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Golden Circle Private Tour

8–9 hoursGroup: Private tour, only your groupEasyPrivate vehicle and guideNo minimum ageAll year
5.0(22 reviews)

A Golden Circle private tour with your own local guide and vehicle. You see Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss, plus quieter stops like Kerið crater and Brúarhlöð canyon, and the day runs at your pace.

Þingvellir National ParkGeysir geothermal areaGullfoss waterfallKerið craterFriðheimar tomato farmBrúarhlöð canyon
  • Your own local guide and vehicle, for your group only
  • Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss, the three classic Golden Circle stops
  • Kerið crater and Brúarhlöð canyon, which most buses skip
  • Lunch among the tomato plants at Friðheimar (optional)
  • Pick-up and drop-off at your accommodation in Reykjavík

Your day, stop by stop

Click a stop for photos and practical tips.
1Pick-up in ReykjavíkYour guide meets you at your hotel.
2HveragerðiHveragerðiCoffee at a local bakery and the earthquake simulator.
HveragerðiHveragerðiHveragerði

Hveragerði is a small town built on a hot spring area, known for its greenhouses and steaming hillsides. It is a relaxed first stop for coffee and a pastry before the sights, with the earthquake simulator as an option. There is a bakery, café and toilets, and you spend about 30 minutes.

Time here · about 30 minutesFacilities · bakery, café and toilets
3Kerið crater lakeKerið craterA volcanic crater lake with a path around the rim.
Kerið crater lakeKerið craterKerið crater

Kerið is a volcanic crater about 270 metres long, 170 metres wide and 55 metres deep, with a blue-green lake at the bottom. Unlike the black basalt found almost everywhere nearby, its walls are deep red, from oxidised volcanic rock. It is thought to have formed when a magma chamber emptied and the ground above collapsed, rather than in a violent explosion. You can walk the rim and, where allowed, down to the water. There is a small entry fee.

Time here · about 30–40 minutesEntry fee · included in your tourWalking · easy rim path, steps down to the lakeFacilities · toilets at the car park
Read our Kerið guide →
4Brúarhlöð canyonBrúarhlöð canyonA river-carved canyon with striking rock formations.
Brúarhlöð canyonBrúarhlöð canyonBrúarhlöð canyon

At Brúarhlöð the Hvítá river narrows and drops into a tight gorge, where centuries of fast water have sculpted the pale rock walls into rounded pillars and hollows. A road bridge, built in 1959 after two earlier ones were washed away, crosses at the narrowest point, with a good view down into the gorge. It is about 3 kilometres south of Gullfoss, and most Golden Circle tours drive past it, so it is usually quiet.

Time here · about 15 minutesWalking · a few steps from the road
Read our Brúarhlöð guide →
5GeysirGeysirHot springs erupting up to about 20 metres.
GeysirGeysirStrokkur geyser erupting at sunrise

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.

Time here · about 45–60 minutesWalking · short, flat pathsFacilities · visitor centre, café, restaurant and toiletsTip · stand upwind of Strokkur to stay dry
Read our Geysir guide →
6Gullfoss waterfallGullfossThe great two-step waterfall in its canyon.
Gullfoss waterfallGullfossGullfoss

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.

Time here · about 45 minutesWalking · upper viewpoint is easy; lower path has stairsWinter · lower path can close because of iceFacilities · café, restaurant, shop and toilets
Read our Gullfoss guide →
7FriðheimarFriðheimarTomatoes grown all year with geothermal heat.
FriðheimarFriðheimarFriðheimar

Friðheimar is a family-run tomato farm in Reykholt, on the Golden Circle route. Tomatoes grow all year in geothermally heated greenhouses, using pure spring water and biological pest control instead of chemical sprays, and under electric lights through the dark winter months. The restaurant sits inside one of the greenhouses, so you eat surrounded by the plants that produced the food on your plate.

Time here · about 1 hourLunch · tomato soup and bread, not included
Read our Friðheimar guide →
8Þingvellir National ParkÞingvellir National ParkWhere the tectonic plates meet and the Vikings held their parliament.
Þingvellir National ParkÞingvellir National ParkÞingvellir National Park

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. You walk through Almannagjá, a rift at the edge of the North American plate, to the Öxarárfoss waterfall.

