Golden Circle Self Drive 3 Day 1: Arrival Pick-Up Your Rental Car and Explore Reykjanes Peninsula

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Self Drive 5 days Golden Circle

Haukadalur Welcome to Iceland! To make your stay in Iceland more enjoyable, we would like to draw your attention to the following:

△ This booklet contains a standard itinerary. If you have Sat Nav added nights, please note that the itinerary has not been customized to show such amendments.

△ This itinerary is a guideline for your travel in Iceland. The Speed Limit route may vary according to your overnight stay and road conditions, especially during April/May and September/ October. Seat Belts △ Even with the long daylight, you will not be able to visit every nook and cranny nor enjoy all the fun things sug- gested. Please choose between the sites mentioned Road Map depending on your interest as time limits your possibilities.

△ The kilometer/mile distance per day is not precise. The distance may vary depending on the location of your Bin the Litter accommodation and the detours you take each day.

△ On your accommodation itinerary you will find a detailed address list, describing how to reach your accommoda- One Lane Bridge tions. The accommodation itinerary also has a reference number, which is valid as your voucher. Official hotel check-in time is 14:00-18:00. If you arrive any later, it’s Watch out for Animals courteous to notify the hotel.

△ Breakfast is always included during your stay, but no other meals. Many of the rural hotels and guesthouses offer a Gravel Roads nice dinner at a reasonable price.

2 Self Drive Golden Circle A few favourites from the trip

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Golden Circle Self Drive 3 Day 1: Arrival Pick-up your rental car and explore Reykjanes Peninsula

Please see your Iceland Travel Itinerary for details about your overnight stay 3 pon your arrival in Iceland you’ll find your Reykjavík 1 Keﬂavík 4 Urental car help desk in the arrival hall at Hveragerði Keflavik Airport. The desk is open every day from 5:00 am – 5:00 pm and again from 9:00 2 pm-1:00 am. The staff will advise you where to Vík find your vehicle. If you are arriving early enough in the day, the beginning of your trip you continue on we recommend driving along the southern road number no. 43 until you find your way to coast of the Reykjanes peninsula and you Grindavik. Take a left onto road no. 427 and might want to start your journey with a soak in explore the southern coastline on your way to the Blue Lagoon. Follow road no. 41 towards Hveragerdi. Reykjavik until you find road no. 43, leading Follow this winding road along the south towards Grindavik. Before you reach shoreline, past stand-alone houses, lava rock Mt Þorbjorn you make a right turn to the Blue formations, and endless sea views. Take a quick Lagoon area. To make it easier you can just detour on road no. 42 to Krysuvik Geothermal follow the steam clouds rising into the air. At Area and Kleifarvatn Lake, which are a part of the Blue Lagoon you can soothe away the jet the Reykjanes fissure zone. lag and relax in the milky waters of the Lagoon Continue your journey on road no. 427 until and perhaps enjoy a glass of the famous Blue you reach road no. 38 which will take you to Lagoon cocktail while you let the algae mask the charming village of Hveragerdi. The village bring out the skin’s inner glow! is one of the few sites in the world located Kindly note that the Blue lagoon is very directly on top of a geothermal area and popular all year round and therefore you should because of its many greenhouses heated by book ahead. hot water from nearby springs it is often called If you don´t plan on visiting the lagoon at the flower village.

