North Iceland is where the Ring Road stops being a checklist and starts being a road trip. Akureyri is a real town rather than a tourist stop, Lake Myvatn concentrates more geothermal activity per square kilometre than almost anywhere else in Iceland, and the Arctic Coast Way strings together 900 km of peninsulas that most visitors never see.
Getting to the north from Keflavik
There are two ways north. The direct route runs Keflavik – Borgarnes – Blonduos – Akureyri on Route 1, roughly 390 km and five hours of driving without stops. The alternative is to reach the north at the end of a clockwise Ring Road trip, arriving from Egilsstadir across the eastern plateau.
Most travellers underestimate the last section. Between Blonduos and Akureyri the road crosses Oxnadalsheidi, an exposed heath that closes in winter storms and where wind gusts can be genuinely dangerous for high-sided vehicles. Check road.is before this stretch in any season outside June to August.
Akureyri — the capital of the north
Akureyri sits at the head of Eyjafjordur, Iceland longest fjord, with a population of around 19,000. It has a botanical garden that thrives 50 km from the Arctic Circle, red traffic lights shaped like hearts, a decent restaurant scene and the country second-largest swimming pool complex.
Practical points for drivers: parking in the town centre uses a free paper clock disc that you set to your arrival time and place on the dashboard. Most rental cars have one in the glovebox. Time limits are typically 15, 30, 60 or 120 minutes and they are enforced.
Akureyri is also the best place in the north to refuel, restock at a Bonus or Netto supermarket, and service the car before heading into more remote areas.
Godafoss and the road to Myvatn
Godafoss, the Waterfall of the Gods, sits directly beside Route 1 about 50 km east of Akureyri. It takes ten minutes from car park to viewpoint, has parking on both banks, and in winter the surrounding basalt is often coated in ice formations. There is no entry fee, though the car park is paid at some times of year.
From Godafoss it is another 40 km to Lake Myvatn. This section of Route 1 is paved and straightforward, but the landscape changes character sharply — lava fields, steam vents and pseudocraters replace the green fjord valleys.
What to see around Lake Myvatn
Myvatn deserves a full day and rewards two. The main sites sit on a loop road around the lake, all reachable by car:
| Site | Drive from Myvatn | Access | Time needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimmuborgir lava formations | 5 min | Paved, car park | 1–2 h walking |
| Skutustadagigar pseudocraters | 5 min | Paved | 45 min loop |
| Hverir / Namafjall geothermal field | 10 min | Paved, off Route 1 | 45 min |
| Grjotagja cave | 10 min | Short gravel spur | 20 min |
| Myvatn Nature Baths | 5 min | Paved | 2–3 h, from 6,900 ISK |
| Krafla and Viti crater | 25 min | Paved, closed in winter | 1 h |
| Dettifoss west bank (Rte 862) | 1 h | Paved to car park | 1 h |
The Myvatn Nature Baths are the northern answer to the Blue Lagoon: smaller, cheaper, less crowded and with a view over the lake. Booking ahead in summer is sensible.
One warning that catches people out: Myvatn means midge lake. In late June and July, clouds of harmless but maddening midges swarm around the eastern shore on still days. A cheap head net solves the problem entirely.
The Arctic Coast Way — where the 4x4 earns its keep
The Arctic Coast Way is a 900 km signposted touring route along Iceland northern coastline, from Hvammstangi in the west to Bakkafjordur in the east. It deliberately avoids Route 1, threading instead along six peninsulas: Vatnsnes, Skagi, Trollaskagi, Tjornes, Melrakkasletta and Langanes.
This is not a Route 1 experience. Large parts of the Arctic Coast Way are gravel, some sections are narrow with blind rises, and services are sparse. It is comfortably drivable in summer in a higher-clearance 4x4 such as a Dacia Duster, Kia Sportage or SsangYong Korando. In a low 2WD car it is slow, stressful and in places genuinely unsuitable.
