Sea Kayaking in Iceland’s Hornstrandir Nature Reserve

What you get on this adventure:

• • An experienced, local kayaking guide with extensive knowledge of the area
  • 6-day sea kayaking tour in Iceland
  • All meals during the tour
  • Accommodation
    • First three nights in Kviar Lodge
    • Last two nights in tents
  • Tents and camping equipment (but you need to bring a sleeping bag & mattress)
  • All kayaking gear (kayak, neoprene pants, dry top, spray skirt, life vest, paddling boots, paddling gloves, additional dry bags)
  • Ferry tickets to Hornstrandir and back

If you have any special dietary requirements, please let us know upon booking! Your guides will do their best to cater to your dietary needs.

What’s not included:

• • Transportation to Isafjordur (the starting point in Iceland)
  • Sleeping bags and air mattress— available to rent at an additional fee
  • Dry suit — neoprene suit is included in the price, but you can upgrade to a dry suit at an additional fee
  • Accommodations prior to and after the tour
  • Guide gratuities — optional

This Iceland kayaking tour is best suited for experienced paddlers, as you will be going through areas which can be exposed to strong winds and a moderate swell. Add to that the fact that you’ll be covering around 20 km (12.5 miles) per day, 7-8 hours a day, six days in a row, and it’s clear that this tour really is reserved for experienced and fit kayaking enthusiasts.

If you can’t roll a kayak, don’t despair! It’s very rare that people capsize on multi-day trips as the boats are loaded with gear and very stable. Still, it’s recommended that people take a weekend course to refresh their skills and learn simple self-rescue techniques. The more prepared you are, the more you can relax and enjoy the trip.

If you’d like to see our other kayaking tours in Iceland, check out our 3 and 4-day kayaking tours in the Westfjords.

Your guides will provide you with plastic sea kayaks, either single or tandem. It’s highly recommended you use tandem kayaks on this trip as they’re faster, more stable, hold more gear, and a lot more social than the singles!

Tandem kayaks are not only for beginners, in fact, experienced kayakers know that tandems are a better choice for longer trips. Still, if you’d really love to have your own kayak, your guides can definitely provide you with one.

The less you bring, the easier it is! There’s plenty of space in the kayaks if you pack wisely.

Here’s a list of clothing you need to bring:

• • Thermal base layers — at least two sets of tops
  • Wool or fleece thermal mid layer
  • Hiking pants
  • Waterproof and breathable pants & jacket for hiking onshore — the lighter, the better
  • Wool/fleece hat
  • One pair of warm gloves for camp
  • 2-3 pairs of thick wool/synthetic socks
  • Spare clothes for layering

Here’s a list of other personal items and gear you need to bring:

• • Sleeping bag rated to at least 0°C — down is best since it packs smaller than synthetic
  • Sleeping mattress — a thin, inflatable one is best
  • Light hiking shoes for strolls in and around camp
  • Sunglasses
  • Sunscreen and aftersun cream
  • Water bottle or hydration bladder (2L capacity)
  • Toiletries (hand sanitizer, toilet paper, etc.)
  • Personal medical kit (band aids, throat lozenges, lip salves, sea-sickness tablets, personal medication)
  • Four dry bags — your guides can lend you some, but best to bring your own and make sure all your gear fits inside
  • Binoculars — nice to have for watching wildlife, but it’s optional
  • Camera — optional (but recommended)

Group sizes and prices:

• • For this Iceland kayaking tour, the usual client-to-guide ratio is 4:1.
  • It takes a minimum of 2 people for this tour to operate, while the maximum is set at 8.
  • The cost does not decrease as the group grows.

Iceland kayaking tours can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.

Min. age requirements:

• • If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
  • Minors older than 16 may be permitted to join the tour on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.

If your group has kayakers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.

To get to Isafjordur, the starting point of your tour and the largest town in the Westfjords, first you have to get to Reykjavík. After flying into Keflavik Airport (KEF), you’ve got two choices on how to reach Isafjordur—either by car or by plane from Reykjavík.

If you have enough time, driving from Reykjavík 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.

Keep in mind that you should arrive in Isafjordur a day prior to the start of the tour. You’ll meet your guides at 5 pm at their base in Mavagardur C (grey building)

Once there, you will meet your guides at their base in Mavagardur C at 8 am. As the first day of the tour is a full day and you have to be there at 8 am, make sure to arrange your flights and pre- or post-tour accommodation accordingly.

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 mountain, 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 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