Rentier-Safari im Superjeep | ab Ostisland

East Iceland is a vast area of incredible natural beauty, striking contrasts and fascinating history and culture. It is home to the remote and beautiful East Fjords, many small fishing villages, and an array of wildlife.

Services in East Iceland

East Iceland has just a few settlements with significant services. The main one of these, considered to be the capital of the region, is Egilsstaðir.

Egilsstaðir has restaurants, museums, shops, petrol stations and an array of accommodation options to suit all budgets. It is also home to an airport, meaning those with limited time or without a driving licence can easily reach it from Reykjavík.

Seyðisfjörður is another settlement of significance, with services for travellers, and a ferry that goes to Scandinavia. Djúpivogur is another wonderful town that visitors can refresh themselves at.

East Iceland is home to the Kárahnjúkar hydroelectric power station, which provides many of the towns with energy. The construction of this has led to a hot debate on Iceland’s ecological footprint and continues to do so, considering that it provides fuel to a controversial aluminium smelter nearby.

Nature of East Iceland

East Iceland is characterised by many fjords, surrounded by steep mountains. Fishing villages can be found nestled in most of them.

Inland, however, is just as beautiful, with much of it being a fertile agricultural area. Woodlands of birch can be found here, the most famous being Hallormsstaðaskógur, the largest forest in Iceland.

By this forest, and the town of Egilsstaðir, is the lake Lagarfljót, said to conceal a terrible monster.

Many rivers run through the district, and by their estuaries, colonies of seals may be found. The fertile waters also provide food to whales and dolphins, which can infrequently be seen from shore.

The impressive mountain Snӕfell, Iceland's highest freestanding peak, can be found in the east. Near here is the highland oasis Eyjabakkar, one of the world's largest nesting places for the pink-footed goose.  

Reindeer roam the mountains of East Iceland, and this is the only place they can be found. Initially brought over for farming, the industry was never lucrative, and they have roamed free ever since.

Many migratory birds are found both inland and in the cliffs in summer, including the elusive puffin.

Vatnajökull, Europe's largest glacier, stretches to the borders of East Iceland and can be seen across much of it.

Culture of East Iceland

Of particular cultural note in the Fljótsdalshérað district is the cultural and historical centre Skriðuklaustur. In the Middle Ages, a monastery stood here, making it the region’s religious centre. In the 20th century, Icelandic author Gunnar Gunnarsson made it his home.

Gunnar wrote many masterpieces, including Aðventa, or The Good Shepherd, Svartfugl, or The Black Cliffs, Saga Borgaraettarinnar, or The Saga of the One-Eyed Guest, and the autobiographical novel cycle Fjallkirkjan, which has been translated under different names, such as The Church on the Mountain, Ships in the Sky and The Night and the Dream.

The culture of the East today is largely defined by festivals. Seyðisfjörður hosts the annual music festival LungA. The settlement of Neskaupsstaður also hosts two highly popular annual festivals, Neistaflug and Eistnaflug.

Egilsstaðir is the largest town in East Iceland, with a population of 2464 people as of 2018. It is located on the banks of the river Lagarfljót in the wide valley of the fertile Fljótsdalshérað district.

Egilsstaðir is the main centre for service, transportation and administration in East Iceland. It is, therefore, an ideal place for those who are travelling around the Ring Road of the country to refresh and rest. It has excellent connections to remote and little-travelled East Fjords, and to Vatnajökull National Park.

Airport and Services in Egilsstaðir

Egilsstaðir provides all basic services for travellers, with a supermarket, souvenir shops, hotels, an information centre, restaurants and tour operators. It also boasts a quaint and popular Heritage Museum, which has several remodelled turf-houses, replicas of the homes Icelanders lived in for centuries.

The town also features an airport which is mostly used for domestic flights, although an increasing number of international airlines are beginning to fly there. The town also boasts a college and a health centre.

Egilsstaðir also has an annual electronic music festival, Hringrás; the Orsteiti Town Festival; and a jazz festival.

Nature Surrounding Egilsstaðir

Close to the town of Egilsstaðir are two of Iceland’s little-known gems: its largest forest, Hallormsstaðaskógur, and a mysterious lake, Lagarfjlót.

Hallormsstaðaskógur covers 740 hectares, and is composed of over eighty different species of tree from all over the world; the rate it has grown at is astonishing, considering that in 1910 it was simply a copse in a protected paddock.

It is a favourite destination for hikers and bikers, with over 40 kilometres (25 miles) of marked paths. It is also a favoured spot for birdwatchers, due to the dozens of species indigenous to the area.

