Golden Circle, Kerid Crater & Secret Lagoon Day Tour from Reykjavik

Kerid Crater

Kerid is a volcanic crater in the Grimsnes area, about an hour's drive east of Reykjavik, formed roughly 3,000 years ago. It is about 55 metres deep, 170 metres wide and 270 metres across, with steep walls of rust-red volcanic rock streaked with green moss. At the bottom lies a lake of vivid turquoise water, coloured by minerals in the soil, which stays a few metres deep all year round.

On this first stop of the day you can follow the path around the rim for a full view, then take the stairs down to the water's edge. Kerid tickets are included in the tour, so you simply walk in with your guide. Allow about 30 to 40 minutes: the full loop of the rim is easy, and the colours look their best in the soft morning light.

The Secret Lagoon at Fludir

The Secret Lagoon, known in Icelandic as Gamla Laugin, the old pool, was built in 1891 in the village of Fludir and is considered the oldest swimming pool in Iceland. It is fed by natural hot springs that keep the water at around 38 to 40 degrees Celsius all year. Steam rises from the bubbling springs around the pool, and a small geyser beside it erupts every few minutes, a lovely sight while you float in the warm water.

Is the Secret Lagoon worth visiting? For many travellers it is the relaxing heart of this Golden Circle tour: smaller and more natural than the big spas, with a simple, old-fashioned charm. You have about an hour and a half to bathe. Bring a swimsuit and a towel, or rent a towel there. From 13 to 22 May the pool closes for upgrades, and the tour visits Laugarvatn Fontana geothermal spa instead.

Geysir and the Strokkur hot spring

The Geysir geothermal area in the Haukadalur valley gave its name to every geyser in the world. The Great Geysir itself was first recorded in the thirteenth century and once threw water up to 70 metres high, but today it erupts only rarely. Its lively neighbour Strokkur, a few steps away, blasts a column of boiling water usually 15 to 30 metres into the air every few minutes, after a moment when a blue dome of water swells up from the vent.

Around the hot springs you see bubbling pools, steaming vents and mineral crusts in shades of orange and white. Stay behind the ropes, as the water is close to boiling. The stop also includes time for lunch at the visitor centre across the road, at your own cost, so you can eat and then watch Strokkur erupt a few more times.

Gullfoss waterfall

Gullfoss, the golden waterfall, is one of the most powerful waterfalls in Iceland. The glacial river Hvita, fed by the Langjokull ice cap, drops first about 11 metres and then about 21 metres in two steps set at an angle, before plunging into a narrow canyon some 32 metres deep. On sunny days rainbows form in the spray, and in winter the edges freeze into curtains of ice.

Viewing platforms on the upper and lower paths give two very different views: the upper one shows the whole staircase of water and the canyon, while the lower path brings you close enough to feel the spray. Many visitors ask how to get to Gullfoss without a car; joining a Golden Circle tour is the simplest way, since there is no regular public transport. Wear a waterproof jacket on the lower path.

Thingvellir National Park

Thingvellir National Park lies in a rift valley where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are pulling apart by a few centimetres each year. The cliffs of the Almannagja gorge mark the edge of the American plate, and cracks filled with crystal-clear water run across the valley floor towards Thingvallavatn, the largest natural lake in Iceland.

This is also the birthplace of the Icelandic nation: the Althing, one of the oldest parliaments in the world, first met here in 930 and gathered at Thingvellir every summer for centuries. The park was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004. The best time to visit Thingvellir is late in the day, when low light falls across the gorge, which is exactly when this tour arrives before heading back to Reykjavik.