10 Best Places to Visit in the North of Iceland (2 Days Trip)

North of Iceland is a land of raw, untouched beauty, where volcanic landscapes, geothermal wonders, and Arctic wildlife create an unforgettable experience. I’ve explored this remote region firsthand, from the powerful Dettifoss waterfall—Europe’s most forceful—to the mystical lava fields of Dimmuborgir.

Whether you’re chasing the Northern Lights, soaking in the Myvatn Nature Baths, or whale watching in Húsavík, this part of Iceland is packed with breathtaking sights and adventure opportunities.

What sets northern Iceland apart is its diverse natural wonders. You can witness bubbling mud pots at Hverir, explore the canyon-like Ásbyrgi, or stand in awe at Goðafoss, the "Waterfall of the Gods". If you’re into outdoor activities, you’ll find hiking trails, horseback riding, and even Arctic surfing. The charming town of Akureyri, Iceland’s northern capital, is a hub for culture, local cuisine, and history.

This guide will take you through the best places to visit in northern Iceland, offering travel tips, insider recommendations, and must-see locations. Whether you're a nature lover, a photographer, or an adventure seeker, northern Iceland is a bucket-list destination you won’t want to miss. Let’s dive into the most incredible sights and experiences that make this region one of the most captivating in the world.

10 Things to see and do in the North of Iceland

We spent 2 full days in the north of the country on our 10-day Iceland Ring Road tour, and we did it pretty hard. So after going all out, we were clear that the ideal would be to have at least 3 days to see all the spots in a relaxed manner. But if, like us, you like to go out and your travel plan requires you to go through the north of Iceland quickly, with 48 hours you will be able to get a lot out of this wild area.

The coolest thing about northern Iceland is that, although it has all kinds of natural attractions, it is not very crowded because many of the travelers concentrate on the Golden Circle and the south of the country. In addition, in this area you can enjoy some of the best hot springs in the country and landscapes worthy of an adventure movie. In short, we thought it was a must-see in Iceland and it was one of the routes where we had the best time.

⭐ Still wondering what the country's must-sees are ? Here are the 15 best things to see and do in Iceland on a first trip .

What do we consider “ North Iceland ”? In this article we focus on the stretch from the eastern fjords to the beginning of the western fjords and the Snæfellsnes peninsula , which we left out of this itinerary. As we already mentioned, we spent 2 full days (3 nights) touring this area, and these were the hotels where we stayed:

• Departure day from the east coast → Skipalækur Guesthouse
• Day 1: Myvatn → Berjaya
• Day 2: end of the route through the north → Guesthouse 46

Now, we are going to recommend everything you should visit:

1. Stuðlagil Canyon

Halfway between Iceland's eastern fjords and Iceland's pure north lies Studlagil Canyon , a striking gorge that seems to be decorated with hexagonal basalt columns , the result of millennia-old volcanic and geological processes. The Jökla River meanders through the gorge , creating a spectacular sight, especially when the water is in its characteristic turquoise-green hues (in the summer months).

During spring and summer, the area around the canyon turns lush and green , contrasting with the dark basalt columns and the turquoise river. However, when we went at the end of April, it was still half-covered in snow and with somewhat dangerous patches of ice that made it impossible to walk there. In fact, we saw a guy go down to the river and almost didn't make it back up because of the ice... or rather, his bad decision :-p Anyway, don't take any chances!

How to visit Stuðlagil Canyon

As long as it is open and accessible to the public, there are two ways to visit it with two different parking lots. The first (P1) is located east of the river and is reached by a road that leaves from the small town of Klaustursel, preferably in a 4×4. Once you leave the car, you will have a walk of approximately 2 km that will allow you to descend to the river itself and contemplate the basalt columns in front of you.

The second parking lot (P2, the main one) is on the west side of the river and gives access via a short walk to a pretty cool viewing point (the photo is from here). Both are free. We mark them on the map at the end of the article.

2. Dettifoss waterfall

Did you know that in the north of Iceland you can face the largest waterfall in all of Europe (fighting for the top spot with the Rhine Falls in Switzerland)? It is said, it is rumored, it is told, that about 400 cubic meters of water fall every second, and that, my friend, is a lot of water. With 45 meters high and 100 meters wide , Dettifoss does not leave anyone indifferent and we assure you that the roar of the water impresses everyone.

One of the characteristics of Iceland's waterfalls is that, unlike others in the rest of the world, they do not need a large river to create powerful waterfalls, but are fed by the melting of glaciers . The Dettifoss waterfall in this case is located on the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river that collects water from the gigantic Vatnajökull glacier , located further south in the interior of the country.

