Day Trips from Akureyri: Where to Go, How to Get There and How Long It Takes

The Diamond Circle is the big day out from Akureyri, a loop of about 155 miles (250 km) that can take up to 10 hours, and Hrísey is the island trip, a short ferry ride away. Adding Hrísey to a day takes at least about 2 hours extra, so start early if you want both.

At a glance

• Diamond Circle stops: Goðafoss, Mývatn, Dettifoss, Ásbyrgi and Húsavík
• Drive between two stops: Mývatn to Dettifoss, about 30 minutes
• By boat: Árskógssandur to Hrísey, about 15 minutes, up to 9 departures a day all year
• Time added by a Hrísey visit: at least about 2 hours
• Without a car: bus route 78 from Akureyri to Árskógssandur, connecting to the Hrísey ferry

Which day trip from Akureyri should you choose?

For a full day, take the Diamond Circle. For an island and the sea, take the ferry to Hrísey. For one big waterfall, drive to Dettifoss from Mývatn. Because the Diamond Circle can fill 10 hours, leave early and do not plan a second big trip the same day.

• Diamond Circle: up to 10 hours · about 155 miles (250 km) · for a full day by road, with five key destinations
• Hrísey: at least about 2 hours extra, crossing about 15 minutes · for an island and the sea, reachable by bus and ferry
• Dettifoss: about 30 minutes by car from Mývatn · for a waterfall added to the Mývatn stop

What are the best day trips from Akureyri?

The Diamond Circle

The route has 5 key destinations: Goðafoss, Mývatn, Dettifoss, Ásbyrgi and Húsavík. It makes a full day out of Akureyri.

The loop is about 155 miles (250 km) long and can take up to 10 hours. Leave early, and treat it as the one big trip of the day.

Mývatn

The Mývatn tour covers Skútustaðagígar, Dimmuborgir, Kálfaströnd, Hverfjall, Námaskarð, Víti, Krafla and Jarðböðin. That is plenty to fill the time you give it.

Mývatn is one of the five Diamond Circle destinations. Dettifoss is about a 30 minute drive from it, so the two fit together.

Dettifoss

Dettifoss is one of the five key destinations of the Diamond Circle, along with Goðafoss, Mývatn, Ásbyrgi and Húsavík.

From Mývatn it is about a 30 minute drive. Pair it with the Mývatn stops rather than making a separate trip.

Hrísey, the island by ferry

Hrísey is reached from the harbor village of Árskógssandur, about 22 miles (35 km) from Akureyri. The ferry Sævar sails between the two.

The crossing takes about 15 minutes, with up to nine departures a day all year. A visit adds at least about 2 hours to a day. On weekends the first and last departures must be pre-booked, and on weekdays the first boat leaves Hrísey at 7:00 a.m.

Forest Lagoon

Forest Lagoon sits in Vaðlaskógur forest, among birch and pine trees, with views over Eyjafjörður, one of Iceland’s longest fjords. The Forest Bistro has an indoor fireplace, and Skógur Bistro has an outdoor dining area facing Akureyri and Hlíðarfjall.

It is open every day from 10 a.m. to midnight. Late hours make it a good way to end a day out.

Can you do day trips from Akureyri without a car?

Hrísey is the easy trip without a car. A scheduled bus runs between Akureyri and Árskógssandur, and route 78 connects with the Hrísey ferry. There are three trips a day Monday to Friday and one on Sundays.

The bus does not drive down to the village, so passengers walk about 1.2 miles (2 km) down to the ferry harbor. Allow time for that walk and for the 15 minute crossing.

Route 78 also runs between Akureyri and Siglufjörður with a stop in Dalvík, starting and ending at Hof. It has 3 departures on weekdays and 1 on Sundays.

With no car, choose Hrísey. With a car, the Diamond Circle and Dettifoss are the road trips to pick.

For longer hauls, there is one daily bus between Akureyri and Reykjavík in each direction, and some departures stop at the Akureyri airport. By road, Reykjavík to Akureyri is about 250 miles (400 km), 4.5 to 6 hours.