The 5 Best Akureyri Shore Excursions

1.Lake Myvatn Day Tour and Godafoss Waterfall for Cruise Ships from Akureyri Port

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 473 reviews · 5 to 6 hours (approx.) · from $205Our pick

Leave your Akureyri cruise ship for Godafoss and Lake Myvatn on a 5 to 6 hour guided trip. You’ll see Hverir’s steaming mud pools, Dimmuborgir lava, Grjotagja Cave, and the Nature Baths. Guides such as Oli, Jon, and Johannes add local stories, while port pickup keeps the day simple.

“We did this during a cruise stop in Akureyri and were happy with how the day went. Pickup was easy, the pacing was comfortable, and the stops felt well-planned. Goðafoss was impressive, and our guide shared helpful background without overloading us with information. The Lake Mývatn area was interesting and offered a nice variety of scenery. The tour didn’t feel rushed, and we had enough time at each stop to look around and take photos. The vehicle was clean and comfortable, and everything ran on schedule, which mattered since we had to be back at the ship. Overall, it was a good, well-organized way to see the highlights in a…”

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2.Lake Mývatn and Godafoss Cruise Ship Day-Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 269 reviews · 6 hours · from $182

From Akureyri’s cruise pier, you’ll travel by 11 to 19-seat minibus to Goðafoss, Dimmuborgir, Námaskarð, Lake Mývatn, and the optional Mývatn Nature Baths. Local guides such as Johannes, Armann, Biggi, and Fribby add stories, geology, and extra stops when time allows.

“Great way to see the geological features at almost half the cost of what our cruise line would have cost small group versus a large bus.”

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3.Whale Watching Shore Excursions

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 250 reviews · from $100Best value

Sail from Akureyri into Eyjafjörður aboard a fast catamaran with an English-speaking guide, heated seating, Wi-Fi, café, and warm overalls. Guides such as Massimiliano and Dominique add clear explanations about whale behavior, while the crew works to find humpbacks, minkes, porpoises, dolphins, and seabirds.

“The staff were very friendly and very informative. We were delighted to see humpback and minky whales”

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4.Myvatn Nature Baths & Goðafoss Waterfall Akureyri Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 75 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $248

From Akureyri, visit historic Goðafoss, photograph Lake Mývatn’s volcanic scenery, then spend about two hours at the geothermal Mývatn Nature Baths. Guides such as Niko, Victoria, Petra, and Nicole lead the trip, with ship-friendly timing and return transport included.

“The baths were amazing. The bus driver and tour guide were also very helpful and great at providing info on the area. All in all a great experience! Thank you!”

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5.Whale Watching Tour with Transfer from Port

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 19 reviews · 4 - 8 hours · from $141

You’ll ride from Akureyri port to Hauganes, then spend about 2.5 hours on Eyjafjörður looking for humpback and minke whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Saga Travel provides guides, WiFi, warm drinks, cinnamon buns, and a return transfer timed for cruise departures.

“zu viele Leute an Bord, zu wenig Platz zum Beobachten und Fotografieren, sonst ok”

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