The tour is best suited for those who have little time to explore the country but want to see the most during the day.
This incredible tour takes you around the Golden Circle and the South Coast in one day to visit the main attractions of Iceland’s two most popular routes. Admire Iceland’s beauty by visiting Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss waterfalls, Reynisfjara black sand beach, Gullfoss waterfall, Thingvellir Valley of Geysers, National Park, Continental Rift, and more.
Highlights
- A perfect introduction for first-time visitors
- Visit the most popular tourist attractions in one day
- Explore waterfalls, hot springs, black sand beaches, and ocean cliffs
Visited Places
- Thingvellir National Park
- Gullfoss waterfall
- Haukadalur geyser valley
- Seljalandsfoss waterfall
- Reynisfjara black sand beach
- Skogafoss waterfall
The tour can be tailored according to your wishes. Please let us know if you would like to visit other places or change activities on your trip.
| Travel Style | Private Day Tour |
| Availability | May-September, Daily |
| Group Size | Up to 5 people |
| Tour Duration | 12 hours. Travel distance 490km/306 miles |
| Departure Time | 8:00 AM (or 8:30) |
| Transportation | SUV or Minivan |
- Pickup and drop off in Reykjavik
- Driver/guide services during the trip
- Private transportation for your group
- Food and drinks
Additional pickup details
We will pick you up from your Reykjavik accommodation or the cruise ship terminal. Pickup and drop-off outside the capital are possible for an additional fee.
To know before booking
- Most travelers can participate.
- Infant seats are available.
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the tour starts.
- If the operator cancels the tour due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Tour Pricing
Tour availability and price depend on your group size, as the booking form below indicates.
The tour starts from Reykjavik, heading to Thingvellir National Park. We shall walk along the Almannagja fissure in the Thingvellir, where the American and Eurasian tectonic plates diverge. Thingvellir served as a parliament place for centuries, from the early Viking settler’s time to the late 18th century.
We will then continue to the Gullfoss waterfall, one of Iceland’s most stunning landmarks. The falls are 32m/100ft high and are divided into two steps, the falling water flowing through a long, rugged canyon. The Hvita river forms the waterfall, flowing from the Langjokull glacier. In summer, when the amount of meltwater from Langjokull is exceptionally high, it increases to an average of 140 cubic meters per second.
The next stop will be in the Haukadalur, the Valley of Geysers, one of the main attractions of the route. Here, the Strokkur geyser spews a mixture of hot water and steam up to 20-30m/65-100ft every 5-10 minutes. While the other hot springs in the area, led by the great Geysir, are quiet but colorful.
After visiting the three foremost attractions of the Golden Circle route, we head to the South Coast towards Seljalandsfoss, one of Iceland’s most famous waterfalls. Its height is 63 m/210ft, and it is stunningly beautiful. It offers walks along the trail behind the waterfall, which is especially beautiful on a sunny day when you can see the rainbow.
We shall then drive east along the farms at the foot of the former coastline in the Eyjafjoll area and arrive at the mighty Skogafoss, a 60m/200ft waterfall fed by Eyjafjallajokull and Myrdalsjokull glaciers. This majestic waterfall is one of the most visited places in Iceland, and for a good reason. After visiting the waterfall, we recommend stopping for lunch in Skogar.
Next, we continued our journey and stopped for a walk along the coast of Reynisfjara beach, near the village of Vik. It is considered the most impressive black sand beach in Iceland, with unique vertically shifted basalt columns reminiscent of a stone-stepped pyramid. In the water opposite the beach, you will also see the stunningly shaped basalt rocks of Reynisdrangar. Afterward, we will turn around and take the road back to Reykjavik.
Please note: the itinerary is subject to change depending on weather and road conditions.
We assume that you may have questions while preparing for your trip. We would like to answer some of them in advance to provide you with complete information about our tours and make them as comfortable as possible. Below you can find the most frequently asked questions.
Payments for day tours are collected online while booking. We accept major credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. If you have any problems with using American Express, please contact us. If another way of payment is preferable, please contact us through e-mail at info@topicelandtours.com.
Pick-up is included in the tour price and arranged from your lodging places or designated bus stops in Reykjavik. Please be ready outside the hotel or in a lobby at the pick-up time mentioned in the tour description. Please contact us, if you like to change a place or time for pick-up.
