Capture the spirit of Iceland during this Golden Circle tour from Reykjavik. With a local guide, explore Thingvelllir (Þingvellir) National Park's mossy expanses and deep fissures. The site of the world's oldest existing parliament and home to the Geysir geothermal area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the Gullfoss waterfall, the most impressive cascade in Iceland, which makes for spectacular photos. Travel in a climate-controlled coach featuring an audio guide available in 10 languages. National park fees and round-trip transportation from Reykjavik hotels are included (if option selected).

Discover Iceland's Golden Circle on a comprehensive tour
Explore Thingvellir National Park, Geysir Hot Springs, and Gulfoss
Learn about Iceland's geologic history from your guide
National park fees are included

What's Included

Local guide
In-bus audio guide with a choice of 10 languages (English, French, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Finnish)
On board free WiFi
USB charger available in every seat

Food and drinks
Headphones / earbuds for the on-board audio guide (please bring your own; or, they are available for purchase on site)
Hotel pickup is not included with your purchase. SmartBus™ hotel pickup is available at extra cost.

Meeting And Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Meeting point

Reykjavik Terminal
Skógarhlíð 10, 105 Reykjavík, Iceland
The tour will start from Reykjavik Terminal. Please be there at least 15 minutes before your chosen departure time.

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Pickup details

Hotel pickups are operated by SmartBus™ - for hotel pick ups we kindly ask you to be ready outside your accommodation or at the nearest bus stop 30 minutes before departure time. Because of traffic limitations, customers staying in postcode 101 might have to make their way to the closest pick-up spot. Your hotel receptionist can help you find out which one that is. If you are staying in a private accommodation, please contact the local supplier to know Please note: pickup is not available from Airbnb or private housing. Please contact the operator for information information on the nearest pick up location to your accommodation Pick up is also available from the following hotels: - Apartment K - Ingólfsstræti 1a - AR Central Apartments - Best Western Hotel Reykjavík - Black Pearl Hotel - Domus Guesthouse - Flying Viking Guesthouse - Grettisborg Apartments - Guesthouse 101 - Guesthouse Aurora - Guesthouse Summerday - Laugavegur Apartments - Reykjavik Domestic Airport - Villa Guesthouse - Black Tower - Gray Tower - Stay Apartments Einholt - Stay Apartments Laugavegur - Stay Brilliant - Skarfabakki cruise terminal - Reykjavík Terminal - Elding Whale watching center - Frakkastígur Apartments - BSÍ Bus terminal - Thomsen - Brilliant apartments - Apartment K - Lindargata 60 - Reykjavik 4you Apartments - Laugavegur 85 - Bergstaðarstræti Aparments - Hotel Reykjavik Center - Sandhotel - Apartment K - Skólastræti 1 - Apartment K - Laugavegur 74 - Apartment K - Laugavegur 85-86 - Apartment K - Laugarvegur 46 - Apartment K - Hverfisgata 37 - Apartment K - Thingholtsstraeti 2-4 - Apartment K - Hverfisgata 14 - Phoenix Hotel - 1912 Guesthouse - Pávi Apartments - B14 - Rooms and Apartments - Konsulate Hotel by Hilton

What To Expect

Following a morning meetup at Reykjavik Terminal or pickup at your hotel (depending on the option you selected), board the climate-controlled coach and embark on the Golden Circle tour of Iceland's most remarkable natural landmarks. Along the way, learn about the history, ecology, and geology of the area through the onboard audio guide, available in 10 languages.

In Thingvellir National Park (Þingvellir), see the fields of verdant moss and the gash in the earth where the Eurasian and American tectonic plates are pulling apart. Learn about this UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to the world's oldest existing parliament, founded by the Vikings.

Stop at the Geysir geothermal area, home to the Strokkur geyser, which erupts with a 98-foot (30-meter) column of boiling water every 4 to 8 minutes. Continue to Gullfoss, one of Iceland's most impressive waterfalls, where the Hvítá River cascades over three precipices into a 105-foot (32-meter) crevasse.

Conclude the tour at your original departure point.

Reykjavik Terminal

Tours depart from the Reykjavik Terminal located at Skógarhlíð 10. Please be sure to arrive 15 minutes prior to departure along with a printed or digital copy of your ticket/voucher. If you have booked a hotel pickup with SmartBus™, please be at your chosen pickup location 30 minutes before the departure of the tour. Look for the Green SmartBus™ which will be outside your accommodation at within the 30 minutes of pickup. From Reykjavik Terminal, hop aboard your vehicle and travel into the Golden Circle with your guide. Along the way, learn about the history, ecology, and geology of the area through the on-board audio guide — available in 10 languages.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Thingvellir National Park

Located on the northern shores of Þingvallavatn (Iceland's largest lake), Þingvellir (anglicized as 'thingvellir') is the national pride of Iceland and our first National Park. It is, for one, a key location in Icelandic history as the oldest existing parliament in the world first assembled there in 930 AD. For this reason, Þingvellir has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is, therefore, a protected national park due to its unique geology and natural features. From the viewing area, the Almannagjá canyon between two tectonic plates can be seen, a visual representation of continental drift. As the first stop along the tour, you will have an opportunity to walk through the park and use the restroom if needed.

