Iceland from Reykjavik: Golden Circle Tour with Local Surprise
Recommended by 96% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Reykjavik, Iceland
- 9 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
There are many day tours from Reykjavik that can take you around Iceland's Golden Circle, but this one includes an additional stop that most tours miss. Head for the three main attractions—Thingvellir National Park, the Geysir geothermal area, and Gullfoss waterfall—then add on a visit to Kerid Crater and walk along the rim for panoramic.
- Go beyond the Golden Circle with a visit to the striking Kerid Crater
- Check off several of Iceland's top highlights in just one day
- Go beyond the guidebooks with insights from your guide
- Relax with hassle-free Reykjavik hotel pickup
What's Included
- Visit to Þingvellir National Park
- Visit to Geysir geothermal area
- Visit to Gullfoss waterfall
- Visit to Kerið crater
- Brand-new modern coach with WC and Wi-Fi on board
- Small local Icelandic surprise
- Food and drinks
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Itinerary
1
Thingvellir National Park
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
2
Gullfoss Falls
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Geysir
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Kerid Crater
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 57 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 74 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Chris_G, Jul 2026
Daniel and Paulo were top notch guides in this incredibly beautiful and eventful tour. Daniel’s storytelling was captivating and educational. We truly loved every moment and would highly recommend to any traveler.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Stories have a way of bringing this wild landscape to life, and Daniel is a master at telling them. Our team will be so happy when they read this! Knowing that every single moment of the day clicked for you is the highest praise our crew could ask for. Thank you so much for spreading the word to fellow travelers!
Stacey_R, Jul 2026
It is a great way to see the beauty of Iceland. Jessica and Michal were great hosts and really seemed to know the history and culture of the area. They made sure we were safe and comfortable during the entire trip.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much for your review. We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the beautiful scenery and had a great experience on the Golden Circle tour. It’s wonderful to know our team made you feel safe, comfortable, and well‑informed throughout the day. We truly appreciate you sharing your feedback.
Alicia_T, Jul 2026
It was wonderful to see all the sights. And even though it was a nine hour excursion, I wish we had more time! We saw all four advertised sights and two “surprise visits” as well, but we only had a little bit of time at each place so it felt rushed. Recommend either making it a longer day (and it’s already pretty long!) or splicing it into two separate excursions to allow more time at each.
Gary_G, Jul 2026
The tour guide was wonderful. But I didn't like the fact that she gave the informative in both Chinese and English. She was obviously very talented. But it was quite boring listening to the Chinese part.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you very much for your feedback. We’re glad to hear you enjoyed the tour and the guide. Regarding the commentary in both Chinese and English, we tried our best to cater to both groups on board so everyone could enjoy the experience and receive the information in their own language. We appreciate your understanding and hope the rest of the tour was enjoyable for you.
Anaidy_R, Jul 2026
We did the Guided Tour for Golden Circle with Local Surprise company. Our guide Paulina was the best!!! Wonderful guide, she is super professional, very good sense of humour!! The driver was amazing too, Pawel. Thanks so much!!! Best tour in Iceland!!!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your amazing review! It means so much to hear that you considered this the best tour in Iceland. That's fantastic! We'll be sure to share your kind words with Paulina and Paweł, who will be delighted to know they made your experience so memorable. Thank you for joining us!
Mohammed_A, Jul 2026
The tour was cancelled by the organisers magic bus- they advised to get the refund from Viator. Please refund
biloxisis, Jul 2026
Excellent day spent on the sights of the Golden Circle. We were not rushed anywhere and had sufficient time to enjoy each place. Our guide, Paulina, did a great job explaining everything. The “secret” stop was a fun bonus.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re glad you enjoyed a relaxed Golden Circle experience and had plenty of time to take in each stop. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with Paulina. We’re also happy to hear you enjoyed the special surprise along the way!
Shelley_Z, Jul 2026
Beautiful country. The Golden Circle has so many amazing things to see. Martina and Pavlov were fantastic.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you very much for your review. I’m really glad to hear that you enjoyed your Golden Circle tour and that the beauty of Iceland made such an impression. It’s wonderful that Martyna and Pawel helped make the day special with their guiding and driving. We truly appreciate you sharing your experience.
