Why Choose a Laugarás Lagoon Tour?
Laugarás is about 94 km from Reykjavík, roughly an hour and a half by road, and sits in the middle of the Golden Circle rather than on the edge of the city. That makes the lagoon less of a quick dip and more of a destination in its own right, and the easiest way to reach it is as part of a day that already covers Iceland's best-known route.
A Golden Circle and Laugarás Lagoon tour takes around nine and a half hours. You visit Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir geothermal area and Gullfoss waterfall first, then finish at the lagoon with time to settle into the warm water before the drive back to Reykjavík. Tours depart from BSÍ Bus Terminal, and pickup is available.
The water is geothermal and chlorine-free, cooled with naturally filtered glacial water from the Hvítá. Between soaks there is a dry sauna and a steam bath, a cold pool, a sheltered forest pool, a grotto with built-in seating and an infinity edge looking out over the river.
If you would like more time in the countryside, Laugarás Lagoon is also part of our multi-day Icelandic Wellness Packages.
The minimum age at Laugarás Lagoon is 5, and the same applies to tours that include a visit to the lagoon.
Birki or Lerki: Which Admission Is Included?
Every Laugarás Lagoon tour includes lagoon admission, either Birki or Lerki, depending on the tour you book.
- Birki – standard entry, with access to the lagoon, the saunas, the cold pool and the forest pool, plus a changing room with a personal locker and shower products.
- Lerki – everything in Birki, plus towel use and one drink at a swim-up bar.
With Birki, bring your own towel or rent one at the lagoon. Swimsuits can also be rented on site. A third pass, Ösp, adds a two-course meal at the lagoon's restaurant, but it is not part of our tours.
Food and Drink at the Lagoon
Ylja, which means warmth in Icelandic, is the lagoon's on-site restaurant, run by chef Gísli Matt of Slippurinn in the Westman Islands. The menu changes with the seasons and draws on neighbouring farms, geothermal greenhouses and Icelandic fisheries.
In the water, two swim-up bars serve drinks, so there is no need to leave the warmth to order. On tours with Lerki admission, your first drink is included.
Laugarás Lagoon, the Blue Lagoon or the Sky Lagoon?
All three are geothermal lagoons, and the main difference is where they are. The Blue Lagoon sits in a lava field on the Reykjanes Peninsula, close to Keflavík Airport. The Sky Lagoon is on the coast at Kársnes, a short drive from central Reykjavík, with views over the North Atlantic.
Laugarás Lagoon is the countryside option: beside a river, among trees, about an hour and a half inland. Choose it if you want your lagoon visit to be part of a full Golden Circle day rather than a few hours on its own. For more on the pools, the saunas and what is nearby, see our guide to Laugarás Lagoon.
Laugarás Lagoon Tours: Frequently Asked Questions
Laugarás Lagoon is in the small village of Laugarás in South Iceland, on the banks of the Hvítá river and right on the Golden Circle route. It is about 94 km from Reykjavík, roughly a 1.5-hour drive, and sits between Geysir and Kerið crater, a short drive from Skálholt and Friðheimar.
Laugarás Lagoon is Iceland's first two-tiered geothermal lagoon, with an upper and a lower pool connected by a warm cascading waterfall. It also has an infinity edge overlooking the Hvítá river, a sheltered forest pool, a cold plunge pool, a dry sauna and a steam sauna, and two swim-up bars. It opened in 2025, making it one of the newest geothermal spas in the country.
The main lagoon is kept at around 37–39°C, a comfortable bathing temperature all year round. The cold plunge pool is much colder and is meant for short dips between the warm pools and the saunas.
Yes. Guests must be at least 5 years old to enter Laugarás Lagoon. The same minimum age applies to tours that include a visit to the lagoon.
Birki is the standard entry, with access to the lagoon, saunas, cold pool and forest pool, plus a changing room with a personal locker and shower products. Lerki includes everything in Birki, plus towel use and one drink at the swim-up bar. Ösp adds a two-course meal at Ylja, the on-site restaurant.
Icelandia's Golden Circle and Laugarás Lagoon tours are available with either Birki or Lerki admission.
Bring a swimsuit. A towel is included with the Lerki and Ösp passes but not with Birki, so bring your own or rent one at the lagoon. Swimsuits can also be rented on site, and shampoo, conditioner and shower gel are provided in the showers.
Yes. Ylja, which means warmth in Icelandic, is the lagoon's on-site restaurant. It is run by chef Gísli Matt, known for Slippurinn in the Westman Islands, and serves seasonal Icelandic food made with local produce. Drinks are also served in the water at the two swim-up bars.
It is possible. The lagoon is in the countryside, away from the city lights of Reykjavík, and stays open into the evening in winter. The Northern Lights season runs from roughly late August to April, but sightings depend on clear, dark skies and solar activity, so they can never be guaranteed. Check the lagoon's current opening hours before planning an evening visit.
The easiest way is a guided day tour from Reykjavík. Icelandia's Golden Circle and Laugarás Lagoon tours take about 9.5 hours, visiting Þingvellir National Park, Geysir and Gullfoss before ending the day with a soak at the lagoon. Lagoon admission is included, with Birki or Lerki entry depending on the tour you book. Tours depart from BSÍ Bus Terminal, and pickup is available.
Laugarás Lagoon is also part of Icelandia's 4-day and 5-day Icelandic Wellness Packages.
The main difference is the setting. The Blue Lagoon sits in a lava field on the Reykjanes Peninsula, close to Keflavík Airport. The Sky Lagoon is on the coast at Kársnes, a short drive from central Reykjavík, with views over the North Atlantic. Laugarás Lagoon is in the countryside on the Golden Circle, beside the Hvítá river and surrounded by trees, which makes it the natural choice if you want to combine a lagoon visit with Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss.