Geysers, Waterfalls, and Glaciers, Oh My! The Golden Circle Tour (+Northern Lights)

Geysers, Waterfalls, and Glaciers, Oh My! The Golden Circle Tour (+Northern Lights)

Golden Aurora Circle Tour with Solstice Tours

With only 3 days to explore the entire country of Iceland, I had to pack as much into each day as humanly possible to try to see it all. When I decided a tour was the best option for me, I chose a small company called Solstice Tours, featuring a smaller group size. Because, who wants to be herded around in a grey hound bus with 100 other tourists? That sounds God awful. I chose the Golden Aurora Circle Tour, a combo of the Golden Circle Tour and Northern Lights Tour. 

The Golden Circle covers approximately 300km and is the most popular day tour in Iceland.  So what exactly do you see on the Golden Circle Tour? Here goes (it’s a lot!):

Golden Circle Tour

 

On Power Power Plant

The first stop was to the On Power power plant. Not too excited about it at first, but then I learned some very interesting facts about Iceland. Some extremely freaking cool things I learned:

  • the power plant is near an active volcano
  • magma under the ground is heating up the water (2km underground)
  • power plant adds sulfur to water to protect the pipes (hence the bad smell)
  • power plant extracts the geothermal liquid and it is separated into water and steam
  • steam is used for electricity (resulting in extremely low electricity bills in Iceland)
  • pipes run 27km to the city of Reykjavik
  • 16,000 tons per hour can be pumped to Rekjavik at highest capacity (woah)
  • Reykjavik uses underground hot water to heat the streets (I was wondering why there was no snow on the streets!)
  • 90% house in Iceland use geothermal hot water

Icelandic Horses

https://www.instagram.com/p/BA-x0o-uW55/?taken-by=crazytravelista

I had no idea this was part of the tour but Jon, the tour guide and owner of Soltice tours, pulled over on the side of the road near a green pasture. He hopped out and told us it was time to feed the horses. What? How exciting! He gave us some bread, and I was extremely hesitant to feed them, thinking I might lose a finger or two. But he calmly informed us that the Icelandic horses are some of the tamest horses in the world. Why? Because they have never had any known predators. I thought that was cool.

What else is really cool about Icelandic horses? They have 5 different gaits, as opposed to the average horse with 3 gaits, making them extremely unique. The more you know…

Kerið Crater

Kerid Crater, Iceland

How cool is Kerid Crater?

I had never heard of this place, but this turned out to be one of the most unexpectedly awesome stops of the whole tour. I felt like I was on Mars walking around the periphery of this huge volcanic crater. I cant deny that it took me 30 minutes to walk around as I kept stopping for selfies. No shame. 

Random Cherry Tomato Plant

cherry tomato farm

Random stop at cherry tomato farm (aka the best cherry tomatoes I’ve ever tasted)

On this random stop, we quickly visited a cherry tomato plant where Jon brought us endless cups of local cherry tomatoes. I’m so not a tomato person at all, but these were the best cherry tomatoes I had ever tasted! Hands-down. So sweet and juicy! Who would have thought, in Iceland?

Geyser Geothermal Area

Strokkur Geysir on Golden Circle Tour

Strokkur Geysir erupts every 5-10 minutes

Just like it sounds, it’s an area filled with geysers everywhere you turn. The most famous Strokkur Geysir is very active and erupts every 5-10 minutes, making it a popular spectacle. The famous geyser sprouts up to 30 meters! But don’t stand too close or you will most definitely get sprayed!

The Magnificent Gulfoss Waterfall

Gulfoss waterfall in winter

Gulfoss Waterfall

Gulfoss waterfall is one of the most magnificent waterfalls in all of Europe. Formed by 2 waterfalls smoothly cascading into the next, this is certainly the highlight of the Golden Circle. We were however, greeted by an intense hail storm upon arrival. The hail was so powerful I couldn’t even open my eyes, so I had to run like a bat out of hell back to the van for shelter. Very characteristic of Iceland’s weather, 5 minutes later the sky opened up magically with a bright blue tint, making you forget what had just happened. It was just enough time gawk at this beauty of nature, snap some pics, and be on our way!

