BusTravel Iceland: guided routes across Iceland from Reykjavík

BusTravel Iceland presents a catalogue designed around a practical question for visitors to Iceland: which places can be seen in a day, and which require several days on the road? From Reykjavík it runs day trips, small-group circuits, private outings and multi-day itineraries. It also lists transfers and shore excursions for cruise passengers at several ports around the country. The company says its guided tours are conducted in English and depart from the capital or other locations depending on the product.

A company with a transport heritage

The company dates its beginnings to 1960, when it operated under the name Þingvallaleið, associated with the route to Þingvellir. In 2015 it adopted its current identity and refocused the brand on travel experiences. That history helps explain its present profile: classic coach excursions sit alongside small-group minibus trips, private tours and circuits linking several regions. Its corporate page describes daily guided departures from Reykjavík and seasonal shore excursions from ports including Akureyri, Ísafjörður, Seyðisfjörður, Húsavík and Grundarfjörður.

The Golden Circle and the South Coast

The Golden Circle is one of the best-known routes in the catalogue. The published Grand Golden Circle tour brings together Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir geothermal area, Gullfoss waterfall and Kerið volcanic crater, with an advertised duration of about eight and a half hours. Other versions combine the route with Friðheimar, the Secret Lagoon or admission to the Blue Lagoon. These options differ in stops, total time and included tickets, so the individual tour page is the place to check what is visited and what is paid separately.

On the South Coast, full-day itineraries link waterfalls such as Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss with Sólheimajökull glacier and the black-sand beach at Reynisfjara. Visitors with more time can choose trips to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach, with days of around fourteen hours from Reykjavík. Snæfellsnes, with its volcanic landscapes, coastline and Kirkjufell mountain, appears in tours of about eleven hours. These are substantial distances, and the itinerary depends on the departure booked and conditions on the day.

Multi-day trips, auroras and activities

The company offers six- to eight-day Ring Road journeys and packages that add Snæfellsnes, the Highlands, geothermal bathing or ice experiences. A guided format bundles transport and a guide for long distances; each package sets out its own accommodation, meals, admissions and group size. In winter, ice caves and Northern Lights outings feature prominently. Aurora viewing is a natural phenomenon, so a tour can organize the search and transport but cannot guarantee that the lights will appear.

The catalogue also includes snowmobiling, Super Jeep outings, volcano hikes, horseback riding, whale watching and snorkelling or diving at Silfra, as well as transfers between Keflavík Airport, Reykjavík and the Blue Lagoon. Some activities start outside the capital or involve specialist operators, so check the individual product for the meeting point, transportation, season, minimum age, fitness level and included equipment. For cruise guests, the company lists excursions shaped around time in port and says they are planned to return guests to their ship, subject to the terms of the booked tour.

What reviews say and how to choose

Recent Google Maps reviews often mention the guides’ explanations, the pace of stops and multi-day tour experiences positively. The listing also has critical reviews, so an overall average cannot replace reading about the specific trip. Tripadvisor’s listing identified as BusTravel Iceland showed 4.8 out of 5 from 18,616 reviews when checked on 23 October 2026; that is a rating for the operator’s general page, not a universal score for every activity.

BusTravel Iceland may suit visitors who want to book transport and guiding from Reykjavík, connect several attractions in one day or leave the logistics of a longer circuit to an operator. Before choosing, compare duration and group size, check which meals or admissions are included, confirm the pick-up point and allow for weather-related route changes. The current information on the company and its history, its day-tour catalogue and multi-day routes helps travellers check those details.