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Audio-guide languages available: English, French, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Finnish
Not wheelchair accessible

Stroller accessible
Near public transportation
Infant seats available
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 60 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Traveler Photos

Traveler Tips

Not enough time exploring each place and for lunch so would bring snacks with you if going in winter plenty of warm clothes and wet gear essential

This is a must in Iceland, pick up and drop off at hotel, which was great for me.

Reviews

4.5

210 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

Showing 1-10 of 210 reviews

Good tour with a great driver

Tim_L, Feb 2023

Enjoyable tour. Had a great driver who kept us informed , with a sense of humor, about both the trip and the stops we made. Bonus points to our driver for driving safe in snowy/icy/narrow road conditions. Highly recommended!

Ticket said hotel pick up...

Louise_O, Feb 2023

Ticket said hotel pick up and apparently it shouldn't have restrictions in place with traffic. The hotel said that this is a common problem with this operator and they offer hotel pick up's which are not possible.

Sights at the geyser, parliament and waterfall are wonderful !

Joan_L, Jan 2023

our guide was extremely knowledgeable and shared lots of interesting information. the scenery alone was worth the trip even though on the day it was very windy and very, very cold. Given the road conditions, our driver was amazing and very skilful, so it felt like a safe trip! There is a reasonable amount of distance to be covered from the bus park, to each of the sights, and walking to and from felt quite tiring, so please, consider mobility issues. I didn't have time to walk to each and back AND do any shopping, but I preferred to see the sights because you can go shopping elsewhere, so I concentrated on spending time looking around instead. This trip is well worth the money, but wrap up well with hat, gloves, scarves and wind- and water proof jacket or coats. The bus wasn't terribly well heated so it's important to stay warm.

Golden circle

mary_m, Dec 2022

Trip was awesome - picked up outside our hotel and taken on tour to see such wonderful sights - Bo our guide was very informative, his English was fantastic and few jokes thrown in ….he had the patience of a saint as one v rude couple complained about seating and wanted to sit elsewhere so he asked if anyone would switch … personally …. Either sit down or get off - this kept everyone waiting trying to accommodate ‘the entitled crew’ … Anyhow the waterfalls, geysers and glaciers were spectacular - well worth it - Only downside was .. I had asked for hotel pick up which we got but on return we were dropped quite a distance from hotel -especially after such a long day :( All in all- this trip i’d recommend 100%- just wrap up, wear good boots as parts can be slippery! Thanks you guys !🌟🌟🌟

Cracking day tour

Sarah_G, Nov 2022

Fantastic day trip. Our guide Anastasia was great and provided lots of information on the various locations we passed and visited, as well as interesting folk tales. The Geysir's were amazing to see (and we even got soaked) and the Gulfoss waterfall was simply breathtaking

Response from Host, Nov 2022

Thank you for taking the time in writing us this review. We are glad to see you had a great time on the Golden Circle with Anastasia and we hope to see you again in the future.

Great day for the golden circle

Gerald_S, Oct 2022

We had a great trip , it was very windy the day we went , but we still enjoyed the attractions . We selected hotel pick up and that went very well, I saw other reviews where people missed the trip because they were at the wrong pick up spot. It is confusing, especially if you don’t know the streets . Hotel pick up is the way to go.

Response from Host, Oct 2022

Thank you Gerald for writing us this review. We are glad to see all went smooth with your tour and that you had such a great time!

very enjoyable trip with great scenery and some amazing sights

STEVE_K, Oct 2022

good excursion with a variety of stops. guide was good and very knowledgeable but had broken English which occasionally made his commentary a bit disjointed. Very poor weather but driver coped well with it. One of the stops could have been a bit longer as it was a rush to get to see the features the guide showed us and then get back to the coach. Overall very enjoyable trip with great scenery and some amazing sights

Response from Host, Oct 2022

Thank you Steve for taking the time in writing us this review. We are glad to see you had a good time on the Golden Circle tour and we hope to see you again in the future!

I would say it is a very...

Joanna_L, Sep 2022

I would say it is a very good for those whose age between 5-65 easily hop on and off on a big bus tour. We had a whole day raining with actual 35 min walk at each stop, except lunch time. I would go for a small group tour in the future.

Response from Host, Sep 2022

Thank you Joanna for taking the time in writing us this review. Our tours are meant for all ages as are easily accessible and not more than a few minutes walk from the parking lot. We encourage the customers to explore as much as they can during the stop at each attraction.

Best way to see Iceland in one day

Stefana_L, Jul 2022

Best way to see Iceland in one day! We had a one-day stop-over and wanted to see as much as we could, and this was a great way to do it! It was nice not having to worry about transportation; just sitting on a bus and then getting to spend time at each attraction made it significantly less stressful. It's a long day, but it's worth it!

