Geysers in Iceland – experience Geysir and Strokkur

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: August 2026 | Have you ever seen a geyser shoot water high into the air? In the geothermal area of Haukadalur in Iceland, the famous geysers Geysir and Strokkur lie amidst a landscape of smoke, bubbles and steam. Geysir is the geyser that gives the whole phenomenon its name, while Strokkur is its much more reliable neighbor – and the one that most visitors actually see erupt.

The geysers are part of the Golden Circle

The Geysers of Haukadalur are one of the three classic stops along the Golden Circle in Iceland. The other two are Gullfoss waterfall and Thingvellir National Park. We visited all three in the same day, but here we focus on the geothermal area with Geysir and Strokkur.

The Geyser Area in Haukadalur

The Haukadalur valley was first mentioned in 1294, when the Geysir geyser is believed to have become active. The geothermally active area also contains the Strokkur geyser, as well as around 40 smaller hot springs and smoking openings in the earth's crust. "Coming here is really cool. It fizzes and bubbles everywhereand it almost feels like walking around on another planet.

Little Geyser and King's Eye

Two of the springs you can see are Litli Geysir (Little Geyser) and Konungshver (King's Spring). The first one is smoking heavily while the second one is more still and shiny.

Geyser

Studies show that Geysir has been active for around 10,000 years, and according to a description from 1630, the geyser's eruptions could be 'so violent that the whole valley shook'.

During powerful eruptions, Geysir has been able to shoot water and steam up to 70 meters into the air. Geysir's eruptions seem impressive, but it is not something you should expect to see during a regular visit. Geysir is today considerably less active than its neighbor Strokkur and can be inactive for long periods.

Strokkur

The Strokkur geyser is located about 50 meters from Geysir, and is very good for Icelandic tourism. This geyser sprays ”kindly and obediently” every 5-10 minutes. So you don’t have to wait long at all to see a geyser spraying. However, during high season you can expect to share the experience with many other visitors.

Strokkur was first mentioned in 1789 when an earthquake opened a channel and the geyser became active. The geyser then continued to erupt regularly until 1896, when another earthquake brought it to a halt. In 1963 the channel was manually cleared and since then the geyser has been erupting regularly. Strokkur usually sprays about 15-20 metres into the air.

Lunch at Efstadalur II

When you check out geysers in Iceland, of course you get hungry! We were lucky enough to have a guide who took us to a place called Efstadalur II, which is located 17 kilometers from Haukadalur. Sooo incredibly cozy!

Handed down from generation to generation, this family-run place is both a farm and a restaurant. It also has a famous ice cream parlour. Perhaps coolest of all is that you can sit up in the restaurant and look down on the cows in the barn through a large glass wall.

We were first served some small specialities typical of farmhouse Iceland: traditional skýr (Icelandic milk product) mixed with milk, drinkable whey and a cheese similar to feta cheese. Then we had a delicious meat soup. For dessert there was of course ice cream, and it was really good. It is almost so you can go to Iceland just for the ice cream!

Why is it called a geyser?

The largest geyser in Haukadalur is called Geysir, and it is actually the source of the name geyser in both Swedish and English. Geysir was the first geyser to be mentioned in writing, making the phenomenon internationally known. In Icelandic, the verb 'geysa' means something like 'rush forward', 'plunge forward' or 'throw out'.

Where in the world are geysers?

Geysers are a rare natural phenomenon and are found only in a limited number of places in the world. Some of the most famous geyser areas are in Iceland, Yellowstone in the USA, New Zealand, Chile and the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia.

Geysers in Iceland – some tips for your visit

Checking out geysers is very popular in Iceland, and you should be prepared that you won't be alone at the site. Some more tips for your visit:

• It is often rainy and windy in Iceland. Pack a hat, mittens and wind and rainproof clothing!
• Respect warning signs and fences. They are there for a reason!
• Resist the temptation to stick your fingers in and feel the water in the various springs. The can be a lovely 38 degrees, but they might as well be 90 degrees ...

More to see and experience nearby

There is much more to see and experience in Iceland and near Reykjavik. Here you will find tips and reports:

• Things to do in Reykjavik
• Horse riding in Iceland
• Blue Lagoon
• Ön Viðey

We visited Geysir and Strokkur during a press trip to Iceland in 2019, arranged by Icelandair and Food & Fun Reykjavík. The article was updated in 2026. All opinions and experiences are our own.