Akureyri: Lake Mývatn & Northern Lights – Winter Special

Catch the aurora, then chase volcanoes. This two-day outing pairs Lake Mývatn’s strange volcanic scenery with a nighttime Northern Lights hunt outside Akureyri. I like the efficient design: airport pickup, accommodation transfers, two guided trips, and a small group of no more than 18 people are wrapped into one plan. The main drawback is simple: the Northern Lights are never guaranteed, and the long winter drives depend on weather.

I also like the range of stops, from Goðafoss waterfall to Dimmuborgir and the bubbling ground at Hverarönd. Guide Sigi, also written as Ziggie in one account, received especially warm praise for keeping the drives informative and good-humored. You should book the aurora outing early in your stay, though, since a missed sighting may be offered again only if another date is available.

Key points to know before booking

• Two very different days: A 9:30 PM aurora hunt is followed by a 9 AM day trip through North Iceland.
• Lake Mývatn is the main event: Expect lava formations, pseudocraters, a cave, hot springs, and waterfall views.
• The Nature Baths cost extra: Bring a swimsuit and towel if you want to add the geothermal soak.
• Airport help is built in for EasyJet passengers: Pickup and departure transfer are included when flight information is provided.
• Sigi, or Ziggie, may guide both outings: His clear commentary and friendly driving were a major strength.
• A small group keeps the day manageable: The vehicle is limited to 18 people, though this is still a full day on the road.

Why this two-day Akureyri package works well

Akureyri is a useful base for exploring northeastern Iceland, but planning winter excursions here can be awkward. Roads, clouds, darkness, and changing conditions all affect your choices. This package removes much of that guesswork by joining an evening aurora search with a full daytime circuit around Lake Mývatn.

You pay $350 per person for two days of guided touring, plus airport transfers for EasyJet passengers. Meals, drinks, personal spending, and the Nature Baths admission are not included. At first glance, that price may feel high, but it covers transportation, a guide, the Mývatn route, and a separate Northern Lights outing. For someone arriving on EasyJet and staying in Akureyri, the airport help adds real value.

The package is best for you if you want a ready-made plan rather than a rental car. It also suits anyone who prefers a guide to explain the odd volcanic features instead of simply stopping for photographs. If you want long hikes, private stops, or a slow pace at each site, this may feel too structured.

The schedule is also demanding. The aurora trip leaves at 9:30 PM, and the Mývatn excursion begins at 9 AM. You will need warm clothes, sturdy shoes, and a willingness to spend a good part of the day in a vehicle.

The 9:30 PM Northern Lights search from Akureyri

The evening trip starts by leaving Akureyri’s city lights behind. That matters because even a beautiful aurora can be washed out by streetlights, hotel lighting, and nearby development. The operator chooses the night’s route based on cloud cover and the best chance of finding darker skies.

This is not a fixed sightseeing circuit. You might head in one direction one night and another direction the next. That flexibility is sensible in northern Iceland, where the sky can be clear in one place and clouded over a short distance away.

The key thing to understand is that this is a search, not a show. The Northern Lights are a natural event, and the tour can operate without producing a sighting. If the trip goes ahead and no lights appear, the operator offers another trip for free. That policy is useful, but only if you have enough time left in Akureyri to use it.

For that reason, I strongly recommend scheduling this outing on your first night. A late booking leaves you with no practical chance to try again if clouds or solar activity spoil the view. The tour may also be canceled because of poor weather or sky conditions.

Bring more warmth than you think you need. You may spend time outside waiting, and the supplied advice specifically calls for layered clothing and sturdy footwear. Comfortable shoes are useful during stops, but this is not the place for fashion-first footwear.

The aurora portion received the strongest praise for its result and its guide. One February departure had a memorable display, while the same guide also handled the next day’s route. That continuity can make the package feel more personal and less like two unrelated bus outings.

Goðafoss gives the morning a strong start

The daytime trip leaves at 9 AM and first follows the coast of Eyjafjörður, one of Iceland’s longest fjords. The drive gives you a sense of the region before the volcanic sights begin. Your final stop later in the day also returns to this fjord, with a view across the water toward Akureyri.

The first major stop is Goðafoss, one of Iceland’s best-known waterfalls. Its name is commonly translated as Waterfall of the Gods, and the broad, falling water makes a strong opening to the day. You get a classic Icelandic nature stop without needing a long hike.

