Golden Circle Day Tripper

4 days / 3 nights
Reykjavík skyline with mountains in the background, Iceland
A woman looking at Seljalandsfoss waterfall in Iceland.
Vik Church with Reynisdrangar sea stacks in the distance
The Strokkur geyser erupting
Houses at Þingvellir National Park on a cloudy day
Houses at Þingvellir National Park on a cloudy day
Reykjavík skyline with mountains in the background, Iceland
A woman looking at Seljalandsfoss waterfall in Iceland.
Vik Church with Reynisdrangar sea stacks in the distance

Stay in the capital and join guided day trips packed with must-see sights

Whisk yourself off to Iceland for a short break with a difference. Stay in the buzzing Icelandic capital of Reykjavík and enjoy a variety of thrilling day trips into the otherworldly landscapes surrounding the city.

With your base in Reykjavík, you’ll be able to take advantage of what the capital has to offer. Think delving into culture in the city’s top museums, sampling delicious food, and making the most of the thriving nightlife. 

On your first full day, you’ll explore the must-see sights on the famous Golden Circle route: Geysir, Gullfoss waterfall, and Þingvellir National Park. While another day’s excursion will take you along the jaw-dropping south coast. Here black sand beaches, glaciers, and plunging waterfalls await.

Travel styleMulti-day
Trip length4 days / 3 nights
VibeShort & sweet
SeasonSummer
(1 Apr–30 Sep)
TransportBus
Starts fromReykjavík
Tour codeCB05

On this tour you will...

  • Spend your evenings soaking up Icelandic culture in Reykjavík

  • See natural wonders like powerful geysers and tumbling waterfalls

  • Marvel at geology in action in the beautiful surroundings of Þingvellir National Park 

  • Visit Friðheimar’s geothermal greenhouses, where cucumbers and tomatoes grow

  • Try extra activities like snowmobiling or even walking along a lava tunnel

  • Have the chance to add a Blue Lagoon experience to your trip

Top attractions

The Tjörnin pond in Reykjavík in summer

Downtown Reykjavík

The Gullfoss waterfall in summertime

Gullfoss

Þingvellir National Park, Iceland, in autumn colors

Þingvellir National Park

The Strokkur geyser erupting in winter against a sunset

Geysir and Strokkur

A rainbow over the Skógafoss waterfall on a sunny day

Skógafoss

The Seljalandsfoss waterfall covered in icicles

Seljalandsfoss

Vik Church with Reynisdrangar sea stacks in the distance

Vík í Mýrdal

Why book a multi-day trip with Iceland Tours?

  • Start your tour on the date that suits you

  • Stay at the same place in Reykjavík for your whole trip

  • Travel on comfortable buses with free Wi-Fi

  • Effortlessly customize your trip with extra activities

  • 24/7 emergency helpline in Iceland

  • Secure your booking with just a 5% deposit

Your 4-day bus itinerary

Your 4-day bus itinerary
Staying inReykjavík

Transfer from Keflavík International Airport to your hotel in Reykjavík (included).

Reykjavík offers a wide range of sights to visit and lots of activities to enjoy. After your arrival, you can spend the rest of the day at your leisure exploring the capital of Iceland. Walk around to immerse yourself in the culture, visit one of the numerous museums, go shopping, or have a taste of the local cuisine at one of the many delicious restaurants and cafés

Highlights

The Tjörnin pond in Reykjavík in summer

Downtown Reykjavík

Included experiences, upgrade options & extra activities

Woman relaxing in the Blue LagoonUpgrade

Upgrade - Arrival via Blue Lagoon

Perlan on a sunny summer’s dayExtra

Perlan Museum Wonders of Iceland & Northern Lights Show

Staying inReykjavík

The Golden Circle needs little introduction: it is home to some of the most stunning and famous sights in Iceland. You will see the hot spring Strokkur shoot a column of water up to 30 meters (98 feet) into the air every 4-8 minutes. It is a thrilling experience that never gets old. 

You will stop to admire the magnificent Gullfoss (Golden Falls) waterfall, created where the river Hvítá tumbles and plunges into a crevice some 32 meters (105 feet) deep. This tour also includes the historical and geological wonder, Þingvellir National Park, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are pulling apart at a rate of a few centimeters per year.

