Golden Circle Cruise Arrival: Small Group Tour From Skarfabakki

by EastWest · Boat tours · Golden Circle

5.00· 102 TripAdvisor reviews of this tour 5.00· 2,173 Google reviews of the operator

Fine on your own

from €161.43 per person

Next departure: Fri 9 Apr

Book Fri 9 Apr · €161.43 Other dates

Golden Circle Cruise Arrival: Small Group Tour From Skarfabakki — EastWest

Þingvellir, Thingvellir, where you can walk between the two tectonic plates!

Friðheimar, a tomato farm where you will have a delicious lunch (lunch not included)

Golden Circle Cruise Arrival: Small Group Tour From Skarfabakki, photo 5

Horses from a farm near our stop, sometimes they'll come up close where you are able to pet them! (Please refrain from giving the horses anything to eat)

Golden Circle Cruise Arrival: Small Group Tour From Skarfabakki, photo 9

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13 photos from EastWest. Tap any one for the full-size original.

Duration
6 hours and 30 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Season
All year
Starts in
Reykjavík
Pickup
Meet at the start point
Starts at
Reykjavík Vör (Cruise Terminal)
Skarfagarðar 8, Reykjavík
Guide
Guided in English
Departs
08:00, 09:00, 10:00, 11:00 …
Minimum age
4
Cancellation
Free until 24 hours before

About this experience

Explore Iceland's breathtaking nature on a full-day Golden Circle tour departing from Skarfabakki port.

Unlike traditional tours, we don't have a set departure time for this tour; instead, we wait for the cruise to dock before beginning our adventure, allowing up to 2 hours after the cruise has docked.

Our commitment to an intimate experience is evident in our small group approach. With fewer participants, our knowledgeable guides can focus more on each guest, providing unparalleled customer service.

The Golden Circle, renowned for its proximity to Reykjavik, offers diverse landscapes and captivating tales from Iceland's settlement era to the present day. Immerse yourself in this popular route, where nature and culture intertwine seamlessly.

On this tour, we will guide you to the stunning Gullfoss Waterfall, the impressive Geysir, the charming Efstidalur dairy farm, and the picturesque Thingvellir National Park, where we will also visit the breathtaking Öxararfoss waterfall.

Description from the operator, EastWest. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Where you go

Essential Golden Circle (Cruise ship excursion)

Included

WiFi on board

Not included

Customers will have to pay for their own lunch, either by bringing it with them on the tour or purchasing at one of the locations.
Customers are welcomed to bring their own snacks on board, but we do not offer any food nor drink amenities in this tour.

Good to know

If you are going on a long tour, we also recommend bringing a few snacks along. Eating on the bus is not allowed but you can eat while being outside.
Ah, do not forget your camera.

Please note that departures are available for selected cruise ships only. Always check with us to confirm if we have a departure available for your cruise.
Not wheelchair accessible
Not suitable for pets
Due to the duration of this tour and the fixed schedule, we believe that infants (0-3 years old) should not attend this tour.
The tour will take approximately 6 to 7 hours in total. It will take around 1 hour and 47 minutes to reach our first stop, "Gullfoss," from Reykjavik, where we start. The travel time in total should be approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes, and we will also spend additional time at each location, which adds up to a total of about 6 to 7 hours.
Please be aware that we do not offer luggage storage.

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.

1EastWest 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 Golden Circle Tour with German Guide: Small Group from Cruise Terminal from Nordur Travel Services ehf is €141 — €20 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.

	EastWest · €161	Nordur Travel Services ehf · €141
Getting there	You make your own way	Picks you up

On everything we can measure, the Nordur Travel Services ehf tour is the better buy. The €20 is not buying anything we can point to, so unless you want this operator in particular, take the cheaper one.

Who this is not for

Children under 4 cannot join this one.

Read off the operator's own conditions. If none of it applies to you, this is a good one.

