The geothermal area of Haukadalur and the Strokkur geyser are highlights of the Golden Circle tourist route. Here  you can see bubbling mud pits and hot spring water bursting out of the ground. Haukadalur is located in a valley north of Laugarvatn Lake on the slopes of Laugarfjall Hill. Iceland is one of only four countries in the world where you can see hydrogeological geysers. Geysers are only found near volcanic areas where spring water seeps through the 200 °C volcanic earth deep beneath the surface. The water is heated rapidly and shoots up through opening in the ground's surface.

Strokkur is the most famous of the country's geysers and the real reason visitors come to this site. Strokkur was first mentioned in 1789 when an earthquake activated the geyser. Strokkur erupts every few minutes and shoots a stream of hot water up 20-40 meters into the air. A rope barrier prevents people getting close enough to get burnt. The hole which emits the water is nicknamed the cauldron because of its high temperatures.

Not far from Strokkur is The Great Geysir, this was the first known geyser in the world and gave the phenomenon its name. Records from 1294 tell of Geysir first activity following an earthquake. The Great Geysir continued into the 1900s when it became dormant. Following an earthquake in 2000 Geysir was reactivated and now erupts every 10 hours or so. However because of the infrequent eruptions tourists prefer to visit Strokkur.

It is possible to visit the geysers independently if you have your own transport or take a tour which usually includes the other Golden Circle attractions. Opposite the geothermal area is the Geyser Center, a complex with hotel, restrooms, café, restaurant, souvenir store and Geysirstofa a multimedia interactive museum focused on the geothermal phenomenon.

The Golden Circle is a circular route from Reykjavik inland to the top attractions of the area including the Geyser area, Thingvellir National Park and Gullfoss waterfall. Some tours include the Kerio crater, Skalholt Church, a geothermal power plant (Nesjavellir or Hellisheidarvirkjun) and geothermal heated greenhouses in Hverageroi. 

This attraction is often included in a tour of the Golden Circle together with the nearby Gullfoss waterfall, Haukadalur geyser area and Thingvellir National Park. You can visit the crater independently if you have your own transport or take a guided tour. Kerio is sometimes called Kerith or Kerid. The crater was formed approximately 6,500 years ago; it is the northernmost of a row of craters named Tjarnarholar. Scientists used to think it was formed by a volcanic explosion but now they have concluded that the crater probably came about as part of a scoria crater and that it was a small magma chamber beneath the opening. As the crater emptied of lava the chamber collapsed. The fissures and subterranean cavities in and around the chamber filled with groundwater which seeped into the newly formed crater opening. So today we can see the aquamarine water table in the center of the crater. The water is always there but it rises and falls as the level of groundwater changes. The crater is incredibly beautiful; an oval shape approximately 270 meters long, 170 meters wide and 55 meters deep with 7-14 meters of water at the bottom. The crater has black-reddish rock walls with one wall covered in moss. The walls slope gradually down to the water.

If you visit in the colder months you can admire the crater from above but there are occasional performances in the crater during the summer. The first performances in the volcanic crater were in 1987, the music was performed from boats floating in the water while the audience sat on the slopes of the crater. Perhaps the most internationally known singer to perform in the crater is Icelandic singer Bjork. 

The Thingvellir National Park is one of the three major attractions on the Golden Circle tourist route, located about 45km northeast of Reykjavik. The park is a UNESCO site and holds deep historic and cultural significance for the Icelandic people. Thingvellir is in a rift valley on the crest of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, its terrain has been formed by shifting tectonic plates and volcanic activity.

