North Iceland Guide

Why Visit North Iceland

North Iceland is where the country reveals a different character entirely. While the south coast draws the lion's share of visitors, the north remains comparatively uncrowded, offering the same calibre of natural wonders without the tour bus queues. The volcanic landscapes around Lake Myvatn are among the most otherworldly on Earth -- steaming fumaroles, twisted lava formations, and crater-dotted terrain that served as training ground for Apollo astronauts.

Husavik, a small fishing town on Skjalfandi Bay, has earned its reputation as the whale watching capital of Iceland. Humpback whales feed in the nutrient-rich waters here throughout summer, and blue whale sightings are not uncommon. The town's authentic harbour charm and world-class whale museum make it a destination in its own right, not just a boat trip departure point.

Two of Iceland's most spectacular waterfalls anchor the region. Godafoss, the Waterfall of the Gods, is a wide horseshoe cascade steeped in saga-age history. Dettifoss, further east, is the most powerful waterfall in Europe -- a thundering wall of glacial water that shakes the ground beneath your feet. In summer, the midnight sun bathes these landscapes in golden light that never fully fades, creating photography conditions that are simply impossible anywhere else.

Akureyri, Iceland's second city, serves as the perfect base for all of this. With a surprisingly cosmopolitan downtown, excellent restaurants, a botanical garden that defies its Arctic latitude, and a domestic airport with frequent flights from Reykjavik, it is the gateway to everything the north has to offer.

Getting There

The fastest way to reach North Iceland is to fly. Domestic flights from Reykjavik's downtown airport to Akureyri take just 45 minutes and run multiple times daily year-round. Airlines serving this route include Icelandair and PLAY, and booking in advance often yields fares comparable to the cost of fuel for driving. The Akureyri airport sits just minutes from the town centre, making the transfer seamless.

Driving from Reykjavik to Akureyri via Route 1 takes approximately five to six hours without stops. The road heads north through the Hvalfjordur tunnel, past the historic town of Blonduos, and over several mountain passes before descending into the Eyjafjordur valley where Akureyri sits. In winter, these mountain passes can be challenging -- check road.is before departing.

If you are driving the Ring Road, North Iceland connects naturally from the east via Egilsstadir and the dramatic mountain pass at Oxnadalur, or from the west via the Westfjords junction at Blonduos. Many Ring Road travellers spend two to three nights in the north, using Akureyri as a base for day trips to Myvatn, Husavik, and the Diamond Circle.

For those arriving from East Iceland, the drive from Egilsstadir to Akureyri along Route 1 is roughly three hours and passes through some of the most sparsely populated terrain in the country. The road is well-maintained but remote -- fill your fuel tank before setting out.

Akureyri

Akureyri is Iceland's second-largest urban area, home to around 19,000 people, and it feels like a genuine town rather than a tourist staging post. Situated at the head of Eyjafjordur, Iceland's longest fjord, it enjoys a surprisingly mild microclimate that allows the Lystigardur Botanical Garden to cultivate plants that have no business growing this close to the Arctic Circle. The garden is free to visit and a genuine delight in summer.

Downtown Akureyri clusters along a handful of streets lined with independent shops, bookstores, cafes, and restaurants. The Akureyri Church, designed by the same architect behind Hallgrimskirkja in Reykjavik, dominates the hillside above town. The local food scene punches well above its weight, with restaurants serving everything from traditional Icelandic lamb to inventive seafood dishes using the day's catch from Eyjafjordur.

In winter, Akureyri transforms into a ski destination. The Hlidarfjall ski resort sits just fifteen minutes from town and offers surprisingly good skiing from November to May. The Christmas House at Hrafnagil, a year-round Christmas shop and garden a few kilometres outside town, is a quirky stop that delights visitors regardless of the season.

Most importantly, Akureyri is the gateway to the Diamond Circle and all of North Iceland's major attractions. Lake Myvatn is an hour east, Godafoss is 30 minutes along Route 1, and Husavik is an easy hour north. With the widest range of accommodation, dining, and services in the region, it is the natural base for exploring the north.

Lake Myvatn & Surroundings

Lake Myvatn is a shallow, nutrient-rich lake set in a volcanic landscape that feels like another planet. The name translates to "Midge Lake" -- a fair warning about the clouds of non-biting midges that swarm in summer. These tiny insects are the foundation of an ecosystem that supports one of the most diverse bird populations in Iceland, including the harlequin duck and Barrow's goldeneye, species rarely seen elsewhere in Europe.

