East Iceland is best known as Austurland, a part of Iceland that perhaps gets overlooked far too often given that it has lots to offer.
Luxury Holidays in East Iceland
@ Reykjavik Excursions
@ Reykjavik Excursions
A word from our travel specialist
East Iceland is one of the most peaceful and untouched parts of the country. The landscapes are wide and dramatic, with deep fjords, winding coastal roads and little fishing villages dotted along the way. My favourite town in the Eastfjords is Djúpivogur, it has a rich history, and also it’s just super cute!
The area is great for birdwatching, and one of the most striking landmarks is “The Eggs”, 34 large granite eggs arranged along the harbour. They sit on old stalls that were previously used for the fishing industry and each one represents a different bird species found in the area. Quite a sight!
Helga
Nordic Experience Curator
Inspiration for Holidays in East Iceland
Iceland Blue Lagoon Northern Lights Escape
Experience Iceland's Northern Lights, Golden Circle, Blue Lagoon and luxury geothermal retreats on this unforgettable autumn escape.
Iceland and Scandinavia Grand Discovery: Volcanoes, Fjords and Nordic Capitals
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Iceland Self Drive Adventure with Glaciers, Fjords and Geothermal Experiences
Explore Iceland on an epic self drive with glaciers, waterfalls, wildlife encounters and luxury geothermal spa experiences
South Iceland Super Jeeps and Snorkelling Adventure
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Summer in Iceland: Lava, Lagoons & Glaciers
Luxury Iceland escape: lagoons, glaciers, whale watching and black sand beaches on a 9 day adventure of fire and ice.
Icelandic Summer Family Adventure
Explore Iceland’s wild beauty with this ultimate summer family adventure, glaciers, geysers, whales, puffins and luxury await!
© Icelandic Explorer
East Iceland, Designed Around You
There is plenty to discover in East Iceland making it an absolute must if you are planning on exploring the whole island rather than just it’s city and southern region.
Where to Stay: Handpicked for You
We’ve selected unique, welcoming places to stay in East Iceland, from rustic riverside retreats to chic hotels with sweeping views of untamed landscapes.
Miðgarður by Center Hotels
Stylish Reykjavík hotel offering Icelandic hospitality, Nordic design and easy access to Iceland’s natural wonders.
Skáld Hotel Akureyri
Stylish boutique hotel in North Iceland offering Arctic adventures, geothermal wonders and elegant Nordic accommodation.
Seljalandsfoss Horizons
Luxury retreat in southern Iceland offering waterfall views, volcanic landscapes and unforgettable nature experiences.
Hótel Geysir
Luxury hotel beside Iceland’s famous Geysir area offering geothermal landscapes, Northern Lights experiences and stylish stays.
Hótel Óðinsvé
Boutique hotel in central Reykjavik offering calm interiors, local dining and easy access to the city’s culture and historic streets.
Lake Hotel, Egilsstaðir
Tailor-made Icelandic romance in a windswept coastal church hotel – designed around you.The Guidebook
Explore East Iceland
A short plane ride from Reykjavik City Airport will see you land into Egilsstaðir, or you can drive along the south coast (just make sure you plan some stops along the way), this is the perfect location to head out and discover some more hidden parts of Iceland that really are worth seeing.
For a start, there are the stunning beaches that exist in the area including Djúpivogur black sand beach, then in Breiðdalsvík you’ll discover Meleyri, and then further inland are the highlands to discover.
Here you can witness Iceland’s highest mountain Snæfell not to mention that you are not too far from Vatnajokull, the largest glacier in Europe!
There is the stunning bay of Seydisfjordur and for hikers, one can head out to find the circle of waterfalls before hopping into a hot pool at Laugarfell.
So, when you plan to visit Iceland, make sure you make time to visit this part of the country.
Getting There
There are a couple of ways of getting out to the East – the first is the option of flying over on a domestic flight from Reykjavik City Airport to Egilsstaðir airport. From here you can pick up your car hire and begin to explore this area.
The other option is to drive from Keflavik – to do so you will need to look to plan in some nights along which our Nordic Experience Curators will help put together for you.