Why we list it

EastWest is one of 204 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 EastWest

Read all 2,173 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 5.0/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

LiDa
★★★★★ · 2 months ago
I took three different day tours with this company during my stay in Iceland: the Golden Circle, South Coast, and Snæfellsnes Peninsula. All three were absolutely breathtaking! You get to experience so much of Iceland’s incredible beauty in a comfortable, well-organized way. The minibuses were clean, the tours were punctual, and I always felt safe while having a lot of fun. Leroy and Ionut were my guides and drivers. Leroy went above and beyond. He is incredibly knowledgeable, patient, professional, and has a great sense of humor. Truly one of a kind! 🙂 Ionut was equally wonderful—caring, knowledgeable, organized, and an excellent guide who made the day both enjoyable and informative. I highly recommend this company to anyone visiting Iceland. It was one of the highlights of my trip!
Brian Rudnick
★★★★★ · 3 weeks ago
We booked 3 tours with this company. Our Northern Lights tour was a bust, but they rebooked it for tomorrow for us. This review is for Golden Circle. We also have a South Coast Tour planned for tomorrow. Stay tuned for those reviews as well. East West is extremely communicative, I encourage you to check your email the morning of pick up. A lot of tour companies use the bus stops and have multiple vehicles. We knew Simon was our driver and had a license plate number. Simon was great, with a fantastic sense of humor. He explained exactly what was going on at every step of the way. We visited the National Park, fresh ice cream shop, waterfall, geyser, crater, and tomato farm. Definitely a long day with a lot to do. I will say that food everywhere is expensive. Tomato farm was very good though. 2nd review is the South Coast Tour. Oscar was our guide for this tour. We went to black sand beach, and some really amazing waterfalls and a glacier. I don’t want to say too much and ruin it for you. We loved this one even more than the first. The scenery is absolutely stunning. This is a 10 hour tour and well worth it. Finally was our second go at the Northern Lights. We hit them at the very first stop. By the way, hot chocolate is amazing. This company and everyone we met who works for them is top notch.
Stephani Varnadoe
★★★★★ · 2 months ago
The Golden Circle tour guided by Gon was one of the most incredible experiences of our lives. First, a moment for Iceland because this country is 😍. 🇮🇸 We started the day punctually, in an immaculately clean van, with a wonderful group of tourists and expert tour guide. After an early start, Gon was on mission to maximize our experience on this tour. He was able to squeeze in a few extra stops that were just the cherry on top of all of the experiences included in the tour. He thoughtfully planned out and timed our route to place us in locations at ideal times for lower crowds. Not one stop felt rushed or “overcrowded” at any point on our trip (aside from Guyser, which is apparently always packed in summer). Gon was extremely knowledgeable of Icelandic culture and history, blending informative segments and opportunities to quietly take in the majesty of the remarkable landscape. From breathtaking vistas and grand waterfalls, to expertly crafted dining and treats, to interaction with native animals, this adventure was more than we could have ever hoped for! One for the memory book for sure! Gon, Eastwest, we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to experience Iceland with you! Leaving with a greater appreciation and knowledge of what a truly unique country this is because of this tour.
Tiani Schwindt
★★★★★ · a month ago
Our South Coast tour with Einar was fantastic! He was super knowledgeable and lots of fun. He was able to drive and guide us all safely through our 10 hour tour. I highly recommend! We also did the Golden Circle tour with Monica as our tour guide. She was quite entertaining and very interactive with the group. She made us all feel welcome and we had beautiful weather. You can tell she is passionate about the land!

Reviews from Google · updated 21 Oct 2026

Reviews from our travellers

Only people who booked this tour through us can write here. We publish every review in full — good or bad.

Reviews arrive the day after each trip — none yet for 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.

Hotels

Where to stay for this tour

From the cheapest to the top end of what is near Reykjavík, from our hotel partners. Rooms are booked on our hotels site.

All hotels in Reykjavík →

One checkout, any number of operators
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If it falls short, we fix it

from

€161.43 per person

EastWest's own price. 3% off the whole trip when you book two or more tours together, in one checkout.

Your date

The next departure we can see — change it if this tour is for another day.

Pick a date to check departures.

Departs08:0009:0010:0011:0012:0013:0014:00

Reykjavík: light 06:21–20:38, 14 h 18 min of daylight.

✓ Free cancellation until 24 hours before
✓ Instant confirmation by email
✓ If EastWest cancels for weather or safety: a full refund, or another date
✓ Card — Apple Pay or Google Pay where your device offers it — through Stripe; the charge is made in Icelandic krónur
✓ Price promise: EastWest's own price, or we refund the difference
✓ One checkout, even with tours from several operators
✓ Vetted operator — the six checks every operator passes

Pairs well with

Add any of these to this tour and 3 % comes off both at checkout — about €8 on the cheapest pair. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.