Egilsstaðir & Eastfjords Travel Guide
Egilsstaðir is a practical East Iceland base for the Ring Road, lakeside walks and a separate trip to Seyðisfjörður. Give the Eastfjords a real overnight stop instead of describing them while placing the hotel in Akureyri.
At A Glance
Make the eastern overnight stop real
Egilsstaðir is inland beside the Lagarfljót area and close to the Ring Road. It provides a useful break after the coastal drive from Höfn. Arrive, check in and choose a simple evening. A hotel in Akureyri would put you on the other side of another long stage, even if an itinerary labels the day Eastfjords.
Stay in town for straightforward shopping and meals, or choose a rural address for a quieter night. Before booking outside town, check the access road and whether dinner is available. A low room price loses its appeal if it adds a late return drive to find food.
Choose one side trip for a spare day
Hengifoss is about 35 km from Egilsstaðir by either side of the lake. The regional visitor guide describes a moderately steep gravel approach, with roughly 40–60 minutes to walk up from the parking area. Allow more time for the return, stops and conditions. This is a walk to plan for, not a roadside photograph between two long drives.
Hallormsstaður offers a different day around the forest and lake. Pick a marked walk that suits your time rather than trying to combine every trail with Hengifoss. Carry what you need and check the current route information before setting out.
Seyðisfjörður is reached across a mountain road. Choose the trip when conditions permit and keep time for the return if you are sleeping in Egilsstaðir. If you choose to stay in Seyðisfjörður instead, that changes the following morning’s drive. A ferry arrival there also needs its own onward plan.
Continue west with supplies and daylight
The journey to Mývatn crosses a more open, sparsely serviced stretch. Check fuel or charging needs before leaving town. Keep optional detours separate from the basic drive, and check access for any waterfall road you add.
On the ten-day plan, the destination after Egilsstaðir is Mývatn, where two nights leave a full day around the lake. Going straight to Akureyri can work for a different trip, but it should not erase the time needed for the sights described in your day plan.
Flying can suit an eastern holiday
Icelandair flies to Egilsstaðir from Reykjavík’s domestic airport. Arrange the final journey from EGS to your room or rental pickup before arrival. If arriving internationally at Keflavík, include the separate ground transfer to RKV and check the airline’s connection requirements. A regional bus can also be useful, provided its current schedule matches your route.
Hengifoss access · East Iceland visitor information · Domestic flight arrangements · Traffic information
Example spending plans
Use these room and meal budgets to plan a day. They are spending choices, not average prices or available room offers. Replace the room amount with your full booking price, including tax. If sharing, divide only the private-room cost. Airport and intercity travel are extra.
A bed, simple meals, local travel and an activity allowance.
A private room, meals, local travel and an activity allowance.
More room for accommodation, meals and paid sightseeing.
Chosen example for one traveller using one individual bed, if available. These are adjustable allowances, not measured averages or offers. Divide only a whole-room cost when sharing. Replace the activity allowance with actual visits. Car rental, cover, road-use charge, fuel, parking, tolls, excursions and airport travel are additional. Zero local transport means no allowance selected, not free travel. Published ISK tickets remain separate.
🏛️ Top sights and admission costs
Admission choices, ticket prices and practical advice for your visit.
Hengifoss walk
Ticket optionsHallormsstaður forest and lake
Ticket options🛏️ Where to Stay
Stay in Egilsstaðir for services and the airport. A lakeside guesthouse suits a quieter evening if you arrange food and transport. Seyðisfjörður is another town over a mountain road, so check the implications before choosing it as a substitute.
🚇 Getting Around
The centre is compact, but Hengifoss, the forest and the fjords require transport. Regional route 56 connects Egilsstaðir with Mývatn and Akureyri. Check the date and stops; it is not a frequent sightseeing shuttle.
Airport transfers
Icelandair serves EGS from Reykjavík Domestic Airport. Confirm a taxi, rental pickup or other local connection to the actual accommodation address; a rural guesthouse is not the same destination as central Egilsstaðir.
🥖 Eating for Less
Use a town grocery stop before a lakeside or fjord outing. Ask about kitchen access and dinner times at rural accommodation, and carry lunch when planning a longer walk.
Worth Paying For
Choose a bath or a guided activity if it gives the day something you want. Compare the full dated price, transfer and time required before adding it to the Ring Road.
Skip / Save Your Money
Do not drive to every fjord in one afternoon. A forest walk or a single town visit can give you a better break from the car.
Common Tourist Traps & Money Mistakes
A navigation shortcut over a mountain road is not automatically suitable for your rental car or the day’s weather.