Northern Highlights

Northern Highlights
from £891 excluding flights
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Highlights

Spot humpback whales on a boat trip from Husavik

Drive the spectacular coast road in the East Fjords

Discover pseudo-craters and mud pools at Lake Myvatn

Admire picture-perfect Seydisfjordur

Walk to the brink of mighty Dettifoss, Europe’s most powerful waterfall

Bathe in Husavik's Geo Sea Spa overlooking the bay
Why this trip...

Tailor made
This itinerary can be tailor made to suit you and is intended to give you a guideline of what is possible in a given timeframe

Explore at leisure
With the route, transport and accommodation sorted, each day offers the freedom to explore

Nordic Heritage
With over 37 years of experience in creating trips to Nordics we know this region inside out
Overview
This exciting combination of the East Fjords and Iceland’s north east is perfect for a well-paced, seven-night self-drive. Start by exploring the stunning coast and fascinating villages of the East Fjords, then head to Lake Myvatn and Husavik for an equally heady mixture of volcanic natural wonders and world-class whale watching and a collection of sights dubbed the Diamond Circle.
Forests, fjords and feathered friends
The birch forest of Hallormsstadur near Egilsstadir is a wonderful spot for hiking, cycling, horse riding or taking to the trails on all-terrain vehicles. Alternatively, drive north to the remote village of Bakkagerdi for a hike in the Dyrfjoll Mountains or a rendezvous with the puffins that nest near the harbour. A spectacular mountain drive leads to Seydisfjordur, a colourful village with a cultural spring in its step. At the mouth of the fjord, Skalanes nature reserve is a perfect montage of the East Fjord’s breathtaking scenery, and a great place for spotting birds, seals and wild reindeer.
Whales, waterfalls and volcanic wonders
Leaving the East Fjords, it’s a fantastic drive to Lake Myvatn, perhaps taking a detour to little-visited Vopnafordur with its turf farm museum. You have three nights to explore Myvatn – touring the lake road to marvel at pseudocraters, lava caves and bubbling mud pits. Drive to Husavik for a boat trip in search of humpback whales and visit Dettifoss where some 200 cubic metres of water thunder over the edge of the falls every second. If you prefer less violent water, take a soothing dip in the Nature Baths – an outdoor pool naturally heated by geothermal springs.
Itinerary
The itinerary shown is an example of this self-drive holiday. We have many other hotels and route recommendations which can be tailored to your requirements. Please discuss with our Travel Specialists who can put together a bespoke itinerary for you.
Day 1 Keflavik - Egilsstadir
Fly to Keflavik, transfer to Reykjavik and fly onwards to Egilsstadir in the East Fjords. Collect your rental vehicle and iDiscover digital travel companion and drive the short distance to your hotel. Spend two nights at Icelandair Hotel Herad.
Fly to Keflavik, transfer to Reykjavik and fly onwards to Egilsstadir in the East Fjords. Collect your rental vehicle and iDiscover digital travel companion and drive the short distance to your hotel. Spend two nights at Icelandair Hotel Herad.
Day 2 explore Egilsstadir area
Head out on a day exploring. Lagarfljot – the glacial lake that stretches south from Egilsstadir – is always worth a second glance. Legend has it that its murky depths (over 100m in places) are the lair of the Lagarfljotsormur – a dragonlike ‘wyrm’ that would give even the Loch Ness monster the jitters. By comparison, Hallormsstadur (Iceland’s largest forest) is a tranquil spot for a walk in the woods. You can also hike to Hengifoss, a graceful cascade swishing a 128m-long plume of water across cliffs striped red from ancient volcanic eruptions.
If you fancy exploring further afield today, we recommend the hour’s drive to Bakkagerdi – a remote, peaceful village overlooking a bay framed by mountains that gives you access to invigorating hikes in Borgafjordur Eystri, as well as superb puffin watching (early May to mid-August) and even a chance to spot wild reindeer.
Head out on a day exploring. Lagarfljot – the glacial lake that stretches south from Egilsstadir – is always worth a second glance. Legend has it that its murky depths (over 100m in places) are the lair of the Lagarfljotsormur – a dragonlike ‘wyrm’ that would give even the Loch Ness monster the jitters. By comparison, Hallormsstadur (Iceland’s largest forest) is a tranquil spot for a walk in the woods. You can also hike to Hengifoss, a graceful cascade swishing a 128m-long plume of water across cliffs striped red from ancient volcanic eruptions.
If you fancy exploring further afield today, we recommend the hour’s drive to Bakkagerdi – a remote, peaceful village overlooking a bay framed by mountains that gives you access to invigorating hikes in Borgafjordur Eystri, as well as superb puffin watching (early May to mid-August) and even a chance to spot wild reindeer.
Day 3 Egilsstadir - Breiddalsvik
Start the day by visiting Seydisfjordur. It only takes 30 minutes to nip over the mountains to reach this fjord-nuzzled village - but what a drive! The views from the pass are breathtaking - the narrow waters of the fjord drizzled like quicksilver through brooding mountains. You will want to linger in Seydisfjordur, photographing the pastel-coloured houses at the water’s edge, enjoying coffee and cake (and a chat with the friendly locals) at Bistro Skaftafell and seeking out the arts and crafts that the village is famous for. Leave enough time, though, for driving along the fjord to Skalanes - a beautiful nature reserve where you can roam trails spotting birds, seals and reindeer.
Later, head towards the small town of Breiddalsvik, stopping on the way to visit the atmospheric old fishermen’s shack in Eskifjordur known as Randulff’s Seahouse. Overnight at Hotel Blafell in Breidalsvik.
Start the day by visiting Seydisfjordur. It only takes 30 minutes to nip over the mountains to reach this fjord-nuzzled village - but what a drive! The views from the pass are breathtaking - the narrow waters of the fjord drizzled like quicksilver through brooding mountains. You will want to linger in Seydisfjordur, photographing the pastel-coloured houses at the water’s edge, enjoying coffee and cake (and a chat with the friendly locals) at Bistro Skaftafell and seeking out the arts and crafts that the village is famous for. Leave enough time, though, for driving along the fjord to Skalanes - a beautiful nature reserve where you can roam trails spotting birds, seals and reindeer.
Later, head towards the small town of Breiddalsvik, stopping on the way to visit the atmospheric old fishermen’s shack in Eskifjordur known as Randulff’s Seahouse. Overnight at Hotel Blafell in Breidalsvik.



