Everything you need to plan the first hours and first days of your Iceland road trip when your pickup is in Egilsstadir. From the city-first logistics to choosing the right day-one route, this guide is built for travellers starting from Iceland's capital.
Planning your first day in Egilsstadir before the road trip
Egilsstadir is East Iceland's only proper service town and most travellers spend one night here before starting their ring road or East Fjords loop. The town is tiny (2,500 residents) and everything useful is on one street, Miðvangur, within five minutes of the campsite. If you arrived via Smyril Line at Seyðisfjörður, you've already done the scenic 27km drive over Fjarðarheiði — congratulations, that was the hardest part of your day.
Where to stay pre-pickup
Options are limited but good: Hotel Hérað (Miðvangur 5-7, the town's main hotel), Lake Hotel Egilsstaðir (Fossgerði, views over Lagarfljót), Gistihúsið Egilsstaðir (guesthouse, Kaupvangur) or simply sleep at Tjaldsvæðið Egilsstaðir campsite if you have a tent. For families, the holiday homes at Egilsstaðir Farm (original settlement, 2km north) are worth the extra 10-minute drive.
Pro tip: if you're arriving on the Norröna ferry Thursday morning from Seyðisfjörður, aim to reach Egilsstadir by 11:00 — this gives you grocery time at Bónus, a swim at Kaupvangur pool, and an afternoon Hengifoss trip before dinner. Don't drive the same day you arrived from mainland Europe.
What to do on your pre-trip day in Egilsstadir
- Morning: coffee at Salt Café (Miðvangur 2-4, also serves lunch), walk around the town centre, visit the East Iceland Heritage Museum (Kaupvangur 15, €8) for context on reindeer, emigration to Canada and the Fljótsdalshérað history.
- Midday: lunch at Nielsen Restaurant (Tjarnarbraut 1, historic 1944 building, best fine dining east of Akureyri) or the cheaper Sænautasel soup café. Ice cream at Ísbúð Egilsstaðir.
- Afternoon: drive 10 min to Vök Baths (floating geothermal pools on Lagarfljót, €42 entry, towel included). Or 25 min south to Atlavík in Hallormsstaðaskógur forest — Iceland's largest forest for a shortest walk and picnic.
- Evening: dinner at Nielsen or Brasserie/B52 (pizza). Watch for reindeer crossing Route 1 east of town at dusk.
- Grocery run: Bónus at Miðvangur 2 closes 18:30 Mon-Sat. Samkaup Úrval stays open until 21:00 daily as backup.
Choosing your first route from Egilsstadir
Egilsstadir's geographic position at the base of the East Fjords and east of the ring road's emptiest stretch gives you three very different first-day options. Unlike Reykjavík, which is 90 minutes from its nearest major sight, Egilsstadir's attractions cluster within 15-40 minutes of town. Start easy — you can add mileage later.
Option 1 — Lagarfljót + Hengifoss day trip (easiest)
Route 931 south-west along Lagarfljót lake (30 km long, deep, famous for its "Lagarfljót Worm" folklore). Park at the Hengifoss trailhead (30 min from Egilsstadir) and walk the 2.5 km uphill to Iceland's third-tallest waterfall at 128 m. Return via Hallormsstaðaskógur forest for Atlavík picnic. 80 km round trip, easy paved roads, 3-4 hours total. Sleep at Tjaldsvæðið Egilsstaðir.
Option 2 — Seyðisfjörður day trip (spectacular but demanding)
Route 93 east over Fjarðarheiði pass (620 m elevation, 27 km). In fine weather this is one of the most photogenic mountain drives in Iceland — waterfalls along the final descent into Seyðisfjörður's fjord. Visit the blue church, the Skaftfell contemporary arts centre, lunch at Nord Austur sushi, back over Fjarðarheiði by 18:00 before wind picks up. 60 km round trip, moderate elevation, check road.is for the pass in shoulder seasons.
Option 3 — Stuðlagil Canyon + north push
Route 923 north-west from Egilsstadir to Stuðlagil Canyon (famous for the hexagonal basalt columns exposed since 2017 when the Kárahnjúkar dam lowered water levels). 1 hour drive each way, 2 km walk from the parking lot. Back in Egilsstadir by late afternoon, with time for Vök Baths at sunset. 220 km round trip, paved roads.
Parking and camping with a campervan in Egilsstadir
Egilsstadir has the smallest official campsite network of any Icelandic service town but makes up for it with easy access and no queues outside peak July. Wild camping is illegal throughout Iceland under the Nature Conservation Act — always use these designated sites.
Overnight — Tjaldsvæðið Egilsstaðir (main town site)
Located at Kaupvangur 17, walking distance to Bónus, the swimming pool and restaurants. €20-25/night for two adults plus campervan. Facilities: warm showers, full kitchen with all utensils, washing machines, Wi-Fi, and a small shop. Open mid-May through mid-September. Arrive before 17:00 in July-August, but most of the year walk-ins are fine.