4 Self Drive Golden Circle Instead of a classic volcano cone, Hekla is part Day 2: of a rather squat series of ridges, although this is South Coast usually hidden behind a thick bank of clouds that earned Hekla its menacing name, which means Thundering Waterfalls, Cliffs & Sea Stacks, Black the hooded one. Soon after the settlement Sand Beaches of the South Shore, Puffin Colony period, in 1104, Hekla showed that it was a pres- ➠➠Approximate driving distance: ence to be feared as it erupted without warning 190 km / 118 miles and devastated 20 farms in the Þjórsárdalur Valley. Indeed so notorious was the volcano´s Please see your Iceland Travel Itinerary for reputation that in the Middle Ages people in details about your overnight stay Europe believed it to be the gateway to hell. The rom Hveragerði you will continue your trip volcanic eruptions from Hekla are spectacular Fon road no. 1 to Selfoss. as the mountain is 1,493 m (4897 ft) high and You can take a detour to Stokkseyri, where towers over the lowlands of the south. you can find an interesting museum, called This beautiful region is the setting for the the Ghost Centre or Draugasetrið, tel. 483 greatest and most dramatic of the Icelandic 1202, displaying all of the most well-known family sagas, Njal´s Saga is set. You have the ghosts in Iceland. The entrance is located on opportunity to visit the Saga Centre in Hvols the south side of the building by the harbour. völlur where you can learn more about the The museum is not recommended for children sagas, tel. 487 8781. younger then 12 years old. The museum is open Rising ahead of you now is the cone shaped June-August from 13:00-18:00. Eyjafjallajökull glacier and volcano, 1666 m Keep on your journey on road no. 1 through (5465 ft), that erupted so memorably in 2010. the fertile farmlands of the south, towards the On a clear day you can see the Westman east through the small villages of Hella and Islands to your right. Hvolsvöllur, where trade and services are the There is a ferry to the Westman Islands, sail- main occupations. You will have frequent views ing from the nearby Landeyjarsandur harbour. of mountains, including the majestic Mt. Hekla. Therefore it is easy to take a detour to this archi- Mt. Hekla is without a doubt Iceland’s most pelago of around 15 small islands; the largest one famous volcano. It is still very active, erupting Heimaey has a population of around 4.000 inhab- most recently in 1970, 1980, 1981 and in 1991. itants. This detour can also be done on day 3. The last eruption started on 26th February 2000 and lasted for 12 days; the lava from this eruption covers approximately 18 km² (47 mi²).

Golden Circle Self Drive 5 Detour to the Westman Islands: 17:00 but less in other months, tel. 481 1997. Beautiful walks on Heimaey Island include a few kilometres east of Hvolsvöllur, turn hike to the southern tip of the island “Stórhöfði” A right when you see the ferry sign and drive for puffin- and bird spotting and a hike up to towards the ocean. The ferry “Herjólfur” offers Helgafell and/or Eldfell volcano. several departures daily, please call 481 2800 for Back on the ferry and you find yourself again information about the schedule and prices. You on the main-land. can either leave your car behind at the harbour or take it along on the ferry. The duration of the trip Continue on road no. 1 and a stop at the is about 30 minutes in good weather. spectacular waterfall Seljalandsfoss, 40 m Once in the Westman Islands, you should visit (131 ft) high, is recommended. There you can Eldheimar – a volcano museum of remem actually climb behind the waterfall, but be care- brance, tel 488 2700. The exhibition focuses on ful as it might be slippery. the powerfully destructive 1973 volcanic eruption Shortly after you pass Seljalandsfoss water- on Heimaey Island, one of Iceland´s biggest fall, you can pay a visit to the famous visitor natural disasters in recent times. The highlight of centre at Þorvaldseyri farm, tel. 487 5757, the exhibition is a house that has been delicately which gained world-wide attention during excavated. Eldheimar also houses the Surtsey the volcanic eruption beneath Eyjafjallajökull exhibition with all available information about Glacier. During the eruption, thick layers of this unique island, which is on the UNESCO World ash fell to the ground and rivers flooded their Heritage List. banks, damaging farmland, hot water pipes A boat tour around the islands is a must for and flood barriers on nearby farms. The farmer, all bird and nature lovers, please call Viking Tours Olafur Eggertsson and his family, have extraor- for further information, tel. 488 4884. They offer dinary images on display, showing the farm and various tours, such as the popular circle tour, its surroundings before, during and after the whale watching and deep sea fishing. eruption. A visit to the Museum of Natural History Then drive onwards to Skógar, where you is recommended. It offers insights into bird and can visit the Folk museum and Skógafoss marine life, houses a rock and minerals collection waterfall, 60 m (197 ft) high, one of the most and an aquarium. From mid-May until mid- impressive waterfalls in the country. The September the museum is open daily from 10:00- popular Skógar Folk museum is open daily

