Lake Mývatn is a fantastic vacation spot with a variety of tourist attractions, outings, and activities offered both in the winter and the summer.
In addition to bird watching tours, there are Jeep tours, snow scooter tours, cross-country skiing tours, geothermal area hiking tours, and horseback riding excursions.
Accommodation is plentiful at Mývatn from great camping areas, bed and breakfasts at farms and both three- and four star hotels. A tourist information center is located at Reykjahlið offering an exhibition of the Mývatn area, pictures, and information on the geology, biology, and geothermal activity at Mývatn. For the independent tourist, the first stop is the information center.
One of the most recent additions to tourist services is the new Nature Baths at Mývatn, located near Bjarnarflag about 4 km. from Reykjahlid. The Nature Baths are formed from the excess water from the geothermal electric station. The baths are thought to have healing powers but are also a great way to relax in an area that is full of life right below your feet.
Mývatn is one of Iceland’s best known tourist destinations and is Iceland’s fourth largest lake. You can drive to Mývatn from Egilsstadir in about 2 hours, arriving over the Namaskard. You can also drive to Mývatn from Husavik in a little less than an hour, and from Akureyri it takes you just over an hour to drive. The roads leading to Mývatn are mostly paved, but a small part of the road to Husavik is still gravel but appears to be in the process of being paved.
On our trip, we arrived in Mývatn from Husavik and the first things we saw were the craters and the lake Mývatn itself. It was a great view, and the lake is a great sight.
However, at Mývatn it is sometimes the little things that amaze the visitor the most, things you might need a closer look to see, like the fire below the surface, the life in and on the lake, and the chain of life that is active in a way that may not be broken.
Here are a few of Lake Mývatn’s more intriguing features:
- Lake Mývatn is located in a region with significant geothermal activity, which includes many hot springs and mud pits. Geothermal activity makes a unique environment with boiling mud pools, steaming vents, and bright mineral deposits.
- Birdlife: A large number of different bird species, many of which are unique to Iceland, can be found at Lake Mývatn. Many birds, including ducks, geese, and swans, breed on the lake.
- Volcanic formations: The Krafla volcano and the Hverfjall crater are among the volcanic formations that make up the region that surrounds Lake Mývatn. The area is perfect for trekking and exploring due to its distinctive geological features.
- Natural attractiveness: Lake Mývatn and its surrounds are simply beautiful in terms of their natural beauty. From the clear water of the lake to the bright colors of the countryside around it, the area is a photographer’s dream.
- Lake Mývatn has been significant to Icelandic culture for many years, and there are many mythologies and folktales connected to the lake and its surrounds. The Skútustaðagígar pseudo-craters and the Dimmuborgir lava formations are just two of the area’s historical attractions.
Overall, Lake Mývatn is an intriguing location that offers a rare fusion of scenic splendor, geological marvels, and historical relevance. If you are interested in the origin of life, the chain of life, and how the earth is actually created and transformed, then Mývatn is a place you have to visit.
