Silver Circle and Húsafell Canyon Baths Tour

This Silver Circle and Húsafell Canyon Baths tour covers West Iceland's quieter highlights: Europe's most powerful hot spring, the Hraunfossar and Barnafoss waterfalls, and a relaxing soak in the geothermal Canyon Baths.

• Deildartunguhver, Europe's most powerful hot spring
• Hraunfossar and Barnafoss, two waterfalls side by side
• A soak in the geothermal Húsafell Canyon Baths, with a guided canyon walk
• A stop at a horse farm in Reykholt
• Minibus pick-up and drop-off in Reykjavík included

Your day, stop by stop

2Deildartunguhver hot springEurope's most powerful hot spring.

Deildartunguhver is the highest-flow hot spring in Europe, with about 180 litres of water a second rising at close to 100°C and sending clouds of steam into the air. It does not look dramatic from a distance, but from the boardwalk the volume of water is startling. The water is put to work, piped through Iceland's oldest hot water pipeline to heat homes.

Walking · short, on boardwalksTip · keep back from the hottest areas

Read our Deildartunguhver guide →

3Hraunfossar and BarnafossTwo waterfalls side by side on the Hvítá river.

Hraunfossar, the 'lava falls', is made up of countless small streams that emerge directly from beneath the Hallmundarhraun lava field and trickle into the Hvítá river along about 900 metres of riverbank. The water filtering through the lava stays clear and a striking blue-white. Barnafoss, a smaller and more turbulent waterfall on the same river, is a few minutes' walk upstream.

Walking · short, flat paths and viewing platforms

Read our Barnafoss guide →

4Reykholt horse farmA stop at a local horse farm.

Time to see Icelandic horses up close at a farm near Reykholt. They are small, sturdy and sure-footed, and the stop is a chance to meet them.

Read our Snorralaug guide →

5Húsafell Canyon BathsGeothermal pools reached by a guided canyon walk.

The Canyon Baths are a set of warm geothermal pools set into a small canyon near Húsafell, reached by a guided canyon walk, and a relaxing stop after a day of sightseeing. Entry is included. Bring a swimsuit and a towel; there are changing rooms.

Bring · swimsuit and towelFacilities · changing rooms

Read our Húsafell guide →

About the Silver Circle and Husafell Canyon Baths

The Silver Circle is West Iceland's answer to the Golden Circle, and it sees far fewer visitors even though the sights are just as striking. Deildartunguhver, the first stop, is the most powerful hot spring in Europe, with boiling water pouring out of the ground at a serious rate, so keep a safe distance from the source.

From there you reach Hraunfossar, where dozens of small streams flow out of a lava field straight into the Hvítá river, with Barnafoss, a narrower and more forceful waterfall, just upstream. The Húsafell Canyon Baths are the main event later in the day: a set of geothermal pools in a small canyon, reached by a short guided walk, where you can relax after the sightseeing.

This is a long day at around 10 hours, mostly because of the driving distance from Reykjavík, but the pace at each stop is easy and the walking is gentle. Bring a swimsuit and towel for the baths, and dress warmly for the outdoor stops, since West Iceland's weather can turn quickly like anywhere else in the country.

• Hiking boot rental
• Waterproof jacket and trousers rental
• Ice grips for your shoes, to buy (October to April)

Questions people ask