The Golden Circle is a popular 300-kilometre circuit in southwest Iceland that takes in three main attractions: Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss Waterfall and the Geysir Geothermal Field.
First stop is Thingvellir National Park, located just under an hour’s drive from Reykjavik, the capital. The park is famed for its exceptional geology: it sits directly over the original splitting point of the North American and Eurasian continents, and you can clearly see the rift valley that was formed by the shifting of the tectonic plates.
The Silfra Fissure, in the park’s Thingvallavatn Lake, offers the chance to go diving or snorkelling between the continents in water that displays exquisite shades of blue.
The Geysir Geothermal Field at Haukadalur is home to bubbling hot springs, fumaroles and two geysers, one of which is extremely active, shooting spouts of steaming water as high as 40 metres into the air every 5 to 10 minutes.
The Gullfoss Waterfall is a place of superb scenic beauty, where you will be amazed by the sheer force and volume of the water that cascades over a 36-metre high drop.
