Port Akureyri: Godafoss Waterfall, Myvatn and Baths Tour

Volcanic Iceland packs a lot into one day. I like the smart route from Akureyri to Goðafoss and Lake Mývatn, and I like the small minibus, which can move ahead of larger groups. The main catch is pace: with eight hours and many stops, you get a strong overview rather than long walks at every site.

I also like the cruise-ship return guarantee, a serious comfort when your ship will not wait. The Mývatn Nature Baths add a welcome hour of warmth at the end, but the admission fee is extra, and you need to reserve ahead if you want to swim.

Key points at a glance

• Goðafoss comes early, giving you one of the day’s most memorable waterfalls before the Mývatn circuit.
• Lake Mývatn packs several very different stops into one area: pseudo craters, lava formations, a cave, and steaming mud pots.
• The minibus carries small groups, with past departures limited to about 16 people, making it easier to adjust the route for weather and crowds.
• The Nature Mývatn Baths are optional, and entrance, towels, food, and drinks cost extra.
• Cruise timing is taken seriously, with the bus scheduled to return at least 30 minutes, and usually about 50 minutes, before departure.
• Guides add plenty of personality, with names such as Joanna, Jowi, Baldur, Matteo, and Friourbjorn praised for stories, local tips, and extra stops.

Why Lake Mývatn deserves your day in Akureyri

Northern Iceland can look modest from a shipboard schedule. Akureyri itself is pleasant, but the most unusual sights lie beyond town, along Eyjafjörður and into the volcanic country around Lake Mývatn.

This region was shaped by a huge basaltic eruption about 2,300 years ago. The result is not one single view, but a string of sharp changes. You move from a powerful waterfall to round volcanic craters, then to twisted lava formations, a blue-water cave, steaming fumaroles, and a geothermal bathing pool.

That variety is the real strength of this tour. You do not spend the whole day looking at similar scenery. Every short drive brings a different kind of Iceland.

The route also has a Game of Thrones connection. Several scenes were filmed around the Mývatn area, though the volcanic features are the main attraction. I would choose this tour for the geology and scenery first, and treat the television connection as a small extra.

Leaving Akureyri beside Eyjafjörður

Meet outside the Akureyri Cruise Terminal 15 minutes before departure. A Fox Adventure guide and minibus wait near the ship with a sign, so the meeting point is designed to be easy to spot.

The first drive follows Eyjafjörður, one of Iceland’s longest fjords. Keep your camera ready, even during the bus ride. If the schedule and weather allow, the guide may make a final fjord stop on the way back, giving you a view across the water toward Akureyri.

The transport is a comfortable minibus with WiFi on board. The smaller vehicle matters here. It can use smaller stopping areas than a full-size coach, and the guide can sometimes change the order of stops to avoid the biggest crowds or respond to road conditions.

That flexibility was a repeated strength of the experience. Guides such as Joanna and Jowi were praised for keeping the day moving, while still adding short side stops. One departure even handled a bus breakdown by arranging another vehicle while the group was at the baths. That is not something you expect to need, but it shows why a local operator with backup plans matters on a long port day.

Goðafoss, the waterfall with a national story

After roughly 35 minutes on the road, you reach Goðafoss for about 40 minutes. The name means Waterfall of the Gods, and the falls spread across a broad curve of rushing water rather than dropping in one narrow column.

This is a good first stop because it gives you a major sight without requiring a difficult hike. You have time for photos, a short walk, and possibly a café or shopping stop. The guide can point out useful photo angles and help you watch for a rainbow when conditions are right.

Goðafoss also carries an important place in Icelandic history. Your guide explains the story during the visit, giving the waterfall more meaning than a quick photo stop alone.

Forty minutes is enough for a good look, but it is not a long scenic walk. If you want to explore every viewpoint at a relaxed pace, you may wish for more time. The tradeoff is that the schedule makes room for many other places later.

Skútustaðagígar and the strange world of pseudo craters

The drive to Skútustaðagígar takes about 35 minutes. You then have around 40 minutes to walk among the pseudo craters beside Lake Mývatn.

These rounded formations look like small volcanic cones, but they did not form in the same way as true craters. They were created when lava flowed over wet ground and steam explosions shaped the surface. This rare feature occurs in only a few places on Earth, including Iceland, Hawaii, and the Azores. The supplied tour details also note a similar feature on Mars, which gives your guide an easy way to explain why the site is scientifically unusual.