Highlights of the park include the cracks or rifts in the land which have been caused by the continental drift of the North American Tectonic Plates and the Eurasian Plates. The most famous of these rifts is Salfra, a long narrow opening in the Earth which has been filled by a natural spring. It is possible to dive and snorkel in the translucent water. Nikulasargja at Almannagja is another of the rifts, also called "Coin Fissure" because visitors would throw coins into the water for good luck. Iceland's largest lake, Thingvallavatn is on the edge of the park and the Oxara River runs across the park forming the Oxararfoss waterfall. Other sites within the park are the Gullfoss waterfall and the geysers of Haukadalur which are both other points on the Golden Circle. Visitors can do a number of activities in the park including horse riding, angling, diving, camping and hiking but mostly visitors come here for Gullfoss waterfall, the geothermal area of Haukadalur and the ancient historic site of the Althing Assembly.

It was here that the first government of Iceland was assembled in about 900AD. The establishment of the settler's parliament in Thingvellir is seen as the founding of the nation. The Althing or supreme judicial authority was set up in Thingvellir and remained from 930AD to 1798.  The focal point of the court was the Logberg or Law Rock where the assembly took place and where laws were made, sentences carried out and speeches given. This is the parks most historically important site and many archaeological remains have been found.

The National Park has a Visitor Center close to Hakio where there are free interactive multimedia displays. From here you can join foot trails which lead to the Almannagja fault. There is an Information Center at Leirar where there are nearby camp grounds. Here you can learn about the various hike trails and the park's nature and history. The center also has a cafeteria.

The Golden Circle is a 300km tourist route inland from Reykjavik which includes Thingvellir National Park, Haukadalur's geothermal area with the Great Geysir and Strokkur and the Gullfoss waterfall. The tour route can include a visit to the Hellisheidarvirkjun or Nesjavellir geothermal power plants, Skalholt Church, Hverageroi geothermal heated greenhouses and the Kerio crater.

This waterfall is often included in a tour of the south coast of Iceland. The waterfall is fed by the Skoga River and pours over the cliffs which once formed the edge of the sea. Today you can take the south coast road with the sea on one side and on the inland side a flat stretch of land about 5km wide bordered by dramatic cliffs running parallel to the sea. The cliffs continue for about 100km making a natural barrier between the sea and coastal road and the Highlands of Iceland.  Skogafoss beats down over the cliffs dropping 60 meters to the pool at the foot of the waterfall which then runs to the sea. The waterfall is about 25 meters wide and gives off mist and sprays water in every direction producing rainbows. There is a hike trail to the side of the waterfall which leads to Fimmvorouhals between the Myrdalsjokull glacier and Eyjafjallajokull glacier. Not far from the falls on the land between the cliffs and coastal road are traditional turf huts and nearby is Seljalandsfoss, another dramatic waterfall.

Vik i Myrdal can be visited as part of a tour of southern Iceland from Reykjavik. It is the country's most southerly village and one of the wettest; located about 180km from the capital. Vik is between the Myrdalsjokull glacier and the sea and sits on the Katla volcano which last erupted in 1918. In 2010 Vik was affected by ash from the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull. Vik faces the Atlantic although it has no harbor and the shore is lined with black volcanic sand. Visitors come to the seaside community to see the famous black beaches. The beaches of Vik got their distinct color from volcanic eruptions when lava reached the sea and rapidly cooled then shattered into tiny pieces. Reynisdrangar is a nearby rock formation with rock stacks sticking out from the sea just off-shore. Reynisdrangar is the site of the Reynisfjara black pebble beach where basalt columns have been formed on the edge of the cliff resembling a rocky step pyramid or Gardar. While there you might want to get a bite to eat at the Black Beach Restaurant and Coffee House which is literally on the edge of Reynisfjara beach.

Not far is Dyrholaey where there is a unique rock arch formation jutting out into the sea. The promontory is 120 meters high and home to many puffins, guillemots and fulmars that come here to nest. You can walk on top of the promontory and see below the black sand beach then go down onto the sand.

