A shallow lake in a landscape still being made, 30 km east of the hotel: pseudo craters, lava castles, boiling mud and a geothermal lagoon for the evening. Allow a full day.
Mývatn is thirty minutes east of Laugar on the ring road, with a loop of stops around the lake. Start with the pseudo craters at Skútustaðir on the south shore, then visit Dimmuborgir, a field of black lava towers and arches with marked walks of half an hour to two hours. Beside it stands Hverfjall, a tephra crater whose rim takes about an hour to walk around.
East of the lake, the ground changes. At Hverir, beneath the Námafjall ridge, the earth boils and steams in mud pots and vents. A little further on, the Krafla road climbs to the crater lake Víti. Back towards the lake, finish the afternoon at the geothermal baths above the shore.
The lake takes its name from its midges. They do not bite, but they swarm on still, warm days in June or July. A head net from the shop is money well spent, and a breeze clears them.
30 km · 30 min east
Measured on OpenStreetMap roads, October 2026
Hótel Laugar is the red square, Lake Mývatn the blue pin.
Directions from the hotel (Google Maps, opens in a new tab)
Run by local companies. Each opens on our TourDesk page in a new tab, where you choose the date and pay. Every tour from Laugar
Prices are per adult, from TourDesk on 10 November 2026; the price for your date, and for children, shows when you book.
Earth Lagoon Mývatn
Mineral water drawn from 2,500 metres below ground, and two steam baths where the sulphur steam rises through holes in the floor. A bistro for a light meal before or after.
Mývatn Tours
Running since 1980: a 4x4 highland bus through the oasis at Herðubreiðarlindir, about two hours at Askja for the walk to the lake and the Víti crater, then Drekagil canyon. No cafés on the way, so bring your lunch.
Leaves Arnarnes at 7:45, be there by 7:30. Back around 19:00 to 20:00.
Saga Travel
Two long stops: the Holuhraun lava field and the Askja caldera, with an easy to moderate 2.5 km walk to the Víti crater, 35 to 45 minutes. For a minimum of two adults.
Leaves at 8:00 from the car park of the Berjaya hotel in Reykjahlíð.
Lake Mývatn is 30 km from the hotel, about 30 minutes by car east along the ring road.
A full day covers the pseudo craters, Dimmuborgir, Hverfjall, Hverir and a geothermal bath. Half a day covers two of them.
On still warm days in June and July they swarm, though they do not bite. A head net, sold at the petrol stations, and a windy day solve it.
Lake Mývatn is 30 km by road, and dinner is served from six. Book direct for our best available rate.
You finish on the hotel’s own booking page.
Their other two places to stay, both west of Laugar on the ring road towards Akureyri.
