Will be in Iceland in July as party of a cruise, get into Reykjavik around 1pm, to saill out the next day, am looking for a tour which includes the Golden Circle, 4x4 glacier drive and the Blue Lagoon with swim. How long would this take, which tour operator would you suggest? Also what do you recommend for Akureyri, which place would be better for a whale watching tour? Look forward to your comments and suggestions...

Hi geetika,

if you look on google, there are many tours that offer day trips in these areas - i found this one for example:

http://www.re.is/DayTours/GeysirandG...Golden-Circle/

however, I don't think that you will get a tour that involves all these things in one day - the blue lagoon is quite a way from Reykjavik, being near the main airport at Keflavik. you might manage to find a tour that did the Golden circle and a glacier drive - can I suggest that you contact the iceland tourist board and get a list of tour operators from them?

www.visiticeland.com

BLue Lagoon is CLASSIC iceland! its like going to paris and not taking in the eifel tower. Find the time to go. Even if it is for a 1/2 hour. It only takes about 45 mintes from reykjavik. you wont be disspointed???

travel - I'm not sure I agree that the blue Lagoon is "classic iceland" - it's a modern place which understandably exploits one of iceland's many natural phenomena, but really is no more than a fun stopping off place for people looking for something to do before their flight home.

The Golden Circle is, on the other hand, an utterly unique part of Iceland's geology and culture, combining the geysers, a fantastic waterfall, the ever-widening gap between the tectonic plates, AND the site of the ancient Icelandic Parliament.

If, like the OP, i had to choose between them, the golden Circle wins hands down.

as for going to the Blue Lagoon for 1/2 hour, even on your own timings, the trip is going to take a minimum of 2 hours from Reykjavik. by the time you've parked, changed, showered, swum, showered again, got dry, etc. etc. it'll be more like 3.

the OP does not have time for both, IMHO.

Thanks for your suggestions, will get in touch with some tour operators. Ideally what I'd like to do the Golden Circle and glacier drive the first day and Reykjavik and the Blue Lagoon the next. Only wish we had more time to explore the interiors, but guess that'll be for another trip...

geetika,

if you have time, try to get a tour that takes in the area south of Keflavik. there are some volcanic lakes and mud pools that are very interesting -much more so then the blue lagoon IMHO but that might just be me.

the most interesting area for us was the western fjords - really outstanding bird life. we never got as far as akureyri, so I can't help you there.

Thanks annhig, will look into this. Any way one can swim in these volcanic lakes, really want to do that, hence Blue Lagoon.

Just stick with the BL, you wont regret it.