The Golden Circle is one of two popular road trips you can take in Iceland. The Golden Circle, not to be confused with the Ring Road, will take you through the inland area in Southern Iceland. Along the road you’ll visit geothermal areas, waterfalls, swimming areas and more! Everyone’s Golden Circle stops will be different but the best part of this area is that there are tons of things to do along the Golden Circle so you can pick and choose what appeals to you to create your own Golden Circle tour.
The Golden Circle is comprised of three “official” stops. And if you choose to do a guided tour, these are the likely stops you’ll get. However, if you’re willing to drive yourself, you can turn a short day, into a long day or two days with these 8 Golden Circle stops below. Keep reading to get ideas to create your own Golden Circle self-drive tour.
Self-Drive Golden Circle Information
The Golden Circle is a 185 mile (ish) loop. Stops vary, but most people spend a full day driving. However, you can always extend your time to two days to see everything that is included in our list of Golden Circle stops.
We drove this counter clockwise. However, most people drive this clockwise as they leave Reykjavík. We only had one very busy stop (Geysir). I’m not sure if that’s because we drove counter clockwise or just the day/time that we started (8 AM on a Saturday in July). Besides Reykjavík, this was the busiest place in Iceland that we visited, so keep this in mind and adjust your expectations. However, “busy” in Iceland is more like having a hard time finding a parking spot but then only seeing 20 people when you’re at the actual attraction.
If you have a car already rented, this is the best option for you. Why pay more for a tour when you can drive yourself with a car you’ve already paid for? Driving in this area is easy to understand, well marked, and not very crowded.
Golden Circle Tour Information
If you don’t have a car during your trip to Iceland, you may want to consider doing a Golden Circle tour. The self-drive option may still be preferable for you just to keep control of your itinerary or to save money if you have multiple people in your group. If you want to self-drive, you can rent a car in Reykjavík.
If you do decide to do a Golden Circle tour, there are many different tour companies to choose from. A majority of tours include the “official” Golden Circle stops. Some include a few extras. Tours range anywhere from a half day to a long full day. Prices fall between $50 USD and $200 USD. Guided tours are a less expensive option for people visiting Iceland in small groups (2 or less) or people who have not already rented a car. So while we generally don’t recommend guided tours, a Golden Circle tour is a good option for a lot of travelers.
The “Official” Golden Circle Stops
Þingvellir National Park
Cost: 750 ISK for parking
Þingvellir National Park is one of the most popular Golden Circle stops. And there’s a reason: it has so many things to see!
First and most popular is the convergence of the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. There are spots in the park where you can literally be in two continents at once. While these two plates are close together in sections, they are actually drifting farther apart each year.
Second, is the history of the place. This is the site of the first ever parliament, back in 930. There is an area where you can walk which will give you a walking tour of the history of this site. This was fascinating! This includes a large assembly area and the foundations of ancient structures which were used during the parliamentary meetings.
Third, Öxaráfoss waterfall is simply stunning. This is a quick walk from the parking lot and is tucked between cliffs so it is a quiet, tranquil, and not very busy Icelandic waterfall. We were the only two people at this waterfall at 10 AM.
Lastly, you can also explore some of the other sites in the park, including an ancient church, some more modern historical homes and the largest lake in Iceland.
Time: 2 hours
Geysir Geothermal Area
Cost: cash donation for parking
The Geysir Geothermal Area is a very popular Golden Circle stop. And possibly one of the busiest places we visited in Iceland. However, it is well worth a stop. This is a beautiful geothermal area with hot springs and erupting geysers.
At Geysir, you get to see the famously consistent Strokkur geyser. In our opinion, this geyser is better than Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park. There is a rope here to indicate where you can and can’t stand. However, you can still get very close to the water. There is even a “splash zone” where you can get drenched from the water falling. Make sure not to stand on wet ground if you want to avoid this “splash zone” as it is not marked. Strokkur erupts every 5-10 minutes and reaches heights of up to 70 meters. We stuck around for 3 eruptions it was so fun.
However, don’t expect to see the actual Geysir geyser go off. While that is the largest geyser in the park, it is inconsistent and has been known to go dormant for years, including these recent years.
Time: 1 hour
Gullfoss
Cost: FREE
Gullfoss is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland. It is huge! And if you go on a sunny day, chances are you’ll catch a glimpse of the famous rainbow in the mist of the waterfall. This is one of the most popular Golden Circle stops and probably the most visited waterfall in Iceland.
At Gullfoss, you can take photos from a high viewing area. Then, you can walk down into the mist and get very close to the edge of the thundering waterfall. Make sure to pack a rain jacket! This waterfall is great because you can create your own experience depending on your time and adventure level. You can have an adventurous splash around in the mist or a calm tour stop.
Time: 1 hour
The “Other” Golden Circle Stops
Hike To Reykjadalur Thermal Hot Springs
Cost: 500 ISK for parking
This was one of our top five Icelandic experiences. After a one hour hike, you’ll find yourself in a geothermal field surrounded by rolling green hills. What do you do here? Bathe in the hot river of course! The hike, coupled with the hot spring, made this a truly amazing experience that really lived up to our Iceland expectations.
Time: 3 hours
Bruarfoss
Cost: 750 ISK/vehicle
Bruarfoss is considered to be Iceland’s bluest waterfall. So while it may not be the most impressive in terms of scale, it makes up for it in quality. A new parking lot is 3 km off the main Golden Circle road but makes the actual stop to see the falls quick and easy.
Time: 30 minutes
Kerið Crater
Cost: 400 ISK/person
Kerið Crater is a lake in a dormant volcano crater. You can walk around the crater with its bright red rock and even walk into the crater to see the clear blue lake.
Time: 30 minutes
Secret Lagoon
Cost: 3000 ISK+ /person
Much like the Blue Lagoon, this bathing area and spa is located along the Golden Circle and is often the last Golden Circle stop of the day. This man-sustained facility allows you to bathe in the natural waters coming from nearby geysers. While the Secret Lagoon used to be a natural and secret spot, it is secret no more. Instead it provides you with modern amenities, like changing areas and snacks, while still being surrounded by nature.
Time: 1-3 hours
Snorkel Between Tectonic Plates
Cost: 12500-17500ISK/person
Where else can you snorkel in crystal clear waters between two tectonic plates? Answer: nowhere else. This is a truly unique experience. And while the water is barely above freezing and there are no cute fishies, the water clarity and the unique geological structures make this a fun experience. However, this cannot be just a random Golden Circle stop. You have to go with a licensed guide at specified times and purchasing tickets ahead of time is recommended.
Time: 2 hours
We hope these Golden Circle stops have helped you to plan your own self-drive tour of the Golden Circle. This makes a great day trip (or two) from Reykjavík. We’ve included costs for each Golden Circle stop and the time it took us to explore each stop in the hope that it will help you planning nerds (like us) out there. If you have any questions about stops along the Golden Circle please leave them below. Or check out the rest of our Iceland posts for plenty of vacation planning ideas.
Thank you for your excellent posts on day tripping from Reykjavic. We are presently in the middle of our week here and have used your tips successfully. I have an update for your readers.
Bruarfoss now has a new parking lot 3 km off the road with close access <500 metres from the falls. Parking is just 750 for a car for up to 4 hours.
Thank you so much for checking back in with me! I’m so happy you’re finding our posts helpful and I’ll update the post to include your new information.