Akureyri Port: Lake Mývatn & Goðafoss Waterfall Day Trip

Volcanic scenery, waterfall drama, and a warm soak. This seven-hour outing from Akureyri packs several of northern Iceland’s best sights into one well-planned day, with Goðafoss Waterfall and the unusual volcanic terrain around Lake Mývatn as its main rewards. I especially like the small-group format and the way the route combines major sights with time to walk around, rather than keeping you inside the van all day.

I also like the guides’ strong personal connection to the area. Johanna, Agust, Siggi, Bo, and Matti all received especially warm praise for their humor, flexibility, and local knowledge. The main consideration is time: you cover a lot of ground, and the optional Mývatn Nature Baths stop may depend on your cruise ship’s departure schedule.

Five things to know before you book

• Goðafoss arrives early: The 39-foot waterfall is the first major sight, giving you a strong start before the longer drive to Mývatn.
• The route covers several kinds of volcanic terrain: You see Skútustaðagígar’s pseudocraters, Dimmuborgir’s lava formations, Hverir’s steaming ground, and the tectonic rift area.
• The Mývatn Nature Baths are optional: Allow about 1.5 hours for the soak if your ship schedule permits, and bring a swimsuit and towel.
• This is built for cruise passengers: Pickup is at Akureyri Cruise Terminal, but the port name and berth matter because Akureyri has more than one cruise landing area.
• The $179 price buys convenience: Food, drinks, and the bath entrance are extra, but the price covers port pickup, transport, guiding, and a full day in a large area.
• Guides are a major strength: The tour has earned a 4.8 rating from 75 reviews, with repeated praise for Johanna, Agust, Siggi, Bo, and Matti.

Why this Akureyri day trip works

Akureyri is a pleasant base, but the most unusual scenery lies east of town around Lake Mývatn. If you have only one port day, reaching that region on your own can be awkward. This tour solves the basic problem: you are collected at the port, driven between the sights, and returned to the same terminal.

The route takes about seven hours. That is long enough to reach the main attractions without turning the day into a rushed race through northern Iceland. Still, this is not a slow, wandering excursion. You will have set sightseeing periods, short drives between many stops, and one longer return journey to Akureyri.

I like the balance of stops. Goðafoss gives you a classic Icelandic waterfall, while Mývatn offers something stranger: pseudocraters, lava pillars, boiling mud, fumaroles, and ground shaped by volcanic activity. You are not seeing the same view repeatedly.

The small-group setup is another practical advantage. One passenger described the outing as a smaller group that could move quickly, which matters when your ship has a fixed departure time. A guide also adjusted the route after a cruise ship shortened the time ashore, fitting in the main sights despite the tighter schedule.

There is one caution. The tour operator may consolidate passengers with another company on some dates. One booking was switched to Fox for this reason, though the passenger still described the group as small and the guide as excellent. If having the exact named operator every time matters to you, confirm the arrangement before departure.

From Akureyri port along Eyjafjörður

Your day starts at Akureyri Cruise Terminal. Make sure the operator has the correct name of your ship, since there are multiple port areas in Akureyri.

At Tangabryggja Port, look for the small wooden houses outside the cruise ship area. Star Travel is at house number 3. At Oddeyrarbryggja Port, look for the Icewear shop and the nearby area where tour agents gather. The Star Travel representative should have a sign, and staff may wear bright yellow jackets.

The first drive lasts about 30 minutes. The route follows the scenic coast of Eyjafjörður, one of Iceland’s longest fjords, with photo stops along the way. This is a good opening section because it gives you time to settle in, hear about the area, and watch the scenery change as you leave Akureyri.

Your phone number should be reachable in case the company needs to contact you about a change. If you are staying in Akureyri rather than arriving by ship, select the correct accommodation for pickup.

Goðafoss: a powerful first stop

After the first drive, you get roughly 45 minutes at Goðafoss. The waterfall drops about 39 feet in the Skjálfandafljót River, but its appeal is not just height. Broad water pours over a curved rim, creating a forceful, photogenic scene that is easy to appreciate even if you have never studied waterfalls.

