceland’s Popular Day Trip. Don’t forget a horse-selfie! If you do an even more extended Golden Circle, you could drive down to Stokkseyri and enjoy some fine langoustine at Fjöruborðið or go to Rauða Húsið in Eyrarbakki. You can also stop by Skálholt if you like and visit its historical church, and learn about this important location in Iceland's history. The three primary stops on the route are the Þingvellir National Park, the Gullfoss waterfall, and the geothermal area in Haukadalur, which contains the geysers Geysir and Strokkur. This 5-day adventure is a journey into a world of diversity,... What are the recommended means of enjoying an 8-day holiday in Iceland? POPULAR. How Long Should You Spend on the Golden Circle? As a result, you have the option to stop at some extra sights along the way. If you want to have a lie-in, you can do the circle in the afternoon or evening. Discover Cars is a great site for comparing car prices to find a deal. These would be perfect times to capture sunrise and sunset photos in the spring or fall or admire the Northern Lights during wintertime. The dramatic scenery at Gullfoss makes it one of Iceland’s most popular attractions. The area around Gullfoss Waterfall gets pretty windy, so a waterproof jacket (and maybe even pants) is recommended if you plan to get close. There are hundreds of different Golden Circle tours to choose from, but in case you'd rather drive this route yourself instead of going on a guided tour, then here are a few excellent reasons and tips on how to do it! (Click to watch Iceland Road Trip (Golden Circle & Ring Road) on YouTube). By driving yourself, you can do some research beforehand and find the best places to stop for a bite to eat along the way. These roads are only open during the summer. This is also where the North American & Eurasian tectonic plates are slowly splitting apart from each other, creating deep fissures in the ground. Golden Circle and the Blue Lagoon with admission tickets included plus Kerid Volcanic Crater 25.900 kr. Learn how I save money booking hotels & vacation apartments. We pulled into the parking lot as the sun was beginning to set on this red volcanic crater covered in green vegetation. If you find it useful, I’d appreciate if you use my affiliate links when you book hotels, rental cars or activities. Don’t forget travel insurance! Iceland is working to eliminate the Covid-19 virus. It is the area that contains most tours and travel-related activities in Iceland.[1]. You could be back in Reykjavík in the early afternoon (from Thingvellir, it's only about a 45-minute drive to Reykjavík) or spend the whole day exploring Thingvellir National Park. On the way, make a stop by the crater Kerið, which takes about half an hour to walk around. Head towards Hveragerði, but turn left onto Route 431, which turns into Route 435. But the golden circle road is well maintained. Golden Circle, Iceland. You might feel more at ease in a 4x4 if there's heavy snow on the ground. You’ll find many friendly horses on farms throughout Iceland. Weather changes quickly, and a sunny morning can easily turn into a snowstorm later that day. When does the midnight sun take place in Iceland? It’s better to get an early start to avoid traffic. On weekends they offer yoga classes, and on Thursdays, they have Irish Coffee evenings. But the park is actually much larger and encompasses the entire lake of Thingvellir, which would take about an hour to drive around, or a full day or two to hike (it's about 60km or 37 miles, but the route is almost flat). The weather in Iceland can be unpredictable. The 'grandma style' cooking at Kaffi Klettur in Reykholt also gets great reviews if you're looking for traditional comfort food with local ingredients. The road is twisted and winding with plenty of cute picnic clearings and great views out to the lake. If, on the other hand, you want to camp for the night and you haven't had dinner yet, then shop for coals and something to put on a barbeque in the small village of Laugarvatn (Icelandic lamb is highly recommended!). Golden Circle Tour – Day trip from Reykjavik 7.990 kr. Photo credit: Varmá at Frost & Fire Hotel. Tours will give you ample time at each location to see the main sights, but with your own car, you can choose to go for a 1-2 hour hike within the National Park, or perhaps bring a picnic and settle down in some mossy clearing with a view over the lake. Since the Golden Circle is the most popular attraction in Iceland, there are hundreds of different tours going there all day, every day, and you're spoilt for choice when it comes to picking the best outing for you. First up, find a rental car that suits you. You could also decide to add a hike to the warm river in Reykjadalur to your Golden Circle route, and then choose to stay at a lovely hotel in the village Hveragerði or its beautiful campsite. If you decide to drive the Golden Circle in a counterclockwise direction, starting at Kerio Crater Lake and ending in Þingvellir National Park, then there’s a beautiful backroad you can take to one of Iceland’s geothermal power plants. Click on the top left of the map to find separate layers marking the route and points of interest. If you're driving the Golden Circle yourself, it's more likely that you can find privacy on the way. A lonely road driving through pretty Icelandic landscapes. There are two famous geysers here called Geysir and Strokkur. They're only open during summertime. If