Meet your guide at 8 am, have a briefing, and catch a ferry to Hesteyri. Once the biggest settlement in Hornstrandir, Hesteyri was abandoned after a fishing crisis at the beginning of the 20tch century—only a doctor’s house, a school, and a small church bell are left behind. Drop off your belongings at the doctor’s house, which was transformed into a summer house and where you’ll be staying tonight. Get into your kayak and paddle along the fjords to the nearby Sletta Lighthouse. This day is all about getting to know your kayak and brushing up on your paddling techniques. After a quick paddle, have dinner at the doctor’s house and settle in for the night. Meals: Lunch and dinner Accommodation: Doctor’s house
After a hearty breakfast, set out on your paddling adventure. Today you’ll paddle towards Kvíadalur Valley and farmhouse, passing by the Hesteyrarfjörður and Veiðileysufjörður Fjords along the way. There’s also a high chance of seeing whales and white-tailed eagles, so you’ll stop for brief breaks to take pictures! Kayaking for the day ends once you’re at the beach beneath the hill on which Kvíar Farmhouse stands. Built in 1923, the house was occupied by a family that lived there until 1948, right before Hornstrandir Nature Reserve was completely abandoned. It was renovated in 2012 and now hosts travelers from around the world. Finish the day with a mouth-watering dinner and head to the sauna afterwards. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner Distance: 9 miles / 14 km Accommodation: Kvíar Farmhouse
Leave your belongings at the farmhouse and head out to explore fjords and wildlife. The farm is nestled not too far from Lónafjörður Fjord, said to be the most beautiful one in Iceland. As you paddle past it, incredible views of Hornstrandir Nature Reserve open up from the ocean. Soon you’ll approach Sopandi Bay, home to an abundance of birds, a seal colony, and arctic foxes. Paddle along the coast, spot the wildlife, and take pictures of the scenery. Return to the farmhouse. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner Distance: 12 miles / 20 km Accommodation: Kvíar Farmhouse
At around 9 am, a passenger ferry will pick you up from Kvíar Farmhouse and take you back to Ísafjörður. On your way back to Ísafjörður, you might not be accompanied by a guide as sometimes they have to stay back and get ready for the new group. No need to worry, though, the ferry crew will take great care of you!
What you get on this adventure:
Note: You’re welcome to bring your own paddling gear and clothing. We suggest bringing good dry pants and a top with rubber cuffs or at least a 3mm neoprene wetsuit with a windproof top. For footwear, neoprene boots wink ankle support and thick coles will work best. To keep your hands warm, bring neoprene gloves, mittens, or pogies.
What’s not included:
While there aren’t challenging river rapids in the Westfjords, this kayaking tour in the sea is still strenuous. Depending on the chosen tour, you’ll paddle anywhere between 5 and 15 miles per day (8-24 km), so excellent fitness and good stamina is still required!
The less you have with you when you’re kayaking, the easier it will be! If you pack wisely, you’ll have plenty of space in your kayak, so pack light.
Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
Group sizes and prices:
Kayaking in Iceland’s Westfjords can be arranged for larger 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.
A 30% deposit to secure your place is due upon booking. Once the trip is confirmed by the guide, the cancellation policy stated below applies, and deposits are no longer refundable. The remaining 70% of the amount is paid at the latest 3 months (90 days) prior to the departure.
All cancellations must be made by e-mail. In conformity with business practices within the Icelandic travel industry:
All rates are based on current purchasing prices in Iceland. Your guides reserve the right to change prices without notice due to inflation, changes in prices, taxes, or any other cost increases that are outside the guide’s control. Your guides will absorb an amount equivalent to 5% of the price. Amounts that exceed 5% will be charged and clients will be entitled to cancel their booking with a full refund if the surcharge exceeds 10%. Eventual changes in rates will not be made with less than 4 weeks’ notice before departures or on already confirmed bookings.
Your guides reserve the right to alter tours and itineraries due to weather or road conditions. All programs can be changed or canceled at any moment during the trip to assure the safety of the clients and staff. No responsibility is accepted for losses, or expenses due to delays, changes of flights, or other services or because of strikes, accidents, sickness, damage, negligence, weather, war, changes in schedules, or other similar causes.
All kayaking tours depart from Isafjordur, the largest town in the Westfjords. Your guide will let you know the exact address on time. There are two ways to reach Isafjordur, either by car or by plane from Reykjavik.
If you have enough time, driving from Reykjavik takes 5-6 hours and it is an incredibly scenic drive. You can also reach Isafjordur by plane—there are scheduled flights 2-3 times every day from Reykjavik to Isafjordur and it takes around 40 minutes. Once you get to Isafjordur, ferry and/or car transportation are included in the price of the trip.
On the last day of the tour, your guides will drop you off in Isafjordur around 4 pm, just in time for the afternoon flight for those flying back to Reykjavik.
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 Iceland, please refer to Iceland’s COVID-19 information.
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!