Destination Guide
Cycling in East Fjords & North Iceland
Eastfjords: Iceland's most dramatic fjord cycling, Seyðisfjörður pass above the blue-church village, Egilsstaðir base. North Iceland: Akureyri fjord rides, Mývatn volcanic craters, Öxnadalsheiði pass.
Last updated: 15 March 2026
The East Fjords — Austurland in Icelandic — represent the part of the Ring Road that most cycle tourists describe in terms that are different in register from the rest of the circuit. Fewer tourists, longer fjord penetrations, narrower roads, and a quality of solitude that the South Coast and Snæfellsnes cannot match: these are the characteristics that the Eastfjords community reports with consistent unanimity. The fjord roads thread deep into the peninsula interiors — Fáskrúðsfjörður, Reyðarfjörður, Berufjörður — on single-track roads that occasionally narrow to passing-place width at the fjord heads, carry virtually no traffic outside local farmstead access, and deliver the most intimate engagement with Icelandic fjord topography available from a road bike. The Ring Road itself follows an elevated inland route between most of the fjords, requiring detours of 10–25km to reach the fjord heads — these detours are the mandatory additions that make Eastfjords Ring Road cycling slower than the map distance implies, and more rewarding.
Seyðisfjörður is the jewel of the Eastfjords cycling circuit. The village at the fjord head is the most architecturally distinguished in eastern Iceland — 19th century Norwegian-built timber houses painted in primary colours, a blue corrugated-iron church that has been photographed more often than any other building in the region, and a village character shaped by its role as the Smyril Line ferry terminal connecting Iceland to the Faroe Islands and Denmark. The road to Seyðisfjörður from Egilsstaðir — 9.3km, 630m of gain, the cliff-edge pass road above the birch wood valley — is one of the finest short climbs in Iceland, delivering a summit view from Fjarðarheiði at 630m across the full length of the fjord to the open sea before dropping on switchbacks into the coloured village below. The ferry connection means that a meaningful proportion of visitors cycle from the Smyril Line ferry directly off the boat and up the pass to Egilsstaðir — an iconic arrival that many Eastfjords cyclists specifically choose as their Iceland entry point, arriving by sea rather than air.
North Iceland — from Akureyri, Iceland's second city (population 20,000), eastward through the Mývatn volcanic district and to the Dettifoss waterfall area — operates as a distinct cycling zone that combines the infrastructure of an actual city base with some of the most geologically intense terrain in the country. Akureyri sits at the head of Eyjafjörður, Iceland's longest fjord at 60km, and the roads along both shores of the fjord deliver a cycling environment of mild gradients, low traffic, and a scale of fjord landscape that justifies the journey from Reykjavík (380km, 4 hours by hire car) or the domestic flight (45 minutes, Air Iceland Connect from Reykjavík domestic). The Öxnadalsheiði pass on Route 1 south of Akureyri — 11.2km, 520m gain, the principal approach road between Reykjavík and North Iceland — is one of the Ring Road's defining cycling sections: a long, consistent climb through open fell country that crests at 540m before dropping into the Öxnadalur valley on the Akureyri approach.
The Mývatn lake district, 100km east of Akureyri on Route 1, is the most geologically concentrated cycling area in Iceland. The roads through the Mývatn craters — pseudocraters formed by sub-glacial lava explosions, now forming a series of grass-covered cones in the shallow lake — carry minimal traffic outside August peak and deliver a cycling experience through a lunar landscape that is genuinely unlike any terrain elsewhere in Europe. The lake circuit road (approximately 35km) passes the Hverfjall tephra crater (2.5km rim walk, bike left at the base), the Dimmuborgir lava field (iron-black formations that provided the filming location for the Night's Watch cave in Game of Thrones Season 3), and the Námaskarð geothermal area where mud pools, steam vents, and sulphurous fumaroles line the road edge with an odour that signals the geological activity before it becomes visible. The Dettifoss waterfall approach road (Route 864 or 862, depending on the direction) adds a significant detour off the Ring Road but delivers the most powerful waterfall in Europe — 193 m³/s average flow — in a canyon landscape of black basalt that is worth the 30km additional distance.
