World Nomads Travel Insurance has been designed by travelers for travelers to cover your trip essentials. Drive slowly and carefully as there are no barriers along the way. * Fskrsfjrur, East Iceland The driver was the guide, and there were 17 passengers on the tour. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. From time to time, we retraced our steps to find a new group of puffins and observed their hunting and nesting habits. Since we are not that active on social media, this was not the reason to put the town on our list. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Join us in Borgarfjrur eystri, also known as The Puffin Capital of Iceland and the home of the Elves, where our expert Captain will take you on an hour-long journey filled with excitement and breathtaking scenery that you won't soon forget. Long gone are days when locals made a living out of fishing. When we returned, we were delighted that we decided to incorporate Seydisfjordur in ourEast Fjords itinerary, which you should definitely check out too. Seydisfjordur, in the Eastern Fjords, is one of the most picturesque villages in Iceland, as well as one of the country's main cruise ports. The best way to get to get to Borgarfjordur Eystri is by car as it allows you to stop as often as you want. Sometimes Heima also organises special events to showcase the work in progress of artists in residencies. Mid-range | Blabjorg Guesthouse - Wonderful, newly refurbished guesthouse offers equipped kitchen, and there are even a sauna and hot tub. Seydisfjordur sits in a fjord, and you've probably guessed already that 'fjordur' means fjord in the Icelandic language. Our Seydisfjordur travel guide includes tips on the best things to see and do, how to get there, where to stay, or when to go. Our travel guide includes tips on photographing puffins, how to visit Borgarfjordur fjord, how to get there, and where to stay. On a clear day, we might have seen tall, snowy mountains, a still blue fjord, and a community of coloured wooden houses planted alongside a wooden church. I loved seeing all these puffins! The card costs three times more than we are used to paying in the Czech Republic, so we recommend you one thing. So visiting it does not require any effort. When the conditions are icy and snowy, it is essential to have 4WD and snow chains in the car trunk. * Breiafjrur You can visit Seydisfjordur year-round, but the conditions from late autumn to early spring are more challenging. We arrived back in Seydisfjordur around 3 PM. Even though seeing puffins in Borgarfjordur is completely free, you can donate some money if you want to support this site. Parking in Seydisfjordur is plentiful and free of charge. It's also one of the best places to see wild reindeer in Iceland. That's why the best time to visit Seydisfjordur might be during the shoulder season, either April and May or September and October. 10,5 Hours. Blue Lagoon in Iceland: Everything You Need to KnowJokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon: The Iceberg Lake in Southeast IcelandGolden Circle, Iceland: Self-Drive Travel Guide. The history of Seyisfjrur dates back to the Vikings age. Otherwise, you will need some patience as it's the most popular place in Seydisfjordur. Located in the remote northeast corner of Iceland, the newly built harbor of Hafnarholmi lies just a few miles north of Borgarfjodur Eystri (aka Bakkagerdi). I drove with headlights and hazard lights. History of Seydisfjordur Driving on the Ring Road, you justhave to turn off on Route 93 at Egilsstadir and enjoy thebeautiful, winding road for about half an hour. Explore the area from above, discover new destinations and hikes. With minimal music, movies and art installation, it was so mesmerising and exciting! Photo/Vilhelm Gunnarsson. All the mountains seemed to have a particular Icelandic style; the dramatic rocky mountain top, and a long, sloping grassy base, as if sculpted by thousands of years of wind. Home / Tours / Seydisfjordur / Puffins, Elves & more, Puffins and other sea birds at the Hafnarholmi islet In 2017 there were 3000 people for the final night, with groups of friends travelling from Reykjavik to enjoy music and dancing under the bright clear sky of the Icelandic midnight sun. The road is sneaking around the snow-capped mountains, and you will very soon see the sea views. 13 Day Cruises from $224.01 per adult Vk Baths admission 129 from $47.04 per adult Full Day Stulagil Canyon and Vk Baths Guided Tour 3 Full-day Tours from $162.00 per adult It's also expensive, but it is worth to try their Nordic Restaurant and their sushi bar, where they serve fresh local fish japanese style. Performances, concerts, dancing, theatre, poetry reading, comedy, visual exhibitions take place in every corner of the town, culminating in a two night music festival showcasing old and new talents from all over Iceland and abroad. