North & East Iceland Self-Guided Walking Tour

North & East Iceland Self-Guided Walking Tour Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival in Akureyri

Arrive in Akureyri, North Iceland (via direct flight or through Keflavík International Airport plus a domestic connection). Pick up your rental car and drive to the Lake Mývatn area, where you’ll stay for the next three nights. Along the way, make sure to stop at Goðafoss, the Waterfall of the Gods. If you arrive late, you can opt to stay the first night in Akureyri and drive to Lake Mývatn the following day.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Akureyri or Mývatn area
Meals: None

Day 2 Explore Lake Mývatn area

The fertile land around Lake Mývatn is one of the largest breeding grounds for ducks, waders, and other bird species. Explore the unique lava formations of Dimmuborgir or walk around the volcanic pseudo craters in Skútustaðir. For a more challenging adventure, hike up Hverfjall crater for breathtaking views of the surrounding area. Don’t miss the sulphur mud hot springs at Námaskarð, near the active Krafla volcano, and visit the nearby Víti crater (also known as Hell). Stay for a second night in the Mývatn area.

Walking options:

• Dimmuborgir (Easy 570m – 1.8km)
  Dimmuborgir features unique lava formations, formed about 2,300 years ago. These formations are only found here and along the coasts of Mexico. The area offers excellent walking paths suitable for all abilities, including wheelchair access. You can choose from five short and easy routes within Dimmuborgir, so feel free to explore as many as you like.
• Skútustaðir Craters (Easy 1.6 – 2.9km)
  Skútustaðir consists of volcanic pseudo craters formed by gas explosions when boiling lava flowed over wet, cool surfaces about 2,300 years ago.
• Hverfjall (Challenging 600m to 4km)
  The trail to the Hverfjall crater rim is relatively easy from the NW parking lot, stretching approximately 600m. The circular route around the crater is about 3.2 km. Hiking to the highest point takes about 15-20 minutes, and completing the full circle takes about an hour.

Overnight Location: Hotel in Mývatn area
Meals: Breakfast

Day 3 Whale Watching, Ásbyrgi Canyon & Dettifoss Waterfall Adventure

Drive to Húsavík, a traditional fishing village now known as Iceland’s whale-watching capital. Whale-watching tours depart from the harbor, and you can also visit the whale museum in the village. Afterward, continue along the Tjörnes Peninsula to Ásbyrgi National Park, a horseshoe-shaped canyon with a pond at its base. Several walking options are available within and near Ásbyrgi. You can also visit Hljóðaklettar, a distinctive group of columnar rock formations at the entrance to Vesturdalur, by the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river, where additional walking opportunities await. Before returning to the Mývatn area for a third night, make a stop at Dettifoss, Europe’s most powerful waterfall.

Walking options:

• Ásbyrgi (Various options, easy to challenging)
  Ásbyrgi is a unique horseshoe-shaped hollow with a variety of walking routes to suit all levels. The nearby Gljúfrastofa visitor center offers services, and the area has camping facilities and great opportunities to explore nature.
• Hljóðaklettar (Challenging 3km)
  Hljóðaklettar is known for its cliff acoustics, basalt columns, honeycomb weathering, and caves, making for an exciting and challenging hike.
• Dettifoss-Selfoss (Easy 2.5 km)
  This easy trail offers contrasting landscapes, from the powerful Dettifoss waterfall to the elegant Selfoss waterfall. You can return via the same path or continue south to Selfoss and loop back to the parking area, completing the circuit.

