#goldencircletour

[letsdiscovericeland]

What our customer has to say about the Golden Circle Private Tour? Read more here: https://bit.ly/2web1rg . #iceland #Review #travel #goldencircle #goldencircletour #GoldenCircle #icelandtrip #icelandtravel @tripadvisor @mysterioustripofficial @iceland_tripadvisor https://www.instagram.com/p/B9HuGI8ACLl/?igshid=l8te33ppj1mv

[llboogie71]

The hike to the top of this mountain during our self guided #goldencircletour was worth every breath, ache and pain. The view from every direction was breathtaking. Thank you Iceland, your beauty is beyond amazing. ❤️🥰#iceland #vacation2019 #bucketlist✅ #lavarockseverywhere #wheretonext (at Haukadalur, Arnessysla, Iceland) https://www.instagram.com/p/By0ZT9HnSXIwzgIYRJfHoMnDI1l3Up0GqgzLEs0/?igshid=1abooqga6c8cx

[whereisyaya]

Reykjavik

A quick trip to Iceland has been on my bucket list for a while with all the super cheap tickets and deals I kept seeing. I wanted to save this trip for a long weekend since I had heard that Reykjavik is not that big. This year, my friend J and I finally decided to book a trip to this wonderful city for Labor Day weekend and it certainly turned out to be the perfect weekend getaway abroad!

 Lodging:

 Now! The thing with Iceland is that although getting there can be super cheap and you will pay yourself on the back for the airfare deal you snag; everything else in Iceland (especially once you get there) is super expensive. It is literally the opposite of Asia when it comes to travel planning.

 When we started to look into hotels and lodging, we realized very quickly that this was going to be an expensive booking. We were also probably not going to get away with staying in separate locations and decided to share a room to cut costs.

 J handled the hotel reservations after I told him my budget and we found a cute and tiny – emphasis on tiny – hotel in the heart of downtown called the City Center Hotel. It was within walking distance to city hall so the location was pretty good!

 Airport:

 Keflavik Airport is pretty tiny and getting through customs etc is usually a breeze. You are usually able to get out within 30 minutes. Unless you have the bad luck that I did!

 I was actually banking on the quick exit because my flight landed at 7am and my tour for the Golden Circle left at 10am from City Hall. However, a bunch of flights got in at the same time and there was just utter and complete chaos all around the airport. No lines, no organization - just a massive crowd of people slowly following the crowds to what they believed and hoped was the customs area. Quite strange because for the most part, everything else in Iceland is very organized. I just chalked it up to a rare occurrence. Needless to say, I got through customs and the exit in about an hour and then I had another hour and 15 minutes to make it to my hotel.

 The best option to get to any destination from the airport is to take the Flybus which operates daily and is timed according to the incoming flights. The ticket counters are right next to the terminal exit and I got a one way for about 30 bucks. Welcome to Iceland. Everything is expensive! =) You can book in advance on their website but I just went with booking the day of. When you book at the counter, you tell the person which hotel you are trying to get to and your ticket is color coded. I believe mine was blue. That is because the bus takes you to the main bus station and from there you get on one of the several mini shuttles that correspond with the color of your ticket and they service the area your hotel is located in.

 I was on my bus by 8am and was hoping to be at the hotel by 9:30 at the latest to freshen up and run to the tour bus. The drive was pretty and scenic and the driver dropped me off in the general vicinity. He was even kind enough to spark up his own google-maps app and guide me to where my hotel was. I walked into the room just in time because J was getting a little anxious as he thought I would miss our tour bus. Since the bus was picking us up pretty close to where we were staying, I had more than five minutes to freshen up, grab a quick cup of coffee from the lobby downstairs and then we made our way to City Hall where we hopped on our bus and headed off for the Golden Circle Tour!

 Below you will find some helpful links on how to get to center city from Keflavik airport!

  https://www.thepoortraveler.net/2016/12/keflavik-airport-to-reykjavik-city-center-bus-fare/

http://www.flybus.is/

https://airportexpress.is/?AffiliatePass=448ca543-ae2c-489e-8ea0-c22d78ad3a33

Public Transport!

