Self-Launched Iceland: Slow Living in Bakkagerði (East Fjords)
6 days · East Iceland (Bakkagerði / Borgarfjörður eystri)
G Adventures charges £1,855
No-markup version: ~£1,085 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, unpack-once version of G Adventures' "Local Living Iceland—Bakkagerði": six days based in the tiny East Fjords village of Bakkagerði, exploring Borgarfjörður eystri's coastal trails, turf houses, puffin colonies, geothermal baths and Icelandic horse country at your own pace. Book a local guesthouse directly, hire a car (or use the seasonal bus) from Egilsstaðir, and assemble the activities yourself — total cost is roughly 40-45% of the guided tour price.
Day-by-day
Egilsstaðir arrival & transfer to Bakkagerði
Egilsstaðir → Bakkagerði (Borgarfjörður eystri)
Land at Egilsstaðir airport (Iceland's East Fjords hub, served by domestic flights from Reykjavík) and pick up a pre-booked rental car — this is the single most useful 'self-launch' upgrade, since public transport here is thin. Drive the 70km/1hr route over the Vatnsskarð pass to Bakkagerði, a fishing village of ~100 people. Settle into your guesthouse (try Álfheimar, Blábjörg or a village cottage via Booking.com/Airbnb), then walk the harbour and grab lunch — the fish soup at the local café is the classic first meal. Evening: cook in, or a farm-to-table dinner at a village guesthouse. Stock up on groceries in Egilsstaðir before driving out; Bakkagerði has no real supermarket.
🚌Rental car from Egilsstaðir (~£55-70/day, split if travelling with others); alternatively the seasonal Strætó route 94/3 bus runs limited days — check stræto.is timetable in advance
🛏Village guesthouse / Airbnb cottage in Bakkagerði (~£65-85/night for a double or apartment, ~£75 solo)
- →Rental car pickup at Egilsstaðir airport
- →Scenic drive over Vatnsskarð pass
- →Bakkagerði harbour walk
- →Local fish soup lunch
Borgarfjörður valley hike & puffins
Bakkagerði
Self-guide the day G Adventures does with a CEO: walk or drive to the trailhead at the end of the road by Hafnarhólmi, then hike the marked paths through Borgarfjörður valley (the Víknaslóðir trail network starts here — the short Stapavík/Urðarteigur loops are 2-4hrs and well signposted). Late May to mid-August, Hafnarhólmi is one of Iceland's best puffin-viewing spots, with a wooden staircase and viewing platform right above the burrows — free, no tour needed. Afternoon: visit the microbrewery in the village for a tasting, or book a soak. Dinner: self-cater or guesthouse meal.
🚌On foot / own car
🛏Village guesthouse / Airbnb cottage in Bakkagerði
- →Self-guided Borgarfjörður valley hike
- →Hafnarhólmi puffin colony & viewing platform
- →Local microbrewery tasting
Turf houses, fish factory & Icelandic cooking
Bakkagerði & Seyðisfjörður side
Culture day, all bookable direct. Start at Lindarbakki turfhouse — the grass-roofed cottage on the edge of the village (small entrance fee, check opening times at the village info point). Arrange a visit to a working fish factory/drying yard in the East Fjords through your guesthouse host, who will often call ahead for you. Book a hands-on Icelandic cooking class or, cheaper, ask your guesthouse about a home-cooking evening with a local host. Afternoon: eiderdown and seabird interpretation — the eider colonies around Borgarfjörður are a genuine local industry; the village information board explains the nesting areas.
🚌Walking / own car
🛏Village guesthouse / Airbnb cottage in Bakkagerði
- →Lindarbakki turfhouse visit
- →Fish factory / dried fish yard tour
- →Icelandic cooking class or local home-cooking evening
- →Eider colony walk
Stapavík hike along the Selfljót river
Stapavík / Borgarfjörður eystri
Drive east to the Stapavík trailhead and hike the route along the Selfljót river out to the coast — a rugged, rewarding 3-5hr out-and-back through green valley and black-sand shoreline. Bring layers and waterproofs; East Fjords weather turns fast. Lunch back in the village (the café/hostel does home-style Icelandic plates) then a free afternoon: relax, or arrange a visit to a nearby working farm to see sheep and daily farm life — ask at the guesthouse, many farms welcome visitors for a small fee.
🚌Own car to trailhead, then walking
🛏Village guesthouse / Airbnb cottage in Bakkagerði
- →Stapavík / Selfljót river hike
- →Working farm visit (optional)
- →Village café lunch
Icelandic horses, Gufufoss waterfall & Vök Baths
Bakkagerði → Seyðisfjörður → Egilsstaðir area
Big day out. Morning: book a horseback ride at one of the Icelandic horse farms on the drive toward Egilsstaðir (direct booking, ~£60-75 for a 1.5-2hr ride; Icelandic horses are famous for their tölt gait). Continue to Gufufoss waterfall on the Seyðisfjörður road — free roadside stop, dramatic photo spot. Lunch in Seyðisfjörður, a photogenic fjord village with a rainbow street, cafés and galleries. Finish at Vök Baths near Egilsstaðir — geothermal pools built over Lake Urriðavatn; pre-book a 2hr session via vokbaths.is (~£45-55). Drive back to Bakkagerði for the night (or consider a last night in Egilsstaðir).
🚌Own car (Bakkagerði–Seyðisfjörður ~1.5hr each way via Egilsstaðir)
🛏Village guesthouse / Airbnb cottage in Bakkagerði
- →Icelandic horse riding
- →Gufufoss waterfall
- →Seyðisfjörður village wander & lunch
- →Vök Baths geothermal spa (pre-book)
Bakkagerði → Egilsstaðir departure
Bakkagerði → Egilsstaðir
Early breakfast and the 1hr drive back to Egilsstaðir — leave at least 2.5hrs before your flight given the pass and fuel stop. Drop the rental car at the airport. If your flight is later, Egilsstaðir town has cafés and a swimming pool to fill the gap. If you're continuing onward, Egilsstaðir is on the Ring Road — buses toward Akureyri (north) and Höfn (south) run daily in summer.
🚌Own car, or Strætó seasonal bus Bakkagerði–Egilsstaðir if not self-driving
🛏N/A (departure day)
- →Drive back to Egilsstaðir
- →Rental car return
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,085 | £1,855 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £770 per person (42%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,085
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Iceland: Slow Living in Bakkagerði (East Fjords) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,085 per person for 6 days in East Iceland (Bakkagerði / Borgarfjörður eystri). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,855 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,085 — a saving of roughly £770 (42%) per person.
How long is the East Iceland (Bakkagerði / Borgarfjörður eystri) trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 day-by-day stops through East Iceland (Bakkagerði / Borgarfjörður eystri).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a slow-travel, culture, hiking trip through East Iceland (Bakkagerði / Borgarfjörður eystri), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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