6 Self Drive Golden Circle from 09:00-18:00 during June, July and August 10:00-17:00 from September through May. Tel. 487 8845. Mýrdalsjökull is Iceland’s fourth largest glacier. Glacier tongues creep down its sides to the lowlands, the most prominent being Sólheimajökull. Under the south-eastern side of the glacier is Katla, a sub glacial central volcano, buried deep under 400 m (1312 ft) of ice. The caldera is 10 km (6.3 miles) in diam- eter. Since the settlement of Iceland, Katla has erupted 16–20 times at an average interval of 40–80 years, melting the glacial cap and causing catastrophic floods on the surrounding lowland plains. All of this has in the course of time created the vast Mýrdalssandur desert on the south-eastern side of the glacier. Katla last erupted in 1918. Continue the journey and pass Dyrhólaey, a magnificent rocky headland with sheer cliffs. It is the southernmost point of Iceland and at its tip is a huge stone archway carved by the waves that boats can sail trough. The headland is known for its bird life and is certainly worth a visit. It is about 5 km (3 miles) from road no. 1 on road no. 218, about 8 km (5 miles) before you arrive to Vík village. Dyrhólaey is a bird sanctuary and closed to all traffic during the nesting season from ca. 1st of May to 25th of June. Please note that the road to the top is not an easy drive as it is very steep. If it has

Golden Circle Self Drive 7 been raining severely, the road turns muddy and is not recommended for smaller cars and inexperienced drivers. One has to be very careful walking on top of Dyrhólaey, as no fences protect you from falling, so do not walk close to the edge. Before reaching Vík, there is another recommended detour to the so-called Reynishverfi by turning right on road no. 215. Reynishverfi offers a beautiful black beach and impressive basalt columns. At one point you can enter a cave called Hálsanefshellir, chiselled out by the Atlantic over thousands of years. Depend- ing on the tides the cave may not always be accessible.

Please note: As much as this stretch of black sand looks innocent, it’s open to the Atlantic Ocean and is known for extremely treacherous waves and strong currents. You should therefore be extra careful, comply with warning signs at all times and keep a careful distance from the shore line.

You will drive onwards to the scenic village of Vík, which is situated in the mild and fertile Mýrdalur valley which is the southernmost borough in Iceland. The western border is marked by the glacial river, Jökulsá, to the east by the river Blautakvísl, and to the south by black, volcanic beaches and the Atlantic Ocean. Mýrdalur is a farming area with about 600 inhabitants, 330 of them in the village of Vík. It is an area of great contrasts. Lush green not hesitate to peck your head with their sharp pastures lie between vast black volcanic sands. beaks. To avoid getting hurt, please put a stick, Rugged mountains, scarred by deep gullies, rise umbrella or something long above your head from the sands and are topped by the Mýrdals- since they aim for the the highest point. jökull glacier. The area has rich birdlife with the Reynisdrangar: These are towering sea country’s largest nesting colony of arctic terns stacks at the base of Reynisfjall Mountain, just east of the village. In the cliffs west of the supposedly formed when two trolls were trying village you will see countless puffins, kittiwakes to drag a three-masted ship to land. When day- and fulmars mainly during the months of May, light broke they turned into stone. The stacks June and July. rise 66 m (216 ft) above sea level and can be Please be careful when walking in the nest- seen from Vík. ing area of the arctic terns as they are very Heiðarvatn: A lake that lies not far from protective of their eggs and their chicks. Intrud- Vík. It offers good trout fishing and is a nice ing on these areas means you run the risk of area for walking. Please note that you will need dive-bombing attacks where the adult birds do a permit for fishing.

