Guide de Voyage : Zone géothermale de Námafjall

The Námafjall Geothermal Area is located in Northeast Iceland, on the east side of Lake Mývatn.

At this area, also known as Hverir, you will see many smoking fumaroles and boiling mud pots, surrounded by sulphur crystals of many different colours. This sulphur gives the area an overwhelming smell of egg.

The soil in the area has little vegetation due to the acidity caused by these geothermal processes.

Around the area is a small hiking trail up to Námaskarð pass and Námafjall mountain, which returns to the highway and the parking lot.

In 1969 a geothermal power plant was built west of the Námafjall Area. The plant currently produces 3MW of geothermal energy.

Concerns have raised over current plans to expand the plant to 90 MW. In particular, there have been worries in regards to the effect of the plant on the delicate ecosystem of Lake Mývatn. The head of an environmental NGO has recently called for a new environmental impact assessment on the plans, and the matter continues to be debated.