Whether you live in Iceland, have visited before, or have simply typed “Iceland” into a search bar while daydreaming about a holiday, the Golden Circle has probably crossed your radar. This loop sits just a short drive from Reykjavík and covers three heavy hitters: Gullfoss waterfall, the geothermal area at Geysir, and Þingvellir National Park.
It had been quite some time since I last tackled the full Golden Circle, so when my father, his wife, and a couple of friends announced their return to Iceland after years away, I seized the opportunity. I reached out to our friends at Go Car Rental and mapped out a classic DIY day trip to introduce them to this cherished route.
Weather Woes
The forecast on the morning of our trip was not encouraging. Dark clouds sat low over Reykjavík, and a quick check on Vedur.is made clear we weren’t going to outrun them. Still, we loaded up the eight-seater van with snacks and water bottles, my kids thrilled to be skipping school, and headed off hoping Iceland would do what it sometimes does — look stunning even under a grey sky. We drove out over Hellisheiði and dropped down into Hveragerði without a single drop of rain. A promising start.
The First Stop
Cruising along Route 35, I floated an idea to the group. “We’re nearing the Kerið volcanic crater,” I said, probably with slightly too much enthusiasm. “Lovely walk around the rim — anyone want to stop before Geysir?”
A beat of silence. Then a fairly flat, “Nah, I don’t think so.”
Right. Geysir it was. (For the record, I stand by Kerið as a worthwhile stop — don’t skip it.)
Whatever indifference greeted the crater idea, there was no shortage of anticipation for the Geysir geothermal area. The star is Strokkur, the reliable geyser that erupts on average every five minutes. Walking the cobblestone path toward it, we passed a bubbling puddle called Litli-Geysir, a row of energetically churning mud pots, and a steam-belching concrete structure whose purpose I genuinely cannot explain — but it adds something to the place. The original Great Geysir has stayed dormant for years, so Strokkur carries the show.
We found our position along the rope barrier around the geyser’s azure pool and waited. The water rose, dropped back, surged again, and then shot skyward in a proper column. The van erupted in its own chorus of “oohs” and “aahs.” Worth every second.
Back to the van for the next adventure.
The Next Stop
Everyone buckled in, we continued along Route 35 toward Gullfoss. Having just watched water launch into the air, it seemed fitting to go and watch some cascade down a cliff face instead.
Gullfoss rewards you as you walk the canyon path — the angle and scale keep shifting with every few steps. That dank May day actually worked in our favour: we practically had the place to ourselves. The rain held off long enough to take in the view from the lookout point next to the restaurant and gift shop, and then we headed down the stairs — everyone counted a different number of steps, which sparked a friendly argument — to get closer to the falls.
The multi-tiered waterfall and the canyon stretching out behind it are genuinely hard to take your eyes off. I was also quietly relieved to see everyone staying well behind the safety barriers, which meant I could actually enjoy the scenery rather than spend the whole time anxious about someone leaning too far over.
Last Stop
Up to that point we’d stayed mostly dry — grey and gloomy, but dry. That changed the moment we entered Þingvellir National Park and slowed to the posted speed limit of 50 km/h, much to the irritation of the Land Rover tailgating us through the park gates.
As we crept through the landscape past lookout points that were presumably beautiful on a clearer day, the sky opened completely. Rain hammered the van roof while the wipers did their best. In the back row, my kids belted out songs from Hamilton at full volume. In the front, an older member of the group slept through all of it. There are worse ways to spend an afternoon.
When we reached the Þingvellir visitor center, I half-expected everyone to stay in the van. Instead, they piled straight out to see Almannagjá, the gorge that marks the edge of the North American tectonic plate. Soaked within minutes, we still made our way around the semi-circular boardwalk and took it all in. Þingvellir holds up in any conditions — cold and wet, it was still absolutely worth the stop.
Homeward Bound
On the way back to Reykjavík, Hamilton was switched off at the gentle request of the non-children in the vehicle. Almost immediately after we passed through the national park gates, the rain stopped. Of course it did.
Even with the weather doing its worst for much of the day, a leisurely loop of the Golden Circle reminded me why this route has the reputation it does. I got to see it fresh through the eyes of people visiting for the first time — and added a few new memories of my own along the way.
A heartfelt thanks to Go Car Rental for providing us with the wheels for the day. For your own adventure, visit gocarrental.is.