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to see both phenomena at the same time because puffins' bill loses its trademark orange color outside the nesting season, but more about it later. The first settler was Bjlfur, who gave the name to the highest of the mountains surrounding the fjord. Luxury | Vid Lonid Guesthouse - Set in a wooden house and decorated in Scandinavian minimalist design, this guesthouse truly deserves to be one of the best hotels in Seydisfjordur. You need 4 x 100 ISK in coins to take a shower, but a lady at the front desk offered us change automatically. Budget | Hafaldan HI Hostel - Old Hospital Building - This place is one of the nicest hostels we've ever seen. 3,5 Hours, Garatorg 5, 210 Garabr, Iceland Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance. 2. We just couldn't get enough of the views. You do not need 4WD in the summer season, our 2WD campervan was absolutely enough, but it is a different story while traveling in the winter. Welcome to our Village. Go Campers As the name suggest, this two hour walk will take you along the river Fjardarsel, crossing small rivers and forests in the search of waterfalls. Spending 10 hrs of quality time in Seydisfjordur is extremely difficult , Maybe one of reasons tour prices are so high- they have a captive audience. , Yeah they were cool! Connected by one mountain road, Seydisfjordur is a remote treasure. This is a private tour. In fact, many of the picturesque wooden buildings in the village have their origins in those golden years, and some were even brought disassembled over from Norway itself. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 2 h 10 min to complete. Egilsstadir is the youngest town in Iceland, established in 1947. Others flapped past in short bursts of flight, their short wings beating furiously as they circled their nests. Despite being difficult to access, it's well worth a visit. Twenty minutes later, we stopped at an overlook for a photo-op of Egilsstadir, which was below us in the valley. culture, heritage and hospitality in East Iceland. Sail into Faxafloi bay in search of minke and humpback whales, dolphins and harbor porpoises. Three of us took over the back row with 4 seats which gave us a little more room. Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price. Exploring Borgarfjrur Eystri: Where Elves And Puffins Play Hide And Seek. Once ashore, there was a little confusion over the meeting spot. There are actually two art residencies in town. When is the Best Time to Visit Seydisfjordur. We continue north crossing another mountain pass to Borgarfjordur Eystri, best known as the home of elves and puffins. Large puffin colonies on the island of Hafnarhlmi, and the chance to get up-close-and-personal with the birds. Nestled between dramatic mountains and one of Iceland's most beautiful fjords is Seydisfjordur, a tiny but beautiful town that embodies traditional Icelandic style. If you have time to take a diversion from your ring road adventure, then there are so many things to see and to do that it really deserves at least a couple of days of your time. If you . It was a long, terrifying, white-knuckled drive to get here and see the puffins. Views of the mystical Lake Lagarfljot. A three hour whale watching adventure departing from the old harbour in downtown Reykjavik. Save. Egilsstadir, the capital of the Eastfjords, is set on the banks of the Lake Lagarfljot. If youre interested, you will have time to take the easy hike up the Alfaborg. We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. If your schedule allows it, check out the hiking trails in the village's surroundings. Both nature and the Arts go hand in hand in Seydisfjordur, inspiring and encouraging each other, It's impossible to miss the creative vibes in the air. Do you have a question or want something customised?Send us an email and we will get back to you as soon as possible. The village is also home to a variety of wildlife, including seals, whales, and puffins. Once we climbed high enough, the scenery suddenly changed, and it looked like we were visiting Iceland in the winter. It is good to know that the Borgarfjordur puffin site is quite small, so be respectful to other visitors and puffins, of course. Still, it is hard to resist the combination of a town surrounded by snow-capped mountains, offering a tranquil atmosphere and the traditional Icelandic architecture of colorful houses. The nesting season of puffins in Iceland lasts from mid-April to mid-August, so to increase your