Reykjavík - Iceland - page 122

CHOOSING YOUR DAY TRIP
If you have more than a day in Reykjavík, get out into Iceland's incredible natural beauty.
Popular day-tour destinations get swamped in high season, but if you have the luxury of a
rental car you can visit at off hours or head to lesser-stomped grounds. You can also use
the Straetó, Sterna, Reykjavík Excursions and Trex buses (see Click here ) for transport,
instead of tours.
Golden Circle With three beloved attractions - Þingvellir (beautiful site of the original
outdoor parliament and the continental rift), Geysir (huge eponymous geyser area) and
Gullfoss (enormous waterfalls) - the Golden Circle is the ultimate and much-marketed
taste of Icelandic countryside. You can combine a Golden Circle tour with virtually any
activity from quad-biking to caving and rafting. Full-day trips generally depart around
8.30am returning around 6pm; shorter trips leave around noon, returning at 7pm. In
summer there are evening trips (7pm to midnight). In your own car it takes about four
hours.
Blue Lagoon Hugely popular, with crowds to match. Many day trips from Reykjavík tie in a
visit to the lagoon. It's also seamless to visit on your journey to/from Keflavík Internation-
al Airport. In high season it's best at night.
Snæfellsnes Peninsula Less-travelled, gorgeous portion of the country that you can add
to the popular Golden Circle loop or visit on its own. Expect short hikes along crunchy
lava fields, snowmobiling on the glacier, seaside villages and whale-watching or boat
tours to offshore puffin-inhabited islets.
South Coast A wild assortment of geological wonders including active volcanoes, glorious
hikes and shivery ice caps. Tours run year-round from Reykjavík and regional hubs.
Þórsmörk Though beautiful back-country volcanic valley Þórsmörk has loads of hiking
routes that take more time, you should be able to squeeze in one short walk on a super-
Jeep tour. In summer you can also go by bus arriving around midday and returning in the
early afternoon.
Landmannalaugar For day trippers, a (very short) visit to the geothermal Landman-
nalaugar region can only be done on a super-Jeep tour or bus, and you'll spend most of
the day on the road. Jeep stops along the way, though, often include Hekla. Beware:
Landmannalaugar is packed in summer.
Jökulsárlón This incredible glacial lagoon is quite far from the capital, making it one of the
longest day trips. You'll arrive when the lagoon is at its most crowded. If possible, it'd be
better to overnight on the south coast and go to the lagoon in the off hours.
Whale-Watching, Fishing & Boat Tours
Although the northern waters near Akureyri and Húsavík are known for whale watching,
Reykjavík is still a great option.