Thousands of years ago the sea along the southern coast of Iceland crashed against high cliffs; over the years those cliffs slowly receded and today they stand about 5km from the sea parallel to the coastal road and separating the coastal Lowlands from the Highlands. As you drive along the coastal road with the sea on one side and a short stretch of flat land leading to the cliffs on the other you will come across this beautiful waterfall between Selfoss and Vik. The water comes from the Seljalandsa River and crashes over the cliffs into a pool below. This is one of the most photographed waterfalls in the country. Seljalandsfoss drops 60 meters just like its neighboring waterfall, Skogafoss but the difference is that it is possible to walk behind Seljalandsfoss! The waterfall in nestled in a large crevice of the cliffs and stairs have been built to allow visitors to walk behind the waterfall and all the way through to the other side. You need to be careful as the path can be very slippery. If you are hiking you can follow the path to another waterfall, Glufrafoss, not far away.

The Gullfoss Waterfall (Icelandic for Golden Falls) is within the small Gullfoss National Park; it is one of three major attractions on the Golden Circle tour route. Gullfoss is actually two waterfalls which each make a spectacular drop at right angles to each other spanning the upper part of the Hvita River. The higher of the two waterfalls drops 11 meters and the lower one falls 21 meters. The water roars over Gullfoss at a rate of 109-130 cubic meters per second and plunges into a narrow gorge which turns into a 2.5km long canyon. The canyon was created during the Ice Age, it continues to grow each year by about 25cm due to erosion. The river and waterfalls flow year-round, even when most of the water is semi-frozen. The source of the waterfall's water is the Langjokull Glacier which supplies water to glacier Lake Hvitavatn and on into the Hvita River.

Visitors can follow a trail along the edge of the waterfall and observe it from several lookout points near the Visitor Center. At the Visitor Center there is a restaurant serving simple meals plus the traditional Icelandic meat soup.

The Golden Circle is a circular route from Reykjavik which includes a visit to Gullfoss, Geyser, Thingvellir National Park and sometimes also includes the Kerio volcanic crater, a geothermal heated greenhouses in Hverageroi, the Hellisheidarvirvirkjun or Nesjavellir geothermal power plant or Skalholt Church. 

As you approach this famous spa you walk along a path through natural black lava formations, then enter a modern facility with pristine change rooms, spa treatments and lockers for your belongings. The colors in the spa building are subdued browns, gray, blue and cream. But the real wow-factor of this attraction is the outdoor spa "lagoon" which resembles something from a movie set. Mist rises off the warm water which is a bright milky-blue. On the edges of the man-made lagoon are more lava fields. Depending on when you visit you may be surrounded by a snow covered landscape or the black lava fields. The mineral-rich natural geothermal water comes to the lagoon after being used at a geothermal power plant to turn the turbines and generate electricity. The lagoon water is renewed every two days.  The water gets its gorgeous milky blue color from the white silca and algae in the water. You can smother the white mineral substance on to your skin as you relax in the warm water which averages at 37 °C-39 °C.  For something extra special there are spa treatments given as you lie on a mattress floating in the lagoon.

The Blue Lagoon is located 23km from the Airport and 47km from Reykjavik. For this reason most tourists visit the Blue Lagoon on-route to or from the airport. Buses leave every hour to and from the airport, Blue Lagoon and Reykjavik. You can book a bus transfer which includes your transport from the airport, a stop and entry ticket to the Blue Lagoon and then your onward journey to your hotel in Reykjavik. This way you can leave your luggage on the bus while you visit the Blue Lagoon. You can do the same route with a taxi or private transport and there are storage lockers at Blue Lagoon for your luggage. If you want to spend more time at the Blue Lagoon there is the Blue Lagoon Clinic Hotel a few steps away.

Perhaps one of the most sought after experience for tourists visiting Iceland the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis are an elusive natural phenomenon of bright colorful lights in the night sky. The green, pink, purple, white and blue lights in the sky are formed by electronically charged particles from the sun colliding with the Earth's upper atmosphere near the North Pole. When the lights appear it is unpredictable and inconsistent. There are a few guidelines for optimizing your view of the lights but only Mother Nature will decide if you get to see them or not.

