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Arnarvatn

North Iceland, Iceland

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LakeNorth Iceland

Arnarvatn

North Iceland, Iceland

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Plan your visit to Arnarvatn

Build an itinerary — full days, multi-stop routes, drive times, alternatives.

Map of Arnarvatn

Arnarvatn is in North Iceland at 66.4986°N, 16.1278°W. The interactive map has the exact pin, parking and everything around it.

Open Arnarvatn on the interactive map →

Plan your visit

Getting there: Road 870 (Melrakkaslétta)
Off the main road: 23.1 km from Route 85
Nearest town: Raufarhöfn — 9.6 km away
Distance from Reykjavík: 376 km in a straight line
What else is close: 21 mapped places within 20 km

Arnarvatn weather and conditions

At Arnarvatn in North Iceland, conditions as of 30 August 2026, 16:15 (Iceland time): 8°C, overcast, wind 3 m/s. Daylight today: 15 h 00 m (sunrise 05:35, sunset 20:35). Check road status before driving on live road conditions.

Data verified 30 August 2026, 16:15· source: Open-Meteo at this location’s coordinates · refreshes hourly

Driving conditions

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Road access

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Daylight today

Visit now · Open year-round · 30 min stop · Visibility —

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North Reykjavík South Coast West East Westfjords Reykjanes Highlands

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Cars & campers

−12%exclusive discountFree cancellation

KEF airport pickup 24/74.8

SUV

Dacia Duster 4x4

Cheapest real 4WD in the fleet — gravel, the Westfjords and easy summer F-roads without truck prices.

VW Caravelle

Whole family or friend group in one car — gear in the back, room to stretch.

TransmissionAutomatic

12,750 kr15,000 kr/day

Reserve −12%

Camper

Key Camper Wild Duo

Sleep right by the trailhead, wake up at the falls — F-road ready from mid-June.

Tours near Arnarvatn

Free cancellation

Small groups

Sightseeing

(Cruise Ships) Lake Mývatn and Goðafoss

Lake Mývatn and the surrounding area are an absolute must if you're exploring the North!

Duration6 hours 30 minutes

HighlightsNorth Iceland

(RS) Lake Myvatn & Godafoss Waterfall Day Tour from Akureyri

Discover the wonderland of Lake Myvatn and Godafoss Waterfall with an experienced local tour guide.

Duration6 hours

HighlightsNorth Iceland

Adventure snowmobile tour Akureyri

The freedom of covering all kinds of terrain on a snowmobile is something everyone should experience.

Duration5 hours

HighlightsNorth Iceland

Photos & videos

Arnarvatn — photo by Gunnarja · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: Gunnarja · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

No verified videos yet — we only show footage confirmed to be Arnarvatn, no lookalikes. Search YouTube

Reviews

Frequently
asked
questions

How do I get to Arnarvatn?

Arnarvatn is in North Iceland. Check live road conditions on this page before you drive — highland lakes often need a 4×4 and some access roads only open in summer.

Can I fish at Arnarvatn?

Angling in Iceland requires a permit bought per water body from the landowner or local angling association, and gear used abroad must be disinfected first. Check the local rules for Arnarvatn before you cast.

Can I swim in Arnarvatn?

Icelandic lakes are cold year-round and swimming rules vary by lake — some are protected or have unstable shorelines. Check local signage at Arnarvatn before entering the water.

When is the best time to visit Arnarvatn?

Roadside lakes are visitable year-round, though winter access depends on conditions. Highland lakes and reservoirs are typically reachable only in summer once the F-roads open. Check live road conditions before you drive.

Nearby

km column = your drive

1Viðarvötn32 km
2Gæsavatn36 km
3Víkingavatn54 km
4Ástjörn55 km
5Hólmavatn67 km

Waterfalls

#1.Geldingafoss

49 km·~59 min drive

A waterfall in North Iceland.

#2.Skeifárfoss

65 km·~78 min drive

A waterfall in North Iceland.

#3.Hólmárfossar

69 km·~83 min drive

A waterfall in North Iceland.

#4.Réttarfoss

70 km·~84 min drive

A waterfall in North Iceland.

4 waterfalls near North Iceland

Hot Springs

#1.Natural hot pot near Norðurþing

49 km·~59 min drive

Swimming_pool hot spring

#2.Ostakarið

74 km·~88 min drive

Public_bath hot spring

#3.Geothermal hot spring near Húsavík

74 km·~89 min drive

Public_bath hot spring

#4.Goldfish Pond

77 km·~92 min drive

Natural hot spring

4 hot springs near North Iceland

Campsites

#1.Raufarhöfn

10 km·~12 min drive

The camp site is located next to the elementary school and sport center.

#2.Tjaldstæði Raufarhafnar

10 km·~12 min drive

North Iceland camping option. Less crowded than the south, with dramatic landscapes and…

#3.Kópasker

26 km·~31 min drive

The camp site in the village Kópasker is located by the entrance to the village. The…

#4.Tjaldsvæðið á Þórshöfn

49 km·~59 min drive

North Iceland camping option. Less crowded than the south, with dramatic landscapes and…

4 campsites near North Iceland

Supermarkets

#1.Verslunin Skerjakolla

26 km·~31 min drive

Supermarket — supplies

#2.Kjörbúðin

49 km·~58 min drive

Kjörbúðin supermarket — supplies

#3.Krambúð

74 km·~89 min drive

Krambúð supermarket — supplies

#4.Nettó

75 km·~90 min drive

Nettó supermarket — supplies

4 supermarkets near North Iceland

Gas stations

#1.Raufarhöfn

9.3 km·~11 min drive

N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol

#2.Kópasker

26 km·~31 min drive

N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol

#3.Þórshöfn

49 km·~58 min drive

N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol

#4.Ásbyrgi

54 km·~65 min drive

N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol

4 gas stations near North Iceland

Tours

#1.(Cruise Ships) Lake Mývatn and Goðafoss

6 hours 30 minutes

Lake Mývatn and the surrounding area are an absolute must if you're exploring the North!

from 25.300 ISKView tour →

#2.(RS) Lake Myvatn & Godafoss Waterfall Day Tour from Akureyri

6 hours

Discover the wonderland of Lake Myvatn and Godafoss Waterfall with an experienced local tour guide.

from 25.900 ISKView tour →

#3.Adventure snowmobile tour Akureyri

5 hours

The freedom of covering all kinds of terrain on a snowmobile is something everyone should experience.

from 166.750 ISKView tour →

3 tours near North Iceland

Data & sources

Everything on this page comes from the sources below. Live feeds refresh automatically.

Wikimedia CommonsHero & gallery photography · Gunnarja · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
VegagerðinVisitor access & practical facts
VegagerðinLive road status & cameras · Icelandic Road Administration
Open-MeteoWeather forecast · CC BY 4.0
NOAA SWPCAurora (planetary Kp) forecast · public domain
OpenStreetMapInteractive-map data · ODbL
Esri, Maxar & Earthstar GeographicsSatellite imagery for the 3D terrain render · GIS User Community