The Askja Lunar Tour has been the most popular guided daytour from lake Mývatn for many years.

We travel through the widest untouched part of Iceland filled with contrasts of nature, driveng in lunar landscape where the astronauts were trained before they went to the moon in 1969. The scene of unforgettable nature and geology.

    Askja, the big caldera formed by subsidence because of volcanic eruptions in preceeding ages, lies inside the mountain massif Dyngjufjöll. It was almost unknown until 19^th century. In the year 1875 there was a big eruption and tremendous quantities of volcanic ash where thrown up through a row on the bottom of the lake Öskjuvatn, now the deepest lake in Iceland, 217 m deep.

    The last eruption in Askja occurred in the autumn 1961. Our bus stops by the side of its craters and from there is about 30 min. easy walk to the explotion crater Víti at the rim of the Askja lake. Víti means hell, and on the bottom of the crater is a warm pond which amazingly turns into heaven when you bath in it.

    After enjoying the unearthly quietness and landscape the passengers return to the bus and drive the same way back to lake Mývatn through Herðubreiðarlindir. In Herðubreiðarlindir clear water wells up from springs beneath the old lava. The springs form a small water which provides conditions for rich growth and birdlife to survive in this barren landscape. The steep slopes of the tablemountain Herðubreið (1682 m) rise in about 3 km distance and make a beautiful background for this oasis in the wilderness.

    Now we can offer our passengers a very convenient accomodation in our private Mountainhut Höttur, situated at the campsite of Dreki, Askja. Höttur is a new, small mountainhut, with beds for 8-10 people.

Click here to see images from our tours.

Informations for this summer

Operated:    15/6 – 31/8

Departure:  From Hótel Reynihlíð MON, WEN, FRI at 8:00 a.m.
                  Daily 15/7 – 15/8

Duration: 12 – 13 hours

Informations and booking in: tel.: +354 464 4196, fax: +354 464 4380