Gullfoss (Golden Falls) The stunning, iconic waterfall of Gullfoss is located in the Hvítá river, which comes from the glacier Langjökull. It is one of the best-known sights in Iceland and is one of the three main places we visit on the Golden Circle Tour. In fact, the name Golden Circle is derived from the waterfall name, as it literally translates as the “Golden Waterfall”. In the summer, the water flow down the falls is approximately 140 cubic metres per second. In winter that decreases to approximately 109 cubic metres per second. The roar of the falling water and the spray that it throws up as it falls makes for an exciting experience. In summer, on a sunny day, it is often possible to see a rainbow caused by the huge amounts of spray. And with such a force of water, visitors should not be surprised to find themselves occasionally drenched in the waterfall’s spray. Access to Gullfoss is easy and everybody can see and experience its incredible force of nature.

Geysir The highly active Geysir area at Haukadalur contains the natural phenomena of boiling mud pools and exploding geysers. The most active geyser is Strokkur which spouts water 30 metres into the air every few minutes. Research shows that the Geysir area has been active for approximately 10,000 years. The oldest accounts of hot springs at Haukadalur date back to 1294, when earthquakes in the area caused significant changes in the local neighbouring landscape creating several new hot springs. Changes in the activity of Geysir and its surrounds are strongly related to earthquake activity. In records dated 1630, the geysers erupted so violently that the valley around them trembled. The place name “Geysir” was first mentioned in written sources in the 18th century and, as unusual natural phenomena were of high interest to the society during the Age of Enlightenment, the term became popular and has been used for similar hydrothermal features worldwide since then.

Þingvellir (literally “Parliament Plains”) is a beautiful and amazing place, as a site of historical, cultural and geological significance. It is located in part of the rift valley which marks the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. Major events in the history of Iceland have taken place at Þingvellir and therefore the place is held in high esteem by all Icelanders. Þingvellir is also a classified UNESCO World Heritage Site. No single place epitomizes the history of Iceland and the Icelandic nation better than Þingvellir by the river Öxará. The Alþingi, national parliament of Iceland, was established at Þingvellir around AD930 and continued to convene there until 1798 in its parliamentary role. Today Þingvellir is a protected national shrine. According to a law passed in 1928, the protected area shall always be the property of the Icelandic nation, under the preservation of the Alþingi.