Go to the lagoon early in the morning
The tours arrive at 10:00. At 08:00 the car park is empty, the light is soft and the seals are hunting in the channel.
East Iceland
Austurland
The Land of Fjords, Reindeer, Glacier Lagoons and Calm
- Suggested time
- 3 days
- Places
- 34
- Best months
- May – Oct
The furthest point from Reykjavík and from the busy tour buses of the south, East Iceland (Austurland) is the island’s most unspoilt, most fairy-tale corner, where you feel the spirit of slow travel most deeply. Steep fjords that touch the clouds, enchanting fishing villages tucked into the heads of the fjords and basalt canyons around turquoise water are waiting for you here. Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach technically fall in this area, and each is reason enough to come on its own. But the real east begins when you leave the Ring Road for the fjord villages: Seyðisfjörður, Borgarfjörður eystri, Stuðlagil canyon. The country’s only wild reindeer herd lives here too.
Quick tips
Before you go to East Iceland
The Seyðisfjörður pass can close in winter
Fjarðarheiði is 620 metres high. When it snows it closes even on ferry days; check road.is in the morning.
Stuðlagil Canyon
The East’s most iconic natural wonder: a turquoise river flowing between some of the world’s most spectacular basalt columns.
Places to see
34 places in this region
Hvannadalshnúkur Summit
Hiking trailRising on the northwest rim of the Öræfajökull glacier volcano, Hvannadalshnúkur is Iceland’s highest peak at 2,110 metres. Reached on a technical mountaineering route through glacier crevasses, the summit offers a tremendous panorama of the south of the country on clear days.
15 hours
Öræfajökull
VolcanoAt the southeastern tip of Vatnajökull, Öræfajökull is the country’s largest active stratovolcano and home to Hvannadalshnúkur, Iceland’s highest point. This giant volcanic ice mass, whose violent historic eruptions laid the area waste, is spellbinding in its majesty.
12 hours
Morsárfoss
WaterfallFed by the melting Morsárjökull glacier in Vatnajökull National Park, Morsárfoss is officially Iceland’s highest waterfall, with a drop of about 240 metres. Extremely hard to reach and cascading in stages down sheer glacier cliffs, this natural wonder is a magnificent monument admired from afar.
4 hours
Vatnajökull Glacier
GlacierCovering about eight percent of Iceland, Vatnajökull is Europe’s largest ice cap by volume. Hiding active volcanoes such as Bárðarbunga and Grímsvötn beneath it, this giant glacier, with its caves, glacier tongues and huge lagoons, is the main force shaping the island’s geography.
4 hours
Ingólfshöfði Puffin Headland
Bird colonyAn isolated headland rising where the black sand desert meets the ocean, Ingólfshöfði is home to thousands of Atlantic puffins. The historic headland where Ingólfur Arnarson, Iceland’s first settler, spent his first winter is famous for wild nature tours reached by tractor-drawn wagon.
3 hours
Papey Island
Bird colonyOff the coast of Djúpivogur, the uninhabited island of Papey is a historic place where Irish monks (Papar) are believed to have lived before the Vikings settled Iceland. Today, with no human settlement, it is a peaceful refuge with huge puffin colonies, seals, a historic wooden church and a lighthouse.
3 hours
Skaftafell
Hiking trailA natural paradise within Vatnajökull National Park, Skaftafell is surrounded by glacier tongues, birch woods and the black basalt-columned Svartifoss. With countless hiking trails and guided glacier tours, it’s the south’s most popular base for nature lovers and mountaineers alike.
3 hours
Crystal Ice Cave (Vatnajökull)
CaveRe-forming beneath Vatnajökull every winter, the Crystal Ice Cave is known for its crystal-clear, electric-blue ceiling. Created as centuries-compressed, oxygen-free ice refracts the light, this spellbinding cave gives visitors a surreal experience in the heart of the glacier.
2.5 hours
Hengifoss
WaterfallAt 128 metres one of the country’s highest waterfalls, Hengifoss is famous for the layers of red clay between its basalt columns. The red volcanic stripes on the canyon walls make a striking pattern, and the hike up to the falls promises breathtaking valley views.
