circle tour

Many North Rim visitors are day-trippers coming from southern Utah as part of the “Grand Circle” tour of national parks that includes Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches and Canyonlands — “all more or less within a day’s drive of one another,” she adds.

The retreat includes excursions such as a literary twist on the Golden Circle tour, which features the Great Geysir and the famous Gullfoss waterfall, as well as a visit to Iceland’s “ancient seat of learning, Skalholt.”

The city circle tour involves seeing all the local sights, including the Capitol, discussing history and current events.

The Golden Circle tour also goes through Thingvellir National Park, where the American and Eurasian tectonic plates are pulling apart at a rate of a few centimeters per year.

“The Stopover has been gaining popularity every year and is a great opportunity for travelers who want to see the country before heading off to their final destination. If you are only in Iceland for a short time there is a lot you can do to experience it, if only enjoying a day at the Blue Lagoon or doing the Golden Circle tour,” says Michael Raucheisen, marketing and communications representative for Icelandair.