Gladys_T, Jul 2026
Easy to find the bus at the cruise port. The itinerary went smoothly and the guide was very pleasant and helpful.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you very much for your review. I’m really glad to hear that finding the bus at the cruise port was straightforward and that the itinerary flowed smoothly throughout the day. It’s wonderful that your guide was pleasant, helpful and made the experience enjoyable. We truly appreciate your recommendation and your kind feedback.
Paula_P, Jul 2026
The guide, Daniel, was very knowledgeable, funny, and friendly. We wanted to experience the Iceland landscape and we certainly did. Overall it was a great experience.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you very much for your review. I’m really glad to hear that Daniel made your Golden Circle experience so enjoyable with his knowledge, humor and friendly approach. It’s wonderful that the landscapes you hoped to see lived up to your expectations and that the whole day felt rewarding. We truly appreciate you sharing your experience with us.
Emily_J, Jul 2026
He couldn't control the rain but everything else about the tour was so fascinating and fun to do with the kids.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much for your review. I’m really happy to hear that you and the kids had such a fun and fascinating day on the Golden Circle tour. Even though the rain was out of our control, it’s great to know that everything else made the experience enjoyable and memorable for your family. We truly appreciate you sharing your experience with us.
Lindsay_K, Jul 2026
Had a wonderful time, even though it POURED the whole time! Definitely an authentic Iceland weather moment. Was a great length day trip, and had a great driver/guide Thales. I thought the time spent at each location was perfect, though I will say I am an active/fit individual in my 30s - people with mobility issues may have challenges. Loved the local surprise bit.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much for your review. I am really glad to hear that you had a wonderful time on the Golden Circle tour, even with the heavy rain all day — definitely a true Icelandic weather experience. It is great to know that the length of the trip felt just right and that the timing at each location worked perfectly for you. I am also happy that your driver guide made the day enjoyable and memorable. The local surprise is always a fun touch, and we are delighted you loved it. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.
Meredith_P, Jul 2026
Excellent tour! Golden Circle tour is a superb way to see many impressive sights in Iceland. Our tour was led by Martina who was an excellent guide - friendly, funny and knowledgeable- she single-handedly made the day a wonderful experience! She accurately explained the length of each of our stops, what we could do while there and of course she gave in-depth descriptions and history of each area. A big thank you to Rafal - the bus driver for a comfortable and safe ride!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much for this fantastic review. I am truly thrilled to hear that you had such an excellent Golden Circle experience and were able to explore so many impressive sights in one day. It is wonderful to know that your guide made the day friendly, fun and full of great information, with clear explanations that helped you enjoy every stop to the fullest. I am also very glad to hear that the ride felt comfortable and safe throughout the tour. We are delighted that this was the best tour you have taken in Iceland and really appreciate you sharing your experience.
Nataliya_K, Jul 2026
We chose this tour mainly because it offered more places for less money than the competitors. However, we were also very pleasantly surprised by our guide, Ineer (sorry if we misspelled your name). Her stories were both interesting and entertaining, and everything was organized perfectly. Thank you!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much for your kind review. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the tour and that the stories and organization made the experience both interesting and entertaining. It is wonderful to know that everything ran perfectly for you. We truly appreciate your feedback and thank you for sharing your experience.
Carol_K, Jul 2026
It is a long, exhausting day, but totally worth it. Seniors must be able to navigate bus steps multiple times. It is not walker/ wheelchair friendly, but it is possible to do almost everything with a walker if you are stubborn like me. Some paths are pebbly which do not make them walker accessible. But in those few instances, the driver was more than accommodating to make sure I could make the most of the experience even when I couldn’t navigate a particular path. And the other passengers were wonderful about sharing photos of the few places I couldn’t access. This is a must-do trip. I highly recommend it.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much for sharing your “Golden Ager’s” perspective — we absolutely loved reading this.
It’s wonderful to hear that, even though the day was long and a bit tiring, it still felt completely worth it. Your determination and positive attitude shine through, and we’re genuinely happy that you were able to enjoy almost everything on the route, even with the challenges of pebbly paths and multiple bus steps.
We’re especially glad to hear how helpful the driver was. Our team always tries to make sure every guest can experience as much as possible, and it’s heartwarming to know that his support made a real difference for you. And how lovely that the other passengers shared their photos — that’s the kind of kindness that makes travel special.
Your recommendation means a lot. We’re thrilled you had such a memorable Golden Circle day.
