A Mývatn Day Trip from Akureyri, Stop by Stop
The short answer. A day to the lake from Akureyri takes five to eight hours and follows the same spine: the waterfall of the gods on the way out, then short stops at the lava, the craters, the old bathing cave and the steaming mud. Stops last 15 to 45 minutes each. If your day stops at the baths, the entry is extra, from 7,900 ISK. Comparing Akureyri day tours starts with how long each stop gets.
The minutes each day gives each stop
The lake days share their stops and differ in the minutes. Here they are side by side, as each day’s own timetable gives them.
| Stop | Lava-fields day, 6 h | Eight-seat day, 8 h | Town-pickup day, 8 h | From your pier, 5-6 h |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The waterfall | 45 min | 45 min | 20 min | 30 min |
| Pseudocraters | 30 min | 25 min | 15 min | Not listed |
| Lava formations | 45 min | 30 min | 30 min | 20 min |
| The old bathing cave | 30 min | 20 min | 20 min | 15 min |
| Mud pools and steam vents | 30 min | 25 min | 20 min | 20 min |
| The baths | No stop | 1 hour, entry extra | 1 hour, entry extra | Optional, entry extra |
The longest stops belong to the lava-fields day from the cruise terminal ($180), which skips the baths. The two eight-hour days trade minutes at the stops for an hour in the water.
The waterfall of the gods, on the way out
Every lake day starts with Goðafoss, about 40 minutes by road from town. It is 12 m high and 30 m wide, a horseshoe on the Skjálfandafljót river. The name means the waterfall of the gods. The story goes that a lawspeaker threw the old pagan idols into it after the country took up Christianity.
You get 20 to 45 minutes. That covers the main viewpoint and your photographs. With 45, you can cross and see it from the other bank too.
On the road: the tunnel and a lake on the way
You leave town across the fjord and go under the mountain through the Vaðlaheiðargöng tunnel. The toll is part of the drive, and the fare covers the driving. On the far side, the road climbs over open moorland towards the falls.
The lava-fields day adds a ten-minute stop at Ljósavatn, a quiet lake beside the road, before the waterfall. The other days drive straight on. Either way, you can sit back: this stretch is scenery, not a stop.
The pseudocraters by the lakeshore
At the southern shore of Lake Mývatn, the grassy mounds of Skútustaðagígar look like small volcanoes. They are not. They are pseudocraters, blown up by steam when lava flowed over wet ground. A short loop path runs between them and the water. You get 15 to 30 minutes, which is enough for the loop.
In summer, this is where you will meet the midges. The name of the lake means midge lake, and on a still day they swarm. Grace B. met them on the town-pickup day. Pack a head net; it weighs nothing and it saves the stop.
The lava labyrinth
Dimmuborgir is a field of black lava towers, arches and caves, left when a lava lake drained. Marked paths loop through it, from a few minutes to much longer. You get 20 to 45 minutes. With the longer time you can walk a proper loop instead of the first viewpoint.
Stay on the marked paths. The lava is sharp, and the loops are easy to lose once you are among the towers.
The cave you can no longer bathe in
Grjótagjá is a crack in the ground with a pool of clear water inside. People once bathed in it. Volcanic activity between 1975 and 1984 heated the water, and bathing ended. You climb down a short way to look, and that is all. You get 15 to 30 minutes.
The crack sits on the line where two continental plates are pulling apart. Standing at its mouth, you are on the rift itself.
The steaming mud field under the ridge
Hverir, under the ridge of Námafjall, is the stop people remember. The ground is bare and orange, mud pools bubble, and steam vents roar. It smells of sulphur. You get 20 to 30 minutes on a marked path.
Keep to the path and inside the ropes. The crust beside the pools is thin and the mud is boiling. Wear shoes you do not mind getting muddy.
The baths, and the entry you pay
Earth Lagoon Mývatn is the new name of the Mývatn Nature Baths. It sits 89 km from Akureyri and is open daily from 12:00 to 22:00. Entry starts from 7,900 ISK; children aged five and under go free. Every lake day that stops there leaves the entry to you.
- Reserve before the day. The port day asks you to book your entry in advance.
- Bring a towel. Rental is extra at the baths.
- Or skip it. The lagoon across the fjord from town costs $80 with towel and drink, and you can go on another evening.
Our things-to-do page sets the two lagoons side by side.
Which lake day fits you
The stops barely change from day to day. What changes is where you are collected, how many people ride with you, and whether you end in the water. Match the day to your situation:
- You are off a ship. Take the day from your own pier ($197). It is sized for a port call and waits in the car park where you dock.
- You are staying in town and want the bath. The eight-hour day with town pickups ($197) collects you at 09:00 and gives you an hour at the baths.
- You want a small group. The eight-seat day ($215) needs a minimum of two, and you get the longest waterfall stop.
- You want the longest stops. The lava-fields day ($180) gives you 45 minutes at the falls and at the lava, and skips the bath.
What to bring on a lake day
You will be in and out of a vehicle all day, on paths that can be muddy, icy or dusty. Pack for all three. Good walking shoes matter more than anything else. Bring a warm layer and a waterproof, even in July, because the weather at the lake can differ from the weather in town. Bring a head net in summer for the midges, and swimwear and a towel if your day stops at the baths. Food is not in any lake-day fare, so carry snacks or money for lunch. With children, read the age rules, set out by age first, and see the visitor guide for getting to your pickup.
What the lake day leaves out
The crater ring of Hverfjall rises above the lake, about 140 m deep and about 1,000 m across. No day here gives it a timed stop; you see it from the road. For the rim walk, you need your own car.
The big waterfall is further. Dettifoss is 45 m high, 100 m wide and about about two hours from Akureyri, with a 1 km walk from the car park to the viewpoint. The national park calls it the most powerful waterfall in Europe. Only the longer days reach it: the two-waterfall day from $302 or the 4x4 day from $395. TuckMing K. found the walk long enough that half the group came back late.
For the whole region in one plan, when to visit sets the seasons side by side, and our map marks the cruise piers and the town pickups.
Lake days, and the longer one
Akureyri Lake Myvatn Godafoss and Lava Fields Tour
Six hours from the cruise terminal, with the longest timed stops of the lake days: 45 minutes at the lava formations and at the first waterfall.
From $180 per person
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Akureyri to Lake Myvatn and Nature Baths Small Group Tour
Eight seats and eight hours from the cruise terminal, a minimum of two to book, and an hour at the baths with the entry extra.
From $215 per person (minimum 2)
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Lake Myvatn, Dettifoss and Goddafoss Waterfalls Day Tour from Akureyri
Seven to nine hours from a hotel in town, taking in both big waterfalls and the lake, with the bath entry extra.
From $302 per person (minimum 2)
Check AvailabilityNext: Off a ship for the day? The lake day from your pier fits a call. Read the cruise day guide for the hours. Every fare sits side by side on Akureyri Iceland Tours.