Private Golden Circle Express Tour

Experience the highlights of Iceland’s famous Golden Circle on this private 6-hour express tour, perfect for those who want to see the essentials without a full-day commitment. Travel in a luxury vehicle with your expert local guide, enjoying a smooth and efficient journey through some of the country’s most remarkable landscapes.

Your tour includes stops at Þingvellir National Park, where Iceland’s history and geology come together between two tectonic plates, the Geysir Geothermal Area with its erupting hot springs, and the powerful Gullfoss Waterfall, one of Iceland’s most beloved natural wonders.

This streamlined itinerary focuses on the classic Golden Circle sights only, allowing you to make the most of your time while still enjoying a relaxed, private experience. The tour can be adjusted slightly to suit your pace and interests where possible. For more details or customization options, feel free to contact us at info@yourfriendinreykjavik.com.

Þingvellir National Park

The historical site of Þingvellir is important to Icelanders. It is where Alþingi, the world's oldest Parliament, was founded in 930, for example. It is also one of few places in Iceland (and the world) you can see the mid-Atlantic ridge above ground.

Walk through the Almannagjá tectonic rift, pass the site of the first parliament, Althing and enjoy Öxaráfoss waterfall, take in the beautiful scenery, see where Game of Thrones was shot, visit Iceland's largest lake Þingvallavatn Lake and even dive between the continents in the Silfra River.

Þingvellir National Park is also where Icelanders converted to Christianity. Members of Parliament met to discuss the possibility of converting. Ultimately, it was decided it would be in our best interest to do so. People who believed in the old Æsir were still allowed to do so, but mostly in secret. They could not make sacrifices anymore, but other customs, such as eating horse meat, were allowed.

In 2004, Þingvellir became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. That means it has cultural, historical, scientific, or other forms of significance, which Þingvellir indeed has.

Gullfoss Waterfall

Gullfoss is one of Iceland's most famous and spectacular waterfalls. It is far from the largest, but it is a three-step waterfall that falls into a 64-meter-deep canyon. Due to the curve of the canyon right where it falls down and the spray from the waterfall, it can be nearly impossible to see the bottom. It thus sometimes looks as if it falls into an abyss.

Early in the 20th century, there were ideas about harnessing the waterfall's power to generate electricity. The landowner's daughter, Sólveig Tómasdóttir, was fiercely against it and a pioneer environmentalist. She threatened to throw herself into the waterfall if the plans went ahead, and in the end, her father listened to her, and we are ever so grateful for her.

Geysir Geothermal Area

Bubbling hot water and erupting geysers are what to expect in the Geysir geothermal area. The word "geyser" comes from the now mostly dormant Geysir, but the site is also named after it. Geysir would hurl boiling water and erupt almost 70 m (230 ft) into the air, but it has been years since it erupted last. It used to erupt regularly but stopped after a series of earthquakes.

Instead, you can see its brother Strokkur erupt every few minutes. It isn't as large as Geysir, but its eruptions can reach up to 30 m (98 ft).