Bo was knowledgeable, friendly and an all around pleasure to spend the day with. The tour made our trip to Iceland a real treat.
About Activity
What's Included
Includes
- Pick-up in Reykjavik
- A very comfortable luxury vehicle
- Expert guide from Your Friend In Reykjavik
- Electricity or Gasoline depending on the car
- Parking fees
Excludes
- Meals and drinks
- Extra activities of your choice
Departure & Return
Departure Point
- Traveler pick up offered
Itinerary
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. 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.
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).
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!
This optional stop is a beautiful crater lake is in the Grímsnes area, south of Gullfoss and Geysir. It is about 55 m (180 ft) deep, 170 m (560 ft) wide, and 270 m (890 ft) across. There are quite a few crater lakes in the area, but it is called Iceland’s Western Volcanic Zone. The sand around the crater is not black but red due to its high iron content. It is, in fact, rust you are seeing and contrasted with the blue lake water, making for a spectacular sight. Other stops you can add on for your bespoke private Golden Circle Tour (for an additional fee depending on each experience):
Another optional stop! Have you ever been out for a meal in a greenhouse? Enjoy a unique food experience at Friðheimar Greenhouse restaurant, with tomatoes growing all around! Tomato soup, fresh-baked bread, and other goodies in a charming environment among the plants. As the name suggests, tomatoes are grown all year round, despite Iceland’s long dark winters. They use artificial lighting in greenhouses to do that. Visitors can enjoy a taste of their crop, and many agree you will get the best tomato soup you will ever taste there! The farm grows about 370 tonnes of vegetables yearly (primarily tomatoes and cucumbers).
Yet another optional stop he Secret Lagoon, known locally as Gamla laugin (the Old Pool), is the oldest swimming pool in Iceland. It was made in 1891 at Hverahólmur, a geothermal area near Flúðir. What makes the place unique is the rich natural resources of warm water coming from hot springs. Vaðmálahver, Básahver, or Litli Geysir (active geyser which spouts every few minutes, showing off for the guests), provide 100% of the water supply in the lagoon. The pool water flows continuously, and it takes only 24 hours for its complete replacement. Warm, clean, and rich in sulfur, it stays at 38-40 degrees Celsius all year round. Centuries ago, people used the hot springs of Hverahólmur to wash their clothes and bathe. The Old Pool was where people were taught how to swim between 1909 and 1947. The Secret Lagoon has been kept natural, simple, and unique for you to get the authentic Icelandic experience.
Laugarvatn Fontana Geothermal Baths are located in the center of Iceland’s most popular tourist route, the Golden Circle. A unique experience of the healing powers of the geothermal springs. Soak in a natural pool, listen to the bubbling hot spring in the steam rooms, or take a dip in the refreshing lake for the venturesome. There is also the opportunity to discover how to make the unique Icelandic Ryebread
Language Offered
Additional Info
Cancellation Policy
Reviews
Amazing tour with Daniel. Loved his insights, humor & willingness to share special places with us.
Our guide Daniel was phenomenal. Very witty and personable. Great knowledge of the area. He’s been doing tours for 12 years so he has lots of experience. I highly recommend using him and this company, you won’t be disappointed.
Daniel was a great guide and driver. He was knowledgeable and added a lot of humor n
We did the private golden circle tour and Daniel was our guide. He was an exceptional tour guide and driver Highly recommend him
Was fun and engaging and very knowledgeable
We were picked up at our ship by Daniel. We started the tour at the farthest stop. This insured that we missed the crowds from the larger buses. There were 8 people in the group which allowed us to spread out in the 15 passenger van. Daniel was knowledgeable in different aspects of Iceland. He was able to work in lunch at a popular restaurant which takes reservations months in advance. We got there just as it opened and were able to be seated. All in all it was a great experience.
Daniel was an absolutely incredible tour guide who went above and beyond to give us an unforgettable first day in Iceland. We learned so much every step of the way and had a blast talking and laughing about the nature and culture here. The tour was flexible and tailored to fit our interests, and Daniel is so knowledgeable about every location. His recommendations for other activities to do during our trip have turned out to be awesome experiences as well. One of my favorite parts of the day was having an impromptu grocery store adventure; I had a blast trying food that the locals eat. This tour exceeded every expectation. Thank you Daniel for giving my dad and I some of the best memories of our lives!
Amazing experience on this tour! Our group of 4 couples booked a private comfortable sprinter bus with the amazing Joanna. She was extremely knowledgeable about the areas, the history and food, and all the natural elements as well as getting around Iceland with ease. Everything was planned to a T. We saw more than we could imagine in the two days with Joanna. This was our second trip to Iceland and I can’t recommend enough the value of having this type of tour for your group travel. It was luxurious and comfortable. She knew exactly how to handle each site and was flexible with us when needed. Don’t hesitate to book!!
Oscar did such a nice job introducing us to Iceland and the history behind the various stops. He was quiet when we were dozing (jet lagged!) and chatty when we were awake. We stopped at a lovely tomato farm for lunch and could not have been more impressed with the food and atmosphere. Highly recommend!
Iceland is amazing. On this tour, I think we hit 9 different sites, having multiple excellent culinary experiences along the way. Now that I'm home, I've stocked my fridge with Icelandic Skyr because of this trip. Our guide (Adrian) was outstanding, keeping everything on track so we could see the sites, learn the history, learn how Skyr was made, learn about the geology, etc. Fabulous experience!
Oli is very enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the history and plant life of Iceland. In addition to the impressive sights on the Golden Circle, he was flexible and adapted the schedule to fit our interests. We recommend stopping at a farm for ice cream and eating lunch at the tomato farm! He was prompt and professional. We liked him so much we used him the next day for a 2 hour tour of Reykjavík.
What a beautifull tour! With an excellent tour guide Franklin who is born to do this, we love him. All the information he gave about the places, the history, the environment, ....was very welcome and nice to know. We had the chance to go in winter with a lot of snow and beautiful sceneries.....
Wonderful experience. Our guide “Gooly” was tremendous. He had many stories and facts about the history of Iceland that he shared throughout the day. Can’t wait to book return trip and another tour!
Our guide Oli was fantastic! Friendly, very knowledgeable, answered every question we had —and there were a lot — with a smile. The tour itself was amazing: the most awesome waterfall for one thing — and I finally experienced what awesome really means. And an absolutely beautiful natural hot spring consisting of several pools nestled among the rocky landscape. With a tiny pub attached so you can sip wine as you bathe and stroll from pool to pool. Highly recommend Your Friend in Reykjavik and Oli!
We only had a limited amount of time before we had to be at our ship. Adrian picked us up at the airport, and took us an amazing tour of the Golden Circle. Sharing great information about each place. Even though we had limited time he never made us feel rushed. He then dropped us at the port. I would highly recommend Your Friend in Reykjavík tour company. They are top lodge.
Olie is the best. Comfortable van for the six of us. He gave us a taste of what the Golden Circle has to offer. He was super knowledgeable and friendly. I highly recommend a tour with Your Friend in Reykjavik!
An essential excursion if you visit Iceland. Our guide, Luísa, did great and adapted to our requests.
Monday through Friday 9 am to 7 pm EST
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