chances to see those wonderful birds, plan your visit between May and the beginning of August. You will find it behind the Blue Church mentioned in an above section, and with the outside walls painted with cartoons you cannot miss it! Therefore, it is possible to visit the town even without a car. The main road to reach the fjord is the one from Egilsstair, the town that's the crossroad of the North East. The main reason probably was that Iceland is so scenic that all puffin colonies were located at beautiful spots. There are several places in Iceland to see puffins, we saw three of them, includingDyrholaey PeninsulaandLatrabjarg, but Borgarfjordur, specifically Hafnarholmi Marina, was undoubtedly the best. I slowed down and gripped the wheel a little bit tighter. If you have a standard car you must leave it at the parking area by Austdalsriver, and from there it's 30 minutes quite easy and scenic walk. House walls are all in different colours, many of which feature drawings and naf paintings. With some luck and patience, we spotted a Puffin within 10 feet for about 15 seconds before flying away. Don't count on taxis, This is a town with a population of around 700. The area is famous for hiking and surrounded by a great deal of myth. * Borgarfjrur Eystri, East Iceland Our good weather streak was looking like it might end this morning when I checked out the forecast on my phone. Quite a fascinating history for such a little church. The town of Egilsstadir was on the way, and we spent about 15 minutes driving thru with our driver providing some commentary. While there is evidence of people living inSeydisfjordur dating back to Iceland's early settlement period, the town wasn't founded until the 19th century, when Norwegian fishermen built it up as a small port. The location of this nesting site is absolutely fabulous. An unsettling thought. Foll. Carefully designated boardwalks in Hafnarholmi Marina (often nicknamed Puffin Marina) and the location are perfect for birdwatching. The history of Seyisfjrur dates back to the Vikings age. During the summer is great to dine on the tables outside, smiling at people and enjoying the sun. There is a free parking at Borgarfjordur Eystri right next to the harbor where you can leave your car and walk a few hundred meters to the nesting site. If you want more information on visiting Borgarfjordur and seeing puffins, you've come to the right place. We recommend a boat trip from town Stykkishlmur to islands rishlmur and Steinaklettar. The seas and winds were calm so tendering was easy and fast. The musical connection goes further though as inside there is a pipe organ. It draped low in front of the mountains, so low as if swallowing the road ahead. This mid-valley hike starts and ends in Seydisfjordur. Viking was moored alongside the cruise terminal, and she had her own tour buses meeting her passengers. You can also enjoy a stunning view of the town and the port in a complete silence and tranquillity, perfect for meditation and relaxing. Due to the boardwalk, capturing puffins is very easy as you will get as close to them as possible. 1, Pickup and dropoff from the port You might have noticed when you travel around Iceland that almost every town, no matter how big or small has a swimming pool. Artists whose applications are accepted can live for a small fee in studios where they can use all available equipment and tools. Egilsstadir is not only a good starting point for puffins but also for visiting a picturesque Seydisfjordur town and Hengifoss Waterfall. After driving to Seydisfjordur, we can say that journey was the destination. Getting to Seydisfjordur by car or campervan is the easiest and most rewarding way to enjoy your trip. Your cart is empty Once you reach the pass, there is a new viewing platform where you can take a break. Gardens are decorated with strange and sometimes funny statues while creatures made up from woods, iron or recycled materials roam free. We could see it later more closely when we took awhale watching tour in Husavik, during which a flock of puffins followed us for a while and dived frequently. While there is not much to do in this town, it's worth a visit to witness real Eastern Icelandic local life. A staircase, viewing platform and wooden walkways make it easy to get closer to birds whilst remaining safe. There are workshops and demonstration for blacksmithing, knife-making, metal casting. We start the tour by driving over the mountain pass to Egilsstadir. So we already know the best season to see puffins, but what is the best time of the day to watch puffins at Borgarfjordur Eystri? One can clearly recognise the Scandinavian style in the many wood buildings still existing in the village.