Iceland is renowned for its geothermal wonders such as geysers, waterfalls, national parks, volcanic crater lakes and tectonic plate openings. One place where all of these are neatly situated is the Golden Circle - a perfect taster to the magical beauty that Iceland has to offer. Our blog post includes some short notes and tips on all the best stops on the Golden Circle. [This post was last updated on the 26th of September, 2024.]
Golden Circle Iceland by Car
When we write about driving the Golden Circle tour Iceland is what we should be talking about as it is the broader context, isn't it? It's a well-travelled route that, contrary to popular misconception, does not encompass the entire circumference of Iceland, but rather a much smaller 300 km (190 mile) section. It's popular because it is close to capital Reykjavik and allows travellers to 'tick off' many of Iceland's geothermal wonders (like geysers and waterfalls) without travelling too far.
Above is a photo of the wonderful scenery and my then-bf Tanbay taking a photo of me taking a photo of him during our Golden Circle trip :) Also, before we begin properly, we'd also like to recommend you a quick, 3 Day Iceland itinerary, in case you don't have a week or so to road trip the whole tour.
Golden Circle Map Route
Here is an interactive map of the Golden Circle route with all the main stops - if you click 'More Options' it will take you into a new tab where you can edit the route to your hearts content <3
How long does it take to drive the Golden Circle?
Driving the Golden Circle was absolutely okay. In theory it should only take about four hours to drive. It depends on how long you spend at each of the sites and how quickly you drive - personally, I'm a nervous driver and an insta-ho who took a billion photos at each stop so it took me A LOT longer. We ended up incorporating a spa evening and an overnight stay, which relaxed the cr@p outta me and thus I recommend.
The breathtaking Gullfoss Waterfall
But this is assuming that you want to drive at all. If you don't I applaud you loudly, driving sucks the life out of the planet. So what are the alternatives? According to Google walking would take about 48 hours. Taking the train would be even longer because there are no trains in Iceland - you'd have to wait until they built one :( There aren't really public buses either :( :(
But there are many Golden Circle group tours - like this one and this one. I feel ambiguous about these, on the one hand NEY because most tours I've been on have felt touristy and like our hopes and dreams and personal schedules don't mean anything - you know, like in capitalism in general. On the other hand YEY because more people in one (bigger) vehicle equals less emissions. Which was my issue with driving in the first place (that and the nervous thing).
I personally didn't go for a tour at the time because this insta-ho was offered a rental car in exchange for an honest rental car review. (I just had to pay for petrol.) Which brings me on to my next point:
Is the Golden Circle in Iceland free?
Yes! All of the sites along the way (geysers, waterfalls, national parks etc) are not only free to enter, they're also free to park at too. You just have to pay for your rental car and petrol or for a tour. Renting a car in Iceland starts at around €30/day and to drive the route cost us €40. Tours start from around $50 per person.
Golden Circle Iceland Itinerary
I had a neat little Golden Circle itinerary all written out for myself (virgo) which rearranged and edited cause of some of the mistakes (let's call them lessons) I made along the way. In this itinerary, I'll let you in on these lessons, so you don't miss out on the things I did, and I'll give you my first hand experience on the things I did do.
#1 Reykjavik
Reykjavik will probably be your start and ending point of your Golden Circle tour. My first mistake was spending far too long there. I really like Reykjavik - it's clean, it's safe, it's got great vegan restaurants, it's beautiful - it has that 'Nordic' vibe (read: a bit too clinical for me, sorry).
Hallgrímskirkja, the main Lutheran (Church of Iceland) temple of Reykjavík with a statue of 10-11th century Norse explorer Leif Erikson in the foreground
But it's still just a normal city, I wish I'd spent less time there and more time in Iceland's unique nature. In the picture above is the statue of Leif Erikson who was probs the first Eurasian white guy to set foot on Turtle Island (the word most often used by indigenous peoples of North America to refer to the continent) circa 500 years before Columbus.
