Vogafjos Guesthouse

Vogafjos Guesthouse is on the eastern shore of Lake Mývatn in the spectacular landscapes of the north of Iceland.

The spacious rooms, ranging from double rooms to family rooms, are located in attractive rustic log cabins, which evoke an outdoorsy atmosphere without compromising on comfort. They have terraces for sitting out on and admiring the views, while back indoors, the heated floors make the rooms as cosy as anything - perfect for welcoming you in after a day’s exploring in the cold. They're in a great location for visiting the lake, which is a mere five-minute walk away.

The darkness of the skies in this remote location means you’ll have a great chance of catching a glimpse of the Northern Lights from your doorstep.

Dining at Vogafjos is a special experience as it brings together delicious food with an unqiuely interactive environment. The Cowshed Café is located inside the cowshed itself and offers homemade local food such as smoked trout, mozzarella and cheese made from the farm’s own milk. Their Geysir rye bread, which is baked in the earth in the natural geothermal heat, and the raw smoked lamb are particular specialities.

While enjoying your meal, you can watch the cows being milked – guests are also allowed to go inside the cowshed to pat the calves and even try the fresh milk. The hotel operates on the ethos that it’s important to know what you’re eating – and when the ingredients are this fresh, who can blame them?

The hotel has a deli where guests can buy the farm’s quality produce, and also a small boutique where you can pick up Icelandic art, Icelandic fashion and unique handmade products.

Lake Mývatn and its surrounding wetlands have an exceptionally rich ecosystem, with a variety of waterbirds populating the area, and the river Laxá overflows with Atlantic salmon and brown trout. If you are there in summer, you can watch the marathon around the shores of the lake.  

As well as a scenic bike ride followed by a soak in a natural steambath, an unmissable experience is a trip to Dimmuborgir, an area of lava fields to the east of Lake Mývatn which translates rather ominously as ‘dark castles’. You’ll soon see why, though, with its volcanic caves and rock formations eerily reminiscent of a shadowy, ruined citadel. There are also volcanoes and hot springs nearby. Unsurprisingly, the area features prominently in Icelandic folklore as a portal between earth and the underworld.