Golden Circle and Secret Lagoon Full Day Tour

Overview

Gear up for a day of chasing waterfalls, marveling at geysers, and soaking in the oldest pool. In 2024, it was recognized by Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Award on Tripadvisor.

Explore Iceland's famous natural landmarks, starting at Þingvellir National Park. In this UNESCO World Heritage site, you can walk between two continents! Then, marvel at Gullfoss, a waterfall considered one of the most beautiful worldwide. Later, watch the natural wonder of Geysir, the original geyser, and its active counterpart Strokkur, which erupts sky-high at regular intervals.

Conclude your adventure with a relaxing soak in the Secret Lagoon, Iceland's oldest geothermal pool, with an erupting geyser nearby.

Duration 9 hours

Highlights

  • Golden Circle
  • Þingvellir National Park
  • Gullfoss Waterfall
  • Geysir Hot Springs
  • Secret Lagoon
Trip details
What's included
What to bring
FAQ

REYKJAVIK

We’ll pick you up at your hotel, guesthouse, or one of the bus stops in downtown Reykjavík in the morning. The pickup is between 8:00 and 8:30 a.m., but you must be ready at 8 o'clock. After the pick-up, we head out of town, and the guide introduces himself/herself.

 

THINGVELLIR NATIONAL PARK

The day's first stop is the Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park, a historical site and center of Icelandic natural beauty. It’s where Vikings founded the first parliament in the world. Today, it has a special place in the hearts of Icelanders and nature lovers as a geological marvel. Þingvellir was designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2004.

This is the closest you can get to being on two continents at the same time. Under the national park, the Eurasian plate and the American plate are separated by 2 cm (0.8 inches) each year. There are restrooms and coffee shops for visitors in the area.

 

GULLFOSS WATERFALL

The wonderful Gullfoss is the next stop on our journey. One of the biggest waterfalls in Iceland, it has a beautiful story that your guide will tell you during the tour. 

When Canadians and Americans come here, they call Gullfoss "the mini-version of Niagara Falls." We don't know if we agree with that, though. If you ask us, it's even prettier. The waterfall is close to the second biggest glacier in Iceland, Langjökull, and you will see the fresh glacier water falling 104 feet (32 meters) into the canyon. 

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

 

GEYSIR HOT SPRINGS

Geysir is undoubtedly the most famous hot spring in the world. It's so famous that people from other countries talk about "Geysers" when discussing erupting hot springs. It is located only an 8-minute drive from Gullfoss and is our third big attraction of the day. 

Geysir's "golden age" was at the beginning of the last century when it erupted up to 262 feet (80 meters) every half an hour. It stopped erupting in the fall of 2000. The only active erupting hot spring in the area is "the son of Geysir," called Strokkur. It erupts every 3 to 8 minutes and goes as high as 114 feet (35 meters).

There are restaurants in 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, we let our customers eat on the bus, especially if the weather is bad.

 

SECRET LAGOON POOL

The day's last stop is the Secret Lagoon, known in Iceland as the "Old Pool." Founded in 1891, it is the oldest geothermal pool on the island and has been enjoyed by locals for more than a century.

Luckily, it’s not as secret today. In Iceland, we do have more than 100 geothermal pools all over the country and it is a big part of the Icelandic culture to go there to relax. Nothing is more calming after a day out in Icelandic nature than ending the day in a geothermal pool. What sets Secret Lagoon apart from others is the atmosphere. It’s surrounded by mossy lava fields. There is a little hot spring there, which erupts every 4 - 6 minutes. If you feel too hot, it is nice to stand up and walk around the area on the walking paths around the pool. 

The water stays at a comfortable temperature of 100.4° - 104°F (38° - 40°C). Before you enter the pool, the staff will go over the rules and what to keep in mind for your visit. Remember to bring towels and swimsuits with you, but they can be rented at extra cost at the lagoon. We will spend about 90 minutes at the pool.

  • Small Icelandic treat
  • Icelandic music
  • Certified driver/guide
  • Free WiFi on board
  • Admission to Secret Lagoon
  • ...and a lot of fun
  • Shoe Spike Grips (Oct-Apr)
  • First of all you have to bring the good mood
  • Swimsuits and towels (if you forget them, you can rent them at the lagoon for 700 isk each) 
  • There is not much hiking in this tour, but it is always wise to wear good shoes
  • Warm clothes, the weather in Iceland can change really quickly

What is the cancelation policy?

  • Full refund if canceled due to weather. The cancellation fee can be withheld if canceled with short notice.

     - 1 day notice: 100% charge

 

What is the pick-up time?

  • For all our scheduled tours, pickup usually takes place between 8:00 and 8:30 am. We kindly ask you to be ready at your pickup location at 8:00 am.

 

When will we be back in Reykjavík?

  • Your Golden Circle & Secret Lagoon tour is approx. 9 hours, so we will be back in Reykjavík between 17:00 and 17:30.

 

Do you pick up from my hotel?

  • There are many areas in Reykjavík where buses are restricted so we only pick up from selected hotels and guesthouses in Reykjavík. For a detailed list of pickup locations please follow this link: https://yourdaytours.is/about-us/pick-up/. If your accommodation is not on the list, please drop us a line at [email protected]

 

Do you pick up from the airport?

  • No, we don't do it in our regular pickup. If you want a private transfer from the airport to your hotel, drop us a line and we will send you a quote.

 

Do you have an age limit on your tours?

  • Yes, the age limit is 5 years old. If you are traveling with a child, please let us know so we can arrange a booster or child seat.

 

I'm a vegan/vegetarian, is there anything I need to know?

  • Unfortunately, we do not offer any special treats for vegans. Our small treat does contain dairy. For both vegans and vegetarians, there are viable options at both Geysir and Reynisfjara, where we break for lunch at the Golden Circles and South Coast tours, respectively.

 

Is lunch included?

  • No, our lunch breaks in the Golden Circle tours are in the Geysir area - there are a couple of very nice restaurants there. On the South Coast tour, the lunch break is in Reynisfjara. There is no guaranteed lunch break on the Snæfellsnes & Kirkjufell tour.

 

What is your cancellation policy?

  • Cancellations by customers have to be made with 24-hour notice (8:00 am the day before the tour) or no refund will be given. If Your Day Tours cancels a tour due to bad weather or other unforeseen circumstances customers receive a full refund. All cancellations need to be made via email or confirmed with us over the phone.

 

What can I do when I can not finalize my booking because of an error/my credit card not being accepted?

  • If you've exhausted all other means we can send you a secure payment link to finalize the booking. Just send us an email at [email protected] and we can help you finalize your booking.
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Use Promo Code: SECRET10 Expires:: December 1, 2024

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