Waterfall conditions can change with the season and weather, so you should expect a viewing stop rather than a carefully timed private visit. In winter, paths and ground can be slippery. Sturdy shoes are not just a suggestion here.

Goðafoss also helps break up the drive toward Lake Mývatn. That matters on a full-day outing. Instead of sitting in the vehicle until the main destination, you get an early chance to stretch your legs and take photographs.

Lake Mývatn explains northeastern Iceland’s volcanic character

Lake Mývatn was formed by a large basaltic lava eruption about 2,300 years ago. The area around it is packed with volcanic features, and the tour gives you several ways to read that story. You are not just looking at a lake. You are moving through a region shaped by fire, cooling rock, steam, and water.

The sights here are varied enough to keep the route interesting. Lava pillars rise in unusual shapes. Rootless vents show where lava interacted with wet ground without forming a normal volcano. Pseudocraters at Skútustaðagígar add another odd detail to the area.

The strength of a guided trip is clearest at places like these. Without explanation, a lava pillar may look like a strange rock. With a guide, you get a clearer idea of why the formations appear where they do and how the region developed.

Still, keep your expectations practical. This is a sightseeing circuit, not a geology field course. You will make several stops, but time at each one is limited by daylight, road conditions, and the rest of the schedule. The good news is that the trip has been praised for offering plenty of time to explore without feeling rushed.

Grjótagjá and Hverarönd offer two kinds of geothermal drama

Grjótagjá cave is one of the route’s more unusual stops. It is a lava cave with geothermal water inside, a reminder that volcanic activity continues below the surface even when the ground looks still. The cave is a visual stop and a good place to see how lava shaped the area from below.

The next stop is Hverarönd in Námaskarð, a hot spring area marked by geothermal activity. Here, the attraction is not a single grand view but the ground itself. Steam, hot springs, and unusual earth colors create a sharp contrast with Iceland’s colder surroundings.

You should stay alert at geothermal sites and follow the guide’s instructions. The ground can be unstable or dangerously hot in places. Do not treat a steaming patch as a harmless puddle.

These stops also show why comfortable shoes matter. You may walk over uneven ground, and winter conditions can make a short path more tiring than expected. If you prefer polished visitor facilities at every stop, this part of the outing may feel raw and basic. That is also its appeal.

The Mývatn Nature Baths are the relaxing option

The Nature Baths give the day a slower middle section. If you choose this option, you can soak in warm geothermal water while surrounded by the area’s volcanic setting. It is a fitting way to experience Iceland’s heat beneath the surface without turning the whole day into a spa visit.

Admission is not included in the $350 price. Swimwear and a towel are also your responsibility, so pack both if you want to use the baths. Meals and drinks are not included either, so plan your personal spending accordingly.

You should also allow for changing conditions at the baths. During one February outing, the Mývatn facility was closed for refurbishment. The operator offered an alternative bath location about 45 minutes away, but one person chose not to go because they had already visited Forest Lagoon the previous evening. Instead, the guide dropped them in a local town to explore while the others visited the alternative.

That detail is useful because it shows both the benefit and limit of the package. The operator made an effort to provide another option, but the replacement added driving time and was not the same experience. If the Nature Baths are central to your plans, check their operating status before departure and keep your expectations flexible.

Dimmuborgir is the route’s most memorable lava stop

Dimmuborgir, often called the Dark Fortress area, is known for its unusual lava formations. Cooling lava created walls, pillars, and shapes that make the area feel far removed from a normal road trip stop.

This is one of the places where the tour’s variety pays off. After the open water at Lake Mývatn and the steam at Hverarönd, Dimmuborgir gives you a more enclosed and textured setting. You get a chance to walk among the formations and see the rock at close range.

The amount of walking depends on the stop and conditions, but you should not treat the day as a sit-in-the-vehicle tour. Warm layers, sturdy shoes, and sensible clothing will make the outdoor portions far more comfortable.

Dimmuborgir is also a good example of why this route suits first-time visitors to the region. In one day, you see several different results of volcanic activity rather than repeating the same type of viewpoint.

Skútustaðagígar and the final fjord view round out the day

The pseudocraters at Skútustaðagígar are another unusual feature near Lake Mývatn. These formations look like small volcanic craters, but they did not form from a traditional eruption vent. Their presence adds another layer to the region’s story and gives you a different view of how lava and water interacted.

