Visit the Thingvellir National Park in Iceland from Reykjavik

Thingvellir National Park is one of the most important tourist destinations in Iceland's natural beauty. It is located about 44 km from the capital and is therefore also one of the best things to see or do if you are travelling to Reykjavik.

It is an area that has been declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco both for its geological authenticity and its historical importance. I invite you to read all the information I have prepared for you, because thanks to this help you will be able to understand in greater detail what you will find when you visit it.

The best way for you to visit Thingvellir National Park will always be a guided tour, especially since it is a trip to a natural area that is relatively inaccessible to a tourist without a car in Iceland.

Most of these guided tours usually last between 7 and 11 hours, depending on the number of activities included in the itinerary and the type of approach offered by the tour guide.

Most of these tours include several attractions in the area known as the Golden Circle, a sightseeing route in southern Iceland that showcases much of the island's natural attractions.

Some tours will take you only to the immediate vicinity of the national park and offer hiking tra ils to understand its geological and natural significance.

Others often take the experience to a new level and may include a visit to the hot spring, Gullfoss waterfall and Kerid Crater in the same trip. Visiting a geothermal power generation centre is also a possibility on some of these tour packages.

The means of transport is another aspect that is very different from tour to tour, as some tours are designed for groups of no more than 19 people and therefore travel in minibuses, while other tours are designed for groups of 50 people who will travel in a large, air-conditioned luxury bus.

There are private tours that can take you and two other people in a private car to all the interesting spots in Thingvellir National Park and there is also one that offers a snowmobile tour within the same itinerary.

Whether you're planning to travel alone or as a family, these are all very interesting alternatives that focus on entertainment for all ages.

Interesting details

• Prices: all are adjusted to the conditions offered by the tour, but the most common are between 50 and 80 euros per person for tours for large groups. Those for smaller groups can cost up to 130 euros per person and private tours in a private car can cost around 500 euros per passenger. Those that include additional attractions such as snowmobiles are usually priced at 280 euros per participant.
• Duration: almost all are organised to last 7, 8, 9 or 10 hours, depending on the number of stops. Please note that some are planned for an early morning departure, while others are organised for after midday, thus including sunset as an event on the itinerary.
• Advantages: With a planned tour, regardless of whether it includes a guide, you don't run the risk of getting stranded at any of the stops along the way to Thingvellir National Park. Don't forget that this is an area that is relatively far from Reykjavík and really is a completely rural area where public transport is not a real necessity.
• Conditions: Some tours have age restrictions simply because they are a risky activity for a child who is too young. For example, those that culminate the itinerary with a short snowmobile tour usually require the crew to be at least 6 years old, at least if they intend to take part in the snowmobile tour.

As for the means of transport that can take you on your own to Thingvellir National Park, you should be aware that they are quite limited.

The first option after a shared or private tour would be to hire a private car to take you and your companions in a more private way to this nature conservation area.

The preferred route for this trip would be to take Route 1 heading north and, when you reach the village of Mosfellsbaer, take a right turn off at a roundabout onto Highway 36. If you continue driving for a couple more kilometres, you will reach the western entrance to the park and park your car there.

Either way, it is essential that you always check the weather conditions before setting off on a road trip in Iceland, as on a tour you are assured that the company is aware of the challenges, whereas on a private trip you are responsible for your own road safety.

At the same time, it is important to bear in mind that it is impossible to get from Reykjavík to Thingvellir National Park by public transport, or at least exclusively. Clearly, there are no trains connecting the two parts of the country and public buses don't go anywhere near the area.

Your alternative would be to take a bus, which costs about 5 euros and usually takes about half an hour to get to Reykjavegur, a town halfway between the national park and Reykjavík.

There you would have to take a taxi which would take you approximately 33 km to the park entrance, so the one-way fare could be as much as 100 euros. It would be your responsibility to coordinate the return journey with this driver.

Places to visit on your own

Thingvellir National Park is a place full of natural beauty, but it also has a rather unique history. This was the site of the first democratic parliament in the history of the West and for this reason alone it is a very important site in the history of mankind.

As this valley is located just above the area where the North American tectonic plate and the European plate collide, it is logical that it is full of small valleys formed by a geological fault of this magnitude.

Almannagjá is a rather unique canyon in that it is possible to walk through its base and it is so conditioned for tourism that the path through it is paved in some sections.

Öxaráfoss Waterfall is another point you should visit on your tour of this park, which is always part of the best tours in Reykjavík, or at least those that incorporate natural areas on the outskirts of the city.

The Silfra Canyon with its cold waters and the Penny Valley, known locally as Flosagjá and Peningagj, complete the list of places you shouldn't miss on a visit to this national park.

The latter is a place full of small fractures flooded in glacial waters that have been filled with thousands of coins thrown by irresponsible tourists who believe it has some influence on their fate. So we advise you not to do it if you visit on your own, as it is completely forbidden.

