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The Golden Circle is a 300 kilometre (186 mile) route to the three most popular natural attractions in Iceland: the Geysir Geothermal Area, Gullfoss Waterfall and Þingvellir National Park.

This sightseeing trail is easy to do within half a day from Reykjavík, either by self drive or on one of many tours. Some of these tours have additional activities, such as snorkelling or snowmobiling, or are conducted in a unique style, such as by helicopter, or under the midnight sun.

Within the three locations of the Golden Circle are some of the clearest examples of Iceland’s fascinating geological forces, magnificent landscapes, and rich culture.

The Geysir Geothermal Area

The Geysir Geothermal Area is a hot-spring haven in Haukadalur Valley. As could be guessed, it is home to a famous geyser, the name of which has named all others: Geysir itself.

Though this feature is currently in a phase of inactivity, its neighbour Strokkur more than makes up for it. Every five to ten minutes, it blasts a column of boiling water to heights that can reach over 40 metres (131 feet).

The surrounding area is dotted with fumaroles, hot springs, and mud-pits. There are also two more smaller geysers, Smiður and Litlí-Strokkur, that can be easily visited. There is also a hotel, restaurant, cafe and gift shop across the road.

Gullfoss waterfall

The 'Golden Waterfall', Gullfoss one of the most beautiful and powerful waterfalls in Iceland, plummeting 32 metres (105 feet) in two tiers into the river gorge of the popular rafting river Hvíta. It is just a ten minute drive from Geysir, and is the furthest point on the Golden Circle from Reykjavík.

Gullfoss was very almost lost in the early 20th Century, when British developers sought to harness its incredible power for geothermal energy. Though they got the lease to the land, allowing them to go ahead with their plans, they met an unlikely adversary: the daughter of the farmer who owned it, Sigríður Tómasdóttir.

This resilient woman refused to see the waterfall, which she and her sisters paved the first path to, destroyed. She, therefore, walked over 200 kilometres (124 miles) to Reykjavík and back multiple times to meet with a lawyer in order to help change the decision.

Though the process was arduous and took years, eventually Sigríður managed to exhaust the resources of the businessmen and they withdrew their plans. Because of her, all Icelandic waterfalls are now protected from foreign investors, and she is considered one of Iceland’s first environmentalists and most important historical people.

Þingvellir national park

The largest attraction of the Golden Circle is Þingvellir National Park. The Icelandic parliament was founded here in 930 and remained until the year 1798 before moving to Reykjavík, making it the original site of what is now the world’s longest ongoing parliament.

Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most important places to visit in Iceland. This is not just for its historical and cultural values, but for also its magnificent landscape and dramatic geology.

Þingvellir is surrounded by a beautiful mountain and volcanic ranges, as is the site of a rift valley directly between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. This makes it one of the few places in the world where you can walk between the continents, in the Mid-Atlantic rift.

The daring and qualified even have opportunities to snorkel or scuba dive in this no-man’s-land, in a ravine filled with crystal-clear spring water called Silfra. The visibility here can exceed 100 metres (328 feet), revealing incredible geological sites. Though it never freezes over due to the constant flow of water into it, it is 2°C (35°C) throughout the year, thus underwater explorers are always equipped with protective suits.

Other sites of note are the magnificent Almannagjá gorge, which you can walk down into to reach the rift valley from the North American tectonic plate, and the beautiful lake Þingvallavatn, the largest lake in Iceland, which gleams to the south of the National Park.

Surrounding sites

Due to its convenient location in south-west Iceland, it is easy to visit the Golden Circle alongside with many other sites. Those seeking relaxation could head to the Secret Lagoon in Flúðir or Fontana Spa in Laugarvatn, those seeking adventure could book a trip to the ice tunnels of Langjökull glacier, and those seeking culture could visit the Sólheimar ecovillage.

There are many tours that include such bonuses, but if driving yourself, you should check out this guide to great detours off the Golden Circle.

Geysir is a famous hot spring in Haukadalur valley in South Iceland. Part of the ‘Golden Circle', Geysir gives its name to hot springs all over the world.

Though Geysir itself is hardly active anymore, the area features spectacular hot springs such as the powerful Strokkur, which spouts a vast amount of water every 10 minutes, around 15-20 meters into the air, Smidur and Litli-Strokkur.           

North of Geysir are fumaroles, i.e. unlike the hot springs the emit hot water, only steam and gas emanate from these. You may be able to observe bright yellow stains at the fumaroles, this is native sulphur, which crysallizes from the steam. At the southern part of the geothermal area, called Thykkuhverir, you‘ll find various mud pots. Such mud pots are actually fumaroles that boil up through surface water/groundwater and may become steaming fumaroles during dry spells, rather than the usual boiling mudpots.

About 2 km from Geysir is an old preserved natural pool called Marteinslaug. One can bathe in it and it has room for 3-5 people at a time, but care should be taken, as the area around the pool is very delicate. The temperature is 39-43°C, depending on how you are positioned in the pool. The water is slightly muddy, as the pool is built on soil, and the bottom is slippery due to algae, so caution is advised.

In Haukadalur there has also been tree planting in recent times and today the forest Haukadalsskogur is one of the largest in South Iceland. Aspen, various types of pine, and other plants have been tried out there and experiments and research continue.  We also recommend visiting the tree museum, built in the memory of forester Gunnar Freysteinsson. There are good paths and roads in the forest and the wood is specially designed to accommodate wheelchairs.

Haukadalur has been a church site since ancient time. The current wooden church was last rebuilt in 1938 but the variety and appearance of the church dates back to 1842, making it one of the oldest of its kind in Iceland.

Haukadalur is indeed a historical place. It was settled during the age of settlement and scholar Ari “The Wise“ Thorgilsson grew up there. The first pastoral school in Iceland was also built there.

For accommodation, Hotel Gullfoss is about 7 km from the Geysir area, and closer still is the Hotel Geysir.

Gullfoss ('Golden Waterfall') in Hvita river is one of the most beautiful and beloved waterfalls in Iceland and forms a part of the famous Golden Circle along with Thingvellir National Park and the Geysir geothemal area.

This mighty waterfall cascades 32 meters into the river gorge and you'll be able to stand close enough to feel the waterspray on your face. Hvita itself should not be missed by any fan of rafting, as it is one of the most popular rafting rivers in Iceland.

Thingvellir  is one of the most important sites to visit in Iceland for its landscape, history and cultural value.

The Icelandic parliament was founded in Thingvellir in 930 and remained there for centuries.Thingvellir is surrounded by a beautiful mountain range and is the site of a rift valley, marking the crest of the Mid-Atlantic range. Today it is a natural park, listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and considered a vital part of the ‘Golden triangle’ (with Geysir and Gullfoss). Of particular note is the magnificent gorge Almannagja, which marks the eastern boundary of the north American plate and into which the beautiful waterfall Oxararfoss falls.

Other notable attractions within the park include the beautiful lake Thingvallavatn, the largest lake in Iceland, the Silfra fissure, one of the world's top dives, and Gjabakkahellir, one of Iceland's most interesting lava tubes. 

Credit: Wikimedia, Creative Commons. Photo by Kkaefer.

Faxi is a wide, serene waterfall in South Iceland, approximately twelve kilometres away from Gullfoss and Geysir, two incredibly popular attractions on the Golden Circle. It can be found in the Tungufljót River.

Hiking and salmon fishing are the two most popular activities in the area. Although it is not particularly rapid, kayaking and rafting are banned here; those eager to participate in one of these excursions should head to the nearby Hvíta River.