The name Goðafoss means Waterfall of the Gods. Your guide can add context while you walk and take photographs, but you also get enough independent time to enjoy the sound and spray without being hurried from one viewpoint to another.

Forty-five minutes is a sensible amount of time here. You can see the falls, take pictures, and listen to the guide without spending so long that later Mývatn stops are squeezed. Bring a jacket, since waterfall weather can feel cooler and wetter than the temperature in town.

This is the most immediately recognizable stop on the route. If your main goal is one memorable waterfall photograph, Goðafoss delivers early. The rest of the day is less about a single grand view and more about understanding how volcanic activity shaped the region.

Skútustaðagígar and Mývatn’s pseudocraters

The drive from Goðafoss to Lake Mývatn takes about 45 minutes. At Skútustaðagígar, you spend around 30 minutes examining the pseudocraters.

Pseudocraters look like volcanic craters, but they were not formed by a conventional eruption vent. Their rounded shapes came from steam explosions when hot lava met wet ground. That makes them an excellent introduction to the odd geology of the Mývatn area.

The stop is more about form and explanation than dramatic scale. You will walk around and look across the low, crater-like shapes, while the guide explains what you are seeing. The terrain can feel exposed, so sensible shoes and a weatherproof outer layer are useful.

This is one of the places where a guide adds real value. Without an explanation, the shapes may simply look like small hills and hollows. With context, you begin to see the entire area as a record of fire, water, and cooling ground.

If you want long hikes, 30 minutes will feel brief. If you are visiting during a cruise port day, the short stop makes sense. You get a clear geological lesson without spending an hour on one modest walking area.

Dimmuborgir’s dark lava formations

A five-minute drive brings you to Dimmuborgir, where the tour allows about 30 minutes. The name refers to the dark lava formations scattered across the area. Jagged rocks, walls, arches, and irregular shapes create a setting that feels more like a ruined stone settlement than ordinary countryside.

The word lunar is often used for Mývatn, and Dimmuborgir is the stop that best explains why. The ground is dark, rough, and heavily sculpted by old lava. It is a sharp contrast to the open water and low volcanic mounds around the lake.

The 30-minute visit is enough to stretch your legs and see the main formations, but it is not a full walking tour. Stay aware of the meeting time. It is easy to pause for one more photograph when the rock shapes keep changing as you move.

During summer, small insects can be bothersome around the lake and lava areas. Johanna handed out bug nets to one group, a thoughtful touch that made the outdoor stops more comfortable. You may not need one every day, but insect protection is worth considering when visiting the Mývatn area in warmer months.

Hverir’s boiling mud and fumaroles

After only another five-minute drive, you reach Hverir for about 30 minutes. This is the most active-looking geothermal stop on the route, with boiling mud pools, steaming ground, and fumaroles sending vapor into the air.

The colors and textures here are very different from Dimmuborgir. Instead of black lava walls, you see pale earth, wet mud, mineral-stained ground, and rising steam. The smell can be strong because of sulfur. I would not call it unpleasant for everyone, but you should be prepared for an unmistakable rotten-egg odor.

Stay on marked paths and follow the guide’s instructions. Geothermal ground is not a place for casual wandering. The short visit gives you a close look at the activity while keeping the schedule moving.

Hverir is also a good reminder that Iceland’s scenery is not only about waterfalls and mountains. The earth itself is active here. Mud bubbles, steam escapes, and the ground has a raw, unfinished appearance.

The Mývatn Nature Baths option

The planned itinerary includes about 1.5 hours at the Mývatn Nature Baths, but this stop depends on your cruise ship’s departure time. If the timing works, it can turn a busy sightseeing day into something more relaxed.

Bring a swimsuit and towel if you want to enter. The entrance fee is not included in the $179 tour price, so budget for it separately. Food and drinks are also extra.