Anywhere in Iceland is worth visiting for the fact that the natural appeal of this place is unique on earth and the landscapes you'll find in its national parks belong to a geography that is just as iconic and special.

Remember that this is a land of volcanoes where the grasslands are completely free of trees due to centuries of unbridled deforestation.

In the case of Thingvellir National Park you should know that this site is even more special for the following reasons that make it stand out as a favourite destination on the tourist itinerary of those who travel to Iceland in summer, winter or spring.

It is a place close to Reykjavík

If you are visiting Iceland it is very likely that your city of accommodation will be Reykjavík, which is logical considering that more than 90% of the country's population lives in this metropolitan area.

From the capital it's easy enough to visit any of the island's must-see sights without having to travel an extremely long way by road.

Thingvellir National Park is a mere 45 kilometres from the capital and that's about a third of the journey you'll have to take if you want to venture out to visit Iceland's best glaciers. The glaciers are located at the other end of the island.

It is a great representation of Iceland's natural beauty

Iceland is an island territory that was left largely treeless by uncontrolled deforestation. This created a very special and recognisable scenery of gigantic meadows where you can see the entire horizon without any interrupting elements.

Just such a description includes the kind of landscape you would find in Thingvellir National Park, which is why the excursions that take you here really are an excellent opportunity to see such a natural area at first hand.

Includes many of the country's most iconic wonders

Many of the country's natural wonders are located around Thingvellir National Park, so it makes sense that the excursions that take you there should include some of them to form a more complete itinerary.

That means that in just one day you can get a good idea of what the south-western tip of the island is like, and the best thing about it is that it's good all-round family-friendly tourist entertainment.

The whole island has gigantic tourist potential, but the more rural and remote locations may not fit into your planning if you're only visiting Iceland for a short time.

For example, Reykjavík's horseback riding tours are another activity that can give you a good tour of the island's natural scenery without having to go too far from the built-up area of the island.

The first and most basic advice is to opt for a guided tour on a paid excursion. The most important reasons are the ones I have already mentioned, such as the convenience of being able to do the activity without having to worry about anything to do with the means of transport.

The next most logical and appropriate recommendation would be to dress comfortably and appropriately for the context of the place you are visiting. Bear in mind that it is a plan that involves hiking as an essential part of the activity and therefore you should choose footwear that is appropriate for wet terrain.

Take enough coats for the plan if you are there at any time other than a summer's day. When you're there you'll realise that plans to do in Reykjavik in summer are notorious for being too hot, but the other seasons of the year are much cooler than in other parts of the world.

You can't forget your sunscreen, as the incidence of UV rays on a plan like this can be significant and you need to take care of your skin if you don't want a sunburn problem that will limit your enjoyment for the rest of the trip.

Food is the third factor to prioritise on a visit to Thingvellir National Park, as you won't have the opportunity to buy food on every street corner as you would on any other city tour. You can carry some snacks or simple meals in your backpacks and you can also get something to eat at the petrol stations along the road or at the cafeteria in the centre where the cars are parked at the entrance to the park.

Another helpful thing to remember is to bring a change of clothes for your children if you are travelling as a family and have little ones at home. It's an outdoor activity and they're likely to get dirty.

Remember that it's a terrible idea for them to come back unwrapped to continue the day with other things to do in Reykjavik in winter.

Iceland is a rather unique place in the world not only because of its geographical isolation, but also because of the composition of that same geography. It is therefore logical that there are hundreds of natural spaces without any human intervention that are worth visiting during a tourist trip to the country.

Vatnajokull National Park is one such site and offers you the opportunity to get up close and personal with a world that is dominated by glaciers, frozen caves, frozen lagoons and several snow-capped mountains.

The Svartifoss and Dettifoss waterfalls are two must-see stops if you decide to visit this national park. They are, without a doubt, two of the best waterfalls you can visit in Iceland.

The highest peak in all of Iceland is also located in this area and the sight of it from a distance is a true winter spectacle.

Another attraction that is quite close to Reykjavík, just like Thingvellir National Park, is the Heidmork Nature Reserve.

It is distinguished by red rock formations that are quite a contrast to the Icelandic landscape, which is normally characterised by green colours on volcanic soil.

Visiting the black sandy beach Reynisfjara is another stop that is likely to be on your itinerary as it is one of the top 10 attractions in the whole country.

Going in winter is made even more special by the fact that the black shore is filled with ice that is constantly being washed away by the sea waves.

On the border between the highlands and lowlands of the country is another iconic site in Icelandic tourism: the Seljalandsfoss waterfall. It's very close to the sea and is relatively accessible from Reykjavík, although you're likely to see it if you plan a sightseeing tour of most of the island's south coast.