When we went, only the western viewing platform was open, from where you have to walk for about 10 minutes before you can finally look out and experience the deafening sound and force emanating from this natural wonder (and get soaked by the steam that comes off it). In our case, the 10 minutes turned into 20-30 as the entire path was completely covered in snow (in fact, under our feet we could see the information boards… there was about a metre and a half of snow!).

US All Inclusive Resorts

Best All Inclusive Resorts Oregon | Best All Inclusive Resorts North Carolina | Best Luxury Resorts Florida Keys West | Best All Inclusive Resorts Brands | Best All Inclusive Resorts Maine | Best All Inclusive Resorts Colorado

In winter, access roads are likely to be closed due to snow. To check this, remember to check the website « Road.is » first. We say roads in plural because there are two car parks from which to make the visit , one on each bank of the river and which are reached by different accesses from the main road 1 (detours of about 25 km).

The access from the west side is in better condition (the road is new) and its viewing points, located about 800 meters from the parking lot, offer views of the waterfall practically in front of you, although at some distance. We recommend you bring a raincoat because it gets quite wet on this side. If you have time and desire, you can also visit the Selfoss waterfall after walking a path of about 15 minutes.

The road on the east side is gravel, although suitable for all types of cars, and is often closed for longer periods of time in winter. The viewing points are also a short walk from the parking lot, although the path can be a little more challenging. But the views just a few meters away of the powerful and deafening waterfall are worth it.

Can you do both viewpoints? Yes, but keep in mind that doing both detours will take quite a while.

3. Myvatn, the most incredible place to see in the north of Iceland

Myvatn is the name given to the area that extends around a small lake , in an area with beautiful volcanic landscapes and protected wetlands where several species of birds live. We were right to spend a night here, as there are so many things to see. And if you like the whole fumaroles, small volcanoes and lunar or Martian landscapes thing, you will love it. We are going to leave you with the main places of interest in the surroundings of Myvatn:

• Lake Myvatn , a volcanic lake that is a paradise for ornithologists and undoubtedly one of the key stops on the so-called “Diamond Circle”, the northern version of the Golden Circle. There is a road that surrounds it where you can stop from time to time to take cool photos.
• Stakhólstjörn pseudocraters are small mounds shaped like volcanic craters south of the lake, but technically these geological formations were not formed by volcanic eruptions, although they are related to seismic activity.
• Hverfjall Crater (free parking) – this is a real crater, no less than the largest in Iceland. The path up takes about 20 minutes and, although it is quite steep, is suitable for almost everyone. Once up there, you will have to consider whether to do the full route around the crater.
• Hverir geothermal area (parking 1,200 ISK), here you will feel like you are on another planet, a planet that smells like rotten eggs, by the way. But between the fumaroles, the colors of the pools and the amazing landscapes, you won't even notice the stench. From the viewing point in the parking lot, the view is amazing, but if you dare to do the suggested route, it gets even better.
• Krafla Volcano , with its blue lake inside the Viti crater. You can also climb up to the edge of the crater.
• Grjótagjá Cave (free parking), if you are a Game of Thrones fan you will surely remember the scene in which our beloved (or not) Jon Snow gets it on with Ygritte. Indeed, this is the cave where it was filmed.
• Dimmuborgir Lava Fields - Take a stroll surrounded by solidified lava rocks and enjoy the curious formations, including volcanic stone arches. The trail is paved and accessible. Free!

4. Myvatn Hot Springs

These are thermal pools known as “the Blue Lagoon of the North” and with a great advantage: they cost half the price and there are far fewer people! Taking advantage of the underground springs and volcanic activity in the region, these waters are full of beneficial properties for health, as well as a very particular blue colour. And another plus: there is a restaurant on the premises that offers an affordable lunch menu with soup and other dishes .

Drinking cold beers while submerged in the thermal waters at almost 40 degrees was one of the highlights of the trip. And these are, for us, the best hot springs in Iceland .

Tip : It is cheaper to buy tickets on GetYourGuide than on the official website, at least for now.

5. Husavik, the best place to see whales in Iceland

The north coast of Iceland is famous for being a crossing point for humpback and blue whales and if you are travelling in summer , we think this is a highly recommended plan. We did not go for three reasons: as we travelled in April, the chances of seeing them were not too high, the detour also took up a lot of time, and finally, a few months earlier, in South Africa, we did an incredible tour in which we were able to sail among dozens of whales. So we preferred to give priority to other activities in the north of Iceland.