The bath is especially appealing after several outdoor stops. You can warm up, rest your legs, and enjoy the geothermal setting before the drive back to Akureyri. The tradeoff is obvious: time spent soaking is time you are not spending on additional sightseeing, and the stop may be removed if your ship schedule is tight.

Do not assume the bath is guaranteed simply because it appears in the route. Ask about the timing when you book or at the start of the day. The operator has already shown flexibility when ship schedules change, but the final decision must fit your port departure.

The return to Akureyri and the value of $179

The return drive takes about 75 minutes. By this point, you will have visited a waterfall, lake-area pseudocraters, lava formations, geothermal ground, and possibly a thermal bath. The long drive gives you time to rest, but it also means the day contains a fair amount of van travel.

At $179 per person, this is not a cheap shore excursion. The value depends on what you would otherwise have to arrange. The price includes pickup at the port, a live English-speaking guide, transport throughout the day, and access to a region that is far beyond central Akureyri.

Food, drinks, and the Mývatn Nature Baths entrance are not included. Add those costs before comparing this tour with other options. If you prefer a flexible day with long meals and unplanned stops, the fixed schedule may feel restrictive. If you want reliable transport and several major sights in one day, the cost is easier to justify.

The guides are a strong part of the value. Agust was praised for going beyond expectations, Bo for professionalism and humor, and Siggi for making the full day enjoyable. Johanna was noted for her enthusiasm, practical help, and clear affection for Akureyri and the surrounding area. That personal connection can make a major difference on a geology-heavy route.

One passenger did report losing 90 minutes because of mechanical trouble and felt compensation was appropriate. That is a useful reminder that vehicle problems can affect a cruise-day schedule. The experience earned a high overall rating, but no port excursion can remove every transport risk.

Who should book this tour?

I would choose this trip if you are visiting Akureyri by cruise ship and want to see far more than the town in one day. It suits you especially well if you like geology, unusual natural features, waterfall photography, and guided sightseeing with clear timing.

It is also a good choice for anyone who does not want to rent a car or plan a long northern Iceland route independently. The guide handles the driving and connects several sights that would be difficult to combine without your own transport.

Families and mixed-age groups may appreciate the variety. None of the listed stops requires you to spend the whole day on one strenuous activity, though you should be comfortable walking outdoors over uneven ground.

I would hesitate if you want a quiet, slow-paced day or a long visit at each site. The schedule is efficient rather than leisurely. I would also confirm the bath option in advance if that soak is the main reason you are interested.

Final verdict: a strong port-day choice

I recommend this tour for most cruise passengers with seven hours available in Akureyri. Goðafoss provides the classic opening, while Mývatn supplies the stranger and more memorable volcanic scenery. The route is varied, the guides have been praised repeatedly, and the small-group approach helps when ship time is limited.

Book it if you value coverage, local guiding, and dependable port transport. Think twice if you dislike fixed schedules, extra fees for food and bathing, or a substantial amount of driving. For a single day in northern Iceland, though, $179 is a reasonable price for reaching Goðafoss and the Mývatn region without having to organize the logistics yourself.

FAQ

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts about seven hours, including transportation, sightseeing stops, and the return to Akureyri Cruise Terminal.

Where does pickup take place in Akureyri?

Pickup is at Akureyri Cruise Terminal. At Tangabryggja Port, meet at Star Travel’s house number 3. At Oddeyrarbryggja Port, look near the Icewear shop in the designated agent area and find the Star Travel sign or a staff member in a bright yellow jacket.

Is the Mývatn Nature Baths entrance included?

No. The entrance fee is not included. The stop is also dependent on your cruise ship’s departure time.

Should I bring a swimsuit and towel?

Yes, bring both if you want to use the Mývatn Nature Baths and your ship’s schedule allows the stop.

Is food included in the tour price?

No. Food and drinks are not included. The tour includes pickup at Akureyri Port and transport with an English-speaking guide.

What language is the tour conducted in?

The tour is conducted in English with a live tour guide.