2.5 hours
Borgarfjörður Eystri Viewpoint
ViewpointIn East Iceland, Borgarfjörður Eystri is known for its green rhyolite mountains and untouched nature. In summer this quiet fishing village lets you watch puffins up close from the wooden platforms at Hafnarhólmi harbour, a unique stop for its hiking routes and calm.
2 hours
Breiðamerkurjökull Glacier
GlacierA huge outlet glacier of Vatnajökull, Breiðamerkurjökull feeds the Jökulsárlón lagoon, famous for its giant calved icebergs. In winter it hosts natural ice caves that dazzle with their deep blue tones; for glacier walks and climate research it is Iceland’s most important glacier.
2 hours
Höfn
TownBuilt on a peninsula in southeast Iceland, Höfn is a charming fishing town known as the country’s “langoustine capital”. With its harbour looking out at the magnificent Vatnajökull, its seafood restaurants and its position on the Ring Road, it is one of the route’s best-loved stopovers.
2 hours
Seyðisfjörður
TownSurrounded by steep mountains in the heart of the East Fjords, Seyðisfjörður is famous for its colourful wooden houses and the Rainbow Street leading to its iconic blue church. With artist colonies, cultural events and a peaceful harbour, it is Iceland’s most picturesque and historic fjord town.
2 hours
Stuðlagil Canyon
CanyonRevealed when the water level dropped after the Kárahnjúkar dam was built, Stuðlagil canyon has one of the world’s largest formations of basalt columns. The visual feast of a bright turquoise glacial river between giant basalt columns has made it an Icelandic favourite.
2 hours
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
GlacierWhere giant blue and black-striped icebergs calved from Breiðamerkurjökull drift silently out to the Atlantic, Jökulsárlón is Iceland’s most iconic natural wonder. With amphibious boat tours and seals swimming among the ice, it gives visitors a surreal polar landscape.
1.5 hours
Svartifoss
WaterfallIn Skaftafell National Park, Svartifoss falls between geometric black basalt columns formed as lava cooled. An inspiration for Icelandic architecture (especially the sharp lines of Hallgrímskirkja), this unique waterfall is the park’s most popular hike.
1.5 hours
Vestrahorn
ViewpointRising in sheer cliffs 454 metres from the ocean shore on the Stokksnes peninsula, Vestrahorn, with its steep, jagged peaks, is also called “Batman Mountain”. Made of gabbro rich in iron and magnesium, its silhouette above the black sand makes it the country’s most dramatic peak.
1.5 hours
Vopnafjörður
TownIn a deep fjord in northeast Iceland, Vopnafjörður is known for its steep cliffs, rich birdlife and quiet fishing village. Home to the world-famous clear salmon rivers Hofsá and Selá, with geothermal pools and hiking routes, it is a hidden nature route.
1.5 hours
Djúpivogur
TownAt the entrance to the East Fjords, Djúpivogur stands out for its slow-living (Cittaslow) philosophy and historic trading buildings. It’s famous for its giant granite egg sculptures (Eggin í Gleðivík), representing the eggs of 34 local bird species, and its view of Búlandstindur, the pyramid mountain.
1 hour
Egilsstaðir
TownIn the heart of East Iceland on the shore of Lake Lagarfljót, Egilsstaðir is the region’s largest settlement and main transport hub. Sitting where the roads to the East Fjords, Hengifoss and the Vök Baths meet, it is a key base for staying overnight or taking a break.
1 hour
Fjallsárlón Glacier Lagoon
GlacierThe quieter, more intimate sibling of nearby Jökulsárlón, Fjallsárlón is a secluded lagoon right at the foot of the Fjallsjökull glacier. With turquoise and white icebergs floating on the water, the sheer glacier wall behind it and its calm atmosphere, it makes an impressive setting for a boat tour.
1 hour
Hofskirkja Turf Church
Historic siteBuilt in 1884 in the Öræfi district, Hofskirkja is the last and best-preserved church in Iceland built in the traditional turf-roof style. With its heavy timber frame, its sloping grass-covered roof and the moss-covered historic graves around it, it is a fairy-tale piece of cultural heritage.
