Golden Circle in Winter (Iceland) – tips + Map + photos

Let's discover the highlights of Iceland's Golden Circle in Winter. 
The famous touristic loop remains accessible during the Winter months and offers stunning landscapes, including:

•  the geyser of Haukadalur,
• Thingvellir National Park
• and the Gullfoss waterfall.

Below is my guide to help you plan your Golden Circle stops and visits with map, tips and photos.

This article contains affiliate links (Disclosure page). If you purchase using my link, I get a commission at no extra cost to you.

In Winter, as in Summer, the Golden Circle is a circuit for tourists taking you to 3 main attractions :

• The Thingvellir National Park with its giant fissures in the Earth's crust
• The geothermal area of Haukadalur with the Strokkur geyser erupting every 3 to 8 minutes
• The giant and powerful waterfall of Gullfoss

Below are pictures of the 3 highlights of the Golden Circle in Winter:

Can you drive the Golden Circle in Winter? 

• Yes, you can drive the Golden Circle in in Winter. It is a very touristic area and roads are frequently cleared of snow.
• The access road, carparks and walking paths are also cleared for visitors
• Of course road closures can always happen due to snow and wind - check out the status on road.is
• Note that if you visit early, you will enjoy the attractions with much less tourists, but the roads might be icy as not many vehicles will have driven on them yet.
• You can find the GPS coordinates and visit tips of my favorite locations in my eBook to facilitate the planing of your road trip:

Can you do the Golden circle in one day in Winter? Map & Driving times

• Yes, you can easily do the Golden Circle in one day from Reykjavik
• Reykjavik to Thingvellir = 1h drive
• Thingvellir to Haukadalur = 1h drive
• Haukadalur to Gullfoss = 10min drive
• Gullfoss to Reykjavik direct = 2h drive
• Gullfoss to Reykjavik via the Kerid crater = 2h drive

How to get to the Golden Circle - Day trips if you don't want to drive

• If you do not want to drive on the snow, there are plenty of options to enjoy a day trip around the Golden Circle from Reykjavik
• I recommend choosing a small group tour to have more time to spend at each location and also because they can stop at more locations
• Some combine the 3 main attractions either with the Kerid crater, the Secret lagoon, the Blue lagoon, snowmobile or with the Northern lights
• See some options 

Visit Tips 

• Considering these are a very touristic spots, the marked walking paths are maintained - but it can always get icy, so carry spikes (see options) that you can add on your shoes at any time
• There are visitor centers at all 3 major attractions with food courts and toilets
• Some carparks require paiement
• The famous Silfra dive or snorkeling (e.g. inside a fissure in Thingvellir) is also possible in Winter - check out the details
• Note: most tours start with Thingvellir, so if you want to avoid crowds you could start with the further location: Gullfoss

Accommodations - Where to stay around the Golden Circle

• You can stay overnight on the Golden Circle. This is allow you to enjoy the sunset or sunrise at those famous locations. Sunrise with the Strokkur geyser is a wonderful combination - Check out the available accommodations around Haukadalur
• If you are on a road trip and making your way to the South Coast, you can sleep at Fludir, where you will find the Secret Lagoon - Check out accommodations
• Selfoss is another practical option:  it has a large choice and it is on Road 1 - Check out accommodations
• If you are on a road trip and heading to the Snaefellsnes peninsula, the town of Borgarnes is a practical option - Check out accommodations

As I said, the area is very touristic. The roads are cleared quite quickly after a snowfall.
However a snowstorm or strong wind can change conditions abruptly, so roads may be closed for short period.
If you are driving yourself, always check the status of the roads before heading anywhere. The official website is road.is.

Below are a couple of shots taken while driving around the Golden Circle. All roads have one lane in each directions and are identified with yellow poles on both sides:

Thingvellir Winter accessibility:

• Carparks well indicated 
• P1 has a visitor center and a viewing platform. 
• The main path is between P1 and P2 in the canyon
• The paths to the platform and down the canyon are clearly marked, maintained an easy
• Plan 1h for a return walk between P1 and P2, including the side viewing platforms
• Longer if you go on the less maintained trails such as the Oxararfoss one

The geothermal area of Haukadalur is often a highlight for visitors.
It was made famous by the geyser called Geysir. However it is not very active anymore.
But don't be sad. The Strokkur geyser is very active. It erupts every 3 to 8 minutes. And if you stand above it, you can see the blue bubble forming before the explosion.

Haukadalur Winter accessibility:

• Carparks well indicated along the road
• Large visitor center with foot court, toilets and souvenirs
• Thanks to the heat, the walking paths are mostly cleared - however there are a few locations where there is ice. Be careful!
• Plan 1h for your visit and to take many pictures of the geyser 🙂
• Try visiting early or late. There are not that many paths, but there are many visitors
• Don't miss the view from just above the geyser to see the bubble

The mighty waterfall of Gullfoss falls in 2 stages: the top section cascades on rocks over 11m (36ft) while the second section drops 21m (69ft) into a canyon.
The average amount of water running over this waterfall is 140 m³/s in the summer time and 80 to 110 m³/s in the winter time. Quite impressive... This is why it is worth visiting it!

Gullfoss Winter accessibility:

• Upper carpark next to the visitor center and lower carpark both accessible
• Toilets and food at the upper level
• Easy marked paths to the viewing platforms and easy staircase between both levels
• Plan 45 minutes to enjoy the 2 upper viewpoint and the lower one
• One path is closed: the one going close to waterfall at the lower level

Laugartavn in Winter

On the drive between Thingvellir and Haukadalur you will notice a lake. This is Laugarvatn.
It is getting more and more attention because hot water flows into it. A spa is established on its shore.
It is a fun stop to see the fumes rising from the lake.

Icelandic Horses

You can find Icelandic horses in many parts of the country.
A few farms have set up feeding stations where you can buy a little bit of food to feed them. This is the case not far from Haukadalur on the road to Gullfoss.

Kerid crater in Winter

Another stop is the Kerid crater. You can climb to the top.
It is famous in Summer for the colors on the slopes inside the crater and the small lake at the bottom.
It can be a good stop if there is not much snow. But if it has snowed a lot, the view will be mostly white.

Secret lagoon

If you are heading to the South Coast after, you can spend the night in Fludir. This way you can finish the day soaking in the warms waters of the Secret Lagoon (similar to the Blue lagoon but much smaller and quieter).
Pre-purchase your ticket in your own currency

Want to see more of ICELAND IN WINTER