In a nutshell
- Most drivers arrive over the high pass above the fjord from Egilsstaðir, a switchback road that ends in the town itself.
- Scheduled buses cover the same route from Egilsstaðir, and a taxi is the usual fallback when the timetable does not fit your day.
- The Norrona ferry, run by Smyril Line, is the ferry that docks in the small town of Seydisfjordur.[1]
- Puffins nest at Hafnarhólmi from the middle of April to the beginning of August, and Gufufoss stands approximately 88 feet (27 meters) tall.[2][3]
- The Puffin & Gufufoss Waterfall Tour is listed from US$229 and runs 5 hours, with free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.[4]
- Top choice Puffin & Gufufoss Tour from US$229 Duration5 hours[4]Rating4.63 from 270 reviews[4]GuideLive, English[4]CancellationUp to 24 hours in advance[4] Check availability
- Vök Baths Entry from US$61 Duration1.5 hours[5]Rating4.69 from 386 reviews[5]GuideHost or greeter: English, Icelandic[5]CancellationUp to 24 hours in advance[5] See this tour
- Stuðlagil Canyon Tour from US$229 Duration5 hours[6]Rating4.46 from 336 reviews[6]GuideLive, English[6]CancellationUp to 24 hours in advance[6] See this tour
The Norrona ferry by Smyril Line is the only passenger and car ferry between Iceland and mainland Europe. The ferry sails from Denmark via the Faroe Islands before it docks in the small town of Seydisfjordur in the Eastfjords .
Is it worth going to Seydisfjordur on your own?
Before you travel
- Confirm the departure times you want before you build a day around them
- Buses and coaches connect Egilsstaðir with Seydisfjordur over the pass
- Fuel up and draw cash in Egilsstaðir, where services are easiest to find
- Book ferry crossings and tour seats ahead in the high season
Driving to Seydisfjordur via the Fjarðarheiði Pass
Almost everyone who reaches Seydisfjordur by road arrives over the same shoulder of mountain. Fjarðarheiði, the high pass above the fjord, is tarred the whole way, and the climb is gentle at first and then steady. It crosses a bare plateau where the wind does as it likes, and then falls away in a long series of bends towards the town. On a clear day the place appears far below, small and bright at the head of the water.
It is not a technical drive, but it is a high one, and the weather on top can be quite different from the weather in Egilsstaðir. Fog, sleet and sideways rain all happen up there. Fill the tank before you leave the Egilsstaðir side, take the bends slowly, and be ready to pull over for sheep. Route planners normally bring you in over the pass from the west, and the last stretch deserves your full attention.
Once you drop into town, everything slows down. Seyðisfjörður sits at the end of its fjord and the centre is easy to walk. Rainbow Street is a popular spot for selfies lined with old historic houses, and it ends at the town's picturesque church commonly called Bláa kirkjan, or the Blue Church.[9] A town map from the information point covers the whole place in a couple of streets.
Scheduled bus services to Seydisfjordur
You do not need a car to get here. Scheduled buses connect Egilsstaðir with Seyðisfjörður, and the pattern of departures shifts with the season, so it pays to confirm the exact departure you want before you build a day around it. The journey follows the same road over the pass, and the views are the same ones the drivers get.
For most travellers the connection starts at Egilsstaðir, where the regional flights land and the long-distance coaches stop. From there the bus climbs the pass and sets you down in the town itself, within easy walking distance of the guesthouses, the harbour and the cafes. It is a simple, unhurried way to arrive.
Timetables thin out outside the summer, so a late arrival can leave you without a ride. Have a fallback ready, and ask locally about the day you are travelling rather than trusting a timetable you read months ago. A taxi from Egilsstaðir is the usual answer when nothing lines up, and in the quiet months it is worth asking at your guesthouse before you set out.
Water dropping into the gorge just short of town, minutes from the road.
Long-distance routes from Akureyri and Reykjavik
Coming from the west, Seydisfjordur is the far end of a long day. From Reykjavik the ring road carries you across the country, past glaciers and through the empty middle, before it turns north east towards Egilsstaðir. From Akureyri the drive runs along the northern coast and then cuts inland. Both routes are rewarding and both are long, so plan a night somewhere on the way rather than pushing straight through.
Whichever direction you come from, the final approach is the same. The road lifts you onto the plateau above the fjord, holds you up there for a while, and then drops you into town through a funnel of steep ground. After hours of open country, that descent is the moment the town finally appears, and it is worth pulling into a lay-by to take it in.
Fuel, food and cash machines are easiest to find at Egilsstaðir. After that the services get thin, so the last shop before the pass is a good place to stock up for the evening ahead. On the northern route the towns come at comfortable intervals, while on the southern ring road they are further apart, and a full tank removes a lot of worry.
