The Golden Circle with kids

The loop works well with children and the age limits are the thing to check. The full-day coach and the Secret Lagoon tour take children from two; the small-group minibus, the afternoon tour, the Blue Lagoon combination and the snowmobile day all set their minimum at five. A private vehicle removes the question entirely.

Full-day coachNot for under-2s

Secret Lagoon tourNot for under-2s

Small groupNot for under-5s

Afternoon tourNot for under-5s

Blue Lagoon comboNot for under-5s

SnowmobileOne child per adult

The practical problem with children on this loop is not the sights, it is the sitting. A seven-hour day contains about three hours of bus. The stops themselves are short and physical in the way children like: a boardwalk down a fissure, a geyser that goes off every 6 to 10 minutes, a waterfall you can hear before you see, and a crater rim you can walk round in a quarter of an hour. Kerið’s rim is loose scoria with an unfenced edge in places, so it wants a hand held.

For the lagoons, the Blue Lagoon combination lets children aged 2 to 11 share a locker with an adult but does not accept under-5s on the tour at all. The Secret Lagoon at Flúðir charges very little for children aged 14 and under at the gate, which tells you how relaxed it is about families. On the snowmobile day the rule is one child per adult and a valid driving licence to steer, so a parent drives and the child rides.

If the group includes a small child, a teenager and a grandparent, the private jeep stops being an extravagance: it is priced for the vehicle, it collects you at your hotel or at Keflavík, and it goes at your pace. Otherwise the small-group minibus is the easier family day than the sixty-seat coach, simply because getting on and off takes two minutes rather than ten.

Check dates on the private Golden Circle tour

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure on most tours — book now, decide later.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Golden Circle suitable for young children?

Yes, with the age limits in mind: the full-day coach takes children from two, most small-group tours from five. The stops are short walks; the day itself contains about three hours of bus.

Which Golden Circle tour is best for families?

The private vehicle if there are three or more of you and ages are mixed, because it goes at your pace and picks up at Keflavík; otherwise the small-group minibus, where getting nineteen people on and off takes two minutes rather than ten.

Can children go in the lagoons?

At the Secret Lagoon, yes, and children 14 and under pay very little at the gate. The Blue Lagoon combination lets children aged 2 to 11 share a locker with an adult but does not take under-5s on the tour — details on the Blue Lagoon page.