Included with your package is a visit to the idyllic Friðheimar greenhouse cultivation center. Here you and your group will learn about the magic behind growing delicious, pesticide-free tomatoes and cucumbers with the aid of the geothermal heat that Iceland has in abundance.

Alternatively, you can upgrade to a different adventure on this day. All experiences include a Golden Circle tour, so you won’t miss out on this classic touring route.

Staying inReykjavík

The South Shore Adventure Tour is ideal for nature lovers. You will have an opportunity to stand behind the plummeting Seljalandsfoss waterfall, walk up to the Skógafoss waterfall, and gaze at the majestic rock formations.

You will then travel along the South Coast of Iceland as far as Vík í Mýrdal, a charming small village surrounded by beautiful high bird cliffs. The highlights of the day are the stunning views of glaciers, black lava sand coastlines, and impressive rock formations

Transfer from Reykjavík to Keflavík International Airport (included).

Depending on your departure time, you might be able to fit in a stop at the Blue Lagoon on your way to the airport if you have not already made the visit. That way, you’ll be relaxed and rejuvenated before your flight.

If you add this stop, you’ll be picked up at your hotel and dropped off at the Blue Lagoon, where there are luggage storage facilities for a fee.

Good to know: Most airlines require you to arrive at the airport at least 2 hours before your departure, so bear this in mind when booking. The drive to the airport takes around 20 minutes. Pre-booking is required for the Blue Lagoon stop.

What’s included?

Budget, Comfort, or Quality accommodation every night

Continental breakfast every day

Airport transfer

Golden Circle & Friðheimar guided bus tour

South Shore Adventure guided bus tour

24/7 emergency helpline when you’re in Iceland

VAT, taxes & service fees

Flights to Iceland

Food & drink, unless otherwise stated

Attraction entrance fees, unless otherwise stated

Personal travel insurance

Customer reviews

Read what real customers had to say about Golden Circle Day Tripper.

Overall rating for this trip
5.0
based on 5 reviews
K
Kim - United States
June 5, 2023 - Verified booking
Fantastic!
M
Martin - Mexico
August 22, 2022 - Verified booking
Very professionals and all the scheduleds were in time.
D
David - United States
July 7, 2022 - Verified booking
Great service and response time. Tours very efficiently run with clear directions. Would highly recommend.

FAQs about our multi-day trips

Throughout your multi-day trip with Iceland Tours, you’ll be based in the Icelandic capital of Reykjavík or Akureyri the capital of the North. From here, you can join guided tours into the surrounding countryside to soak up the mind-blowing scenery. Your package will include at least one day trip, and depending on the length of your tour package you can opt to add more.

It’s worth bearing in mind that you won’t have the same guide throughout your trip. In fact, on each escorted group day trip from Reykjavík or Akureyri, you’ll get to meet a new guide and new fellow travelers.

What’s more, spending each night in the same accommodation means you don’t need to worry about unpacking and repacking during your trip. It also gives you the chance to experience more of the city’s restaurants, food halls, and bars. And you’ll have time to browse the local shops and visiting the city’s attractions.

When you opt for a multi-day package, you won’t be traveling with the same guide and group throughout your trip. This means that number of fellow travelers you meet on your guided excursions will vary depending on the activity.

For instance, if you’re going on an ice cave tour, your group could include a just a handful people. Meanwhile, a tour of the Golden Circle by bus will often be a larger group as you’ll likely be traveling by coach. And you’ll find evening Northern Lights tours are usually by coach too, although you have the option to upgrade to a small group, super jeep, or boat tour.

Depending on the excursion, your bus could be either a minibus or coach. Most buses will have free onboard Wi-Fi and charging points for your phone. Larger buses also have overhead compartments for stowing your bag and jacket.

It’s good to know that although there’s no restroom on the bus, your guide will make sure to include regular breaks throughout the journey.

Yes, all of these multi-day trips include airport transfers by bus from Keflavík International Airport to Reykjavík on arrival and departure.

On each morning of your trip, you’ll get a tasty continental breakfast at your accommodation. In most places, this is served buffet-style in a communal dining room.

