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Horses, Legends, and Law: A Golden Circle Audio Tour to Thingvellir
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About the Tour
About the Tour
Iceland rewards those who look closely, and this tour gives you the context to do exactly that. On this driving tour, you'll trace the route from Reykjavík's outskirts to the ancient Viking parliament at Þingvellir National Park. You'll also pick up the geological, historical, and folkloric threads that make Iceland's landscape feel alive rather than just dramatic.
The tour starts in Reykjavík, where you'll learn how Danish trade monopolies stunted the city's growth for centuries before it finally expanded into the modern capital it is today. Heading east, you'll pass through the Elliðaárdalur valley, home to one of the world's few urban salmon rivers, before the landscape opens into mossy lava fields and mountain views as you leave the city behind. The route follows the old King's Road,
once tied to Danish royal authority, toward Þingvellir.
Along the way, you'll stop near the village of Laxnes, childhood home of Halldór Laxness, the Nobel Prize-winning novelist whose most famous work, Independent People, put Icelandic literature on the world map. As Þingvellir comes into view, you'll spot the vast Þingvallavatn lake – Iceland's largest – sitting directly in the rift valley between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. The tour ends at the Þingvellir National Park car park, the gateway to one of the few places on Earth where two tectonic plates are visibly pulling apart above sea level.
On this 45-minute tour, you'll have a chance to:
- Hear how Iceland's prohibition lasted until 1989, and why Brennivín became iconic despite being designed to look unappealing
- Learn the folklore behind Grýla and the 13 Yule Lads, Iceland's darkly comic answer to Santa Claus
- Discover why Iceland's moss takes up to 100 years to grow – and why a single footprint can last for generations
- Find out how to estimate a lava field's age from its color, texture, and plant life
- Learn why no horse that leaves Iceland is ever allowed to return
- Hear the legend of the Redhead, a cursed whale said to have terrorized the waters of Hvalfjörður
This tour gives you the context to truly appreciate what you're seeing as Iceland unfolds around you.
Tour Producer
Tour Producer
Matt from Voyageurs d'Islande
Hello!
My name is Matt or Mathieu. French by passport. Icelandic by weather exposure.
For fifteen years, I worked in Iceland’s tourism world, most of that time as a guide. I’ve driven the ring road during crazy storms, hiked in sideways rain, crossed highlands that don’t show up on postcards and navigated through every small alleys there is to see in Reykjavik.
I don’t just focus on the highlights. I try to create experiences, relating to my own stories as an expat in Iceland. I know how the light changes before a storm, why the moss matters or how sounds a freshy created lava field.
Guiding, for me, was never about listing facts. It was about timing, tone, and those little legends that make the difference.
We say that Icelandic weather is constantly changing: I do hope people feel the same about my guiding: adapting and evolving with the crowd. If you’re looking for checklists, I believe Google can do a good job, but if you are looking to feel the place, the history under the basalt, the tales that hunt a place, the absurd beauty of it all: then I believe I am your guy :)
Let’s go beyond the highlights!
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Preview Location
Preview Location
Location 9
Ölgerðin Brewery and Alcohol in Iceland
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Major Landmarks
Major Landmarks
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N1 Hringbraut
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Elliðaárdalur
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Ölgerðin Brewery
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Laxness museum
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Þingvallavatn
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Thingvellir National Park
Getting There
Getting There
Route Overview
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Start locationHringbraut 15, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
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Total distance46km
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Final location4 5, 806, Iceland
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Distance back to start location41km
Directions to Starting Point
The starting point is the N1 gas station downtown, making it easy to refill and gas and get snacks for the way as we head toward more remote locations.
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Tips
Tips
Places to stop along the way
Links from the tour:
For next days, hike to Ulfarsfell that we see on the way: https://nailthetrail.com/ulfarsfell-trail-gps-hiking-iceland/
Halldór Laxness Museum: https://www.gljufrasteinn.is/en/home
For the rest: they will NOT be ANY coffee spots or any food options until Thingvellir, make sure to have enough water and snacks until your reach the national park.
Best time of day
Tour available year-round, but conditions and recommendations vary depending on the season:
- Winter: Make sure your car is properly equipped for snow and icy roads, and keep microspikes nearby for safer walks and hikes.
We recommend leaving no later than 9 AM to make the most of the daylight hours before sunset.
- Summer: Don’t be fooled by Iceland’s cloudy weather, sunscreen and sunglasses are still essentials! Pro tip: avoid departing between 8 and 9 AM, as that’s when most tours hit the road.
Leave earlier or later to enjoy a quieter experience. And with nearly 24 hours of daylight, there’s no rush to beat the dark :)
Precautions
Watch out for icy roads, drive carefully, and avoid excessive braking, especially in slippery conditions.
In winter, make sure to check road conditions in advance on:
You should also monitor weather forecasts and any storm or safety warnings on:
When walking around icy areas, we strongly recommend using microspikes for better grip and safety.
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