Iceland – Day 6

Lake Myvatn Area

Lake Myvatn is located in northern Iceland and is in an area that has been formed from centuries of active volcanism. We had two full days to devote to the Lake Myvatn area since there’s so many scenic opportunities to explore. To our surprise, we found that all of the attractions were close together and most were easily accessible so we were able to knock out pretty much everything we planned to see in one day! If you are planning a trip to Iceland, this is a must-see area as it is chock full of attractions that give you an interesting taste of variety. Check out our itinerary for the day with pictures and short descriptions of each sight.

Hverarond Geothermal Area

This is a beautiful, but smelly area! The rotten egg smell will definitely wake you up for the day, but the scorched, colorful grounds with their steam vents and bubbling mud pots will more than make up for it!

Krafla Caldera

This collapsed volcanic area is a little over 6 miles long and 1 mile deep, and falls along a fissure zone. It contains Leirbotn, a geothermal power station that supplies geothermal energy to the surrounding area, as well as Viti Crater with its teal lake filling the belly of the crater.

 

 

Grjotagja Cave

This is an easily accessible geothermal cave with a pool of super hot water! There are two openings to the cave allowing you in to see the crystal, clear water and jagged rocks. If it weren’t for the tourists flocking to it, you wouldn’t even know that the unassuming cave was sitting quietly on the side of the road. It is stunning!

 

Hverfjall Crater

Hverfjall is a huge, charred crater with an all uphill hike to its rim. Once you reach the top, you get a beautiful view of Lake Myvatn, as well as inside the blackened cone.

 

Dimmuborgir Rock Formations

These massive rock pillars reminded me of some kind of giant rock monsters jutting high up in the sky and looming down over you with their dark, rough facades. They are found in a lava field with pathways cut out for you to get up, close, and personal to their alluring presence.

 

Höfði

One thing that you won’t see a whole lot of in Iceland is trees. Thankfully, Höfði’s lakeside stroll fulfills this need with its quaint forest-like setting. You’ll walk trails that lead you to different peeks of beautiful Lake Myvatn and the lava rocks protruding from the blue-green waters.

 

Stóragjá

Stóragjá is another fissure area. There is a stairway that takes you down into the crevasse where you can walk around and take in the fact that you are standing in a rift where earth is pulling apart!

 

Myvatn Nature Baths

To wrap up our day, we took a dip in the warm waters of the Myvatn Nature Baths. It was a relaxing end to a picturesque day!