Tailor-made Vacation · Iceland
North Iceland: The Diamond Circle and the Road to Askja
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At a glance
This five-day North Iceland route covers the Diamond Circle, then follows the road to Askja and its crater lake, past waterfalls, geothermal ground, and lava fields.
North Iceland's Diamond Circle is the loop of sights in the northeast that links Goðafoss, Húsavík, Ásbyrgi Canyon, Dettifoss, and Lake Mývatn. Most first visits to Iceland follow the Golden Circle and the South Coast, so this itinerary heads north instead, to a region of waterfalls and volcanic craters, with the open highland around Askja beyond.
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You base yourself in Akureyri and at Lake Mývatn, with a private guide and driver for each excursion. Days two and four cover the Diamond Circle, with the falls at Goðafoss and Dettifoss, the canyon at Ásbyrgi, the mud pots at Hverir, and the lava formations of Dimmuborgir. Day three belongs to the road to Askja, where a 4x4 track leaves the paved roads, crosses the black volcanic desert, and reaches the crater lake before continuing to the Holuhraun lava field. Each day leaves time at your luxury hotel before dinner.
Every part of the route can be adjusted, from the length of each drive to how much time you spend on foot. Our luxury LGBTQ+ travel specialists can shape the pacing and the hotels around how you like to travel, and the full range of Iceland itineraries is a good place to compare routes.
Day by day
This is a sample plan, not a fixed departure. Days can be added, removed or reordered, and almost every client changes something. Prices are an entry-level guide; your quote will be exact.
Day 1. Arrive in Akureyri
Arrive in Akureyri and transfer to your hotel on the shore of Eyjafjörður, one of the longest fjords in Iceland. The afternoon is open.
Walk down to the harbor, visit the botanical garden near the town center, and stop at one of the cafes on Hafnarstræti.
During the summer months the light on the mountains across the fjord lasts well into the evening, which makes a late walk along the waterfront easy before dinner.
Day 2. The Diamond Circle, from Goðafoss to Dettifoss
Today covers the main sights of the Diamond Circle. Leave Akureyri with your guide and drive east to Goðafoss, a wide horseshoe of water on the Skjálfandafljót river.
The route continues to Húsavík, a harbor town on Skjálfandi bay, and then to Ásbyrgi, a horseshoe-shaped canyon with a birch forest on its floor.
Late in the day you reach Dettifoss, where the glacial Jökulsá á Fjöllum river drops into a basalt canyon. From there you continue to Lake Mývatn, where you stay for the next two nights.
Day 3. The road to Askja and Holuhraun
Today is spent in the highlands north of the Vatnajökull ice cap, traveling by 4×4 with your guide. The track crosses the Black volcanic desert to Askja, where a caldera holds a crater lake.
Continue to Holuhraun, the lava field formed in an eruption that ran from 2014 into 2015, and look across ground that was molten only a few years ago.
Return to Mývatn in the evening, where a soak in the region’s geothermal water is an easy way to end the day.
Day 4. Mývatn and Bárðardalur
Spend the morning around Lake Mývatn. Walk among the lava pillars and arches of Dimmuborgir, then visit a family farm near the lake to see how rural life works in this part of the country.
Continue to Hverir, where steam rises from mud pots on rust-colored ground below Námafjall, and to the volcanic area at Krafla.
In the afternoon, drive back toward Akureyri by way of Bárðardalur valley, with stops at Aldeyjarfoss, where water falls over columns of basalt, and at Hrafnabjargafoss on the Skjálfandafljót river.
Day 5. Akureyri and departure
Take the morning at your own pace in Akureyri before your transfer for onward travel.
A helicopter flight over Eyjafjörður and the surrounding mountains can be added for a last look at the region from above, and there is time for a final meander through town before your departure.
Further information
Good to Know
- Summer daylight. Long evenings from late spring through summer leave time for walks at the lake and soaking in geothermal water after each day of sightseeing.
- Road to Askja. The Askja excursion runs in summer, when the interior tracks are open, and uses a 4×4 with a local guide.
- Private guiding. Each excursion has its own guide and driver, so the schedule can shift to match the weather and how long you want to stay at each stop.
- Add-ons. A helicopter flight from Akureyri and a geothermal tour around Mývatn can be added.
Our Experts
Iceland has a reputation as one of the most sought-after luxury travel destinations. With bubbling thermal spas and some of the world's most breathtaking scenery, it's a truly unmissable country.
There's something magical about Iceland. In Reykjavik, you can sample authentic Icelandic cuisine before heading into the frozen wilderness to explore the otherworldly natural environment.
Millicent curated the perfect luxury trip for us to Iceland.
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Out of Office was a tremendous help in planning our Iceland trip!
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Ryan prepared an awesome itinerary for my partner and me to visit Iceland.
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