You want to discover East Iceland? You can read about some of our top attractions. This is not even close to what East Iceland has to offer but this list will give you some ideas what you can do.
Seyðisfjörður (21 min. from Egilsstaðir)
Color and creativity is one of the first things that come to mind when Seyðisfjörður is mentioned. The town has become famous for its photogenic Rainbow street, which ends out front of the pretty blue town church. Nature is combined with the local life so take your hiking boots and camera with you.
The local population is around 700 but the arts scene is thriving, there are summer and winter festivals, artist residencies as well art installations in the hills. A walking trail to Tvísöngur a sound sculpture in the mountain side is on of the must see destinations in Seyðisfjörður. There is a abundance of high quality places to eat and stay at in the town. You can taste everything from a fresh sushi to creative pizzas and burgers. You can drink a local beer named after a shipwreck named El Grillo that sank in the fjord.
Hengifoss (29 min. from Egilsstaðir)
Hengifoss is one of the highest waterfalls in Iceland 128 meters high. It is located in Fljótsdalshreppur near Egilsstaðir. The waterfall is surrounded by basaltic stata with thin red layers of clay between the basaltic layers. Further down from Hengifoss is another waterfall named Litlanesfoss, notable for the columnar jointed volcanics around it. Hengifoss is one of the most popular hiking site in East Iceland. It takes 40-60 minutes to walk to the waterfall. We highly recommend to see this amazing site yourself.
Lundinn á Borgarfirði Eystra (1 hour from Egilsstaðir)
You want to get up close and personal with a puffin? Then you are in luck if you drive to Borgarfjörður Eystri and arrive to Hafnarhólmi then you will get a chance to capture amazing photos of this lovable bird or just spend time watching them. The locals celibate when they arrive to town each year (around mid April) It is thought that Hafnarhólmi is one of the best spots for puffin and other bird watching in Iceland. A pathway has been built that guides guests through the nesting ground allowing you to get closer to the puffins than you would normally be able to - free of charge!
Stuðlagil canyon (1 hour from Egilsstaðir)
Stuðlagil canyon is a true diamond that has become a popular attraction. This amazing site became more visible after the hydroelectric power plant Kárahnjúkar was built. The section of the river Jökla that is named Stuðlagil is considered to have one of Iceland´s largest collection of basalt columns on land.
The color of the river differs between seasons, from blue to green during the summer and grey to brown when Kárahnjúkar dam is on overflow and when snow melts into the river.
Kárahnjúkar hydroelectric power plant (2 hours from Egilsstaðir)
Kárahnjúkar power plant is the largest construction project in Icelandic history and the most significant electricity production in the country. It was built to produce energy for the aluminum plant at Reyðarfjörður. A trip to Kárahnjúkar is an ideal road trip for the family. A paved road runs from Fljótsdalur to the Kárahnjúkar dam.
The area is ideal for outdoor activities. It is amazing and can be breath taking to see the Kárahnjúkar Dam itself and the Hálslón Reservoir. When Hálslón fills up and overflows, the Hverfandi waterfall appears at the western end of the dam, where the water plunges about 100 meters into Hafrahvammahljúfur. The waterfall is mighty and can become more powerful than Dettifoss. There are as well hiking trails in the area but keep in mind that you need a 4x4 car to get to some of the trails.
Steinasafn Petru (57 min. from Egilsstaðir)
Ljósbjörg Petra María Sveinsdóttir was interested in stones all her life and started to collect them in earnest in 1946. Most of her stones were found in Stöðvarfjörður and other places in East Iceland because Petra didn´t go much looking for stones in other parts of the country.
In 1974, Petra decided to open her home for all those that wished to look at her stones. Petra´s receives many visitors each year and it has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in East Iceland.
It´s obvious to all those that visit Petra´s, that she was an efficient stone collector but not many people know that she collected more than stones. Petra collected marked pens, cups, and numerous other small paraphernalia and for most of her life, she collected eggs, shells, and conches.
For sure, Petra´s house has slowly acquired the appearance of a nature museum, but first and foremost, it´s a home.
Open from June 1st to August 31st, seven days a week from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm
The Coke vending machine in midde of nowhere (30 min. from Egilsstaðir)
On your way to Borgarfjörður Eystri you will see a vending machine in the middle of nowhere.
It is based between Egilsstaðir and Borgarfjörður eystri. The amazing thing is that this installation is powered by wind turbine and solar panels. The cabin is an initiative of an eccentric local that decided to install it there as a curiosity to amuse tourists. You will need to bring some coins with you if you want to give it a go and enjoy a cold drink in this rather extravagant and remote place. When you into the cabin you will see kind and funny messages left by previous visitors on the wall. This is definitely a good photo opportunity and worth stopping by. There is a bench outside were you can enjoy great views of the valley and the surrounding mountains.
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