#2 STROKKUR Geyser
Strokkur is a geyser. Before I went to Iceland I didn't know what a geyser was, so in case you don't or in case I get amnesia: a geyser is a hot spring in which water intermittently boils, sending a tall column of water and steam into the air.
The above photo shows you what Strokkur looks like when it's not doing that. Strokkur is popular because it goes off reliably every 6-10 minutes. We got there just as it went off, and we didn't have to wait long for (and I quote myself from the past) for "that insta-good shot". Here's what it's like when it pops:
The geyser goes off every 5-10 mins, you can just wait around for it. They also make a traditional icelandic dish underground. They bury it near hot geysers, the earth warms it up. It's a meat dish traditionally - it can easily be veganised (like most dishes). We wrote about it in our vegan in Iceland post on our sister site.
#3 ÞINGVELLIR, Fingvellir or Pingvellir
Þingvellir National Park (which is btw a UNESCO World Heritage Site!) is a place of great historical and geological significance. The is also situated in a rift valley caused by the separation of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, making it a unique spot where you can actually walk between two continents (wow). Additionally, Þingvellir is home to the largest natural lake in Iceland, Þingvallavatn, which adds to the park's natural beauty for sure.
Þingvellir, Fingvellir or even Pingvellir is a very special national park: not only was this the place where the oldest existing parliament in the world assembled (called Alþingi, in 930 AD), this is also where two tectonic plates meet. Yes, you can scuba dive, snorkel, paddle or even just jump between North America and Europe here!
#4 LAUGARVATN FONTANA
A trip to Iceland wouldn't be complete without a) a trip to a spa and b) a dip in a freezing Icelandic lake. Luckily at Fontana you can do both! With the added advantage of being able to stand on that famous black Icelandic sand.
We loved our trip to Fontana, but highly recommend you schedule it in as one of your last stops of your Golden Circle Tour - you'll be so relaxed when you leave you won't be up for much other than more relaxing!
#5 GULLFOSS
Gullfoss waterfall, located in south-west Iceland on the Hvítá river, is known for its stunning beauty and powerful cascades (I mean, come on, just look at those photos...) The waterfall consists of two tiers that plunge into a deep canyon, creating a mesmerizing sight for visitors - my breath was taken away! Gullfoss is not only a popular tourist attraction but also holds historical significance as it was at risk of being developed for hydroelectric power in the early 20th century, but thanks to the efforts of local advocates, it was eventually preserved as a natural wonder.
So Gullfoss is on the north east corner of the Golden Circle Tour and it actually means 'Golden Falls' in Icelandic. This was my absolute favourite stop on the Golden Circle. Gullfoss is simply breathtaking and you've got to go there!
#6 KERIð, Kerith or Kerid Volcanic Crater Lake
Kerið, Kerith or Kerid, a volcanic crater lake located in Iceland, is a fascinating natural wonder defo worth exploring (in my opinion). It was formed around 3,000 years ago and is approximately 55 meters deep, with vivid aquamarine-coloured water that contrasts beautifully with the red volcanic rock walls surrounding it.
i'm not gonna pretend that's me on the left cause it's not... I couldn't take any good photos of Kerið so the credit goes to Scoundrelgeo
Btw it is located near the end of your Golden Circle Tour (or the beginning if you decide to go anticlockwise)! There's a normal fee to see the crater (400ISK = about £2). It actually reminds us a lot of the volcanic crater lakes that we saw at the Azores. Anyhow, if you're planning a visit to Kerið or other natural sites in Iceland, remember to respect the environment by following sustainable travel practices to help preserve these stunning landscapes for years to come!
Further Tips about the Golden Circle tour: Accommodation, Driving & Food
Minniborgir Cottages are the absolute perfect place to explore the Golden Circle from. Located at the south west of the Golden Circle, you can easily access all the sites - with Kerid being only ten minutes down the road. It's also the perfect place to go to after your trip to Fontana.
