Hiking

Iceland

The Hornstrandir Nature Reserve lies in the Westfjords region, in the northernmost part of Iceland. Its perfect remoteness is what attracts the attention of many curious hikers from all over the globe who come here to live a unique adventure far from the crowds. The Hornstrandir Nature Reserve offers half and full day hiking options for all levels. There are many bird watching balconies, high cliffs and pure nature to get disconnected from the craziness of the cities. Most hiking tours starts from Ísafjörður. Pick the program you most like and come discover this magical place under the guiding of a local expert. Explore-Share only promotes mountain trips led by certified guides.


Hornstrandir Nature Reserve

Explore-share.com helps you book your next Hiking trip in Hornstrandir Nature Reserve.

Hiking in Hornstrandir Nature Reserve

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**I invite you together with some of my friends mountain guides of the Trient Valley, to join us for this fantastic hiking and sailing tour in the Nature Reserve of Hornstrandir in Iceland.**

**It’s from the town of Isafjordur that the polar yacht Aurora Arctika and his skipper Siggi will take us in the West Fjords of the nature reserve of Hornstrandir.**

This is probably the wildest region of Iceland. This area has been left by the inhabitants in the 50s. Due to the lack of sheep, a rich and wild flora fills this region. Many seabird colonies populate the imposing cliffs of basalt which are also a great food reserve for the very shy polar fox.

Together with my team members, you will have the chance to discover during our stay there this natural paradise, very unique and preserved.

The Icelandic climate also gives a great touch to the adventure, at the border with the Arctic Circle. The atmosphere on the magnificent polar yacht Aurora Arctika is in total symbiosis with the marine elements. Siggi, the skipper, will quickly put you at ease by offering you various after-trek activities like sea kayak or paddle… and cook us delicious meals in the evening.

Please find below the program which I propose to you.

**Day 1**  
Flight from home to Reykjavik and then Isafjordur.

**Day 2**  
Get in Aurora Artika and leave for the fjords.

**Days 3-8**  
We will hike and sail every day.  
We will decide the itinerary based on the weather conditions and the wishes of the group. Routes and trails are poorly marked but the low altitude allows us to have great long and joyful days. The routes are not difficult.

The purpose of the trip is to sleep on Aurora Arktica within the fjords to be protected from currents. During the day we hike on the island from fjord to fjord, and return to the boat in the evening in a different place than where it left us in the morning.

The last day is usually a day of sailing in order to return from Hornvik to Isafjordur (about 6 hours). We will go back to Reykjavik by plane in the evening and sleep there in a hotel.

**Day 9**  
Flight back home

**Is this beautiful adventure tempting you? I invite you to contact me so we can discuss about it. Introducing you to this magnificent region of the North West of Iceland will be a pleasure!**

###### Extra details

#### Booking

The trip is booked as from 5 clients. I recommend that you form your own group.

#### Not included in the price

– the flights

– The night in Isafjördur on the way there

– The taxi transfers

– The additional expenses (meals in town), visits of musuem (eventually)…

– Snacks

#### Included in the price

– The rent of the boat with a skipper, full board (breakfast, lunch and diner) including non alcoholic drinks and the wine (tea, coffee, water)

– Certified mountain leader (UIMLA)

#### price

FRS 2500.- per person for a group of 8

###### Spots of interest

#### RandonnÃ©e et bateau en Islande

De belles rencontres, des paysages Ã  couper le souffle, une nature trÃ¨s sauvage, l’observation d’animaux nordiques, la dÃ©couverte de la rÃ©serve naturelles de Hornstrandir…tout cela durant notre semaine de randonnÃ©e en Islande.

9 days hiking and sailing in Hornstrandir, looking for the most beautiful landscapes of Iceland with Jean Luc, UIMLA certified mountain leader.

Trekking and sailing in Hornstrandir. 9-day trip. UIMLA guide

Trekking and sailing in Hornstrandir

**The Hornstrandir is a peninsula located in far northwestern Iceland. A strait of only 300 km separates us from Greenland. This is also the wildest coastal portion of the island, since the last farms were abandoned in the 1950’s. The ideal hiking site!**

The absence of grazing sheeps has allowed the vegetation to regain the ground and many bird species are present, therefore attracting a large arctic foxes population. These are tame and can be easily approached.

**The next departure will be from July 4th to 15th. An 11-day trip including 8 days of hiking.**

We will leave by car straight from Keflavik airport and will take the long way round to rally in 2 days the small northwestern town of Isafjörður. After a boat transfer, we will explore this region linking fjords, high plateaus, glacial valleys, lagoons… We will walk at a calm pace, in favor of relatively short steps to allow time to explore the area without our large bags. There are few trails, therefore we will chart our path through the birch and dwarf willow “forests”.

