We also share practical information that will help you get the most out of the trip to this town nestled between Mt. Puffins, Elves & more - Seydisfjordur - Arctic Shorex The only thing we regretted during our two-week trip around Iceland was we did not have enough time for hiking. A very varied day in the East Fjords taking in puffins and isolated hamlets at Borgarfjordur Eystri, then a strapping 17km . Go Campers Other than being a stop for cruises departing during the summer bound for America & Greenland, all year round the port is connected once a week to Denmark by Smyril Line. by using our unique promo code: "laidbacktrip". Duration 2 hrs . It is a low intensity hike, where you also get the opportunity to see Iceland's oldest operational power plant called Fjardarselsvirkjun. Seyisfjrur is the heart of culture, heritage and hospitality in East Iceland. , Yeah they were cool! One of the things to know about Iceland is that it's a very expensive country - see our Iceland Travel Budget. Seydisfjordur South Mountain Wall Hike - AllTrails.com And there's no one here. These birds can be found in North Atlantic, and you can watch them not only in Iceland but also in Greenland, Faroe Island, or Norway, just to name a few locations. Why You Should Detour to Borgarfjordur Eystri in Iceland Once you reach the pass, there is a new viewing platform where you can take a break. As we've already mentioned, Seydisfjordur is one of Iceland's cultural centers boasting a vibrant atmosphere. You do not need 4WD in the summer season, our 2WD campervan was absolutely enough, but it is a different story while traveling in the winter. Seydisfjordur, Iceland In The Footsteps of the Elves Excursion 2. If you . Print/PDF map. 7,5 Hours. This is probably the easiest and safest place to watch puffins in Iceland. The best way to get to get to Borgarfjordur Eystri is by car as it allows you to stop as often as you want. Read more:5 Things you need to know about Puffins. As we've already mentioned, the site is quite small, but there were so many puffins that we spent there approximately two hours. Home to 100 people, the beautiful village of Bakkagerdi is one of the smallest in Iceland but there is plenty to choose from history, folklore, a short hike or a taste of local cuisine. A black and white movie will teach you how life was in the village when fish processing was main activity for local economy. Hehe damn, I got the place name wrong , Pfff you can actually remember the name of Icelandic places? Every summer, a bus runs between Egilsstadir and Seydisfjordur, but you should check out the timetable before you go. The road gets more exciting once the path turns right and you start climbing to the mountain pass. The sudden view of the port, the harbour, the multi coloured houses and the surrounding mountains, all covered in the blue of lupins during the summer, will leave you breathless. For colder days, ask for a table in the back room, with view on the bay. Volunteers fly from all over the world and give their contributions towards the decorating, planning, cooking and even.cleaning! It is pretty interesting that the distinctive orange bill appears only during the nesting season, and later in the year, the color fades to dull shades. Vigds puts in shapes of trees, crows and elves a dark and gothic tone with black humor. On a clear day, we might have seen tall, snowy mountains, a still blue fjord, and a community of coloured wooden houses planted alongside a wooden church. culture, heritage and hospitality in East Iceland. You might have noticed when you travel around Iceland that almost every town, no matter how big or small has a swimming pool. The big part of the road is unpaved but without holes, and there is ongoing construction to improve road conditions. Borgarfjordur Eystri (Borgarfjrur) is one of the best places to see puffins in Iceland in the summer. Before we reached the highest point on this route, we had emerged into a snowy wonderland that we had not expected to find here. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. In fact, many of the picturesque wooden buildings in the village have their origins in those golden years, and some were even brought disassembled over from Norway itself. Ltrabjarg is also one of the westernmost parts of Europe (2432'3" west). A Guide to Seydisfjordur in Iceland LAIDBACK TRIP I could only see one or two road markings in front of me. At the top of the mountain pass, the clouds had completely enveloped the world the snowy roadside, the other cars, the road itself everything was gone. Thankfully, the inside of the cafe was warm. You need 4 x 100 ISK in coins to take a shower, but a lady at the front desk offered us change automatically. 1 day. The more important reason why to stop here is that Gufufoss is so beautiful. During the nesting season, between April and August, there should be at least one bus per day connecting Egilsstadir and Borgarfjordur Eystri if you do not have your own transport. Upon arriving in Egilsstair, I am greeted by Magnfrur lf Ptursdttir, better known as Magga, who promises to take me on a tour to discover elves, puffins and perhaps even some reindeer that are hiding in the area. Seydisfjordur, Iceland. Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price. It's also possible to go fishing, and outside town Hagavollur is a nine-hole golf course with a club house, where you can hire equipment. We've hand-selected the three best hotels in Seydisfjordur for every budget and every type of traveler. Join Pete and Judy on 2023 Grand World Voyage onboard the ms Zuiderdam, Subscribe to the Blog and Newsletter HERE, jQuery(function($){$(".divibooster_year").text(new Date().getFullYear());}); by The Inside Cabin All rights reserved. The Bjargtangar part of Ltrabjarg is often called the westernmost point if you skip the mid-Atlantic archipelago of Azores. A stunning bay in the West of Iceland between Snfellsnes peninsula and the Westfjords, with countless islands and skerries of all sizes and very diverse birdlife. Only a short boat-ride from the city center. Since we are not that active on social media, this was not the reason to put the town on our list. Unless you arrive and leave the town by boat, you will need to tackle the wonderful stretch of the road between Egilsstadir and Seydisfjordur by car. It remains a divers' wreck at the bottom of the fjord. Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld. Travel Insurance: World Nomads Travel Insurance covers against risks of travel. The history of Seyisfjrur dates back to the Vikings age. Egilsstadir, the capital of the Eastfjords, is set on the banks of the Lake Lagarfljot. Graves dating back as early as the the 8th century have been discovered in the area and also the burnt ruins of a staf church built in the 10th century. HOME OF THE ATLANTIC PUFFIN. The parking is less than 4 kilometers from Seydisfjordur. Time permitting; we can drive around the town of Seydisfjordur before you need to get back to your ship. Enough to fill your camera's space and wonder where on Earth there could be more. One can clearly recognise the Scandinavian style in the many wood buildings still existing in the village. The road led across snowy plains, vast ice patches, and icy lakes formed by melted snow, and we could see white mountain tops in the distance. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Mid-range | Blabjorg Guesthouse - Wonderful, newly refurbished guesthouse offers equipped kitchen, and there are even a sauna and hot tub. Therefore, your chances of seeing puffins here are very high because birds have everything they like - grassy areas and slopes above cliffs very close to the water. . In Seyisfjrur there is also an indoor swimming pool, with sauna and two hot hubs, a public library, a pharmacy and a supermarket, plus several art crafts shops selling all colours and sizes of Icelandic traditional wool sweaters and local design's items. The long road from Hfn to the ghost town of Seyisfjrur had looked like something from a Jaguar commercial. An unsettling thought. A lonely sailboat waiting for the cruise ships to, Husavik has one of the prettiest harbours in Icela, Is Iceland on your cruise bucket list ? Therefore, it is possible to visit the town even without a car. It's a great place to hang out with friends and family, featuring board games, art books, a record collection and of course free wifi. The town is located in the fjord, so we are not exaggerating when we say that the surrounding scenery is absolutely breathtaking. The location of this nesting site is absolutely fabulous. Join our weekly hand curated newsletter to have all the latest news from Iceland sent to you. There are icelandic sweaters, and many sorts of decoration objects such as: candles, mirrors, statues and paintings. The highest (1085m) is the majestic and monumental Bjlfur. No spam, just fun! Another site you cannot miss in Seydisfjordur is the iconic Blue Church (Seyisfjararkirkja). If you would like something more active, it is possible to include some hiking as part of a private tour. See the world famous erupting geyser & hot springs, experience the magnificent Gullfoss Waterfall and follow in the footsteps of the Vikings, as you walk down the lava canyon in ingvellir, $ Still, the puffins are for sure the highlight of this area. For bird lovers, the stunningly beautiful coastal cliffs are home to a mind-boggling array of seabirds, including eider ducks and Iceland 's famous puffins. We knew that Puffins go hunting to the sea, but they're also exceptional divers, something we would not have guessed. From Iceland Exploring Borgarfjrur Eystri: Where Elves And Puffins There is a grocery store at the end of the street and we browsed the aisles and bought some chocolate. Keep your eyes open for Icelandic sheep and puffins in Seydisfjordur. One was dead ahead. The nucleus of the town as we see it now was built by Norwegian fishermen starting from 1848. There is a free parking at Borgarfjordur Eystri right next to the harbor where you can leave your car and walk a few hundred meters to the nesting site. It was a crazy day of driving but