A private driver to Hvammsvik Hot Springs and back
Two listings sell a private car from Reykjavík to Hvammsvik Hot Springs with the entry included. They look like one product, but two operators stand behind them with different prices and extras. Both have so few reviews that the star ratings say very little.
Two buttons, two different operators
On the other tours on this site the GetYourGuide and Viator buttons lead to the same operator. The private car is the exception. North Escape runs the GetYourGuide listing, while the Viator listing does not name its operator.
The two listings differ in length and price, and in what comes with the entry. Treat them as two separate products and read the page behind each button before you book.
A question answered on one platform says nothing about the other car. If you switch buttons, ask your questions again, because a different company will be reading them.
Few reviews behind either button
The GetYourGuide listing shows 5.0 from 2 reviews, and the Viator listing shows 4.8 from 4. Those are tiny numbers. One bad evening could move either score a long way.
Compare that with the ICELANDIA bus at 4.8 from 600+ reviews on GetYourGuide. A private car may still suit you well, but the evidence behind it is thin, and we would rather say so than hide it behind a five-star badge.
What the GetYourGuide car includes
North Escape's private return car from ~$330 per person runs 4–5 hours. The driver contacts you before the day and picks you up anywhere in Reykjavík. The drive takes about 55 minutes each way, past Mount Esja.
Your driver speaks English and Russian and stops for photos on request. Entry to the springs is included, but you pay for food and tips yourself.
The return time is agreed with the driver, and that is the real difference from the bus. The ICELANDIA trip gives you about 2 hours at the springs, which some reviewers find short. With your own car, the clock is yours within the 4–5 hours.
What the Viator car includes
The Viator listing, a private tour from Reykjavík with a drink, runs about 4 hours with private transport. Entry comes with a towel and one drink at the bar.
Its price varies with the size of your group, while North Escape prices per person. That makes a direct comparison hard, so enter your party size on both pages and compare the totals they show.
The towel matters more than it sounds. North Escape's listing does not mention one, so ask before you go or pack your own. Our packing guide covers what to bring and what you can rent.
The private car against the other ways in
The table sets the two private listings beside the bus and the entry ticket. Prices are the regular per-person figures unless the row says otherwise, and the price on your date can differ.
| Option | Price | Length | Included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private car, GetYourGuide | ~$330 | 4–5 h | Car with driver, entry |
| Private car, Viator | Varies by group | About 4 h | Car with driver, entry, towel, one drink |
| ICELANDIA bus from BSÍ | ~$160 | 4.5 h | Round trip, entry, changing rooms |
| Entry ticket only | ~$80 | 1.5 h to a full day | Entry; Comfort adds towel and shoes, plus a drink |
For one person, ~$330 is about twice the ICELANDIA bus at ~$160. Our price guide adds extras such as towels and food to every option.
When the private car beats the bus
A private car makes sense when the bus does not fit your day. A late arrival in Reykjavík or a wish for more than 2 hours in the water are the usual reasons, since the return time is set with your driver.
It also helps on a travel day. With luggage in the car before a flight, a soak fits in without a trip back to the hotel, as long as you agree the timing with the driver first.
For a budget trip it is the wrong choice. A rental car plus the ~$80 entry ticket and about an hour's drive reach the same pools for a fraction of the price. Our bus or self-drive guide weighs the road against the bus.
A private car with the return time up to you
North Escape's car runs 4–5 hours with entry, pickup anywhere in Reykjavík and about 55 minutes each way. It has only 2 reviews so far, and the Viator button leads to a different operator.
A late soak with a driver
Some visitors want a soak after dark in winter, hoping for northern lights over the fjord. Neither private listing is a northern lights tour, so ask about late times and the closing time for your date before you book.
Our northern lights guide explains what the odds look like from the pools. The best time guide covers light and weather through the year.
What to ask before you pay
With so few reviews to go on, the operator's answers are your best evidence. Send these points through the booking platform's messages before you commit:
- The exact pickup point, and whether it is your hotel
- Whether the price is per person or per car
- Whether a towel comes with the entry
- How long you can stay at the springs
- Room for luggage if you head to the airport later
A quick, clear reply from a small operator tells you more than two or four reviews can. A slow or vague one is worth noticing too, before your money is spent.