Welcome to the North! Day 6 started out strong with our first included breakfast of the trip. (So long yogurts that have been riding around in the trunk for a day or 2...) HELLOOOO Smörgåsbord!
There were some fruits, various breads, crackers, cold meats and cheeses, yogurts (skyr) with cereal toppings, juices, teas, coffees, and the truly interesting breakfast option of SMOKED TROUT. (good but for me... just not a breakfast food)
Stop 1: Skútustaðagígar
This stop was LITERALLY right next to the guesthouse we stayed in... Like we could've walked over! The map above shows various great walking paths around the cones with a couple loops (Small and large!) depending on your time. It was cold and raining (typical) so we opted for a shorter loop.
The Skútustaðagígar pseudocraters were formed when molten lava flowed into Mývatn lake, triggering a series of gas/steam explosions. These dramatic green dimples then came into being when trapped subsurface water boiled and popped, forming small scoria cones and craters.
The cones can be found all around Myvatn lake but the largest collection (and thus easiest to see) are at Skútustaðagígar in the southern region of Myvatn.
Sheep roam all around the pseudo craters
The parking area and walking paths are FREE to visit and didn't appear to have any hours posted. There weren't any toilet facilities in the parking area but there is a gift shop/ cafe across the road from the main parking area that may have facilities.
The coolest part for me was how the lake was so immense and filled in a bunch of the gaps between the craters. This was definitely a cool and unique landscape that can take you anywhere from 10 minutes for a quick stretch of the legs or a few hours walking the paths on a nice day.
Stop 2: Dimmuborgir
A land rich with both cultural and geological oddities! But first the culture and thoughts on this sign above:
According to Icelandic folklore, Dimmuborgir is the home of a homicidal troll named Grýla, her third husband Leppalúði and their sons The Yule Lads. Though Grýla has psychopathic tendencies, the children aren't quite so murderous, and are more mischievous than anything. Originally told as a scary story to stop children misbehaving, the Yule Lads have now been merged with the idea of Santa Claus. Children either get gifts or rotten potatoes in their shoes at Christmas depending on whether they've behaved well or not.
There are 13 Yule Lads in all, each with their own mischievous plans.
Favorite Yulelads: Doorway-Sniffer (Gáttaþefur), Window-Peeper (Gluggagægir), Sausage-Swiper (Bjúgnakrækir), Door-Slammer (Hurðaskellir), and Spoon-Licker (Þvörusleikir)
Beyond the interesting culture of trolls and yule lads, Dimmuborgir has incredible rock formations that you can't really see anywhere else! The only other similar land mass known to exist is beneath the sea, off the coast of Mexico.
The Dimmuborgir area consists of a massive, collapsed lava tube formed by a lava lake flowing in from a large eruption about 2300 years ago. The lava pooled here, over a small lake and as the lava flowed across the wet sod, the water of the marsh started to boil. The vapor rose through the lava forming pillars from drainpipe size up to several meters in diameter.
The Fall colors in the moss and brush made this place seem even more mystical when combined with the fog and rain.
There are miles of paved walking paths, with many loops and options. In fact, the park is very large making it VERY easy to get lost. We didn't explore for too long but from where we did walk, we came across at least 4 or 5 intersections of paths.
*Tip: Take a picture of the trail map at the entrance that way you know where all the various trails (and their names) lead.
Language time! Dimmuborgir literally means Dark Castle!
(dimmu "dark", borgir "forts", "castles)
Let's not forget to mention a very REAL reason we visited here... 3 words:
Game. Of. Thrones.
While most of the filming scenes look quite different, it's not because of CGI but because of winter! They primarily filming the wildling camp north of the wall here, and everything is just about covered in snow.
View of the lake and fall colors from the Dimmuborgir parking area.
Practical information:
Parking is for SURE free
Entrance... We had read that there was a fee if you didn't purchase a meal at the cafe, however when we got there, the gate was just open with NO signs saying anything like that... so going to say entrance is ALSO FREE.
*Though give the cafe a thought as the lamb stew and rye bread (that is actually cooked in local geothermal ovens) have amazing reviews and we would've loved to try it... if it wasn't before 10 AM. haha
There are toilet facilities in addition to the cafe that are 200 ISK (around $2) for entrance.
Stop 3: Grjótagjá Cave
So of you avid fans like myself may recall a scene in season 3 with John Snow north of the wall.. you know what I'm saying... ;) but Game of Thrones location aside, the cave spring is actually a pretty cool visit. Here's a blurb about it: In early 18th century the outlaw Jón Markússon lived there and used the cave for bathing and until the 1970s Grjótagjá was a popular bathing site. However during the eruptions from 1975 to 1984, the temperature of the water rose to more than 50 °C (122 °F), and while the temperature is slowly decreasing and has fallen below 50 °C again the cave is owned privately and swimming is still not permitted.
