Golden Circle & Northern Lights By Boat

Begin your day with a Golden Circle tour, operated by Reykjavík Excursions. The tour departs at 9:00, with pick-up beginning at 8:30 each day. On this tour you will visit the geothermal Geysir area, the famous Gullfoss waterfall and the UNESCO site Þingvellir National Park. You will also make a stop at Friðheimar greenhouse to learn more about how we grow vegetables in our harsh climate thanks to geothermal heat, bumblebees and an advanced irrigation and lighting system.

Geysir is located in the south of Iceland, near an area called Laugarvatn. The most popular feature of Geysir is called Strokkur, which is a very active geysir that shoots water into the air for up to 30 meters (98 feet) every few minutes.

Gullfoss is one of Iceland’s most popular and famous waterfalls. It lies in the glacial river Hvítá and drops into a 62-metre (105 feet) canyon, giving you amazing views and great photography opportunities.

Finally, Þingvellir National Park is famous both for historic and geologic reasons. It is the site of the oldest parliament in the world, the Alþingi. You can also see the Mid-Atlantic ridge above the ground, where the Eurasian and North-American tectonic plates are pulling the land apart by a few centimeters each year.

Your Golden Circle tour ends with a drop off to your hotel back in Reykjavík. You will then have 3-4 hours before your Northern Lights by Boat tour departs. The Northern Lights tour departs at 21:00 from October 1st – March 14th, and at 22:00 from March 15th – April 15th & September 1st – September 30th. If you have selected hotel pick-up for this tour it will begin 60 minutes prior to departure.

Our tour sets sail from the Old Harbour in Reykjavík’s city center, and in just 15-20 minutes you will be in a prime location away from the pollution from the city lights – perfect for viewing auroras! Your guide will share facts on the science science behind the magical phenomenon of the Northern Lights, and tell you stories & myths about the lights from different cultures around the world. The tour takes roughly 2-3 hours depending on how early/late the lights might appear.

We recommend putting on our free overalls on-board (overalls also available in children’s sizes!) that will keep you nice and warm out on the deck, listening to what the guide has to say about the lovely colours dancing in the sky.

Throughout the tour we show our very own original Northern Lights video , full of interesting facts and folklore! If you are cold you can grab a drink at the bar and cozy up inside watching the video or just simply enjoy the view of the city lights in the distance with your friends/family.

**Useful tip: **We always have a crew member taking pictures throughout the night so instead of taking a long time figuring out the right settings for your camera, enjoy the moment and email us for the pictures the next day! (If you are eager to learn we can also assist you in getting the settings right)

Golden Circle Tour:

• Bus transportation
• Guided tour
• Admission to Friðheimar cultivation centre

Northern Lights by Boat tour:

• Guided boat tour
• Warm overalls (overalls also available in children's sizes!)
• Wireless internet on board
• Our very own Northern Lights video
• WCs on board!

Dress tip: Dress according to Icelandic weather and don’t forget your hats & gloves. Our staff always does their best to keep the boat decks clear of ice/snow – but we do recommend wearing good shoes on the tour as the weather can change quickly.

If you are going to use your smart phone to take pictures of the northern lights, we recommend you download the app that will allow you to capture the northern lights.

These tours are subject to correct weather conditions and sightings of the Northern Lights cannot be guaranteed. We reserve the right to cancel the tour due to unfavourable weather conditions if need be. Take a look at our terms & conditions for further information.

If the northern lights boat tour is cancelled, but aurora conditions are favourable, we offer a replacement northern lights tour by bus, plus a chance to join the boat tour the next available day (even if you see the lights on the bus).

If the tour does not operate at all (boat or bus) during your stay due to unfavourable weather conditions, you can exchange your ticket/voucher with one of the following options:

• A Whale Watching Tour
• An evening of adventure at the Whales of Iceland museum – ask our reception for more details!
• Or a full refund. (All options cost the same amount or more as your northern lights by boat ticket)

If you join the tour (boat or bus) and there are no sightings you will get another ticket to join us on the next available day. This ticket is valid indefinitely – so if you don’t have another chance this time around we welcome you back when you visit Iceland again!

• Voucher: You will receive a secure voucher to either print out or present on your mobile phone.
  • Cancellation Policy: Fee of 100% if cancelled 24 hours before event or less.
  • Quality Assurance: Travelade only works with selected local partners we trust to provide high quality service.

Meet on location at BSI Bus terminal. Pick up available for extra charge and begins at 8:30