Description
Summary
Description
Combine whale watching in Faxafloi Bay with the sights of the Golden Circle on this full-day small-group tour from Reykjavik, ending at Kerid Crater.
The first activity is a whale-watching boat tour from Reykjavik across Faxafloi Bay. As you board, you get an insulated suit to keep you warm at sea, and hot drinks and refreshments are available from the onboard cafe.
Whales are wild animals, so sightings can't be guaranteed, but they're spotted on at least 90 percent of tours, and the crew always heads to the best area, usually within 9 miles (15 kilometers) of the harbor. Minke and humpback whales are seen most often, and dolphins and porpoises are also common. Your guide tells you about whales and other marine wildlife along the way.
After the boat returns, you're picked up at the ticket office for the Golden Circle part of the day. The first stop is the Geysir Geothermal Area. The Great Geysir, which gave the English language the word "geyser," is no longer active, but nearby Strokkur Geyser erupts every 4 to 16 minutes, sending hot water and steam 49 to 66 feet (15 to 20 meters) high.
Next, you visit Gullfoss Waterfall, whose name means "Golden Falls." The glacial Hvita River drops 105 feet (32 meters) in two stages into a canyon, and you can feel the spray from quite a distance away.
Then you continue to Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Althing, Iceland's parliament, was founded here in 930, and a rift valley runs through the park where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates are slowly moving apart, so you can stand between two continents.
The final stop is Kerid Crater, a red volcanic crater with blue-green water. You have time to walk around the rim or take the path down to the water's edge for a closer look at this 3,000-year-old caldera.
You return to Reykjavik in the evening.
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