*Note: The nearby lava cave of Stóragjá is supposedly available for swimming but not as hot.. and potentially bacteria infested. Basically I just wouldn't plan on swimming! haha but they are fun to walk around and check out!
Stop 4: Hverfjall
From outside the cave parking area you could see the incredible Hverfjall volcano.
This site was actually on my wish list but as it was cold and rainy and supposedly takes a LONG time to walk the rim (which I believe the thing looked massive!) so it wasn't in the cards for us.
However if you want to plan a trip, the all black volcanic cone DOES look really cool, is less than 10 minutes away from these other spots, and FREE to visit as well. Just know that if you want to walk the rim, it will likely take a while. The diameter of the cone is 1 KM! So the walk around is over 3 km. There are 2 paths up to the top that are steep but should only take 10-15 minutes if you just want to hike up for the view.
Stop 5: NÁMAFJALL
Over by the Myvatn Nature baths (again a short drive away) lies the Námaskarð geothermal area. The mud pits.
Again a little Yellowstone like, but this steaming piles of rock that were quite loud were a site to see, and the boardwalk is a fun short venture to walk around.
All in all another short, FREE, stop. (No facilities here however with the last toilet available being back at Dimmuborgir.
Stop 6: Myvatn nature baths
Said to be the little blue lagoon, reviews were all amazing for this spot in northern Iceland... well here's MY review: The cost is outrageous (all the reviewers that said this seemed like a local spot completely blows my mind) while some have said the water is hot, the water was basically luke-warm for us. Occasionally we'd find hot currents but they would disappear and leave you feeling colder than you were before. The changing rooms were a nightmare.... dirty and too small. They instruct you and have signs saying to shower IN THE NUDE yet only have 3 shower stalls that are private with the rest being open sesame, meaning no one really listens to the rules and showers in the their swim wear... and occasionally it gets awkward with people actually following the rules in the open showers.
Of course the views were beautiful, and the color of the water very cool... but otherwise I'd say this would be a skipable thing for the price if nothing else. And with that, let's take a look at those prices:
Mývatn Nature Baths Practical Information:
Hours: Summertime(15 May - 30 September): 09:00 – 24:00
Wintertime(1 October - 14 May): 12:00 – 22:00
Prices: Adult
3800 ISK (01/01 - 05/14 and 10/01-12/31)
4300 ISK (05/15 - 09/30)
Teenagers, 13-15 years
1200 ISK (01/01 - 05/14 and 10/01-12/31)
1600 ISK (05/15 - 09/30)
Handicapped, Senior citizens, Students
2400 ISK (01/01 - 05/14 and 10/01-12/31)
2700 ISK (05/15 - 09/30)
*Towel rentals are an additional 700 ISK pp.
Luckily Braden had his student ID but unluckily... we forgot towels and still had to rent those, so our total cost was right around $80... for an hour of swimming around trying to find warm currents.
*The one positive was the steam rooms. They had 2 large geothermal steam rooms that were LEGIT hot where we spent the remaining 15 minutes or so of our time trying to regain heat lost
But hey, made for good photos right? Save your money and visit any one of the MANY swimming pools in Iceland (1 in just about every town) and then you'll really be swimming like the "locals."
The actual HOT looking blue lagoon was steaming next door.. unfortunately I think this one really is TOO hot. haha but didn't stop us from walking around and admiring the color as well as taking shots of my new favorite beverage, the black death.
Stop 7: Húsavík Whale Museum ! : $28.20 for 2 students
So with our actual planned items all done for the day early, and with us desperately in want of drier/warmer activities... we headed into Húsavík to experience the Whaling capitol of the world.
The biggest draw to this sleepy little town are Whale watching tours... which are outside. We happened to want to be INSIDE, so best option? Husavik's whale museum! While Iceland museums aren't the cheapest, I would actually consider this a solid museum for someone with medium interest in whales to start with!
The Whale Museum offers two stories of exhibition area with special attention given to the manner in which information is presented. Exhibits were very creative while also being super informative! Lots of fun whale facts throughout! The lower floor hosts a main section on marine ecosystems (above photo), and additional exhibits describe the cetacean species in the North Atlantic and their natural history, strandings, whale watching and past/present Icelandic whaling.
Above: The skeleton and incredible tooth of a unicorn whale Narwhal
One of the biggest selling points on this museum for me was the “whale gallery” with authentic skeletons of 9 species. (multiples of some skeletons)
Fun facts about Narwhals:
- The horn on a Narwhal is actually a tooth that "erupts" in the adolescent years. The whales all have 2 teeth and it us not unheard of for both teeth to erupt forming 2 large tusks.
- The tooth can grow up to 10 feet long!
- It is the only STRAIGHT tusk known, and ONLY spirals to the left.
- It's tooth is incredibly FLEXIBLE and can bend up to 1 foot without breaking.
- Only males and about 15% of females tooth erupts into a tusk.
Now for the real crowning glory of the museum: a skeleton of the LARGEST animal to EVER live: The
BLUE WHALE
The skeleton at this museum is almost the length of the main gallery! There are many photos and plaques explaining where they found the carcass and how they managed to move it.
