Is it worth it?

The Secret Lagoon is the best value hot water in Iceland, on one condition

Short answer

Worth it

Worth it if you are already doing the Golden Circle that day, and not worth a dedicated 90-minute drive from Reykjavík.

The short version

  • Worth it. Worth it if you are already doing the Golden Circle that day, and not worth a dedicated 90-minute drive from Reykjavík.
  • We hold 7 day tours here from 5 operators, median €191 a person, cheapest €117.
  • Cheaper alternative: Nothing cheaper is better. If even this is too much, the public pool in Flúðir and in every other village in Iceland costs a few euros.

Worth it if

  • Your day already goes to Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss — Flúðir is on the way home.
  • You want a hot spring that looks like a hot spring: stone edges, steam vents beside the path, clear water.
  • You are choosing between three lagoons and want the one that costs least.

Not worth it if

  • You are basing yourself in Reykjavík with no Golden Circle plan. Three hours of driving for a soak is not a day.
  • You want facilities. The changing rooms are basic and the café is small, on purpose.
  • You are going in the hour a coach convoy arrives — it is a small pool and it fills.

What you are actually paying for

Admission is roughly a third of the Blue Lagoon. Tours that include it are really Golden Circle day tours with the entry folded in, so the marginal cost of adding the lagoon to a day you were having anyway is small.

Across our own contracted catalogue, lagoons & spas day tours run to a median of €191 a person, with the cheapest we hold at €117, from 5 operators. Private and per-vehicle products are excluded, because mixing them into a per-person figure makes it meaningless.

The cheaper thing to do instead

Nothing cheaper is better. If even this is too much, the public pool in Flúðir and in every other village in Iceland costs a few euros.

If you decide it is worth it

What we actually hold, with live prices and departures. Nothing here is a placeholder listing — if it is on this page, it can be booked.

BusTravel Iceland

Golden Circle & Secret Lagoon Tour

from €117 per person4.8· 40 reviews of this tour

43% below the €205 typical

pickup at extra cost · works in rain

10 h · from Reykjavík

  • Wi-fi on board
  • Family friendly
  • Free cancellation 24 h

Geysir and Hot-springs on this award winning tour, voted one of Northern Europe´s Top 20 by Viator

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Arctic Adventures

Golden Circle & Secret Lagoon

from €139 per person4.60· 5,195 Google reviews of the operator

32% below the €205 typical

from age 6 · pickup included

9 h · from Reykjavík

  • Family friendly
  • Free cancellation 24 h
  • Book same day

Soak in a natural pool and explore three of the most popular attractions in Iceland. The Golden Circle & Secret Lagoon Iceland offers great value in a small group setting.

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Your Friend in Reykjavik

Private Bespoke Golden Circle Tour

from €1,573 per vehicle4.90· 1,779 Google reviews of the operator

pickup included · works in rain

8 h · from Reykjavík

  • Family friendly
  • Free cancellation 24 h
  • Book the night before

Explore Iceland’s iconic Golden Circle in comfort on a fully private, customizable luxury tour featuring waterfalls, geothermal wonders, and historic landscapes.

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Try Iceland Tours

Northern Lights & Secret Lagoon

from €191 per person4.8· 25 Google reviews of the operator

about the usual price

pickup included · works in rain · evening

6 h · from Reykjavík

  • Book the night before

The fascinating natural phenomenon of Northern Lights, the dancing colors and shapes in the dark arctic sky. One of the most mesmerizing experience in a lifetime combined with a bath in a natural hot spring…

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Keep reading

Questions people ask

Is the Secret Lagoon worth it?

Worth it if you are already doing the Golden Circle that day, and not worth a dedicated 90-minute drive from Reykjavík.

Blue Lagoon or Secret Lagoon?

Geography decides it. Blue Lagoon if you have an airport gap at either end of your trip; Secret Lagoon if you are doing the Golden Circle. They are 140 km apart and doing both in a day wastes the day.

Is the Secret Lagoon good in winter?

Yes, and arguably better — the steam and the dark suit it, and the coaches thin out. The pool is open year-round and the water is held at bathing temperature by the springs feeding it.

Why take our word for it

  • One checkout, any number of operators

  • Rankings are not for sale

  • 206 operators vetted, and not all of them accepted

  • If it falls short, we fix it

Other things people ask about

All 42 verdicts →

Last updated · prices and departures checked 24 Oct 2026

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