One day, several sides of North Iceland
Lake Mývatn brings together many of the landscapes that make North Iceland distinctive: water, volcanic terrain, unusual lava formations and geothermal activity. The existing tour description also highlights the region’s wildlife and the way nature and local stories meet here. Rather than choosing just one of those experiences, the private day from Akureyri combines several of them in a single journey.
The route begins with Goðafoss before continuing towards the Lake Mývatn area. Along the way, the focus changes from a famous waterfall to pseudo craters, sculptural lava and steaming ground. It is a varied day, but it is not presented as a rigid checklist. Júlli’s tour information makes clear that the itinerary is flexible and that interests and preferences can help shape the experience.
From Akureyri to the Waterfall of the Gods
Goðafoss is the first named stop in the tour overview. Known there as the “Waterfall of the Gods”, it introduces the combination of landscapes and legends that runs through the day. The journey starts in Akureyri, with private transportation connecting the waterfall and the places around Mývatn.
A private tour makes the day personal rather than simply following a group schedule. The published description invites guests to share particular interests or requests so that the route can be adjusted to suit their pace. Whether the landscape, local stories or a quieter scenic stop matters most to you, that conversation belongs at the beginning of planning the day.
Throughout the day, I’ll share the stories, history, and quiet moments that make this region so unforgettable — all at a pace that’s relaxed, personal, and designed around you.
The places that shape the route
The tour’s existing itinerary names these highlights. They provide a useful picture of the day, while the exact experience remains subject to interests, time and conditions.
- Goðafoss — the “Waterfall of the Gods”.
- Skútustaðir — gentle pseudo craters in the Lake Mývatn area.
- Dimmuborgir — surreal lava formations and volcanic scenery.
- Hverir — steaming mud pools and fumaroles.
- Views across the volcanic terrain, with a possible visit to the Mývatn Nature Baths when time and interest allow.
Skútustaðir and Dimmuborgir
Skútustaðir’s pseudo craters and Dimmuborgir’s lava formations show two different parts of the region’s volcanic character. The tour description invites guests to walk among the craters and explore the unusual lava shapes. These stops are not described as interchangeable viewpoints: each brings a different landscape into the day.
The published overview places those surroundings alongside the region’s nature and folklore. Júlli’s approach is to share the stories and history that accompany the scenery, rather than treating the route only as a sequence of photographs. It is this combination of places and context that gives the private tour its character.
Hverir: a different kind of landscape
Hverir adds an unmistakably geothermal stop to the itinerary. The existing tour page describes bubbling mud pools, fumaroles and steam rising from the earth. Together, they offer a contrast to the water and greener surroundings elsewhere around Mývatn.
The cover photograph for this story comes from the same tour page and shows steam above mineral-coloured hills. The gallery offers another contrast in the winter view below. These photographs are already part of the website; here they are arranged within a story so that the landscape and the practical information can be read together.
A possible pause at the Nature Baths
The Mývatn Nature Baths are an optional part of the day, not a guaranteed stop. The current tour description says that a visit can be included when time and interest allow, and describes it as a peaceful soak with panoramic views. If that experience is important to you, mention it while discussing the itinerary rather than assuming it is included automatically.
Additional entry fees are listed separately from the tour inclusions. The same applies to meals. Keeping those distinctions clear helps you plan the day without confusing private transportation and guiding with admission to an optional attraction.
What the existing tour information includes
- Duration: 6-8 hours.
- Availability: all year, according to the current tour details.
- A comfortable private vehicle for up to six guests.
- Private transportation, pickup and dropoff.
- An English-speaking driver and guide, with free Wi-Fi on board.
- A light selection of snacks and water.
- Meals and additional entry fees are not included.
Planning a private day
The tour page also identifies this trip as suitable for a shore excursion. When making arrangements, share the timing and preferences that matter to you so the day can be discussed as a private experience. The published itinerary explicitly allows for adjustments to special interests rather than promising exactly the same route to every guest.
Icelandic weather can change quickly, and the existing tour details note that changing road conditions may require adjustments at short notice. That is another reason to think of the listed stops as the plan for a flexible day, not an unconditional promise that every place will be visited in every circumstance.
See the current tour details
This article brings together information already on the site. For the current booking information and the complete description, use the Lake Mývatn tour page below. If you have a particular interest or question about the route, contact Júlli before choosing your day.