Beyond the whale watching boat tours , Husavik is a picturesque and pleasant fishing village. Another of its biggest attractions is that there are thermal pools here that are listed among the best in the country: the Geosea Geothermal Bath ( the entrance fee on Getyourguide is also cheaper ). We were advised to go only if the weather is nice, since the most striking thing is the sea views: with luck and in season you can see whales swimming or jumping while you are soaking.

6. Godafoss waterfall

The name of this waterfall makes it clear: “ the waterfall of the Gods ”, so it was not going to be ugly and small… But do you know why it is called that? Legend has it that when the Vikings abandoned their polytheistic religion to convert to Christianity, they decided to throw all the pagan icons into the water and the waterfall was left with this divine burden. Go to hell, Odin!

The good thing for lazy people is that the waterfall is right next to the road (free parking), so you can stop for a few minutes and continue the route. We saw it with a rainbow included, it was a total moment 🙂 Seriously, after traveling through Iceland the theme of waterfalls will be a before and after in your life: the ones in this country are exaggerated!

Top Family All Inclusive Resorts

Best Family All Inclusive Resorts Playa Del Carmen | Best Family All Inclusive Resorts Greece | Best Family All Inclusive Resorts Tulum | Best Family All Inclusive Resorts Aruba | Best Family All Inclusive Resorts US Virgin Islands | Best Family All Inclusive Resorts Dominican Republic | Best All Inclusive Resorts for Families Boca Chica

7. Akureyri, the capital of northern Iceland

It is the most important city to see in the north of Iceland and the second largest in the country , and that is despite the fact that it has less than 20,000 inhabitants. Hungry backpackers will have it clearly marked as an essential stop with one objective: to stock up on food at Bonus , the country's low-cost supermarket. Beyond this, the city is quite pleasant and... loving! If not, explain to me why the traffic lights have lights in the shape of hearts .

With a fishing soul, well-kept, charming and with many cafes, restaurants and bars , Akureyri seems to us to be a perfect stop for a few hours while visiting the area. By the way, it is pronounced with an accent on the first syllable, like all words in Icelandic, and we were having a good time the whole trip with the intonation. Aitana and Sebastián Yatra must have also liked it a lot , so much so that they named a song after it.

Remember to get the Revolut card ( with a €10 promo ) to avoid commissions when paying and withdrawing money abroad

Don't forget to visit the Lutheran church , which is quite similar to the cathedral in Reykjavik , although smaller. Inside you can see an organ made of more than 3,000 metal pipes. Don't miss the happy hours at Vamos AEY from 3 to 6 pm, with pints for less than €6, a less religious plan. And to end the day on a high note, go to the Forest Lagoon , a hot spring immersed in a forest (something quite unusual in Iceland) that is apparently spectacular. With luck, you can even bathe while watching the Northern Lights!

8. Tröllaskagi, the Troll Peninsula

We swear we're not trolling you, but in the north of Iceland, between the fjords Skagafjördur and Eyjafjördur, there's a real Trolls' peninsula, and it looks pretty good! Some of the most important things to do here are to visit the small coastal town of Siglufjordur , take a warm bath in the Hofsós infinity pool located right in front of the fjord, with great views of the sea (approx. €6), or visit the town of Hólar . Whale watching tours also depart from this peninsula , for that you'll have to go to Hauganes .

Unfortunately, we were unable to access this part of northern Iceland as there were roads closed due to snow in this area. But we have it well marked on the map for a future trip, because yes, we will definitely return: Iceland is addictive!

9. Víðimýrarkirkja Viking Church

This stop won't be one of the best on your trip to Iceland, but it only takes a few minutes and is, in a way, an important place in the strictly cultural and historical sphere of the country. It's also very cool. The Viking Church Víðimýrarkirkja is one of the few churches of this style that still exist in Iceland.

The most striking thing is its black colour , with red decorations and, obviously, the roof covered with turf. We found it closed, but at the back you can take a look inside through the windows. Luckily Claudia found it on the map, because we loved it! There is free parking, right in front of the church.

10. Vatnsnesfjall Peninsula, a top place to see seals

This small peninsula , which is often off the beaten track, hides a perfect surprise to end this adventure in the north of Iceland: seals in their natural habitat! It is named after the mountain range that runs along the peninsula, and which is over 900 metres high at its highest point (in Iceland this is almost a record).

It was very close to our accommodation, so we planned to go all the way around and stop at the most interesting spots, but we soon changed our minds, as the road is a dirt track riddled with holes. We did end up at Illugastadir beach, where a colony of seals lives in the wild . We saw several of them swimming and a few lying on the rocks sunbathing. It was one of the highlights of the trip!

Parking costs 1,000 ISK and from there you have to walk about 10-15 minutes to the sighting area. There is also a camping area, so if you are travelling in a camper or van, we think this is a great and quiet place to spend the night.

