Akureyri is the best base in North Iceland for one simple reason: almost everything people come north to see is within a day's round trip. Waterfalls, a lake ringed by lava formations, Europe's most powerful waterfall and a whale-watching town are all on the menu, and you can be back in town for dinner.
The best day trips from Akureyri
The best day trips from Akureyri are Goðafoss waterfall, Lake Mývatn and its lava landscapes, Dettifoss and Húsavík. Goðafoss is the shortest, about 45 minutes by car, while Mývatn and Dettifoss fill a full day and are often combined.
You can drive yourself, or join a tour from Akureyri that covers several of these stops in one day. This guide is for travelers staying in Akureyri on land, with a round trip in mind for each day.
Goðafoss waterfall
Goðafoss is the easiest day trip from Akureyri, right beside the Ring Road between Akureyri and Lake Mývatn and about 45 minutes away by car. It is 12 m high and 30 m wide, and it is free to visit.
Goðafoss is about 45 minutes by car from Akureyri.
Both banks have parking, paved paths and viewing platforms, and the west side has the shortest walk to the falls. The name means waterfall of the gods: tradition says the lawspeaker Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði threw his images of the Norse gods into the falls after Iceland adopted Christianity around the year 1000. Our Goðafoss guide for visitors has more.
Goðafoss is open all year, but the paths can be icy in winter, so wear good shoes or spikes and keep away from the edge.
Lake Mývatn
Lake Mývatn is beside the Ring Road about an hour's drive east of Akureyri. It is a shallow lake of 37 km² with around 50 islets, and its name means midge lake, after the small flies that hatch there in summer.
Lake Mývatn is about an hour's drive east of Akureyri.
The highlights around the lake include the Skútustaðagígar pseudocraters, Dimmuborgir, Hverfjall, Grjótagjá, the Námaskarð geothermal area and Krafla. Swimming in the lake itself is not an option. Our Lake Mývatn guide covers each stop in more detail.
Lava formations near Lake Mývatn.
June to August is the best time for birdlife and long days, while winter brings snow-covered lava fields and a chance of northern lights. Most of the midges are non-biting, though blackflies can bite, and swarms gather on calm summer days, so a head net is useful.
Dettifoss
Dettifoss is Europe's most powerful waterfall, 44–45 m high and about 100 m wide, in Vatnajökull National Park.
Dettifoss throws up spray along its canyon.
The west side, on paved Road 862, is the easier one to reach, while the east side is on gravel Road 864, which closes when snow begins in autumn. From the car park it is about 1 km each way to the viewpoints, and there are toilets and a car park at the site. Read more on the Dettifoss waterfall page.
Upstream is Selfoss, about 10 m high, and downstream is Hafragilsfoss, 27 m, both on the same river. In winter, Road 862 has only limited service and Road 864 closes with the first snow, so check road reports on Umferðin before you go.
Mývatn and Dettifoss in one day
One full-day trip from Akureyri combines all three of the stops above. The Lake Mývatn and Dettifoss day tour covers Goðafoss, the Lake Mývatn area and Dettifoss in eight hours, with an optional Forest Lagoon soak on the return to Akureyri.
If you are driving yourself, start early and do the farthest stop first, so you are not racing the light on the way back in winter. There is also a separate Diamond Circle day tour that adds Ásbyrgi, for travelers who want to go further.
Húsavík
Húsavík is a town on Skjálfandi bay known for whale watching, the Whale Museum and coastal bathing.
Húsavík sits on Skjálfandi bay.
A whale-watching trip is a scheduled boat departure with time at sea, while the Whale Museum is an indoor visit, so the two suit different weather. Choose your boat departure first and plan the rest of the day around it. Our Húsavík town page has more on the town.
For something on land, a two-hour horse ride from a farm near Húsavík crosses river banks, lava, black sand and a birch wood away from any road.
A horse ride near Húsavík crosses black sand and lava.
Driving or a tour?
Driving yourself gives you the most flexibility, especially in summer when the days are long. In winter, a tour removes the stress of icy roads and the limited road service near Dettifoss.
Check the Met Office forecast for the north before any long day trip.
In winter, also read the SafeTravel alerts for the north before you set off.
A few days in the north
If you want more than single day trips, the four-day Visit the North tour is a guided trip through Northern Iceland that takes in Goðafoss, Lake Mývatn and Dettifoss, with additional activities along the way.
If you would like help choosing your days from Akureyri, share your plans for the north and we will put a schedule together.
