Bubbling springs at Lake Mývatn
Bite-sized trip
Day 1 – Head to Mývatn via Dettifoss
Today you will likely be coming from the fjords on your way to Mývatn. En route you have the chance to stop off at Europe’s most powerful waterfall, Dettifoss. As you walk along the winding path from the car park to the waterfall, the roaring sound gets louder and louder. When you reach the waterfall you will find a giant water curtain of up to 100 meters wide and about 40 meters deep. There are several viewpoints that you can easily walk to, with a different view every time. After your time here, continue onto Mývatn and check into your attractive family-run hotel that is centrally located for you to easily explore the steaming sulphur plains and surrounding craters, If the scenery itself isn’t enough to impress you, the lake between craters and mountains is also the breeding ground for thousands of water birds.
Day 2 – Lake Mývatn and surroundings
Get up early today to beat the day-trippers from Reykjavik. Pack your swimwear in your bag and grab yourself an easy lunch at Reykjahlid’s supermarket, ready for a day of adventure. The steaming brown-red hot springs area just outside Mývatn are a must see. Walk right past the blue-grey bubbling mud pools and mounds where sulphur steam is blown out. Stay on the marked trails because the simmering water can reach a whopping 200 degrees. After the springs, it’s over to the deep blue crater lake at Víti for a walk at Krafla Caldera. You’ll walk on fresh black lava that even sometimes still feels warm.
Towards the end of the afternoon, you will drive to the natural hot baths of Mývatn, where we will have arranged entrance tickets in advance for you. These natural pools are a smaller-scale alternative to the busier Blue Lagoon in the south of the country. After an active day, take the time to relax in the milky blue water that is naturally warmed to a comfortable 38-40 degrees. With a spectacular view of the surrounding orange hills, a nice drink in your hand and a fresh salmon salad to go alongside, it’s the perfect way to end the day. If the weather conditions are right, the sunsets here are incredible.
Day 3 – Departure from Mývatn
After breakfast today you will continue your Iceland road trip. Head west for a visit to the peculiar round shaped Godafoss waterfall and swap the lava landscape for the open sea at Akureyri. If you have just come from the west then the green cliffs in the East Fjords are waiting for you.
Accommodation
For this bite-sized trip we offer the following options
Lake Mývatn - Askja super 4x4 tour
Today you will discover the highlights in the Mývatn area with your local guide as you you travel with a 4×4 bus along the oasis area Herðubreiðarlindir. It’s a full day and you will be exploring for about 11 hours to see the waterfall at Gljúfrasmiður and of course the Askja volcano. There is plenty of time everywhere to really take in the surroundings. The stop at Askja takes about three hours, so you really have time to hike to the lake and see the crater. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous then you can take a dip in the water of the Víti crater.
Myvatn - Northern Lights tour
In Myvatn you can often spot the northern light from the comfort of your hotel, but nothing beats the beauty of Aurora Borealis in the wilderness and with no light pollution, when it shines in all its glory. Together with your guide and a small international group you’ll head to some of the best spots to chase the elusive Northern Lights. You will also learn how to best photograph them, so get your cameras at the ready! Don’t forget to layer up on warm clothes as this tour takes place quite late at night.