Each evening we will choose a nice bivouac near a river or a beach, with a view of the midnight sun setting on the Arctic Ocean…

This is an autonomy trek in isolation conditions, there are only a few emergency shelters in the region.

The stages will be of 5 to 8 hours of walking (10 – 20 km/day, maximum altitude change 500 m).

Accommodation will only be in tents – except the night back at Reykjavik.

We will each have our backpack and we will distribute the shared equipment and food for 4-5 days, a supply being provided halfway through. The use of ultra light equipment allows to keep the weight of the bag around 12-15 kg (as long as you have a reasonable amount of personal belongings!).

Prior autonomy hiking experience is desirable and/or good physical condition and the habit of living in “open air”.

We will go by car (2 days) and return to Reykjavik with a domestic flight.

**I would be thrilled to introduce you to this magnificent region in Iceland. I invite you to contact me so we can discuss and plan this great adventure together.**

8 days of hiking in the Nature Reserve of Hornstrandir, in the North West of Island, guided by Antoine, UIMLA certified mountain guide.

Trekking in the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve. 11-day trip. UIMLA guide

Trekking in the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve

**\*This trip is not available for 2021, but it will be back in 2022!\***

Shielded by imposing bird cliffs on both sides, the Hornvík creek in Iceland is definitely worth your time. Join us as we take you on a day-hike to these incredible cliffs in the Westfjords.

The **iconic Hornbjarg cliff** stands tall at the top of **Hornstrandir Nature Reserve and** makes you feel as if you have reached the “edge of the world”. Both the reserve and the cliff are accessible only by boat and it takes around 2.5-3 hours to get there.

The trip begins from **Bolungarvík harbor**. It is just a 20-minute drive from Ísafjörður airport and in case you are joining from Ísafjörður city, it shouldn’t take you more than 10-15 minutes. The boat sets off in 15 minutes from the scheduled starting time.

We will spend around 4-6 hours **hiking on undulating terrain along the cliffs, taking in uncorrupted views**. The trail leads onto a circular path to the cliffs and back.

Regarding difficulty, it is an **intermediate hike** that requires basic hiking experience and a good level of fitness.

These **nesting cliffs** are home to more than **50 species of sea birds including razorbills, kittiwakes, guillemots, fulmars, puffins and eiders.** So, get ready to see a bunch of them. And if we are lucky, we might as well have a **close encounter with the marvelous arctic fox.**

Although Hornvík creek is our plan A in the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve, it is usually difficult to access due to weather conditions. That is why we can offer you two alternatives to explore this wonderful area: **Adalvik to Hesteyri and Hesteyri**.

The first one leads us through the abandoned villages of Saebol and Hesteyri and offers fantastic views of the northern fjords Isafjardardjup bay and the Jokulfirdir ‘glacier fjords’. It has a duration of 5-6 hours apart from the boat rides (2 hours) and the visit to Hesteyri (2 hours).

The other alternative invites us to explore one of the many hiking routes starting from the village of Hesteyri. We will enjoy hiking for 7-8 hours around the village and there will be plenty to do, from reaching the top of a mountain to visiting a black sand beach or the remains of an old church. There are endless possibilities!

**Doesn’t it sound like a dream trip? Send us a message right away and reserve your seat on this incredible journey to the unexplored Hornstrandir Nature Reserve in Iceland. It will be our pleasure to guide you.**

Also, check out [our page](https://www.explore-share.com/mountain-guide/wild-westfjords/) for some other gorgeous adventures in Iceland.

Join one of our certified mountain guides on this amazing hike along the unexplored Hornstrandir Nature Reserve in the Westfjords in Iceland.

Hornstrandir hike in the Westfjords of Iceland. 1-day trip. Certified guide

https://www.wildwestfjords.com/day_tours/Hornbjarg_Cliffs/

Hornstrandir hike in the Westfjords of Iceland

**Hornstrandir** is a peninsula in the far Northwest of Iceland, with complex coast lines advancing on the cold waters of Denmark Strait – in front of Greenland. It has been uninhabited for several decades. And the only way to get there is on foot or by boat.

