Akureyri options; help me decide please!

[perlgirlnj]

We will be in the port of Akureyri from 8 AM to 7 PM toward the end of June.  We're looking at two options, both through Saga/GeoIceland.  I'm having a hard time choosing!

 

Option 1:  Lake Myvatn from port

(built as a shore excursion), 5-6 hours. 

Covers the following:

• Goðafoss Waterfall
• Skútustaðagígar Pseudo Craters
• Dimmuborgir Lava Formations
• The Rift Between the Eurasian & American Continents
• Mt. Námafjall

 

Option 2:  Lake Myvatn Classic

(not specifically for cruisers, would need to walk 10 minutes from port to meeting place & back), 8-9 hours, so from 9 AM to potentially 6 PM (we're in port  until 7 PM and again, a 10 minute walk back to ship.)

Covers the following:

• Godafoss Waterfall
• Skutustadagigar Pseudo Craters
• Dimmuborgir Lava Formations
• The Rift Between the Eurasian & American Continents
• Mt. Namafjall – Hverir mud pools
• Game of Thrones filming locations by Lake Myvatn
• Myvatn Nature Baths (Entry fee NOT included, but there is an hour stop scheduled there and the entry and fee for towel can be added on the booking)

 

Other things to consider:

• We didn't watch Game of Thrones, so this has no meaning for us.
• We haven't decided about going to Blue Lagoon in Reykjavik yet; obviously if we don't go to BL, then we'd want to do Option 2 here.  The question is if we DO go to BL, is it still worth doing the baths here two days later?  Or should we just do the Myvatn Nature Baths which people rave about, and skip the BL, using the time differently in Reykjavik?  (Other things we're doing in R is a day tour to the South Coast, and a day tour of the Golden Circle, and part of a day seeing some general R sights.  The extra day is the one we'd use for the BL, and if we didn't go there, not entirely sure what we'd do with that day.)

 

Thoughts, anyone?  Would so appreciate someone making this decision for me!  

[kaisatsu]

I love volcanology, so the highlight of the area for me is the boiling mud pits at Námafjal (aka Hverir), and both tours include that. I don't know how long they spend in each place, but it looks like the only difference is the Game of Thrones tie-in and the Mývatn Nature Baths?

 

We've visited both Mývatn and the Blue Lagoon, and for most people, I don't think you really need to visit both. However, they are significantly different experiences. ...unless you're just curious what it's like to sit in silica-rich geothermally heated run-off from a power plant. In that case, the water itself is pretty much the same in both places.  If you're looking for a sleek spa experience, the swim-up bar, an in-water massage, etc. then the Blue Lagoon is probably the better option. If you're interested more in an a local experience, then Mývatn is a better choice. The ratio of local visitors to tourists shifts drastically between the two.

 

Personally, with a full-day tour and a fixed time at the baths, I'm not sure how relaxing I would find it. An hour sounds a bit short to be able to change in and out of your swimwear, shower (always shower before entering pools/baths in Iceland) and to enjoy a soak. The point of the baths in either place is to have a long soak, maybe try a few different temperatures (the temperature changes significantly in different parts of the pools), and relax. With your timeframe, I'd be nervous about getting back to the ship and potentially concerned that other people on the tour might make us late. It sounds like you have a few days in Reykjavik, so you wouldn't be as rushed.

 

16 hours ago, perlgirlnj said:

The extra day is the one we'd use for the BL, and if we didn't go there, not entirely sure what we'd do with that day.

 

Are you considering a full day there? Because unless you're planning a full relaxing spa day, that sounds like a lot. A half day is typically enough.

 

If you do decide to do the Blue Lagoon, I highly recommend booking an in-water massage. It's not the greatest massage I've had in my life, but it was definitely the most unique! You lie on a semi-submerged floating mat, and they perform the massage upward through the water, using your body weight to apply pressure.

 

I don't know what all your south coast tour includes, but I believe it's possible to make it to Jökulsárlón in a (long) day trip from Reykjavik. The zodiac trip on the glacier lake is one of my top recommendations in all of Iceland (because I love polar expeditions, and this experience was surprisingly similar to the zodiac rides I've done in Antarctica -- but much easier to get to). There are also glacier walks available out of Reykjavik, and I found it interesting to see the juxtaposition of the glaciers with the volcanic remnants of the Eyjafjallajökull eruption. And if you're interested in volcanoes (or Journey to the Center of the Earth), the Inside the Volcano experience is well worth considering!

[ljandgb]

The drive to Jokulsarlon from Reykjavik is 6 hours one way, at least.  You'll go by the major sites on the way, but won't have very much time at them.  

 

The BL is nice, and yes, a bit touristy, but at least it's crowd controlled.  Once you're in the water, it's not that crowded.  I'd second the in water massage.  It was an amazing experience.

 

That said, do you have 3 full days in Reykjavik?  Then the ship leaves, or are you flying out from there?  One full day for the BL is a very long time for most people. Most people do it on the way to/from the airport, since it's 45 minutes from Reykjavik, but near the airport.  If you've already done the GC and the south coast, you could consider an "Into the Volcano" tour, or snorkeling in Silfra.  Or, depending on your time frame, a 2 day tour that takes you all the way to Jokulsarlon instead of just a south coast tour.

[Turtles06]

We had a port call in Akureyri in August, and did a private tour (with a different company) that was very much like the first one you have listed, except that it also included lunch break time at the Nature Baths (and a soak for those wanting to do it). The whole day was extraordinary.  

 

My wife and I were the only ones in our vehicle who opted for the Baths, and we loved the experience.  Incredibly relaxing. Yes, as someone noted above, it’s a bit rushed because you are on a tour, and we could easily have spent hours there, but it wasn’t zooey (and it has the reputation of being far less touristy than the Blue Lagoon).  We had two days in Reykjavik, and were not going to take time for the Blue Lagoon, so this worked well for us. 

 

I wonder why Saga doesn’t include the Nature Baths on the first tour.  There is certainly time on a full day tour from Akureyri.  Have you written to them to ask? 

 

Personally, I would not do the second tour you listed because it’s not a shore excursion, and you’ll have people along who don’t need to be back to a ship at a certain time.  Also, given the listed times, you might very well be cutting it far too close (for me, anyway) to your all-aboard time. (And, like you, we did not watch Game of Thrones.)

 

Are you using GeoIceland for your South Coast and Golden Circle Tours? We used them for the South Coast, and it was one of the best tours we’ve ever taken. 

 

Have a great trip!

 

 

[perlgirlnj]

This information has been very helpful to me.  Thanks everyone!

[dronnygirl]

We were on a cruise to Akureyri in July. This was our favourite  port in Iceland. We pre booked a trip with FAB tours. They responded very quickly and we didn't have to pay until we met them. The tour was amazing and, as there were only 8 of us, we were asked how long we wanted at each place. There is so much to see that it us a bit rushed but they took us to the baths at Lake Myvatn so that we could see and photograph them but everyone decided we would rather spend time seeing other places rather than spending the time bathing. The tour brought us back to Akurayri and we were asked if we preferred to be dropped at the ship or in the town. As we had plenty of time we asked to be dropped in town. It's a cute little place and we were so pleased we walked through and stopped for a drink. I can really recommend FAB tours, their guide was excellent.   I'm sure you will enjoy your time there whatever you decide to do.