Extra: panoramic road

Between Stuðlagil Canyon and Dettifoss Waterfall there is a stretch of panoramic road that looks impressive in winter, surrounded by huge snow-covered mountains and dotted with small holes where the black soil of the volcanic earth appears . On one side of the road you will find a small parking lot with a great panoramic view, although it is best to bring a drone to capture the true immensity of the place.

A few kilometres further on you will come to a lonely wooden cabin that houses a humble café where you can take a comforting break along the way. There are soups, hot dogs and cakes if you want to eat something. On Google Maps it appears as Beitarhúsið , and as we saw, it is an area where it is not impossible to see the elusive Arctic foxes.

Best Hotels

Best Hotel 1 Hour Jacksonville | Best Hotel Moorea | Best Palm Springs Lazy River Hotel | Best Family Hotel Tokyo | Best Couple Time Square Luxury Hotel NY | Best Luxury Hotel Switzerland | Best Hotel for Christmas Venice | Best Hotel Kanazawa | Best Hotel Bergamo  |  Best Gay-friendly Hotel San Francisco | Best Romantic Hotel Palm Springs | Best Hotel Las Vegas for bachelorette party | Best Hotel Torres del Paine | Best Hotel Tropea Italy | Best Family Hotels in Spain

More things to do in North Iceland

Due to lack of time, we left out a handful of places that we believe are worth visiting in northern Iceland:

• Kolugljúfur Canyon , with its simple but beautiful waterfall and where, according to mythology, a troll lived.
• Glaumbær is an open-air ethnographic museum that opened to the public in the 1950s. The most striking feature are the little houses with roofs covered in peat, grass and moss, which, luckily for us, we had already seen in other parts of Iceland, so it didn't bother us too much not to go in and pay €12 (we read on Google that you might not have to pay if you just want to see the houses since you can see them from the outside).
• On the east side of the Vatnsnesfjall Peninsula lies a geological formation that has already become a symbol of the region: Hvítserkur. Some say it is an evil troll that has been petrified, others that it is a rock on the beach that looks like a rhino drinking water. Which team are you on? We are rhino, obviously!

Tips for traveling in northern Iceland

Below we share with you some tips that we believe may be useful when organizing your route through the north of Iceland:

• As we already told you, the ideal is to explore the area in 3-4 days (or more if you have them). We would dedicate one day to Myvatn and Dettifoss, another to Husavik with the whale and hot springs tour, another to Akureyri and another crossing the entire north towards the Snaefellsnes Peninsula .
• There are no big supermarkets in Myvatn and if you travel in the low season there are not many restaurant options either, so it is worth going prepared with some groceries . If you find accommodation with a cool kitchen, if not, sandwiches! The hotels usually offer lunch/dinner but they are not cheap. We ate an incredible soup at the Myvatn hot springs (the vegan one, with coconut milk and tomato) and for dinner we made do with sandwiches.
• We went in April and had no problems with snow, but we read that in winter things can be different , so if you plan to visit during the colder months, a 4x4 with chains is a must and you should check the weather forecast carefully. Remember to always check the road conditions on the website « Road.is ».
• The north is one of the best areas in the country to see the Northern Lights . We didn't see even half of them, but the problem is that we arrived a bit late (the good season is between October and the end of March ) and on the days when the conditions were right, the sky was cloudy! But hey, every cloud has a silver lining and now we have another reason to come back. The best APP to check forecasts is My Aurora Forecast .

Map of the North Iceland tour in 2 days

Finally, here is a map with the 2-day road trip through northern Iceland, each day marked in a different color and with the essential stops to make. Enjoy!

We have come to the end of our article about the north of Iceland and we hope that it has helped you plan your route. And you? Have you visited this part of the island? Do you know of more things to see in the north of Iceland ?

Best Luxury Hotels

Best luxury hotels near Orange County | Best luxury hotels in the Galapagos Islands | Best luxury hotels in Barcelona | Best luxury hotels in Cabo San Lucas | Best luxury hotels in Puerto Rico | Best luxury hotels in the Cayman Islands | Best luxury hotels in Kyoto | Best luxury hotels in Turks and Caicos | Best luxury hotels in Iceland 

Best luxury hotels in Savannah, Georgia | Best luxury hotels in Greece | Best luxury hotels in Seoul | Best luxury hotels in the Dominican Republic | Best luxury hotels in Maine | Best luxury hotels in Buenos Aires | Best luxury hotels in New England | Best luxury hotels in Santa Fe | Best luxury hotels in Barbados | Best luxury hotels in Chiang Mai