- Best time to visit
- All year round
- Distance from Reykjavík
- 105km
- Coordinates
- 64.32549, -20.28571
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Encountering Iceland’s Geology in Geysir
The History of Geysir hot springs
When groundwater is heated by volcanic activity, the result is geysers that rumble and hiss beneath the earth. Some are more active than others – shooting jets of water high into the air when they erupt. The Geysir area of geothermal activity in Iceland is named for the Great Geysir that has erupted sporadically in the Haukadalur Valley over the centuries. This is where the English word “geyser” originates – a term that has been in use since 1647. The Great Geysir has been erupting since the 13th century but has been relatively inactive since 1916. The last eruption of the Great Geysir was in 2000 and it is currently considered dormant.
The main attraction at Geysir: Strokkur
The main attraction at Geysir, Strokkur geyser erupts every six to ten minutes. A jet of water bursts through the ground, shooting up to 40 metres in the air (but usually between 15 and 20 metres). Before each eruption, you can gather around to hear the gurgle and rumble of the geyser building up. Moments before it goes off, you can feel the faint rumble of seismic activity and hear the slosh of boiling water in Strokkur’s chamber beneath the surface. Geysir hot springs in Iceland put on quite a show every day.
The Great Geysir
Within the protected park, you’ll also find the site of the Great Geysir geyser. As the name suggests, this is Iceland’s largest geyser. At the moment, the Great Geysir is dormant and only tends to erupt after earthquakes or considerable seismic activity in the area. But you can still enjoy a walk to this part of the park, following the short, easy trail past bubbling hot springs and geothermal streams. There’s also the Litli Geysir – a small yet active geyser that has a constant wisp of steam rising from its mouth. It is one of thirty or so smaller geysers in the Haukadalur Valley area, so there is plenty to see when you get here.
Exploring around Geysir
Most organised tours of the Golden Circle that stop at Geysir allow around an hour to explore the area. That’s enough time to catch a few eruptions of Strokkur, wander through the steaming landscape of the area and check out some of the smaller geysers and hot pools. There’s also a café serving rustic, filling Icelandic soups and sandwiches, toilets for a comfort break, and a gift shop selling souvenirs and outdoor gear.
How to stay safe at Geysir
There are many geothermal pools across Iceland and bathing in the naturally-heated water is a common pastime. However, the pools at Geysir are not for bathing. The temperature of the water is between 80 and 100 degrees even when it reaches the surface and can be as hot as 240 degrees beneath the surface. For this reason, you should stick to the marked paths and stay behind the ropes and barriers around the hot springs, streams and geysers.
The water that bursts forth from Strokkur is also boiling hot, so there is a cordon around the site of the eruption, which you should never cross.
Sights and activities around Geysir
Geysir is one of the three main sights of the Golden Circle route from Reykjavík, along with Gullfoss waterfall and Þingvellir National Park. Day tours from the capital cover all three sights in a single day, and it is also a popular self-drive route. Gullfoss is close to Geysir, just under 10 kilometres away, so only a ten-minute drive. If you plan on staying overnight in the area, there are a handful of hotels, campsites and guesthouses between Geysir and Gullfoss. The small settlement of Reykholt is 20 kilometres away where you’ll find a slightly wider selection of accommodation and the famous Friðheimar tomato greenhouse and restaurant which features as a lunch stop on many Golden Circle day tours from Reykjavík.
As well as the three main highlights of the Golden Circle and the tomato greenhouse, tours from Reykjavík can include other activities along the way – horseback riding across the rugged landscape, or monster truck rides onto the surface of Langjökull ice cap. Many people add a visit to one of Iceland’s geothermally heated pools like the Laugarvatn Fontana or Secret Lagoon for a soothing soak – one that isn’t as hot as Geysir!
All About Geysir
Geysir is a protected area of geothermal activity in Iceland where boiling-hot pools bubble and steam and lively geysers erupt like clockwork. Geysir can also refer to a specific geyser in the area – the Great Geysir – which is now dormant. It is where the English word “geyser” comes from.
Geysir is in the Haukadalur Valley, on Route 35 or Route 37 from Þingvellir national park. It’s within southwest Iceland, along the famous Golden Circle route from Reykjavík.
