Egilsstaðir: East Iceland's Main Town

Egilsstaðir (population approximately 2,500) is the largest town in East Iceland and the regional hub for the East Fjords. It’s a practical stop rather than a destination in itself — the town has the supermarkets, petrol stations, hospital, and airport that the surrounding region lacks. The real reasons to stay here are the day trips it enables: Seyðisfjörður to the east, the East Fjord villages to the south, and the highland routes toward Snæfell and the Askja caldera to the west.

Getting There

By car: Approximately 700km from Reykjavík via the Ring Road (Route 1). Allow 8–9 hours. From Akureyri it’s approximately 265km — 3 hours.

By air: Eagle Air (eagleair.is) flies Reykjavík Domestic Airport to Egilsstaðir Airport (EGS) in approximately 1 hour. Several flights weekly. Fares from approximately ISK 9,000–18,000 one way.

By ferry: The Smyril Line ferry from Denmark/Faroe Islands arrives at Seyðisfjörður, 27km east of Egilsstaðir — the natural entry point for European travellers arriving by sea.

Lagarfljót Lake

A 53km-long lake immediately west of Egilsstaðir, through which the river Lagarfljót flows before emptying into the sea. The water has a distinctive brown-green tint from glacial runoff. Route 931 runs along the eastern shore; the western shore is accessible via a bridge at Egilsstaðir.

The lake has a resident legendary creature (see FAQ above) and is surrounded by the best examples of Icelandic forest in the country.

Hallormsstaðaskógur

Iceland’s largest forest, on the eastern shore of Lagarfljót. The planted birch and conifer forest (largely planted since 1903) covers approximately 740 hectares and contains over 80 tree species, many in trial plots to assess what can survive Iceland’s conditions. For a country that was almost entirely deforested in the Viking Age, this is a significant landscape feature.

Forest trails of varying lengths (2–10km). Free entry. A campsite and forest service hut operate in summer. Access via Route 931.

Skriðuklaustur

A monastery site on the southern shore of Lagarfljót, excavated in the 1990s. The ruins of a 16th-century Catholic monastery (dissolved during the Reformation) are now beneath the floor of a cultural centre. The building also contains an exhibition on writer Gunnar Gunnarsson (a major early 20th-century Icelandic novelist) and a café. Entry approximately ISK 1,500 adult.

Snæfell (1,833m)

The highest mountain in Iceland outside the main glacier zones, rising from the eastern highlands approximately 75km southwest of Egilsstaðir. A challenging day hike from the road end at Snæfellsskáli mountain hut (Route 910 or F910 depending on season). Not to be confused with Snæfellsnes Peninsula’s Snæfellsjökull glacier.

Access to the mountain requires a 4WD — the F910 highland road is not passable in normal cars. Season: July–September. The hike to the summit takes approximately 4–6 hours return.

Day Trips from Egilsstaðir

• Seyðisfjörður (27km east) — the most visually distinctive town in Iceland, with painted rainbow street and fjord scenery. Allow half a day.
• Borgarfjörður Eystri (70km north) — accessible puffin colony (June–August) and dramatic pink rhyolite mountain scenery. Allow a full day.
• East Fjord villages (south on Ring Road) — Fáskrúðsfjörður (French fishing history), Stöðvarfjörður (Petra’s stone collection), Djúpivogur. Allow a full day for the circuit.

Where to Stay

Gistihúsið Lake Hotel Egilsstaðir — The main hotel, on the lake shore. Doubles from approximately ISK 28,000–40,000.

Icelandair Hotel Hérað — Reliable chain hotel in Egilsstaðir town. Doubles from approximately ISK 30,000–44,000.

Hildarendi Cottages — Self-catering cottages on the lake shore. Approx ISK 25,000–35,000 per cottage per night.

Where to Eat

Við Lónið Restaurant — At the lake hotel. Lamb, fish, and burgers. Mains approximately ISK 2,800–4,500.

Nielsen Restaurant — In Egilsstaðir town. A longer-running local restaurant with reliable Icelandic dishes. Mains approximately ISK 2,600–4,200.