The lake's shores are dotted with pseudocraters -- rootless cones formed when lava flowed over wetland, causing steam explosions that built up these small volcanic mounds. The Skutustadir pseudocraters on the south shore are the most accessible and photogenic. Nearby, Dimmuborgir is a labyrinth of lava pillars, arches, and caves formed by a collapsed lava lake. Walking trails wind through the formations, which Icelandic folklore holds as the home of trolls.

East of the lake, the Hverir geothermal area is a stark, sulphur-crusted landscape of boiling mud pots and hissing steam vents. The rotten-egg smell of hydrogen sulphide is strong, but the alien terrain is mesmerising. Grjotagja, a small lava cave with a geothermal hot spring inside, gained fame through a certain television series. The water is currently too hot for bathing, but the cave itself is worth seeing.

For those who want to soak, the Myvatn Nature Baths offer a far less crowded alternative to the Blue Lagoon. The milky-blue geothermal water is rich in minerals and set against a sweeping view of the volcanic landscape. Evening visits in summer, with the midnight sun low on the horizon, are particularly memorable. In summer, a head net (available at local shops for about 1,000 ISK) makes a significant difference when exploring the lakeside trails.

Husavik

Husavik is a town of about 2,300 people on the shores of Skjalfandi Bay, and it has earned the title of whale watching capital of Iceland through decades of consistent sightings. The bay's nutrient-rich waters attract humpback whales in large numbers from April through October, with sighting success rates above 95 percent in peak summer. Blue whales, minke whales, and white-beaked dolphins are also regularly spotted. Several companies operate traditional oak-hulled boats and modern vessels from the harbour.

The Husavik Whale Museum, housed in a former slaughterhouse on the harbour, is one of the best small museums in Iceland. Its collection of whale skeletons -- including a full blue whale skeleton -- and educational exhibits about cetacean biology and the history of whaling in Iceland are thoughtfully curated and genuinely informative.

GeoSea, the geothermal sea baths perched on the cliff edge north of the harbour, offers infinity pools filled with naturally heated seawater. The views across Skjalfandi Bay to the snow-capped mountains of the Flateyjarskagi peninsula are extraordinary, and on a lucky day you might spot whales from the pool. The baths are less famous than the Blue Lagoon but many visitors consider them superior.

Beyond whales and baths, Husavik itself is a charming harbour town worth exploring on foot. The wooden church, painted sunny yellow, dates to 1907 and is one of the most photographed buildings in North Iceland. The harbour area has cafes, restaurants, and shops, and the town's compact size means everything is walkable within minutes.

Dettifoss & Asbyrgi

Dettifoss is the most powerful waterfall in Europe, discharging an average of 193 cubic metres of glacial water per second over a 44-metre drop. The sheer volume of water creates a permanent mist cloud visible from kilometres away, and standing at the rim, the ground vibrates beneath your feet. The waterfall sits in the Jokulsargljufur canyon, carved over millennia by catastrophic glacial floods from the Vatnajokull ice cap.

Dettifoss can be approached from either bank. The west bank (Route 862, now paved) offers the closer and more dramatic viewpoint, where you stand directly at the canyon rim with the full force of the waterfall in front of you. The east bank (Route 864, gravel) provides a wider panoramic view and tends to be less crowded. Both sides are worth visiting if time allows, but the west bank is the better choice for a single visit.

Upstream from Dettifoss, the smaller but elegant Selfoss waterfall is a 15-minute walk along the canyon rim. Downstream, the 27-metre Hafragilsfoss is another impressive cascade, less visited and offering solitude that Dettifoss itself rarely provides.

At the northern end of the Jokulsargljufur canyon lies Asbyrgi, a horseshoe-shaped canyon sheltered by cliffs up to 100 metres high. According to Norse mythology, the canyon was formed by the hoofprint of Sleipnir, Odin's eight-legged horse. In reality, it was carved by catastrophic glacial floods. Today, Asbyrgi is a lush oasis of birch and willow woodland, strikingly green against the surrounding barren highlands. Walking trails lead through the forest to viewpoints at the canyon rim and a small pond at its heart.

Diamond Circle

The Diamond Circle is a 260-kilometre driving route that connects the major attractions of North Iceland into a single loop. Starting and ending in either Husavik or Akureyri, the route passes through Husavik, Asbyrgi, Dettifoss, and Lake Myvatn -- four headline destinations linked by scenic roads through some of Iceland's most remote and dramatic terrain.

