Iceland's East Fjords

The 75-mile-long coastline of Austfirðir, or East Fjords, is a magical microcosm of Iceland. It's a region of isolated inlets, primal mountains, lush green valleys, tumbling waterfalls, and black sand beaches. Remote fishing villages dot its shores. Less traveled than the other parts of Iceland, not only does the area tend to be sunnier, but its distance from the Mid-Atlantic Rift has also contributed to a more stable landscape that has become home to such whimsical wildlife as puffins and reindeer.

Additionally, the area boasts an extensive network of well-marked hiking routes.  Known as the Víknaslóðir Trails, or Trails of the Deserted Inlets, these routes have been developed and maintained over the years by local Icelanders. During this 8-day trip, after a domestic flight from Reykjavik to the east coast, we’ll join the Víknaslóðir Trails in the old fishing village of Seyðisfjörður.  Walking roughly 45 miles north, from inlet to inlet, we’ll end in the tiny hamlet of Bakkagerdi on the fjord of Borgarfjordur eystri.  

Not only is Borgarfjordur eystri one of the best places for viewing puffins, but this isolated region is also considered the central province of the elves. Their queen resides in her rocky fortress of Álfaborg (meaning Fairy City) which rises out of the fields next to the old wooden church in the village of Bakkagerði. On this craggy knoll above the bay, where the smoke from campfires and the haze of the evening mingle, the invisible elves are keeping watch. They already see you coming.

For this trip, we are thrilled to be collaborating with our good friends at Fjallabak Trekking, a leader in Icelandic hiking and discovery tours. Having worked directly with this family-run business for over 15 years, our mutual philosophies of exploring in ways that bring us closer to the heart of a place have led to a great friendship. Together, we look forward to introducing you to some of the more hidden corners of this most amazing country.

Day 1: Arrive Reykjavik
All trip members will be on their own to travel from to get form Keflavik International Airport to our hotel in downtown Reykjavík. The world’s most northerly capital, Reykjavik occupies a small peninsula jutting out into the Greenland Sea. Scandinavian in feel, this picturesque city is enjoyably manageable in size, with an interesting blend of historic and modern architecture. It’s a great city to wander to, full of intriguing, interesting museums and inviting cafes. The trip will officially begin at 6:00 pm at our hotel with an orientation meeting followed by our welcome dinner.

Day 2: Egilstaðir - Seydisfjördur - Loðmundarfjörður
Our day will begin with an early morning transfer to Reykjavik Airport for our flight to Egilsstaðir in northeast Iceland. From Egilsstaðir we will drive to the colorful village of Seyðisfjörður, an important fishing village as well as the only harbor in Iceland connected to Europe by ferry.

Seyðisfjörður was once an important center of trade in the mid-1800s. With its long and protected fjord brimming with herring, the town's thriving fishing industry contributed to it becoming one of the most prosperous towns in East Iceland. Though the herring industry has all but vanished, Seyðisfjörður now has a vibrant arts culture, and its colorful wooden houses remain as testaments of that long-ago period when Norwegian merchants and whalers brought them over as building kits.

From here we cross a dramatic mountain pass arriving at the deserted Loðmundarfjörður fjord, once the home of one of the most isolated and inaccessible communities in Iceland. Wandering this beautiful, uninhabited fjord, we may be able to spot eider ducks, seals, reindeer, and possibly some wild horses roaming the vast moorland and swamps of this large inlet. Elev. gain: 2,018; Elev. loss: 2,352’; Distance: 8 miles; Time: 5 – 6 hrs.; Accommodations: Mountain Hut.

Day 3: Loðmundarfjörður - Húsavík
If the weather permits, today we’ll climb through rhyolite mountains to Kækjuskörð Pass with its breathtaking views. To the west, we can admire countless snowcapped mountains, to the north and south the fjord-lined coast, and to the east the vast curve of the ocean. Descending from the pass, we hike through moorland finally reaching the foot of Mount Hvítserkur one of the most picturesque and bizarre mountains in the country. Hvítserkur consists of bright ignimbrite, fancifully streaked with darker veins. Continuing toward Húsavík, we reach our mountain hut located on the site of a small, old farm, deserted since the 1950s after centuries of occupation. Elev. gain: 1,919’; Elev. loss: 1,595’; Distance: 9 miles; Time: 5 - 6hrs; Accommodations: Mountain Hut.

Day 4: Day hike from Húsavík
We can have a more leisurely start to our day as we will be spending a second night here at the Húsavík hut. From the hut we can follow a track the undulates over streams and past waterfalls to a tiny church set on a bluff above the ocean. A trail leads down to a rugged bay that is worth exploring before retracing our way back to the hut. 

Day 5: Húsavík - Breiðavík
We walk up and down toward the beautiful wild bay of Breiðavík. A wonderful place with coastal marsh and black sandy beaches covered with incredible amounts of Siberian driftwood and other treasures of the sea. Curious seals will almost certainly come to observe our evening fire and our strange attitude! Elev. gain: 2,185’; Elev. loss: 2,438; Distance: 8 miles; Time: 5 - 6hrs; Accommodations: Mountain Hut.

Day 6: Breiðavík - Brúnavík -Bakkagerði
Today we hike through stunningly massive rhyolite mountains displaying an incredible range of ochre and pastel colors ranging from blue to pink on our way to Borgarfjörður via Brúnavík (“Brown Bay”). Departing the isolated inlet of Brúnavík we hike up and over the pass to the fjord of Borgarfjörður and on the small coastal village of Bakkagerði at the foot of the majestic Dyrfjöll Mountain range. The craggy bluff of Álfaborg (Fairy City), right next to Bakkagerði, is the source of the fjord's name. Fondly acknowledged as the home to the fairies, it is said to be the dwelling place of their queen in Iceland. Our walk continues to the islet and fishing harbor of Fagrihóll. A great variety of birds nest here; some common species being the fulmar, kittiwake, eider duck and puffin. Elev. gain: 1,525’; Elev. loss: 1,275’; Distance: 10 miles; Time: 6 – 7 hrs; Accommodations: Mountain Hut.

Day 7: Dyrfjöll-Storurð:
Our last hike is in the amazing Dyrfjöll Mountains, whose massive presence dominates the bay of Borgarfjörður. We cross the Vatnaskarð pass, between the faces of the Skeggjaklettur cliff (“Bearded Cliff”) to reach Stórurð (“Big Rocky Ground”), an enormous chaos of large rocks intersected by a calm glacial stream. Between the dark rocks rest calm basins of turquoise-colored icy water surrounded by tender green short grass. We’ll return to our guesthouse for our last night on the East Coast. Elev. gain: 1,990’; Elev. loss: 1,990’; Distance: 11 miles; Time: 6 – 7 hours; Accommodations: Guesthouse.

Day 8: Bakkagerdi - Egilsstaðir:
We’ll start making our way back toward Egilsstaðir with the possibility of a hike along the way. Our hotel for our final night in Egilstaðir is located on the bank of the long turquoise lake of Lagarfljót. The lake is said to be the home of the legendary monster, Lagarfljótsormurinn, a close cousin of Loch Ness monster. We may have an opportunity to spot Lagarfljótsormurinn before our farewell dinner. Accommodations: Hotel.

Day 9: Departure
The trip will end after breakfast with a morning flight back to Reykjavik.