When you see a 90% chance of rain all day, it usually doesnt bode well for a nice day. 113 Don't count on taxis, This is a town with a population of around 700. 3,5 Hours. It is one of Iceland 's supreme hiking areas with magnificent colorful mountains, beautiful rocks and rare stones.. Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price. The combination of colors and the church at the end of the street is pretty photogenic, and if you want to enjoy the sight just by yourself, your timing must be perfect. Our travel guide includes tips on photographing puffins, how to visit Borgarfjordur fjord, how to get there, and where to stay. If you plan on seeing the puffins straightaway, you need to drive past the village until you reach the very end of the road. The main road to reach the fjord is the one from Egilsstair, the town that's the crossroad of the North East. This simple pale blue church lies in the centre of town, and it's open to visitors in the summer, when there's also a series of concerts featuring classical and traditional folk musicians. Apart from puffins, there are various other seabirds including kittiwakes, fulmars and eiders. If you happen to be in the town when the church is open (opening hours vary), do not hesitate and go inside. Would you like to know what we did do at Borgarfjordur for two hours? 88 The brief stop at Gufufoss waterfall allows for beautiful views over Seydisfjordur. It is possible to visit the red painted Lindarbakki turf roofed house, one of the few remaining inhabited turf houses in Iceland and an important landmark of the village. There are three ways to get to Seydisfjordur. Another easy and short hike is the one to reach Tvsongur, a sound sculpture built in 2012 by German artist Lukas Khne. The sun dips behind the clouds as I head back south to Egilsstadir and then east to camp in Seydisfjordur. We saw some people hiking to the top, but we took a pass. The apartments at top floor are for artists in residency. The hill is believed be the home of the Elf Queen and she enjoys panoramic views over the town and fjord. Large puffin colonies on the island of Hafnarhlmi, and the chance to get up-close-and-personal with the birds. The puffin is a rather small bird, around 26-29 cm long and weights around 450-500g. With 1.600m of ski lifts and a ski run good for children as well as adults, you're going to have too much fun to mind the cold! Last year there were boys from Poland and two energetic and very creative girls from South Africa in charge of building from second-hand materials the set for the festival, enclosing a working yellow lighthouse. The Blue Church was actually moved several times, from Dvergasteinn farm to the hill overlooking Vestdalseyri, and many times was damaged or destroyed by fire, before finding its final home in 1920. Old phones and typewriters, the very first computers, cinema projectors, and even an old medical studio. It was really cool despite of the big detour in a super dangerous mountain road! By the way, on Road 93 connecting Egilsstasir with Seydisfjordur, we saw an unusual exhibition showcasing TVs with mountains as a background. Expect to find the typical tourist list of the best things to see and do here. Another great alternative is Viator. Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour. 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. Increase your chances on this tour from Reykjavik that takes you out on a boat to to either Akurey or Lundey, two islands that are well known for their plentiful birdlife. If youre interested, you will have time to take the easy hike up the Alfaborg. Travel Insurance: World Nomads Travel Insurance covers against risks of travel. Up to half of the entire puffin population in Iceland nests in the islands. Therefore, it does not come as a surprise that fishing and hunting were the primary sources of living here back in the day. . The Museum is worth a visit anyway, and in other periods you won't regret paying a few kronas for two floors of exhibition focusing on the influx of modern times on local way of life from 1880 to 1960. * safjarardjp, the Westfjords Seydisfjordur is a very small village, so you'll need approximately thirty to sixty minutes to walk around the tourist area. 3,5 Hours, Garatorg 5, 210 Garabr, Iceland There's a special hideout viewing location near the harbour of the town which allows visitors to view a wide variety of unique bird species native to the area. Decades later, after having served as a base for the American and British armies, Seydisfjordur entered an economic depression following the gradual recession of the herring industry. Puffins are cute birds that are pretty small, usually around 29 cm high, they weigh up to 500 grams, and their wingspan can be up to 65 centimeters. At the end of the road ahead of the town are a picturesque little harbour and the Hafnarholmi hill. Only a thirty-minute drive from theRing Roadand the prosperous transportation hub Egilsstadir lies one of Iceland's most picturesque towns, Seydisfjordur. After a while, we returned to the car and continued the descent to the valley along the Fjadrara River. The islandViguris the largest of three islands in the fjord, and a good place to see puffins. Here's the list of the best hotel options in Borgarfjordur Eystri for all types of travelers. Without any further ado, here's our pick of activities and things to see and do in Seydisfjordur. Another possibility is to hike along the river to the Vestdalsfossar Cascade, and the real adventurers can climb the highest mountain in the area, Bjolfur. Others flapped past in short bursts of flight, their short wings beating furiously as they circled their nests. We could write essays about the town's location beauty, but even the journey there is an experience on its own. It is paved andsuitable for any type of vehicle. To fully understand why this day was the best, check back tomorrow for my recap of Seydisfjordur. There are actually two art residencies in town. Also, have snow chains ready because the road is potentially dangerous when the conditions are icy. Although the winter scenery looks gorgeous in pictures, you must realize that getting from Egilsstadir to Seydisfjordur in winter is no fun due to ice and snow. Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance. We recommend a boat trip from town Stykkishlmur to islands rishlmur and Steinaklettar. We never leave our home without travel insurance which is designed to help cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. For bird lovers, the stunningly beautiful coastal cliffs are home to a mind-boggling array of seabirds, including eider ducks and Iceland 's famous puffins. I loved seeing all these puffins! And btw, it was Borgarfjordur Eystri!!! Designed by MyIslandDesigns.com, Click "Show More Posts" to show all the links to the other posts for the, The Eggs of Merry Bay Djupivogur (Post #15). I've been very lucky to have spent the summer of 2017 living and working in Seyisfjrur, on Iceland's North East Coast. We found the puffins nesting and fishing at the end of a small peninsula, high atop an outcrop of sea rocks. At first, we were not sure whether it was worth visiting Seydisfjordur. Egilsstair also has a local airport with frequent flights from Reykjavik, offering a quick and easy way to explore both the east as well as the north. Egilsstadir is the youngest town in Iceland, established in 1947. The price for Borgarfjordur Campground is 1200 ISK per person, plus 400 ISK per hot shower. Moreover, the midnight sun on the way back made for spectacular views of the whole fjord. When is the Best Time to Visit Seydisfjordur. The designated boardwalks lead through the puffins' colony, yet they are still far enough to avoid disturbance and not to destroy vegetation. Ltrabjarg bird-cliff in the Westfjords of Iceland is the largest seabird cliff in Iceland and one of Europe's biggest seabird cliffs. A black and white movie will teach you how life was in the village when fish processing was main activity for local economy. Once ashore, there was a little confusion over the meeting spot. Cars would appear from the mist suddenly, their dim headlights ethereal as they rolled past. A lonely sailboat waiting for the cruise ships to, Husavik has one of the prettiest harbours in Icela, Is Iceland on your cruise bucket list ? 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. The town of Egilsstadir was on the way, and we spent about 15 minutes driving thru with our driver providing some commentary. The views from the winding road between the mountains and amidst steep cliffs are spectacular. Another great alternative is Viator. Exploring the world from The Inside Cabin. The observation platform will afford you an excellent view of nesting puffins, fulmars and kittiwakes; the latter being loud gulls named for their nasal "ki-ti-waak" callnotes. Egilsstadir | Gistihusid - Lake Hotel Egilsstadir - Egilsstadir is not the most picturesque town in Iceland, but it is a tourist hub with an excellent location. Budget | Hafaldan HI Hostel - Old Hospital Building - This place is one of the nicest hostels we've ever seen. Spend a day exploring the stunning southern coastline of Iceland on our South Coast Tour from Reykjavik. We recommend a boat trip from town Stykkishlmur to islands rishlmur and Steinaklettar. Promise! The total population is around 14 million, and the largest colony lives on Iceland's Westman Island. The female usually lays a single egg and keeps it warm (together with a male partner) for the next 42 days. We left the car there and covered the rest of the distance on foot. Their growling sounds like a muffled chainsaw! Along the Rainbow street are a few shops selling clothes and locally made items along with a caf. Other than being a stop for cruises departing during the summer bound for America & Greenland, all year round the port is connected once a week to Denmark by Smyril Line. And there's no one here. Young students from different countries arrive in town to live together for 12 weeks, developing art projects and learning new skills. We passed through it, just a few seconds of whiteness, and then we commenced the mountain climb. It's also one of the best places to see wild reindeer in Iceland. Your email address will not be published. The church was rebuilt in a different location, but even this was not the end of its journey. Connected by one mountain road, Seydisfjordur is a remote treasure. 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. An unsettling thought. Heima Art Residency is an independent non-profit organisation founded in 2013. The area here is completely devoted to wildlife, with seals, whales, reindeers and 47 species of birds. Length 2.0 miElevation gain 1,515 ftRoute type Out & back. Sometimes forgetting that many countries do in fact also have their own south coasts. That is one of the things we appreciated here the most. An island and archipelago of approximately 5,000 people, and the largest puffin colony in Iceland. When the conditions are icy and snowy, it is essential to have 4WD and snow chains in the car trunk. A boom in herring fishing meant that Seydisfjordur later became the most prosperous town in eastern Iceland. As with any serious mission, you'll need a special map, available at the information centre. A beautiful birdFew places on Planet Earth offer better opportunities to lay eyes on puffins than Iceland, the home to nearly half of the worlds puffin population. Still, the puffins are for sure the highlight of this area. The road from Seydisfjordur offers some of the best views of the lake and the Fljotsdalur valley. We saw the poster advertising this bus route in the campground we stayed in, but it is better to ask to know the exact departure times. Well, if we had to make our pick, it would be detouring to the fjord towns of Seydisfjordur and Borgarfjordur Eystri in the north east corner of the country. It had been a hell of a drive getting in obscured by fog, the mountain road had been almost invisible. The small towns center is known for its many original early 19th-century timber houses and picturesque setting around the lagoon. She fell in love with Iceland a few years ago - of course through music! The area is a breeding ground for black-legged kittiwakes, a coastal bird that nests on steep cliffs. Travel Insurance: World Nomads Travel Insurance covers against risks of travel. A top three location for spotting puffins in Iceland. Its actually such a big deal over here that we tend to refer to it exclusively as The South Coast. So it is good to know there is a wooden observation shack for photographers (you can sit here quietly and open windows for better photos) where you can hide for a while.

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