★★★★★
The small-group day with the Blue Lagoon
A long day with a good pace and plenty of time at each stop. The Blue Lagoon at the end made it a relaxing one.
Louise H. · Couple · September 2026
Reykjavik Golden Circle and Blue Lagoon Day with Kerid Crater
Kerið fee in the fareBlue Lagoon ticket in the fareMinibus, max 19 guestsReykjavík pickup included
You are collected from your Reykjavík hotel, or the bus stop nearest it, at 8:30 or 9:30. The minibus takes you round the loop and to the Kerið crater, then across the lava fields to the Blue Lagoon for two hours in the water. Both tickets are in your fare, and you are back in the city in the evening.
Two days' worth of Iceland, one fare, every ticket paid
The lagoon ticket is in the fare
Comfort entry on the base fare, Premium if you choose it.
The crater fee too
Kerið's entrance is paid, so the only thing you buy on the day is lunch.
Two hours in the water
The day ends with a soak, not another viewpoint.
Nineteen seats at most
A minibus with Wi-Fi, not a full coach.
From age 5
Children from five can come; seats and cushions are free on request.
4.9 from 6,479 ratings
A high score held across more than six thousand ratings.
What $259 buys: the loop, the crater and the lagoon
The Golden Circle has no gate, so on most days the fare buys a seat and a guide. This one buys more, and that is why it costs what it does. Two admissions are paid inside it: the Kerið crater’s entrance fee and a Blue Lagoon ticket. The base fare carries the Comfort ticket; the Premium grade costs more and is chosen when you book. You do not queue at the lagoon desk to buy one.
Add it up the other way and the point of the day is time. Doing the loop one day and the lagoon on another costs you a second morning. Here the minibus drives from the loop to the lagoon, and from the lagoon back to the city. Stephanie_A calls it a taste of everything, and names the cost honestly: every stop is shorter than you would like.
The loop first: the rift, the geysers, the falls, the crater
The first hour is the drive east, with the guide’s account of the route. At Þingvellir National Park you get 45 minutes to walk down the Almannagjá gorge between the lava walls, to the ground where the assembly met from around 930. The minibus then passes Laugarvatn, by the lake of the same name, without stopping, on the way to Geysir.
Geysir gets the longest stop of the loop, 1 hour 20 minutes, and that is where lunch is. Thala_W had plenty of time to eat at the cafe there. Strokkur erupts every few minutes, up to 30 metres; the great Geysir last went off in 2016. Gullfoss follows, 40 minutes at the two drops of the falls, then 30 minutes at Kerið, a crater about 6,500 years old with a lake some 55 metres below the rim. Every stop on the loop is described in full, with the minutes each tour gives it.
Then the lagoon, and the drive that gets you there
From Kerið the minibus crosses the Reykjanes Peninsula, lava fields most of the way, without stopping. The drive is part of the day: Alexandra_G had the recent eruptions on the peninsula explained on the way, with the new roads and the lava walls. Richard_M’s family still talks about that part.
At the Blue Lagoon you have about two hours. That is enough to change, soak and shower without rushing, and Angela_S, who expected crowds, found the pool big enough to find quiet corners. A drink is complimentary with the ticket. Children aged 2 to 11 share a locker with a parent, and a child pass includes a drink and a towel. Bring your own swimsuit; Thomas_M adds that beach shoes help on the lagoon floor. Denise_C slipped on the steps down to the changing room, so take them slowly.
How your eleven hours run, from pickup to the lagoon
- Pickup at 8:30 or 9:30. From your hotel, or the nearest bus stop where buses cannot drive.
- The drive east, about an hour. The guide introduces the route on the way.
- Þingvellir, 45 minutes. The gorge and the old assembly ground.
- Geysir, 1 hour 20 minutes. Strokkur, the field and lunch at the cafe.
- Gullfoss, 40 minutes. The falls and the canyon below them.
