Golden Circle & South Coast. 2-Day Private Tour

Our tour starts from Reykjavik, where we will head to the Nesjavellir geothermal area near the Hengill volcano. At Nesjavellir, we will have a short walk to the observation deck above the geothermal power plant to explore the breathtaking bird’s eye views.

Next, we will head to Thingvellir National Park and drive along the shores of Thingvallavatn lake, the largest in Iceland. Thingvellir served as the parliament base for centuries, from the early Viking settlers until the late 18th century. We will walk along the Almannagja fissure in the park, where the American and Eurasian tectonic plates diverge.

We will then travel to Haukadalur, the Valley of Geysers, where Strokkur, the largest active geyser in the country, spews a mixture of hot water and steam up to 20-30 m/65-100 ft every 5-10 minutes. At the same time, other hot springs in the area are calm but also colorful.

One of the main attractions of the route will be the Gullfoss waterfall, which consists of two cascades of 11 and 22 m/36 and 72 ft of water falling into a long and deep canyon.

From Gullfoss, we will drive to Fridheimar, the tomato greenhouse and an excellent example of Icelandic gardening. It is open to the public. Here, we can enjoy unique dishes in a restaurant surrounded by tomatoes.

To top up the experiences, we will stop at the Secret Lagoon, the oldest swimming pool in Iceland. You will find many rising steam in the surrounding pool area, making this place more magical.

We shall head to the place for an overnight stay in Hella or nearby.

Duration: 9-10 hours. Driving distance 230 km/145 miles. Overnight stay in Hella (or Reykjavik).

The south coast opens up many secret spaces and reveals Iceland’s green and icy side. On this day, we shall see the magical Seljalandsfoss waterfall (63 m/210 ft) and can walk behind it without getting completely wet. We shall also visit the beautiful Glufrabui waterfall, hidden in the gorge in the same area.

After enjoying these two impressive waterfalls, we head towards another beautiful and powerful waterfall, Skogarfoss, 60 m/195 ft high. Even from a distance, you will still feel its power. To see the waterfall from above, we shall take a short walk up the iron stairs to enjoy the spectacular view from the observation deck.

The next stop is Solheimajokull glacier, the outlet of the Myrdalsjokull glacier. Here you can take a 3-hour hike on a glacier partially covered in ash from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano eruption in 2010.

Our most extended tour area is Dyrholaey, the scenic southern cape of Iceland, and Reynisfjara, the mysterious black sand beach with its basalt columns and Reynisdrangar rock stack. After we finish exploring all these attractions, we will return to Reykjavik.

Duration: 9-10 hours. Travel distance 320 km/200 miles. Overnight in Reykjavik.

Reykjavik is a convenient place to stay during the trip, as it is the capital and a vibrant and hospitable city. There are many small hotels 3*-4* and guesthouses in the city center, which are conveniently located for evening walks and visiting local restaurants. For multi-day tours, we recommend staying at hotels fitted to the route. That allows to minimize road overlapping and extend traveling area outside of Reykjavik. There is less choice of lodging places in the countryside, and most hotels are three-star. It is better to book accommodation in advance, especially in the summertime; otherwise, it will be difficult to find conveniently located hotels at an affordable price.

High season: June 1 – August 31; December 30 – January 2

Shoulder season: May 1 – May 31; September 1 – October 31

Low season: November 1 – December 29; January 3 – April 30

The high tourist season in Iceland is relatively short, from June to the end of August. Most tourists visit the country in the summer months, and the maximum load for hotels, rental companies, and tour operators is in July and August. Lodging and rental prices at this time are almost doubling compared to the low season, and availability may be limited. Therefore, we recommend booking a summer tour a few months before the trip.

Comfort: Standard rooms with separate bathroom and shower (or bath) in a three-star hotel or comfortable guesthouse. Breakfast is included.

Quality: High-quality rooms with separate bathroom and shower (or bath). A superior room in a three-star hotel or a standard room in a four-star hotel. Breakfast is included

In all tour package with a level of comfort or higher, you will have a separate bathroom in the booked rooms. Breakfast is always on.

Double rooms in most Icelandic hotels are rooms with two single beds. Two single beds can be put into a double bed in most cases. However, this can vary between hotels/guesthouses. Triple rooms are, in most cases, double rooms with an extra bed, so when you install an extra bed, space can be limited. You can choose a combination of rooms when booking.

Children under two years old get free accommodation if they live in the same room as their parents. Families with one child are advised to book three persons in a double room. This room can accommodate an extra bed or mattress if the available room is too small to accommodate an extra bed. Two adults and two children book two double rooms. Children living in a separate room pay the full cost. When one adult travels with one child, the full cost of a double room is charged.

Check-in time for accommodation in Iceland is usually from 14:00 to 16:00. Some hotels offer early check-in for a minimum fee. However, it depends on the hotel and room availability. The only way to ensure an early check-in is to book the night before. However, if the room is ready, you can check in sooner.