Highlights worth building a day around: the seal colony at Hvitserkur on the Vatnsnes peninsula, the Trollaskagi tunnels between Siglufjordur and Olafsfjordur, the herring museum in Siglufjordur, and the almost empty Melrakkasletta peninsula where the Arctic Circle is visible offshore at Grimsey.
A 4-day northern itinerary
Day 1: Drive Keflavik to Akureyri via Route 1, stopping at Hvitserkur and the Vatnsnes seal colony. Overnight Akureyri.
Day 2: Trollaskagi loop north from Akureyri — Dalvik, Olafsfjordur, Siglufjordur, returning through Hofsos. Overnight Akureyri.
Day 3: Godafoss, then Myvatn — Skutustadagigar, Dimmuborgir, Hverir and the Nature Baths. Overnight Myvatn or Reykjahlid.
Day 4: Diamond Circle — Dettifoss, Asbyrgi canyon and Husavik for whale watching, then back to Akureyri or onward east to Egilsstadir.
This pairs naturally with our Diamond Circle self-drive guide, which covers Dettifoss, Asbyrgi and Husavik in detail.
Winter in the north
North Iceland gets more snow than the south and holds it longer. From November to April, expect Route 1 to be cleared but often snow-covered, mountain roads to Trollaskagi to be open but demanding, and Krafla and the Myvatn loop road to be partly closed.
The upside is real: the north sits under the auroral oval, has far less light pollution than the south-west, and Myvatn on a clear February night is one of the best northern lights locations in the country. Winter travel here needs a 4x4 with studded tyres, a flexible schedule and a daily habit of checking road.is and safetravel.is.
Which car for north Iceland?
Summer, Route 1 and the Myvatn loop only: a 2WD such as the SsangYong Tivoli at 12,000 ISK per day in low season is enough. Arctic Coast Way, Trollaskagi in shoulder season, or any winter travel: choose a 4x4 — Dacia Duster, Kia Sportage or SsangYong Korando. Groups of up to nine fit the bus, and campers work well in the north because campsites around Myvatn and Akureyri are plentiful in summer. The full fleet is on our our cars page.
All Aurora Car Rental Iceland vehicles include insurance, WiFi, GPS and free transfer from Keflavik Airport, with no deposit and cash payment on pickup in ISK or EUR. All vehicles are unavailable from 10 to 15 August 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Akureyri from Keflavik Airport?
About 390 km via Route 1 through Borgarnes and Blonduos, which is roughly 5 hours of driving without stops. Most travellers break the journey overnight in Borgarnes, Varmahlid or Blonduos rather than driving it in one push after a flight.
Do I need a 4x4 for north Iceland?
Not for Route 1, Akureyri, Godafoss and the main Myvatn loop in summer. Yes for the Arctic Coast Way gravel sections, for Trollaskagi outside summer, and for all winter travel in the region.
How many days do I need for Myvatn?
One full day covers the main sites: Skutustadagigar, Dimmuborgir, Hverir and the Nature Baths. Two days lets you add Krafla, Viti crater and a slower pace, or combine it with the Diamond Circle.
Are the Myvatn midges a real problem?
Only in late June and July, and only on still, warm days near the eastern shore. They do not bite in the way mosquitoes do, but they swarm. A head net costs very little and completely solves it.
Is the Arctic Coast Way paved?
No. It is a signposted route rather than a single road, and it includes substantial gravel sections on the Vatnsnes, Skagi, Tjornes and Melrakkasletta peninsulas. A higher-clearance 4x4 makes it far more comfortable and is the sensible choice.
Can I see the northern lights in north Iceland?
Yes, and the north is among the best regions for it. Myvatn and the Trollaskagi peninsula have very little light pollution. The season runs roughly from late August to mid-April, with the darkest and most reliable months being October to March.
Drive north Iceland with a 4x4 built for gravel
Insurance, WiFi, GPS and free Keflavik Airport transfer included. No deposit — pay cash on pickup.
Aurora Car Rental Iceland — Suðurbraut 890, 262 Keflavík | WhatsApp: +48 729 854 633 | carrentalaurora@gmail.com