TRINH_D, Jul 2026
The tour was perfect and I would Highly recommend it. Im traveling with my husband and. a couple we met on the cruise. We all loved the tour. Arnie was wonderful. He gave us the information we needed to make our experience “magical”. He managed the time really well. The local surprise was really well worth it. Really wonderful. Thank you Arnie!!!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much for this wonderful review.
It makes us genuinely happy to hear that your Golden Circle day felt “magical” and that you and your travel companions enjoyed every part of it.
Arni will be thrilled to know his guiding, timing and stories helped make the experience so memorable. He puts a lot of heart into his tours, and it’s lovely to hear that it really shone through for your group.
And we’re delighted that the local surprise was a hit, it’s one of our favorite touches.
Thank you again for sharing your experience.
edandsandi, Jul 2026
Tour was a great one, but tour guide did not give us the necessary information. suggest to her to do this and she agreed
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re glad to hear that you enjoyed the tour overall. Your guide that day, Arni, is an experienced Icelandic guide who is known for offering plenty of insight and background on every tour, and this one was no different. We’re sorry to hear that it didn’t fully feel that way from your perspective, but we truly hope you still had a good time exploring the Golden Circle with us.
JANINE_E, Jul 2026
The bus we had was meant to have a toilet and was also meant to be a modern luxury coach and it wasn’t . Also we had an English speaking tour but they obviously had a Chinese tour as well do everyone the guide spoke in English she had to repeat in Chinese which took way too long and was so very annoying . It sort of ruined the experience for us So much talking all the time
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you very much for your feedback.
We’d like to clarify that this tour is advertised as a bus tour, and the format you experienced that day matches what is described, a modern luxury coach.
On that particular day, we had a larger Chinese group joining the same departure. Since our guide is fluent in both Chinese and English, she offered to run the tour in both languages so everyone could enjoy the experience. This is not something we normally do, and our tours are not usually combined. We made sure to provide complete and accurate information in both languages, without overlooking or prioritizing any group.
We also want to apologize for the toilet being out of order during the tour. This is not a common occurrence, and we understand it may have caused inconvenience.
We appreciate your understanding and hope you still had a pleasant time exploring with us.
Dan_H, Jul 2026
Good value
It took us a while to get clarification on the pick us place ( needed to be at cruise port). Finally did get confirmation. On pick up,.
Saw a lot, good value
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re glad to hear that the tour felt like good value and that you enjoyed everything you were able to see during the day. We appreciate you mentioning the pickup clarification as well. We’ll keep working to make the communication as clear and smooth as possible for future guests. It’s great to know the experience overall left a positive impression.
davidhitchman, Jul 2026
This was an exceptional tour run by magiciceland. The commentary by Daniel was second to none with insite into the geology , history and lore would highly recommend
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your review. We’re delighted to hear that the day stood out for you and that Daniel’s commentary added so much depth to the experience. His passion for the geology, history and stories of the area often makes the journey even more engaging for guests, and it’s wonderful to know it resonated with you. We truly appreciate the recommendation and are glad the tour made such a strong impression.
Matt_D, Jul 2026
Great knowledge.
Great driver.
Great tour guide.
Flexible based on cruise schedule!
Definitely recommend.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful review, we truly appreciate it.
It’s great to hear that you enjoyed the tour, found the guide knowledgeable, the driver excellent, and the schedule flexible for your cruise. We’re delighted that everything worked smoothly for you and that you’d recommend the experience.
Thanks again for taking the time to share your feedback.
Erin_M, Jun 2026
My tour ended up being a bilingual Chinese/English tour in a larger bus than I had expected. On the company's website, they show English only tours as something separate from their multi-lingual offerings. However, Viator seems to combine them. It's worth checking if this would bother you.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you very much for your feedback.
We’d like to clarify that this tour is indeed advertised as a bus tour, and the format you experienced matches what is described. On that particular day, we had a larger Chinese group joining the same departure. Since our guide is fluent in both Chinese and English, she kindly offered to run the tour in both languages so everyone could fully enjoy the experience.
This is not something we normally do, and our tours are not usually combined — it was simply an exceptional situation on that day. We made sure to provide complete and accurate information in both languages, without overlooking or prioritizing any group.
We appreciate your understanding and hope you still had a pleasant time exploring with us.
Maxine_S, Jun 2026
This is where you understand how Iceland is an island of fire and ice! Amazing informative tour. Our guide Thale was great
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful review. We’re delighted to hear that the Golden Circle tour helped bring Iceland’s incredible contrasts to life for you. Thales will be very happy to know his guiding made the experience even more memorable. We truly appreciate you joining us and hope to welcome you on another adventure in the future.
