10°
05 July 2006Around the Golden Circle
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- Day: Wednesday, July 05th
- Weather: Rain, 10 °C
- Distance in kilometers: 600 km
It's our last day and we are all feeling a bit sad this is the end of our trip. The rain has not left us…
We started our day at 9 AM at the Gullfoss waterfall. There was no one there to see it in the rain, and there was zero chance we would catch a rainbow over the golden waterfall, but it's still very beautiful.
Planning your visit: Gullfoss plunges about 32 metres (105 ft) in two tiers into the gorge of the Hvítá river, roughly a ten-minute drive from Geysir. There is a large car park, restrooms and a visitor centre near the viewing platforms.
We then moved on to the Geysir site which was more crowded but big enough for everyone, and we wandered the site for quite a long time wading through the red mud which was a true delight! (Today, leaving the marked paths is strongly discouraged: the area has been protected since 2020, and the very hot, unstable ground can hide scalding water.) We made a final stop at Kerið, a beautiful crater with a small blue lake at the bottom known as a maar (access is paid: a 700 ISK service fee per person in 2026, parking included).
The itinerary ends in Reykjavík where, after leaving our luggage at the guesthouse, we can enjoy a nice walk through the streets of the capital. As the weather remains decidedly discouraging we decide to find a way to warm up in a pleasant bar around a meal and a beer.
The trip to the airport the next day is emotional, but we go home carrying wonderful memories and all sorts of magnificent photos, and we are already planning our next trip to Iceland!
Doing the full Golden Circle
On this leg we did not stop at Þingvellir, yet it is the third major site of the classic Golden Circle loop, along with Geysir and Gullfoss. This UNESCO World Heritage national park lies in the rift valley between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates; allow 45 to 60 minutes to drive there from Reykjavík (Route 1, then Route 36).
The whole loop is about 230 km (140 miles), and you should plan 6 to 8 hours including stops. Geysir and Gullfoss are each about 100 km (62 miles) from Reykjavík, roughly 1 hour 40 minutes by car.
