Walking Into Stuðlagil: the East-Side Hike From the Pier
The Studlagil Canyon hike is the only way to the photograph that sells the place: columns curving overhead and the river at your feet, taken from the east side, which you cannot drive to. Two guided trips out of Seyðisfjörður walk you in: 2.5 km each way on flat gravel, about two hours in the gorge, then either the geothermal pools at Vök Baths or Iceland's only reindeer. Both run seven hours and both are rated above 4.9.
About the Walk
2.5 km each way on a mostly flat gravel path, two gentle rises
An hour on the road each way, two hours at the canyon, 90 minutes at the baths
Per person, depending on whether you take the baths or the reindeer
The two highest-rated trips running out of this fjord
Tanni Travel, small groups, pickup at the pier or in Egilsstaðir
Admission included on the $407 trip; swimsuit and towel are not
Check Dates and Times
Live availability in US dollars. These run on minibuses, so the seat count is small and a busy call date goes early.
Which Ending You Want
Both trips do the same walk with the same operator, and both sit near the top of the Seydisfjordur tour list on price. The difference is the second half of the day.
Canyon plus Vök Baths, $407
After the gorge you drive to Lake Urriðavatn and get about 90 minutes in pools that float out on the water at 38 to 41°C. Rated 5.0 from 15 reviews. One traveller in June had the trip run with a single participant and still went ahead, which tells you something about the group sizes.
Take this if you want the walk and the recovery. Pack a swimsuit and a towel; hiring them at the desk costs extra.
Canyon plus the Reindeer Park, $369
The same hike, then an hour with the rescued calves from Iceland's only wild herd, which lives in these eastern highlands. Rated 4.9 from 8 reviews, and the reviews mention guides adding a Gufufoss stop when the timing allowed.
$38 cheaper, drier, and better if you are travelling with children who would rather see an animal than sit in warm water.
Neither, if your call is short
Seven hours out of an 8 to 10 hour call is tight, and it gets tighter if your ship tenders, which adds 20 to 40 minutes each way. On a short or tendered call, take a rim trip instead and keep the margin.
Both Hiking Trips
Same operator, same walk, different second half. Prices and ratings from the listings in July 2026.
from $407 Stuðlagil East-Side Hike Plus a Soak at Vök Baths
- 5 km round-trip hike to the canyon floor
- East-side basalt columns at river level
- Admission to Vök Baths included
- Minibus, small group, pickup at the pier
from $369 Stuðlagil Canyon Hike and the Reindeer Park
- East-side canyon hike, 2.5 km each way
- Reindeer Park with rescued calves
- Rjúkandi waterfall stop
- Pickup in Seyðisfjörður or Egilsstaðir
What the Walk Is Like
The path into the canyon leaves from near the farm Klaustursel and runs along the river on a gravel track wide enough for a vehicle. It is not a mountain route. Two gradual rises are the only effort in it, and the operator rates it as manageable for anyone in normal walking condition.
What changes as you go is the scale. The columns start as a dark band on the far bank and end up over your head, some of them straight, many bent into curves that look poured rather than cooled. The river beside you runs turquoise while the flow stays low, then grey once the Hálslón reservoir spills, usually from late August.
There is nothing at the far end. No hut, no toilet, no shelter. Whatever you want in the gorge, you carry.
What the Guided Walk Saves You
The east side is walkable without a guide if you have a car, and plenty of people do it. What the guided trip removes is a list of small problems that add up on a port day.
| Doing it yourself | On the guided trip |
|---|---|
| Drive 98.8 km each way from the pier, which needs a rental the town does not have | Minibus from the cruise dock, pickup 15 minutes before departure |
| Pay 1,000 ISK per vehicle at the east-side car park through an app | Included, and nobody at the barrier |
| Choose between two car parks, the far one adding about an hour of walking | Dropped at the near one, so the walk is 5 km rather than 9 |
| Judge the weather and the pass yourself | The operator cancels and refunds if the road shuts |
| Watch your own clock against the ship | Schedule built to return an hour before departure |
None of that makes the walk easier. The 2.5 km each way is the same gravel track whoever drives you to it, and the descent at the end is the same wet basalt with chains fixed to the rock. What you are buying is the logistics and the deadline, which on a cruise call is most of the problem.
Group sizes and guides
Both trips run on minibuses rather than coaches, and the ratings reflect it: 5.0 from 15 reviews on the Vök Baths version and 4.9 from 8 on the reindeer one. Reviewers name the same guides again and again, which on an operation this size tells you something.
One traveller in June had the trip run with a single participant and it went ahead anyway. That is not a promise, and it is a fair indication of how small the groups are compared with the 40-seat coaches doing the rim.
What the Price Covers
Seven hours and no meal in them. Both trips list food as excluded, and the only building you pass all day is the bistro at Vök Baths.
- Included: minibus from the pier, a guide on the walk, the Rjúkandi waterfall stop, the canyon
- Included on the $407 trip: admission to Vök Baths and the geothermal pools
- Included on the $369 trip: entry to the Reindeer Park
- Not included: food and drinks, personal expenses
- Not included: swimsuit and towel, which you either bring or hire
How the Seven Hours Break Down
As Tanni Travel publish it. Pickup starts 15 minutes before departure at the cruise dock.
