Overview
Take a trip to the Golden Circle on your Iceland Vacation
After Reykjavik, the most popular activity on an Iceland vacation is usually the Golden Circle tour easily done in half a day from Reykjavik but perhaps more interesting if taking a full-day tour or on a self-drive vacation. Generally, the distance covered on the tour is around 300 kilometres/186 miles. There are three major attractions which are all within 100 kilometres/60 miles of Reykjavik.
Thingvellir National Park is 40 kilometres/25 miles from Reykjavik and is a UNESCO World Heritage site because of its historical, cultural and geological significance. It lies in a valley that is the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. It is also the site of Iceland’s first parliament established in 930 AD. The parliament met here until 1798. There are no real visible remains but signposts and a visit to the visitor's centre give an idea about it.
The next stop is usually the Gullfoss Waterfall which is exceptionally beautiful. On looking at the waterfall from the viewing platform, one gets a bird’s eye view of the tumbling and rushing waters and a feel for the force and power of nature. The water falls down 32 metres/104 feet in two stages into a rugged canyon where the walls are as high as 70 metres/230 feet in height.
Possibly the highlight of the Golden Circle on an Iceland tour is the opportunity to see geysers/hot springs in action. The highly active Geysir Hot Spring area has boiling mud pits and exploding geysers. The most active is Strokkur which spouts water 30 metres/100 feet into the air every few minutes. It has been known to reach 40 kilometres/125 feet in height. One can get fairly close to it. The other major geyser is Geysir is not far from Strokkur and is less active.
At a Glance
Languages
IcelandicCurrency
Icelandic Króna (ISK)Trending Trips
Unforgettable Journeys.6 Trips Found
Showper page
9
6 Trips Found
Iceland Complete Road Trip
Reykjavik and Golden CircleExplore Iceland's stunning scenery on an unforgettable road trip. From Reykjavik, visit geysers, glaciers, and waterfalls, and unwind in the famous Blue Lagoon before heading home.
10 days
From US$2,756/p.p.
Request a Quote
Iceland Complete: Winter Wonders of Fire & Ice
Reykjavik and Golden CircleChase the northern lights across Iceland on a small group journey through glacier lagoons, volcanic shores, steaming springs and story-rich fjords.
9 days
From US$3,863/p.p.
Request a Quote
Iceland Golden Circle: South Coast Road Trip
Reykjavik and Golden CircleExplore Iceland’s waterfalls, volcanoes and hot springs on this independent self-drive adventure, from the Blue Lagoon to Vik and the wild beauty of the south coast.
5 days
From US$1,023/p.p.
Request a Quote
Hidden Powers & Northern Lights Tour
Reykjavik and Golden CircleSee Iceland’s iconic wonders on this small group tour with first-class stays, from geysers and glaciers to the Blue Lagoon and the elusive Northern Lights.
6 days
From US$2,157/p.p.
Request a Quote
Iceland Complete Road Trip
Reykjavik and Golden CircleExplore Iceland's stunning scenery on an unforgettable road trip. From Reykjavik, visit geysers, glaciers, and waterfalls, and unwind in the famous Blue Lagoon before heading home.
10 days
From US$2,756/p.p.
Request a Quote
Iceland Complete: Winter Wonders of Fire & Ice
Reykjavik and Golden CircleChase the northern lights across Iceland on a small group journey through glacier lagoons, volcanic shores, steaming springs and story-rich fjords.
9 days
From US$3,863/p.p.
Request a Quote
Iceland Golden Circle: South Coast Road Trip
Reykjavik and Golden CircleExplore Iceland’s waterfalls, volcanoes and hot springs on this independent self-drive adventure, from the Blue Lagoon to Vik and the wild beauty of the south coast.
5 days
From US$1,023/p.p.
Request a Quote
Hidden Powers & Northern Lights Tour
Reykjavik and Golden CircleSee Iceland’s iconic wonders on this small group tour with first-class stays, from geysers and glaciers to the Blue Lagoon and the elusive Northern Lights.
6 days
From US$2,157/p.p.
Request a Quote
What do the experts say?
Globetrotters should visit Iceland twice in their lifetime. Once in summer and another time in Winter. The scenery is very different. You also get to see the puffins in the summer and Northern Lights in the winter
Iceland has a big New Year's celebration where many people flock to the streets, gather around bonfires, enjoy fireworks and party in pubs and bars. Try Hákarl, fermented shark if you dare
For any movie fans, you have to visit the Lebowski Bar in Reykjavik - this is a homage to the Big Lebowski. You can sip your White Russians while eating a great meal
When visiting Iceland everyone should try Hákarl - Fermented shark followed by Brennivin, a liquor that cut's through the strong flavour.
Atlantic tectonic plates, Thingvellir National ...
Gullfoss Waterfall, Iceland
Geyser Strokkur, Geysir National Park, Iceland
Travel Stories
Get Inspired About Your Trip to Iceland
Unlock more by subscribing to our newsletter.
With our newsletter, you’ll get access to regular communications that inspire you and help you explore the world your way.Exclusive Savings
Insider Benefits
Trending Stories
ExcellentBased on 5,268 ReviewsI have had Melissa Moses plan our trips for us for quite a few years. She always finds interesting sights for us to see, the hotels are always beautiful and everything runs perfectly. Can't wait to get started on the next adventure. Andrea JonesJust returned from a two week trip to Prague, Vienna and Budapest booked by Michael Keon at Goway
This was our second trip booked with Michael
Hotels were all excellent, in great locations, transfers to and from airports went without a hitch and train travel was exactly as planned.