With most packages, lunch and dinner are not included so you’re free to choose from all of the options available. In Reykjavík and Akureyri, you’ll be spoiled for choice when deciding where to eat.

Some festive packages include special meals. Check the ‘What’s included?’ section for the individual package to find out exactly what you’ll get.

If your package features longer day tours, you’ll find that the guide will factor in lunch and restroom stops. But it’s still good to come prepared by packing a few snacks and plenty of water. And if you prefer, you could bring a picnic lunch rather than eat out.

Absolutely! You can customize your package by:

  • Picking your level of accommodation (Budget, Comfort, or Quality)
  • Extending your stay with extra nights in Reykjavík at the start or end of your trip
  • Adding optional activities, such as a food tour or glacier hike

Enter your dates and the number of people in your group on the tour package page. Here you can also choose your accommodation level.

At checkout, you can customize your trip with extra days and activities. Afterwards, follow the steps to finalize your booking and you’ll get a confirmation from us via email.

There’s one more thing that’s great to know: all it takes is a 5% deposit to secure your booking today.

Because a multi-day trip is made up of different excursions every day, you won’t always be with the same group. That said, Iceland is small enough that you might just bump into someone from the day before!

If you’re looking for the kind of experience where you can hang with the same group and make new friends, we also offer guided group tours of Iceland. These are led by local experts who will take you and your travel buddies all over the country.

Once you’ve decided roughly when you want to visit Iceland, you can start searching for flights online. Iceland is well connected to major airports in Europe and across North America.

It makes the most sense to book your package with Iceland Tours first. Once your booking is confirmed, go ahead and purchase your flights. Then all you need to do is think about what to pack! In fact, you can read all about that below.

On all of our multi-day tours from Reykjavík, you’ll stay at the same hotel or guesthouse in the city for the length of your trip. This is great if you prefer to stay settled in one place and explore by day.

If you’d rather get to stay in different places in the countryside, you could go for an Iceland self-drive tour, where you can set your own pace. Another great option is a guided group tour, where you’ll travel with the same awesome fellow travelers for your whole trip.

On a multi-day package with Iceland Tours, you can choose from 3 levels of accommodation:

  • Budget – Guesthouses and hotels, with shared bathrooms
  • Comfort – Hotels or guesthouses of around 3 stars, with private bathrooms
  • Quality – Hotels or guesthouses of around 4 stars, with private bathrooms

Each accommodation level offers different types of rooms. We’ve described them below to help you choose the best one for you. Just keep in mind that not every hotel has all these room types available.

  • Single room: one single bed in a room, perfect for solo travelers.
  • Double room: a full-sized double bed for 2 people.
  • Twin room: a room with 2 single beds that fit 1 person each.
  • Triple room: these vary in size and layout, but are designed to fit 3 adults. Triple rooms feature a combination of double, single or sofa beds, depending on the hotel.

No matter which accommodation level you pick, breakfast is included. Read more about the differences between the levels on this accommodation page.

In Iceland, the weather can change in a flash. The upshot is that if you don’t like the weather, you won’t need to wait long for it to pass.

With that in mind, you should pack smart so you’ll be comfortable no matter the conditions. Here’s a suggested Iceland packing list:

  • Rugged hiking boots
  • Wooly hat, scarf, and gloves
  • Thick, waterproof winter coat
  • Sweaters and fleeces for extra warmth
  • Swimming gear (for hot springs and pools)
  • Sunglasses
  • Lip balm and moisturizer

If you’re planning a trip to Iceland in winter, sunglasses are essential because the sun is low in the sky for most of the day. You’ll also want to protect your skin from the dry air with moisturizer.

For more tips, see our Iceland packing list.

There’s an incredible amount you can do on a multi-day vacation from Iceland Tours. Here’s some ideas to spark inspiration:

Because you’ll be based in Reykjavík for your whole trip, most excursions will take you to the south or west of Iceland. Be sure to check out this guide to the best things to see and do near Reykjavík.

If you want to see North Iceland, East Iceland, or the Westfjords, you might want to consider a self-drive or guided group tour. These are also great options if the Ring Road is on your must-do list.

For even more inspo, explore these awesome things to do in Iceland.

Adults

Ages 12+

2

Children

Ages 2-11

0

Infants

Ages 0-1

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