Three landings in three hours—wow. This helicopter route strings together Iceland’s big-hitters with Þingvellir history and Landmannalaugar geothermal colors, all from the air. The one thing to keep in mind is that every landing is weather-dependent, so the plan can flex for safety.

What I really like is the small group feel (up to 5 people) plus English instruction and an audio guide, so you’re not just watching from a window. The price is steep at $1,767 per person, but you’re paying for access to remote areas and time saved in a short ride.

Key highlights at a glance

• Þingvellir National Park: UNESCO site tied to Iceland’s early parliament, with views of the Silfra rift and Almannagjá fissure
• Great Geysir area: eruptions up to about 70 meters and rainbow pools across the geothermal ground
• Landmannalaugar: rhyolite mountains, geothermal pools, plus time for a walk and a secluded thermal bath add-on
• Þórsmörk: a nature reserve where mountains, glaciers, and rivers meet, with a valley view from the helicopter
• Eyjafjallajökull: volcanic glacier country with photo time and a short walk, with the 2010 eruption in the background
• Waterfall finish: Gullfoss from above and Haifoss with a 122-meter drop and a proper photo/walk stop

The core idea: 3 landings, many icons, and real time-savings

This is a tight 3-hour helicopter circuit that packs in Iceland’s “greatest hits,” but it’s not just sightseeing from the sky. You get three landings, and you also get short on-the-ground moments at places like Haifoss, Landmannalaugar, and Eyjafjallajökull (each with about 30 minutes of photo and walking time).

The big value here is pacing. Driving that loop on your own takes a lot more time and involves longer, day-eating road stretches. In a short trip window, this route helps you see far more than a single-day road tour could normally fit—especially when you want views of remote geothermal and glacier terrain.

You’re also not locked into one “perfect” scenario. Landings depend on conditions and safety checks, and the route can shift if weather won’t cooperate. That flexibility matters in Iceland, because wind and visibility can change fast.

Ace FBO Reykjavík to the flight mindset: small group, English guidance

You start and end at Ace FBO Reykjavík. Expect a setup that’s built for small groups: the tour is limited to 5 participants, with an English instructor and an English audio guide. You also skip the ticket line, which is a small thing, but it keeps your time from turning into paperwork.

On a helicopter tour, the difference between a good and a frustrating experience often comes down to how people handle time on the ground. This tour keeps walking segments short and structured—so you’re not stuck trying to manage long hikes or long transfers while weather changes overhead.

A practical consideration: a minimum of 4 passengers is required to operate the flight. If you’re traveling in a small group, keep an eye on availability, because the trip is scheduled to run only when that passenger threshold is met. Also, if you’re over 120 kgs, you’ll have to book an additional seat.

Þingvellir National Park: rift drama with Iceland’s political origins

Þingvellir is where this tour starts setting its theme: Iceland’s geology and Iceland’s early society are tied together in one place. From above, you’ll see the Silfra rift and the Almannagjá fissure, which are part of the landscape (literally the fault-and-rift scenery) created by the tectonic forces that split Iceland.

This isn’t just a pretty view. Þingvellir is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it’s connected to the Althingi, Iceland’s first democratic parliament, established around 930 AD. That date detail matters, because it gives your flight time a “why” beyond snapshots.

You also get a short helicopter segment timed for views rather than long wandering. The land-and-air combo works well here: you’re able to appreciate the geometry of the rift from the air, then enjoy being on site briefly.

The only drawback is what you’d expect in Iceland: if conditions aren’t right, landing details can adjust. Still, even when landings shift, the aerial look is the main point at Þingvellir, and it’s where you see how massive and patterned the ground really is.

Geysir Geothermal Area: eruptions up to 70 meters

Next comes the geothermal energy of the Geysir area. You’re set up for the kind of view that’s hard to replicate from ground level because you can see the hot-water systems spread out across the geothermal field.

The headline detail is the Great Geysir itself—its eruptions can send boiling water up to around 70 meters into the air. You’ll also see the rainbow-colored pools, where minerals and geothermal activity create color across the ground.

Even here, landing is dependent on weather. That’s why I like that this tour focuses on aerial viewing too. If a landing isn’t possible, you still get the “this is real geothermal power” perspective while the helicopter rides overhead.

Short version: this is one of the clearest places on the route to understand that Iceland’s volcanic landscape isn’t just scenery—it’s active systems changing in real time.

Gullfoss and Haifoss: the waterfall duo, one big and one more off-beat

After Geysir, the tour goes to Gullfoss. From the air, you get the two-stage drop into a deep canyon. This is a waterfall that looks dramatic even when you’re not standing at the base, and the helicopter angle helps you see how it cuts through the terrain.

Then you get Haifoss, including a photo stop and time to walk (about 30 minutes). Haifoss drops 122 meters into a gorge. What I like about including Haifoss rather than only doing the most famous falls is variety: you get a different scale and feeling. Gullfoss is the headline for a reason, but Haifoss adds that sense of finding a quieter corner without turning the whole day into a long hike.

One more practical note: because you’re on a schedule with flight time between stops, the walk segments are brief. That’s good for most people, but if you want long time to linger at waterfalls, consider pairing this with a separate day on foot in Iceland later.

Fjallabak Nature Reserve flight: a breather between big stops

You pass through Fjallabak Nature Reserve, with sightseeing time from the helicopter (about 10 minutes). This is the “in-between” segment, but it’s not filler. Nature reserves like this help break up the intensity of geothermal and waterfall visuals so you don’t feel like the whole tour is one hard highlight after another.

From the air, you’ll get a sense of how Iceland’s terrain changes across regions—less like a single theme park view and more like a real, functioning wilderness.

