Akureyri: Lake Mývatn & Northern Lights – Winter Special

The best part of this two-day outing is the variety. One evening takes you into dark country outside Akureyri to search for the Northern Lights. The next morning brings waterfalls, lava formations, steaming ground, caves, and Lake Mývatn. Guide Sigi handles both trips, keeping the long driving day lively and well paced.

I like the included EasyJet airport shuttle, which removes a tiresome bit of arrival planning. I also like the second-chance policy for the lights: if the Northern Lights tour runs but the sky stays empty, you can take the trip again free of charge. The main caution is simple: the aurora cannot be promised, and the Mývatn Nature Baths are not included in the $350 price.

Key points at a glance

• Two very different outings: A 9:30 PM Northern Lights hunt is paired with a 9 AM full-day trip around Lake Mývatn.
• Volcanic North Iceland: Expect Goðafoss, Grjótagjá cave, Hverarönd’s hot ground, Dimmuborgir, and Skútustaðagígar.
• Guide Sigi leads both tours: This makes the two days feel more connected and keeps communication straightforward.
• Small group of up to 18: You get a more manageable ride than on a large coach, though it is not a private tour.
• Airport help for EasyJet passengers: Pickup and return are included when you provide your flight and accommodation details.
• Bring your own bathing kit: The Nature Baths entry fee, swimsuit, and towel are extra.

Two days, two sides of North Iceland

This experience works because it joins two classic North Iceland moods. At night, you are chasing a shifting natural show in cold, dark surroundings. By day, you are following the volcanic story of the Lake Mývatn region, where lava shaped nearly every stop.

The price is $350 per person. That covers the two guided outings, the Northern Lights hunt, and the airport shuttle for EasyJet passengers. It does not cover meals, drinks, personal spending, or admission to the Mývatn Nature Baths.

I see the value most clearly if you need an airport transfer and want both major activities arranged for you. You avoid hiring a car, planning the route, or guessing where the sky might clear. The value is less certain if you mainly want a guaranteed aurora or if you have already booked another geothermal lagoon.

This is a small-group trip, limited to 18 people, with an English-speaking guide. It is not a private excursion, but the group size should make stops easier to manage than they would be on a large bus.

The 9:30 PM Northern Lights hunt

The evening outing leaves at 9:30 PM and heads away from Akureyri’s city lights. The exact direction changes from night to night, based on cloud cover and the guide’s sense of where viewing conditions look best. That flexibility matters in North Iceland, where a short distance can make the difference between a cloudy sky and a clear one.

You should think of this as a search, not a theater performance. The aurora is a natural event, and even a well-timed trip may produce no lights. Weather and sky conditions can also cancel the outing.

The operator offers a useful arrangement if the tour goes ahead but the lights do not appear: you can take the Northern Lights trip again free of charge. For that reason, I would schedule it for your first night in Akureyri whenever possible. You need another evening available to use the second chance.

The first night also gives you a practical way to adjust. If the tour is canceled or the sky stays blank, you still have time to move it to another night. Booking it at the end of your stay removes that option.

Dress for standing outside, not just for sitting in a vehicle. Warm layers and sturdy shoes are specifically advised. Comfortable footwear matters during any waits at viewing spots, where the ground may not be as smooth or dry as a city pavement.

The Northern Lights are the tour’s biggest uncertainty, but that does not make the outing poor value. The guide is doing the useful work of watching conditions and taking you beyond city glare. Just do not buy this package expecting a guaranteed green arc overhead.

Goðafoss begins the Mývatn day

The daytime trip starts at 9 AM and follows the coast of Eyjafjörður, one of Iceland’s longest fjords. The first major stop is Goðafoss, a broad and impressive waterfall that makes a strong opening to the day.

Goðafoss is especially useful early in the route because it gives you an immediate sense of North Iceland’s scale. You get rushing water, open views, and a landmark that feels very different from the volcanic sites later in the day. Keep your shoes practical, since outdoor stops call for more than city trainers.

