Golden Circle Tour with German Guide: Small Group from Cruise Terminal
by Nordur Travel Services ehf · Boat tours · cruise-excursion · Golden Circle
- Fine on your own
- Eco-certified
Would this be cheaper direct? No — we sell at Nordur Travel Services ehf's own price and take our commission from them, not from you. What you get here is one checkout across operators, one confirmation, and one place to change or cancel it. If you ever find it cheaper on their own site, tell us and we will match it or explain why we cannot.
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Duration
6 hours and 30 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Season
All year
Starts in
Reykjavík
Meeting
Hotel pickup available
Languages
EN, DE, FI, SV, EN, ES
Departs
07:00, 07:30, 08:00, 09:00 …
Cancellation
Free until 24h before
Our take on this one
Six and a half hours from the cruise terminal, guided in German, with the itinerary built backwards from your ship's departure so you are back in time. Þingvellir first, where you walk the rift between the North American and Eurasian plates and see where the Alþingi met, plus Öxarárfoss; then the Geysir field with Strokkur erupting every few minutes; then Gullfoss dropping into the Hvítá canyon. Small group, certified German-speaking guide, pickup and drop-off at the port. Lunch is not included but there is free time to eat at Geysir. Thirteen start times, all year. Shorter and cheaper than the eight-hour German shore excursion, and it drops Kerið to get there.
- Book it if
- German-speaking cruise passengers who want the three main sights and their ship's schedule respected.
- Skip it if
- All commentary is in German, and 6.5 hours means brisk stops — if you want to linger at Gullfoss, this is the wrong ticket.
Written by us, from the operator's own details and what we know of the route. We don't take a fee for a good word.
About this experience
Step off your cruise ship and embark on a 6.5-hour small-group Golden Circle tour with a German-speaking guide, designed for comfort and personalized attention. Departing directly from the cruise terminal, this tour lets you maximize your time ashore while exploring Iceland’s most iconic sights.
Begin at Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, where you can walk between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates and learn about Iceland’s historic parliament, Alþingi. Nearby, visit the scenic Öxarárfoss waterfall, a perfect spot for photos amidst the rugged landscape.
Next, explore the geothermal wonders of the Geysir area. Watch Strokkur erupt every few minutes, sending boiling water high into the air, and discover bubbling hot springs and mud pools that showcase Iceland’s volcanic activity.
The tour concludes at the majestic Gullfoss waterfall, where the Hvítá river plunges dramatically into a canyon, creating a breathtaking spectacle. Throughout the journey, your German-speaking guide provides fascinating insights into Iceland’s geology, history, and culture, ensuring a memorable and immersive experience.
Description from the operator, Nordur Travel Services ehf. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.
Where you go
- Departure from Reykjavík ports
- 1. Þingvellir National Park
- 2. Oxarafoss Waterfall
- 3. Geysir Geothermal Area
- 4. Gullfoss waterfall
- Back to Port
Included
- Pick-up and drop-off at Reykjavik port.
- Transportation by vehicle with driver.
- Certified guide (German).
- Planned itinerary to return to the port on time.
Not included
- Meals and drinks.
- Tips
Good to know
- We recommend wearing weather-appropriate clothing and footwear, as the tour involves short walks outdoors.
- Lunch is not included, but there will be free time to eat in the Geysir area.
Cancellation for this tour
Free cancellation until 24 hours before departure; no refund after that. If the operator cancels for weather or safety, you get a full refund or a new date.
If the weather cancels this tour
Iceland's weather is real. What usually stops this one is sea state — the skipper decides an hour or two before departure. Here is exactly what happens to your booking.
- 1Nordur Travel Services ehf decides, and tells us. Operators cancel when it is unsafe or pointless, and we back that call every time — we do not ask them to run anyway.
- 2We contact you by email, and by phone if your tour is the same or next day. You choose: another date if there is one you can make, or a full refund. There is no fee and nothing to argue.
- 3The refund goes back to the card you paid with, through Stripe, usually visible within a few working days. If this tour was one of several in your booking, the others are untouched.
What you do not get is the day back. If this is the only free day in your plan, put a spare day next to it — the planner leaves days free with the rest-day option. And if you want out because the forecast looks bad, that is your own cancellation: free until 1 day before departure, the operator's policy after that.
Questions on the day: [email protected] · +354 497 1373. How cancellations work in Iceland →
Why this one and not the cheaper one?
