Driving Iceland’s Golden Circle

This article was written by Motorhome Republic collaborators The Wandering Wheatleys

The Golden Circle is a small loop around southern Iceland that allows you to see several  highlights of the country if you are short on time. The loop is 300 kilometres in length and begins and ends in Reykjavik. It’s easy to complete the Golden Circle in a single day (but adding a second day will allow you fit in a few extra stops along your route).

Check out our list of the top 3 highlights of the Golden Circle below, and if you have extra time on the island, be sure to read all about the Highlights of Southern Iceland.

Enjoy!

Thingvellir (Þingvellir) National Park

Driving Distance from Reykjavik: 48 kilometres
Total Drive Time: 45 minutes
Total Hiking Time: 1-2 hours depending on your preference

The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is the name of the spot where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet and separate. These plates are pushed apart at a rate of about 2 centimeters per year by volcanic eruptions. The only place in the world where this rift is above sea level is in Iceland. And you can actually see this divide at Thingvellir National Park (also known as Þingvellir National Park).

A fissure in Thingvellir National Park that is known as Silfra disrupted an underground spring. And today it is the only place in the world where you can dive or snorkel in between two tectonic plates. Silfra is believed to have the clearest water in the world, with underwater visibility of about 100 metres. In order to see it for yourself, you’ll need to book a tour and wear a wetsuit as the water is incredibly cold.

The landscape in Thingvellir is quite dramatic, as you’ll see as soon as you park at Hakio Visitor Center and walk over to the lookout. An easy and well maintained trail takes you through the fault lines. Make sure to check out the Oxararfoss Waterfall during your visit to the park, it’s definitely a highlight!

You’ll need to pay a fee to park at the Visitor Centre. The price is determined by how many seats you have in your car. And there is an additional fee of 1,000 ISK per adult if you want to see the exhibition inside of the Visitor Center.

Geysir Geothermal Area

Driving Distance from Thingvellir National Park: 61 kilometres
Total Drive Time: 1 hour
Total Hiking Time: 30-45 minutes

The Geysir Geothermal Area is a small but very active area in the town of Geysir. A small path leads you by bubbling, boiling mud pits, around the geysers, and up to a lookout point (the path gets really muddy here so beware of your shoe choice).

The largest geyser, simply named “Geysir”, is no longer active. But in its heyday it had water spouts that reached over 160 metres! But the other geysir in the area, named Strokkur, erupts every few minutes. It’s a bit less impressive, with spouts generally reaching 15-20 metres in the air. You’ll see groups of people with cameras in-hand, waiting around the edges of Strokkur to capture an eruption.

The parking across the street from the Geysir Geothermal Area is free and entrance to the area is also free.

Gullfoss Waterfall

Driving Distance from the Geysir Geothermal Area: 10 kilometres
Total Drive Time: 10 minutes
Total Hiking Time: 20-30 minutes

Gullfoss Waterfall is arguably the most impressive waterfall in all of Iceland, and you’ve most certainly seen photos of it. The distance from top to bottom is 30 metres in total, but the drop is two-tiered. In the summer months, approximately 13 cubic metres (460 cubic feet) of water flows down this massive waterfall every second. Look down the Hvitargljufur Canyon, where the Hvita River has carved its path and the walls of the canyon tower overhead.

The energy from the Gullfoss Waterfall was almost used to fuel a hydroelectric power plant back in the early 1900s. The land was owned by Tomas Tomasson, a farmer, who refused to sell his land to an English businessman named Howell. But he did agree to lease the area to Howell, who found a loophole in the contract that would allow him to build his plant.

Tomas’s daughter, Sigridur Tomasdottir, had other plans. She worked tirelessly to nullify the lease and in 1929 the waterfall was returned to the Icelandic people so that locals and visitors get to enjoy it today.

You can either park at the top of the area, near a restroom (the cost is 150 ISK to use), some shops, and a viewpoint, or down below, closer to the trail. There is no fee to park and no fee to enter the area. A trail leads you down the side of the hill to a lookout point right near the top tier of the falls. It’s amazing that you can get so close to the powerful waterfall.

Other Nearby Attractions

There are so many other amazing things to see and do in Southern Iceland. Check out all of the other highlights here!