Iceland (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Fran Parnell [188]
JÖKULSÁRGLJÚFUR (DETTIFOSS)
New roads and regular bus service makes it easy to pop up to Dettifoss and the surrounding national park. Super-Jeep tours can be arranged from the Reykjahlíð information centre (Ikr12,000), which take in Krafla, Gjástykki, Hafragilsfoss, Selfoss and Dettifoss on a seven-hour trip.
ASKJA
Mývatn Tours ( 464 1920; www.askjatours.is) runs long but rewarding day tours to the Askja caldera Click here deep in the highlands. Tours (€120, 11 to 12 hours) depart from Hotel Reynihlíð in Reykjahlíð at 8am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from late June to the end of August and daily from mid-July to mid-August. Viking Travel ( 894 5265; www.vikingtravel@vikingtravel.is) offers a similar trip (Ikr17,000).
HORSE RIDING
Stop by the Reykjahlíð information centre to book horse-riding tours with nearby Hestaleiga ( 464 4103) and Safaríhestar ( 464 4203; ÁlftagerðI 3) on the south side of the lake. Figure around Ikr5000 for two hours.
SIGHTSEEING CHARTER FLIGHTS
Mýflug Air ( 464 4400; www.myflug.is; Reykjahlíð airport) operates daily flight-seeing excursions (weather permitting, of course). A 20-minute trip around Mývatn and Krafla costs €60. A ‘super tour’ (€230) also includes Dettifoss, Jökulsárgljúfur, Ásbyrgi, Kverkfjöll, Herðubreið and Askja. You can also take a two-hour Arctic Circle tour to Grímsey for €175.
Getting There & Away
The Akureyri-to-Egilsstaðir bus (62/62a) stops at both Skútustaðir (Ikr2300, 1¼ hours) and ReykjahlíÐ (Ikr2800, 1¾ hours) year-round, with daily service from June to mid-September, and trips on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays during the colder months. Travellers can also make Mývatn a day trip aboard SBA’s bus 1 (Ikr9500), which departs from Akureyri at 8.30am, circles the lake, and heads back to Akureyri at 5.30pm. Bus 650/650a travels to/from Húsavík (Ikr2000, 40 minutes) twice daily from mid-June through to the end of August.
All buses pick-up/drop-off passengers at the tourist information centre in ReykjahlíÐ. Children under 12 years get a 50% discount on all bus fares.
Getting Around
There are wonderful hiking trails around Mývatn, but unfortunately they’re not all connecting. Without a car or bicycle you may find getting around a bit frustrating, unless you don’t mind long walks along the lakeshore road. You can roll the dice and stick out your thumb, although Mývatn isn’t always the easiest place to hitch a ride.
You might consider renting a car in Akureyri if you’re coming to northern Iceland without a private vehicle. During calmer weather, a good option for travellers without a car is to hire a mountain bike. In Reykjahlíð you can rent bikes from Bjarg campsite Click here and Hlíð campsite Click here. The 36km ride around the lake can be easily done in a day, allowing time for sightseeing at all the major stops.
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REYKJAHLÍÐ
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ReykjahlíÐ, on the northeastern shore of the lake, is the main village and the obvious base for trips around Mývatn. There’s little to it beyond a collection of guest houses and hotels, a supermarket, a petrol station and an information centre.
Information
The friendly tourist information centre ( 464 4390, 464 4460; www.visitmyvatn.is; 8am-6pm Jun-Sep, 10am-5pm Oct-May), next to the Samkaup supermarket, has a display on the local geology as well as a large seating area perfect for waiting out bad weather. Pick up a free copy of the Mývatn Lake map – you’ll have to pay for it at the info centre in Akureyri. http://english.ust.is/National-Parks/Protectedareas/MyvatnandLaxa for additional details about the area.
The post office (Helluhraun) is on the street behind the supermarket. Inside is a 24-hour ATM.
Got a flat tyre from driving over one too many lava flows? You’re in luck – Reykjahlíð has a garage ( 464 4117, emergency 848 2678; Múlavegur 1)