Welcome to the Westfjords – Iceland’s hidden gem and a place to be for outdoor enthusiasts. Picture perfect off-the-beaten-path trails weaving their way between breathtaking fjords, basalt mountains, and gorgeous waterfalls. You’re in awe while visiting stunning sea cliffs and you get lost in charming fishing villages. Don’t worry, we’ve planned leisure days just for strolls in colorful villages and sightseeing. And let’s not forget the wild side – with Atlantic puffin and Arctic fox encounters that feel like hitting the jackpot. Gear up for an 8-day trip where tranquility meets thrill—let the Westfjords work their magic on you!
Embark on an 8-day adventure in Iceland's Westfjords, a hidden gem for outdoor enthusiasts. You’ll hike near several fjords, go to the country’s most beautiful sea cliffs, see great waterfalls, and stay in quaint towns and villages. The journey includes hikes to Hornstrandir, Álftafjörður, Mýrarfell & Dynjandi, and Látrabjarg, as well as visits to Rauðisandur, Flatey, and Stykkishólmur. An experienced local guide, accommodation, and transportation are included, making it your ultimate Icelandic escapade seamless and fuss-free.
You’ll be picked up at your hotel in the morning and meet your Westfjords hiking guide. The trip starts with a long and scenic drive to the Westfjords until you reach the beautiful town of Ísafjörður, located on the shores of one of the amazing fjords, where you’ll spend the next 3 nights. Along the way, admire the beauty of the Icelandic countryside and make some great stops for photo opportunities and leg stretching.
Accommodation: Hotel
Driving: 5.5 hours
Today is a big day and a big adventure. After breakfast, your group will be heading to the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve, one of the most isolated places in Iceland! Your group must travel by a boat for 2,5 hours to reach the spectacular area, Hornvík. Here, go on a hike that takes us up to Horn, some of the steepest and largest sea cliffs in all of Iceland, filled with birdlife, arctic foxes and unreal views!
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Accommodation: Hotel
Hiking: 7 km (4.5 mi)
Elevation gain: 340 m (1,115 ft)
After breakfast, drive over to the next fjord, Álftafjörður, where your group will take on another beautiful, off-the-beaten-path hike. It brings your group past some stunning waterfalls and big canyons, up to a high mountain pass with great views over the surrounding fjords. Return to Ísafjörður in the evening and spend some quality time with fellow hikers in the town, going to its bars and restaurants.
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Accommodation: Hotel
Hiking: 15 km (9.5 mi)
Elevation gain: 850 m (2,790 ft)
Driving: 1 hours
Upon leaving Ísafjörður, head to the southern part of the Westfjords. Along the way, your group will hike up the small mountain Mýrarfell, which provides a wonderful 360° view over the fjord Dýrafjörður. From there drive to Dynjandi, the largest waterfall in the Westfjords before going to Reykjafjörður for a dip in a natural geothermal pool.
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Accommodation: Hotel
Hiking: 3.5 km (2 mi)
Elevation gain: 205 m (670 ft)
Driving: 2.5 hours
Today, the entire day will be spent hiking along the cliffs of Látrabjarg, the largest sea cliffs in Iceland and Europe’s largest bird cliff, which include the popular puffins. Hike up to the highest point of the cliffs to get the absolute best panorama views possible! You will be in awe at every turn—this is one of the highlights of the tour.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel
Hiking: 10.5 km (6.5 mi)
Elevation gain: 431 m (1,415 ft)
Driving: 2 hours
Start the day by driving down to a large, beautiful beach called Rauðisandur (the red sand), filled with red sand for miles and dramatic mountains on each side. After spending time on the beach, head to the small island Flatey, which is very popular with locals. Boasting a very old, picturesque village, rich birdlife and relaxing atmosphere, this is a place where time stands still.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel
Driving: 1.5 hours
After breakfast, it’s time to explore the island! You’ll spend the whole day exploring the island by foot (cars are not allowed on the island) and if the weather allows, your group will go for a boat ride to some of the surrounding islands. Flatey has, possibly, the most picturesque village in all of Iceland, consisting of very old, colorful and pretty houses. Today is a great opportunity to discover the charm of remote Icelandic villages.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel
At noon, say goodbye to Flatey and catch a ferry back to the mainland. The ferry takes your group to the pretty town Stykkishólmur where you’ll start the drive back to Reykjavík. Once there, celebrate your achievements with fellow hikers and your guide—before saying goodbye to Iceland.
