Reykjavik: Golden Circle, Tomato Farm and Kerið Crater Tour

GYG

Reykjavik: Golden Circle, Tomato Farm and Kerið Crater Tour

★ 4.8(217 reviews)

• Eight of the outdoor sights around Reykjavik charge for parking rather than for entry. That fee is per car, so it falls away entirely when somebody else is driving.
• Pickup from your hotel
• Guide works in English
• Duration per the operator: 9 hours

from $148

See dates, price and what is included at the operator

Nine Hours on the Golden Circle, with a Stop for Tomatoes

This tour takes you out of Reykjavik for a full day on the most travelled route in Iceland. You will cover the classic Golden Circle sights, but the day is built around a stop that most similar tours skip: a working tomato farm where the produce is grown in geothermal greenhouses. The tour runs for nine hours, which puts it on the longer end for this category, and it is led by a driver-guide who speaks English. It is sold as a small group, and hotel pickup is part of the arrangement. The price starts at 148 USD, which places it among the cheaper fifth of the 162 Golden Circle tours in this directory, even with the extra stop included.

Photographs from the operator EastWest. They show the listing, not your day.

What the Fare Covers and What It Does Not

The entry price of from 148 USD covers your transport, the services of the driver-guide, and hotel pickup in Reykjavik. Admission to Kerið crater is explicitly part of what you pay for. The crater's official gate price is 700 ISK per person, or 650 ISK per person for groups of ten or more, and the operator states that this is included in your tour price. You will not hand over money at the crater. Food is not included on this tour. The tomato farm is a stop where you can buy something to eat, but that purchase is yours to make. The operator does not include meals at any point in the day, so plan to bring snacks or buy them at the farm. The tour is not wheelchair accessible, according to the operator.

What a 4.8 Score Means Here

The rating stands at 4.8 out of 5, drawn from 217 reviews. That score is high, but the number behind it is modest. In a category where some tours have accumulated tens of thousands of ratings, 217 is a small sample, so the score should be read as encouraging rather than definitive. By volume of reviews, this tour ranks 31st out of 162 in its category. By price, it ranks 32nd, which means you are paying for the experience rather than a premium brand name. The consistency of the rating across those 217 reviews is the more useful signal: it suggests the tour delivers what it promises on a regular basis, not just on good days.

When the Nine Hours Work Best

Reykjavik's temperatures peak in July at 15 degrees Celsius, with June and August close behind. From June through August, the average high stays above 13 degrees, and the low does not drop below 7 degrees. That is the window when a nine-hour day outdoors is comfortable. The tour runs through the winter months as well, but the averages tell you what to expect: from November through February, the high hovers around 3 to 5 degrees and the low sits at or below freezing. A nine-hour day in those conditions is a different proposition. The daylight hours matter more here than on shorter tours. In the depths of winter, you will see the sights in limited light, and the long drive to Vík í Mýrdal and back eats into what daylight there is. The shoulder months of May and September offer a balance, with highs around 10 to 11 degrees and manageable lows.

At the Stops Along the Way

The day begins with hotel pickup in Reykjavik, so your first point of contact is the driver-guide arriving at your accommodation. From there, the route takes you to the Golden Circle sights before heading south toward Vík í Mýrdal. The tomato farm is a working operation, not a purpose-built tourist attraction, so it has the feel of a real business rather than a staged visit. Kerið crater is the one stop with a formal entry point, and since your admission is prepaid, you walk straight in. The crater itself is a volcanic caldera with a lake, and the path around the rim is the main activity. The weather will dictate how much time you want to spend at each stop. Rain and wind are common, and the exposed rim of Kerið offers no shelter. The driver-guide sets the pace for the day, and the schedule depends on road conditions and how long the group lingers at each place.

Who Should Take This Tour and Who Should Look Elsewhere

This tour suits travellers who want the Golden Circle checklist covered but also want something beyond the standard circuit. The tomato farm adds a working, contemporary Icelandic business to a route that is otherwise all geology and history. It also suits anyone who prefers a small group and a driver-guide who handles the driving on a long day. If you are short on time, the comparable tour from the same city that runs for 6.5 hours at from 82 USD covers the Golden Circle with less travel, though it does not include Kerið crater. If you want a shorter day that still includes Kerið, the 7 to 8.5 hour tour at from 91 USD is the closer match. If your priority is a soak at the Secret Lagoon or the Blue Lagoon, those are separate tours running 10 and 11 hours respectively, and they cost more. This tour is not for anyone who needs wheelchair access, and it is a long day for young children or travellers who tire easily on a bus.

GYG

Reykjavik: Golden Circle, Tomato Farm and Kerið Crater Tour

Dates, remaining places and the current version of what is included are at the operator. This page reflects the state of the catalogue, not the state of this morning.

from $148

Ansehen