Arrive in Ísafjörður the day before we set off and join us at 5 pm at our base at Mávagarður C, the grey building near the Eastern Harbour. We go through the route, check gear, sort out what goes in your pack and what can stay behind, and answer every question you have about the days ahead. Flying in on the morning plane on departure day cuts things far too close, so plan to be in town for this meeting. Afterwards, the evening is yours to eat well, repack, and get a solid night of sleep before we leave the road system behind.
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We meet in Ísafjörður the evening before to sort gear and answer questions, then catch the morning boat to the abandoned village of Hesteyri. From there it's six days on foot, 12 to 16 km (7.5-10 mi) a day, over passes and down to the sea again. We detour to a Cold War radar station above Straumnesfjall, follow the banks of Fljótsvatn lake, and camp on the beach at Hlöðuvík. Two nights at the Hornvík beach camp give us a day hike along the Hornbjarg cliffs with light packs. The final pass drops us into Veiðileysufjörður, where the boat takes us back to town.
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We leave the harbour in Ísafjörður at 9 am on the passenger ferry and sail to the abandoned village of Hesteyri. The modern world drops away the moment we step ashore, replaced by running streams and waves on the beach. From Hesteyri we shoulder our packs and climb to the Hesteyrarskarð pass, then work our way down the far side back to sea level. We make camp at Látrar in Aðalvík, with the first of many quiet evenings in the reserve ahead of us.
Meals: Lunch, dinner
Distance: 12.5 km (7.8 mi)
Elevation: +450 m (+1,476 ft) / -450 m (-1,476 ft)
Accommodation: Wilderness camping at Látrar
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From Aðalvík we have the option of a long detour up Straumnesfjall to poke around an abandoned radar station the American army built in 1953. They worked out quickly that this was a harsh place to live and left again in 1960, possibly also tired of never spotting a single enemy. Afterwards we head over to Fljótavík cove, where a big lake covers most of the valley floor and the arctic char fishing is among the best in Iceland. We pitch camp near the long-abandoned farm of Glúmsstaðir and settle in for the evening.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Distance: 15 km (9.3 mi), plus 10 km (6.2 mi) with the Straumnesfjall detour
Elevation: +700 m (+2,297 ft) / -700 m (-2,297 ft)
Accommodation: Wilderness camping near Glúmsstaðir in Fljótavík
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We set off along the green banks of Fljótsvatn, with the lake on one side and an impressive wall of mountains rising on our left. The walking here is gentle enough to settle into a rhythm, and there’s usually plenty to look at: birdlife, wildflowers, and the odd Arctic fox going about its business. Then the work starts. A few mountain passes stand between us and Hlöðuvík, so we climb, cross, and drop down the far side towards the coast. Our reward is one of the loveliest campsites on the whole route, pitched right on the beach with the sound of the waves to fall asleep to.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Distance: 13 km (8 mi)
Elevation: approximately 750 m (2,461 ft) of gain and loss
Accommodation: Wilderness camping in two-person tents at Hlöðuvík beach
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A steep climb straight out of camp takes us up to the Skálakambur ridge, where we pick up a line of cairns leading towards the sharp Atlaskarð pass at 327 m (1,073 ft). From there we skirt around Mt. Kollur and start the long walk towards Höfn in Hornvík, the heart of the reserve and a place nobody travelling here should miss. Waiting for us at the end is the beach camp, where we stay two nights: a warm mess tent, a proper kitchen to cook in, and time to swap stories once the packs are off. After four days of carrying everything, it feels like luxury.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Distance: 12 km (7.5 mi)
Elevation: approximately 650 m (2,133 ft) of gain and loss
Accommodation: Beach camp in Hornvík with a mess tent
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Nothing quite matches Hornvík, hemmed in by two of Iceland’s largest bird cliffs and reachable only by boat or on foot. We leave most of our gear at camp and set off with light packs towards Hornbjarg, where thousands of birds wheel below huge walls of rock that make you feel very small indeed. The trail winds right along the cliff edge, though never too close for comfort, and plenty of guests call this the highlight of their whole time in Iceland. We take our time, watch the birdlife, and soak up the views before turning back. Dinner waits in the warm mess tent back at the beach camp.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Distance: 16 km (10 mi)
Elevation: approx. +900 m (+2,953 ft) / -900 m (-2,953 ft)
Accommodation: Beach camp at Hornvík, two-person tents
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We pack up the tents and hit the trail for one last mountain pass, this one taking us over to Veiðileysufjörður. On the far side we drop back down to the coast and follow the beach for a while until we reach Meleyri, where the boat collects us and carries us back to Ísafjörður after almost a week in the wild. Today you only need to carry your personal belongings, and you can lighten the load further by sending gear back to town with the scheduled boat. Once ashore, the Ísafjörður swimming pool is the obvious cure for trail dust, or just wander the town, eat well, and relax.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Distance: 12 km (7.5 mi)
Elevation: approx. +700 m (+2,297 ft) / -700 m (-2,297 ft)
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Included:
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- An experienced, local female hiking guide with extensive knowledge of the area
- 6-day backpacking trip in Hornstrandir Nature Reserve (6 days of hiking)
- Accommodation for 5 nights — camping in two-person tents (shared with one other participant), including two nights at the beach camp in Hornvík with a warm mess tent and a full kitchen
- All food during the trip, as in the itinerary
- Boat ride to and from Hornstrandir Nature Reserve
Add-ons (pricing shown at checkout)
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- One-person tent, if you’d rather not share
- Gluten-free or vegan diet
Not included:
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- Transportation to Iceland
- Travel to and from Ísafjörður before and after the trip
- Food on the first day until the trip departs
- Personal equipment and clothing
- Anything not mentioned in the ‘Included’ section above
- Insurance — mandatory, available at checkout
- Guide gratuities — optional
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In order to join this women’s Hornstrandir hiking tour, great fitness is required as well as previous multi-day hiking experience and comfort carrying a full pack. The most you’ll hike within a day is up to 16 km (10 mi), with up to 900 m (2,953 ft) of elevation gain, over a total of 82 km (51 mi) across the six days.
