| Duration: | 9 Hour(s) - 0 Minute(s) |
| Tour Category: | Full Day Tours |
Experience the beauty of ‘the Waterfall of the Gods’, witness the Lake Mývatn area and bask in the healing geothermal waters of the Mývatn Nature Baths. This tour is perfect for anyone in north Iceland wishing to indulge in luxury without missing out on essential sightseeing.
This tour begins as you are picked up from a predetermined location in Akureyri, ‘the Capital of the North’; the excursion is designed to be personal, thus you can be guaranteed a small group. Once you are all gathered, you will make your way east, towards Lake Mývatn.
En route, however, you will stop at the mighty and iconic Goðafoss waterfall, a feature as renowned for its breathtaking beauty and power as it is for its history. Located in the glacier river Skjálfandafljót, it is twelve metres high and thirty metres wide.
Its name, which translates to ‘Waterfall of the Gods’, comes not from its appearance though you would be forgiven for thinking so, but for its role in Iceland’s conversion to Christianity over a millennium ago, in 1000 AD. The lawspeaker of Iceland at the time, a man called Þorgeir, chose Christendom over the Old Norse Faith under the threat of invasion from Norway, and to symbolise it, tossed idols of the Old Gods into this waterfall.
After marvelling over Goðafoss and learning about its history, you will continue your journey east, passing through the spectacular Lake Mývatn region. You can expect to see vast lava fields, serene waters with unusual rock formations cropping from them, and rows of craters as you travel. Your destination, however, is the Mývatn Nature Baths.
Located by the tiny, quaint settlement of Reykjahlíð, which overlooks the lake, these geothermally heated pools are renowned for their healing waters, beautiful surrounding nature and steam baths. It is the perfect location to recharge, a lovely place to take a break in a busy holiday, and the admission is included in the price.
Once you have fully enjoyed the lagoon and facilities for over two hours, it is time to return to Akureyri, back along the scenic route from which you came.