1 hour
Múlagljúfur Canyon
CanyonHidden from the main road in southeast Iceland, Múlagljúfur canyon is spellbinding with its deep green clefts and the Hangandifoss waterfall pouring down its steep sides. With moss-covered canyon walls, glacier views and pristine nature, it’s a hidden paradise that looks like a fantasy film set.
1 hour
Stokksnes Black Sand Dunes
BeachOn the southeast coast, the Stokksnes peninsula offers perfect reflections of Vestrahorn in its black sand dunes and shallow lagoon water. With cinematic scenery, wild ocean waves and a historic Viking village film set nearby, it is a unique, iconic coastal spot for photographers.
1 hour
Stórurð
Hiking trailHidden at the foot of the Dyrfjöll mountains, Stórurð (“Giant Boulders”) is a fairy-tale valley of huge rock masses that came down in the Ice Age, with turquoise meadow ponds between them. Reachable only on foot, this isolated paradise promises hikers a spellbinding, mystical route.
1 hour
Stuðlafoss
WaterfallAt the start of the trail into Stuðlagil canyon, Stuðlafoss is a graceful waterfall spilling over dark hexagonal basalt columns. Greeting visitors before they reach the main canyon, this hidden spot is a great stop that sums up the canyon’s spellbinding geology.
1 hour
Svínafellsjökull Glacier
GlacierOne of Vatnajökull’s most jagged glacier tongues, Svínafellsjökull is known for its sharp ice ridges and dark layers of volcanic ash. The glacier, which has hosted scenes from Interstellar and Game of Thrones, is famous for the spellbinding views from its viewpoints.
1 hour
Víknaslóðir Trails
Hiking trailCovering Borgarfjörður Eystri and the abandoned fjords around it, Víknaslóðir (“the Trail of the Coves”) is one of Iceland’s finest multi-day hiking routes. With colourful rhyolite hills, empty coves and steep mountain paths, it offers a pure wilderness experience far from the crowds.
1 hour
Vök Baths
Hot springNear Egilsstaðir in East Iceland, Vök Baths stands out for its geothermal pools floating on Lake Urriðavatn. Home to the country’s first certified drinkable hot geothermal water, it offers the contrast of the lake’s cool water and the heat in a modern, luxurious setting.
1 hour
Diamond Beach
BeachGleaming chunks of ice drift from the Jökulsárlón lagoon out to sea and wash up on the black sand of Breiðamerkursandur, turning the shore into a giant open-air jewellery display. The contrast of black volcanic sand and glittering crystal ice makes this one of Iceland’s most striking places.
45 min
Litlanesfoss
WaterfallOn the hiking trail to Hengifoss, Litlanesfoss is framed by some of the country’s most perfect and longest hexagonal basalt columns. Water tumbling exuberantly between geometric rock walls formed as lava cooled makes a unique visual feast for anyone curious about geology.
30 min
Rjúkandafoss
WaterfallRight beside the Ring Road (Route 1) in East Iceland, Rjúkandafoss is an impressive 93-metre waterfall tumbling exuberantly over layered rock in the Jökuldalur valley. Easily reached on a short, steep path from the roadside car park, it gives travellers a lovely view.
30 min
Folaldafoss
WaterfallOn the famous Öxi mountain pass (Route 939) in East Iceland, Folaldafoss tumbles exuberantly between steep basalt canyon walls. With its rugged cliffs, lush vegetation and wild mountain scenery, it’s a spellbinding break for drivers taking the shortcut between the fjords.
20 min
Gufufoss
WaterfallOn the Fjarðarheiði mountain road down to Seyðisfjörður, Gufufoss is a magnificent waterfall that recalls Skógafoss in shape. The thick mist and spray thrown up by the rushing Fjarðará give the falls their name and offer travellers a calm natural scene.
20 min
Times are time spent on site, not including the drive. Limited months show when the highland F-roads and fjord passes are open.