This Wonderful day tour is ideal for nature lovers, history enthusiasts, and pretty much everyone else, combining puffin watching and Golden Circle into the perfect package!
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This incredible day tour combines wonderful wildlife and Iceland’s most popular tourist route into the perfect package. You’ll spend the morning on a traditional fishing boat getting thrillingly close to the adorable puffins that reside on the islands of the Reykjavik coast. Then go on the iconic Golden Circle tour during the afternoon – seeing Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir Geothermal Area, and the majestic Gullfoss Waterfall. If you want a tour that offers wildlife, history and splendid natural beauty, then this is the one for you!
We’ll collect you from one of our designated pick up points in Reykjavik, at 9:00 am and take you to Reykjavik’s charming old harbor. We’ll board our specially designed boat called Old Skúli, which is perfect for puffin watching, and set sail to a small island just off the Reykjavik coast.
The journey takes around 15 minutes and offers stunning views of Reykjavik and Mount Esja. We may also see marine mammals such as whales and seals along the way. The islands we visit play host to around 30,000 nesting puffins, who safely raise their chicks away from potential predators. They generally nest in the rocks close to the shore, which would make it difficult for most boats to get close – luckily our boat is low slung, allowing us to get thrilling close to the adorable little puffins. We’ll also turn off the boat’s engine, so as not to disturb the birds.
A friendly guide will be with you to point out any other interesting species of birds that we see and tell you fascinating facts about the puffins. If you want to see these cute little birds in the flesh, then this puffin express tour is perfect for you!
The first stop on the Golden Circle is Þingvellir National Park (Thingvellir) – a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is steeped in historical and geological significance. Iceland’s parliament, Alþingi, was founded by a group of Vikings there in 930. Free Icelandic men met there, to dispense justice and
arrange new laws, until 1844 (when it moved to Reykjavik), making it the oldest continuously running democratic parliament in the world. Parliamentarians would gather around the Lögberg (Law Rock) – a spectacular rocky outcrop, where the Lawspeaker would chair the meetings from. A flag now flutters above the spot – making for an incredible photo opportunity!
This set of rugged cliffs was created by the seismic activity that occurs beneath Þingvellir. It straddles the North Atlantic Ridge – marking the border between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. You’ll be able to explore this ever-expanding gap between two continents – a bucket list experience that should be high on everyone’s list.
Next on the Golden Circle is the Geysir geothermal area. A place of bubbling hot springs, spouting fumaroles, and erupting geysers. Its centerpiece is the now dormant, Great Geysir that gives all other geysers their name. We’ll also visit Strokkur – an erupting geyser that tosses torrents of boiling water and steam into the air every 10 minutes or so. This scalding water regularly climbs as high as 25 meters but has been known to reach up to 40 meters and is undoubtedly one of nature’s most thrilling shows.
The Golden Circle’s final attraction is the most popular waterfall in Iceland – the majestic Gullfoss (Golden Falls). Its name comes from the glorious golden color its waters take as it cascades down into the luscious valley below. Gullfoss’ waters originate at Langjökull glacier and flow down the thundering Hvítá (the White River). Be sure to bring a camera, because Gullfoss will be one of the best pictures that you ever take!
