2 Best Sights in North Iceland, Iceland

Lofthellir

Fodor's choice

This masterpiece of nature was discovered by a farmer who was out looking for his sheep. He crawled through a small opening inside a cave to discover an underground realm of peculiar ice sculptures. Tours to Lofthellir are operated directly from Mývatn with Geo Travel (ISK 29,900). Getting to Lofthellir involves a very bouncy 45-minute drive on a rugged track southeast of Hverfjall, followed by a 25-minute walk across a ropey lava field. And, yes, just like the farmer, you will have to crawl through a small opening to get to this frozen treasure.

Grjótagjá

No amount of ice can cool down this steamy attraction, a fact the producers of Game of Thrones discovered when they tried to film an equally steamy scene there with actors Kit Harrington and Rose Leslie. Long before the Grjótagjá cave became a famous film location, its water-filled chasm was a popular place to bathe, until the Krafla Fires of the 1970s and '80s turned up the heat. Although the water still looks tempting, it’s too hot to take a dip, and it may well be years before it cools down enough for a comfortable soak.
Cave
Mývatn, Northeast, Iceland