Kiðagil
About Kiðagil
Kiðagil is a summer guesthouse with a campsite and restaurant beside the bridge over Skjálfandafljót, halfway up Bárðardalur, the long valley south of Goðafoss in North Iceland. It sits about 23 km off Route 1, so you leave the Ring Road traffic behind and wake up with the river and a handful of farms for company.
The Kiðagil campsite is a large, quiet field next to the house with toilets, showers, water and electricity. Soccer goals stand beside the tents and there is a playground a short walk away, which makes it an easy pick for families.
Inside, Kiðagil Guesthouse has 17 rooms, five of them with a private bathroom. The restaurant cooks local food such as smoked trout, Arctic char and lamb fillet, with crowberry cheesecake for dessert.
The real reason to base yourself here is the waterfalls. Aldeyjarfoss, with its basalt columns, is roughly 15 km farther up the valley, and Goðafoss is about 25 minutes back down toward the Ring Road. Akureyri is about an hour away by car and Lake Mývatn a little over an hour, so both work as day trips.
Kiðagil opens in summer only and does not publish set dates or camping prices online, so confirm both with the house before you go. Coming off the Sprengisandur highland route (F26), you reach the campsite about 20 km after the road drops into the valley, which makes it a good first night back in the lowlands.
Good to know
When is Kiðagil open?
Kiðagil runs as a guesthouse and campsite in summer only. It does not publish exact dates, so confirm them with the guesthouse before you travel.
What facilities does Kiðagil campsite have?
The campsite has toilets, showers, water and electricity, with soccer goals beside it and a playground nearby. The guesthouse restaurant is next door.
How much does it cost to camp at Kiðagil?
Kiðagil does not post its camping prices online, so email or call the guesthouse for the current rate.
How far is Kiðagil from Aldeyjarfoss?
Aldeyjarfoss is roughly 15 km farther up Bárðardalur, a short drive from the campsite. The last stretch to the waterfall is a gravel road.
How do you get to Kiðagil from Akureyri?
Drive east on Route 1 past Goðafoss, then turn south into Bárðardalur and follow the valley for about 23 km. The trip takes about an hour.
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