- Terrain
- Road, Touring, Climbing, coastal
- Difficulty
- Moderate — Challenging
- Road Quality
- Good
- Cycling Culture
- Developing
- Pro Team Presence
- No professional cycling team presence. Akureyri hosts the Akureyri Cycling Festival in late July, a growing event that attracts domestic and some Scandinavian participants on the Eyjafjörður fjord circuit roads. The Fjallabak race — a gravel-focussed endurance event in the Mývatn district — has gained international attention in the adventure cycling community since its launch in 2019.
- Traffic
- Very Low
Best Time to Cycle in East Fjords & North Iceland
The Eastfjords and North Iceland operate on a narrower reliable window than the south and west — the higher latitude (Akureyri is at 65.7°N, north of the Arctic Circle boundary) and the east-facing fjord exposure produce weather conditions that are both colder and more rapidly changeable than the Reykjavík-Snæfellsnes zone. June is excellent for North Iceland — the midnight sun is genuine north of the Arctic Circle, with 24-hour daylight for approximately three weeks centred on the solstice, and Akureyri temperatures average 10–14°C. The Öxnadalsheiði pass road opens in May and carries minimal traffic in June. The Eastfjords fjord roads are equally good in June: the tourist bus concentration that affects the South Coast is dramatically lower in the Eastfjords, and a June Tuesday ride from Egilsstaðir to Seyðisfjörður and back encounters perhaps 20–30 vehicles on the pass road. July brings the Smyril Line ferry season to maximum frequency (weekly sailings, primarily from Hirtshals, Denmark), which introduces a meaningful volume of overlanders and cycle tourists arriving at Seyðisfjörður. The town itself becomes a cycling hub in July — several long-distance Ring Road riders per day are visible, and the campsite and guesthouses fill weekly on ferry arrival day (usually Wednesday or Thursday). The Mývatn district in July carries its highest tourist vehicle volume, particularly the Route 1 Ring Road section through the crater field: early morning riding (before 08:00) or late evening (after 18:00, still fully light) avoids the peak. August is the finest month for both zones: tourist pressure begins to thin from the second week, the Eastfjords fjord roads enter their quietest period, the heather and moss of the fell country starts its colour transition, and the Seyðisfjörður pass delivers the most atmospheric cycling of the year as the first autumn light quality appears. The Mývatn district is particularly atmospheric in late August — the migrating bird population (Mývatn is an internationally protected waterfowl reserve) is at its late-summer peak before departure. September in the Eastfjords: the fjord roads remain open but the pass roads — Seyðisfjörður, Öxnadalsheiði, and the mountain roads north of Akureyri — can carry first snow from the second week. Confirm road.is daily. The Smyril Line ferry reduces frequency in September (fortnightly), which reduces the Seyðisfjörður tourist presence significantly. Akureyri and the North Iceland lowland roads are viable in September with appropriate kit (temperatures 5–9°C, rain and wind probability elevated). October through May: both zones are in conditions ranging from challenging to dangerous for cycling — Akureyri receives 120–180cm of annual snowfall, the Eastfjords pass roads close entirely in winter, and the Ring Road through the Mývatn district can carry ice from October to May.
Temperature: -22°C (winter) to 15°C (summer)
Insider Tips
- The Seyðisfjörður pass road — the 9.3km Route 93 between Egilsstaðir and Seyðisfjörður — is almost always ridden downhill by tourists arriving on the Smyril Line ferry. Ride it uphill from Egilsstaðir instead: the gradient is consistent throughout, the views over the fjord from the Fjarðarheiði summit at 630m are more dramatic from above than from below, and the descent into the coloured village at the fjord head arrives with the full dramatic impact of the approach sequence. The road carries its lowest traffic outside ferry arrival windows (typically Wednesday and Thursday evenings in July).