8 Self Drive Golden Circle Day 3: Þjórsárdalur Valley, Gullfoss Waterfall, Geysir Hot Springs Colourful Valley, Hekla Volcano, the Famous Golden Falls, Spouting Geysers ➠➠Approximate driving distance: 300 km / 186 miles

Please see your Iceland Travel Itinerary for details about your overnight stay oday you head to the Gullfoss waterfall Tand Geysir geothermal area but first you might want to drive back on road no. 1 and turn to road no. 26 to Þjórsárdalur Valley. You will follow that road until you get to road no. 32. While driving on road no. 26 you will be passing through dramatic scenery as you are in the proximity of the volcano Hekla (to your right). The lunar-like landscape is in most parts covered with thick layers of ash and lava. There is an interesting Hekla exhibition at Leirubakki at road no. 26 where you can learn about volcan- ism in general and the history of mount Hekla. Open daily from 10:00-22:00, tel. 487 8700. When you reach road no. 32 you will follow the course of the mighty Þjórsá, Iceland’s longest river and the most important source of elec- tric energy in the country. You take road no. 327 to Stöng, the excavated ruins of a Viking- age farmhouse in a fair state of preservation. If you follow on the path along the brook you will enter a beautiful ravine called Gjáin. It offers a Fun things to do landscape having brooks and waterfalls where Snowmobile Tour of Mýrdalsjökull glacier harlequin ducks can often be spotted. It makes Duration from 1 hour the perfect place to unwind, so breathe deeply Arcanum, tel. 487 1500 / 893 3445. and enjoy the solitude. Turn back to road no. Glacial Walk with Crampons from 32 and continue into the mountain-encircled Sólheimajökull, with the possibility of some valley with mounds of volcanic ash, pumice ice-climbing for those willing enough to try covered hills, red and pink-toned pseudo Duration from 1,5 hours craters and lava crags rising above the valley Icelandic Mountain Guides, tel. 587 9999. floor. You will soon come upon the beautiful Fákasel Horse Park, Barn Visit, shows and waterfall Hjálparfoss, framed in twisted basalt evening show & dinner columns. Nearby you will also find Þjóðveldis Fákasel, tel. 483 5050. bærinn, a replica of an old Viking farm, open Kayak Tour from Stokkseyri during the summer season. At the entrance to Duration from 1 hour the Þjórsárdalur valley, you can stop for a short Kayakferðir, tel. 695 2058. climb to the top of Gaukshöfði, a rocky crag

Golden Circle Self Drive 9 with the mighty river at its foot and a splendid play. Please be very careful near the hot pools view of Hekla, Iceland’s most famous volcano. and geyser and keep to the hiking paths. Take road no. 30 and then no. 31 and head You continue your journey further north to for the bishopric at Skálholt. Skálholt played Gullfoss waterfall, the “Golden Waterfall”. It a major role in Icelandic history from 1056 – is a beautiful two-tiered waterfall that many 1796, when the bishopric moved to Reykjavík believe to be the most scenic in Iceland. It after earthquakes damaged the buildings. You thunders 32 m (105 ft) over a fault into a gorge, can then go to road no. 35 and head for the which measures 2.5 km (1.5 miles) in length and Geysir area. up to 70 m (230 ft) deep in places. The Geysir area is a colourful geothermal field where you find geothermal pools and a Fun things to do spectacular erupting hot spring or geyser. In Snowmobile Tour on Langjökull Glacier fact the Icelandic word “geysir” is the com- Duration from 1 hour monly used generic term for this natural Mountaineers of Iceland, tel. 580 9900. phenomenon. Every 5-10 minutes the geyser River Rafting on the river Hvítá Strokkur (the Churn) erupts sending water and Duration from 3 hours vapour shooting skywards in a spectacular dis- Arctic Rafting, tel. 562 7000.