Seeing the lights is never guaranteed although some tours offer a free second trip if you fail to see the lights on your first trip. Although it is not possible to guarantee a sighting there are certain circumstances which will make seeing the lights more likely:

• Get away from the light pollution of the city. Go with a tour or independently to the darkest place you can find away from artificial lighting.
• Have patience and persistence to wait until the lights appear.
• Go at the right time of year which is approximately September to April in the winter months.
• Go at the right time of night which is after dark but more likely between 9pm and the early hours of the morning when the night sky is at its darkest.
• Search for the Northern Lights when there is cold weather and clear skies. Your view will be inhibited if there are clouds, fog or rain.
• The lights can be seen in the northern hemisphere usually above or close to the Arctic Circle.

That said the unpredictable nature of the Northern Lights means that you could see them in daylight hours and even in the spring or autumn. You can find websites which track the sunspot activity in order to predict the likelihood of Northern Light appearances.

The Jokulsarlon Lake is on the edge of the Vatnajokull National Park in southeast Iceland between Hofn and Skaftafell. It can be included in a tour of the south coast. Thousands of years ago the Breioamerkurjokull glacier started to melt and recede away from the Atlantic Ocean leaving the melted water in its wake. From this melted glacial water grew the lake we know today. The glacier lake lies at the base of the Breioamerkurjokull glacier and is now 1.5km from the sea and covers 18km ². The lake continues to grow and today is the deepest lake in the country at more than 248 meters deep. Water runs into the lake from the glacier and out to the sea.

The lake is stunningly beautiful with milky luminous blue masses of ice floating on the water. The lagoon is beautiful year-round - in the summer some of the ice melts and blocks detach from the edge of Vatnajokull and float down to the sea. The movement of the ice bergs changes according to the tide and wind. The shades of blue ice are determined by air trapped within the frozen masses.

It is possible to take a tour of the lake on a boat or on an amphibian vessel which starts on the land and goes into the water. These boat and amphibian tours are the best way to get close to the icebergs and you can sometimes even see seals. Only on the boat trips can you get as close to the glacier as possible. It is also possible to visit the lagoon independently without taking a tour or boat excursion.

Langjokull is Europe's second largest ice cap (a mass of ice); it is located in the Icelandic Midwest Highlands a couple of hours drive from Reykjavik and is the closest glacier to the capital. The ice cap covers 950km ² and is 580 meters thick in places; at its highest point the ice cap reaches approximately 1200-1300 meters above sea level. Langjokull is 50km long and 15-20km wide. Tourists visit Langjokull to walk, ski, hiking or ride snow mobiles or jeeps on the ice cap surface. Since 2010 visitors can also explore the inside of the ice cap by entering the new Glacier Tunnel.

 Visitors can now see the glacier from inside with the "Into the Glacier" experience as a man-made tunnel has been dug into the heart of the glacier. A monster truck with 8 wheel drive takes you to the top of the ice cap where you can walk on the ice and then enter the glacier. There are brilliant views from the top and in summer there is water running down the glacier. The tunnel is lit with led lights along the walls so that visitors can see the "blue ice" and there are chambers which can be rented for weddings and special events. The ice cave is about 600 meters long. Along the way there are information stations where you can learn about glacial exploration, global warming and Langjokull and groups are accompanied by a guide.

A tour to Langjokull often includes a stop at Hraunfossar waterfall, deildartunguhver hot spring and Thingvellir National Park. If you have your own transport you can visit Langjokull independently. However note that under no circumstances is it recommended to travel on Langjokull alone unless you are with someone who is familiar with the glacier.  In the summer there are two tracks which take you alongside the glacier - Kaldidalur Road #F550 (from Thingvellir south to Reykjavik and north to Husefell) and Kjolur Road #F35 to Hofsjokull. Take into account that this is a long day out - about 2.5 hours from Reykjavik to Husafell then 20-30 minutes to the glacier edge, then 20-40 minutes to the ice cave in the monster truck and then the time you spend in the cave is 50-60 minutes. If you are traveling to the glacier for an activity on the top of the ice cap then add in the time of the activity (snowmobile, hiking etc).