This is one of the most rewarding stops for anyone who likes understanding what they are seeing. The walk lets you examine the shapes at close range, and the lake provides a broad backdrop for photos.

You may find the weather more noticeable here than at a sheltered urban stop. Bring comfortable shoes and warm, comfortable clothing. Sunglasses help in bright conditions, and a camera is well worth carrying.

The visit can include local food or a small market stop, but meals are not part of the tour price. I would bring snacks and drinks, especially if you prefer not to wait for the later café stop.

Dimmuborgir, lava turned into stone architecture

A 15-minute drive brings you to Dimmuborgir, an area filled with dramatic lava formations. You have about 40 minutes here for a guided visit and walking.

The name is often translated as Dark Fortress, which fits the scenery. Lava cooled into pillars, arches, walls, and irregular shapes that feel more like rough-built ruins than ordinary rock. This is the sort of place where a guide helps. Without context, you see strange black stone. With an explanation, you understand how flowing lava and trapped steam created the forms.

The walking is manageable, but surfaces can be uneven. Good shoes are important, especially if you choose the more active parts of the walk. The tour may also include coffee, tea, beer, or local snacks, but you should not count on these as included refreshments.

This stop is especially good for photos because the formations change shape as you move around them. The 40-minute visit gives you a useful taste, though hikers who want to follow longer paths will find the schedule limiting.

Grjótagjá, a cave between tectonic plates

The next drive takes only about 12 minutes, followed by a 30-minute stop at Grjótagjá Cave.

This small cave is known for its hot blue water and its position along the rift between the Eurasian and American continental plates. The water is for viewing, not bathing. The tour information specifically presents the cave as a place to admire the river and take photos.

One popular photo idea is to stand across the visible split between the plates. That makes for a memorable image, but take care on the rocky approach and follow the guide’s instructions. The cave visit is short, and space or access conditions can affect exactly how close you get.

For me, Grjótagjá works best as a quick geological stop rather than a major attraction on its own. It earns its place because it adds another type of volcanic feature to a day already full of variety.

Hverir, where Iceland smells like sulfur

Eight minutes later, the minibus reaches Hverir for about 30 minutes.

This geothermal area is direct and dramatic. Smoking fumaroles release steam, and boiling mud pots bubble in the ground. The colors and textures are striking, but the sulfur smell can be strong. That is part of the experience, not a fault in the tour, but you should be prepared for it.

Stay on marked paths and listen closely to the guide. The ground around geothermal areas can be hot and unstable, so this is not a place for wandering freely to get a better photograph.

Hverir offers a sharp contrast with the waterfall and lake. Instead of quiet water and green slopes, you get steam, mineral crusts, mud, and the sound of active earth. Thirty minutes is generally enough to walk the viewing area and take photos without making the stop feel repetitive.

Ending in warm water at the Mývatn Nature Baths

The final major stop is the Nature Mývatn Baths, where you have about 80 minutes.

This is the day’s reward. After several outdoor stops, you can change, enter the geothermal water, and relax in the steam baths. The blue water and open views make this a more peaceful ending than another hurried viewpoint.

Admission is not included in the $218 tour price. Reservation is necessary, so contact Fox Adventure by email if you want the bathing option arranged. Bring a swimsuit and towel. A towel can be rented at the facility for an additional fee, but bringing your own saves money and one small decision.

You do not have to swim. If you prefer to stay dry, you can relax at the restaurant called Kvika or walk around the area. Still, I think the baths make the price easier to justify if you enjoy geothermal bathing. They turn a sightseeing-heavy day into something more balanced.

The timing is worth noting. Eighty minutes sounds generous, but changing, entering, bathing, and getting ready for the return drive will use much of it. Do not expect a full spa day. Think of it as a well-timed soak before the long ride back.

The return journey takes about 80 minutes. That is a substantial drive, so pack food and water. The café stop comes fairly late in the day, and a pre-packed lunch is recommended.

The guide can make or break this full schedule

This tour asks a lot from its guide. There are many stops, several walks, changing road conditions, and a cruise departure to protect.

