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Voykit pocket guide · Iceland
Egilsstaðir
Give Egilsstaðir one night as a Ring Road stop, or two if you want Hengifoss, Stuðlagil and a rest day between the north and the south.
Egilsstaðir is the service town of East Iceland: 2,300 people, a supermarket, a pool, an airport and the junction where the Ring Road meets the road down to Seyðisfjörður. Almost nobody comes for the town itself. They come because it sits between Mývatn and Höfn, and because Hengifoss, Stuðlagil canyon and Hallormsstaðaskógur forest are all within an hour's drive. Treat it as a bed, a fuel stop and a base for one full day of sightseeing.
- Country
- Iceland
- Best months
- Jun–Aug
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (ice, short daylight, highland roads closed)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- ISK
- Money
- Currency is the Icelandic króna (ISK, kr). Cards are accepted almost everywhere, including remote petrol stations and toilets. About 145 ISK to €1 — check.
- Daily spend
- Budget kr 8,000–14,000 excl. bed · Mid kr 14,000–25,000 excl. bed · High kr 25,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- EEA roaming applies: EU/EEA SIMs work at home prices.
- Emergency
- Emergency 112 · Non-urgent medical advice 1700
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · European two-pin.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Not expected.; Tour guide: Optional; ISK 1,000–3,000 for an excellent guide.; Taxi: Nothing.
- Water
- Cold tap water is excellent; hot tap water is geothermal and smells of sulphur — do not drink it.
- Toilets
- Few on long drives; petrol stations and paid toilets (ISK 200–500) at sites.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | kr 500–800 |
| Supermarket sandwich or soup | kr 800–1,500 |
| Main course at a café | up to kr 2,500 |
| Swimming pool entry, adult | kr 600 |
| Campsite, per adult per night | about kr 1,200 |
| Petrol, per litre | kr 300–330 |
| In-town bus single ride | about kr 350 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- EGS · Egilsstaðir Airport
- Between Egilsstaðir and Fellabær, about 5 km from the centre; Icelandair flies domestic routes to Reykjavík — check the current schedule.Between Egilsstaðir and Fellabær, about 3.1 mi from the centre; Icelandair flies domestic routes to Reykjavík — check the current schedule.
Typical fares
- In-town bus single ride
- about kr 350; 10-ride card about kr 3,150 (check)
- Campsite, per adult per night
- about kr 1,200 (check)
- Swimming pool, adult
- about kr 600 (check)
Get around
The town is small enough to walk: the longest path through it is about 3.2 km. A car is what you actually need — the sights are 25–60 km out and buses are thin. East Iceland has a joint public bus system with zone fares; a single ride inside town was around 350 kr and a 10-ride card around 3,150 kr — check current fares and timetables before relying on it. Bikes work if you accept hills and headwinds; you can cross the Lagarfljót bridge to Fellabær.The town is small enough to walk: the longest path through it is about 2 mi. A car is what you actually need — the sights are 16–37 mi out and buses are thin. East Iceland has a joint public bus system with zone fares; a single ride inside town was around 350 kr and a 10-ride card around 3,150 kr — check current fares and timetables before relying on it. Bikes work if you accept hills and headwinds; you can cross the Lagarfljót bridge to Fellabær.
See and do
Known for
- Hengifoss waterfall
- Stuðlagil canyon
- Hallormsstaðaskógur forest
- Lagarfljót river and its worm legend
- Gateway to East Iceland
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Hengifoss and Litlanesfoss | Route 1 over the Lagarfljót bridge, then Route 931; park at the end of the lagoon and walk up | About 2.5–3.5 h with the hike |
| Stuðlagil canyon | Route 1 north, then the Jökuldalur road to the canyon car parks | About 2–3 h |
| Hallormsstaðaskógur forest | Route 1 south, then Route 931 along the east side of Lagarfljót | About 1.5–2.5 h |
| Seyðisfjörður | Route 93 east over the pass, about 27 kmRoute 93 east over the pass, about 17 mi | About 45 min each way |
| Snæfell and the reindeer area | Route 94 north, then F909 — 4x4 only | Half day or more |
| Borgarfjörður Eystri | Route 94 north, about 70 kmRoute 94 north, about 43 mi | About 1.5 h each way |
Sleep
- Town centre (Tjarnarbraut / Miðvangur)
- Walk to the pool, the museum, the supermarkets and Café Nielsen. Best if you arrive late and leave early.
- Kaupvangur / campsite side
- Campsite, supermarket and fuel nearby; easiest for campervans and cars with gear.
- Fellabær, across the bridge
- Quieter, 3 km from town, close to the airport; only worth it if you have a car.Quieter, 1.9 mi from town, close to the airport; only worth it if you have a car.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hallóha-LOH |
| Thank you | Takktahk |
| Yes / No | Já / Neiyow / nay |
| Excuse me | FyrirgefðuFI-ri-gyev-thu |
| Do you speak English? | Talarðu ensku?TA-lar-thu EN-sku |
| Where is the petrol station? | Hvar er bensínstöðin?kvar er BEN-seen-stuh-thin |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake, first names; avoid: Using titles or surnames — there usually is no family name
- Pools: Shower naked first, keep the hot pot conversational; avoid: Swimwear in the showers
- Driving: Pull into lay-bys for photos, dip lights on single-lane bridges; avoid: Stopping on the road
- Nature: Stay on paths, carry litter out; avoid: Stone stacks, walking on moss
- Conversation: Ask about books, music, weather and the elves with good humour; avoid: Lecturing on whaling
Scams and watch-outs
- Weather changes fast and wind closes roads: check road.is and vedur.is before every drive.
- Fuel up here — the next reliable stations are a long way north or south.
- F-roads into the highlands (including the Snæfell area) need a 4x4 and are summer-only.
- Stuðlagil: the canyon viewpoints and the riverbank paths are not the same thing — check which one you are driving to.
- Midges and mosquitoes near Lagarfljót and the forest in still, warm weather.
- No tipping expected in Iceland; card is accepted almost everywhere.
Very safe. The real risks are driving: wind, ice, single-lane bridges, sheep on the road and unsealed highland tracks. Check road.is and vedur.is each morning and keep a buffer day.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Egilsstaðir yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Hengifoss waterfall
- Stuðlagil canyon
- Hallormsstaðaskógur forest
- Lagarfljót river and its worm legend
- Gateway to East Iceland
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Visit East Iceland: www.east.is/en
- Icelandic Road Administration — road conditions: www.road.is/
- Icelandic Meteorological Office: en.vedur.is/
- Egilsstaðir Airport (Isavia): www.isavia.is/en/egilsstadir-airport
- East Iceland Heritage Museum: www.minjasafn.is
- Egilsstaðir campsite: campegilsstadir.is/
- Wikivoyage: Egilsstaðir, revision 5302715 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5302715
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Egilsstaðir
Á þetta heimilisfang, takk
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Egilsstaðir; most countries are represented in Reykjavík. US citizens: the embassy in Reykjavík handles consular help.
Iceland uses 112 for everything. English is spoken almost everywhere.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/egilsstair). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.