Not only are they close together (less than 15 minutes by car) you can continue your relaxation at Minniborgir as they have hot tubs! You can book directly on their website or find them on our favourite booking website: hotels.com. [You can read more about it here: our full review of Minniborgir Cottages]
Driving the Golden Circle Iceland
I've said it a few times in this post, but I think it's important to highlight how much we recommend renting a car on the Golden Circle Route. You can of course take one of the Golden Circle coach tours, but you're not going to have the freedom to stop for as long as you like, leave when you like and make your own route! If you decide to hire a car we recommend the company we went with: Lagoon Car Rental [Read more: Our full review of renting a car in Iceland with Lagoon Car Rental] In terms of petrol, we used half a tank to drive around the Golden Circle and it cost about $40.
Alternatively: combine driving and accommodation!
Hindsight in 2020 and although I loved Minniborgir and driving a car, if I could go back (or rather, when I go back), I would (will) combine my automobile and my accommodation and rent a camper with Cozy Campers. The reason I would do this is to make the absolute most of the nature and my time in Iceland. You have the advantage that you get in a car of being able to stop when and where you want, added to the bonus of being able to sleep there too. Can you imagine peaking at the Northern Lights out of your cozy mobile accommodation, snuggled in a duvet, before waking in the morning amidst the wild ponies and fresh, fresh air. I can, I think about it all the time. So yeah - if you can, if you've got the money and the time, rent a campervan in Iceland. Highly recommended. Met some people who did it (oh, the envy).
Food on the Golden Circle Route
To be honest with you, I initially found it hard to be vegan in Iceland - but it was pretty much because of p*ss poor planning on my part... Since then I've gone back and written a vegan guide to Iceland. We decided (and recommend that you do this too) to plan ahead with food so we didn't have to worry about it on the road.
In terms of places to pick up food on the Golden Circle there are the gift shops and the petrol stations aka nowhere. Thus we had breakfast in Reykjavik and bought lunch so we could have it on the Golden Circle. We also bought provisions for dinner (Minniborgir Cottages have the best equipped kitchens we've ever seen). But we ended up having dinner at Minniborgir Restaurant because they had pizza!
It's true what they say about the food in Iceland - it's not that great - there are limited vegetarian options, and everything is kind of dry. We also struggled with the water too - we'd read online that tap water is some of the cleanest in the world and tourists get laughed at when they buy bottled water.. but seriously the smell of sulphur is horrible and I swear the tap water upset my stomach, so from then on we stuck to bottled water (which considering it's Iceland and it's a 'joke' wasn't that expensive)!
Wrap Up: Golden Circle Tips, Map and the Best Stops
All in all, we loved our Golden Circle tour - the sites are breathtaking and even the drive itself was amazing because every scene in Iceland looks like it’s come straight out of an award-winning photography book. Our three main tips for the Golden Circle? Bring food with you, stay at Minniborgir and above all drive yourself round. By the way, regarding the flight to Iceland (or anywhere, for that matter): the importance of some luggage for long-distance travel is self-evident. If you want to notice your luggage among a lot of other luggage at a glance, you might want to customize your luggage tags and choose the style you personally prefer. If necessary, you can also print your personal contact information to prevent your luggage from being lost - I believe that could add a lot of convenience to your journey. Also, check out our vlog about our Golden Circle route - enjoy :)
P.S.: If you're interested in a way of travelling and getting accommodation cheaply, you might want to check out house sitting. We use Trustedhousesitters.com who were kind enough to provide us and our readers with a 10% discount, feel free to click on the link to find out more :)
ABOUTME
We overland. We eat plants and fungi. We live outside as much as possible. We are all connected. A female travel blogger overlanding and writing about ecotourism, ethical and sustainable travel, socially conscious travel and housesitting. An online travel magazine since 2015.
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