If you want to change the hotel, we will do everything possible to change your stay in the hotel. Please note that we cannot guarantee some hotels due to low availability and high demand in summer. If you want to book a particular hotel, we will naturally do our best to provide it to you, but keep in mind that there may be an additional charge.

Most hotels and guest houses in Iceland provide free access to wi-fi internet. Some hotels and guesthouses may charge a small fee for internet access.

We require a 15% deposit at the time of booking. Full payment is due four weeks before arrival.

Payments are collected online while booking. We accept major credit cards. If you have any problems using a credit card, please contact us. If another way of payment is preferable, please contact us through e-mail at info@topicelandtours.com.

Once confident about your trip selection, press the Tour Request tab. You will fill in the required information and move through the tour request.
After agreeing on the tour details and price, we require a 15% deposit at the time of booking. Full payment is due four weeks before the arrival date.

Once a booking is made, an automatic e-mail is sent informing you that the order has been placed and processed by the Top Iceland team. One of our trusted travel agents will contact you with further details.

Several factors determine the tour price:

• Time of the year you plan on visiting (high, low, and shoulder seasons)
• Accommodation type (we offer comfort and quality grades, you can choose one or a mixture of both)
• Number of people traveling together (up to 15 people in a group)
• Type of vehicle for transportation (SUV, Minivan, or Minibus)
• Optional Activities (Various optional activities are available with each trip)

Pickups are included in the tour price and provided from Keflavik airport upon your flight arrival; your driver-guide will await you at the arrival hall, holding a tag with the lead traveler’s name. Pickup and drop-off on other days will be from hotels reserved according to the tour itinerary.

Check-in time for accommodation in Iceland is usually between 14:00-16:00. However, if a room is ready, you should be able to check in early. The only way to secure an early check-in is to book the night before as well.

Most hotels and guesthouses in Iceland provide free access to Wi-Fi Internet. Some hotels and guesthouses might charge a small fee for access to the internet.

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 is a table with average temperatures, precipitation, and daylights by month in Iceland:

Please remember that weather in Iceland changes rapidly, and you cannot count on long-term forecasts. Two most reliable sources of the weather forecast: are https://www.vedur.is/ and https://www.yr.no/

Fortunately not, even on the shortest days of the year, there are several daylight hours every day – between 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM. If you wish to check a specific time of the year, we recommend using https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/iceland/reykjavik

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 tour, please send us an e-mail at info@topicelandtours.com

We arrange refreshment stops at cafés or restaurants on everyday tours, where you can purchase your lunch and snacks. Therefore, you do not need to bring your food for the tours; however, if you prefer to bring some snacks or drinks, that is acceptable. Please note that food is not included in the price of the tour.

Nearly all restaurants in Iceland offer 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 Snæfellsnes Peninsula tour. Your driver-guide will inform you about public places for bathroom stops on the route.

Tipping in Iceland is not required but is always appreciated.

Cancellation policy for multiday tours and accommodations:

All cancellations should be made in writing, and be notified as soon as possible.

• For changes made 15 days or more before arrival date: 20% cancellation fee
• For modifications made 14-8 days before arrival date: 50% cancellation fee
• For changes made 7-4 days before arrival date: 75% cancellation fee
• For changes made three days or less before arrival date: 100% cancellation fee

Please note: Activities (Optional Extras) are individual products provided by other local operators with different cancellation policies. Please check the page Terms & Conditions for complete information about cancellation policies.

Refunds of tours canceled before departure by Top Iceland Tours:

When the tour is prepaid, a full refund will be issued in case a customer does not wish for an alternative date of the tour or an alternative tour. When a tour is purchased through a third party (tourist office/booking agency or a hotel), please take your voucher back to the third party. They will issue the complete refund after reconfirming with Top Iceland Tours that the tour was canceled.

Refunds of delayed, altered, or shortened tours after the departure:

When a tour is delayed due to weather, unsafe travel conditions, or unforeseen circumstances, no refunds are provided if the tour still operates. When the tour is altered or shortened after the departure due to weather, any unsafe travel conditions, or unforeseen circumstances, a partial refund is provided. The percentage of the refund is calculated according to how much of the initial itinerary has been completed.

Cancellations or changes of multiday tours and accommodations by customers:

All cancellations should be made in writing, and be notified as soon as possible.

• For changes made 15 days or more before arrival date: 20% cancellation fee
• For modifications made 14-8 days before arrival date: 50% cancellation fee
• For modifications made 7-4 days before arrival date: 75% cancellation fee
• For changes made three days or less before arrival date: 100% cancellation fee

This cancellation policy may also apply when booked through a third party.

No Show

When passengers are not present at the pickup place at the appointed time, we try to contact the lead traveler through the hotel staff or by phone. If we can’t contact the lead traveler, and there are no passengers shown for an hour, this is considered a “No Show,” and no refund will be made.