Day 4 Breiddalsvik - Neskaupstadur
Choose to explore the area near Breiddalsvik or take drive to the town of Neskaupstadur, with a wide range of activities, from horse riding and hiking to boat trips in search of whales and puffins. The town also hosts one of the East Fjords’ popular village walks, offering visitors a chance to learn about culture and history with a local guide. You can also explore Paskahellir – a coastal cave adorned with pillow lava formations and curious holes left by trees consumed by lava 12 million years ago. Overnight at Hotel Blafell.
Choose to explore the area near Breiddalsvik or take drive to the town of Neskaupstadur, with a wide range of activities, from horse riding and hiking to boat trips in search of whales and puffins. The town also hosts one of the East Fjords’ popular village walks, offering visitors a chance to learn about culture and history with a local guide. You can also explore Paskahellir – a coastal cave adorned with pillow lava formations and curious holes left by trees consumed by lava 12 million years ago. Overnight at Hotel Blafell.
Day 5 Neskaupsstadur - Myvatn
Leaving the East Fjords, drive west towards Lake Myvatn. If you have time, make an optional detour to the bay of Vopnafjordur with its sea cliffs and black-sand beaches. Back on route 1, stop at Modrudalur, Iceland’s highest farm, for a hot chocolate and far reaching views of Herdubreid – the Queen of the Mountains deep in the interior. Spend three nights at Hotel Laxa.
Leaving the East Fjords, drive west towards Lake Myvatn. If you have time, make an optional detour to the bay of Vopnafjordur with its sea cliffs and black-sand beaches. Back on route 1, stop at Modrudalur, Iceland’s highest farm, for a hot chocolate and far reaching views of Herdubreid – the Queen of the Mountains deep in the interior. Spend three nights at Hotel Laxa.
Excursions
Enhance your holiday by pre-booking a selection of excursions and activities. View or download the pdf and then talk to our Travel Specialists about how best to fit these into your holiday.
Open Excursions PDFPrices and Departures
Price from £891 excluding flights
Airfares are quoted separately to the holiday price and start from around £250 per person with Icelandair (with higher fares during peak times). When enquiring, our Travel Specialists will provide the best fare possible from your preferred airline / airport.
What's Included
- Accommodation in rooms with private bathroom
- Daily breakfast
- Car rental throughout with unlimited mileage
- No charge for additional driver
- Exclusive use of iDiscover App
- 24 hour emergency assistance from our team during your holiday
- No surcharge guarantee
- Full financial protection
From prices per person
Based on 2 sharing a room with private bathroom, including car hire. Prices may vary depending on departure date. Please contact us for a detailed quote based on your preferred travel dates, vehicle category and style of accommodation, or to tailor this itinerary.
Departure | Duration | Car category* | Twin Price |
---|---|---|---|
May | 7 nights | B - VW Golf | £891 |
Jun - Aug | 7 nights | B - VW Golf | £1,260 |
Sep | 7 nights | B - VW Golf | £970 |
* Choice of Vehicles
We would always recommend a 4WD for winter travel, but many clients also prefer the greater security and comfort that a larger vehicle provides year round – upgrade your vehicle from as little as £10 per person per day.- We can offer a wide range of rental vehicles for this holiday – our team will be happy to talk you through the options and provide a quote for the most suitable category based on your individual requirements.
- Our long-standing relationship with the local Europcar franchise means that our clients enjoy many exclusive benefits, including priority on the newest and best appointed vehicles available.
Meet our expert

One of our specialists
Meet Eric10 Visits to Iceland
5 Successful whale watching trips
4 Shooting stars with northern lights
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Tailor made trips
As independent destination specialists, we are able to tailor make holidays to suit you, be that customising the itineraries shown on this website or creating something bespoke.
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