it was all in the name of adventure! With 1.600m of ski lifts and a ski run good for children as well as adults, you're going to have too much fun to mind the cold! We never leave our home without travel insurance which is designed to help cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip. All throughout the year it schedules temporary exhibitions focusing on visual contemporary arts. One of the country's foremost 20th-century artists painted the altarpiece at a nearby church. Our content may not be reproduced without our written permission. The price for Borgarfjordur Campground is 1200 ISK per person, plus 400 ISK per hot shower. Seyisfjrur was used as a base for British/American forces during World War II and remnants of this activity are visible throughout the fjord, including a landing strip no longer in use and an oil tanker SS El Grillo that was bombed and sunk. We continue north crossing another mountain pass to Borgarfjordur Eystri, best known as the home of elves and puffins. The small towns center is known for its many original early 19th-century timber houses and picturesque setting around the lagoon. In winter season Stafdalur Ski Area is open on Fjardarheidi heath, located 9km on the road to Egilsstair. Join us in Borgarfjrur eystri, also known as The Puffin Capital of Iceland and the home of the Elves, where our expert Captain will take you on an hour-long journey filled with excitement and breathtaking scenery that you won't soon forget. Once you're there, you are likely to need to get on a boat to get close to the birds, but if observing from far is your thing, the numbers of puffin will work in your favour. LungA Art Festival which in 2018 will be from 12th to 22nd of July - transforms the village into a stage for a wide selection of artistic expression. On each mountain's top you'll find a container with a guest book to sign and a hole puncher, with a different pattern for every mountain, that you must use to punch your map in the stated place. The first settler was Bjlfur, who gave the name to the highest of the mountains surrounding the fjord. If you answered that these were all highlights of the east of Iceland then you would be right! Re: Cruise port. Cruises To Seydisfjordur | Europe Cruises | Norwegian Cruise Line Articles & Photography by Lucie Hermankova and Martin Tychtl, what to see and do, travel guide, top attraction, europe, whale watching tour, collaboration, boat trip, North Iceland, what to see and do, travel guide, top attraction, europe, Southeast Iceland, how to choose the best campervan for Iceland, Blue Lagoon in Iceland: Everything You Need to Know, Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon: The Iceberg Lake in Southeast Iceland, Golden Circle, Iceland: Self-Drive Travel Guide, A Complete Guide to Iceland's South Coast, 21 Things You Should Know Before Visiting Iceland, A Guide to Seljalandsfoss Waterfall in Iceland. As Egilsstadir is Iceland's transport hub, you should not have a problem getting to your next destination from here. Bjolfur and Mt. Classic Puffin Watching Cruise from Down Town Reykjavk - Viator We arrived in Borgarfjordur after 9 PM, and the timing possibly could not be better because of the number of birds and the soft light. Sometimes Heima also organises special events to showcase the work in progress of artists in residencies. You can also enjoy a stunning view of the town and the port in a complete silence and tranquillity, perfect for meditation and relaxing. Part 3 of our Road Trip along Iceland's Ring Road brought us to the town of Egilsstadir. As with any serious mission, you'll need a special map, available at the information centre. Three of us took over the back row with 4 seats which gave us a little more room. It's more pub style, serving big burgers with vegetarian choices, grilled meat and fish and an interesting choice of local and international beers, both draught and bottled. Therefore, it does not come as a surprise that fishing and hunting were the primary sources of living here back in the day. Fall in love with the charming and vibrant town of Seydisfjordur. Puffin tours from Reykjavk - Iceland CLASSIC PREMIUM & MORE Classic Puffin Watching Tour . His wingspan is around 47-65 cm. When you see a 90% chance of rain all day, it usually doesnt bode well for a nice day. Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance. haha. We continue north crossing another mountain pass to Borgarfjordur Eystri, best known as the home of elves and puffins. When is the Best Time to Visit Seydisfjordur. The main road to reach the fjord is the one from Egilsstair, the town that's the crossroad of the North East. Well sheltered from the ocean, the islet is one of the best places for viewing puffins in Iceland. LaidBackTrip 2018-2023. Iceland is a famous road trip destination. Less than 700 inhabitants live in Seydisfjordur (Seyisfjrur), but the town is no longer a hidden gem that no one knows about. . We arrived at Hafnarholmi hill around 11:15. World Nomads Travel Insurance has been designed by travelers for travelers to cover your trip essentials. You'll stop a lot, so allocate at least an hour each way. Capital of Elves, Puffins and Hiking It's yours to explore. From Egilsstadir, you need to follow road number 94 that will take you to Borgarfjordur Eystri, and it ends right in the marina, which is the best spot for seeing puffins. The steamy Gufufoss waterfall Get ready for an unforgettable adventure with the absolute best RIB-safari tour in Iceland! If your response is positive, you should start looking for the best hotel in Seydisfjordur. The ideal plan when visit Seydisfjordur is to take a leisurely stroll through its picturesque streets and admire the surrounding mountains and fjord. Text about each place below the map, clockwise from Kollafjrur bay, West Iceland. We recommend a boat trip from town Stykkishlmur to islands rishlmur and Steinaklettar. The last weekend of July is the date for The Blacksmith Festival, organised by The Technical Museum of East Iceland on Hafnargata. The road to Borgarfjordur is paved in places, while some sections are still unpaved. We really love our swimming pools band we have strict rules you need to know about! Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday. Twenty minutes later, we stopped at an overlook for a photo-op of Egilsstadir, which was below us in the valley. The Viking Mars was in port and moored to the cruise terminal. 3,5 Hours, Garatorg 5, 210 Garabr, Iceland We rented a campervan, and could not be happier with this choice as we could stop anywhere we wanted. The harbor is very photogenic, so snap a few photos before you excitedly run to see the puffins. Borgarfjordur Eystri is a small lovely village with not that many accommodation options. Seyisfjrur, on the far east coast of Iceland, was a ghost town. There is no need to have 4WD in the summer. To document how amazing puffins in Borgarfjordur are, we must admit that after visiting the village and taking hundreds of photos, we realized that the number ofmemory cardswe have is probably not enough for the two-week trip. A top three location for spotting puffins in Iceland. Improve this listing Similar Experiences Wildlife, scenery and cave exploring tour! 10,5 Hours. I went to one in an abandoned fish warehouse early September 2017. LungA also schedules workshops, some of them for children, to learn and experiment with different forms of creativity. 10,5 Hours, $ And turf roofed houses, the home Husavik Myvatn & Godafoss Waterfall The area's flowering plants may be the most beautiful and diverse in Iceland.Other selling points include puffin watching, legends about hidden elves, and . So when planning your trip and creating your perfect Iceland itinerary, you must solve a dilemma. Borgarfjordur Eystri. In 2017 there were 3000 people for the final night, with groups of friends travelling from Reykjavik to enjoy music and dancing under the bright clear sky of the Icelandic midnight sun. The hill is believed be the home of the Elf Queen and she enjoys panoramic views over the town and fjord. The puffin is a rather small bird, around 26-29 cm long and weights around 450-500g. It is also a period when the town attracts crowds and prices are high. It is newly refurbished, and guests can choose from dormitories and private rooms. The town is tiny, so you do not have to worry you will miss it. A great option is the stunning Innra-Hvannagil gorge, unique due to its rhyolite colours. support@getlocal.is. Step by step you'll see the fjord turning into open ocean, you'll meet sheep and Icelandic horses and you can also visit a real Viking archaeology site. We stopped overlooking a small bay where we spotted several Humpback whales swimming out to sea. screen printing, crafting tools for agriculture, printing analogue photographs in a dark room. Long gone are days when locals made a living out of fishing. Several of the foot-high birds stood guard, turning their distinctive red, cream and black beaks to inspect everything that moved. This wonderful private nature reserve showcases incredible flora, fauna, and settlement history. Your email address will not be published. In this travel guide, we share with you tips on how to get to Borgarfjordur Eystri, when is the best time to see puffins, where to stay, and what to expect from birdwatching in Hafnarholmi Marina. Right after the parking area, if you're visiting early summer, be careful of the arctic ferns! Still, it is hard to resist the combination of a town surrounded by snow-capped mountains, offering a tranquil atmosphere and the traditional Icelandic architecture of colorful houses. Located in Vatnajkull National Park, Dettifoss is one of the largest waterfalls in Iceland. Prepare to be blown away by the impressive basalt columns and the bright blue glacial river on this tour to the Studlagil Canyon. Somewhere skies are blue and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true.. It stood on the hill, but a huge storm destroyed it in 1894. There were puffins nearby, and we were waiting for a break in the weather to reach them. This hotel is modernly decorated and offers everything you will need after a long and tiring day on the road. And in our opinion, Borgarfjordur Eystri is definitely worth the trip. At the end of the day, you might even realize that you actually did not see and do much here. Your cart is empty Gardens are decorated with strange and sometimes funny statues while creatures made up from woods, iron or recycled materials roam free. Puffins in ICELAND! Ring Road Part 3 | Hengifoss, Seydisfjordur Photos (9) Directions. We could see it later more closely when we took awhale watching tour in Husavik, during which a flock of puffins followed us for a while and dived frequently. 