Booking choice: The South Coast minibus tour, from $133 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
The Golden Circle loops inland to Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir geothermal area and Gullfoss. The South Coast runs east along Route 1 to Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Sólheimajökull, Reynisfjara and Vík.
Your Day Tours runs both in the same small minibus, so the comparison below is like for like.
The quick answer
Choose the South Coast for walk-behind waterfalls, a glacier and a black sand beach; it is the longer day (about 10 hours, $133). Choose the Golden Circle for tectonic plates, an erupting geyser and history in a shorter day (about 8 hours, $118). If you have two free days, do both.
How do the South Coast and Golden Circle compare side by side?
The South Coast is longer and more dramatic scenery; the Golden Circle is shorter with more variety of sights.
| South Coast minibus | Golden Circle minibus | |
|---|---|---|
| From (adult) | $133 | $118 |
| Length | 10 hours | 8 hours |
| Main stops | Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Sólheimajökull, Reynisfjara, Vík | Þingvellir, Geysir and Strokkur, Gullfoss, Kerið |
| Signature moment | Walking behind a waterfall | Watching Strokkur erupt |
| Longest stop | Reynisfjara, about 1 h 15 min | Geysir, about 1 h 15 min |
| Lunch | Not included, at Reynisfjara | Not included, at Geysir |
| Group size | Up to 19 | Up to 19 |
| Rating | 4.8 (6,634) | 4.8 (2,443) |
Leaning toward waterfalls and black sand? Check your date for the South Coast minibus.
Check dates for the South Coast minibus tourWhich is better if you only have one day?
Most first-time visitors pick the South Coast, for the waterfalls, the glacier and Reynisfjara in one trip.
Pick the Golden Circle instead if a 10-hour day sounds like too much, if you are travelling with young children, or if history and geology interest you more than beaches. Both tours need a minimum age of 6 with Your Day Tours.
How much time do you spend on the bus?
Roughly five hours on the South Coast, where Vík is about 180 km each way; less on the Golden Circle, which is an 8-hour day in total.
On the South Coast, guests often mention that it is a long day, and a few found it too much time in the van. If you get restless on long drives, the Golden Circle is easier. On both, the guide's commentary fills the drive, and guests regularly single it out as the best part of the trip.
What does the Golden Circle tour include?
Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir area with Strokkur, Gullfoss and Kerið crater, with a short break in Hveragerði.
On the Your Day Tours listing, Geysir gets about 1 hour 15 minutes (with lunch at your own expense), Þingvellir about 45 minutes, Gullfoss about 40 and Kerið about 30, with the crater entry included. At Þingvellir you walk through the rift where the North American and Eurasian plates pull apart, at the site of Iceland's parliament founded in 930.
Want the shorter day? The Golden Circle minibus covers Þingvellir, Strokkur, Gullfoss and Kerið, from $118.
Explore the Golden Circle minibus tourWhat does the South Coast have that the Golden Circle does not?
A black sand beach, a glacier tongue and a waterfall you can walk behind.
Reynisfjara, with its basalt columns and sea stacks, has no equal on the Golden Circle, and neither does Sólheimajökull. It also comes with real risks: read the Reynisfjara guide before you go. For the two waterfalls, see Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss.
Which is better in winter?
Both run all year, but the shorter Golden Circle fits a short winter day better, while the South Coast runs partly in the dark.
Reykjavik has about 4 hours of daylight around 21 December, so a 10-hour South Coast day starts and ends in darkness. The path behind Seljalandsfoss can also close in ice. You still get frozen waterfalls and fewer people. See the South Coast in winter.
Can you do both, and in which order?
Yes: book them on two different days. Either order works, but putting the longer South Coast day first, while you are fresh, suits most people.
Both are run by Your Day Tours from the same Reykjavik bus stops, so the pickup routine is the same. One guest reports having the same guide on both tours. Leave a spare day in between if you can, in case weather moves one of them.
Doing both? Lock in the South Coast day first: free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Check dates for the South Coast minibus tourDo either of them go to Jökulsárlón?
No. The glacier lagoon is about 380 km from Reykjavik, well beyond Vík, and needs its own 14-hour day trip.
If icebergs matter more to you than the Golden Circle, the Jökulsárlón day trip ($235) is the alternative, but it is a very long day with most of it on the bus.
Frequently asked questions
Is the South Coast better than the Golden Circle?
Neither is better for everyone. The South Coast has more dramatic scenery; the Golden Circle is shorter and mixes geology, a geyser and history.
Can you do the Golden Circle and South Coast in one day?
Not sensibly: the South Coast alone takes about 10 hours. Do them on two days.
Which tour is shorter?
The Golden Circle, at about 8 hours, against about 10 hours for the South Coast.
Do both tours include lunch?
No. On both, lunch is at your own expense: at Reynisfjara on the South Coast and at Geysir on the Golden Circle.
Ready to book
Choose your day
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Your South Coast Full Day Tour by Minibus
- Pickup and drop-off at designated Reykjavik bus stops and the Skarfabakki cruise terminal
- English-speaking driver-guide, small group of up to 19
- Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Sólheimajökull viewpoint, Reynisfjara and Vík
Your Golden Circle Full Day Tour by Minibus
South Coast Sagas Small-Group Tour
- Pickup and drop-off at designated Reykjavik meeting points
- Driver-guide with live commentary, up to 19 guests
- Seljalandsfoss, Gljúfrabúi, Skógafoss, Sólheimajökull, Reynisfjara and Vík
