4 Day Tour of North Iceland Highlights

North Iceland Highlights

North Iceland offers many fantastic highlights worth visiting. Mountains, fjords, glacial valleys, lava fields, volcanoes, geothermal springs and other wonders of nature are all among the stunning sights you will discover on your journey.

Akureyri is often referred to as the capital of the North. It is an educational and cultural centre, a charming town with numerous interesting museums, the northernmost botanical garden in the world and an 18-hole golf course. Located at the base of the longest Icelandic fjord which opens to the north, summer evenings offer a great display of colours in the sky as the sun sets on the horizon.

Highlights

• Eyjafjörður, the longest fjord in Iceland
• Akureyri, the capital of the north
• Goðafoss waterfall
• Lake Mývatn
• Pseudocraters of Skútustaðir
• Lava formations at Dimmuborgir
• Volcano Krafla and the crater Viti
• Hverir solfatara field at Námaskarð
• Nature Baths
• Húsavík – a fishing town and the “whale centre.”
• Whale watching

Daily Itinerary

Day 1:
Check-in for your flight to Akureyri (duration 45 min.). Meet and greet from our office upon arrival at Akureyri airport and transfer to your accommodation.
There are several flights a day between Reykjavik city and Akureyri. If you decide on an early flight, then you have a possibility for another optional tour (needs to be pre-booked).

Day 2:
Lake Mývatn guided coach tour, departing at 09:00. This tour to one of the most exciting spots in North Iceland focuses on the most attractive features of the Lake Mývatn area and its surroundings. The first stop is at Goðafoss waterfall, not only famous for its breathtaking beauty but also its significant historical value related to the Christianisation of Iceland.
From Goðafoss the tour continues through the valley of Reykjadalur to the Lake Mývatn district where your first stop is at the pseudocraters of Skútustaðir. Next stop is at Dimmuborgir, a lava labyrinth of stunning basaltic pillars and lava sculptures. After a short walk in Dimmuborgir, the tour continues through the lava field to Grjótagjá, which used to be a popular underground bathing cave among the locals before the Krafla Fires (1975-1984) when the water became too hot to bathe in.
You continue east over the Námaskarð mountain pass to the Krafla caldera. Along the way, you pass a 60-MW geothermal power station that partly supplies the town of Akureyri with electricity. Your destination is the explosion crater of Viti (Hell), but its formation marked the beginning of the great Myvatn Fires in 1724. From Viti, there is a good view over the geothermal zone of Leirhnjukur and the lava field formed in the Krafla Fires. Next, you explore the solfatara field of Hverir at Námaskarð where groundwater is heated by an underground magma intrusion.  After a short walk around the fumaroles and mud pits, you head for the final destination of the tour, the Nature Baths, where you get the chance to bathe in the silky smooth geothermal water (entrance fee to the pool not included, to be paid on the spot). After the stop at the Nature Baths, you drive back to Akureyri where the estimated arrival time is between 16:00 and 17:00.

Day 3:
Let Us Take You To Húsavík! We drive from Akureyri to Húsavík, the capital of Whale Watching in Iceland. Before you get on the boat, you have the option of visiting the Whale Museum and get to know the biggest creatures on the planet a little bit better before you meet them. On board the boat it is not just the whales you can enjoy, but also the scenery, and the varied bird life is magnificent: Puffin, Guillemot, Arctic Tern and more, are frequently seen on these whale-watching tours in the Skjalfandi bay. Most common whales to be seen, are the Minke whale and the Humpback whale, but others can also be spotted such as the Sperm whale, Orca whale, or even the big Blue Whale. After a good time on the ocean, we head back to Akureyri with a short stop at Goðafoss waterfall.

Day 4: Transfer to Akureyri airport for the flight back to Reykjavík.  If you choose a late afternoon or evening flight, then you have the possibility for another optional tour.

Dates & prices

Departures:  June – August

Prices include:
– Flights Reykjavík-Akureyri-Reykjavík with airport taxes
– Arrival/departure transfers in Akureyri
– 3 nights accommodation, double/twin room/apartment
– Goðafoss/Mývatn guided coach tour
– Whale watching tour incl.bus transfer and guided boat tour

For winter option click here.

Good to know 

• Additional nights and optional tours can easily be added to the itinerary. Ask for availability and price.
• The tour can also be combined with the package IS63 – Highlights of South Iceland.
• Discounts may be applicable in May and September. Please send us inquiry for your preferred travel dates.