Trip to Lake Mývatn and Its Surroundings
General
About a hour's drive east of Akureyri is Lake Mývatn – a shallow lake with an area of 37 square kilometers and a depth of only 2.5 meters. The lake features many islands formed as a result of gas eruptions beneath the lava. The lake is beautiful and unique, but the midges hovering above it can be a nuisance.
Warm Recommendation: Visit Iceland on a cruise ship. A detailed description of such a trip can be found in the article: Cruise in Iceland and Norway Aboard Sky Princess
The lake was created by a lava eruption that occurred about 2,000 years ago, leaving behind a special volcanic landscape. Around the lake, there are many sites worth visiting, which is why it is recommended to stay in the Mývatn area for at least two days.
♦ Full-day day trips to Lake Mývatn, Dettifoss waterfall, and Goðafoss waterfall depart from the city of Akureyri, which can be booked through the reliable Viator website:
Day Trip to Lake Mývatn and Powerful Dettifoss from Akureyri
The trip is in small groups and includes hotel pickup and drop-off in Akureyri.
♥ Recommended Hotels Around Lake Mývatn
The following three hotels are 3-star hotels featuring family rooms, a restaurant, and a bar. 24/7 front desk. Free internet and parking:
♦ Mývatn - Berjaya Iceland Hotels
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Hótel Laxá
Or cheaper - at a guesthouse:
♦ Skútustadir Guesthouse - Located on a farm. Option for rooms with private or shared bathrooms. Family rooms are also available. Free internet and parking. Guest lounge and shared kitchen. Laundry facilities.
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Vogafjos Guesthouse
Located on the eastern shore of Lake Mývatn. Private toilets and bathrooms. Free internet and parking. The property also features a farm animal petting area.
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Dimmuborgir Guesthouse
Cottages and rooms, located on the eastern shore of Lake Mývatn.
Most rooms have private bathrooms and some include a private kitchenette. Free internet and parking.
♦ Booking guided tours in the Lake Mývatn area via Viator:
Hverfjall Volcano
In the center of the crater is a pit formed about 3,000 years ago as a result of a landslide on its southern side shortly after the eruption. On a nice day, it is recommended to climb the mountain and overlook the scenery – climbing and walking around the crater rim takes about an hour and a half to two hours.
Dimmuborgir
An area of unique and strangely shaped lava rocks. The entire site is about 2 km, but there are three marked walking trails: from a short trail lasting a quarter of an hour to a long trail taking two hours. Dimmuborgir is the only place in the world that presents you with this unique phenomenon: about 2,000 years ago, a volcanic eruption created a kind of lava pool. The pool dried up quickly and left behind tall lava pillars, which today stand as a testimony to the region's unique history.
Hverir
A bubbling mud pool site located near Route 1, east of Lake Mývatn. In the case of this site, the saying "follow your nose" proves true... You will smell the rotten egg odor from afar, but don't let it deter you. The unique landscape of bubbling mud pools, geysers, and rising steam will make you want to stay at the site longer and longer. Worth a visit.
Krafla
A volcano located about 8 km north of Lake Mývatn. The volcano has a crater, Már Víti, with a circumference of 10 km and a depth of 2 km. The crater was formed by a volcanic eruption in the 18th century and is now filled with water. Next to this crater, there is a walking trail of about an hour and a half to additional craters.
Már Víti:
Mývatn Nature Baths
The northern, smaller, and cheaper version of the "Blue Lagoon". This is a popular recreation site that attracts many travelers and guarantees enjoyment and pampering in warm waters. Alongside the large pool, there is a long rectangular jacuzzi with even warmer waters – recommended! Admission costs 2,500 kronur per adult.
Attention! In the pool waters in Iceland, as in Mývatn but also others, there is no chlorine or other disinfectants. Due to this, the Icelanders are very strict about thorough washing before entering the water. In the locker rooms, there are orderly showers with shampoo and soap, and the Icelanders require bathing without a swimsuit and washing all "strategic" areas, such as the hair, feet, armpits, and genitals. If you do not follow the bathing rules, a staff member will call you out and demand that you return to the shower.
It is also important to wash thoroughly after leaving the pools. The sulfur in the pool water can cause skin dryness, itching, and an unpleasant feeling, so it is important to clean off and use soap. Those with long hair are advised to wash their hair with conditioner because sulfur dries out the hair and makes it stiff.
From the Lake Mývatn area, many jeep tours depart towards the interior of Iceland, for example to the magnificent volcano Askja. Read about this trip and others in other articles.