September 3, 2017
Today was the beautiful Lake Mývatn, one of the world’s natural wonders. Lake Mývatn and its environs of bubbling mud flats, lava fields, and lunar-like volcanic craters comprise a national nature reserve that ranks among the most beautiful sights in a country, overflowing with natural beauty. The explorations here begin with a stop at Goðafoss, the stunning “Waterfall of the Gods” named for the carvings of the Norse gods tossed into the water when the country was declared Christian (and paganism forbidden) a thousand years ago. This afternoon we made our way to the active volcano areas of the lake, including the boiling mud pots at Námaskarð, the bizarre lava formations at Dimmuborgir, the explosion crater at Viti, and the flat volcano system at Krafla. From here we drove across the Mývatn desert to witness yet another of Iceland’s natural wonders, the jaw dropping Dettifoss, Europe’s most powerful waterfall and Iceland’s “Niagara” with its thunderous falls cascading at a rate of 20 tons per second.