- Kerið, 30 minutes. The crater and its lake, fee already paid.
- Across the peninsula to the Blue Lagoon, about 2 hours in the water. Then back to Reykjavík in the evening.
Who this suits: one free day and two things on the list
Book this if
You have one day free and both the Golden Circle and the Blue Lagoon on your list, and you would rather pay once than plan twice. It suits couples, friends and families with children from five, and it is gentle enough for older travellers: Aud_F, travelling with friends around eighty, found it not too hard. Cruise passengers have been collected at the harbour, so ask when you book.
Book something else if
You want the older, plainer pool at Flúðir instead: the Secret Lagoon day runs from $111, ticket in the fare. You want the Sky Lagoon and a slightly shorter day: the Sky Lagoon combination is $249. You do not want a bath at all: the classic loop in a minibus is $119 and eight hours.
What your fare pays for
In the fare
- Admission Fee - Blue Lagoon (Comfort or Premium - depending on option selected)
- Admission Fee - Kerid Crater
- Pick up and drop off from hotel or designated meeting point within Reykjavik
- WiFi on board
- Air-conditioned vehicle
Paid separately
- Lunch
Lunch is the only thing you pay for on the day. The minibus makes scheduled stops where you can buy snacks, drinks and a full lunch, most often at Geysir. The complimentary drink at the lagoon comes with the ticket. Towels are part of a child pass; bring your own swimsuit, and check whether your grade includes an adult towel.
Hotel pickup at 8:30 or 9:30, or the bus stop nearest you
Pickup and drop-off are free from hotels in Reykjavík. Buses are not allowed to drive in certain parts of the centre, so if your hotel is inside that zone you are collected from the nearest bus stop instead. Kevin_O’s hotel was not on the list for that reason, and the operator found the closest stop. Choose 8:30 or 9:30 when you book.
A minibus collects its guests in turn. If yours is the last stop, seats may already be split, as APRAJITA_B found; travel light and be at the door on time. Getting to the pickup points covers the bus stops, the terminal and the cruise port.
Know before you go
- Pack a swimsuit. The lagoon ticket is in the fare; swimwear is not.
- Take the lagoon steps slowly. The steps to the changing rooms can be slippery when wet.
- Bring lunch money. Food is not included; the Geysir stop is the lunch break.
- Book children from five. Children travel with an adult; seats and cushions are free on request.
- Plan for a long day. About 11 hours, not wheelchair accessible; strollers can come.
- Cancel a day ahead and pay nothing. The full fare comes back up to 24 hours before the start.
What travellers say after the loop and the lagoon
★★★★★
The small-group day with the Blue Lagoon
A relaxed pace and a real variety of sights. The guide's account of the ground recently changed by eruptions was the part we still talk about.
Richard M. · Family · July 2026
★★★★★
The small-group day with the Blue Lagoon
A taste of everything in one day. The only downside is the limited time at each stop, but for the price, the route and the guide it was worth it.
Stephanie A. · Solo · August 2026
Questions about the Blue Lagoon day
Is the Blue Lagoon ticket in the fare?
Yes. The Comfort ticket is in the base fare, and a Premium ticket is chosen at a higher fare when you book. You do not buy entry at the lagoon.
How long do I get in the Blue Lagoon?
About two hours. That leaves time to change, soak and shower without rushing.
Do I need to bring a towel?
Bring a swimsuit in any case. A towel comes with a child pass; for adults, check what your grade includes when you book.
Can children come?
Yes, from age five, with an adult. Children aged 2 to 11 share a locker with a parent at the lagoon.
Is there a version without the lagoon?
Yes. The classic loop in a minibus of 19 covers the same sights and Kerið in eight hours, for less. You finish before dinner rather than after it.
What if I need to cancel?
You get the whole fare back if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start. Inside that window nothing is refunded.
Other ways round the loop
Ready for the loop and the lagoon?
Check which dates still have seats, see what your party pays, and hold a place with free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
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