Iceland - Day 4

The Golden Circle is the most popular day trip from Reykjavik since its three main attractions, Thingvellier National Park, Gullfoss, and Geysir, can easily be visited in one day. We would be touring on our own and decided to take the scenic route via Nesjavallaleio, part of which follows the giant hot-water pipe from the Nesjavellir Geothermal Power Station’s, the second-largest geothermal power station in Iceland.

We were almost as impressed by the scenery on the rugged drive over the mountain range as we were by the attractions we would visit later in the day. I was especially happy when we encountered some of Iceland’s free-roaming sheep alongside the road.

Along the Scenic Nesjavallaleio Road

The Sheep Were Roaming Freely

First up was Thingvellir National Park, the first national park in Iceland and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Thingvellir, known as the birthplace of Iceland as a nation, is home to the oldest ongoing parliament in the world.

For me, the coolest thing about the park is its geology. Thingvellir sits in a seismic rift valley caused by the separation of two tectonic plates. Here we could see parts of both the Eurasian and North American continental plates as they have drifted away from each other, and we were able to walk in the valley that marks the border between the two continents. This site turned out to be one of Tim’s favorite attractions in Iceland.

Thingvellir National Park

Walking Between the Two Continental Plates

Tim at Thingvellir National Park - Which Plate Is He Standing On?

Next, we stopped at Geysir, a large geothermal field dotted with geysers and mud pots. We saw the original Geysir, which rarely erupts anymore but is where the international word geyser comes from. The most active geyser here is Stokkur, and we were able to see it erupt.

Stokkur Geyser

We finished the Golden Circle tour at Gullfoss, the most spectacular and dramatic waterfall we had seen so far. This waterfall is massive and was a wonderful finish to the day.

Gullfoss Waterfall

Gullfoss Waterfall

We then made our way to the town of Selfoss where we spent the night at another lovely hotel.

Our Route - Day 4