Itineraries — East Fjords

Iceland's East Fjords stretch over approximately 120 km of deeply cut coast between Höfn (south) and the Borgarfjörður Eystri peninsula (north). It is the wildest and least-visited stretch of the Ring Road, and paradoxically the most authentic: fishing villages (200-1,500 inhabitants) have kept their original character, the tourist offering is limited, and the landscapes of deep fjords bordered by abrupt 600-1,000 m mountains offer total change of scene.

The classic itinerary on a complete Ring Road road trip is organised as follows. Day 1 (entry from the south): departure from Höfn (or previous Jökulsárlón night), take Route 1 north-east, stops at Djúpivogur (lively port, Eggin í Gleðivík sculpted eggs workshop), Breiðdalsvík (panoramic fjord view), Stöðvarfjörður (Petra's Stones museum, private collection of Icelandic minerals), Fáskrúðsfjörður (Breton and Norman French sailors' cemetery), Reyðarfjörður (British occupation museum), arrival at Egilsstaðir in late afternoon (250 km, 4-5 h with stops), overnight on site.

Day 2 (Egilsstaðir-Seyðisfjörður): morning at Egilsstaðir (Lagarfljót lake, Hallormsstaðaskógur farm — the largest forest in Iceland, 800 hectares of birches), half-day excursion to Seyðisfjörður (spectacular Route 93, snowy 620 m pass, descent on the fjord, multicoloured village, blue church), return to Egilsstaðir or overnight at Seyðisfjörður.

Day 3 (exit from the north): route Egilsstaðir-Mývatn (200 km, 2 h 30 by Route 1, crossing the desolate Möðrudalur highlands, alt. 530 m, sometimes snowy even in July). Optional stop at Stuðlagil canyon (1 h north of Egilsstaðir via Route 923) or at the Borgarfjörður Eystri peninsula (Route 94, accessible mid-June to September) for puffins.