Iceland · SHORE EXCURSIONS
This is the shortlist you would send a friend: 10 shore excursions tours worth the money, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the one thing to know before you commit.
Explore Iceland’s Golden Circle in German with a small group, visiting Gullfoss, Strokkur, Þingvellir, Kerið, and a local dairy farm.
“Tolles Programm für einen Tag Island. Tour in kleinen Gruppen. Petra ist ein toller Guide, weiß alles über Island und geht super auf die Gruppe ein, z.b wenn Kinder dabei sind.”
Review of GeoIceland’s seven-hour Golden Circle shore excursion from Reykjavik, with Gullfoss, Geysir, Thingvellir, tips, value, and port timing.
“Really enjoyed this trip! Van was at the port waiting for us when we got off our ship. Guide was friendly and fun, he also made sure to park close to the sites or in spots that had walking downhill vs uphill as some people on the trip had more limited mobility. Iceland is beautiful and this was a great way to explore the top sites with limited time. We even got to do a few extra things that weren’t on the itinerary like stop for ice cream/snacks, visit a geothermal beach, pet the Icelandic horses, and stop for a drink at the geothermal tomato farm and the volcanic crater.…”
Review of the Akureyri shore trip to Goðafoss, Lake Mývatn, and Mývatn Nature Baths, with timing, value, tips, and cruise-port advice.
“Bring a towel Meet at the bus not by the huts It was a great excursion. Saw the waterfall, Lake Mvatan and went to the baths! 2 hours was the perfect amount of time for the baths. We did not get lunch but we didn’t mind, we have been sating too much on the ship”
Review of Reykjavik's whale-watching cruise in Faxaflói Bay, with wildlife, warm suits, practical port tips, value, and honest advice.
“A rather disappointing trip as we didn't see any mammals apart from birds. They do not guarantee that you will see anything so we were well prepared not to see anything. The staff were very helpful and gave us all a free voucher for another trip, which compensated for the lack of viewing and wildlife. At least we had a boat trip of around three hours”
Visit Stuðlagil Canyon and Gufufoss from Seydisfjordur on a five-hour shore tour with scenic drives, an English-speaking guide, and port pickup.
“It was a really great trip and we've seen a lot of the beautiful nature of iceland. The bus hast been droven very well so we felt safe and comfortable the whole time. Our guide Kjartan did a great job so we got to know many interestimg things about iceland. He was very friendly, patient (especially with the moods of our three-years-old child), funny and flexible. His english was fine. Due to him we can take wonderful memories with us. Thank you! We recommend this trip to everybody! The only negative point ist the price. ;-)Read more”
See puffins and Arctic terns near Reykjavik on a one-hour Akurey Island cruise with binoculars, guides, coffee, and port transfers.
“Loved seeing the Puffins floating on the sea near the island in the harbor where the covered boat had taken us. Our guide, Joel, was super nice and very knowledgeable regarding the Puffins. He also pointed out other unusual birds for that area.”
Explore Goðafoss, Lake Mývatn, Dimmuborgir, Grjótagjá, and Námaskarð on a small-group shore tour from Akureyri.
“Crazy amount of people in every place we went! Tour guide added 2hrs on our tour. We had to wait for two people that went to the Geo baths as they were put on tour bus by mistake.”
See Gullfoss, Geysir, Faxi, and Thingvellir on an 8.5-hour Golden Circle tour from Reykjavik with minivan transport and a guide.
“I don’t really know what happened, but the vendor left us high and dry in Reykjavik. They miscommunicated pickup information for the wrong date and wrong tour. Good news - a full refund was received.”
Review of Reykjavik’s small-group Golden Circle shore excursion, with Gullfoss, Geysir, Þingvellir, Kerið, farm ice cream, and cruise-friendly timing.
“One thing I have learned in Iceland--if you schedule a small group you will be in a minivan. As I have stated in previous reviews this has never been the case in other countries we have travelled (usually had a Sprinter-type vehicle). It is a trek fRead more”
Explore Goðafoss and Lake Mývatn from Akureyri on an 8-hour German-speaking small-group shore excursion with volcanic sights and flexible cruise timing.
“Sehr schöner Kleinbus mit einem sehr gut deutsch sprechendem Guide. Es war an jedem Stopp ausreichend Zeit und es wurde versucht, den großen Reisebussen aus dem Weg zu gehen. Absolute Empfehlung.”
Pick a season, a glacier or a hot pool.
