Geysir

Golden Circle

Every geyser in the world takes its name from this one. The Icelandic verb geysa — to rush forward — gave Geysir its name, and written records of eruptions here date to 1294. At its most active the Great Geysir reached 70 to 80 meters, and after earthquakes in 2000 it briefly shot to 122 meters before quieting again. Its last known eruption was in 2016, and it has been dormant since. The reason most visitors still come is Strokkur, which erupts every five to ten minutes to around 15–30 meters. Watching the distinctive blue bubble form and explode at the surface remains genuinely impressive. The wider Haukadalur geothermal field includes colourful hot springs, fumaroles, and bubbling mud pots worth a slow walk around. The Geysir area sits at the centre of the Golden Circle, roughly 100 kilometres east of Reykjavík on Route 35. Parking and access to the geothermal field are free, and the large visitor centre has a restaurant and gift shop. Budget 45 minutes to an hour to catch several Strokkur eruptions and walk the field — it is one of the busiest stops in Iceland, so arriving early or late in the day helps.

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