10 Self Drive Golden Circle Day 4: Here you can visit the Fontana Spa for a relaxing soak, steam rooms and a sauna, tel. 486 1400. Þingvellir, Borgarfjörður Area From Laugarvatn you will drive via Lyngdalsheiði on road no. 365 to Þingvellir National Park. National Park with Geological Wonders Þingvellir National Park is of great ecologi- (UNESCO), Picturesque Fjords, Waterfalls cal, geological and historical interest. The park ➠➠Approximate driving distance: itself is situated in a stunning volcanic landscape 300 km / 186 miles of mountains and lava flows, on the border of Iceland’s largest lake. Surrounding the lake are Please see your Iceland Travel Itinerary for impressive faults and gorges that are consid- details about your overnight stay ered among the finest examples of the results he next village to explore is at Lake Laugar of tectonic movements in the world. It is the Tvatn, a geothermal area. It is said that when area where the tectonic plates for Europe and Christianity was adopted in the year 1000, the America meet, and one can literally see the rift chieftains from the north, who refused to be bap- valley between the continents. This is also the tized in the cold water of Þingvellir, were brought former site of the oldest parliament in the world, to Laugarvatn to be baptized in the warm spring. Alþingi. It was founded in Þingvellir in 930 and

Golden Circle Self Drive 11 this is where all the greatest events in Icelandic Drekkingarhylur (Drowning Pool) in Öxará history have taken place in the past thousand River, where women found guilty of adultery years. In the 18th century a major earthquake were drowned. hit the area, after which the parliament was transferred to Reykjavík. In 2004 Þingvellir was Öxarárfoss waterfall, a beautiful waterfall in placed on the UNESCO List of World Heritage the Öxará River, which falls thunderously over a Sites. concerning the Protection of the World steep slope at the edge of the Almannagjá rift. Cultural. While in Þingvellir you should visit (you can get Þingvallakirkja Church, from 1859, situated directions at the information centre): on the spot where one of the first churches in Iceland was built around 1016, shortly after Lögberg (The Law Rock), the law speaker, the Icelanders converted to Christianity in the year president of Lögrétta (the Law Council) stood 1000. there facing the gathering below to recite the laws during the period when the old Alþingi From Þingvellir you continue towards the was held at Þingvellir. Borgarfjörður area. There are two possible routes to Borgarfjörður, the usual one suitable Neðrivellir where Lögrétta was, the most for all cars, and the highland track Kaldidalur important institution of the ancient parliament, valley, only accessible with 4wd. the Alþingi, where the “goðar”, the local chieftains, and bishops gathered to debate, pass new laws and amend old ones. These two sites are on the eastern side of the Almannagjá gorge.

12 Self Drive Golden Circle Detour via Kaldidalur valley: Please note! △ The Kaldidalur mountain pass is usually urn onto road no. 550 south to Kaldidalur just open from mid-June to September, so T valley. This is a rough road and only suit please ask for information regarding road able for 4wd. Please ask about road conditions and weather conditions before setting off beforehand. on this route. It is only suitable for 4wd On Kaldidalur road, you will be crossing barren cars. deserts of uninhabited interior highlands and △ There are no services on this road, so heading over black sand plains with glacial rivers in make sure that you have a lunch box and the background. In clear weather, you have a good plenty of petrol before driving it. view over the country. This route ascends to an △ The road condition in Kaldidalur is quite elevation of 700 m (2296 ft) above sea level and rough, but on the other hand, the scenery from this high point there are close views of the and the view of the glaciers can be spec- crevassed glacial tongues from Langjökull glacier tacular. Therefore Kaldidalur can be a very crawling down steep ice-covered mountain sides. scenic route in fine weather with good On the right hand side of the road you will visibility, but it can be a horrible one in come to a junction (look out for a signpost) where rain or fog with limited visibility. So if the you could make a detour and drive up to the weather is bad it is more sensible to take glacier, either just to have a close look or to go on the other road which is asphalted for the snow mobile. You will drive onwards to Húsafell, most part. a popular summer resort in a pleasantly wooded area, where you can see the stark contrasts between the highland and the fertile lowland.

