Golden Circle & Glacier Snowmobile Tour

A Golden Circle snowmobile tour that adds an hour on Langjökull glacier to the three classic stops. You see Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss by coach, then ride a snowmobile across Iceland's second-largest ice cap, two people to a machine.

• The three classic Golden Circle stops: Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss
• A one-hour guided snowmobile ride on Langjökull glacier
• Protective clothing and safety gear provided for the snowmobile
• Runs all year, so also an option in summer
• Coach pick-up from central Reykjavík

Your day, stop by stop

2Þingvellir National ParkWhere the tectonic plates meet and Iceland's parliament first met.

Þingvellir is where Iceland's parliament, the Alþingi, first met in 930, and it lies in a rift valley where the North American and Eurasian plates are pulling apart. Chieftains gathered here every summer, laws were recited from the Lögberg (Law Rock), and the plain below still shows where the assembly booths stood. The lake beside it, Þingvallavatn, is the largest natural lake in Iceland. The park is free to enter and open all year. A UNESCO World Heritage Site where you can walk through the rift between the North American and Eurasian plates.

Walking · easy paths, about 1 kmFacilities · visitor centre and toilets

Read our Þingvellir National Park guide →

3Geysir geothermal areaHot springs, with Strokkur erupting every few minutes.

Geysir gave every geyser in the world its name. The original Great Geysir now erupts only rarely, sometimes after earthquakes, so the show is Strokkur, a short walk away. It throws boiling water 15 to 20 metres into the air every 5 to 10 minutes, and sometimes a good deal higher, so you will see several eruptions while you are here. Keep to the paths between the pools and stay behind the ropes, as the water is very hot.

Walking · short, flat pathsFacilities · visitor centre, café and toilets

Read our Geysir guide →

4GullfossA powerful two-step waterfall in a deep canyon.

Gullfoss, the Golden Falls, drops about 32 metres in two steps into a narrow canyon roughly 70 metres deep and 2.5 kilometres long. The water comes from the Hvítá river, which is fed by the glacier Langjökull. Glacial water often turns golden-brown in sunlight, and rainbows hang in the spray on bright days. A path with stairs leads down to a lower level, closer to the water.

Facilities · café, shop and toilets

Read our Gullfoss guide →

5Langjökull glacier snowmobilingA one-hour guided snowmobile ride on the ice cap, two per machine.

After a safety briefing and protective clothing, you ride a shared snowmobile for about an hour across Langjökull, with a guide leading the group, two per machine. Only the driver needs a valid licence. Helmet and gear are provided.

Time here · about 1 hour on the snowmobileDriving · only the driver needs a valid licenceGear · protective clothing and helmet provided

Read our Langjökull guide →

About the Golden Circle snowmobile tour

This tour covers the Golden Circle at a normal touring pace, then adds a real adventure activity: an hour on a snowmobile on Langjökull, Iceland's second-largest glacier. You travel by coach to Þingvellir National Park, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, then to the Geysir geothermal area to watch Strokkur erupt, and on to Gullfoss, the great two-tiered waterfall.

From there the group transfers to snowmobiles for a one-hour guided ride across the ice cap, two people sharing each machine. All protective clothing, helmets and safety equipment are provided, so you do not need your own gear, and only one rider per machine needs to hold a valid driving licence.

The tour runs all year, which makes it one of the few glacier snowmobile options available in summer as well as winter. Conditions on the glacier can change quickly, and your guide will adjust speed and route for safety, especially in poor visibility.

It is a long day, with a good amount of driving between stops, so it suits visitors happy to spend time on the coach in exchange for covering a lot of ground and one adventure activity in a single trip.

• Solo rider fee (needed when booking an odd number of people)

Questions people ask