Private Golden Circle Tour with Hvammsvik Hot Springs in Reykjavík

Your driver-guide picks you up at your accommodation anywhere in the Capital Area, or at your cruise terminal, and after a short introduction you head out for the day.

Kerid looks almost unreal at first glance: deep red volcanic rock wrapped around a still, blue lake. As you walk the rim or follow the path down towards the water, the colours shift with the light – rusty reds, oranges, dark greens and turquoise. On calm days, the surface mirrors the sky, creating photos that look like paintings.

You hear Gullfoss before you see it – a deep, steady roar that grows louder as you walk towards the edge of the canyon. Then the view opens and millions of litres of glacial water crash down in two wide steps into a dark gorge. On sunny days, fine mist floats up and paints bright rainbows across the falls. In winter, ice and snow frame the waterfall and the air feels sharp and clean. Your guide gives you time to explore the viewpoints at your own pace, to take photos and to simply stand there, letting the sound drown out everything else in your head.

You hear Strokkur gurgling, see the pool swell and breathe as if something underneath is pushing up. Then, just before the eruption, there is one second of complete silence. The water domes into an unreal blue bubble and explodes up to the sky, sending hot spray into the cold air. You can feel the excitement in the crowd, but in that moment it’s just you and one of Iceland’s most famous geysers doing exactly what it does best.

On the way from Geysir to Þingvellir, we stop by a field of Icelandic horses. These small, sturdy and famously friendly horses have lived in Iceland since the Viking Age, and they often come over to the fence to say hello. A lovely photo stop, and a favourite with children.

At Þingvellir, you don’t just “visit a UNESCO site” – you literally walk between continents. As you step onto the path, the air feels crisp and clear, and dark lava walls rise on both sides. Your guide shows you where the North American plate pulls away from Eurasia and invites you to pause with one foot on each side. This is where Iceland’s first parliament met under the open sky more than a thousand years ago. You hear the distant sound of Öxarárfoss and realise this valley holds both raw geology and quiet human history in the same breath.

This waterfall, hidden in the heart of Þingvellir, is often missed by larger tours. The river Öxará tumbles down black lava cliffs, its white spray catching the light. Surrounded by moss and stone, it feels both gentle and powerful. The path leads you close enough to hear its constant roar – a reminder of Iceland’s endless water.

We finish the day at Hvammsvík Hot Springs in Hvalfjörður. Eight natural pools of different temperatures sit right on the shoreline, and some of them rise and fall with the Atlantic tide. Slip into the warm water, look out over the fjord and let the day settle.

After Hvammsvík, we drive you back and drop you off where we picked you up, anywhere in the Capital Area or at your cruise terminal.