Golden Circle Self Drive 13 The other route and the only one if you a stop at Deildartunguhver, which is probably don’t have a 4wd, is to take road no. 36 and the largest hot spring in the world with 180 then road no. 48 up the scenic coastal road litres of 98°C (208 Fahrenheit) hot water every along Hvalfjörður on road no. 47. Hvalfjörður second. It is located a bit north of the junction is one of Iceland’s longest fjords (30 km / of road no. 50 and road no. 518, which lead 19 miles). During World War II, Hvalfjörður to Reykholt. At the car park you can purchase became one of the most important Allied naval fresh tomatoes, grown in the local greenhouses bases in the North Atlantic as a refuelling and packed for travellers who stop at Deildar- station for the Allied fleet. The many large oil tunguhver. tanks around the village of Miðsandur, often Your next stop will be Reykholt which the cause of much tourist curiosity, are indeed is among the most noteworthy historical remnants of this refuelling station. Here you sites in Iceland. Today, Reykholt is a school also find Iceland’s only whaling station, which is centre. Snorri Sturluson (1178 –1241), the still operational. best known Saga writer and scholar, lived in Drive road no. 1 through Borgarnes and Reykholt, where he wrote such famous works to the Borgafjörður area. Borgarnes is the as Heimskringla, Snorra Edda and perhaps Egil’s largest coastal community in Iceland that is Saga. In Reykholt you will find the exhibition not dependent on fishing. The town is built on Snorrastofa, which is a culture- and medieval a scenic headland jutting into the picturesque centre founded in memory of Snorri Sturluson. fjord Borgarfjörður, close to the spot, Borg, Snorrastofa manages various research projects where the Viking poet and warrior, Egill Skallag- and provides reception, souvenirs and informa- rímsson, the main character of one of Iceland’s tion for tourists. most famous Sagas, Egil’s Saga, lived in the 10th A little bit further than Reykholt there are century. You can have a break there or continue the picturesque waterfalls Hraunfossar, as your journey. they pour from under a lava field, in a suc- It’s a good idea to visit the Icelandic Settle cession of cascades, into to the river Hvítá. ment Centre in Borgarnes, tel. 437 1600, which Barnafoss waterfall is nearby. is housed in three buildings. The main floor of To head back to Reykjavík, take road no. the centre houses an exhibition entitled “The 50 and then road no. 1, which takes you to Settlement of Iceland”. Reykjavík. You can drive to Reykjavík either In Borgarfjörður, we suggest that you make via the Hvalfjörður tunnel (ISK 1000 per

14 Self Drive Golden Circle car), or the road along the Hvalfjörður fjord, continuing south along the beautiful coast- Day 5: line of Hvalfjörður (please see description of Departure Hvalfjörður above). For those that have some time to spare in eparture from your accommodation Reykjavik we suggest that you visit Laugardals Dis recommended 3 hours before the laug swimming pool or one of the many departure of your flight, as it takes approx. 1 swimming pools in Reykjavík. There is also hour to drive to the airport and check in will a botanical garden and family park in the start 2 hours before your departure. Laugardalur area you might enjoy visiting. You If you did not visit the Blue Lagoon on your can also browse around the old city center, way to the city on your first day, but have time with its many shops, galleries, museums, cafés to spare today, you might want to use the and restaurants. Recommended sites to visit if opportunity en route to the airport. For this walking are: Hallgrímskirkja Church, the City detour, please be sure to allow for at least 2-2,5 Hall, Tjörnin Lake, the harbour area, Harpa hours extra to make sure you’ll have ample time conference and music hall, and the sculpture at the lagoon. Sun Voyager. Just outside the city centre you The rental car should be returned to the can visit the Höfði House. airport service area which is located only 2 For extra time in Reykjavík, optional tours minutes from the airport building. A shuttle will from Reykjavík such as the Blue Lagoon, horse- then transport you to the departures hall. back riding, whale watching, Kulusuk day tour, etc can be booked through the lobby at your hotel or by calling Iceland Travel tel. 585 4300.

We at Iceland Travel hope you have enjoyed your stay in Iceland and wish you a safe journey back home. It would be great to hear how your holiday went when you get back home! You can either log onto our website’s comment section at www.icelandtravel.is/comment/ or visit our TripAdvisor profile.

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