Small-group Golden Circle Classic Tour from Reykjavik

The first stop of the day is the town Hveragerði, where we have a short restroom stop. Hveragerði is about 45 min drive from Reykjavik. There are restrooms, a bakery and an exhibition about earth quakes. Consider this a short pit-stop on our way to the Golden Circle.

Gullfoss, is one of the most famous waterfalls in Iceland. It is powerful and tall. Through it the river Hvítá, which is a glacier river originating from Langjökull, plunges down this two step waterfall. There are a handful of viewing platforms to observe the waterfall and above Gullfoss there is Gullfoss center where there are restrooms, a cafeteria and gift shops. NOTE: The path leading all the way up to the waterfall is closed during the winter season.

In Haukadalur there is a field of hot springs associated with the hot spring Geysir, but Geysir is one of the most famous hot spring in the world and used to be a geyser. The main display is the hot spring geyser Strokkur, which erupts approximately every 5 minutes. Here we have time to walk around the area and this is also where we break for lunch. At Geysir center you find restrooms, gift-shops and the restaurant Glíma which serves for suitable for any pallet or diet.

Þingvellir is full of history and natural beauty. It stands between the North-American and Eurasian tectonic plates. This rift valley has a special place in the hearts of all Icelanders. It is where our nation was formed by the Norse Viking settlers when they established the oldest parliament in the modern world, Alþingi Íslendinga, in the year 930 AD. At this stop there will be enough time to walk around and explore this natural marvel. This is the closest you can get to being in two continents at the same time. We will have the opportunity to walk in the rift valley, where the tectonic plates are pulling apart. We can observe this movement since under the national park the Eurasian and the North-American tectonic plates are moving apart by ~2 cm every year. Þingvellir was designated as a World Heritage of UNESCO in 2004 and is unquestionably one of the most beautiful and historic places in Iceland. In the area there are restrooms and coffee shops for visitors.

We'll stop at Kerið crater, a 6500 year old volcanic formation containing a small lake. This crater is characterised by the contrasting colours of the moss, red volcanic rock and light blue water. Be sure to venture down to the lake side and take in the majestic beauty that is Kerið.