The route is often described as the northern equivalent of the famous Golden Circle near Reykjavik, but with a critical difference: it receives a fraction of the visitors. Where the Golden Circle can feel congested in summer, the Diamond Circle offers genuine solitude even in peak season. You can stand at Dettifoss with a handful of other visitors rather than a crowd of hundreds.

Most travellers complete the Diamond Circle in a single long day, but splitting it over two days allows for a more relaxed pace. A practical itinerary starting from Akureyri might head north to Husavik for morning whale watching, continue east to Asbyrgi for an afternoon walk, then south to Dettifoss before looping back to Myvatn for the evening. Alternatively, spend a night in Husavik and tackle the eastern half the following day.

Road conditions on the Diamond Circle vary by section. The route between Husavik and Asbyrgi is paved and straightforward. Route 862 to Dettifoss from the west was paved in recent years and is now accessible to all vehicles. The section between Dettifoss and Myvatn passes through highland terrain with limited services, so fill your tank before leaving Husavik or Akureyri. Mobile phone coverage is patchy along the eastern stretches, so download offline maps before you set out.

Where to Stay

Akureyri

As the regional capital, Akureyri offers the widest range of accommodation in North Iceland. Options include full-service hotels in the town centre, budget-friendly hostels, and guesthouses in residential neighbourhoods. The town's restaurants, cafes, and supermarkets make it the most convenient base for a multi-day exploration of the north. Book summer accommodation well in advance -- Akureyri's limited hotel stock fills quickly.

Several hotels cluster along the main shopping street, putting you within walking distance of restaurants and the harbour. For budget travellers, the Akureyri HI Hostel is well-regarded and centrally located. Airbnb-style apartments are also available throughout town and offer good value for families or groups.

Lake Myvatn

The Myvatn area has a good selection of guesthouses, farm stays, and a few small hotels scattered around the lakeshore and along the road to Husavik. Staying at Myvatn puts you right in the middle of the volcanic landscapes, with Dimmuborgir, Hverir, and the Nature Baths all within a short drive. The area is also excellent for northern lights viewing in winter due to low light pollution.

Reykjahlid, the small village on the northeast shore, is the main service point with a supermarket, fuel station, and several guesthouses. Accommodation on the south and east shores tends to be quieter, with farm stays offering more solitude and direct views of the pseudocraters.

Husavik

Husavik has a growing range of guesthouses, small hotels, and holiday apartments. Staying here is ideal if whale watching is a priority, as you can catch early morning boats without a long drive. The town's restaurants and harbour atmosphere make it a pleasant place to spend an evening after a day on the Diamond Circle.

Several whale watching companies offer package deals that include accommodation in partner guesthouses. The harbour-side area is the most convenient location, with restaurants, the whale museum, and boat departures all within walking distance.

Camping

Campsites operate at Akureyri, Myvatn, Husavik, and Asbyrgi during the summer months (typically June through August). Facilities range from basic to well-equipped, with the Asbyrgi campsite being a particular favourite for its sheltered location within the canyon. Wild camping requires landowner permission in Iceland. Campsite fees are typically 1,500-2,500 ISK per person per night.

When to Visit

Summer (June to August) is the peak season for North Iceland and for good reason. The midnight sun provides near-endless daylight, whale watching conditions are at their best, all roads are open, and the landscapes are green and accessible. This is also when midges are most active around Myvatn -- a minor nuisance that a head net easily solves. July and early August offer the warmest temperatures, typically 12-16 degrees Celsius in Akureyri.

Winter (November to February) transforms North Iceland into a northern lights destination. The long dark nights provide ideal aurora viewing conditions, and Myvatn's volcanic landscapes under snow are hauntingly beautiful. Akureyri's ski resort operates through winter, and whale watching from Husavik runs year-round. However, some mountain roads close, including Route 864 to Dettifoss east bank, and driving conditions require caution.

The shoulder seasons of May and September offer a compelling compromise. In May, spring arrives with lengthening days and migrating birds returning to Myvatn. September brings the first hints of autumn colour and the possibility of northern lights alongside reasonable daylight hours. Visitor numbers drop significantly in shoulder season, and accommodation prices fall with them.

Road conditions are the key variable for any visit outside peak summer. Route 1 between Reykjavik and Akureyri is maintained year-round but can close temporarily in severe storms. The mountain roads accessing Dettifoss and Asbyrgi may close from October to May depending on snow. Always check road.is for current conditions before planning your route.