Private Tour Seyðisfjörður: Gufufoss and the Vök Baths

Why a private tour from Seyðisfjörður works

Seyðisfjörður is a small town at the head of a long fjord, and the Norrona ferry docks right in the middle of it.^[5] The town sits at the foot of Fjarðarheiði, the mountain pass road connecting Egilsstaðir and Seyðisfjörður via Road 93.^[6] Everything here is close together, which is exactly why a private vehicle suits the place: you are out of the valley and into the wider Eastfjords while a coach group is still counting heads by the pier.

The Gufufoss and Vök Baths private tour is listed as a private group, 4 hours long, with a live tour guide in English and pickup included.^[1] It is also listed as wheelchair accessible, which is rarer than it should be for a day out in the Eastfjords.^[1] Having the vehicle to yourselves is useful in a town where the streets are narrow and parking is limited.

Two things are worth knowing before you commit. The listing shows no traveller reviews yet, so the itinerary and the operator's description are what you have to go on.^[1] And this is a far more expensive way to see Gufufoss from the port at from US$2168, against from US$229 for the shared Puffin & Gufufoss tour.^[1][7] You are buying privacy and flexibility rather than a longer list of sights.

What the day looks like, stop by stop

The published route is short and clear. It starts at your pickup location, continues to Gufu Waterfall, and finishes at Vök Baths.^[1] The duration is given as 4 hours, and the listing tells you to check availability to see starting times.^[1]

In practice that means fitting the tour to your ship rather than the other way round. Four hours leaves room on most port calls for a walk through town afterwards, so the private option suits a relaxed half day rather than a rush between the pier and the pass.^[1] If you would rather spend less and see puffins too, the shared Puffin & Gufufoss tour covers the waterfall in 5 hours at a much lower from-price.^[7]

Once you are moving, the schedule belongs to your group. You can stand in the spray at the waterfall until you are ready, stop on the pass for a photograph, and stay in the warm water a little longer if the wind picks up. A live tour guide in English travels with you, so the questions you think of on the drive get answered while you are still looking at the landscape.^[1]

One waterfall, one warm lagoon, and nobody else's timetable

Gufufoss and Vök Baths: what you are looking at

Gufufoss waterfall stands approximately 88 feet (27 meters) tall.^[8] It drops in a single broad curtain into a pool ringed with dark rock, and on a still day the spray hangs in the air above the river, which is where the name comes from: gufa is the Icelandic word for steam.

Getting close takes almost no effort. The walk from the Gufufoss car park to the waterfall is no more than 150 meters long and takes a minute or two, being completely flat.^[9] That makes it one of the easiest big waterfalls in the east to enjoy properly, whatever the mobility of your group.

Vök Baths is the warm half of the day. The geothermal baths entry is listed as wheelchair accessible and runs 1.5 hours when booked on its own,^[3] and on a private tour you simply arrive with your guide. Lying in warm water while the cold air sits on your face is the classic Icelandic way to end a morning outdoors.

What the alternatives cost from the port

Shared tours keep the price down. The Stuðlagil Canyon Shore Excursion is listed from US$229 and rated 4.46 from 336 reviews.^[2] The Puffin & Gufufoss Waterfall Tour is also from US$229 and rated 4.63 from 270 reviews.^[7] A Seyðisfjörður port canyon and waterfalls tour is listed from US$236 and rated 4.50 from 20 reviews.^[10]

Longer days cost more because they cover more ground. Stuðlagil Canyon Hike & Vök Baths is listed from US$407^[11], the hike and reindeer park version from US$369^[12], a canyon express with Vök Baths from US$325^[13], and a hidden canyon and reindeer tour from US$228.^[14] A Vök Baths geothermal entry on its own is listed from US$61.^[3]

One private listing appears from Seyðisfjörður: the Gufufoss and Vök Baths private tour, from US$2168.^[1] It is listed as a private group, with pickup included and free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.^[1] That is worth weighing against the shared prices above.

Getting to Seyðisfjörður and timing your day

Seyðisfjörður sits at the end of a fjord reached by Road 93 over Fjarðarheiði, the mountain pass road that connects Egilsstaðir and Seyðisfjörður.^[6] The Norrona ferry, run by Smyril Line, is the ferry that docks in the small town.^[5] Independent travellers usually arrive over the pass from Egilsstaðir, and the drive down into town sets the scene for everything that follows.

Weather shapes how the day feels. 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).^[4] Those figures come from historical data rather than a forecast, so treat them as a rough guide, and expect wind to make a mild day feel considerably colder by the waterfall.

For cruise passengers, the fixed number to plan around is the tour length: 4 hours for the private Gufufoss and Vök Baths tour.^[1] Take the earliest start you can and you leave room for a walk through town afterwards, past the historic houses on Rainbow Street down to the Blue Church.^[15]

What to wear and bring for the day

Layers do the work in East Iceland. Start with a thermal base, add a fleece, and finish with a waterproof shell that has a hood, because rain here often arrives sideways and briefly. Gloves and a warm hat are worth packing even in midsummer, and a scarf helps on the open stretches of the drive.

Footwear matters at the waterfall, where the ground near the pool is often wet, so shoes with real grip beat smooth trainers. Pack a swimsuit and a towel for the baths, and a dry bag or a spare layer for the ride back, because nothing cools you down faster than damp clothes in the wind.

Bring a camera for the falls, a spare battery or power bank, and a water bottle. If you have time either side of the tour, Rainbow Street is lined with old historic houses and ends at the town's church, usually called Bláa kirkjan, the Blue Church.^[15]

Other ways to spend a day ashore

Puffins are the big summer draw. They nest at Hafnarhólmi in Borgarfjörður Eystri every year from the middle of April to the beginning of August.^[16] The Puffin & Gufufoss Waterfall Tour stops at Hafnarholmi, Lindarbakki and Gufu Waterfall over 5 hours with a live tour guide in English.^[7] Lindarbakki is a colorful turf house in the village of Bakkagerði^[17], and Gufufoss waterfall stands approximately 88 feet (27 meters) tall.^[8]

The walk to Gufufoss is as easy as it gets: the trail from the car park is no more than 150 meters long, it is completely flat, and it takes a minute or two.^[9] That makes it a good stop for anyone who wants a waterfall without a climb, and it fits neatly into a driving day rather than a hiking one.

If you would rather soak without the tour, Vök Baths geothermal baths entry is listed from US$61, runs 1.5 hours, and is wheelchair accessible.^[3] For a longer day inland, the Stuðlagil Canyon shore excursion is listed from US$229 and runs 5 hours.^[2]

Book a private day ashore

1. Check port times

   The private tour runs 4 hours; check availability to see starting times, then compare them with your ship's schedule.^[1]

2. Reserve your day

   Reserve now and pay later is offered, so you can hold a place without paying at the time of booking.^[1]

3. Confirm the pickup

   Pickup is included; check availability for the details of where your guide meets you.^[1]

4. Waterfall first

   The listed route goes from your pickup location to Gufu Waterfall, then on to Vök Baths.^[1]

5. Soak and head back

   Leave time at the baths to warm up properly before the drive back down to the port and your ship.

What people want to know