Lagarfjlót, however, has more appeal to the superstitious. Since the 14th Century, there have been many reports of a great wyrm living in its depths, and sightings of this mythical beast continue to this day.

A little further afield from Egilsstaðir, you will reach the magnificent East Fjords. Like the Westfjords, this is one of the most remote places in the country, and as you wind around the giant mountains and look across the sparkling bays, there will often be no other soul in sight.

Those travelling the East Fjords should be sure to soak up the culture of the fishing villages, the magnificent views, and the extensive wildlife.

Looking towards the sea cliffs will provide plentiful opportunities to see many species of nesting bird; on the shores you may see colonies of seals; and out amongst the waves, perhaps even the breaking fin of a whale or dolphin.

This is also the only place in the country where reindeer can be found. Brought over initially to be farmed for meat, the industry was never as lucrative as sheep and horse farming, so the animals have roamed in their herds ever since.

Travelling north from Egilsstaðir on the Ring Road takes you into the Highlands of Vatnajökull National Park. In this region, you can find features such as Jökulsárgljúfur Canyon, home to the most powerful waterfall in Europe, Dettifoss.

If driving around the Ring Road of Iceland yourself in a clockwise direction, and you are planning to stay the night in Egilsstaðir, the most convenient and beautiful places to spend the night or two before that would be either in the towns of Akureyri or Húsavík, or the Lake Mývatn Area.

If travelling counter-clockwise, the best locations are at the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Skaftafell National Park in the southeast.

The Eastfjords of Iceland is a 120 kilometre (75 mile) long stretch of coastline from Berufjörður, in the south, to the small fishing village of Borgarfjörður Eystri, in the north.

Out of Iceland’s total population of 335,000 people, only an estimated 3.2% live in the East Fjords. Locally referred to as "Austurland," or "Austfirðir," the total area covers 22,721 square kilometres (8,773 square miles).

Often overlooked by visitors, the Eastfjords represent the very best of what Iceland has to offer; fantastical scenery, remote fishing villages, sparkling lakes, dense forests and traditional farms.

Boasting the sunniest weather in the country, as well as some of Iceland’s most well-known wildlife, this region is perhaps best known for its herds of wild reindeer, its breathtaking coastlines and its promise of tranquil solitude.

Papey

Papey (“Friar’s Island”) is an uninhabited island located off the east coast of Iceland. The island is approximately 2 square kilometres (0.8 square miles) with its highest point measuring 58 metres (190 feet) above sea level. Boat trips to Papey depart every summer from Djúpivogur.

The island is named after Gaelic monks (“The Papar”) who are thought to have inhabited the island long before the Norse settlement. What is known for sure is that Papey was lived upon from the 10th century until the year 1966 when the island’s residents finally moved to the mainland.

For centuries, Papey’s residents had supported themselves on fishing for shark, hunting seals and puffins, and tending to their farmsteads. In later years, the residents would also harvest down from Eider Ducks living on the island.

Today, visitors to Papey can enjoy the large puffin colonies that still live on the island, as well as the remnants of the former settlement; a lighthouse, church and weather station all still exist much as they did in 1966.

Seyðisfjörður

Those arriving in Iceland by ferry from mainland Europe or the Faroe Islands will make port at Seyðisfjörður, a town famous for its ornate wooden architecture, Scandinavian influence and historical herring-fishing industry. In fact, much of the timber used to develop Seyðisfjörður was shipped over by Norway ready-made in the 18th century.

Populated by around 700 people, Seyðisfjörður is surrounded by pounding waterfalls, flat-top mountains and serene hiking tails, complimented by gorgeous panoramas over the adjacent fjord. Other activities available from or near Seyðisfjörður include scuba diving, skiing, sea angling, paragliding and horseback riding; there is even a number of cultural exhibits including the Fjarðarsel Power Plant Museum and the Skaftfell Centre for Visual Arts.

Other Attractions

The Eastfjords are packed with fantastic cultural landmarks, such as Hallormsstaðarskógur, the country’s largest forest, found just on the eastern shore of Lake Lagarfljót. If you enjoy pleasant walks through nature, you could also visit the hiker’s paradise, Borgarfjörður Eystri, the supposed homes of elves and Iceland’s ‘hidden folk’.

Visitors can also enjoy the black sand beach of the charming fishing village of Breiddalsvik and take a trip to the longest and widest valley in Iceland, Breiðdalur.

For something a touch more relaxing, one could also take a soothing dip in the swimming pool at Selárlaug; the pool is surrounded by mountains and beautiful views over the fjord, making this one of the more authentic experiences available in the region.