Lake Mývatn in North Iceland is a volcanic lake with a ring of sights around it: the Dimmuborgir lava formations, the Hverir mud pots, the Krafla caldera, the Skútustaðagígar pseudocraters and the Grjótagjá cave (visitmyvatn.is, read 7 November 2026). It is one stop of the Diamond Circle loop with Dettifoss, Ásbyrgi and Húsavík. This page contains partner links: if you book, we earn a commission at no cost to you.
Highlights
Dimmuborgir
Lava formations created when hot lava flowed over ponds and trapped water beneath it; climbing is not allowed because the rock is brittle and fragile.
Hverir
A geothermal field east of the lake with mud pots and steam vents; the pots reach over 200°C.
Krafla
A caldera described as 10 km long and 2 km deep, with the Leirhnjúkur lava fields, the Víti crater and the Leirbotn geothermal power station.
Skútustaðagígar
Pseudocraters formed when lava flowed over wetlands, popular with birdwatchers.
Grjótagjá
A small cave that was once a bathing spot; geological activity from 1975 to 1984 made the water too hot to bathe in.
Húsavík
Called the whale watching capital of Iceland; see Húsavík.
Practical info
Tips
- The tourism board says northern lights can be seen for eight months of the year, and cites a study by Sel Hotel in which the chance of seeing them rose from 41% for one night to 71% for three nights. The baths are covered on the Mývatn baths page; the waterfall on the way is Goðafoss; the loop's big waterfall is Dettifoss. The base town is Akureyri, and the trip from Reykjavík is described in Reykjavík to Akureyri. The source gives no distance from Akureyri; the Mývatn baths are 89 km from Akureyri per the baths' own site. The area is easiest by car, see Iceland car rental; the Discover Cars link in the box leads to the Iceland page. In the east, see the Vök Baths.
How to get there
North Iceland, about 89 km from Akureyri by road per the Mývatn baths' site; best by rental car.
Opening hours
Nearby
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