Response from Host, Jul 2022

Thank you Stefana for writing us about your experience. Golden Circle is definitely the best choice you have for just 1 day in Reykjavik, as you get to see what Iceland has to offer in just 8h, how long the tour is. We hope you will be back in Iceland and explore even more.

Great Day in Reykjavik!

Charles_B, Jun 2022

Bo was a terrific guide/driver. Knowledgeable and entertaining. A great introduction to Iceland. Spend a day getting introduced to the country.

Response from Host, Jun 2022

Thank you Charles for writing us this review and for joining us on the Golden Circle tour. We cannot agree more that this is the right tour for an introduction of what Iceland has to offer.

Worth it!

Marcelo_D, Mar 2022

Amazing awe-inspiring sights and sounds. Such an unforgettable trip where you go through so many kinds of landscapes like towering mountains and endless snowy plains. The guide was helpful, the service was on time and the ride very confortable.

Response from Host, Mar 2022

Thank you Marcelo for joining us on the Golden Circle tour and for taking time in writing us this review. We are happy to see you had a good time and Iceland did not fail to impress you.

We all loved all of the...

Elizabeth_G, Jan 2022

We all loved all of the trip but the Geysir had to be the part that stood out. Our tour guide was amazing and filled us with information great trip to do if you get the chance.

Response from Host, Feb 2022

Thank you Elizabeth for taking time in writing us this feedback. We agree, Strokkur is the one who can steal the show on the Golden Circle tour. Hope that you will join us again and explore even more of Iceland together.

Excellent tour

Samantha_G, Dec 2021

Fabulous tour guide yo-yo and driver begee,very informative and super helpful,would highly recommend

Response from Host, Dec 2021

We are happy to see you have enjoyed the company of our guide and driver for the day. We hope you now have plenty of nice memories after this experience and you are already planning your next one!

Much more time is needed

Frida_r, Nov 2021

Too much stress at each stop. Did not got lunch the time as promised and that does not work out good with children. Wanted too have more time at the Geysir, we only saw one. Too much bus time. They even went by other places (Secret Lagoon) to pick up peolpe, and we did not book a trip to Secret Lagoon.

Response from Host, Dec 2021

Thank you Frida for taking time in writing us about your experience. We are sad to hear that you feel there was not enough time at each stop. We do offer a 45min up to 1h at each stop along the Golden Circle tour and this tour is 7,5h long. The stop at Secret Lagoon is extra on our itinerary and while other customers are boarding the bus, you get the chance to see one of the oldest natural hot pots in Iceland. We hope that you still found the energy to enjoy this tour.

Amazing

Jamie_R, Aug 2021

An amazing tour through beautiful scenery, BG was an incredibly friendly and informative guide with knowledge on every aspect of life in iceland and answers to any question you might have.

Response from Host, Sep 2021

Hello Jamie! Thank you for your time in writing us a review. We are glad to see you have enjoyed your tour with us and we hope that all the nice memories you now have will make you come back and visit us again in the future. You are always welcome on board with us!

Highlight was the Gullfoss waterfall

Reuer_R, Aug 2020

The Tours are very strange with the programm, the people dont need stress on the holidays,everywhere all over the world you’re Guide gets a little bit time with the guests to sit together drink something and relax but this tours are the same as you going with a normal bus, it says audio guide in German but there is no possibility to put our ear headphones inside, it’s a little bit frustrating

Great and highly recommend

Tuhel_K, Feb 2020

This tour was BRILLIANT. We did the south coast tour as well as norther lights but golden circle was by far the best one. Our guide, Raga was initially quite rude. She spoke to everyone like we were on a school trip but she was really military when it came to timing. Through the day, she warmed up to everyone and in the end she was actually quite nice. We had a really good day at this tour and the weather was so sunny, made up for not seeing the northern lights

Worth a visit

sonia_s, Jan 2020

Not enough time exploring each place and for lunch so would bring snacks with you if going in winter plenty of warm clothes and wet gear essential

TIME TO PICK UP

WALDYR DE C, Oct 2019

It is informed that the pick up will be at 8:00 am but it only occurred at 9:00 am. If you consider me leaving 30 minutes before to wait for the bus, it means that I spent 1:30 waiting for the bus. It was informed that it would be a green bus, which did not happen. Imagine you get off the ship and have more than 30 buses on the patio and you have no detailed information on where and how to take the bus and green bus information is not real. I know that the bus went through all the hotels before going to the port, but it makes no sense having to wait more than 1 hour and besides the clear lack of information on how to take the bus, since as I said on the patio there were over 30 bus. Imagine the question whether the bus really would come or if it came and went without me seeing it. Total 9:00 h up to 15:30 = 5:30 hs tour

Short and Sweet

Anoushka_G, Jun 2019

This was a very well planned tour that lasted 8 hours. The sights were incredible and you still have energy at the end of the tour to have a leisurely evening. The interactive tablets were a nice touch on the drives in between sites.