Strokkur goes off, the crowd cheers, and five minutes later it does it all again. That rhythm sums up a good Golden Circle day: big sights, short walks, and enough time at each stop to actually look around instead of sprinting back to the bus.

EastWest runs this full-day Golden Circle tour from Reykjavík in a minibus and aims to keep the group at no more than 19 people, so the guide can talk to everyone rather than at a coach full of strangers. Expect around nine hours on the road, with the emphasis on nature and the stories behind it.

What you'll see on this Golden Circle tour

The route packs in the classics plus a few extra stops that the big buses tend to skip:

• Þingvellir National Park, where the tectonic plates meet and where Iceland's parliament was founded in 930 AD
• Öxarárfoss, the waterfall inside Þingvellir
• Efstidalur dairy farm, where you can meet the cows and try the farm's dairy products
• The Geysir geothermal area, where Strokkur erupts every few minutes
• Gullfoss, the two-step waterfall dropping into a deep canyon
• Friðheimar tomato farm, the lunch stop, where you eat among the greenhouses
• Kerið, a volcanic crater with a turquoise lake and a walk around the rim

What's included

• Pickup in Reykjavík from 8:30 and drop-off back in Reykjavík
• Professional local guide
• Small-group minibus with free WiFi on board

Lunch at Friðheimar is not included, and neither are other food or drinks. There are stops along the way where you can buy snacks.

Good to know before you go

Pickup starts at 8:30, so be ready at your assigned spot from then. If your hotel isn't on the pickup list, you'll use the nearest designated city bus stop, which exists because big vehicles aren't allowed down the narrow streets of old Reykjavík. Leave your phone number at reception; the driver will call if they can't find you.

The tour runs in most weather, so dress for it, wear good shoes and bring a camera. It isn't wheelchair or stroller accessible, children must be with an adult, and because it's a long day on a fixed schedule the operator advises against bringing infants aged 0 to 3.

Pro tip: Friðheimar lunch is paid on the day, so bring a card. If you'd rather eat light, the snack stops along the way will keep you going.