Description
Summary
Description
Hike into Hornstrandir Nature Reserve, one of the most remote areas in Iceland, on this guided day tour from Isafjordur in the Westfjords. From the top of the hike, you get panoramic views of the mountain passes of Hornstrandir and of Drangajokull Glacier, the only glacier in the Westfjords.
Hornstrandir is at the very north of the Westfjords, close to the Arctic Circle, and can only be reached by boat. No one has lived on the peninsula permanently since the early 1950s, so the landscape is raw and untouched.
The tour starts at the harbor in Isafjordur, where you meet your guide and the rest of the group for a briefing. Then you board a passenger boat.
The boat ride takes about an hour, crossing fjords and passing mountain cliffs, and drops you off at Adalir Valley or Steig in Veidileysufjordur Fjord.
From there, you hike up the mountainside, following historic shepherds' cairns. There are no signs of people here. The climb takes you to about 1,510 feet (460 meters), with views over the surrounding fjords.
Along the way, you stop by a small stream for a lunch break.
In the afternoon, you descend through Kviadalur Valley to the historic farmhouse at Kviar, built in 1921 and restored. You can relax here while your guide prepares a light dinner and you wait for the boat.
For years, an Arctic fox family has had its den in the farmhouse's backyard, and the cubs are often curious when guests arrive. The cubs stay in the den until mid-June or even the third week of June, and as they're wild animals, sightings can't be guaranteed.
The boat then picks you up and takes you back to Isafjordur, arriving at around 7:00 p.m., or by 8:00 p.m. at the latest.
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