Egilsstadir | The Largest Town in East Iceland

Basic Information

Egilsstaðir is situated on the bank of river Lagarfljót, East Iceland. Established in 1947, Egilsstaðir is known as the youngest town of Iceland. Here you will find many adventurous activities. The small town is a hub to cultural and natural sites that attract visitors from the whole of Iceland in every season of the year. It is famous for its natural beauty and pleasant climate. In the backdrop, you will witness the tall mountains partially covered with the milky white ice. You can discover the amazing food and unspoiled nature as you track the streets of this town. Egilsstaðir is the biggest town of East Iceland with very less population. You will find all the amenities to spend a memorable time at this place. You can explore the natural sites located near this place.

Tour Around the Town of Egilsstaðir

At a distance of few kilometers from this town, you can get a view of waterfalls, hot springs, and canyons. Either you can explore the area on your own or hire a tour service from Egilsstaðir. You can find guided tours offering multi day bus tours to all the important sites around Iceland, and most of them will take you to Egillstaðir. You can also choose to rent a car and travel by your vehicle. This is often preferred as you can spend more time at the place. You can get the amazing view of Lagarfljót with the burbling sound of water. This picturesque location is ideal to travel along with a group of friends or family. If you love to go adventurous, then you can enjoy skiing offered by many clubs. There are also some adventure activities to be found in the area around Egillstaðir. Selfljót river flowing at the east of Egilsstaðir provides a panoramic view of mountains in the backdrop. You can spend some time along this Selfljót River and enjoy fishing. While exploring this town, you can enjoy Axe throwing, a popular game in some parts of the world.

Hengifoss waterfall is one of the major attractions around this town. This picturesque 128-meter-high waterfall is the second-highest in east Iceland. To hike the path of Hengifoss waterfall, you can walk along the side of the river. If you want to experience camping and jungle trails, then you can explore the Hallormsstaður National Forest that is located near to the town. It has 11 marked trails for hiking and two camping sites surrounded by birch woods. Along lake Urriðavatn, northwest from Egilsstaðir, there is a hot spring pool that offers a chance to rejuvenate by the crystal-clear water of the lake. The temperature of the water remains 75-degrees at Vök Baths.

Reaching Egilsstaðir Village

Located in the east of Iceland, the Egilsstaðir is connected to the rest of the country by road and air. You can either take a flight from Reykjavik to the Egilsstaðir Airport that is located between neighboring town Fellabær and Egilsstaðir.

There are mainly two entry points in the town if you are planning a road trip. Ring Road Route 1 enters the town from North and South while Road Number 93 enters from the east. If you are starting from Reykjavik, it will take around 7 hours of drive to reach the town. Start from Reykjavik towards the Borgarnes and drive for around 1 hour. After reaching Borgarnes, start driving towards the town Silfrastadhir. Take rest for a few hours at Silfrastadir and drive for 1 hour to reach Akureyri. Myvatn natural bath is at a drive of 1 hour from Akureyri. Head towards the east and drive for about 2 hours, you will reach town Egilsstaðir. You will find hotels and guesthouses in the town that offer tourism services along with the basic accommodation amenities.