Landmannalaugar: rhyolite colors, a short walk, and a thermal bath moment

Then you reach the star stop for color and geothermal character: Landmannalaugar. This area is known for rhyolite mountains and geothermal pools, and it’s exactly the kind of place where the helicopter view gives you context—then the ground gives you the texture.

You’ll have time for a photo stop and a walk (about 30 minutes). The ground-level experience is where you can see the contrasting colors tied to the geothermal and volcanic materials—reds, greens, and yellows are part of the look.

There’s also a named route detail worth knowing: the Laugavegur trail runs through the area, famous for unique scenes and pretty views. You’re not doing the whole trail here, but you might appreciate that you’re standing in the same kind of route hikers chase.

The tour is also enhanced with a secluded geothermal bath addition. This is the kind of stop that changes the whole tone of the day. Instead of treating the geothermal sites as “look, take a photo, move on,” you get a chance to slow down and sit in thermal water, turning your adrenaline into something calmer.

Because landings are weather-dependent, keep flexibility in mind. If conditions limit access, your exact bath experience could be affected, but the geothermal theme at Landmannalaugar remains the core reason you’re here.

Þórsmörk and the glacier valleys: wildlife and wide views from the air

Next up is Þórsmörk, a nature reserve surrounded by mountains, glaciers, and rivers. One of the best parts of this stop is that you don’t just get a single-angle view—you get the helicopter perspective across the valley.

Þórsmörk is heavily forested for Iceland, and the area can be home to rabbits, foxes, and bird species. You’re unlikely to “spot wildlife” as a guarantee from the air, but knowing the ecology is there makes the valley look richer. It’s not just rock and ice—it’s a working ecosystem in the middle of wild terrain.

The helicopter timing here is about 20 minutes, which gives you a solid aerial look without turning it into a long slog. For me, Þórsmörk is the stop that adds breathing room while still keeping you in “I can’t believe this is Iceland” territory.

Eyjafjallajökull: the 2010 eruption remembered in glacier volcano country

Then you head to Eyjafjallajökull, described as an iconic volcanic-glacier landmark tied to the 2010 eruption. The region is famous for the way volcano and ice coexist, and the helicopter view helps you understand why this area looks the way it does.

You’ll get photo time and a short walk (about 30 minutes). Landing is also weather-dependent, so you may not always be able to touch down exactly where you expect. Still, the route includes enough aerial sightseeing that you’re not left with nothing if conditions are tricky.

This stop works best if you like connecting a famous Iceland story to the real terrain behind it. Seeing the glacier-curve and volcanic mass from the air gives the eruption history context: it’s not an abstract news event, it’s a land feature with real shape and weight.

Wrapping up the south: more aerial time over Southern Iceland, then back to Reykjavík

After Eyjafjallajökull, you continue with sightseeing over the Southern Region (about 20 minutes) and then fly back toward Reykjavík for the final short segment (about 10 minutes).

Ending this way is smart. When you’re flying over so many geothermal and waterfall scenes, your brain starts sorting them into categories. The last aerial section gives you a final “big picture” view before you land back at Ace FBO Reykjavík.

Price and value: what you’re really paying for at $1,767 per person

Let’s talk value. At $1,767 per person, this isn’t a budget activity. You’re paying for three big things:

• Time compression: 3 hours vs. longer road travel to see multiple iconic regions
• Access: remote-feeling areas like Landmannalaugar and the Eyjafjallajökull region are hard to reach efficiently by car and foot alone
• On-the-ground moments: not just flying—three landings plus walking/photo time at key spots

If you’re someone who values iconic viewpoints and you have limited time in Iceland, the price starts to make sense as a trade: fewer hours traveling, more hours seeing. If you’re the type who enjoys slow travel and wants long, flexible hiking and meals in between, you may feel the short walking time is a limitation.

In short: this tour is value when you want maximum “Iceland wow” per hour, and you’re fine with shorter on-foot stretches.

Who this helicopter tour fits best

This experience is a great match if you:

• Want big Iceland landmarks in a short time window
• Prefer small-group attention (up to 5 people) and English guidance
• Like getting a geothermal-and-water story from the air, with a few ground stops to actually feel it
• Don’t want to spend your day in long drives between far-flung areas

It may feel less ideal if you:

• Need long time at each stop (walks are limited to short segments)
• Are traveling on a day when weather could reduce landing options

Should you book the Landmannalaugar 3-landing helicopter tour?

I’d book it if your priority is seeing a lot of Iceland’s top scenery fast, with real land time at key spots and an added thermal bath moment. The route hits Þingvellir’s rift story, Geysir’s geothermal power, the Gullfoss/Haifoss waterfall contrast, and the Landmannalaugar colors that hikers chase—then caps it with Þórsmörk valley views and Eyjafjallajökull volcano-glacier country.

I’d think twice if you’re the kind of traveler who wants every stop to last hours, because this tour is built on short ground visits between flights. And because landings are weather-dependent, you should accept that the plan may flex.

If your dates are flexible, that helps: Iceland plays by Iceland’s rules, not ours.

FAQ

How long is the helicopter tour?

The total duration is 3 hours.

How many landings are included?

The tour includes 3 landings.

Is the tour only in English?

Yes. The instructor is English, and the audio guide is also in English.

Are the landings guaranteed?

No. All landings are subject to weather conditions and safety considerations.

What is the meeting point?

The tour starts and ends at Ace FBO Reykjavík.

Are food and drinks included?

No. Food and drinks are not included.

Is there any weight-related seating requirement?

If you are over 120 kgs, you will have to book an additional seat.