Everyone knows I absolutely adore subways and metro systems and look forward to experiencing them when I travel. Unfortunately, Reykjavic is not really a public transportation city. Of course there are buses etc, but no metro systems. That is primarily because Reykjavik is a pretty small city and if you are staying in the city center, you can just walk everywhere.

And that is exactly what we did.

Main attractions like the Golden Circle Tour and Blue Lagoon are pretty far away and out of the city limits so most people grab tours to visit them or rent a car.  We had booked tours for both those attractions which worked out well and when we were back in the city, we just walked the quick 5 minutes to wherever we were going.

Phone Communication

So when it comes to phone communication, I have to be honest that although I did some research, I ended up going with the “phone-free” for the long weekend. I used my whatsapp messaging etc on my US phone while on airplane mode.

Of course, there were moments – like when I was walking around looking for my hotel – when I would have killed for a smart phone but after a day passed without a phone, I figured it was not worth it to get a SIM card.

For those of you still interested, there is a SIM package for about 40 bucks that people can use and if you want to use the SIM package only for data, it can go down to 30 bucks. If you are flying Iceland Air, there may be an opportunity to purchase a SIM on the plane but you can also buy the package at the duty-free store at the airport when you arrive.

 Golden Circle Tour:

 A few hours after I arrived in Reykjavik, I was already boarding a bus with my friend for the Golden Circle tour. One of the things I must mention is that I usually travel to big cities where I would never have to rely on tours to explore its landmarks. I prefer doing that on my own by adventurously navigating a city’s metros, subways and public transportation.

In Reykjavik however, I had to put my aversion for tours (and my love for public transportation) aside and do in this city as most tourists do!

Tours!

There are many tours to Golden Circle and The Blue Lagoon so you can research on the ones that works best for you.

My friend had booked the tours for us in advance so I went along with the ride. Literally! It took us about an hour to reach our first destination which was the Pingvellir National Park! It is also the where many of the Game of Thrones scenes were shot so if you are a GOT fan, you will love this place. Personally, I have never seen the show so I could not experience that particular joy but still the sights were breathtaking. Walking around the rock formations and the mountains was truly an experience.

An hour later, we all piled back on the warm bus and headed over to the Geysers where we were scheduled to have lunch at the Hotel Geyser.

The lunch was delicious and much needed. We all drank gobs of coffee to warm up on such a cold day. Please note that it will be cold in Iceland, so definitely dress in warm clothes and layer up with something that is preferably waterproof. You WILL get wet when you visit the waterfalls.

After lunch, we walked around the geysers and it was a blast waiting around for the geysers to sneeze! I spend quite a while trying to get the perfect selfie but the sneeze is so short-lived that I never succeeded. I did get a few non-selfie photographs. Some bursts were definitely larger than others.

Our last stop was at the Gulfoss Waterfall. I must admit, those waterfalls were some of the largest I had ever seen in my entire life and was definitely a popular spot of the Golden Circle Tour. We all got pretty damp so I am glad I brought a rain poncho with me! I was cold but I was smiling.

An hour later, we all piled back on the bus and headed back downtown with a quick stop at a local bakery where I grabbed some tasty treats. I slept the entire way home and then grabbed a second – much needed – nap at the hotel room as well. Once, I was rested and well-slept, J and I headed out to enjoy the city’s nightlife!

I highly recommend Yulia’s blog Miss Tourist as well as Miriam Risager’s blog Adventurous Miriam for some great tips about the Golden Circle Tour.  

https://misstourist.com/iceland-road-trip-part-1-south-east-and-south-iceland-in-4-days/    

 https://adventurousmiriam.com/driving-icelands-golden-circle/

 Some helpful tips

Admission: No admission however you would have to pay for a tour,

Tips:

-          Try to book a tour which includes lunch.

-          If you are a Game of Thrones fan, you will particularly enjoy this tour.

-          Wear something warm (gloves and all) and wear something waterproof

   Blue Lagoon

 If someone were to ask me what my favorite part of Iceland was, it would definitely be hard to pick but, I would have to say, The Blue Lagoon!!! My favorite memory in Iceland!

