Pictures of Strokkur in Geysir
The sequence of Strokkur erupting in November 2023
Pictures taken before November 2023
The most famous visit of the Golden Circle
The dormant geyser: Geysir and the active one: Strokkur
The original geyser: Geysir
Did you know that the English word “geyser” actually comes from Iceland? The (formerly) bursting hot spring is called “geysir” in Icelandic, which comes from the verb að geysa, which can be translated as “to gush”.
This is the origin of the English word: geyser. Therefore, we can say that Geysir is the geyser that named all the geysers in the world.
But Geysir is now dormant, as we are writing those lines (2023), the last time it erupted was in 2000. If not triggered artificially, the only thing that could reactivate it would be some strong earthquake episodes in southern Iceland.
Its little brother: Strokkur
If it is highly unlikely that you would see Geysir spouting and throwing its huge column of steam and hot water in the air, you will definitely get to see Strokkur. This one erupts every 5 to 10 minutes on average.
While walking towards it, whether you come from the main parking lot, next to the visitor center, or from the other one, by Haukadalur, you will see plenty of tiny dormant geysers. You will also spot a lot of steaming hot springs all over the area, and white silica deposits everywhere on the ground.
If you come in the winter, we absolutely recommend that you wear mini spikes, as the ground will be covered with a thick layer of ice all over the site.
A brief explanation of the science behind geysers
A geyser is, simply put, an erupting hot spring. To make this happen, you need to have a particular setting, which is to have a deep and narrow column of water, in a hot geothermal area.
In this column, the water at the bottom is going to be above boiling point, slightly over 120 C. But, because of the weight of the whole column applying pressure, that water does not boil. At the top of the column, the water will be around boiling point or even a bit under.
It means that, somewhere in the middle, there is a balance between temperature and pressure, which allows the water to boil. As it boils, it produces bubbles, which accumulate and increase pressure inside the column. At some point, this pressure needs to be released and has no other way out than up! This is when the geyser gushes, throwing in the air a mix of steam and hot water.
We offer several Golden Circle day tours, and they all stop in Geysir
Discover our list of private tours to the Golden Circle
Golden Circle Essentials
On this tour, you will see the three main sites of the Golden Circle: The National Park of Thingvellir, Strokkur, and Gullfoss, in half a day. Ideal if you want to have a short day, if you just landed in Iceland, or are on a cruise stop.
Golden Circle and farm visits
The same program as the Golden Circle Essentials Tour, mentioned above, but with some additions. During this tour, we will also visit the hot spring of Laugarvatn and discover how locals use it for culinary purposes.
Besides this, we will also stop in two farms. The farm of EfstiDalur, which is a dairy farm, and we will enjoy the best Ice Cream in Iceland. Homemade at the farm, you will be able to have your ice cream right in front of the cows who did all the hard work.
Last but not least, we will stop at the tomato farm of Friðheimar for a late lunch. We will eat inside their greenhouses and learn how we manage the miracle of growing tomatoes in Iceland, all year round.
Golden Circle and Northern Lights
And finally, in the winter time, from September to April, you can enjoy the same itinerary as the Golden Circle and Farm Visits tour, but with a Northern Lights Hunt addition at the end of the day.
Probably the best tour if it is your first time in Iceland.