Reaching Seydisfjordur from Hofn to the south
The Hofn to Seydisfjordur leg is the part of the ring road that surprises people. It threads along the Eastfjords, one inlet after another, with the sea on one side and steep slopes on the other. It is slow driving rather than hard driving, and the views deserve the time you give them. Allow the day for it rather than treating it as a link between two places.
There is plenty to break the journey. Studlagil Canyon is a basalt rock formation located in Jokuldalur Valley in East Iceland,[10] and the columns are the sight people come inland for. Further north, puffins nest at Hafnarhólmi in Borgarfjörður Eystri every year from the middle of April to the beginning of August.[2] Nearby, Lindarbakki is a colorful turf house in the village of Bakkagerði.[11]
Gufufoss is the easiest stop of all because it sits close to the road. Gufufoss waterfall stands approximately 88 feet (27 meters) tall.[3] The walk from the car park to the waterfall is no more than 150 meters long and takes a minute or two, being completely flat.[8] It is a fine leg stretch before the final run into town.
from US$229
The Puffin & Gufufoss Waterfall Tour from Seydisfjordur Port runs for 5 hours with a live guide in English.[4]
The Norrona ferry from Denmark and the Faroe Islands
The sea route is the old way in. The Norrona ferry, run by Smyril Line, is the ferry that docks in the small town of Seydisfjordur.[1] The approach up the fjord, with mountains on both sides and the town appearing at the far end of the water, is a memorable way to arrive.
Foot passengers step off almost in the town. The harbour sits a short walk from the main street, so you can arrive with a backpack and be at a guesthouse or a cafe within minutes. If you are bringing a car, you drive off the ramp and straight onto the road that leads up the valley and over the pass.
There are other ways to fill a day too. The Hidden Stuðlagil Canyon & Reindeer Tour lasts 6 hours and is listed from US$228, with a live guide in German or English.[12] It is a good option for a day when you would rather see the inland valleys than the coast, and it stops at a reindeer park on the way.[12]
Renting a car in Egilsstadir or locally
If you want to arrive on your own schedule, rent a car. The practical base is Egilsstaðir, where the airport, the ring road and the biggest choice of vehicles sit together. You collect the keys, drive the pass and you are in Seydisfjordur in a single, uninterrupted run.
From Egilsstaðir the route is straightforward: follow the signs out of town, climb the pass, and then take the long descent into the fjord. Allow time for photographs at the top and keep an eye on the mirror. The descent is where a scenic drive turns into a driving test.
Small local outfits also hire cars in the town itself, which suits anyone arriving off the ferry. Book well ahead in high season, and check the fuel policy and the return point before you commit to a booking. If you only need wheels for a day, hiring locally saves you the trip back to Egilsstaðir at the end of it.
Non-cruise travellers and tour participation
Shore excursions are not reserved for people who arrive on a ship. The Puffin & Gufufoss Waterfall Tour from Seydisfjordur Port runs for 5 hours and is listed from US$229, with a live guide in English.[4] Its stops are a bus or coach, the Northeastern Region of Iceland, Hafnarholmi, Lindarbakki and Gufu Waterfall.[4] It comes with reserve now and pay later, and free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.[4]
Other days out leave from the same port. The Stuðlagil Canyon shore excursion runs for 5 hours and is listed from US$229,[6] and a Vök Baths entry is listed from US$61 over 1.5 hours.[5] Each one is a different shape of day, and the shortest works well when the weather closes in.
Pack for a coastal climate rather than for the calendar. In July, a summer month in Seydisfjordur, the average daily temperature ranges from a high of 51°F (11°C) to a low of 43°F (6°C).[7] Layers, a waterproof shell and shoes you do not mind getting wet do more for a day here than any single thick jacket.
From prices of Seydisfjordur shore days
From prices in US dollars for these GetYourGuide listings:[4][5][6][13][14]
What a day out costs, from prices
From prices in US dollars for these listings:[4][5][6][12]
When to lock in your travel to Seydisfjordur
How to reach Seydisfjordur
Pick your route
Drive over the pass from Egilsstaðir, take the bus, or arrive by ferry. All three put you in the same small town at the head of the fjord.
Time the day
The pass is best driven in daylight. Late arrivals work, but the bends and the views are more enjoyable when you can see them.
Bring the right layers
Coastal weather changes quickly. A waterproof shell, a warm mid layer and shoes that can handle wet grass cover most days.
Plan one day out
A guided tour adds the waterfalls, the puffin cliffs and the turf houses without you having to navigate any of it.
Leave room to wander
The town is compact, with the harbour, the colourful street and the church all within a short walk of each other.
See the puffin and waterfall tour from Seydisfjordur port
from US$230Reserve now & pay later
