Visit Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss, then come home to a hot tub. Aurora Hills is a convenient base for exploring southwest Iceland by car.
- Þingvellir
- 38 min, 40.1 km
- Geysir
- 1 hr 22 min, 105 km
- Gullfoss
- 1 hr 29 min, 115 km
- Plan for
- A full day with time at each stop
- Your hosts
- Agla & Haffi
| Place | By car | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Þingvellir National Park | 38 min | 40.1 km |
| Geysir hot springs | 1 hr 22 min | 105 km |
| Gullfoss waterfall | 1 hr 29 min | 115 km |
| Reykjavík city centre | 22 min | 19.9 km |
Approximate drive times from the houses in usual traffic.
Walk through a landscape shaped by the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. Allow time for the paths and viewpoints before continuing towards the geothermal area at Geysir.
Plan a full day for the main sights and a meal along the way. Daylight and road conditions change with the seasons, so check the forecast before setting out.
Aurora Hills is three private houses on a hill above Mosfellsbær, where the road to Þingvellir begins: The Glass House for 4 guests, Stairway to Heaven for 8 and Oak House Villa for 10. Each has its own hot tub, and none shares a building, a pool or a reception with anyone else. Þingvellir is about 38 minutes away and central Reykjavík about 22 minutes.
The loop itself is one full day. With two nights you arrive in the evening, drive Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss the next day and end it in your own hot tub, without a day spent getting out of the city.
The loop in order, with driving times from the houses:
- Þingvellir National Park: about 38 minutes (40.1 km), so you can be on the paths early.
- Geysir: 1 hour 22 minutes (105 km).
- Gullfoss, the farthest stop: 1 hour 29 minutes (115 km).
The drive back from Gullfoss takes about an hour and a half and ends at a house with its own hot tub instead of a hotel room in the city.
Plan the driving around the light: on 21 December there are just over four hours of daylight. Check road conditions at umferdin.is and travel alerts at safetravel.is on the morning you set out, and allow extra time between stops.
Updated 25 October 2026
Questions
Þingvellir, the first stop, is about 38 minutes by car (40.1 km). Geysir is about 1 hour 22 minutes (105 km) and Gullfoss about 1 hour 29 minutes (115 km) from the houses.
Plan a full day, with time to walk at each stop and a meal on the way. Gullfoss, the farthest point, is about 1 hour 29 minutes from the houses, so the loop ends back at your own hot tub in the evening.
The drive is one full day, so two nights is the comfortable minimum from here: arrive, drive the loop the next day, and come back to the house. Þingvellir is about 38 minutes from the houses, so there is no city traffic to get through first.
Yes, it is a popular winter drive, but conditions change quickly. Check umferdin.is for road conditions and safetravel.is for alerts on the morning you go, and use the short daylight hours for the driving.
The three houses
Sleeps 4
The Glass House
Glass roof above the bed, private hot tub and barrel sauna.
Sleeps 8
Stairway to Heaven
Rooftop terrace, geothermal hot tub and views across the valley.
Sleeps 10
Oak House Villa
Four bedrooms, a geothermal hot tub and a private sauna.
Contact Agla and Haffi about your stay. +354 775 1832, your hosts at Aurora Hills.