Description

Two of Iceland's top five in one day

For an unforgettable action-packed day, take Iceland´s most iconic tour, the Golden Circle, and afterward head out to sea for an evening of whale watching. 

The Golden Circle Classic is our bestselling day tour! Follow in the footsteps of the Vikings of old as you walk down into the rift valley where the American and Eurasian continental plates are literally pulling apart at Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the birthplace of the oldest existing parliament. Witness the steaming geothermal springs as the ground trembles and hot water spouts spectacularly skywards from the famous Strokkur Geyser at the home of the one-and-only original geyser and Iceland's most iconic natural attraction. Experience the magnificence and power of Gullfoss Waterfall, a set of glacial river cascades falling 32 meters into a narrow canyon with a thunderous roar.

After returning to Reykjavik around 15:30, the whale watching trip will begin at 17:00 meaning you will have about 1.5 hrs to enjoy the quaint old harbor with its design boutiques and coffee houses, or simply stroll around and take in all the action in the busy harbor. In the bay, a large variety of whales, dolphins and birds can be found. The minke whales are playful and in large numbers, along with the quick and quirky white-beaked dolphins, the cute harbor porpoises and the huge humpback whales.

Please note that after the whale watching tour customers will have to find their own way to their accommodation.

Join our tour and step aboard one of our new buses, fully equipped with WiFi-connected computer tablets for each guest. The tablets provide you with a continuous stream of relevant information along the journey with a GPS-synced Audio Guide, available in a choice of 10 languages. Along the tour, our local hosts will make your experience comfortable and are happy to answer any questions you might have about our peculiar country. In each seat, you will also find a USB outlet to charge any of your devices.

Itinerary

Starting off in Reykjavik from our Reykjavik terminal at Skógarhlíð 10 we will depart for Þingvellir, a 45-60 minute ride.

The tour starts with Þingvellir National Park, the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here you walk down the path into a rift valley and admire the view while learning about Icelandic history.

• The next stop is at Geysir Hot Springs, the home of the one-and-only original geyser and Iceland’s most iconic natural attraction. Steaming hot water erupts from the famous Strokkur Geyser every few minutes.
  
• The last stop is Gullfoss Waterfall, an awesome sight to behold. Here a powerful glacial river cascades down 32 meters on two levels and into a narrow canyon with a thunderous roar.

We then drive you back to Reykjavik where you will be dropped off in the Old Harbor of Reykjavik at the headquarters of Elding Whale Watching. Usually, you arrive at 15:00 and you have about 1.5 hours to explore the Old Harbor before setting out to sea at 17:00.

• This tour is 11 hours long including travel time and the time you spend at each location. You spend at least 45 minutes at the major stops giving you plenty of time to enjoy nature and to take some pictures.
  

Total distance covered: 290 km or 180 mi

Important information

• Please show up at our Reykjavik Terminal (located at Skógarhlíð 10) 15 minutes prior to the departure time. We kindly ask you to be ready at your pick-up point with your voucher, either in digital or printed form. 
• If you have booked a hotel pickup with Smartbus™, please be at your chosen pickup location 30 minutes before the departure of the tour. Look for the Green Smartbus™ which will be outside your accommodation within 30 minutes of pickup. 
• You will be traveling in a coach that holds approximately 40-65 people, but is very spacious and comfortable. The bus offers free wifi and USB charging ports.
• Please note, it will not be possible to refund this tour in the event of an unsuccessful Whale Watching Tour. However, you may re-book the tour and continue coming back on subsequent tours until you have a chance to see whales.
• Available all year round (depending on weather)
• Pricing: Teenagers 12-15 years 50% off & children 0-11 years old free
• Age limit: No age limit
• Bring with you: Dress according to the weather. In Iceland it is always smart to dress in warm and waterproof clothes, weather changes are swift so expect the unexpected. Bring a waterproof jacket and pants, headwear and gloves. Good outdoor shoes are recommended.*
• In-Bus-Audio-Guide: We recommend that you bring your own headphones, simply because they will fit you best. It is also great for the environment. If you don't have your headphones, with you or forgot to bring them, no worries we sell earphones on board.
• Duration: Approx. 10 hours including a minimum 30-minute stop at Geysir Hot Springs, Gullfoss Waterfall and Þingvellir National Park and approx. Total distance covered: 290 km or 180 mi. The Whale Watching Tour is approx 3 hours 
• *If you don’t have warm clothing we will supply you with a very warm overall and more gear, as well as having some sweaters to lend on the Whale watching boat.