If you do just one tour in Iceland, it needed to be the Golden Circle. From Reykjavik, this tour is incredibly easy and takes anywhere from 6 to 8 hours, depending on time of year and weather. I’m writing this guide for you as if you were conducting it yourself; the route is really straight forward and easy.
Of course, if you have or want to book a tour for the Golden Circle, then this post is also for you. There are lots of operators in Reykjavik and GetYourGuide has at least 5 different options. I would strongly recommend going with Reykjavik Excursions. Our tour which we did with them was excellent and I’ll speak about the pros and cons of this in a little while.
For now though, here is everything which you need to know on the Golden Circle Tour from Reykjavik. Enjoy!
Golden Circle Tour from Reykjavik | Your Quick Guide
The Route
I’ll start with the route first, including the main places to see and timings. In the post I’ll link it to different times of year and the key differences in seasons. I’d say that there is no wrong time to do the route, just be prepared for more crowds during the warmer months.
The route is written from the perspective of a self-drive tour. However, all of the tour companies follow the same route and so it should give you a flavour of what to expect. The post should also help you decide who you want to go with, as each tour does change the itinerary slightly.
Start off from Reykjavik
Leave Reykjavik as early as possible. You want to avoid the crowds in the summer and I would recommend leaving as early as you dare. This should mean that you have the first place all to yourself so that you don’t lose any of the magic.
If you are doing your Golden Circle Tour from Reykjavik in the winter, say December, then you’ll want to kick back your departure time. I would suggest leaving at around 08:30 / 08:45, and this applies to either braving an icy self-drive or a group tour. This will mean that you arrive at Gullfoss at around 10:00 and the sun should just be rising. We did this and had the lookout all to ourselves.
Tip: If you want a morning coffee, many of the places in Reykjavik are closed during the winter. I’d recommend making up some coffee before departure, or waiting until you reach Gullfoss. There’s a really nice café here.
Stop 1: Gullfoss
Your Golden Circle Tour starts with Gullfoss, arguably the most legendary waterfall in Iceland. The site is incredible. If you arrive early, you’ll be able to park the car and walk past the café down the walking route. In the winter this can get quite slippery, so be careful!
Once you make your way down, you’ll be given two choices. You can either walk straight to the main lookout point, or head down the metal stairs for another view. I’d personally recommend heading to the main lookout point. We were the first to arrive here and seeing Gullfoss at sunrise, by ourselves, is a magical travel moment I’ll never forget. The geography of this place from up here is awe-inspiring.
Then, head down the metal stairs. Once again, these can be slippery, so be careful. You can then walk along the wooden walkways towards the falls for a different perspective. You’ll also see a rope-fence in front of the cliffs. Apparently, people ignore this and fall down into the gorge, so please don’t do that!
Once you’ve taken in all that Gullfoss has to offer, head back to the café. They sell lots of different cakes and warm drinks, plus there is also a shop for warm clothing in case you have forgotten.
Tip: In the winter, wrap up warm! We went in -8℃ and could barely keep our hands out of our pockets for a few seconds. The wind is really strong and icy, so be prepared.
Stop 2: Geysir Geothermal Area
Your next stop is Geysir, which is a large geothermal area. You would have driven through this small settlement to get to Gullfoss and may have even seen Strokkur erupt already!
One big benefit of starting early is that you can beat the crowds here too. After midday or so, this place is crawling with tourists and getting a good picture of the geysers becomes impossible. Park your car by the visitor centre and cross the road crossing. You’ll then walk down a gravel track towards Stokkur, which by this point should have let off a huge burst of steam and boiling water up into the air – you can’t miss it.
This area has plenty of smaller bubbling geysers and it will smell heavily of sulphur. It is a true volcanic landscape and is perfect for taking interesting photos of the terrain. I also spotted quite a few birds here too, which surprised me.
At the end of the path you’ll be able to see Stokkur, which is the main geyser people come to see. It erupts every 5 or so minutes, so if you missed it you won’t have to wait for long. To time the photo, keep an eye on the pool. The geyser erupts as the water gets too hot, and you’ll be able to see the ripples and turn to waves, which get larger over time. When the pool looks like it’s going to bounce, then get the camera ready to take the photo.
Nearby is also the Great Geyser, which is more aggressive than Stokkur but is now dormant, and has been for the past decade or so.
