Golden Circle and northern lights by boat from Reykjavík

Highlights

• The famous Gullfoss waterfall and the UNESCO site Þingvellir National Park
• Strokkur Geyser
• A 62-metre (105 feet) canyon with amazing views
• Northern lights

All about the trip

On this tour, you will visit the geothermal Geysir area, the famous Gullfoss waterfall and the UNESCO site Þingvellir National Park. You will also make a stop at Friðheimar greenhouse to learn more about how we grow vegetables in our harsh climate thanks to geothermal heat, bumblebees and an advanced irrigation and lighting system.

Geysir is located in the south of Iceland, near an area called Laugarvatn. The most popular feature of Geyser is called Strokkur, which is a very active geyser that shoots water into the air for up to 30 meters (98 feet) every few minutes.

Gullfoss is one of Iceland’s most popular and famous waterfalls. It lies in the glacial river Hvítá and drops into a 62 meter (105 feet) canyon, giving you amazing views and great photography opportunities.

Finally, Þingvellir National Park is famous both for historic and geologic reasons. It is the site of the oldest parliament in the world, the Alþingi. You can also see the Mid-Atlantic ridge above the ground, where the Eurasian and North-American tectonic plates are pulling the land apart by a few centimeters each year.

Your Golden Circle tour ends with a drop-off to your hotel back in Reykjavík. You will then have 3-4 hours before your tour for northern lights by boat departs.

Our tour sets sail from the Old Harbour in Reykjavík’s city center, and in just 15-20 minutes you will be in a prime location away from the pollution from the city lights which is perfect for viewing auroras. Your guide will share facts on the science behind the magical phenomenon of the northern lights, and tell you stories and myths about the lights from different cultures around the world. The tour takes roughly 2-3 hours depending on how early or late the lights might appear.

We recommend putting on our free overalls on-board (overalls also available in children’s sizes) that will keep you nice and warm out on the deck, listening to what the guide has to say about the lovely colors dancing in the sky.

Throughout the tour, we will show our very own northern lights video, full of interesting facts and folklore. If you are cold you can grab a drink at the bar and cozy up inside watching the video or just simply enjoy the view of the city lights in the distance with your friends or family.

What is included in the price

• Bus transportation
• Guided tour
• Admission to Friðheimar cultivation center
• Warm overalls
• Wireless internet on board
• Café, bar and souvenir shop

What is not included in the price

• Lunch, water or snacks
• Pick-up and drop-off

Instructions

These tours are subject to correct weather conditions and sightings of the northern lights cannot be guaranteed. We reserve the right to cancel the tour due to unfavorable weather conditions if need be.

If the northern lights boat tour is canceled, but aurora conditions are favorable, we offer a replacement northern lights tour by bus, plus a chance to join the boat tour the next available day (even if you see the lights on the bus).

If the tour does not operate at all (boat or bus) during your stay due to unfavorable weather conditions, you can exchange your ticket/voucher with one of the following options:

A Whale Watching Tour or a full refund.

If you join the tour (boat or bus) and there are no sightings you will get another ticket to join us on the next available day. This ticket is valid indefinitely so if you don’t have another chance this time around we welcome you back when you visit Iceland again.

We always try our best to give our passengers the best possible chance to see the northern lights, however, it is important to know that we can never guarantee sightings as this is a hunt for a natural phenomenon.

We use the weather forecast to find out the cloud cover on the night and the strength of the lights. We will always sail out when there is a chance of visibility as we do not want our passengers missing out on a chance to see the auroras.

This activity is organised by Special Tours, Ægisgarður 13, Reykjavík, 101, Iceland, +354 560 8800, info@specialtours.is.