Meals: Breakfast
Driving: 2 hours
We had the pleasure of being on a group tour led by Orri. He was very knowledgeable and helpful with everything we wanted to know and learn about Iceland. He provided a great mix of history, local knowledge and personal stories. His enthusiasm surrounding our pursuit of the northern lights paid off. We have great pictures taken by Orri to remember it all! We highly recommend adding Orri to your Iceland adventure!
Great guide. Very knowledgeable about iceland and very helpful and friendly. Had a very good time. Highly recommend!
What you get on this adventure:
What’s not included:
To join this guided hiking trip in the Westfjords, Iceland, you need to be in very good physical shape. All participants should have extensive hiking experience in hilly terrain. However, it is not necessary to have experience with multi-day treks, it is enough to be accustomed to full-day hikes. On this tour, you will mostly have a longer hike one day and a shorter hike the next day—this alternation will allow everyone to recuperate and have a more enjoyable experience.
On longer hiking days, you’ll cover distances between 4 and 9 miles (7-14.5 km), while on shorter hiking days you will only do short walks while sightseeing or hikes no longer than 3 miles (4.8 km). During longer hikes, you can expect altitude gains of up to 2,790 feet (850 m). Another factor to be aware of is changing weather. Sometimes it can be rainy, cool, and windy even in the middle of summer—especially in higher elevations. You will also encounter some steep and uneven terrain.
To prepare for this tour, we encourage regular cardiovascular exercise (especially hiking!) in weeks prior to the adventure. Keep in mind that you will always have a guide by your side to encourage you, assess your fitness level, and keep everyone safe by changing the route if it is too strenuous or doing an alternate hike due to bad weather.
Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
Bring comfortable clothes appropriate for the season. We suggest checking the weather forecast and being prepared for different conditions—weather is pretty volatile in Iceland even in the summer and especially at higher elevations. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
Due to hunting restrictions in Hornstrandir, Arctic foxes exhibit reduced timidity around humans, allowing for close encounters at times. However, the fact remains that they remain wild and elusive animals. While close encounters are probable, sightings cannot be guaranteed during this guided Hosrnstrandir hiking and backpacking adventure. On the other hand, puffins sightings are nearly guaranteed.
Group sizes and prices:
Hiking in the Westfjords, Iceland can be arranged for private groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
To get to Reykjavik, the starting point of the tour, most people fly into Keflavik International Airport. From there, we suggest taking a 40-minute bus ride to the city. There is a line connecting the airport and the city after each arrival.
Participants should arrive in the city one day before the tour. Your guide will pick you up at your hotel in the morning of Day 1 and you take a scenic ride to the Westfjords.
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both emergency medical and travel insurance. With medical insurance, if you have an accident or medical emergency on or off the trails, you’ll avoid paying out of pocket for costly expenses. This covers everything from hospital treatments to emergency air transportation and more.
Travel insurance covers canceled flights, natural disasters and other scenarios that may interrupt your travel plans.
We also expect you to respect local regulations and take measures to protect yourselves, your guides, and the communities you’re traveling to. For more information on travel recommendations and restrictions in the Westfjords, Iceland, please refer to Iceland’s foreign travel advice.
If you need assistance selecting the right insurance for your group, let us know and we will be happy to help!
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 are 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
Deposits
You can secure one of the set dates with a 30% deposit upon booking. The remaining 70% of the trip price is to be paid 90 days prior to departure, at the latest.
Cancellations
Booking fees are non-refundable in all cases. During checkout, however, you can choose one of 57hours’ flexibility options:
Basic
Flexible
Super Flexible
For cancellations 0-29 days before the trip, you are eligible for a 50% refund of the trip price.
Orri is a truly wonderful guide. The itinerary was perfect and accommodations great – Orri took care of everything. Wonderful stories while we traveled from place to place. Always felt like we were going to (stunningly beautiful) places off the beaten track. A++ if you want a small group / personalized Iceland experience.