Here I am 5 minutes earlier trying to snap a photo. Not exactly what I was expecting.

Gulfoss waterfall, Iceland

Not too thrilled about that Icelandic weather

Stop at a Glacial Spring

With a quick stop at the glacial springs, we were able to actually taste the glacier water straight from the source. It was some of the purest, freshest water I have ever tasted! I can now officially say I’ve literally tasted natural glacier spring water.

Þingvellir National Park

Þingvellir National Park fissure

Fissure outlining the separation of the tectonic plates

Þingvellir National Park was one of my personal favorite stops on the tour! It is home to the Silfra fissure, where you can snorkel and dive in between the Mid-Atlantic ridge separating the 2 continents, North America and Eurasia! Where else in the world can you do that? It was January, so I decided to pass on this. I know, lame. We still were able to spot many areas where you could visibly see the fissure between the 2 continents.

Þingvellir National Park, Iceland

GOT Season 6 was filmed steps away from here 🙂

Another huge highlight for me was getting to see some of the filming sites for the upcoming Game of Thrones season! Yes, they were filmed in Þingvellir National Park!! I felt like a giddy school girl knowing that I could be walking on the same grounds as Jon Snow. I’m a dork, I am fully aware of this fact. 

Þingvellir National Park waterfall

Is Iceland really real? 🙂

Observatory between North America and Eurasia Tectonic Plates

This was really cool as we could visibly see the cracks in the ground separating the 2 continents. Jon took us to the North American side so we could feel “at home”.

North America and Eurasia tectonic plates

Overlooking the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between N. America and Eurasia

Interesting fact: The plates in this Mid-Atlantic Ridge shift apart 2cm each year!

Northern Lights Tour

 

Ok, this is why I really decided to come to Iceland in the dead of winter. The Northern Lights are high on my bucket list, as they should be. The great thing about this tour is that Jon allows you to go along on the Northern Lights chase up to 3 TIMES, on the day of the tour, and also on the day before and day after, increasing your chances of a sighting.

Jon had a plethora of knowledge about photography and shared some of his helpful tips as we sat in the van waiting for the perfect timing. It was a windy and frigid evening and it seemed like we would go home empty handed, but Jon pepped us up to go out..

He informed us that sometimes you cant see the lights with your naked eye, yet they are still visible through the camera lens. And he was right! We were able to see a slight glimpse of the lights through the viewfinder. If only faintly, we were able to see the Northern Lights. However, I can still say that I have not seen the lights with my naked eye. So it still remains on my bucket list! I guess it just wasn’t in the cards for me; although I did enjoy the chase!

Aurora Borealis

Photo courtesy of Jon, owner of Solstice Tours

What I really liked about Solstice Tours?

  • small group size (about 8 people) allowed for getting to know other travellers
  • wifi on bus (huge bonus!)
  • knowledgable and kind tour guide (I’m talking about you Jon!)
  • pick up outside of the city (at my Airbnb apt)
  • extra stops along the tour
  • good lunch options
  • so many sites visited (bang for your buck)

What I didn’t like?

  • My only complaint is that I wish we could have spent more time at certain sites such as Þingvellir National Park. But with the short daylight time in winter, this wasn’t possible.

Disclaimer: special thanks to Solstice Tours for hosting me. As always, my opinions are my own. If I don’t like something, I will definitely speak my mind! No bullsh*t.

Have you done the Golden Circle Tour or Northern Lights Tour? Would you rather go on a tour or go solo? I want to hear your thoughts!

Like it? PIN IT! 🙂

Golden Circle Tour highlights

Top 5 Reasons to Visit Croatia NOW

Top 5 Reasons to Visit Croatia NOW

Croatia is a breathtakingly gorgeous Eastern European country resting across from Italy, bordering Slovenia, Hungary, Montenegro, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and lined by the crisp, deep blue Adriatic Sea on the West. With over 1200+ islands and islets, 3,500 miles of coastline, and 7 UNESCO World Heritage sites, it’s no wonder why Croatia has become the new hot spot for adventure seekers looking to explore more unique travel destinations. A blend between beautiful pristine coastlines, numerous desirable islands, fascinating historical landmarks, ancient villages, and mouth-watering food, Croatia has much to offer and should be on the top of every traveler’s bucket list! If your’e planning a visit to this amazing country, act now! Europe’s best kept secret is surely becoming the “it” destination soon to be highly overcrowded by tourism.