If your group is larger than 5 people and a minibus used for tour transportation, we have limited possibility for pickups in downtown Reykjavík due to driving/parking restrictions in the area. Then, we shall pick you up from designated bus stops or ask to meet a driver-guide at a nearby location, where we can pick you up. You can also preliminary e-mail us at info@topicelandtours.com, and we‘ll figure out the best pick up location.
Drop-offs are provided at the same place as pick-up unless otherwise arranged with the driver/guides.
We arrange refreshment stops at cafés or restaurants on every day tour, where you can purchase your lunch and snacks. Therefore, you are not required to bring your food for the tour, however, if you prefer to bring some snacks or drinks, that is accepted. Please note that food and beverages are not included in the tour price.
Nearly all restaurants in Iceland offer some vegetarian food. There is no problem with purchasing vegetarian meals on tours.
The bathrooms are available at visitor centers at many stops on popular routes such as Golden Circle and South Coast. Some bathroom stops are available on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula tour. Your driver-guide will inform you about available places for bathroom stops on the route.
Flexible Policy for Cancellations and Refunds
All Top-Iceland day tours are fully refundable, up to the day of tour delivery. You will receive a full refund of the tour price:
- If you cancel a booking before the start of the tour for any reason. Please note you will not receive any refund if you do not cancel the tour and do not show. Also, timing is calculated following the time zone of the tour;
- If Top-Iceland cancels the tour;
- If You cannot take the tour because of an unforeseeable event that is out of your control (“Unforeseeable Events”).
Refunds will be sent back to the original payment method used in making the booking. Depending on the bank’s processing time, it can take 7 business days for the refunds to reflect in your bank account or card balance.
All cancellations must be initiated by contacting Top-Iceland via:
- Emailing info@topicelandtours.com
- Sending a Message through the website topicelandtours.com
- Telephone: +354 626 9000
Top-Iceland is not responsible for any incidental expenses you and/or any other participant may have directly or indirectly incurred as a result of the booking of a tour. These expenses include but are not limited to, the cost of visas, accommodation, vehicle rental, vaccinations, flights, and/or loss of enjoyment.
In any cancellation event, you may also choose to reschedule the tour, or take a credit towards a future booking, instead of receiving a refund. You can find more details for cancellation policies on the page Terms & Conditions
Please contact us if you have any questions about our cancellation policy.
Solid, warm & waterproof shoes, as well as warm rain & windproof outdoor clothing, is recommended for all the tours. (Please see the question below about weather and temperature).
Here below, a table with average temperatures, precipitation, and daylights by months in Iceland:
| Month | Avg. High | Avg. Low | Avg. Rainfall | Avg. Sunlight |
| January | 36°F (2°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 4 inches | 5 hours |
| February | 36°F (2°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 4.3 inches | 8 hours |
| March | 38°F (3°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 3.7 inches | 12 hours |
| April | 43°F (6°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 2.9 inches | 16 hours |
| May | 48°F (9°C) | 40°F (4°C) | 2.3 inches | 18 hours |
| June | 54°F (12°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 2.1 inches | 21 hours |
| July | 57°F (14°C) | 49°F (9°C) | 2.7 inches | 19 hours |
| August | 55°F (13°C) | 47°F (8°C) | 3.5 inches | 16 hours |
| September | 50°F (10°C) | 42°F (6°C) | 4.6 inches | 13 hours |
| October | 44°F (7°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 4.5 inches | 9 hours |
| November | 39°F (4°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 4.2 inches | 6 hours |
| December | 36°F (2°C) | 29°F (-2°C) | 4.1 inches | 4 hours |
Please remember, that weather in Iceland changes rapidly and you cannot count on long-term forecasts. Two most reliable sources of the weather forecast: https://www.vedur.is/ and https://www.yr.no/
Fortunately not, even on the shortest days of the year, there are several hours of daylight every day – between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm. If you wish to check a specific time of a year we recommend to use https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/iceland/reykjavik
In general – the earlier, the better. Consider the fact that most of our tours are privately guided, and therefore an availability on certain dates might be limited.
Tipping in Iceland is not required but always appreciated.
Yes, it is requested by Icelandic law to have child seats/boosters. Some families are already traveling on their own, but if you would like us to provide child seats and/or boosters on the tour, please send us an e-mail.