- Egilsstaðir's Hjólaverkstæðið Austurland bike workshop (on Kaupvangur street, open Mon–Fri 10:00–17:00) is the only dedicated bike repair facility in the Eastfjords. For Ring Road cyclists, this is the last guaranteed workshop opportunity before Akureyri (350km further around the Ring Road via the northern route). Carry a comprehensive spare kit — inner tubes for your specific rim size, a chain link, and Shimano or SRAM derailleur cable — for the Eastfjords section. The mechanic at Hjólaverkstæðið speaks English and can source components via Reykjavík with 2–3 days lead time if required.
- The Mývatn midges are not a cycling hazard in the conventional sense but deserve a practical note: the lake district supports one of Europe's largest populations of chironomid midges (Simulium vernum), which emerge in summer in dense clouds that are at worst uncomfortable and at best a memorable photographic spectacle. The midges are harmless — they do not bite — but a midge net over the helmet and face is standard kit for visitors staying at the Mývatn campsite or riding slowly through the crater district in calm conditions. At cycling speed, the midge cloud is navigable without a net; at rest or in still air, it is not.
How to Get to East Fjords & North Iceland for Cycling
Nearest Airports
Egilsstaðir Airport(EGS)
Transfer: 10 minutes to Egilsstaðir town
Egilsstaðir Airport is the gateway for Eastfjords cycling, located immediately adjacent to the Egilsstaðir town centre. Air Iceland Connect operates multiple daily connections from Reykjavík domestic airport (RKV) at 45 minutes flight time. Bikes must be pre-booked on Air Iceland Connect and are subject to space availability on the small ATR 42 aircraft — book the bike supplement at the same time as the flight and confirm acceptance at check-in. The airport is small: no international connections, no hire car on-site (Hertz operates from town, 1km away, with advance booking). Egilsstaðir town has accommodation, a supermarket (Bónus, open daily 11:00–18:30), and a small bike shop (Hjólaverkstæðið Austurland) capable of basic repairs and tyre supply. The Smyril Line ferry arrival at Seyðisfjörður (27km west of Egilsstaðir) is the alternative arrival method for cyclists entering Iceland by sea from the Faroe Islands or Denmark — a genuinely memorable start to an Iceland cycling trip.
Akureyri Airport(AEY)
Transfer: 5 minutes to Akureyri city centre
Akureyri Airport serves North Iceland directly from Reykjavík domestic (45 minutes, Air Iceland Connect, multiple daily). The airport sits 2km south of the city centre on the Eyjafjörður shore road and is walkable from the city — though bikes in cases require a taxi or pre-arranged hotel transfer. Car hire is available from the airport from Europcar and Budget with advance booking essential in July. Akureyri city has the best bike shop infrastructure in North Iceland: Hjólafárinn on Glerárgata carries road and gravel bike components and offers full workshop services, and the N1 station on the main Route 1 through town serves as a practical refuelling stop for cyclists on the Ring Road circuit. Akureyri Camping (directly on the fjord shore, 15 minutes by bike from the airport) is the reference accommodation for budget-conscious cyclists.
Getting around: Car Recommended — The distances between Eastfjords cycling objectives and the relative infrequency of bus connections make a hire car the practical choice for visitors not completing the full Ring Road. Egilsstaðir as a base for the Eastfjords fjord roads is ideally explored by a combination of car shuttle and cycling — drive to the fjord head, cycle the fjord road, return to Egilsstaðir by alternative route or same road. The full Eastfjords Ring Road section from Djúpivogur to Egilsstaðir (160km by the Ring Road, 200km+ with fjord penetrations) is a self-contained 2–3 day cycle touring section for Ring Road completers. Bus services in the Eastfjords are seasonal and infrequent — the Strætó route 56 from Höfn to Egilsstaðir runs once or twice daily in summer and does not reliably accept bikes. For North Iceland, a hire car from Akureyri (available from Europcar, Budget, and Avis with advance booking) provides the flexibility to access the Mývatn district (100km east), the Dettifoss approach roads, and the Trollaskagi mountain roads north of Akureyri. Domestic flights from Reykjavík domestic airport (RKV) to both Egilsstaðir and Akureyri are the fastest access option for cyclists not completing the Ring Road.