The final stop is back in Eyjafjörður, where you can look across the fjord toward Akureyri. This is a useful closing viewpoint because it reconnects the day’s distant sights with your base. It is also a practical photo stop, especially if the weather gives you a clear view.

The route covers a lot of ground, so the final fjord stop may feel like a welcome pause rather than another major attraction. I appreciate that the tour ends with a broad regional view instead of simply returning to town without a final look back.

Transport, group size, and guide quality

The small-group limit is 18 people. That is not a private tour, but it is more manageable than a large coach. A smaller vehicle can make boarding quicker and help the guide keep the group together at outdoor stops.

The guide is a major part of the experience. Sigi was praised for leading both the evening and daytime trips, explaining the sights, and keeping people entertained during the longer drives. Another account spells the name as Ziggie, so you may see either version used.

The airport service is especially helpful for EasyJet passengers. Pickup is complimentary when you provide the flight details, and the operator also takes you back to Akureyri Airport on departure day. You will need to provide your accommodation details for pickup for the two outings.

This service saves you from arranging a separate airport taxi, but do not assume it applies to every airline. The included airport shuttle is specifically described for EasyJet flights.

The tour language is English. You should also tell the operator your accommodation information in advance so the pickup plan is clear.

Is $350 a fair price for two days?

For two guided touring days, $350 can be reasonable, especially if you are flying EasyJet into Akureyri and would otherwise pay separately for airport transfers and transport around the region. You receive the Mývatn tour, the Northern Lights hunt, a guide, and airport service.

The value drops if you do not want the Nature Baths, since entry is extra, or if you are already renting a car. A rental car gives you more freedom, though winter driving in North Iceland brings its own concerns and responsibilities. This package is buying convenience as much as sightseeing.

Food and drinks are also separate, so do not treat the $350 as an all-inclusive price. You should budget for meals, snacks, personal expenses, and any bath admission.

The strongest value comes from the combination of experiences. A single outing to Lake Mývatn would give you the daytime sights, but not the chance to search for the aurora. A separate aurora tour might leave the daytime route unplanned. Here, both are arranged around the same short stay.

Who should book this Akureyri experience?

I would choose this package if you have two days in Akureyri, want to see Lake Mývatn without driving, and care about trying for the Northern Lights. It is also a strong fit for EasyJet passengers who want airport transfers handled from the start.

You will probably appreciate it if you like varied stops, clear scheduling, and a guide who adds context during the drive. The itinerary gives you waterfalls, geothermal areas, lava formations, a cave, pseudocraters, fjord views, and a possible hot-water soak.

I would hesitate if you need guaranteed aurora viewing, dislike long road days, or want to set your own pace. The lights may not appear, weather can change the plan, and the Nature Baths are an optional extra rather than a guaranteed part of the price.

Book the Northern Lights outing for your first evening. That is the most useful practical choice in the entire plan. If the sky stays dark and empty, you have a better chance of using the free repeat option before leaving Akureyri.

FAQ

Is the Northern Lights sighting guaranteed?

No. The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon, and sightings cannot be guaranteed. The tour depends on weather and sky conditions. If the trip operates but no lights are seen, another trip is offered for free.

What time do the two tours start?

The Northern Lights tour starts at 9:30 PM. The Lake Mývatn, Goðafoss, and Nature Baths tour starts at 9 AM.

Is the Mývatn Nature Baths admission included?

No. Entry to the Mývatn Nature Baths is not included in the tour price. You also need to bring your own swimsuit and towel.

Does the tour include airport pickup?

Complimentary airport shuttle service is provided for EasyJet passengers who have purchased a combo tour. You must provide your flight information, and airport transportation is also provided back to Akureyri Airport on departure day.

What language is the tour conducted in?

The live guided tour is conducted in English.

Can I cancel the booking?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. The reserve-now, pay-later option allows you to hold a place without paying immediately.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want an organized two-day introduction to northeastern Iceland, especially if you are arriving on EasyJet and do not plan to rent a car. The mix of volcanic sights, geothermal water, fjord views, and a serious aurora search gives you a lot for a short stay.

Just keep the limits in view: the Northern Lights depend on nature, the Nature Baths cost extra, and winter weather may alter the plan. If you can accept those conditions, the route offers good variety, useful transport, and a guide such as Sigi who can make the long drives feel worthwhile.