Situated on the north side of Iceland’s Lake Myvatn, this geothermal wonder of hot sulfuric mud springs and steam springs (solfataras and fumaroles) is otherworldly. Black rivers and bubbling pools of sulfuric mud cut through a landscape that’s rich with colorful minerals and is continuously steaming. Námaskarð is a magnificent example of how strange and “unearthly” our planet’s natural landscapes can be, and just how pungent they can be as well.
The other thing that is sure to strike you about Námaskarð is the sheer lack of vegetation. However, if you give a thought to the high temperature range, it does not appear an impossibility altogether. The constant emission of the fumes has made the ground utterly sterile and acidic, unfit to sustain any floras and faunas.