Time here · about 1 hourWalking · about 1–2 km on easy pathsParking fee · included in your tourFacilities · visitor centre and toilets
Read our Þingvellir National Park guide →
9ÞórufossÞórufossA hidden waterfall near Reykjavík, known from Game of Thrones.
ÞórufossÞórufossÞórufoss

A small but pretty waterfall, about 18 metres high on the Laxá í Kjós river, on the way back to Reykjavík and used as a filming location in Game of Thrones. It is a short walk from the road, about 15 minutes in all.

Time here · about 15 minutesWalking · short walk from the road
10Back to ReykjavíkDrop-off at your hotel.

About the Golden Circle private tour

The Golden Circle is the most popular day trip from Reykjavík, and on a big bus it can feel rushed. On a private tour the day is built around you: you decide how long to stay at each stop, and your guide can add or skip places depending on the weather and what you enjoy.

The route covers about 300 km. Along with the three classic stops you visit Kerið crater, the small Brúarhlöð canyon on the Hvítá river, and Friðheimar, a family farm that grows tomatoes all year with geothermal heat. Walks are short and easy, so the tour suits all ages.

In winter the days are short and roads can be icy, so your guide plans the route around daylight and conditions. In summer you have long, bright evenings and more time at each stop.

Make it your own

Optional extras, at extra cost
  • Snowmobile tour on a glacier
  • Snorkelling in Silfra
  • Horse riding tour
  • Lava cave tour
  • Secret Lagoon
  • Pick-up from the airport

Included

  • Expert local guide
  • Private vehicle
  • Pick-up and drop-off in Reykjavík
  • All entry and parking fees on the route

Not included

  • Food and drinks
  • Optional extras
  • Airport pick-up or drop-off

What to bring

  • Warm, waterproof jacket
  • Comfortable walking shoes
  • Hat and gloves outside summer
  • Snacks and water

Good to know

  • The price is per vehicle, for your whole private group
  • Duration is usually 8–9 hours, flexible to your pace
  • Suitable for all ages; child seats on request
  • The lower path at Gullfoss can close in winter because of ice

Questions people ask

Is the price per person or per group?

Per vehicle and group. The price in the booking box is for your whole private group.

Can we change the stops or add activities?

Yes. It is fully private, so we can adjust the route and add extras at an extra cost.

Is it suitable for families?

Yes, for all ages. Walks are short, with plenty of photo stops.

How long is the tour?

Usually 8–9 hours, flexible to your pace.

Reviews

Reviews from travellers who took this tour. A local reads every review before it is shown.
5.0Based on 22 reviews
5 stars22
4 stars0
3 stars0
2 stars0
1 star0
Golden Circle

This was the most beautiful day of our trip to Iceland. We absolutely loved it!

Jonas · November 2025
Great guide and powerful attractions on the Golden Circle

Excellent tour to the Golden Circle. I guess everyone visits the Golden Circle on their first trip to Iceland, or thats what I have read online, and it was well wroth it. The attractions are powerful and unique and I can understand why you would want to go back there again.
Our guide was the best, very nice person and guide. Will be joining him again on my next trip to Iceland, without a question!

Carl · October 2025
Made the Golden Circle Come Alive

Other tours show you the sites—but our guide made them come alive with stories, history, and a personable style. We felt like we got the VIP version of the Golden Circle. Truly exceptional.

Traveller
A Golden Circle Tour with a Local Touch

La guida era semplicemente fenomenale. Ci ha spiegato la storia dell’Islanda, gli aspetti geologici e ci ha suggerito snack locali lungo la strada. Una giornata perfetta!

Isabella R.
Never Rushed, Always Engaging!

The pace was perfect—we never felt rushed. At each stop, our guide gave us time to absorb the surroundings and take pictures. His enthusiasm was contagious!

Traveller
Punctual, Professional, and Personable

We were impressed by how punctual and professional our guide was—from on-time pick-up to insightful explanations. Plus, he cracked jokes that kept the mood light. A perfect tour and we loved our guide, Peter.

Traveller
From120,000 ISKPer vehicle, for your whole group

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