The Silver Circle tour takes you deep into Borgarfjordur and the heartland of the Icelandic Sagas, where the untamed landscapes and striking scenery of West Iceland help to bring Viking history to life.
Marvelous waterfalls, dramatic lava fields, spectacular lava caves, boiling hot springs, and medieval Icelandic heritage are all on your itinerary today.
We start with a convenient pickup from your accommodation in Reykjavik and then the tour takes a scenic route from Reykjavik past Mount Esja and then by tunnel deep under Hvalfjordur into West Iceland. We’ll stop in Borgarnes for a few minutes for refreshments and to enjoy the tremendous views across Borgarfjordur.
The next stage of the tour takes us away from the busy Ring Road into rich farmland and across glacial rivers as they rush down from Langjokull, the second biggest glacier in the country
Glanni Waterfall
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Your first stop will be at Bifrost – a place that you might have heard about when reading stories about Norse Mythology. Here, aside from mythical boarder between human and god´s world, you will find tiny, but charming waterfall called Glanni. Located on the Nordura River multiple tiers fall down across old lava fields called the Grabrokarhraun. In fact, you can also enjoy the view over 3 volcanic craters called Grabrok, that rise above these fields.
Deildartunguhver - the most powerful hot spring in Europe
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Our next stop is a visit to Deildartunguhver, famed as the most powerful hot springs in Europe. It produces more than 180 liters of boiling hot water per second! You can feel the fierce power of Mother Nature as you walk safely on boardwalks through billowing clouds of steam around the bubbling hot springs, or just see them from the viewing platform.
Reykholt Historic Site
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Snorralaug (Snorri’s Pool) is a smaller hot spring found just a few minutes away in Reykholt, where local people have bathed since the 12th century. This pool was first mentioned in the medieval writings of Snorri Sturluson, a famous Icelandic poet and chieftain, who used to live and bathe here too. Snorralaug is now a protected archaeological site.
There will be time to take pictures of the beautiful old timber church here, which dates back to the 19th century. You can take a look inside, where a viewing glass to a medieval smithy cistern can be seen.
Hraunfossar - famous Lava Falls
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Next, we will see the great Hraunfossar, a stunning series of waterfalls formed by several rivers running a distance of about 900m across the Hallmundarhraun lava field, created a thousand years ago by a volcano erupting under the nearby Langjokull glacier.
Hraunfossar translates as the “Lava Waterfalls”, but nowadays it’s clear glacial meltwater that tumbles down into the Hvita (White) river below to provide one of the most breathtaking views in the country.
Barnafoss - a tragic tale
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A short walk through the many viewing points and platforms here brings us to another beautiful waterfall, but this is one with a tragic tale to tell. This is Barnafoss, or “the waterfall of the children”. The sad story here is that there used to be a natural stone bridge over these ferociously powerful falls, and one day two children from a nearby farm fell to their deaths when they were trying to cross the river. The grief-stricken mother had the bridge destroyed, so that no others would ever suffer the same fate.
Vidgelmir Lava Cave
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The highlight of the tour is a trip to the magnificent Vidgelmir Lava Cave. Nearly 1600 meters long, the cave takes you deep inside a lava flow, filled with stunning stalactites and stalagmites, fascinating ice and lava formations and multi-colored rocks.
This 90-minute-long expedition into the most extensive lava caves in the country will amaze you, giving you a real sense of the power and scale of these volcanic eruptions, all in the expert hands of knowledgeable guides who will tell you much more about the geological features here.
Husafell
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After nearly 2 hours spent deep below the surface of the Earth, we will end our tour in the woodland oasis of Husafell.
Husafell is a magical place to unwind after a day of wonder, with birch tree woodlands, waterfalls, rugged lava fields, crystal-clear water springs, medieval remains and much more to see.
The fairytale setting of Husafell has been home to many artists, and the modern-day sculptor Pall Gudmundsson now makes interesting faces and even rock harps, which he cuts out of local stones. The Husafell Stone can also be found here, a legendary lifting stone that has been used to test the strength of the locals and in international competitions too.
Don’t miss this opportunity to see the most stunning landscapes in Western Iceland!
Check the booking availability above by selecting your preferred travel date.
The maximum number of passengers on tour is 19, which we believe creates a more personal and enjoyable experience for our guests.
Lunch – we make scheduled stops so that guests can buy lunch or snacks during the tour
Know Before You Go
Pickup takes place between 08:30 – 09:00 – so please be ready from 8:30 at your pick up location
The tour takes about 10 hours
Tour is operated under all weather conditions: please bring warm, wind & waterproof clothes
It can happen that activities are cancelled due to weather or other unforeseen reasons - in that case a refund for the cancelled activity will be issued
Remember to dress warm - inside the cave it can get really cold!
Hiking boots are highly recommended
Proper footwear when walking on uneven and slippery surfaces increases your safety and comfort. If you do not own proper footwear (solid shoes reaching above your ankle) you can rent them during booking process
We offer pick up and drop off within the city of Reykjavik. We can pick-up directly from many hotels and guest houses in Reykjavik as well as from the Reykjavik cruise ship terminals.
Parts of Reykjavík City Center are closed for the commercial traffic. Please note, that your pick up might be from one of the dedicated meeting points