This is a self-supported trip, so you carry your own gear most days. Aim for personal gear of no more than 10-12 kg (22-26 lb); once the tent, food, and odds and ends are shared out, your pack will weigh roughly 15-17 kg (33-37 lb). The terrain is true wilderness: wet grass, moss, mud, loose rock, snowfields, and stream crossings, with stretches where there is no trail at all.
Your guides keep a slow, steady pace with plenty of time to take in the scenery. You won’t carry a full pack the whole way, either. We spend two nights in Hornvík, so Day 5 along the bird cliffs is done with a light pack. On the final day, you only carry your personal belongings and can send the rest of your gear back to town on the scheduled boat.
Want to see what else is there in the area? Discover our collection of Iceland hiking adventures!
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Everything you bring, you carry on your back for the whole hike, so pack as light as you can while still covering the basics. Aim for personal gear of no more than 10-12 kg (22-26 lbs); once the tent, food, and small shared items are added, your pack will weigh roughly 15-17 kg (33-37 lbs).
Gear:
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- Backpack, around 50-60L, big enough for your belongings, sleeping bag, and your share of the food (expect an extra 3-5 kg / 7-11 lbs on top of your personal gear)
- Sleeping bag rated to at least 0°C (32°F); down is best as it packs smaller than synthetic
- Sleeping mattress, ideally a thin inflatable one that fits inside your backpack
- Water bottle (fresh drinking water is available from streams along the way)
- Binoculars for wildlife watching (optional)
- Camera
Clothing & footwear:
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- Waterproof high-top hiking boots with ankle support (required, as the terrain includes wet grass, loose rock, snow, streams, and sand)
- Water shoes for crossing streams, a lake, and wetlands; sturdy and well secured
- Short gaiters for snowfields, and to keep sand and soil out of your boots
- Warm outdoor clothing, including hiking pants and warm upper layers; avoid cotton, as it keeps you cold when wet and takes a long time to dry
- Waterproof jacket and pants
- Hat and gloves
- Sunglasses
Other:
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- Personal medical kit with band-aids, throat lozenges, lip salve, and seasickness tablets
- Any personal medication you may need, such as an asthma inhaler, even if you don’t always use it
- Sunscreen and after-sun cream
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.
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No purifier needed. There is fresh drinking water everywhere in the Icelandic wilderness, so you can drink straight from any stream you come across. Just bring a water bottle to fill up along the way.
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Group sizes and pricing:
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- It takes a minimum of 4 people for this women’s Hornstrandir hiking tour to operate. The maximum group size is set at 8 participants.
- This is a women-only departure, led by an experienced female guide.
- women’s Hornstrandir hiking tours can be arranged for larger groups, contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
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- If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
- Minors older than 16 may be permitted to join the backpacking trip on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.
- If your group has participants under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
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The starting point of your women’s Hornstrandir hiking tour is Ísafjörður, in the Westfjords of Iceland. To get there, most people fly into Keflavík International Airport (KEF), about 40 minutes from Reykjavík. From Reykjavík domestic airport (RKV) there are daily 40-minute flights to Ísafjörður, and the Fly-Bus runs between the two airports, so most of the time you can continue the same day. You can also rent a car and drive: it’s about 440-500 km (273-311 mi) depending on the route, normally 5-6 hours, on asphalt the whole way.
You will meet your guide at 5 pm the day before departure at the base at Mávagarður C (the grey building) near the Eastern Harbour in Ísafjörður, for final questions and preparations. The boat then leaves the harbour in Ísafjörður at 9 am on day 1. Arriving on the morning plane on departure day isn’t recommended; any flight delay and you miss the trip, so plan to be there for the pre-departure meeting.
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Having insurance is mandatory for this adventure. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, you’ll be offered to simply insure your trip with Redpoint at checkout.
Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner—tailors protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations! Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.
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