We were scheduled for our Blue Lagoon tour on Saturday and the forecast said that it was going to be a chilly day. I was praying for no rain. And YESSS! My prayers were answered. Even though it was cloudy during the day, the sun came out by the time we reached the lagoon.

I was exhausted from the night before since J and I decided to check out the local nightlife and were pleasantly impressed by the DJ. Still, I woke up in time to grab some coffee from the lobby and we boarded our tour bus at the designated stop at 10:30am. Once we arrived, we were all given a key to a locker and a towel. Admission is usually 70 to a 100 bucks but once again our tour included the bus ride, the admission ticket and lunch so it was quite a good deal.

Also, the water was so nice and warm that even though it was cold outside, it felt like a giant hot tub with blue water. It was very shallow and I was just walking around all over with friends from the tour. You can swim up to different corners – some corners are warmer than others – and there is even a swim-up bar as well as a swim-up lotion station. You get free silica mud masks which is great for your skin. The station has additional masks as well that you can purchase. The water from the blue lagoon is supposed to be great for your skin however it does dry your hair quite a bit. I wore a baseball cap the entire time but some people also condition their hair prior to getting into the water.

I should mention that I did not do the Blue Lagoon on the way to or back from the airport because that is how our tour was set up. However it is highly recommended to schedule your Blue Lagoon trip either the day you arrive from the airport or when you are on your way to the airport. The reason: it is located right between Reykjavik and the airport so you would not have to travel too far out of your way. That sounds like a great idea and friends who opted for that option loved it and had no issues. Still, for me, the Blue Lagoon was such an important plan on my agenda that I did not want to risk missing out in case my flight was delayed etc. So I was ok with the travel time. It really is not that much. Just an hour!

Blue Lagoon sells out quick so it is not a good idea to schedule a tour or a ticket the day of your visit and sometimes even on that weekend. I recommend purchasing your tour or you ticket in advance. If you miss your tour, finding another option for the weekend may be very difficult.

Another very important tip! Pictures! We all want to capture the perfect memory. It is not like we get to visit Iceland every weekend and the Blue Lagoon is definitely a memory we would want to capture with a selfie or an “Ussie”. However, smartphones are not always waterproof and it is never a good idea to dip into the water with them. I left my phone in the locker for that very reason but it was so hard to wade around knowing that I was not able to capture even one shot of this lagoon. So I ran up to the locker. Grabbed my phone. Gave it to one of the staff members hanging out in the dry area and they were more than happy to take a quick picture for me. Then, I jumped out. Quickly dried my hands and returned my phone to my locker. Later, I waded around the pool happy and content. If I had known, I would have definitely invested in a waterproof case for my phone. Totally worth it! I believe they do sell them at the Lagoon but you could probably find a much cheaper version of the same thing on Amazon before your trip!

Here are two great blogs about The Blue Lagoon. Miriam Risager’s blog the Adventurous Miriam lists some great tips on her blog titled “10 important tips for visiting the Blue Lagoon.” Also The Inspired Hostess also lists some equally helpful tips on her blog.

https://adventurousmiriam.com/blue-lagoon-iceland/

 http://www.theinspiredhostess.com/travel/15-tips-for-visiting-the-blue-lagoon

  Admission: 70, 90, 500

Address:

Hours:  10:30am to 2:30pm  

Tips:

-          Try to get a waterproof cover for your phone for good pictures.

-          Best to do to or from airport.

-          Sells out quick so get your tix in advance and schedule in advance

  Food:

 So obviously I have to get my grub on in every city that I visit. Hence, I had arrived in Reykjavik with a long list of local fare that I just couldn’t wait to try.

Puffin & Whale

 Or just whale. However I must admit. I did not try this. A friend messaged me on Facebook and lectured me on consuming extinct animals and made me feel so bad that I decided to opt out. But if you want to still go for it. No judgement from me!

 Meat Soup

 Mostly a hot Lamb soup. If you are lucky it will come in a bread bowl. I pretty much ate a lot of this from an amazing place called Icelandic Street Food Café. More about that later.