1, Pickup and dropoff from the port These cookies do not store any personal information. They looked like cartoons, with big heads, sad eyes, and oversized beaks stuffed with fish. However, it is still possible to drive from or to Egilsstadir in case there is no hotel available. Gufufoss Waterfall was our final stop and we spent about 10 minutes here before moving on. A Complete Guide to Borgarfjordur Eystri in Iceland The road is sneaking around the snow-capped mountains, and you will very soon see the sea views. Egilsstadir | Hotel Valaskjalf - Egilsstadir can easily be your base for visiting some of the stunning places in Iceland and starting off point for exploring East Fjords or the Northern part of the country. Blue Lagoon in Iceland: Everything You Need to KnowJokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon: The Iceberg Lake in Southeast IcelandGolden Circle, Iceland: Self-Drive Travel Guide. Thanks to its coloring - white head, black back and wings, white belly - and especially wonderfully colored flat-sided beak, this bird is very attractive for all enthusiastic birdwatchers, photographers, and also regular travelers who enjoy nature in its very best. Just outside of town are the Tvisongur song sculptures where you can experiment with sounds and unleash your inner singer. We walked at over to take a look after a brief stop in the cruise terminal where we bought a few key chains. Sitting at the very end of the fjord of same name, Seyisfjrur is a visual feast of colour. That is one of the things we appreciated here the most. Nestled between Mt. Of all the places I've visited in Iceland, this small village with its 700 inhabitants will always have a special place in my heart. One of the landmarks of Seyisfjrur is The Blue Church / Blakirkja. It led towards a mountain range. The combination of colors and the church at the end of the street is pretty photogenic, and if you want to enjoy the sight just by yourself, your timing must be perfect. First of all, the Gufufoss is only a few meters from the parking lot, which is just off the main road. The area here is completely devoted to wildlife, with seals, whales, reindeers and 47 species of birds. The route to Seydisfjordur is the best example and answer to your burning question about why Iceland is best explored by rental car or campervan. The mountainous pass between Egilsstadir and Seydisfjordur is accountable for two things. A few minutes later we made another brief stop at the home of Icelandic painter Johannes Sveinsson Kjarval. Starting from: Seydisfjordur, Eskifjordur Guiding language: English Season: All year Duration: 4-5 hours Max: 6 pax A tour to remote Borgarfjordur Eystri, the land of puffins and elves, where you will visit the home of the Elf Queen, the puffin hill and take an optional hike in a rhyolite gorge! There's a special hideout viewing location near the harbour of the town which allows visitors to view a wide variety of unique bird species native to the area. Admire the unique and colorful Norwegian-style homes in Seydisfjordur. Alfaborg hill, believed to be the home of the Elf Queen, was nearby. puffins | Borgarfjrur eystri Graves dating back as early as the the 8th century have been discovered in the area and also the burnt ruins of a staf church built in the 10th century. When we returned, we were delighted that we decided to incorporate Seydisfjordur in ourEast Fjords itinerary, which you should definitely check out too. Getting to Seydisfjordur by car or campervan is the easiest and most rewarding way to enjoy your trip. It's also expensive, but it is worth to try their Nordic Restaurant and their sushi bar, where they serve fresh local fish japanese style. Our bus was a 20-passenger minibus. Of course there's the fun side, with music, dancing, and home-made food served at the old pier in the harbour for affordable prices. The road is winding, and if the weather is clear, amazing views start to open up. We did not spend a night there, did not do any longer hike in the area, yet, the drive and the town itself were super-photogenic and worth the trip. This website is property of Civitatis Tours SL. The street is also lined with many bars and cafes, and it is one of the liveliest parts of Seydisfjordur, where people like to chill out after a tiring day on the road. 110 Once you reach the coastline, it is only a short drive to Borgarfjordur Eystri.

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