Lake Mývatn

Nature in North Iceland, Iceland

• Best months: June–August
• Elevation gain: 137 m
• Open weeks per year: 13

Access & fees

• lake access free (fee: none stated for lake)

Things to do

• birdwatching (species: ducks, swans, terns, divers)
• cave exploring (fee: free · sites: Grjótagjá, Lofthellir · access: not accessible)
• dog sledding (season: winter)
• guided diamond circle tours
• hiking (season: summer)
• hiking pseudocraters (site: Skutustaðagigar)
• hot spring bathing (fee: US$50 · site: Mývatn Nature Baths)
• northern lights viewing (season: winter)
• try geothermally baked rye bread — cooked in the hot ground.
• walk through námafjall's fumaroles and mud pots.

Best time to visit

• summer — midnight sun, birdwatching (window: summer)
• summer for birdwatching (window: spring–summer · highlight: midnight sun, duck migration)
• winter — northern lights, snow (window: winter)
• winter for northern lights (window: winter · highlight: dog sledding, snowy scenery)

Events & seasons

• lake marathon (since: 2000 · window: summer)

Features

• ~50 islets and skerries
• 37 km² surface area (rank iceland: 4th largest lake)
• 4th largest lake, iceland
• avg depth 2.5 m (max depth: 4.5 m)
• marimo algae present (status: recovering population)
• most duck species globally (season: summer)
• nature conservation area (area km2: 4400 · includes: Laxá river)
• protected nature reserve (name: Mývatn–Laxá Nature Conservation Area · area km2: 4,400)
• pseudocraters, lava formations (origin: steam explosions, basaltic lava ~2300 years ago)
• ramsar wetland site (designated: 2 December 1977 · reference no: 167)
• shallow volcanic lake (area km2: 37 · avg depth m: 2.5 · max depth m: 4.5)
• volcanic origin lake (cause: basaltic lava eruption · formed: ~2,300 years ago)

Nearby

• ásbyrgi canyon (route: Diamond Circle)
• dettifoss waterfall (route: Diamond Circle)
• diamond circle route (includes: Dettifoss, Ásbyrgi, Goðafoss, Húsavík)
• goðafoss waterfall (route: Diamond Circle)
• húsavík town (route: Diamond Circle)
• krafla volcano
• laxá river (outflow) (fish: brown trout, Atlantic salmon)

Good to know

• 1.5 hrs from akureyri (by: car)
• 6–7 hrs from reykjavík (by: car · route: Ring Road)
• bring a head net to protect from midges
• domestic flights available
• drive from akureyri (duration: 1.5 hours)
• drive from reykjavík (duration: 6–7 hours)
• tundra/subarctic climate (classification: Köppen ET/Dfc)