Description

Iceland's most popular natural wonders in one day

The Golden Circle Tour is in the morning, which allows for a 3 to 6-hour interval before heading off on the Northern Lights tour. That interval is the perfect opportunity to grab dinner or to go on our Cheers to Reykjavík tour in Reykjavík.

The Golden Circle Tour is where we visit the country´s three iconic natural treasures: Þingvellir National Park, where the American and Eurasian plates have been pulling apart; the erupting geyser that sends water and steam spouting skywards; and the spectacular Gullfoss Waterfall where a glacial river thunders 32 meters into a canyon. When night falls we set off hunting for the magical and elusive Northern Lights. Of course, it all depends on the weather forecast and visibility conditions as to whether we go, so do keep this in mind. And, don´t forget, the Auroras are only visible during the winter months.

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 towards Reykjavik to our Reykjavik Terminal. If you booked a SmartBus pickup, you will be taken back to your place of stay from here. 
• Later in the evening, we will head out again in search of the northern lights. Starting off in Reykjavik from our Reykjavik terminal at Skógarhlíð 10 we will head outside the city to get as far from light pollution as possible. The weather forecast plays a big influence on choosing the location, but we always try to get to the best possible sight with the best chances to view the northern lights. The location can be anywhere from 30-60 minutes from Reykjavik
• Once at the location we will stay for approximately 1.5-2hrs hunting the northern lights before returning back to Reykjavik. Depending on the forecast multiple locations may be chosen for searching for aurora.
• The tour lasts around 3 hours, so we will return to Reykjavik around 2.5 hours after starting the tour.

The Golden Circle tour is 7.5 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. The Northern Lights portion of the tour is about 3 hours.

Total distance covered: 290 km or 180 mi plus the distance covered during the northern lights hunt.

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.
• Lunch is not included, at Geysir & Gullfoss there are shops where you can buy food and drinks. After the Golden Circle tour, we recommend taking the time to grab dinner in Reykjavík before we pick you up for the Northern Lights Tour
• The Northern Lights are only visible over the winter months and departures are highly dependent on weather conditions. 
• Scheduled departures for the Golden Circle portion of the tour are at 08:00, 10:00, or 12:00 daily from August 15th - April 25th. The Northern Lights Tour start times are:
  • August 15th - August 24th at 22:30
  • August 25th - October 15th at 21:30
  • October 16th - March 14th at 20:30
  • March 15th - April 14th  at 21:30
  • April 15th - April 25th at 22:30
• There is no age limit for this tour
• Bring with you: Dress according to the weather. In Iceland it is always smart to dress in warm, waterproof clothes, weather changes can be sudden so expect the unexpected. Bring a waterproof jacket and pants, headwear and gloves. Good outdoor shoes are recommended.
• Duration: Total traveling time is around 10 hours, including a minimum 30-minute stop at Geysir Hot Springs, Gullfoss Waterfall and Þingvellir National Park and an aprox. 3 hour Northern Lights tour. Please note there is a break of 3-6 hours in Reykjavík between the Golden Circle Tour and the Northern Lights Tour.
• 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.
• Please note, that it will not be possible to refund this tour in the event of an unsuccessful northern lights hunt. However, you may re-book the tour and continue coming back on subsequent tours until you have a night of successful northern lights. If during your stay in Iceland the northern lights portion of the tour is canceled due to bad weather and you have no subsequent chance to reschedule, then this portion of the tour will be refunded.