North Iceland by car: Akureyri, Mývatn and the Diamond Circle

Getting there from Reykjavík or Keflavík Airport

1. From Keflavík Airport: Reykjanesbraut (Route 41) toward Reykjavík, then Route 1 north.
2. Over the passes: through the Hvalfjörður tunnel (no toll), past Borgarnes and over Holtavörðuheiði, Vatnsskarð and Öxnadalsheiði down to Akureyri, mountain passes where the weather can change fast.
3. On to Mývatn: east of Akureyri, through the Vaðlaheiði tunnel (toll) and past Goðafoss.

These are the official distances of Vegagerðin, the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration (distance tables, in Icelandic), all on paved roads; Visit Iceland puts North Iceland about five hours' drive from Reykjavík. Airport distances start at the terminal; our office at Bogatröð 1 in Reykjanesbær is about 10 minutes away by our airport shuttle.

The Diamond Circle, leg by leg

Visit North Iceland describes the Diamond Circle as a circuit of about 250 km with five key stops: Goðafoss, Lake Mývatn, Dettifoss, Ásbyrgi canyon and Húsavík, and Visit Iceland gives the same length. From Akureyri, North Iceland's main town, by Vegagerðin's distances:

Every leg is paved; without the Akureyri legs, Goðafoss round to Goðafoss is 249 km. Allow at least 3 h 15 min at the wheel before any stop: Visit Iceland suggests one to three days and recommends at least two, as do we, with a night near Mývatn or in Húsavík.

The stops on the way

1. Goðafoss: by Route 1, 34 km east of Akureyri. The river Skjálfandafljót falls 12 m over a width of 30 m, with parking on both sides and paved paths to viewing platforms.
2. Mývatn: Iceland's fourth-largest lake, formed in an eruption more than 2,000 years ago. From Reykjahlíð on Route 1, road 848 takes the far shore to the lava formations of Dimmuborgir (6 km); nearby are the pseudocraters at Skútustaðir and, just east of the lake, the steaming geothermal area Hverir (Námaskarð): stay on the marked paths.
3. Dettifoss: Europe's most powerful waterfall, 45 m high and 100 m wide, in the canyon Jökulsárgljúfur; paved road 862 reaches the west bank, 24 km from Route 1.
4. Ásbyrgi: a horseshoe-shaped canyon with cliffs up to 100 m high in Vatnajökull National Park; in folklore, the hoofprint of Sleipnir, Odin's eight-legged horse. Gljúfrastofa, the park's visitor center for the north, is here.
5. Húsavík: a harbor town known for whale watching, with its own whale museum.

Which roads reach Dettifoss

• West bank, road 862: paved from Route 1 past Dettifoss to road 85 near Ásbyrgi, the road in the table. All our cars may drive it when it is open.
• East bank, road 864: gravel; from Mývatn it is 69 km, 32 km of it gravel. Visit North Iceland says it is closed in winter, because of snow or mud, until early summer (around the end of May).

Mývatn and Dettifoss in winter

Vegagerðin's winter service rules treat the roads of the north very differently:

• Seven days a week: Route 1 over Holtavörðuheiði and Öxnadalsheiði to Akureyri and on past Goðafoss and Mývatn, road 848 round the lake, and roads 845 and 85 to Húsavík.
• Road 862 from Route 1 to Dettifoss: two days a week in autumn (until 1 November) and spring (from 20 March) while snow is light; in between, once a week until 5 January, then only on request.
• No winter service: road 862 north of Dettifoss, and road 864.

So from November to March, don't count on Dettifoss. On roads cleared every day, Akureyri – Goðafoss – Mývatn – Húsavík – Akureyri is 234 km via Route 1 and roads 845 and 85 (at least 2 h 30 min); road 87, the shorter way from Mývatn to Húsavík, is cleared only twice a week over Hólasandur. Try Dettifoss only if umferdin.is shows road 862 open.

• Daylight: on 10 November the sun rose in Akureyri at 09:37 and set at 16:15; around the December solstice Reykjavík gets about four hours of daylight, and Akureyri less. The Met Office publishes each day's sunrise and sunset (in Icelandic).
• Northern lights: September to April, on dark, clear nights: check the aurora and cloud forecast and park only in a proper parking area, never on the road (Northern lights by car).
• Tires and drive: winter tires on every car from 1 November to 14 April at no extra charge (rental terms 1); from November to March we strongly recommend AWD or a 4×4, though, as Safetravel notes, it does not stop a skid on ice.

North Iceland on a Ring Road trip

Route 1, about 1,310 km around Iceland, itself passes Akureyri, Goðafoss and Mývatn; we suggest 6 to 11 days for the loop, and at least 10 in winter. East of Mývatn, Dettifoss is a 24 km detour each way on road 862, and Ásbyrgi and Húsavík complete the circle: give the north at least one extra day. See Ring Road car rental and our day-by-day Ring Road itinerary.

Which car, and returning it elsewhere

• Roughly May to September: every leg above is paved, so an Everyday car will do; choose a bigger one for more people or luggage.
• November to March: we strongly recommend AWD or a 4×4; Comfort is our default winter pick, and 4×4 Adventure and Highland 4×4 have more ground clearance.

Ending your trip in Akureyri? We rent from our office near Keflavík Airport, where the car goes back. A return in Akureyri or another town is possible only on request, agreed in advance; we confirm the one-way fee in writing when we agree it (rental terms 11 and 40(o); see Locations).

Car trouble: call us day or night on +354 779 9499; in an emergency, call 112 (Accident & breakdown).

Questions about driving in North Iceland