The Silver Circle: Hraunfossar, Deildartunguhver and West Iceland's Hidden Day Trip

The Silver Circle is a name for a loop of sights in the Borgarfjörður region of West Iceland, about 1.5 to 2 hours north of Reykjavík. It combines waterfalls that pour out of a lava field, the most powerful hot spring in Europe, one of the most important places in Icelandic saga history and, if you want, a walk inside a lava tube or a ride onto a glacier.

It is less famous than the Golden Circle, which is exactly its appeal: quieter stops, green farmland, and the feeling of discovering a part of Iceland many visitors miss.

The Silver Circle at a glance

• Region: Borgarfjörður, West Iceland, around 100 to 150 km from Reykjavík.
• Main stops: Deildartunguhver hot spring, Reykholt, Hraunfossar and Barnafoss waterfalls, Húsafell; optional Krauma baths, Víðgelmir lava cave and the Into the Glacier tunnel in Langjökull.
• Duration: a full day, 8 to 10 hours from Reykjavík.
• Season: all year; the main stops are reached on paved roads, while glacier and cave tours depend on their own schedules.
• Without a car: we drive the Silver Circle as a private day from Reykjavík with a fixed price; message us for a quote.

The route

A typical day starts in Reykjavík and heads north on the Ring Road through the Hvalfjörður tunnel to Borgarnes. From there you turn inland into the Borgarfjörður valley and follow the loop below. You can drive it in either direction.

1. Reykjavík to Borgarnes: about 1 hour, with views of the Hafnarfjall mountain and the fjord.
2. Deildartunguhver: about 25 minutes from Borgarnes.
3. Reykholt: about 10 minutes further.
4. Hraunfossar and Barnafoss: about 20 minutes from Reykholt.
5. Húsafell: a few minutes further, the gateway to the lava caves and the glacier.
6. Back to Reykjavík: about 2 hours.

Deildartunguhver: Europe's most powerful hot spring

Deildartunguhver is the hot spring with the highest flow rate in Europe: about 180 litres of nearly boiling water rise to the surface every second. Steam pours from the rocks, and much of the water is piped to heat homes in Borgarnes and Akranes, dozens of kilometres away.

A short boardwalk leads along the spring. Look for the rare deer fern growing in the warm ground, a plant found almost nowhere else in Iceland. Next door, Krauma is a modern spa where the hot spring water is mixed with cold spring water in a series of baths at different temperatures, a lovely place for a soak and lunch.

Reykholt: the home of Snorri Sturluson

Reykholt was the home of Snorri Sturluson, the 13th-century chieftain, poet and historian who wrote some of the most important works of medieval literature, including the Prose Edda and Heimskringla. Much of what we know about Norse mythology comes from his writing.

Here you can see Snorralaug, a small round stone pool fed by a hot spring and one of the oldest man-made structures in Iceland, along with the remains of a tunnel leading to his farm. A museum and the church tell his story.

Hraunfossar and Barnafoss

Hraunfossar, the "lava falls", are among the most unusual waterfalls in Iceland. Instead of falling from a river above, clear groundwater seeps out from under the Hallmundarhraun lava field and pours into the glacial river Hvítá in dozens of small cascades along roughly 900 metres. The contrast of turquoise river, black lava and green moss is beautiful in every season.

A few minutes' walk away, Barnafoss, the "children's waterfall", is a powerful torrent through a narrow gorge. According to legend, two children fell from a natural stone arch over the falls, and their mother had the arch destroyed so no one else would die there.

Húsafell, the lava cave and the glacier

Húsafell is a green birch-wood oasis with a swimming pool, cabins and a hotel, and the starting point for two popular add-ons:

• Víðgelmir lava cave: one of the largest lava tubes in Iceland, visited on a guided tour with walkways, helmets and lights; about 1 to 1.5 hours.
• Into the Glacier: a man-made ice tunnel deep inside Langjökull glacier, reached by a large glacier truck; open all year. Read more in our ice caves guide.

Both need booking in advance, and with them the day becomes long. Choose one if you want to keep a relaxed pace.

Silver Circle or Golden Circle?

• Golden Circle: Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss; the classic first day trip, busier and closer to Reykjavík.
• Silver Circle: waterfalls from a lava field, Europe's biggest hot spring, saga history and lava caves; quieter, slightly further.
• If you have one day: do the Golden Circle first.
• If you have two or more days, or have been before: the Silver Circle is a rewarding second day.

Read our Golden Circle private tour guide and our guide to Borgarnes and West Iceland.

7–8 hours · private

Golden Circle

Þingvellir · Geysir · Gullfoss

Car

1–4 people

90,000 kr

Van

5–7 people

120,000 kr

Book this tour

When to go

• Summer: green valleys, long days and every stop open.
• Autumn: golden birch woods at Hraunfossar and fewer visitors.
• Winter: snow and ice at the falls, steam at Deildartunguhver even more dramatic in the cold; short daylight, so start early.
• Spring: quiet and bright, with snow still on the mountains.

How to do the Silver Circle without a car

There is no regular bus that links the Silver Circle stops, and few group tours go there. The easiest way without a rental car is a private driver. We drive the Silver Circle as a private day from Reykjavík, with hotel pick-up and as many stops as you like, and we can add Hvammsvík hot springs, the Krauma baths or a lava cave tour. Message us on WhatsApp at +354 777 3949 with your date and we send a fixed price per car.

We also drive one-way transfers to Borgarnes and the West from Keflavík Airport and Reykjavík; see our transfers page.

A sample day

1. 08:30 pick-up at your hotel in Reykjavík.
2. 09:30 coffee stop in Borgarnes.
3. 10:15 Deildartunguhver hot spring.
4. 10:45 Reykholt and Snorralaug.
5. 11:45 Hraunfossar and Barnafoss.
6. 12:30 lunch in Húsafell or at Krauma.
7. 14:00 optional lava cave tour at Víðgelmir, or a soak at Krauma.
8. 16:00 start back, with a stop at Borgarnes or a viewpoint over Hvalfjörður.
9. 17:30 to 18:00 back in Reykjavík.

Borgarnes and the sagas

Borgarnes is a small town on a peninsula in Borgarfjörður and a natural first stop. Its Settlement Centre tells the story of how Iceland was settled and the saga of Egill Skallagrímsson, the Viking poet who grew up in the area. The town also has cafés, a bakery and a good swimming pool.

Together with Reykholt, it makes the Silver Circle a good day for anyone interested in Iceland's history and literature, not only its nature.

The Silver Circle with children

• The walks are short and mostly on paths, so the day suits all ages.
• Children are fascinated by the steam and the noise at Deildartunguhver; keep them on the boardwalk, as the water is boiling.
• Barnafoss has strong currents and steep edges; hold hands near the gorge.
• The lava cave tour has minimum age rules; check before booking.
• Húsafell's swimming pool is a fun end to the day.

Photography tips

• Hraunfossar faces west, so the afternoon light often works best.
• A slow shutter speed turns the many small cascades into silky ribbons; bring a small tripod.
• At Deildartunguhver, shoot with the wind behind you so the steam does not fog your lens.
• In autumn, the birch woods around Hraunfossar and Húsafell turn gold and red.

Make it two days

With an extra day, stay overnight in Húsafell or Borgarnes and continue to the Snæfellsnes peninsula, with Kirkjufell, Arnarstapi and the black beaches of the west coast. We can plan the whole route with you and drive it privately.

About our private tours

We have been driving travellers around Iceland for ten years, and we go everywhere in the country, not only to Reykjavík. Every tour is private for your group, with hotel pick-up, a fixed price per car and free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

FAQ

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