Basalt canyon · East Iceland

Stuðlagil

Also written Studlagil — we keep the Icelandic spelling.

A canyon of basalt columns in Jökuldalur, only widely visible since the river was dammed upstream. Two approaches, of very different lengths.

prices and departures checked 24 Oct 2026

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The short version

  • 11 tours in our catalogue stop at Stuðlagil — 4 of them day tours from a single base, 7 as part of a longer package.
  • A seat on a day tour here typically costs €194, from €191 at the cheapest. Private tours are priced per vehicle and sit outside that figure.
  • 6 different operators run here, so a cancellation rarely means the day is lost.
  • Departures in our next 360 days fall in October, November, December, January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September.
  • Seasonal here: Midnight sun (May–July), Lupine in bloom (June–July).

The facts

Type
Basalt canyon
Region
East Iceland
Tours that stop here
114 day tours · 7 multi-day
Day tour, cheapest
€191
Day tour, typical
€194median of 2 per-person fares
Operators
6
From Reykjavík
380 km (235 mi)straight line — the road is longer
Coordinates
65.2619, -14.4056

Daylight through the year

Iceland's daylight swings further than almost anywhere people holiday, and it decides what a tour can actually show you. Times are for the 15th of each month at this spot.

MonthSunriseSunsetDaylight
January10:4215:314 h 49 min
March07:2118:5311 h 33 min
June01:5300:0222 h 9 min
September06:1519:3013 h 15 min
December11:0614:403 h 34 min

What is seasonal here

None of these have fixed dates, so each one says what its real dates depend on.

Midnight sun

May–July

True midnight sun only above the Arctic Circle — Grímsey. The mainland gets civil twilight all night, which looks much the same.

Lupine in bloom

June–July

Introduced, controversial and impossible to miss when it flowers. Peaks a fortnight later in the north than the south.

What people do here

Getting here without a car

The 4 tours we sell that stop at Stuðlagil leave from Egilsstaðir and Seyðisfjörður. Egilsstaðir, where most of them start, is about 9 h 11 min from Reykjavík by road. If you are coming from Akureyri instead, you are only about 3 h 37 min away — worth knowing before you book a long day out of the capital.

3 of the 4 collect you from your accommodation or a designated stop, so the tour is the transport — there is nothing else to arrange and no timetable to read.

A seat on a day tour here starts at €191 and typically runs €194, per person, private charters excluded because those are priced per vehicle and would flatter the figure. There is no scheduled bus we can sell you to Stuðlagil, so a guided day is the practical way in without a car.

The days themselves run from about 5 h to 6 h door to door, so check the length as carefully as the price — the cheapest seat is often the longest coach day. 4 different operators run here, which matters more without a car than with one: if the weather cancels your day, there is usually another departure rather than a lost trip.

It is a long day either way. A tour takes the winter road decisions off you, which on this stretch is most of the argument; a car gives you the stops and the timing.

Cheapest way in without a car: a guided day tour from Egilsstaðir, from €191 per person.

We have done the sums on this properly: why we tell people to skip the rental car in winter.

Tours that stop at Stuðlagil

Taken from each operator's own itinerary, not from marketing copy — these are tours whose agenda names Stuðlagil as a stop.

BusTravel Iceland

Stuðlagil Canyon from Seyðisfjörður

from €198 per person4.70· 3,015 Google reviews of the operator

39% above the €142 typical for sightseeing day tours

meet at the start point

5 h · from Seyðisfjörður

  • Wi-fi on board
  • Free cancellation 24 h

East Iceland Expedition: Exploring Stuðlagil Canyon and Gufufoss Waterfall from Seyðisfjörður

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⋯
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Magic Iceland Travel

Seyðisfjörður: Hidden Stuðlagil Canyon & Reindeer Tour

from €191 per person4.80· 184 Google reviews of the operator

from age 6 · pickup included

6 h · from Seyðisfjörður

  • Family friendly
  • Free cancellation 24 h
  • Book same day

Embark on a wild journey through Seyðisfjörður, discovering the secret marvels of Stuðlagil Canyon and tracking majestic reindeer across Iceland's untamed landscapes.

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⋯
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Who runs them

6 operators, all of whom we hold a contract with. We do not list every company in Iceland, on purpose.

Arctic Adventures · Arctic Yeti Ehf · BusTravel Iceland · East Highlanders · Magic Iceland Travel · Your Friend in Reykjavik

Stuðlagil: questions people ask

How many tours go to Stuðlagil?

We list 11 — 4 day tours and 7 multi-day packages, from 6 operators. That is what we currently have contracts for, not everything that exists in Iceland.

How much does it cost to visit Stuðlagil?

The place itself is usually free to enter; what you pay for is getting there. A day tour seat runs from €191, with a typical price of €194. Some sites charge separately for parking or admission — check the individual tour.

When can you visit Stuðlagil?

Looking at the next 360 days of live availability, departures fall in October, November, December, January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September. That is a rolling window rather than the full year, so a month missing here is not necessarily a month with nothing running.

How much daylight is there at Stuðlagil?

January: 4 h 49 min · March: 11 h 33 min · June: 22 h 9 min · September: 13 h 15 min · December: 3 h 34 min. Iceland stays on UTC all year, so there is no clock change to allow for.

Do you need a tour, or can you drive to Stuðlagil yourself?

Both work. Driving gives you the stops you want and the time you want them; a tour removes the winter road decisions and lets everyone look out of the window. We sell the tours and say so — if self-driving suits you better, it suits you better.

Can you get to Stuðlagil without a car?

Yes — 4 guided day tours in our catalogue stop here. 3 of the tours pick you up from your accommodation, so no onward transport is needed.

How far is Stuðlagil from Reykjavík?

The tours that go here mostly start in Egilsstaðir, about 9 h 11 min from Reykjavík on roads that stay open all year. That is driving time in normal conditions and not an estimate of your day — a tour that reaches Stuðlagil and comes back is a good deal longer than twice that.

What is the cheapest way to get to Stuðlagil?

A guided day tour from Egilsstaðir, from €191 per person, with €194 the more typical fare. Private tours cost more because they are priced per vehicle rather than per seat.

Hotels

Where to stay near Stuðlagil

From the cheapest to the top end of what is near Stuðlagil, from our hotel partners. Rooms are booked on our hotels site.

All hotels in East Iceland →

Put it in a day

Stuðlagil is rarely a whole day on its own. The planner knows how long each tour takes and how far apart the start points are, so it can build the rest of the day around it.

Plan a day around Stuðlagil