Golden Circle & Secret Lagoon Tour

A golden circle and secret lagoon tour is one of the easiest ways to pair Iceland’s most famous sightseeing loop with a genuinely relaxing geothermal soak. With Sterna Travel you see Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss at an unhurried pace on our small-group Golden Circle Classic day tour, then add a stop at the Secret Lagoon in Flúðir on the same route back to Reykjavík.

Why the Secret Lagoon belongs on the Golden Circle

Flúðir, home of the Secret Lagoon, sits neatly inside the Golden Circle loop. From the main road between Gullfoss and Reykjavík it is a short turn-off along Route 30, not a long detour — which is exactly why pairing the two works so well.

We are honest about how we sell this combination. Sterna Travel does not offer a rigid, pre-bundled package with a single fixed price labelled “Golden Circle & Secret Lagoon”. Instead, you book our Golden Circle Classic day tour as the base, ask us to add a Secret Lagoon stop at Flúðir, and we list the lagoon entry as a separate, transparent add-on. If you would rather linger at Gullfoss and skip the soak, you can.

What the Secret Lagoon actually is

The Secret Lagoon is not a brand-new spa built for social media. Locals call it Gamla Laugin — “the old pool” — and it is recognised as the oldest swimming pool in Iceland, first opened in 1891 for bathing and for teaching people to swim in naturally warm water. It fell quiet by the late 1940s as newer pools opened, then was carefully restored and reopened in 2014, keeping its simple character.

Today it still feels more like a traditional Icelandic bathing spot than an engineered spa lagoon. The edges are stone, the surrounding steam vents and hot springs are very much alive, and the naturally geothermal water sits at a steady 38–40°C all year — whether you visit in bright summer light or under winter snow. A small geyser, Vaðmálahver, splashes beside the pool every few minutes, and a short boardwalk loops past the hot springs that power it.

What to bring

Bring a swimsuit and a towel; both can be hired on site if you forget, though your own are usually more comfortable. As in every Icelandic pool, you are expected to shower thoroughly without a swimsuit before entering — a long-standing custom that keeps the water clean for everyone. Tie long hair back, and a waterproof phone pouch is handy for photos of the steaming springs.

The Golden Circle landmarks on the route

At Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you walk through the rift valley where the North American and Eurasian plates pull apart — and where the Alþingi, Iceland’s parliament, was founded in 930 AD. At the Geysir geothermal area, the original Great Geysir is mostly dormant, but its neighbour Strokkur erupts every six to ten minutes, sending boiling water high into the air. At Gullfoss, the “Golden Falls”, the Hvítá river plunges in two dramatic tiers into a deep glacial canyon, often framed by spray rainbows in summer or ice in winter.

All three are included on Sterna’s Golden Circle Classic tour. When you add the Secret Lagoon, we adjust the day so you still see Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss at an unhurried pace rather than squeezing them into short photo stops.

How to book the Golden Circle and Secret Lagoon together

To combine the two, reserve the Golden Circle Classic day tour from Reykjavík and use the checkout notes — or simply reply to your confirmation email — to ask us to add a Secret Lagoon stop at Flúðir. Our team confirms the timing, adds the lagoon entry as a clearly listed add-on fee, and sends an updated breakdown so you can see exactly what you are paying for. Because Flúðir sits on the route, we can usually shape the roughly 8-hour day around your preferences, balancing sightseeing with time in the water.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Secret Lagoon included in the Golden Circle tour price?

No. The base price covers the Golden Circle Classic day tour with transport and guiding. The Secret Lagoon entry fee is added on top as a separate, clearly itemised cost when you ask us to include the stop at Flúðir.

How warm is the Secret Lagoon?

The water is kept at around 38–40°C throughout the year, so it feels comfortably hot rather than scalding even in winter. In very cold or windy weather you may notice cooler patches near the edges, but the main bathing area stays pleasantly warm.

Do I need to bring a towel and swimsuit?

Bring your own swimsuit and towel if you can, for comfort and to avoid rental costs; both can be hired at the lagoon if you forget. Remember that you must shower without a swimsuit before entering, as is standard in Iceland.

How long does the whole day take?

Plan for around 8 hours from pickup to drop-off in Reykjavík. That includes driving time, unhurried visits to Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss, and roughly 75 minutes at the Secret Lagoon itself.

Is the tour suitable for families and non-swimmers?

Yes. It suits families, solo travellers, couples and groups, and the Secret Lagoon is calm and shallow enough near the edges for non-swimmers to enjoy the warm water. There are no slides or loud features, so it feels relaxed rather than like a water park.