About This Experience

The Mývatn area is where Iceland's volcanic nature is most viscerally on display. Within a few square kilometres around this shallow lake, you can walk the rim of a near-perfect volcanic crater, stand beside boiling mud pots that hiss and gurgle, explore a lava labyrinth, and finish the day soaking in mineral-rich geothermal water with views across the whole surreal landscape.

We based ourselves at Vogafjós Farm Resort (our favourite accommodation of the entire Iceland trip) and spent a full day exploring the area. Each site felt like a different chapter of a geology textbook brought to life. Hverfjall crater was austere and windswept, Hverir was aggressively alien, the Dimmuborgir lava formations were dark and labyrinthine, and the Mývatn Nature Baths at the end of the day were pure reward.

The sulphur smell at Hverir took some getting used to — it hits you the moment you step out of the car. But after about 20 minutes, your nose adjusts and you barely notice it. The landscape more than compensates.

What to Expect

The main sites are spread around Lake Mývatn and can be visited in any order. Here's how we structured our day:

Hverfjall Crater — A near-perfect tephra ring crater about 1 kilometre in diameter. The hike up from the car park takes about 20 minutes on loose gravel, and from the rim you get 360-degree views across the lake and surrounding volcanic landscape. The full rim walk takes about an hour.

Hverir (Námaskarð) — A geothermal field right beside Route 1, east of the lake. Boiling mud pots, steaming fumaroles, and cracked earth in shades of orange, yellow, and white. A boardwalk loops through the area in about 30-40 minutes. The ground is genuinely hot — stay on the marked path.

Dimmuborgir — A field of dramatic lava formations that resemble a dark, ruined city. Several marked walking trails loop through the area, from 15 minutes to an hour. The formations were created when a lava lake drained and left behind pillars and arches.

Mývatn Nature Baths — The north Iceland answer to the Blue Lagoon, but smaller, cheaper, and with a fraction of the crowds. The milky-blue geothermal water sits at about 38-40°C, with views across the volcanic landscape. We ended every day here and never tired of it.

Practical Tips

• Base yourself at Mývatn for at least two nights to see everything without rushing
• Do Hverfjall crater in the morning when wind is usually calmer
• Hverir has no entry fee; just park at the roadside lot and walk in
• At Hverir, stay strictly on marked paths — the ground around mud pots is unstable and dangerously hot
• Dimmuborgir is family-friendly and sheltered; a good midday stop
• Mývatn Nature Baths are best booked for late afternoon as a reward after a day of exploring
• Nature Baths entry is about 5,500 ISK — significantly cheaper than the Blue Lagoon
• The midges (Mývatn literally means "midge lake") are fierce in summer — bring a head net
• Vogafjós Farm Resort is worth the splurge; the cow-barn breakfast room is unforgettable
• The whole area is compact — everything is within a 15-minute drive of the lake