Travel to Northern Iceland - Episode 951

Hear about travel to Northern Iceland as the Amateur Traveler talks to Monika from PlanPackExplore.com about her recent trip through the center of Iceland to the less-visited northern part of the country.

Why should you visit Northern Iceland?

Monika says, “I’m a self-proclaimed Iceland lover. I went there for the first time in 2022, by accident, which is a long story, but we ended up in Iceland, and literally after six days, started planning the second trip. Then we went back. I went back the third time with my dad, trying to show him the country, never planning trip number four. I cannot get enough of Iceland. So I was pretty familiar with Iceland by now, and I’m happy to share what I know.”

Itinerary

Monika’s route begins the moment you land at Keflavík International Airport outside of Reykjavík. She suggests picking up a 4×4 right at the airport—she used Blue Car Rental—making sure the contract explicitly allows travel on F-roads, because you will be driving old F 35 (now signed simply “35”). Stock up on fuel and snacks at the Geysir complex, the last services before the interior, and be ready for loose gravel and dust until you reach pavement again far to the north.

Day 1 – Kerlingarfjöll through the Highlands

Follow Gullfoss, then turn onto route 35 and plunge into Iceland’s uninhabited interior. After roughly an hour, you leave 35 for the rougher F 347 that climbs to Kerlingarfjöll Highland Base—Monika’s preferred overnight stop. Spend the afternoon wandering among the rust-red hills and steaming vents of the Hveradalir geothermal valley, or soak in the small natural pool and the new Highlands Bath before settling into the lodge.

Day 2 – North to Akureyri

Re-join 35, pausing at Hveravellir’s hot-spring field and café to stretch your legs, then drive on to Akureyri, the “capital of the North.” Monika treats the town mainly as a base, but notes the Forest Lagoon spa and the Akureyri Botanic Garden for an easy evening.

Day 3 – The Diamond Circle loop

Start early for a counter-clockwise lap of the Diamond Circle. First up is Goðafoss, followed by thundering Dettifoss (Monika only had time for the west bank, but praises the view). Continue to the horseshoe-shaped Ásbyrgi canyon and finish in Húsavík, where you can drop into The Eurovision Museum or the Húsavík Whale Museum before returning to Akureyri for the night.

Day 4 – Lake Mývatn and Krafla

Devote an entire day to the Mývatn–Krafla region. Loop the eastern shore, beginning with the Skútustaðagígar pseudo-craters (and ice cream at the bright-pink SKÚTAÍS creamery), then admire the lava pillars at Kálfaströnd/Klasar and the arches of Dimmuborgir. Hike the rim of Hverfjall crater, duck into Grjótagjá cave’s hot-blue water, and prowl the bubbling Hverir geothermal field beneath Námafjall. If energy allows, push on to Víti crater and the Leirhnjúkur lava field before rewarding yourself with an evening soak in the Myvatn Nature Baths.

Day 5 – Bonus experiences

With an extra day, Monika heads back to Húsavík for a wooden-boat whale-watch (hot chocolate and cinnamon buns included) and a restorative dip in the cliff-edge Geosea Geothermal Sea Baths. If you’re keen to roam farther, detour east to Stuðlagil Canyon’s basalt columns and spend a night at remote Möðrudalur farm—the highest inhabited settlement in Iceland, home to cosy turf buildings and the late-night Fjallakaffi café.

Practical pointers

Interior tracks generally open from mid-June to mid-September; check daily conditions on www.road.is before committing to F 35. Carry a credit card with PIN for unmanned fuel pumps, drive slowly on loose rock to spare your tyres, and keep trash bags handy because bins are scarce in the Highlands. Book Kerlingarfjöll and Akureyri lodgings well ahead, and remember that spas range from sulfur-rich Myvatn Nature Baths to the milder Forest Lagoon and ocean-view Geosea—choose according to your nose and schedule.