The strongest departures have benefited from guides who explain local customs, Icelandic stories, geology, and the meaning of each stop. Baldur was praised for humor and useful local help, even stopping at a supermarket to assist with Icelandic candy shopping. Matteo was especially helpful with families, and Joanna received repeated praise for energy, organization, and extra sightseeing.

A few practical details also came through clearly. One group found the sound system imperfect, and one person felt the guide’s English needed some improvement. These are small concerns, but they matter when the day depends on spoken explanations from the front of a minibus.

The guide may also add a short Akureyri old-town tour on the return. It is not guaranteed, since weather, traffic, and port timing control the day, but it can be a nice final look at the town before you board.

Is $218 a fair price?

At $218 per person, this is not a cheap shore excursion. You also pay separately for the Nature Mývatn Baths, and food and drinks are not included.

Still, the price covers an eight-hour guided outing, port pickup, comfortable minibus transport, WiFi, and a cruise-ship return guarantee. You would also need to arrange transport across a wide area yourself if you skipped the tour. For a cruise passenger, that convenience has real value.

The strongest value comes from the number of major sights packed into one day. Goðafoss, Skútustaðagígar, Dimmuborgir, Grjótagjá, Hverir, and the baths each offer something different. A cheaper outing that visits only one or two highlights may cost less, but it will not give you the same picture of the Mývatn region.

I would consider the baths an optional value choice. If you want the soak, budget for the entrance fee, towel rental if needed, and any food. If you skip swimming, the tour still works as a full volcanic sightseeing day.

Who should book this tour?

I recommend it most for cruise passengers who want to see the Mývatn area without worrying about driving, navigation, or getting back to the ship.

It suits you if you enjoy:

• Several short walks rather than one long hike
• Geology, volcanic features, and geothermal sites
• A small-group minibus
• A busy but well-organized day
• A hot bath after outdoor sightseeing
• Guides who add stories and adjust timing

Families can also do well here. A past departure included young children, and the guide made an effort to keep them involved. Infant seats are available.

The tour is less suitable if you want a slow day with long meals, extended hiking, or lots of time at each single site. Wheelchair access is available, but the operator recommends a private tour for greater comfort, so contact them before booking if mobility is a concern.

Arrive 15 minutes early, wear sturdy shoes, bring layers, and carry your own lunch and drinks. The route can change at short notice because of weather and road conditions. That is normal in northern Iceland, where the day’s best plan is sometimes the one that changes.

Should you book the Goðafoss and Mývatn tour?

Book it if you want the broadest possible taste of northeastern Iceland from an Akureyri port call. The excellent mix of waterfall, pseudo craters, lava formations, tectonic geology, geothermal activity, and bathing gives you far more than a standard drive-and-photo outing.

I would book the baths in advance, bring lunch, and expect a full day rather than a relaxed one. The tour’s best feature is its careful handling of cruise timing, supported by guides who often add personal touches and small surprises. If that peace of mind is worth paying for, this is a strong choice at Akureyri.

FAQ

Where does the tour begin?

It begins at the Akureyri Harbor Cruise Terminal. Look for a Fox Adventure guide and minibus outside the ship, usually with a sign.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts eight hours, including transportation and sightseeing stops.

What is included in the price?

The price includes port pickup, transport by comfortable minibus, a fully guided English-language tour, free WiFi on board, and a cruise-ship return guarantee.

Is admission to the Mývatn Nature Baths included?

No. Entry to the Mývatn Nature Baths is not included. Reservation is necessary, so contact Fox Adventure by email if you want the bathing option arranged.

Should I bring a towel and swimsuit?

Yes. Bring swimwear and a towel if you plan to use the baths. A towel can also be rented at the facility for an extra fee.

Are meals and drinks included?

No. Meals, drinks, and refreshments are not included. A café stop takes place during the tour, but a pre-packed lunch is recommended because the stop comes fairly late.

How early should I arrive?

Arrive at least 15 minutes before departure at the cruise terminal meeting point.

Will I return before my cruise ship departs?

The tour is scheduled to return at least 30 minutes before departure, and usually about 50 minutes before the ship leaves. The cruise-ship return guarantee is included.

Can the itinerary change?

Yes. Weather and road conditions can cause short-notice changes to the route or order of stops.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

The tour is wheelchair accessible, but a private tour is recommended for greater comfort. Contact the operator before booking to discuss your needs.