Overnight Location: Hotel in Mývatn area
Meals: Breakfast

Day 4 Drive to Borgarfjörður Eystri & Hike Stuðlagil Canyon

Today, drive from the Lake Mývatn area through the highland desert to Borgarfjörður Eystri in East Iceland. Along the way, we recommend stopping to walk to Stuðlagil Canyon. Borgarfjörður Eystri offers a variety of hiking options, with about 27 day-routes in the area. This region is known for its well-marked trails and excellent facilities for hikers. It has earned the reputation as a "Paradise of the Hiker," thanks to local efforts in trail marking and the creation of a high-quality hiking map. Over the years, services for hikers have improved, making it one of the best-organized hiking regions in Iceland. Stay in Borgarfjörður Eystri for 3 nights.
Overnight Location: Borgarfjörður Eystri
Meals: Breakfast

Day 5 Puffins, Hiking, and Scenic Views in Borgarfjörður Eystri

After exploring Borgarfjörður Eystri, you'll discover that this small village is a destination in itself. Not only is it nestled in a stunningly beautiful area, but it is also home to around 10,000 pairs of puffins that nest every summer. Borgarfjörður Eystri is considered one of the best and safest places in Iceland to watch puffins. The puffin harbor offers a shelter and wooden platforms that allow you to get up close to these charming birds without the risk of falling into a burrow or off a cliff. Puffins can be seen here from mid-April to mid-August. For walking enthusiasts, the area also offers a variety of trails to explore.

Walking options:

• Brúnavíkurskarð Circle (Challenging 15km)
  This hike begins at Kolbeinsfjara and takes you over the Brúnavikurskard pass (350m) to the refuge hut at Brúnavik inlet. Although some parts of the descent are steep, the trail is well-established and offers beautiful grassy and gravelly terrain. The return via Hofstrandarskarð makes a great circuit, but be sure to avoid crossing Hofströnd farm. After reaching the Brotagil canyon trail crossing, follow a rough 4WD track to Hofstrandarskard pass and down to the road at Hólahorn. From there, walk approximately 4km along the road back to Kolbeinsfjara.
• Unaós – Stapavík (Easy 9km)
  This easy hike starts above Unaós farm and follows the Selfljót River to the seashore and Stapavík cove, once used as a ship unloading place.
• Innra Hvanngil (Easy 0.5km)
  A short, easy walk into Innra-Hvannagil canyon leads you through a charming landscape with unique rock formations and rhyolite riverbed, offering a peaceful and scenic experience.

Overnight Location: Borgarfjörður Eystri
Meals: Breakfast

Day 6 Exploring Stórurð and Dyrfjöll's Glacial Landscape

Stórurð, one of Iceland’s most stunning natural sights, was relatively unknown until a few decades ago. Now, it is a popular destination for hikers eager to explore the area beneath the majestic Dyrfjöll peaks. The landscape was shaped during the last Ice Age, and remnants of the cirque glacier that once existed can still be seen at the base of the peaks. Gigantic blocks of hyaloclastite tuff and volcanic breccia, which once collapsed from the glacier, now rest scattered across the valley floor.

The striking landscape of Stórurð features massive stone blocks, blue-green ponds, and lush meadows. The area offers a variety of experiences, from exploring caves beneath the rocks to navigating narrow passages. Five marked trails lead to and from Stórurð, with the most popular starting at Vatnsskarð pass, though choosing a different route can offer more solitude and a chance to experience different views. The best time to visit is from mid-July until autumn, as snow often lingers until late summer. Be sure to stick to marked trails and inform someone of your plans, as mobile phone coverage is limited, and deep holes can sometimes be hidden between the rocks. The safest route is the Stórurð circuit trail.
Overnight Location: Borgarfjörður Eystri
Meals: Breakfast

Day 7 Final day of adventure and optional activities

Depending on your departure flight, you can either drive back to Akureyri for a final overnight stay or head to Egilsstaðir for a domestic flight to Reykjavik, followed by an overnight stay in the capital. Use any extra time at leisure or book one of the many optional activities available in the north or Reykjavik.

Optional activities:
North: Mývatn Nature Baths, Akureyri Forest Lagoon, Whale Watching
Reykjavik: Whale Watching, Reykjavik Food Walk, Sky Lagoon (Additional options are also available.)
Overnight Location: Hotel in Akureyri or Reykjavik
Meals: Breakfast

Day 8 Departure Day

Depending on your departure flight, you’ll either depart from Akureyri International Airport or make your way from Reykjavik to Keflavik International Airport.
Overnight Location: None
Meals: Breakfast