From there, the route continues toward Lake Mývatn. The lake formed after a large basaltic lava eruption about 2,300 years ago, and the surrounding area is filled with volcanic features. You are not simply visiting a scenic lake. You are moving through a region shaped by fire, cooling rock, steam, and unusual lava activity.

The long drive is part of the experience, but it also means this is a full day of sightseeing. If you prefer short transfers and long periods at one location, this is not the right format. If you want several major sights without driving yourself, the route makes good sense.

Grjótagjá and the volcanic story

Grjótagjá cave adds a more intimate stop to the day. It is one of several places where the region’s volcanic character becomes easier to understand at close range. The tour does not present Mývatn as a single viewpoint. It moves through different kinds of volcanic scenery.

The cave is followed by Hverarönd in Námaskarð, a hot spring area where geothermal activity is visible in the ground. Here, the appeal is the contrast between the cold Icelandic air and the heat rising from below. You will see a more active and raw side of the region than at the waterfall.

These stops also show why sturdy shoes and warm layers matter. You may be outdoors in cold conditions while looking at hot ground and steam. The unusual setting can tempt you to focus on photographs, but stay attentive to the guide’s instructions around geothermal areas.

A warm pause at the Mývatn Nature Baths

The Mývatn Nature Baths are offered as an option during the day. Admission is not included, and you need to bring a swimsuit and towel if you plan to enter. The baths are meant to be a relaxing break after several outdoor stops, with geothermal water and views of the surrounding volcanic country.

I like the placement of this stop. After a morning of waterfalls, lava, caves, and hot ground, a warm soak can change the pace before the afternoon visits. It also gives you a chance to experience Iceland’s geothermal culture without making a separate trip to a larger spa.

There is one practical warning. During a recent February booking, the Mývatn baths were closed for refurbishment. The group was offered an alternative that required about 45 minutes of extra driving, and some people chose not to go because they had already visited Forest Lagoon the previous evening. Sigi instead dropped those guests in a local town to explore while the others visited the alternative baths.

That example is useful because it shows both the strength and limit of the arrangement. The guide can adapt, but you should check the baths’ operating status before counting on the soak. If bathing is a main reason for booking, have a backup plan and do not assume the entry fee is part of the package.

Dimmuborgir and the strange lava formations

On the way back, the route reaches Dimmuborgir, one of the best-known attractions around Lake Mývatn. The area is known for unusual lava formations, with shapes that make the place feel far removed from an ordinary volcanic field.

This is the kind of stop where a guide helps. A quick photograph does not explain why the rocks look so unusual or how lava can form pillars and irregular walls. You get time to look around, but the exact amount of walking and exploration depends on the day’s conditions and schedule.

The tour also includes lava pillars and rootless vents in the wider Mývatn area. These details make the route more than a list of scenic stops. You are seeing different results of the same volcanic forces, from cooled formations to geothermal steam.

Skútustaðagígar and the final fjord view

Skútustaðagígar is the last major natural stop around the lake. This area is known for pseudocraters, volcanic features that resemble small craters but formed in a different way from true volcanic vents.

It is a fitting stop because it adds another geological detail to a day already filled with them. You move from waterfall to lake, cave, hot spring area, lava formations, and pseudocraters. If you enjoy understanding how a place was made, this sequence gives the day real depth without requiring a geology background.

The final stop is back in Eyjafjörður, where you can look across the fjord toward Akureyri and take a broad view photograph. It is a pleasant way to close the route, bringing you back to the town after a day spent in more remote surroundings.

The whole daytime outing is described as moderately priced and well organized, and the schedule is designed to give you several stops without making you feel hurried. Still, conditions can affect the route. Both outings are subject to weather, so you should treat the order and operation as flexible.

What Sigi adds to the experience

Sigi is the guide and driver named in the strongest firsthand accounts of this experience. He leads both the evening aurora outing and the Mývatn day, which is useful because you do not have to explain your plans twice or adjust to a new guide halfway through the package.

His role is especially important on the Northern Lights trip. The route changes according to the forecast and cloud conditions, so this is not a fixed sightseeing loop. On the Mývatn outing, the guide also helps connect the stops, from the lava eruption that formed the lake to the geothermal activity at Námaskarð.

