Golden Circle

The Golden Circle consists of three equally stunning locations in southwest Iceland: Thingvellir National Park, the Geysir Geothermal Area, and Gullfoss waterfall.

Thingvellir National Park is an amazing site, steeped in history and folklore and surrounded by incredible geology. It has the honour of being the first of Iceland’s three national parks to be established. It is also the only one that has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

The second stop on the Golden Circle is the Geysir Geothermal Area, located within the Haukadalur Valley. It is approximately a fifty-minute drive from Thingvellir. En route, it is possible to see the earth’s volcanic activity grow more intense. Steaming vents and chimneys are visible along the way and notably concentrated in the village of Laugarvatn, located halfway between Thingvellir and Geysir.

The third and final stop on the Golden Circle route is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Iceland: Gullfoss. Visitors can find the waterfall less than ten minutes down the road from Geysir. This powerful waterfall is located in a plunging, ancient valley and tumbles down two drops, from an overall height of 32 meters (105 ft). During its heaviest flow in the summer, it pours an average of 140 cubic meters (4944 cubic feet) of water every second.