Climate
Despite its name, Iceland is not necessarily that cold. Winter temperatures are an average of 3.6°C, and summer temperatures average around 15°C. In the summertime, you can enjoy long, extended hours of sunshine and in the wintertime, the nights can get dark enough for you to see the Northern Lights as long as you are away from light pollution!
Geography
Iceland is world-famous for its geology and geography. With huge mountain ranges and an active geothermal country with many geysers, hot springs and volcanic formations to be found – it is a breath-taking landscape for those after an adventure.
Iceland offers some of the best waterfalls in Europe, such as the Dettifoss regarded as the most powerful waterfall in the whole of Europe.
With a latitude of 64° north, Reykjavik offers a perfect base from which to embark on an Iceland Northern Lights adventure.
We really enjoyed our Norwegian adventure despite the -22 days! Unfortunately no real experience of viewing the Lights but we did capture a couple of images on our last night – too much cloud otherwise so lots of snow. We really enjoyed the husky lodge – not at all what we had tentatively imagined. Thanks for your assistance, maybe next time we will see the Lights in all their glory.
Andrew
Amy was a great help with planning this trip. Our trip turned out amazing. I also was very grateful for Off the Map’s Front Desk service, which promptly handled an on the spot issue we had.
Karen
I used OTMT to organise a holiday to see the Northern Lights for my partner’s 50th birthday. They took the time to understand my priorities, the kinds of places we like to stay and the things we like to do. They recommended a fabulous itinerary in Norway centred around the Lyngen Experience Lodge. The holiday itself lived up to expectations and I have no hesitation in recommending OTMT. They listened carefully during the planning and delivered the perfect present for my partner.
Alex
My family and I traveled to Sweden to see The Northern Lights in March of 2023. From the planning process to every detail of the trip, I could not have been more pleased with our experience. Alex was exceptional to work with. His guidance on the time of year, where to stay, activities to do and how to get to and from everything was spot on. I have never used a tour company before but thought a trip of this kind would be easier with some help. I am so glad that I did. The entire week was seamless and completely stress-free, allowing us to truly enjoy Sweden and our time together as a family. I will be recommending Off The Map travel to friends and family and will certainly be using them myself again in the future.
Emily
We – the whole family – loved the whole journey!!
The accommodations, the activities and especially the great people – thank you very much for this fantastic organisation !!!
Barbara
We originally hired Off the Map Travel in 2020 to set up a trip to see the Northern Lights. That didn’t happen, thanks to COVID. But, we persisted and in March of 2023, we took a 16-day trip that included both Iceland and Norway. IT WAS MAGICAL! Off the Map took care of everything! We were pampered at every stage of our trip. The people they hired and the activities they planned added up to a trip that will set the standard for any we’ll ever take in the future. Alex and his team were fabulous! We recommend them without restraint!
Jim & Kris
Arctic Retreat was simply magical. Graham and his team were superb. Their entire focus was on ensuring we had an outstanding experience. The accommodation, setting and food were all excellent. The team, experienced professionals, each brought their own personal touch and local nuance. It was faultless. The dog sledging trip directly from Arctic Retreat was also superb. We would return to Arctic Retreat in a heartbeat.
George
Off the Map Travel was great! Alex helped us plan the most amazing 10 day honeymoon to Iceland. He gave us great recommendations and was so patient with us during the planning process!
Tori
Fantastic trip to Svalbard which delivered the true Arctic experience we were hoping for. The hotels were excellent and the activities – dog sledding and snowmobile expedition were lead by first class guides.
Top tip! The champagne tasting in the world’s most northerly wine cellar in the exceptional Funken Lodge is not to be missed!
Faith
What an amazing trip we are having. It is incredible. Many many thanks for arranging such an incredible trip.
Giles
Well-organized trip to Norway and Svalbard with great accommodations and activities. Gwen was communicative and responsive to requests. Highly recommend!
Russell Snook
We have loved it so much here that we have extended our stay and will come back to Bjornfjell and stay in one of their cabins until Jan 3 then we are staying in the igloo hotel the night of the 3rd. 😊We added a few excursions this week – we did the whale trip on the RIB boat (wow!), toured the igloo hotel (which is why we decided to book the last night!) and did the reindeer sleigh at Sorrisniva. You were so right, the bonfire excursion was incredible!!It has been an absolutely amazing trip!
Kristen