The tour is conducted in English. With a maximum of 18 people, you should expect a shared minibus-style experience rather than private attention at every stop. The benefit is that transport and guiding are handled for you, while the tradeoff is less freedom to change the route or linger as long as you wish.

Airport transfers and the two-day timing

EasyJet passengers receive a complimentary shuttle from Akureyri Airport to their accommodation when they book one of the qualifying combo tours. On departure day, the service also takes you back to the airport. You need to provide your EasyJet flight information and accommodation details so the pickup can be arranged.

This is a meaningful part of the value. Akureyri is a practical base for North Iceland, but airport transfers can add hassle when you are arriving with luggage and winter clothing. Having the same company handle the transfer and excursions keeps the trip simpler.

The timing deserves attention. The Northern Lights outing begins at 9:30 PM, while the Mývatn trip starts at 9 AM. That makes for a late night followed by an early morning. If you hope to use the Nature Baths, you may want to plan your energy carefully rather than treating the two days as effortless sightseeing.

The package lasts two days, but the exact starting details depend on availability. Pickup for the two tours requires your accommodation information. Meals and drinks are not included, so plan for those separately during the daytime route.

Who should book this experience

I would choose this trip if you want North Iceland’s major sights without driving winter roads yourself. It suits you particularly well if you are staying in Akureyri, arriving on an EasyJet flight, and want a practical way to combine airport transport, an aurora attempt, and Lake Mývatn.

It is also a good fit if you like variety. In two days, you get a waterfall, fjord views, lava formations, geothermal ground, a cave, pseudocraters, and an optional soak. You are not spending both days at similar scenic viewpoints.

You should think twice if your schedule has no spare evening for a second Northern Lights attempt. The free repeat is useful only if you have time to take it. I would also hesitate if the Mývatn Nature Baths are the main reason you are booking, especially while refurbishment or closure is possible.

Bring warm clothing in layers, sturdy shoes, comfortable footwear, a swimsuit, and a towel. The swimsuit and towel matter only if you choose the baths, but forgetting them could make the optional stop inconvenient.

Should you book the Lake Mývatn and Northern Lights special?

At $350, this is a sensible package for a two-day North Iceland visit when you will use the airport transfers and both excursions. The excellent part is the range of sights, the small group, and the chance to try the Northern Lights again if the first outing produces no show.

I would book it early in your Akureyri stay, not on the final night. That gives you the best chance to use the repeat aurora outing and leaves room for weather changes.

Book it if you want a guided, well-organized introduction to Lake Mývatn and are comfortable with the uncertainty of winter weather. Skip it if you need a guaranteed Northern Lights display, a private vehicle, or a guaranteed geothermal soak. For most visitors seeking a broad taste of North Iceland, the mix of natural sights and practical transport makes the package a strong choice.

FAQ

How long does the experience last?

The package lasts two days. The Northern Lights outing starts at 9:30 PM, and the Lake Mývatn, Goðafoss, and Nature Baths outing starts at 9 AM.

What is included in the $350 price?

The price includes the guided Lake Mývatn tour, the Northern Lights hunt, and an airport shuttle for EasyJet passengers. The return shuttle to Akureyri Airport on departure day is also provided.

Is the Mývatn Nature Baths entrance fee included?

No. Entry to the Mývatn Nature Baths is not included in the price.

Should I bring a swimsuit and towel?

Yes, bring both if you want to enter the Nature Baths. They are not provided as part of the tour.

Are Northern Lights sightings guaranteed?

No. The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon, and sightings depend on the weather and sky conditions.

What happens if the Northern Lights do not appear?

If the evening tour operates but you do not see the lights, the trip can be offered again free of charge. Booking the outing for your first night in Akureyri gives you the best chance to use this option.

How many people are in the group?

The group is limited to 18 participants.

What language is the tour conducted in?

The live guided tour is conducted in English.

Is airport pickup available for every passenger?

The complimentary airport shuttle is offered to passengers arriving on EasyJet flights who have purchased a qualifying combo tour. You need to provide your flight information and accommodation details for pickup arrangements.