Tim_S, Jun 2026
Ran to time, excellent guide (Jessica) and driver. Comfortable coach with plenty of room - weather was good too!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your lovely feedback. We’re delighted to hear that the tour ran smoothly and that you enjoyed the day with Jessica and our driver. It’s great to know the coach felt comfortable and that the good weather joined you too. We truly appreciate you choosing to travel with us and hope to welcome you again.
Anita_S, Jun 2026
Usually we are independent travellers so had some trepidation about a big coach tour for the day. But this tour was really good - driver Magic Mike dealt with all the traffic and navigating while Vik the Viking was our informative, personable tour guide. Enough time at each iconic location. Lots of walking, and a good balanced itinerary. Better than if we had tried to do the Golden Circle on our own because of the hype. Would recommend. We can now spend our independent time finding hidden corners and personal experiences while having ticked off the big sights with this tour.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We’re delighted to hear that the day felt smooth and enjoyable, and that the combination of Vik’s storytelling and Magic Mike’s steady driving helped make the journey comfortable from start to finish. It’s wonderful to know the tour gave you the chance to enjoy the major highlights without the stress of planning or navigating on your own.
We truly appreciate your recommendation and are glad we could help set the stage for the rest of your independent adventures in Iceland.
Daniel_H, Jun 2026
This was the same tour offered by the cruise line at about 1/3rd the cost. We actually were following the cruise tour busses from stop to stop.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much for your kind review. We’re really glad to hear you enjoyed the Golden Circle tour and found it to be such great value.
We appreciate you choosing to explore Iceland with us and hope to welcome you again in the future.
Donald_T, Jun 2026
This was an Excellent tour and a great way to see multiple nature sites of Iceland around Reykjavík. Victoria was an excellent, abeit quirky yet lovable guide for this long tour. And while it can seem very long, no driving portion was more than an hour with several stops that included food & bathroom breaks.
Magic Mike was our driver and did a great job without any aggressive driving or excessive braking. And I greatly appreciated his having both doors open at each stop which facilitated quick boarding and leaving. The coach had comfortable seats, 5G wifi, and USB & C-type plugs for each 2 seats. Would use this company again.
Lastly, encourage Victoria to not use the expletive J**** C***** in her talking as that was offensive to me as a Christian.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much for your excellent review. We’re very happy to hear you enjoyed the tour and had a great day exploring the region with Victoria and Magic Mike. Your feedback about the experience means a lot to us.
Regarding your comment about the language used, we will take your feedback into consideration.
We appreciate you choosing to travel with us and hope to welcome you again in the future.
susansankey, Jun 2026
Daniel and our driver ensured we had a wonderfil experience. It was a great day visiting such beautiful places.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much for your lovely review. We’re delighted to hear that you had such a wonderful day on the Golden Circle tour. Daniel and our driver will be very happy to know they helped make your experience fabulous. It means a lot to us that you enjoyed the beautiful places along the way. We hope to welcome you back for more adventures in Iceland.
Robert_S, Jun 2026
We wanted to see the most that we could on our 1-day tour and this was a comfortable, insightful, varied tour of the Golden Circle route. We especially liked the "special stops" of the grocery rest stop where we were able to purchase some lunch things and also where we fed the Icelandic horses. Visiting the tectonic plate ridge trail was our favorite, then the waterfall and the small volcano hike to the bottom! Marvelous!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience! We’re so glad the Golden Circle tour gave you a comfortable and varied way to see so much in one day. It’s wonderful to hear you enjoyed the special stops, Icelandic horses, and the tectonic plate trail at Þingvellir. We truly appreciate you joining us and hope to welcome you back to Iceland again! :)
Veronica_B, Jun 2026
I cannot praise this trip enough!
Our guide was Vic and our driver was Pavel (apologies if I've got that wrong!)
Pavel was kind enough to make the effort to stop at extra points of interest and take a beautiful route.
It was a long tour but it went really quickly due to Vic. She was incredibly funny, informative and engaging. I learnt loads about Icelandic culture and history from her.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for sharing this lovely reflection. It sounds like your day unfolded with the kind of energy and attention that turns a long journey into something memorable. We are delighted it left you with such a positive impression and would be happy to welcome you again.
From $85.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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