Borgarfjordur – private tour

Borgarfjordur makes a rewarding day trip when you want more than a quick stop at a waterfall. You’ll travel with a private guide through a region where Icelandic sagas, geothermal heat and lava-shaped watercourses meet. Villi’s flexibility is a real asset: the day can be shaped around your interests rather than a large group’s fixed pace.

I like the mix of Snorri Sturluson’s medieval Reykholt and Hraunfossar’s unusual cascades, and I like that hotel pickup and private transport make a full day out of Reykjavik simpler. One consideration: the listed stops add up to less than two hours, so much of the seven-hour tour is spent on the road, and lunch is not included.

At a glance: the details that matter

• A private day with Villi: Only your group joins the tour. The guide can adapt the plan, and Villi has been praised for making thoughtful adjustments.
• Four distinct stops: See Borgarnes, Reykholt, Deildartunguhver and Hraunfossar, each with a different link to Iceland’s past or natural forces.
• Seven hours from Reykjavik: The tour starts at 9:30 am and includes round-trip transfers. Expect a good portion of the day to be travel between sites.
• Transport is set up for comfort: The tour includes an air-conditioned vehicle, bottled water and onboard Wi-Fi. One traveler specifically described Villi’s Land Rover as very comfortable.
• Some extras cost more: Reykholt’s museum and the nearby Krauma spa are not included. A Langjökull ice cave visit may be available for an additional cost.
• Lunch is on you: It is not included, so plan for that when deciding whether this is the right day trip.

Why Borgarfjordur works as a private day trip

This tour is a good fit if you want to see a range of sights without joining a large scheduled group. In one day, you get a historic town, a medieval site, a powerful hot spring and a set of waterfalls formed by water emerging through lava. That variety gives the route more substance than a day built around scenery alone.

The private format matters most when you want a guide who can respond to your interests. Villi has been described as informative and flexible, including planning a day without a set agenda. That does not mean every stop or timing is guaranteed to change, but it suggests you can talk through your priorities rather than simply follow a coach schedule.

At $209, the listed price buys private transport and a guide for roughly seven hours, along with pickup, Wi-Fi, air conditioning and bottled water. The value depends on how many people are in your party and how much you value a private day. The information provided does not clarify whether $209 is per person or for the group, so check the booking details before comparing it with shared tours.

Borgarnes: a town with a film connection

The first stop is Borgarnes, a town founded in the ninth century and one of the filming locations for The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. You have about 40 minutes here, enough to get a feel for the place and connect the scenery with its role in the film.

The stop’s appeal is partly cinematic and partly historical. If you know the movie, you may enjoy recognizing a setting from the screen; if you do not, Borgarnes still offers a first look at a town tied to Iceland’s early settlement. The supplied tour details do not specify a particular attraction or walking route, so treat this as a guided visit rather than a promised museum or structured town tour.

Forty minutes is a modest visit. It works well as an introduction to the region, but it is not much time for an in-depth exploration. If Borgarnes is a priority for you, ask Villi how the stop is usually used and whether the day’s schedule allows for a little more time.

Reykholt: Snorri Sturluson and the sagas

Reykholt is the tour’s strongest stop for anyone interested in Icelandic writing and medieval history. Snorri Sturluson lived here from around 1206 to 1241. He wrote important sagas, works that preserve stories and information about Iceland’s settlers and Viking-era life.

A small geothermal pool called Snorralaug is among the few things preserved from Iceland’s medieval period. That detail gives the site a clear point of focus: this is not only a place associated with a famous writer, but also a place where the past remains visible in a physical form.

You have about 20 minutes at Reykholt. The museum is optional, and its entrance fee is not included. With a short stop, you may need to choose between a quick look around and spending time inside the museum. If Snorri’s writing interests you, ask about the museum before the tour so you can decide whether an extra visit is worth arranging.

Deildartunguhver: Iceland’s geothermal power up close

At Deildartunguhver, the scale of Iceland’s geothermal activity becomes easier to grasp. The hot spring produces about 180 litres of water per second at 100°C, and much of that heat is used for central heating in nearby towns. It is a reminder that geothermal energy here is not just a dramatic natural feature. It is also part of everyday life.

The stop lasts about 20 minutes, with a walk in the area. Krauma spa is nearby, but the spa entrance fee is not included. The tour information does not say that spa time is part of the standard plan, so do not count on a soak unless you confirm that it can be added and that the schedule allows it.

