Are you ready to embark on a truly epic adventure? Sail to the remote corners of the Earth, where the only tracks in the snow are the ones we carve ourselves. Welcome to the Westfjords – a place where the only inhabitants are ocean birds and elusive arctic foxes, and where the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve offers a haven of tranquility, breathtaking scenery, and unbeatable ski terrain. Spend six days with experienced local guides and embark for the Westfjords in a cozy, rustic sailboat. Tour the fjords and glacial valleys, find your ideal summit-to-sea line, and shred pristine mountain pow far from the crowds. Drop anchor in a secluded fjord or beside a majestic glacier, and let the ski touring begin. It’s a type of freedom and serenity that can only be found at the ends of the Earth.
Sail and ski in one of the most remote regions of Iceland and shred untouched pow for days on end
Glide from slope to slope on the Örkin, a charming oak sailboat with a spacious deck and SUPs for apres-ski action
Populated solely by ocean birds and arctic foxes, the area promises peace, solitude, arctic scenery, and fantastic ski runs
What you get in this adventure:
What’s not included:
To enjoy this backcountry adventure, you need to be in excellent physical shape. You will be on your feet for 6 days, covering miles of complex and glaciated terrain every day. You will need to manage steep, controlled descents in variable conditions. All participants should feel comfortable on challenging blue or black-level resort runs and be able to carry a loaded daypack while skinning up variable degrees of terrain.
This tour is meant for intermediate to advanced skiers with previous backcountry skiing experience. You will be skiing, touring, and summiting on steep, complex, and glaciated slopes for 6 days. Your guide will take care of the planning, oversee your technique, and teach you how to better manage the terrain. They also have the experience and avalanche training necessary to keep you safe.
If you’ve never backcountry skied before, we suggest joining a guide for a 6-day beginner-friendly backcountry skiing and van trip in Iceland.
For technical backcountry ski touring gear, you will need to bring:
For personal items, we recommend bringing:
You will be sailing on the oak boat Örkin, beautifully restored to provide comfortable accommodation for Hornstrandir explorers.
All amenities are included, with generous breakfasts and tasty meals to ensure strength for the days ski touring.
During downtime, there are perfect opportunities to make use of the on-board SUP’s, or enjoy quiet moments on deck. You can even try a fortifying dip in the ice cold waters of the Westfjords peninsula!
All mandatory gear can be rented if you don’t have your own. You can rent:
Skis, skins, crampons, and avalanche safety equipment can also be provided by your guide for an additional fee.
Ski rental locations are in Reykjavik and should be picked up the night prior to your outing. If you need to rent gear, let us know and we can help make arrangements.
Group sizes and pricing:
Ski touring in the Westfjords can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
To get to the Isafjordur harbor, the starting point of this tour, most people fly into Keflavik International Airport near Reykjavik, Iceland. From there, take one of the 2-3 daily 40-minute flights to Isafjordur Airport. To ensure that you arrive at Isafjordur in time to meet with your guide, which will usually be around 11 am, we recommend flying into Reykjavik at least one day before the tour.
Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet, whether that’s at the Isafjordur harbor or a predetermined location. The guide will choose the appropriate terrain dependent on conditions and the ability of the group.
Iceland, the “Land of Fire and Ice”, has forever lived with volcanic activity. Minor and major eruptions have occurred every few years since the island was formed. Some of Iceland’s appeal, aside from sheer natural beauty, surely stems from this very fact.
However, every new eruption, such as the recent Reykjanes Peninsula fissure, will make some travelers, tourists, and adventurers uneasy, especially given the fact that sensationalist media is not immune to misinformation and speculation.
Since we work with a number of expert local guides in Iceland, we thought we’d share their input and fill you in on what’s actually going on.
First of all, air traffic has not been affected. Flights to and from Keflavík International Airport and Reykjavík Domestic Airport are operating as they always do.
Second, the effects of volcanic activity have been localized, with some roads closed, and all services in Iceland operating as usual. Reykjavik, the capital, is around 40 km (25 miles) away from the volcanic fissure, and life there is as normal as ever.
And third, trips offered by 57hours are taking place much further away, and are thereby even less likely to be affected by the volcanic activity, being perfectly safe for adventurers. Naturally, the authorities (and guides) are monitoring the situation and doing everything possible to keep both local residents and visitors safe and well informed.
In case you have any additional questions or dilemmas, feel free to get in touch with either your guide or 57hours. For more information, please visit:
https://safetravel.is/
https://www.visiticeland.com/article/volcano-info
Or watch the video with Dr. Matthew Roberts from the Icelandic Meteorological Office explaining the recent volcanic activities in Iceland:
https://youtu.be/QA3-BXYuYrw?feature=shared
57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, their guides, and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in the Westfjords, please refer to Iceland’s official COVID-19 travel guidelines.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
Secure your early bird spot with a 10% deposit! This tour gets sold out very quickly, but with early-bird booking, you’ll be the first one to know. Pick the month that suits you best and we’ll let you know once the dates are live—don’t risk missing out on your bucket list adventure!
A non-refundable 20% deposit to secure your place is due upon booking. The remaining amount is paid 3 months (90 days) prior to departure. Once the trip is confirmed by the guide, the cancellation policy stated below applies.