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0:00
Pickup at the pier
Seyðisfjörður cruise dock, or Egilsstaðir and Fellabær if you are not off a ship. Look for the minibus with the tour name in the windscreen.
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0:00–1:00
Over the pass
An hour on Route 93 over Fjarðarheiði and along the Jökuldalur valley, with a stop at the Rjúkandi waterfall.
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1:00–3:00
The canyon
Two hours: 2.5 km in, time among the columns at river level, 2.5 km out.
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3:00–4:00
Back towards Egilsstaðir
An hour on the road to either Vök Baths or the Reindeer Park.
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4:00–5:30
Baths or reindeer
90 minutes in the floating pools, or an hour with the herd on the cheaper trip.
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5:30–7:00
Back to the ship
Returned to the pier with an hour in hand before departure, which is how the operator builds the schedule.
Important Things to Know
What to pack
The operator's own list, with the reasons.
- Hiking shoes. Gravel, puddles and 5 km of it
- Waterproof jacket and trousers. There is no shelter on the path and the valley funnels rain
- Water and snacks for the whole day, since nothing is sold at the canyon
- Swimsuit and towel for the $407 trip, or you pay at the Vök desk
- A camera. The east side is where the photographs come from
- Warm layer for the gorge, which sits in shade for part of the day
Who these trips do not suit
Both operators are direct about this, and so are we.
- Anyone with mobility limits. Five kilometres of gravel with two rises and no way to shorten it
- Non-swimmers, on the Vök Baths trip
- People with back problems, which the reindeer trip lists explicitly
- Anyone on a call shorter than eight hours, or a tendered call where the margin disappears
The rim is a different view, not a worse one
If you decide the walk is too much, the west-side platforms at the farm Grund show you the same gorge from above, reached by a staircase. Three coaches from the pier go there for $227 to $325, and they run five to six hours instead of seven.
Insider Tips
From travellers who have walked it, including people who drove themselves.
- Independent drivers pay 1,000 ISK per vehicle to park on the east side, through the Parka app by scanning a QR code on site. On a guided trip this is handled for you
- There are two east-side car parks. The far one adds about an hour of walking; the near one sits at the end of a rough gravel track. Guided minibuses use the near one, which is why your walk is 5 km rather than 9
- Go early if you can choose. The east side is quietest before the coaches from Egilsstaðir arrive, and one group in July had the guide reorder the day to stay ahead of the crowds
- Zero facilities at the canyon. No toilet, no water, no cover. The last toilet is at Grund on the other side, and it charges
- The turquoise is seasonal, not weather-dependent. June and July are reliable; from late August the dam spills and the river greys
- Group sizes are genuinely small. One June traveller had a guide to themselves and the trip still ran
Where the Trail Starts
The east-side path runs in from near Klaustursel, on the far bank from the Grund viewpoint.
Questions About the Hike
How hard is the Studlagil Canyon hike?
Easier than the distance suggests. It is 2.5 km each way on a flat gravel track with two gradual rises and no scrambling. The operator describes it as manageable for anyone in normal walking condition. Allow about two hours including time in the gorge.
Is the east side really better than the west?
For photographs, yes. The east side puts you at river level with the columns above you, which is the view every postcard uses. The west side looks down from a platform. Both show you the same gorge, and the west side costs $180 less and two hours.
Can I do this on a tendered call?
Only if your call is long. Tendering adds 20 to 40 minutes at each end and this trip already runs seven hours. On a nine-hour call with tenders you would be cutting it fine; the operator times the return an hour before departure, but weather can eat that margin.
Do I have to swim at Vök Baths?
No, but the trip is priced around it and the operator lists it as unsuitable for non-swimmers. The pools are shallow and warm rather than deep. If you would rather stay dry, the reindeer version costs $38 less.
Is there anywhere to eat?
Only the bistro at Vök Baths, and only on that trip. Nothing is sold at the canyon or on the road, so bring food for the day. Nothing is sold at the canyon or on the road, so bring food for the day.
What Travellers Said
Wonderful trip run by the wonderful Tinna! Had a great time and smoothly run. Gorgeous scenery and wonderful amount of time at Vok Baths :)
Studlagil Canyon Hike and Vök Baths
I very much appreciated that the tour ran with only one participant. My 1:1 tour was amazing. Diana the guide was very welcoming and obliging, stopping when possible so I could take photographs. She was very knowledgeable about the area and well as giving insights into her family traditions and celebrations. The highlight Studlagil Canyon was seen in all it's glory with a beautiful sunny day to show it off.
Studlagil Canyon Hike and Vök Baths
Tinna our tour guide was excellent!!! We visited all the spots on the itinerary and even made a bonus stop at the Gufufoss waterfall on the way back since we had some extra time!! She was very informative of the area, teaching us about Icelandic life and culture, and sharing stories/memories she had as well.
Studlagil Canyon Hike and Reindeer Park