As we worked through all the details of planning the trip, he responded to lib questions promptly, making finalizing the trip very easy
I would highly recommend him as a travel agent, and we will be using him again
Kevin BourkeKatie's knowledge and support were the primary reason the trip worked so well.
Everything went smoothly, and the vacation could not have been any better. The hotels were wonderful, the two tours we took went well, and there were no issues with flights or transfers.
GERARWe have used Goway Travel previously, and they are the best. Our travel specialist, Shalini Thakur, designed our trip to Italy exactly the way we wanted. They make traveling so low-stress. The itinerary is very detailed, giving you plenty of time to review prior to your trip. We have drivers that meet us at the airport and take us to and from all stops on our trip. No dealing with trains and buses and taxis and dragging your luggage all over.
They have great local guides for excursions, most in small groups of 10 or less. The trip is so much more meaningful with a knowledgeable guide to explain the history.
Our accommodations are always centrally located to our excursions, most of the time we are picked up at our hotel.
We like to keep busy on our trips, but Goway always plans a great balance that gives us time to rest a little after late nights or long days, so you don't get exhausted, which is nice as we are all in our late 60's.
Although we have never needed to use it, it gives peace of mind knowing Goway has 24/7 emergency contacts if you need anything.
We will definitely be contacting Shalini and Goway for our future trips.
David MerrifieldBig shout out to Melissa-Lee and her team at Goway. She crafted a personal adventure through Peru. We gave her our must see places and she nailed it.
The team on the ground was exceptional. The guides were all very knowledgeable. The hotels were all chosen carefully and exceeded our expectations. Could not have asked for a better tour.
We will definitely use them again.JoanneI began planning my Italy vacation with Avery more than a year before we traveled, and I want to start by giving her the recognition she deserves. Avery did an exceptional job planning this trip. From the beginning, I had a very clear vision of what I wanted to experience in Italy, and she listened carefully and captured it. The destinations, hotels, tours, transportation and overall flow of the trip were thoughtfully planned. Aside from three specific issues that I will address, everything came together extremely well.
One of the things I appreciated most was the attention to logistics. The hotels were conveniently located, our tour meeting points were generally close to our accommodations, and the routing between cities made sense. Those details may seem small during the planning process, but once you are actually traveling through multiple cities, they make an enormous difference. I especially appreciated the meet and greet services and arranged transfers because they removed much of the stress that comes with arriving somewhere unfamiliar. I did not have to constantly worry about where to go, how to get there or who I was supposed to meet. I was able to enjoy my vacation instead of managing the logistics of my vacation.
The people Avery arranged for us to work with in Italy were also excellent overall. Our drivers, guides and local representatives were professional, pleasant and easy to communicate with. We stayed at five hotels, and with the exception of Dharma Luxury Hotel in Rome, the other four were excellent. I loved them and would not change those selections. From a travel planning perspective, I would give Avery more than five stars. She listened, understood what I wanted and created the Italy experience I had envisioned. I would absolutely work with her again and recommend her to others.
There were, however, three specific issues during the trip that I believe deserve attention. These involved the third-party operator used for our Siena, San Gimignano and Chianti tour, our experience at Dharma Luxury Hotel in Rome, and the response from Goway’s emergency travel support. I want to separate these concerns from my experience with Avery because I do not believe they reflect the quality of the work she did planning our vacation.
My recommendations are therefore directed toward strengthening the third-party services surrounding the travel experience. I recommend that Goway review the operator used for the Siena, San Gimignano and Chianti tour, reconsider Dharma Luxury Hotel based on the maintenance and customer service issues I experienced and conduct a formal review of its emergency support provider, including whether the response to my request complied with the provider’s contractual service levels.
Overall, this was an incredible Italy vacation, and Avery deserves tremendous credit for making it happen. Planning an excellent vacation is important, and she accomplished that. At the same time, what happens when something does not go according to plan is also an important part of the travel experience. The three problems I encountered were specific and identifiable, and addressing those areas would make an already excellent travel planning experience significantly stronger.S MoolahKatie our travel agent planned a wonderful trip for us. Everything was taken care of and we didn’t have to worry about anything. I would highly recommend Go Way travel when planning a trip. 49ergirlI worked with Maria S. from Goway Travel to build a tailored trip to the Azores and mainland Portugal. Maria provided excellent, responsive and patient service, never pressured me into making decisions, offered multiple options for managing pricing, answered my many questions clearly and fully, and always met the timelines she would set to get back to me. Once I was on my trip, Maria checked in several times even though there was an operator on the ground at my destination; she even resolved a minor mix-up with one of my hotels and arranged for a special surprise on my birthday. I cannot speak highly enough of Maria's professionalism, follow-through, positivity, attention to detail and responsiveness. I highly recommend Goway and Maria for your travel plans, and will definitely use this company again for my future travels. Thank you so much for making my trip to Portugal so memorable, Maria! Michele B.Extremely delighted we took this trip to Bali with Goway. Ameet was fantastic. He helped me save on my flights and also guided me on the right hotel decisions. Extremely Charming and always a pleasure to chat to. We enjoyed the Komodo islands a lot thanks to our specialist who made the recommendation. Hid guidance on the places and restaurants was spot on and we and my gf enjoyed the trip so much. We will consider using Goway and Ameet for our Honeymoon as well.Garth CutosPrompt, professional service when booking our trip. Excellent suggestions to add to our experience. Shalini was very accommodating and went beyond our expectations to meet all of our requests. Loved the small group tour.Oscar
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified
Verified