Stop 3: Thingvellir National Park
Your final stop is Thingvellir National Park and you’ll visit this on the way back to Reykjavik. In the summer, I’ve seen that some tours do this first. Personally, I’d still start at Gullfoss as you don’t want tourists clogging up the area later in the day.
Thingvellir Visitor Centre can be found at the heart of the park. From the Geysir Geothermal Area you’ll drive right through the park, even seeing your first rift between the tectonic plates. I personally loved driving through Thingvellir; there was fresh snow on the ground and it was approaching golden hour. I would though say that I wouldn’t have felt confident driving through it by myself on this day with all the ice.
When you park up at the visitor centre, I’d suggest starting at the lookout. You’ll get incredible views over the park, seeing the Silfra Fissure, where people can dive between the tectonic plates. From here, you can then walk down into the park. You’ll begin by walking between two plates in a giant gorge, which has been made famous through tv shows such as Game of Thrones. In the distance, you’ll also see a white pole signifying Low Rock, where the first Icelandic parliament was held in the 10th Century.
You can spend as long as you like in Thingvellir and this is my main complaint with a guided tour. They usually only give you 30 minutes, which really is not enough to see this incredible place.
General Guidance and FAQs
Tour or Self-Drive?
This is a question which I get asked quite a bit for various destinations. In some places, like our two weeks in Sri Lanka, it really made sense to book a private tour and we left fully understanding and appreciating the country because of it (on a side-note, I definitely want to re-do Sri Lanka by ourselves now). With other countries, especially those in Europe, I think it makes sense to do day trips by yourself. When we were in Japan in 2025 we did everything by ourselves and didn’t go on one tour, meaning we saved money and experienced the culture by ourselves at our own pace.
With Iceland I think that there is no wrong answer, but it depends on how long you’re spending and when.
For a short amount of time, you’re probably going to spend at least £600.00 on a car (based off an SUV for 4 nights) not including petrol. Tours usually start at £60.00 per person, so you can compare the cost of the car vs. however many tours you want to do.
Then it comes to how long you’ll spend in each place. For the Golden Circle, tours usually give you enough time to see the main places. I didn’t feel that I was being rushed at Gullfoss or Geysir, but could have done with more time at Thingvellir National Park. Whilst this was frustrating in some ways, we were also there in December and the roads were incredibly icy. I wouldn’t have felt safe driving on them around Thingvellir during this time.
Overall, I’d say that if you’re in Iceland for a longer length of time in the summer, do self-drive (tours will add up quickly). If you’re there in the winter, stick to tours no matter the length of time. .
Can I Combine Tours?
In short, the answer is yes! In fact, in winter the perfect combination is the Golden Circle Tour with a Northern Lights Tour from Reykjavik. We did this through Reykjavik Excursions, which cost us around £200.00. This did save us a little bit of money, but also meant that we had a good break between the two for a power-nap!
Another good option is combining with an activity, such as diving through the Silfra Fissure. This is only really possible with a self-drive of the Golden Circle, as they won’t give you anywhere near enough time in Thingvellir otherwise.
Golden Circle vs. South Coast
If you are only in Reykjavik for a night or two and can only choose between one tour, I’d probably say that the Golden Circle has a slight edge over the South Coast. I really enjoyed our South Coast Tour from Reykjavik, and it is definitely the runner-up when it comes to best tour. However, the Golden Circle has its name for a particular reason. It shows you the very best of the south of the country has to offer.
In terms of cost for a guided tour, the Golden Circle also usually comes out as cheaper than the South Coast. This is because it is nearer and you’ll save petrol costs.
Final Thoughts | Golden Circle Tour from Reykjavik
I hope that you found my post on the Golden Circle Tour from Reykjavik helpful. Like I’ve said, it is the quintessential tour from Reykjavik and should be high up on the priority list for any traveller to Iceland. If you have just 4 days in Iceland, make sure that this is on your list – you won’t regret it. As I’ve said though, make sure that you judge whether you’ll be able to do a self-drive or a tour. There isn’t really a wrong answer and you’ll have a fantastic time either way.
If you’re wondering how else to spend time in Reykjavik, check out my posts on What to do in Reykjavik and Day Trips from Reykjavik. I hope that it helps you plan your perfect Icelandic getaway.