The nearest cheaper Puffins & Reykjavík Bay Sailing from Iceland Discover is €54 — €87 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.
| Nordur Travel Services ehf · €141 | Iceland Discover · €54 | |
|---|---|---|
| How long it runs | 6.5 hours | 1.5 hours |
| Getting there | Picks you up | You make your own way |
| Changing your mind | Free until 24 h before | No free cancellation |
The €87 buys you 5 more hours out and hotel pickup and free cancellation up to 24 h before. Whether that is worth it is your call — but that is what the difference is.
Sold out on your date?
Seats come back — a cancellation, or the operator adding a vehicle. Tell us the date and we will check once a day and email you if one opens. One email, then we delete the address; nothing else is ever sent to it.
Who this is not for
- Not for late risers on your first morning — the earliest departure is 07:00, and Reykjavík pickups start before that.
Read off the operator's own conditions. If none of it applies to you, this is a good one.
Why we list it
Nordur Travel Services ehf is one of 154 operators we work with — chosen for reliability, honest descriptions and how they treat guests when weather changes plans. We don't list everything; we list what we'd book ourselves. The six checks every operator passes →
What travellers say about Nordur Travel Services ehf
Read all 134 reviews on Google →Operator rating 4.8/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.
★★★★★ · a month ago
Great tour, i enjoy a lot, the guide speaks spanish very good. Wonderfull places.
★★★★★ · a month ago
My sister and I booked a Golden Circle tour with Nordur Travel. They communicated well with us prior to the trip providing pick up details and any changes to the programme. Lara the guide was very good - friendly and informative and considered the needs of the group. I would happily recommend the company.
★★★★★ · 7 months ago
Unfortunately we didn’t get to see the Northern Lights, even though we had 2 goes at it! Each trip took us to different places, and although the forecast was apparently very good on the second attempt, we still didn’t see any, despite the enthusiasm and knowledge of both guides. Laura was the perfect guide, with her knowledge and enthusiasm. The hot chocolate drink and pastries were very welcome, and the dark skies on the second night were quite spectacular on their own!
★★★★★ · a month ago
The tour with Magda was super, she told us a lot of information about Landmannalaugar and the hike was really beautiful! Relaxing in the hot spring at the end was also very nice. All in all a great adventure 👍
Reviews from Google · updated 13 Sept 2026
Read before you book
- Six hours in port is enough for one thing done well, not three done badlyShore excursions for cruise days in Reykjavík, Akureyri and Grundarfjörður — what fits inside a six-hour call and what to leave for another trip.
Reviews from our travellers
Only people who booked this tour through us can write here. We publish every review in full — good or bad.
No reviews yet from our travellers on this one. After your tour we send one email asking how it was, and what you write goes here, unedited.
Boat tours — questions people ask
Where do boat tours leave from in Reykjavík?
The Old Harbour, on Ægisgarður pier, about five minutes' walk from most downtown hotels and ten from Hallgrímskirkja. Elding and Reykjavik Sailors both have ticket offices there. Whale, puffin, sea-angling and northern-lights boats all use the same area. Arrive thirty minutes before departure to check in. The Viðey ferry (/experience/1539/) leaves from the same harbour in summer and from Skarfabakki the rest of the year.
Is the Jökulsárlón boat tour worth it?
Yes, if you are already at the lagoon. A Zodiac gets you among the icebergs and close to the glacier edge in a way the shore cannot, and the combined glacier hike and Zodiac day (/experience/716547/) is the best full day in the southeast. Boats run in the warmer months only; check the tour page for dates. It is not worth a fourteen-hour day trip from Reykjavík just for the boat.
What is the difference between a Zodiac and an amphibian boat at Jökulsárlón?
A Zodiac is a fast rigid inflatable seating around ten, with a guide who can nose it near the glacier face and into iceberg fields; you wear a flotation suit and get a bit wet. The amphibian is a slow duck boat carrying larger groups on a fixed loop. The Zodiac is the better trip and the one we list. It has a minimum age and is bumpier; the tour page has details.
Will a boat tour be cancelled if it is windy?
Quite possibly. Operators cancel whale, puffin and lagoon boats when the wind or swell makes them unsafe or pointless, and Iceland is windy. The decision usually comes the evening before or early on the day, by email or text. You get a full refund or a new date. Book boat trips early in your stay rather than on your last day so a cancellation can be rebooked.
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Pairs well with
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