 

1. (Relatively) Cheap Prices

Hvar, Croatia www.crazytravelista.com

Unreal colors of the Adriatic Sea

Although Croatia joined the European Union in July 2013, they have yet to adopt the Euro currency of their Western European counterparts. The local currency in Croatia remains the Kuna, and the current exchange rate is 6.7 Kuna to $1 (at the time of this article’s publishing). With the dollar being so strong at the moment, your money will go a long way there! To get a feel of the prices, a coffee costs about 8 Kuna ($1.20) and a roundtrip catamaran ticket to Hvar and back costs about 80 Kuna ($12). As you can see, Croatia is extremely affordable and this just adds to its allure.

2. Sailing

Croatia is well-known for sailing, and this is the absolute best way to explore the islands. As the location of the infamous “Yacht Week”, Croatia has fast become the prime spot for sailing trips in Europe. With over 1200 islands throughout the coast, one could spend weeks exploring and never get bored. At the forefront of the tourism boom, these 7-day sailing trips attract more and more tourists every year eager to explore the fabulous Adriatic coastline. Most boats depart from Split or Dubrovnik and navigate to 4-5 islands within the week-long trip. A mix of partying, culture, site-seeing, exploring, great food, theme nights, and numerous swim stops, the sailing experience is one you will never forget. From personal experience, I can go as far as to say this was the best week of my life!

 

Sail Croatia www.crazytravelista.com

Sailing the Croatian islands

 

3. Local Food and Wine

Fantastically fresh and flavourful seafood straight from the ocean to your plate, local olive oil, and family owned wineries producing the finest Croatian wines will leave your taste buds craving more. Interestingly, but not surprisingly, some white wines from a little town called Trstenik are even imported to the White House. Additionally, and of an honourable mention, Split boasts some of the best gelato I have ever tried! Coming from someone who’s been to Italy 10+ times, that’s a bold statement.

 

Mussels in tomato sauce-yum!

Mussels in tomato sauce-yum!

 

4. Sunsets, Sunsets, and More Sunsets

Words cannot do them justice, so I’ll let the pictures speak. But can I just say something? Perfect. Sunsets. Every. Night.

 

Split sunset

Split sunset

Just a casual stroll down the Split Riva, and BAM! No filter..

Sunset over the marina

Sunset over the marina

From the hike to Hvar Fortress

From the hike to Hvar Fortress

Walking up to the Hvar Fortress, and what do you know…there’s that infamous pink sky!

YOU MAY ASO LIKE: How Vis, Croatia Captured My Heart

5. Laid Back Lifestyle (“ish time”)

In Croatia, there’s never any rush to get anywhere. As a whole, they are a laid-back culture unbound to time constraints and really know how to enjoy every moment of life. So when you’re there, do as the locals do, relax, have a cocktail, and set your clock to “ish time”. Why not? You’re on holiday!

split, www.crazytravelista.com

Bonus #6: Numerous Game of Thrones Locations

If you are a huge GOT fanatic like me, you will understand that being able to visit the actual filming locations is like a dream come true! As you may know, Dubrovnik is the major backdrop and filming site for King’s Landing.

 

King's Landing!!

King’s Landing in Dubrovnik

Numerous scenes are also shot throughout Split and the surrounding area (Diocletian’s Palace and Klis Fortress), as well as nearby Šibenik. If you’re lucky enough, you may even get to sneak a peak at a live filming!! Jon Snow stalker alert!!!

Overlooking the Šibenik Fortress

Overlooking the Šibenik Fortress

 

Klis Fortress, home of Meereen

Klis Fortress, location of Meereen