you're coming to Iceland for the first time, then you'll be visiting the Golden Circle route without a doubt. This Golden Circle itinerary is completely free! For more info please read my, Driving The Golden Circle: Iceland’s Popular Day Trip, Iceland Road Trip (Golden Circle & Ring Road), Sony A7 (A7R II) Camera: Travel Photography Dream, Biking Italy’s Apennines Mountains In Emilia Romagna. Book your complete trip with the best companies only. Here are some tips for how to visit, Organizing an Iceland road trip, but afraid of driving? Some foreign credit cards may need to be charged inside rather than at the pump. Hiking down to the bottom of the crater only takes 5 minutes. After descending a long staircase from the parking lot, a concrete pathway allows visitors to walk along the edge and look down into the roaring cascade of water. Dip into Iceland's largest wealth of Self... Guide to Iceland | The Story of the Leading Travel Agency of Iceland, The Ultimate Winter Itinerary for Iceland. Continue... See a selection of wonderful photographs that capture the magic of the Northern Lights throughout Iceland. When you get to Nesjavellir Geothermal Plant, you might want to check out their geothermal exhibition. Most people just go to the same paths in only one section of the park, next to the information center. Once we left Reykjavik, we started driving the Golden Circle going NE on Route 36 towards our first stop, Þingvellir National Park. Here are some great options for where to stay nearby. The original Geysir no longer erupts after an earthquake shut it down, but a second one called Strokkur constantly explodes with scalding water shooting 100 feet into the air every 10 minutes or so. The bottom is filled with a deep blue shade of water that sets off the red & green colors on the crater itself. [2] Other stops include the Kerið volcanic crater, the town of Hveragerði, Skálholt cathedral, and the Nesjavellir and Hellisheiðarvirkjun geothermal power plants. There are select midnight sun tours available in the summer. I’ve worked hard putting it together for you. In the strictest sense, Iceland’s famous Golden Circle is a popular route between 3 of Iceland’s most visited attractions. But the best part is you can do the whole trip in a single day. Gullfoss means “gold waterfall” in Icelandic, and when the sun hits it just right, it certainly fits the description! A lot of summer cabins are in this area. A 4x4 is unnecessary unless you are going during wintertime. Self-driving the Golden Circle is a popular day trip for visitors to Iceland. It looks like a spaceship! You can take this route right back to Reykjavik, and it’s a lot less busy than the normal way back. All the tomatoes and cucumbers are grown on the premises. MOST POPULAR View All Tours. Here is the Iceland Golden Circle Route If you are short on time the Golden Circle Route is the perfect day trip from Reykjavik. If you're asking yourself, 'what is the Golden Circle?' “Life leaps like a geyser for those who drill through the rock of inertia.”, Travel Planning Resources For Golden Circle, As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Here’s everything you should know about, Want to improve your photos? The Golden Circle (Icelandic: Gullni hringurinn) is a tourist route in southern Iceland, covering about 300 kilometres (190 mi) looping from Reykjavík into the southern uplands of Iceland and back. Find and compare rental cars here and be on your way to exploring the Golden Circle in detail! After admiring the powerful waterfall and walking down the hiking path to its rim, it's time to head towards Geysir, which should also be relatively quiet in the late afternoon/early evening. I'm also a member of other affiliate programs. The next day, you can get up early and catch the quiet morning before most people arrive, or sleep in and go for an extended walk around the area in the afternoon. There's so much more to Thingvellir than just Almannagjá, Peningagjá (the Money Rift), Silfra, and Öxarárfoss. Thingvellir National Park is the location of Iceland’s first Parliament, started back in 930 AD. Above you’ll find a map of my itinerary for Iceland’s Golden Circle. Here's our version of a perfect weekend trip to Iceland. Depending on when you’re visiting, driving in Iceland isn’t too difficult if you follow certain guidelines. If you only want to make this a one day trip, then simply head to Thingvellir and go for a stroll there in the evening sun before making your way back to Reykjavík. If you spend a night at one of the hotels or campsites in the summer, the midnight sun allows you to enjoy the area's natural attractions without herds of tourists around you. Not as well known as the other Golden Circle attractions, Kerid Crater is definitely worth a quick stop if you have the time. One of these, called Silfra, is full of icy glacier water where some people go snorkeling or scuba diving. Autumn is a favorite season to explore the park when the low shrubs covering the area turn multi-colored. Which mountains are the most beautiful mountains in Iceland, where are they located and what kind of mountains can you find in Iceland? Though Geysir has been mostly dormant for many years, Strokkur continues to erupt every 5–10 minutes. Grab a tent (or rent a tent) and leave Reykjavík around 09:00 am. Are 8 days enough to fully explore th... Are you planning to spend a weekend in Iceland and want to make the most of your short journey?