It's also interesting to note that Iceland is one of the few places in the world you can actually SEE this incredible animals.
Blue whale fun facts:
- Blue whales belong to the Baleen family of whales which get their names from how many "Baleen" plates (sort of their teeth) are in their mouth.
- They can hold their breath for 20 min or longer.
- They eat up to 5 tons of krill per day.
- They do not reach full size until about 50 years of age.
- Blue whales sleep while swimming and only with one half of their brain at a time.
- They can range up to 110 feet long (33 meters) in size making them larger even than the largest dinosaur that ever existed. They can weigh up to 200 tons (181,437 kilograms).
- Their mouths, when fully open, can take in approximately 90 tons
- Their tongues alone can weigh as much as an average adult elephant.
- Both the blowhole and the arteries of the blue whale are large enough to fit a baby through.
- Baby blue whales weigh approximately four tons at birth or the equivalent of two large cars. They then grow at a rate of about 200 pounds per day.
So beyond having incredible displays and fascinating facts, our other favorite part of this museum was The Whales, Books, and Coffee nook! They had a range of books about whales and even a small child play area. The coffee was FREE and a wonderful way to warm up and sit down at the beginning of our museum tour. (Of course I read a book about Narwhals)
Húsavík Whale Museum Practical Information:
Hours: June, July, August:08:30–18:30 daily
May and September 9:00–18:00 daily
October:10–16 daily
November–April:10–16 weekdays
Cost: Adults:ISK 1900
Adults(with whale watching discount):ISK1500
Children:ISK 500
Seniors, students, or disabled:ISK 1500
Family price (2 adults, 1-5 children):ISK 4000
Stop 8: Húsavík Whale watching tours
We didn't get to do this/ didn't WANT to do this due to weather but the variety of whales seen in this bay is incredible so in fine weather, I definitely recommend it. Plus the museum bundles with tours so you can learn about whales, and then go see them in the wild!
After some time in the museum we walked around the pier for a bit and witnessed a small group come back from a whaling tour. (They looked SO miserable... 1 person actually was limping off with help and looked near frozen to death) Needless to say, we were pleased enough with our whale experience in the museum. haha
Besides whales, Húsavík actually has another claim to fame as it was the first place in Iceland to be settled by a Norse man. The Swedish Viking Garðar Svavarsson stayed there for one winter around 870 A.D. When he left the island in spring of 870, he left behind a man named Nattfari and two slaves, a man and a woman, and they established a farm here. The name of the town means "bay of houses", probably referring to Garðar's homestead, which may have been the only houses then in Iceland.
After walking around the harbor, we had a travelling lunch. We grabbed some fish soup and dessert at a recommended location in town, but after spotting a fish & chips joint on our walk around the harbor, our hearts called for that. So we headed back and I can't recommend this spot MORE! It was FABULOUS, FAST, and AFFORDABLE. For $16 we got enough fish and chips to easily split between the two of us and if you wanted you could add more fish or chips a la cart. It had restrooms and a small eating area upstairs.
Stop 8: Lodging
You can stay in Myvatn area still or continue all the way to Akureyri for more lodging options. We chose to stay in the boonies but it ended up being really cool! (not too mention 1 of the cheapest nights of our trip)
After the excitement of Husavik, we headed to our stop for the night quite a bit off the beaten track of the ring road but one of the cheapest nights of our trip! Kidagil Guesthouse was HUGE and the best part was we were the ONLY guests that night. haha and it happened to be a night all 4 of us bunked in the same room but we each had our own bathrooms if we wanted! Hilarious! haha It was originally built as a boarding school and still in a way felt like a museum. There were lots of informational banners about Icelandic outlaws living off the land and even a few "artifacts." Anyways we drank lots of tea and had a relaxing evening inside.. and DRY. Solid day DESPITE the weather.
Tips:
- If you REALLY want to swim like a local, skip the lagoons and go to a heated community pool. You'll save a lot of money but if you want the "gram" shot, the little Blue Lagoon in Myvatn has that written all over it.
- If you plan on visiting pools or lagoons on your trip, pack some sort of town so you don't have to pay $8 a person to rent one...
- When visiting Dimmuborgir, take a picture of the trail map at the entrance so you don't get lost when wandering the maze of trails. Also keep your eyes out for the mischievous Yule Lads!
- When N. Iceland gives you rain, head to the Husavik whaling museum.
Budget:
Myvatn Nature Baths $81 for 1 adult and 1 student
Husavik Whaling museum $28.20 (with student discounts for 2 people)
Lodging:
Kidagil Guesthouse $220/ 4 people so $110 for 2
Food:
Breakfast: Included in hotel stay again and really good!
Fish Soup and Date cake at Naustiq in Husavik: $30
Fish n chips in Husavik: $16.00
Rental Car:
Daily rate split with another couple $66
Daily Gas rate split $18
