What you'll do
Do you want to visit the more unexplored areas of Iceland and skip the most touristy and "busy" spots? Come visit the North of Iceland and experience why I fell head over heals in love with Iceland. I have lived at Eyjafjörður (the fjord where Akureyri is situated) for 6 years and I still love exploring this area.
So you can spend 6 years here and not have seen it all yet. But let's try to see as much as you can in 6 days in stead!
Day 1
This day is all about getting to know Icelandic animals. You can go for a riding tour at Stable Stop, or go pet the huskies at goHusky. Or you just try both.
And you can stay the night at guesthouse Bægisá and pet their sheep and have a walk through the stable. At Bægisá you can get a home cooked meal, but of you prefer to drive to Akureyri to eat in a restaurant, there's several options there too.
Blue Car Rental
Car_Rental
Blue Car Rental
If you book through my link (below) you'll get a 5% discount on your car rental!
Blue Car Rental is right at Keflavík Airport, so you can pick up your car immediately after landing.
In case you are driving around Iceland in summer, you really only need a 4x4 by when you go into the highlands (on the F-roads). Other than that, you will be fine with a regular 2x2 car.
In winter you actually also don't really need a 4x4, but I personally feel more comfortable in one when there is a lot of snow or ice. So I would recommend taking a 4x4 that time of year. But if you are used to snow and feel fine in a regular car, that is fine as well. And in winter, all cars in Iceland (both regular and 4x4) have spikes in their tires, so you will have a lot more grip on the road when it is icy.
Hraunsvatn
Wycieczka
Beautiful hike to a lake
Update 17 May 2024: The farm has a new owner and they do not allow people to start the hike from their property. You can also start the hike from Hraun (the farm next to Háls) but I have not done this route myself yet, so I do not know how long the hike takes from this farm.
One of my favorite hikes in North Iceland. It is not a very hard hike. It takes about 45 minutes to walk up to the lake.
You park your car at Háls (a white house with a blue roof) and behind the house the trail starts (with yellow poles). You have to walk through a gate and walk along the fence (the fence is on your left side).
You can just stop at the lake, but you can also walk around it. The hike around the lake is also approximately 45 mins.).
Stable Stop Horse Riding
wycieczki
Riding in the Icelandic countryside
Going for a ride in the Icelandic countryside is always a lot of fun. So try to squeeze in a riding tour if you can!
At Stable Stop you won't be riding in a massive group, so you'll have a super personal experience. The owners and staff at Stable Stop always make me feel at home and they have fun horses to ride. If you have experience, this is the perfect place to book a ride.
I've gone on several rides here and always had a great time. the route through the forest is really nice, because you don't have so many forests in Iceland.
Just remember that Icelandic horses are smaller than regular horses. They are strong, but their weight limit is usually about 100 kg / 220 lbs.
goHusky Dogsledding Tours
wycieczki
Dogsledding
Dog lovers, this is the place for you! Right along the coast north of Akureyri you'll find a pack of huskies and their owners.
You can visit them to pet the dogs and take awesome photos of them, go for a walk with the dogs in the gorgeous forest (all year). Or you can go dogsledding (January - March).
Fun for the whole family!
Þelamerkur sundlaug
Gorące źródło
Swim with the locals
The most Icelandic thing to do in Iceland is go to the swimming pool. Every town in the country has a swimming pool and you will find all the locals gathered there. All pools are outdoor and heated, so you will be able to enjoy them summer and winter.
The pool at Thelamörk is more of a hidden gem than the one in Akureyri. You will mainly find locals at this pool. It is a lot smaller than the pool in Akureyri, but you are surrounded by mountains and get t enjoy even more beautiful views while soaking in the hot tub.
Just don't forget to shower naked before entering the pool. Icelanders are pretty intense about that. They don't put a lot of chlorine in the pool water in Iceland, so they expect everyone to clean themselves properly before entering the pool, so he pools will stay clean as well.
Guesthouse Baegisa
hotel
Guesthouse 20 min from Akureyri
This guesthouse is about a 20 minute drive outside of Akureyri, but it is well worth it if you want to experience Icelandic countryside life. The owners have a sheep farm and also keep a few cows. And you might be able to have a look around there farm when staying here!
One of the owners is also very crafty and has a lot of beautiful things for sale.
And did I mention you can even get a home cooked meal? Overall a great experience!