Most people reach Geysir by following the route of the Golden Circle from Reykjavík, taking in the sights of Þingvellir national park where the continental plates meet, and the thundering wonder of Gullfoss waterfall along the way.
Geysir is around 100 kilometres from the capital city and the entire route of the Golden Circle is 230 kilometres (around 140 miles) long. A well-trodden route, the Golden Circle is easy to do as a self-drive adventure if you are hiring a car.
The roads are cleared of snow year-round, but it is always best to check the SafeTravel app before driving anywhere in Iceland. The Golden Circle and Geysir is a popular day trip from Reykjavík and there are lots of different itineraries available on guided tours
You should plan to spend around an hour at Geysir to give you enough time to walk the trail through the geothermal area of bubbling activity and see the old site of the Great Geysir eruption.
You’ll also want to wait for Strokkur to erupt – it goes off like clockwork every ten minutes or so. Across the road from the geothermal park, there’s a café and gift shop so this is the perfect opportunity to refuel and stop for a comfort break.
The Great Geysir is no longer active (at least it hasn't erupted since 2016), so it does not erupt any more. However, within the Geysir area of geothermal activity, you can see Strokkur erupt on schedule.
A jet of boiling-hot water bursts forth from the landscape every six to ten minutes, giving you enough time to set up a tripod and camera to capture the moment.
Entry to the area of geothermal activity and witnessing Strokkur erupt is free of charge. There is also no fee to use the car park. However, you might want to bring some money to buy refreshments from the café or something to commemorate your visit from the gift shop.
The Geysir area of geothermal activity is just across the road from the car park and café. Walking to the Strokkur geyser takes around five minutes and following the paths around the entire park takes between half an hour and forty-five minutes. It is all flat.
It is an easy, flat walk from the car park to Geysir’s pools, rivers and rumbling geothermal activity. While there is a path that runs through the parkland, it would be considered a leisurely stroll to reach the Strokkur geyser, rather than a hike.
Strokkur geyser sits within the Geysir area of geothermal activity. It’s a short walk from the main car park, past the hot springs and streams that simmer with activity. You’ll find it beside the Hvítá River, in the southwest of Iceland.
Iceland’s most active geyser is Strokkur. It is the only geyser you can watch erupt with predictable regularity. It erupts every six to ten minutes. For this reason, Strokkur is considered the best geyser to see in Iceland. If it was as regular as Strokkur, the Great Geysir would, without doubt, take the top spot of geysers in Iceland as it boasts a much bigger plume of water when it does go off. However, the Great Geysir has been dormant for the past couple of decades – the last time it erupted was in 2000, after an earthquake in the area. There was also a small activity in 2016, but it wasn’t a huge eruption.
Geysir is one of three main natural attractions that make up the basic itinerary of the Golden Circle route. It is close to Gullfoss – the tumbling waterfall that gives the Golden Circle its name.
The third natural wonder of the Golden Circle is Þingvellir national park where you can see the chasm between the Eurasian and North American continental plates.
Of course, there are additional sights that can be added to a Golden Circle itinerary, like secret geothermal lagoons, glacier hikes, lava tunnels and the caldera of an ancient volcano.
You don’t have to wear anything special to visit Geysir in Iceland but, like all outdoor sites on the island, it is a good idea to bring a waterproof jacket in case it rains (and for potential spray from Strokkur geyser), sturdy walking boots and layers.
In summer, a breathable tee-shirt, long-sleeve jumper and waterproof jacket should suffice. In winter, you’ll want to have a thicker layer like a fleece or woolly jumper to keep the chill at bay, plus a hat, scarf and gloves.
There are no opening hours at Geysir – it is open 24 hours a day. You can even come here to spot the northern lights after dark if you want. The best time of day to visit Geysir is in the early morning or later on in the evening when there are fewer crowds.
The best time of year to visit Geysir depends whether you want to enjoy the balmier weather and long hours of daylight in summer, or if you want to witness the drama of the Haukadalur Valley covered in snow during winter. Geysir is a year-round destination, and the cold weather doesn’t affect the clockwork timing of the Strokkur geyser.