Overnight — Atlavík in Hallormsstaðaskógur (best forest camping in Iceland)
25 minutes south-west along Lagarfljót. Iceland's only proper forest campsite, set among 700 hectares of larch and birch trees planted from 1905. €25/night, opens June. Toilets, cold water, picnic tables. Perfect for a nature-focused night away from town. No electricity for campervans — pure wild-forest experience.
Overnight — Seyðisfjörður Ferry Terminal site
If you arrive on the Smyril Line Norröna and want to sleep on the fjord before driving to Egilsstadir, the Seyðisfjörður campsite is 5 minutes walk from the ferry terminal. €22/night, warm showers, kitchen, ideal for travellers crossing next morning.
Pro tip: Egilsstadir's campsite has no noise curfew, and the midsummer sun never sets, so pack a sleep mask if you're there June-July. Families with kids: the adjacent Selásskóli playground and pool are open to campsite guests.
Egilsstadir pickup vs Reykjavík pickup — which is right for you?
The fundamental question is your arrival method. Egilsstadir pickup makes sense for a very specific traveller profile — ferry arrivals and east-focused itineraries. For everyone else, Reykjavík is still the default. Here's how to decide.
Choose Egilsstadir pickup if…
- You're arriving via the Smyril Line Norröna ferry from Denmark or the Faroe Islands (Thursday mornings May-October) — Seyðisfjörður to Egilsstadir is 40 minutes, and most operators meet ferry arrivals at the terminal with advance booking.
- Your itinerary focuses on East Fjords, the Diamond Circle via Dettifoss east, or reindeer-country wilderness — you skip the 600 km transit from Keflavík.
- You want to end your trip at Keflavík (KEF) flying out — Egilsstadir → Reykjavík one-way via the South Coast is the most photogenic way to cover the ring road (Höfn, Jökulsárlón, Vík, Golden Circle, KEF).
- You're doing the Askja F88 Highland 4x4 trip — Egilsstadir is the closest town to Hrossaborg (F88 start) at 1 hour west.
Choose Reykjavík pickup if…
- You arrived at KEF international airport — by far the most flight options to Iceland.
- You're doing a 5-7 day trip focused on south coast glaciers, the Golden Circle or Snæfellsnes — Egilsstadir is 600 km the wrong way.
- Fleet variety matters (20+ operators in Reykjavík vs 3-5 in Egilsstadir).
Cost and transfer logistics
Daily rates are identical across Iceland for the same vehicle class. One-way fees run €100-250 each direction between Egilsstadir and Reykjavík. The Smyril Line Norröna ferry from Hirtshals to Seyðisfjörður runs €600-900 per adult with a vehicle, weekly May-October, bi-weekly in shoulder season, monthly in winter.
Egilsstadir logistics — supermarkets, fuel, SIM cards, outdoor gear
Egilsstadir is East Iceland's only town with a full service infrastructure, so use it. Rural East Fjord villages have limited shopping (if any) and 30-40% higher grocery prices. Run these errands before leaving for your first day of road-tripping.
Supermarkets — cheapest to most convenient
Bónus at Miðvangur 2-4 is the cheapest in Iceland (closes 18:30 Mon-Sat, 18:00 Sun). Samkaup Úrval next door stays open until 21:00 — your late-night backup. Nettó on Fagradalsbraut has reasonable prices and good pre-packed meals. Beyond Egilsstadir, the next major supermarket east is Nielsen in Seyðisfjörður (small Samkaup); south the next is in Höfn at 3.5 hours.
Fuel stations — top off before leaving the region
N1 at Fagradalsbraut 45 is the main full-service station — diesel, petrol, LPG, bathrooms and a café. Olís on Kaupvangur is self-service 24/7. Orkan self-service on Miðvangur is the cheapest (€0.05/litre less than N1). Outside Egilsstadir, fuel stations are sparse — Seyðisfjörður has N1 at the ferry, but Vopnafjörður (north) is 130 km away.
SIM cards and data
Síminn counter at the N1 station (Fagradalsbraut) sells the Ferðaflakkari tourist SIM — 50GB for 4,490 ISK (~€30). Nova coverage is weaker in East Iceland; Síminn dominates. Both cover Ring Road 1 fully but drop signal in many fjord valleys — expect zero signal on F88 Öskjuleið and F910 to Kverkfjöll.
Outdoor gear, bank access and tourist info
Sportver Egilsstaðir (Miðvangur 3, open 10-18 weekdays) for outdoor clothing, boots and last-minute kit. ATMs at Landsbankinn and Arion Banki, both on Miðvangur. Múlinn Tourist Information (Miðvangur 2) is East Iceland's main visitor centre — free maps, road condition updates, and booking assistance for Seyðisfjörður ferry add-ons. Download the 112 Iceland app before driving the East Fjords — phone coverage is patchy.