This is a practical stop for seeing the force and usefulness of hot water in one place. It may be less satisfying if you expect a long visit or a spa session as part of the tour. Think of the spring visit and a Krauma visit as separate possibilities, with the latter requiring extra planning and payment.

Hraunfossar: water flowing through the lava

Hraunfossar gives the day its most distinctive natural feature. Rather than dropping from one obvious river channel, clear, cold water seeps through lava and runs in a series of falls and rapids into the Hvítá, or White River. The result is a broad spread of water emerging from the rock, quite different from a single tall waterfall.

You have about 30 minutes here. That gives you time to look at the falls and take in the contrast between the dark lava and moving water, though it is not an extended visit. If waterfalls are your main reason for booking, this is the stop to look forward to. The route information does not specify a walking distance or viewing path, so ask the guide about the day’s conditions and access if those details matter to you.

Hraunfossar also makes a fitting final stop in the listed itinerary. After Reykholt and Deildartunguhver, the falls bring together the region’s volcanic and geothermal character in a way that is easy to see.

The ride, the guide and the private format

Round-trip transfers from your Reykjavik hotel are offered, and the tour uses an air-conditioned vehicle. Villi’s large Land Rover was singled out for comfort, a useful point on a day that includes substantial driving. Wi-Fi onboard and bottled water are included, helping make the transfer time more comfortable.

The private setup is the key feature to weigh against the price. You are not sharing the day with strangers, and the guide can respond to what your group wants to see. One past guest described having no fixed agenda and said Villi planned a day around the group. Another found him informative. That flexibility may be especially useful if you are trying to arrange a replacement for another excursion or have specific interests.

The tour is operated by Puffin Travel, a small company run by Villi and Gulla. Their personal responses to customers add to the sense of a small-scale operation, though the practical question is still whether the route and schedule suit your group. It is sensible to tell the company what matters to you before setting out, especially if you hope to add the ice cave or spend time at the museum or spa.

Timing, food and optional extras

The tour is approximately seven hours and starts at 9:30 am. The listed visits total about 110 minutes: 40 minutes in Borgarnes, 20 in Reykholt, 20 at Deildartunguhver and 30 at Hraunfossar. The remaining time is for transfers and any other parts of the day, so do not mistake this for seven hours of sightseeing on foot.

Lunch is not included. The tour details do not specify a meal stop, so bring that question to the operator when planning. You may also want to ask whether there is time to purchase food along the way, rather than assuming a particular stop is built into the schedule.

A visit to an ice cave at Langjökull is offered as an optional extra for an additional cost. The standard itinerary does not include the cave, and no price or timing is given. Confirm both before booking if the cave is central to your plans. Similarly, museum entry and Krauma admission are extra, not part of the tour price.

Who should book this tour?

I would choose this tour if you value a guide’s attention, want to combine history with natural sights, and prefer a private vehicle to a large group. It should suit couples, families or friends who want to shape the day around their interests and are comfortable spending a good part of the outing in transit.

It may be less suitable if you want a packed schedule of long walks, a meal included, or a low-cost group excursion. The stops are brief, and the optional experiences can add to the total cost. It is also worth remembering that the tour requires good weather. If poor weather leads to cancellation, you will be offered another date or a full refund.

The cancellation terms allow a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations within 24 hours are not accepted for a refund. Those terms make early decisions important, especially if your Reykjavik plans are still shifting.

Should you book the Borgarfjordur private tour?

Book it if the appeal is a personal guide and a varied day, not simply ticking off the most sights possible. Villi’s flexibility and comfortable Land Rover are strong reasons to consider it, while Reykholt and Hraunfossar give the route real contrast. Before paying, confirm how the $209 price is calculated, ask about lunch and any extra stops, and check the cost and timing of the Langjökull cave option. If those details fit your plans, this is a sensible way to explore Borgarfjordur from Reykjavik at your own group’s pace.

FAQ

How long is the Borgarfjordur private tour?

The tour lasts approximately seven hours.

What time does the tour start?

The start time is 9:30 am.

Is hotel pickup offered?

Yes. Round-trip transfers from your Reykjavik hotel are offered.

Is this a shared tour?

No. It is a private tour, so only your group participates.

Which places are included in the itinerary?

The listed stops are Borgarnes, Reykholt, Deildartunguhver Thermal Spring and Hraunfossar.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch is not included.

Are the Reykholt museum and Krauma spa included?

No. The museum and spa are optional, and their entrance fees are not included.

Can I visit an ice cave at Langjökull?

An ice cave visit is offered as an optional extra for an additional cost. The price is not specified in the tour details.