Golden Circle Blue Lagoon & the Wonders of Reykjanes

Itinerary

Reykjavík

We pick you up at your hotel, guesthouse or at one of the bus stops downtown Reykjavík in the morning (click here to see list of bus stops). The pickup is always between 8:00 and 8:30, but you have to be ready at 8 o'clock. After the pick up we head out of town and the guide introduce him/her self. 

Þingvellir

The first stop of the day is the national park Þingvellir, which is full of history and natural beauty. It has a special place in the hearts of all Icelanders, all the way back to the Viking time when they founded here the first parliament in the world.

We will have enough time to walk around and explore this wonderful place. We will have the opportunity to walk in the rift valley, where the tectonic plates are pulling apart. This is the closest you can get to being in two continents at the same time, since under the national park the eurasian plate and the american plate are separating by 2 cm every year. 

Þingvellir was designated as a World Heritage of UNESCO in 2004.

In the area there are restrooms and coffee shops for visitors. 

Gullfoss

The wonderful Gullfoss is in our opinion one of the most beautiful waterfalls on earth. It is one of the biggest waterfalls in Iceland and there is a beautiful story about the waterfall which your guide will tell you. 

When Canadians and Americans go there they call it "the mini-version of Niagara falls", we don't know if we agree on that though, if you ask us it's even prettier. The waterfall is located close to the second biggest glacier in Iceland, Langjökull, and you will see the fresh glacier water falling down 32 meters total into the canyon. 

Gullfoss is beautiful from all angles, from above it looks perfect with the Icelandic nature around. In the summertime it is possible to walk all the way down to Gullfoss and feel it's power and spraying water in the air. 

This stop is minimum 45 minutes, enough time to walk around and explore. 

Geysir

Geysir is the most famous hot spring in the world, no doubt. It's that famous that people from other countries talk about "Geyser" when talking about erupting hot springs. Geysir is located only 8 minutes drive from Gullfoss and is our third big attraction of the day. 

Geysir is the father of all the hot springs in the area, and first erupted hundreds of years ago. The "golden age" for Geysir was in the beginning of last century when it erupted up to 80 meters every half an hour. Geysir fell asleep late last century but woke up again after the earthquakes in Haukadalur area in the year 2000. It was erupting for 4 months, with a little help from the locals who put soap in it to make it erupt. They stopped doing that due to environmental reasons, of course. Geysir has been sleeping since the fall of the year 2000.

The only active erupting hot spring in the area is "the son of Geysir", called Strokkur. Strokkur erupts every 3 to 8 minutes and goes as high as 35 meters. Strokkur is a spectacular hot spring, seeing this active hot spring erupt just a few kilometers from the glacier is a once in a lifetime experience. 

This is our longest stop of the day, where we have lunch and also time to experience the hot spring area (no bathing allowed!).

There are restaurants at the Geysir area where you can have burgers, salads, traditional Icelandic meat soup (our favorite) and much more. If you want to bring your own lunch with you, we let our customers eat in the bus, especially if the weather is bad.

This stop is about 1 hour and 15 minutes, enough time to both walk around and grab a bite.

Blue Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon is one of the most visited attractions in Iceland. A Geothermal Spa which The National Geographic listed as one of the most impressive wonders in the world. If you have ticket to the lagoon (we do not provide tickets) you can stay there for 2-3 hours. If you do not want to go into the lagoon you can stop there for 15-20 minutes, take one selfie and then head back to the bus for the wonders of Reykjanes.

For tickets please go to www.bluelagoon.is and get tickets in the 3pm-4pm slot.

Brimketill

Brimketill is a small natural lava rock pool on the Reykjanes Peninsula, a 15 minutes driving from the Blue Lagoon.

We will make a short stop there. Meet the waves and the rocks. The folklore relates that the pond was regularly occupied by a giantess named Oddný. The viewing platform overlooking Brimketill is just a few steps away from the parking lot starting with a small set of stairs.

Gunnuhver

The mud pools and steam, vents in south-west Reykjanes.

The area is close to Reykjanes lighthouse and is collectively named Gunnuhver after a female ghost that was laid there. She had caused great disturbance until a priest set a trap for her and she fell into the spring. This happened about 400 years ago.

The mud pools take form where steam from boiling geothermal reservoir water emanates and condenses and mixes with surface water. Accompanying gases such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide make the water acid. This causes alteration of the fresh lava rock to clay.

Steaming of the ground at Reykjanes increased markedly as a consequence of a pressure drawdown in the geothermal reservoir upon the start of production from the reservoir in 2006.

Iceland´s largest mud pool at present prominent, highest up in the Gunnuhver group. It is 20 meters wide across a rim of mud, boiling vigorously.

Two ramps are located at the Gunnuhver group, on close to Gunnuhver itself where you can look down to the spring and hear the vigorous noise, see the boiling water and feel the power bursting from the ground and the steam on your face. The other ramp is located on Kísilhól a silica hill. From there you have a good view over Gunnuhver group and surroundings.

Gunnuhver stands in the heart of the Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark where the North Atlantic ridge rises from the ocean, you find 100 different craters and lava fields, bird cliffs, high geothermal areas, black sand beaches, The Bridge Between Continents, geothermal power plants, lighthouses, and exhibitions.

Text from www.visitreykjanes.is

Reykjanestá

The nature on the Reykjanes peninsula is unique and since November 2015 it is known as Reykjanes Unesco Global Geopark.

The peninsula exists where the North Atlantic ridge rises from the ocean. There you can find 100 different craters, caves and lava fields, a variety of bird life, astonishing cliffs, high geothermal activity, and black sand beaches. Below are a few selections of interesting geothermal hotspots and attractions located in this area. 

After Gunnhver we drive for few minutes towards the lighthouse and make a short stop on the edge of the cliffs. Really unique landscape with birds, waves and a spectacular view to the ocean.

Bridge between continent

Bridge between Europe and North America on Reykjanes Peninsula.

The lava-scarred Reykjanes peninsula lies on one of the world's major plate boundaries, the Mid Atlantic Ridge. According to the continental drift theory the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates are continuously drifting apart with great forces under the gaping rifts. As the plates diverge, linear fractures, known as fissures form due to stresses created by the tension that builds up as the plates move away from each other.
The Bridge between two continents at Sandvík is a small footbridge over a major fissure which provides clear evidence of the presence of a diverging plate margin. The bridge was built as a symbol for the connection between Europe and North America.

Text from www.visitreykjanes.is