GOLDEN CIRCLE AND HORSES

The Golden Circle Classic is our bestselling day tour, audio guided in 10 languages! You will see the world famous erupting geyser & hot springs, experience the magnificent Gullfoss Waterfall and follow in the footsteps of the Vikings of old as you walk down the lava canyon where the American and Eurasian continents are literally pulling apart in Þingvellir. The day will end with horse-riding through meadow and lava fields.

The tour starts with a stop in Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site listing and the birthplace of the oldest existing parliament in the world. This is also where the gigantic tectonic plates of America and Eurasia have pulled apart and the resulting rift valley is right there before your eyes on the shores of Iceland’s biggest lake.

The next stop is at Geysir Hot Springs, the home of the one-and-only original geyser and Iceland’s most iconic natural attraction. Here the ground trembles and steaming hot water spouts spectacularly skywards from the famous Strokkur Geyser every few minutes.

Now for a leisurely walk down to Gullfoss Waterfall, which is an awesome sight to behold. Here a powerful glacial river cascades down 32 meters on two levels and into a narrow canyon with a thunderous roar.

The horse riding tour will take us through meadows, lava fields and a small river. We will enjoy the picturesque scenery of volcanic mountains and farmland, passing several farms, giving us an idea of how Icelandic agriculture has developed in the last decades. The trails are good for horse-riding, giving us an opportunity to experience the special gait of the Icelandic horse “tölt”.

 

Requirements

Bring with you: Dress according to weather. In Iceland it is always wise to dress in warm, waterproof clothes. Weather changes can be sudden so expect the unexpected. Bring a waterproof jacket and pants, headwear and gloves. Good outdoor shoes are recommended

In-Bus-Audio-Guide: Bring your own headphones. Otherwise we sell earphones on the bus. 

Attention

• Þingvellir. Located on the northern shores of lake Þingvallavatn, Þingvellir is the national pride of Iceland and our first National Park. It is, for one, a key location in Icelandic history as the oldest existing parliament in the world first assembled there in 930 AD. Þingvellir has for this reason been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.               Besides being a location of historical significance, Þingvellir is also protected as a national park due to its unique geology and natural features.

• Almannagjá is a canyon formed between two tectonic plates, a visual representation of a continental drift. 
• Geysir. The home of the original geyser and Iceland´s most iconic natural site. There the ground shakes and super heated water erupts into the sky from the famous Strokkur geyser every few minutes. 
• Gullfoss Waterfall is a powerful and inspiring place. There the glacier water thunders down 32 meters in three steps and into a narrow canyon
• Horse Riding tour in Icelandic scenic landscape