Private Borgarfjörður Tour Sagas, lava and water.
A quieter journey into West Iceland: powerful geothermal springs, Hraunfossar, old saga country, Húsafell and landscapes shaped by lava, glaciers and some of Iceland’s most important history.
This is what Borgarfjörður can feel like.
Less crowded than the headline routes, but dense with Icelandic history, geothermal energy, lava landscapes and water coming straight out of the Hallmundarhraun lava field.
One of the best places to connect landscape with Icelandic history.
Borgarfjörður is not simply a waterfall route. It is the country of Snorri Sturluson, medieval power, saga landscapes, geothermal heat, old farms, lava fields and the glacier Langjökull rising behind Húsafell.
The route works especially well privately because there is no single compulsory order. We can give more time to history, waterfalls, food, bathing, photography or push deeper toward the glacier.
The places that shape the Silver Circle.
The day connects the historical heart of Borgarfjörður with its strongest natural features, while leaving room for stops that suit the weather and the people travelling.
Cross into West Iceland.
We leave Reykjavík, cross the fjord and enter the broad landscapes of Borgarfjörður. Borgarnes is the natural gateway into the region and gives context to the settlement history and sagas that follow us through the day.
Feel how much heat is under the ground.
Deildartunguhver is one of Europe’s most powerful hot springs. The experience is simple: stand close enough to feel the heat, watch the steam rise and see the amount of boiling water emerging from the earth every second.
Where medieval Iceland becomes real.
Reykholt was the home of Snorri Sturluson — writer, politician and one of the most important figures for how we understand Norse mythology and medieval Iceland today. This is where the history of the region stops being background and becomes part of the journey.
We can also see Snorralaug, the historic hot pool associated with Snorri.
Water appears from inside the lava.
Hraunfossar is not one waterfall but a long series of streams flowing out from beneath the Hallmundarhraun lava field and dropping into the Hvítá river. It is one of the clearest places in Iceland to see how lava, groundwater and glacial rivers connect.
A beautiful place with a darker story.
Just upstream from Hraunfossar, the river forces itself through a narrow rocky channel. The name means “Children’s Waterfall,” and the old story connected to it is one of the region’s most memorable pieces of folklore.
The gateway to the highlands and Langjökull.
Húsafell sits between birch woodland, lava, glaciers and highland roads. It is the natural place to slow down, eat, explore, bathe — or continue much farther into the landscape if you have booked one of the bigger experiences below.
Three bookable ways to turn the day into something more.
These are paid, separately bookable experiences. On a normal one-day Silver Circle we choose the one that fits your priorities best; trying to force all three into one day defeats the point of a private journey.
Into the Glacier
Travel up onto Langjökull and enter the man-made ice tunnel inside the glacier. This is the biggest add-on of the three and substantially changes the timing of the day.
Geothermal Baths + Food
Slow the journey down with geothermal bathing and, if you want, build a proper meal into the route. A strong choice for a more relaxed version of Borgarfjörður.
Giljaböð
A more intimate geothermal bathing experience in the landscape near Húsafell. It works best when we make it a deliberate part of the day rather than squeezing it between stops.
For one day: normally choose one of these three. For two days: all three become realistic because the route can breathe and we can stay overnight in Húsafell.
The Silver Circle is better when we do not treat it like a checklist.
A typical core route is Reykjavík → Borgarnes → Deildartunguhver → Reykholt → Hraunfossar + Barnafoss → Húsafell → Reykjavík. The actual order can move around weather, daylight, food, bathing, glacier bookings and the amount of time you want at each place.
Borgarfjörður is an excellent starting point for 2–3 days in West Iceland.
If you want Into the Glacier, bathing and the deeper West Iceland experience without turning the day into a race, staying overnight changes everything.
Stay in Húsafell
Do the Silver Circle properly, add Into the Glacier plus bathing/food, stay in Húsafell, then continue west the next morning.
Borgarfjörður + Snæfellsnes
Day one through Borgarfjörður and Húsafell, overnight in the region, then cross toward Snæfellsnes and return to Reykjavík on the second evening.
Stay in Arnarstapi
Continue around Snæfellsnes, stay another night near Arnarstapi and use the third morning for Vatnshellir lava cave before completing the peninsula and returning.
Included in the private day tour
- Private Icelandic guide throughout the day
- Toyota Land Cruiser for the usual 3–4 guest setup
- Pickup and drop-off at your Reykjavík accommodation
- Fuel, normal parking and standard attraction fees
- Route adapted to weather, season and your interests
- Local history, saga context and photography help
- Larger private vehicles available on request
Private Borgarfjörður / Silver Circle
Want the Silver Circle as a day — or build it into West Iceland?
Send me your date, group size and whether you are most interested in sagas, waterfalls, Into the Glacier, geothermal bathing, food or continuing into Snæfellsnes. I’ll shape the route around that.