Welcome to East Highlanders: Your Guides to the Heart of East Iceland
- Elí Þór Vídó Gunnarsson
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
We’re East Highlanders, a family-run tour company based in Unalækur, just outside Egilsstaðir in East Iceland. While we weren’t born in the East, Iceland is our home—and over the past 30+ years combined, we’ve lived, worked, and explored this region deeply. The valleys, waterfalls, and fjords you’ll visit with us are places we’ve grown close to—where we’ve built a life, raised our family, and developed a deep connection to the land and its stories.
We started East Highlanders because we saw a gap between the Iceland visitors were being shown—and the Iceland we knew was waiting to be discovered. We wanted to change that by creating tours that don’t just check off photo ops, but invite people into the rhythm of life in the East.
We believe in connection: to nature, to history, to community. That’s why our tours are always private and personal. It gives us the flexibility to share the hidden places we love, and the time to get to know the people we’re traveling with.
What Makes Us Different
We don’t rush. We don’t run tours on autopilot. Instead, we take time to tell the stories behind the landscapes—like how legends of elves and monsters were shaped by the mist rising in the valleys, or how reindeer came to roam the eastern highlands.
Our tours are built on three values:
Local knowledge – After years of living and guiding in East Iceland, we know the backroads, the best hours to visit popular spots, and the quiet places even most Icelanders haven’t seen.
Personal attention – We keep our groups small so every guest feels welcomed, not herded.
Real Icelandic experiences – Whether that’s tasting local food from a countryside farm, we want you to leave with stories of your own.
Our Tours Are Invitations
Each tour is an invitation to slow down and experience East Iceland through local eyes. To breathe in the mountain air, hear the stories that shaped the land, and ask questions that lead to real conversation.
That might mean walking through the elf hills of Borgarfjörður Eystri, where folklore and puffins live side by side. Or standing beside the basalt columns of Stuðlagil Canyon, far from the crowds. Or sipping hot chocolate under the Northern Lights, with nothing but the stars for company.
Whatever the moment is, we promise it will be yours—and yours alone.
Come As You Are
We welcome everyone—families, couples, solo travelers, photographers, hikers, the curious and the quiet. Whether you’re here for nature, culture, or simply a good story, we’ll do our best to meet you where you are and create a day you’ll remember.
This is East Iceland as we know and love it—and we’d be honored to share it with you.
– The East Highlanders Team
Explore our full list of private tours or get in touch to create a custom experience in East Iceland.
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