 Skyr Yogurt

 A cheap on the go option where you get to try a local favorite grocery store item. Some amazing flavors too. Crème Brulee was my favorite. You can stock up on these from a nearby store to keep in your hotel room and just devour on the go. Yummy, good-for-you and a quick and easy option. Oh, and while we are on the subject of local manufacturers. Applesin is a local soda drink which I absolutely loved. Do give it a try.

Hakarl (Fermented shark)

 Now you know I had to try this! Why? Because the faces everyone made when they documented their first bite on their youtube channels, gave me FOMO. Apparently locals don’t really eat it anymore and it is supposed to taste terrible. Luckily the bar at the Icelandic Street Food Café had it. For free too. They get so many tourists, they always have some lying around in Tupperware for the brave and curious tourists.

When I asked to pay for it, the friendly bartender remarked “Mate its free. I can’t get rid of it. No one wants it!” Challenge accepted. I only had a little piece. Because that is what you are supposed to do but my initial thought was that it definitely smells worse than it tastes. However, don’t speak too soon. The kicker is the aftertaste. That is what really gets you!

 Ice-Landic Hot Dog

 Mostly contains pork so I could not try it. But it was a popular after-hours bite for the drunken tourists. Pylsr is apparently the place to go – although you can get them anywhere – and it is best to make sure that you have the correct change because there is a bit of a line sometimes.

  Icelandic street Food Café

 So my best find in Reykjavic was the Icelandic street food café. It is less of a café and more of a place owned by a very generous person who just wants everyone to have fun, enjoy their food and leave happy. They had amazing deals. Some so inexpensive you wanted to thank everyone who worked there. My favorite was the “all you can drink” lamb soup. Yes, you heard me. You pay once and can return as many times as you want. On a cold day, it was just what you need in a bread bowl. Seating can be limited but they also own the bar next door where many customers carry their bowls to and from for refills while enjoying a beer and some board games. In addition to that they also have free brownies and macaroons (even waffles in the morning) for their customers. I loved this place and I recommend it as a must-visit!!! On my last day there, when I left after breakfast, an excited backpacker turned to me and remarked “Can you believe this place? Too good to be true”. I smiled at her and agreed!

[honeyemzycake]

The Golden Circle was amazing! 🇮🇸 #thegoldencircle #goldencircle #goldencircletour #iceland #travel #gullfosswaterfall #keriðcrater #icelandichorse #reykjavik #icelandtravel 💖💖💖 (at The Golden Circle) https://www.instagram.com/p/BrJSOlKg_qS/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=dt0zrwsqbtpj

[sweetpotatoperspective]

G R E A T G E Y S I R in Iceland was the first geyser to be described and mentioned in European printed documents. . Seismic activity in the area has effect on Geysir and after being dormant for years, Geysir was revived by an earthquake in 2000 and erupted for a couple of times a day for a few years. Now, Geysir is mostly dormant. ®️icelandtravel.is ®️culturetrip . . . #culturetrip #goldencircletour #goldencircle #ringroad #iceland #icelandtravel #travel #wander #wanderlust #tourists #nature #natureatitsbest #wondersoftheworld #geysir #geyser #adventure #seismic #dormant #geysiriceland #geothermal #europe #potd (at Geysir, Arnessysla, Iceland)

[pantory]

🏔🇮🇸 #gullfoss#goldencircletour#visiticeland (at Iceland Golden Circle)

[em-wheels19-blog]

Ice ice baby! 🇮🇸☃️❄️ #iceland #goldencircletour #geysirs #gulfoss #waterfall #freezingcold #nofiltersneeded (at Gullfoss and Geysir)

[confusedgirlinthecity]

"Travel far enough, you meet yourself." I can't even begin to explain how true that is. Taking in Mother Nature's beauty at#craterkerio 🙌🏼🙏🏻. This volcanic crater lake is located in the#grimsnes area in #southicelamd. This is the first stop on @discovericeland4x4 #goldencircletour. FYI- our tour guide was nicest man ever. The people in #Iceland 🇮🇸 are lovely. Sporting our Namaste leggings and Unstoppable cropped hoodie! 📸 @jeremdsgn (at Kerið)