North Iceland

Awe-inspiring Northern Lights, dramatic whale watching, soothing geothermal baths, ice-capped mountains and downhill skiing

Come for:

• The magical aurora borealis (aka Northern Lights) – enchanting bright green lights that dance across the midnight sky on a clean evening
• Dramatic whale watching near Húsavík, where you can see Humpback, Minke, Blue Whales and white-beaked dolphins if lucky
• Smoking fumaroles and boiling mud pots at the Namafjall Hverir Geothermal Area as well as hikes along massive volcanic craters (Hverfjall)
• Iceland’s most powerful waterfall (Dettifoss) as well as the stunning “Waterfall of the Gods” (Godafoss), just 30 minutes from Akureyri
• Soothing geothermal baths, where you can socialize with locals soaking in natural minerals thought to be excellent for the skin
• Ice-capped mountains and one of Iceland’s best downhill ski slopes (Hlíðarfjall), just 30 minutes from Akureyri
• The imposing Hvitserkur Sea Stack, a 15m basalt rock known for beautiful reflections of the sun, moon, and Northern Lights

Do not expect:

• Predictable weather – it can change in a matter of minutes so be sure to pack for all four seasons, year round
• To necessarily see the Northern Lights – you need to luck out and have some nice weather with clear skies at night