Six hundred years before the discovery of the mythical southern Cape Horn, the first settlers baptised the northernmost cliffs in Iceland “Horn-bjarg”. In viking language this literally means “the rocky horn”. Or, if you wish, Cape Horn…

This Iceland has little in common with the highlands and rift in the center of the country. In contrast, it has a special charm with its wild coasts and oceanic environments. The cliffs, sometimes dominating Greenland Sea over 500 meters high, are home to colonies of northern fulmars, murres, atlantic puffins and black-legged kittiwakes. It’s also the area of the arctic fox…

I propose to guide you through a hiking tour in the Hornstrandir peninsula. Leaving from Jökulfirðir (“the glacier fjord”), we will explore the bays and mountains of the peninsula’s oceanic façade:

*   Aðalvík, “the first bay”
    
*   Fljótavík, “the  driftwood bay”
    
*   Hælavík
    
*   Hornvík
    
*   Látravík…
    

An incredible trekking experience in Iceland is waiting for you! **I would be thrilled to guide you through these bays and mountains. Contact me for more information!**

Join me for a special 11-day trip to the bays of the Hornstrandir peninsula, in northwestern Iceland, one the most remote place the island. It will be a trip to remember!

Hornstrandir Peninsula hiking tour. 11-day trip. UIMLA guide

Hornstrandir Peninsula hiking tour

**Are you ready for a once-in-lifetime experience? Then join me on this amazing 7-day sailing and hiking tour around the Westfjords of Iceland.**

**We will sail the ocean aboard our polar sailboat Aurora Arktika to visit the beautiful Hornstrandir Nature Reserve, probably the wildest region of Iceland.**

This rugged peninsula, located just below the Arctic Circle, was inhabited by farmers and fishermen until the 1950s. **Uninhabited for more than 60 years, Hornstrandir was converted into a Nature Reserve. It is still quite inaccessible: the only way to get there is by boat.**

Aboard Arktika, we will arrive at Hornstrandir. **We will set anchor in a new place every day. You will find lush valleys filled with wildflowers, beautiful sandy beaches, fjords and cliffs.** The trails, surrounded by incredible vegetation, will lead us to belvederes and walkways from which we'll enjoy spectacular views of the mountains and the sea.

In addition, **there are more than 50 species of birds, two species of seals and 12 species of whales in this area. It is also the kingdom of the Arctic fox**, which is usually quite relaxed around humans. So if you like to photograph animals, you'll definitely get a chance during this trip!

In Hornstrandir we can visit, among other places: **Vigur Island, the ghost town of Hesteyri, the bays of Aðalvík and Hornvík and dozens of magnificent cliffs**. At the end of each day, the Arktika expedition ship will await us with **gourmet meals and comfortable bunk beds**.

To get to the meeting point, you should take a plane from Reykjavik to Ísafjörður. In the port of Ísafjörður we will board Arktika. We will sleep on the sailboat to begin the adventure on the next day: we will enjoy 7 exciting days of sailing and hiking. And at the end of the trip, you will take a plane back to Reykvavik.

**So, if you are excited about adventure and wildlife, this tour is for you! Contact me and let’s start planning your sailing and hiking trip in Iceland! I am sure that you will remember this tour for the rest of your life!**

I also offer a sail and hike tour around Greenland’s East Coast. If you are interested, you can take a look at my [7-day sail and hike tour in Greenland](https://www.explore-share.com/trip/hike-sail-7-day-tour-greenland/).

Flight from Switzerland to Reykjavik, and from Reykjavik to Isafjordur.

Getting to Isafjordur

Sailing and hiking depending on the weather conditions.

Time for adventure

End of the tour

Discover the secrets of Iceland’s Westfjords with Raphael, an IFMGA certified guide.

7-day sail and hike tour in Iceland. 7-day trip. IFMGA/UIAGM guide

7-day sail and hike tour in Iceland

I have the pleasure to invite you to the Icelandic **West Fjords**, more precisely to its northernmost peninsula: Hornstrandir. It is a completely abandoned and isolated area and that’s why today **Hornstrandir is an amazing natural reserve to hike.**

The access to **West Fjords** is only by boat. Its weather conditions are really changeable. Although it may be a problem for someone, I can assure is not. During this hike you will live different landscapes in each new step you give.

**Top reasons why I like to go there**

*   All my family come from there (since many many generations)
    
*   I know the place extremely well (since I was a child and 7 years as a guide)
    
*   Love the fact that it’s a very remote area.
    
    I will provide everything in terms of equipment: tents, camping gear, sleeping bags, mattress and food. You only have to Bring good waterproof hiking shoes (leather!)
    

**I offer you a really custom trip** according to your own wishes and expectations. Prices depend on trip duration (all trips are **5 or 6 days** long), the accommodation you choose (hut or tents) and the places of **West Fjords** you want to visit.

**So just contact me regarding all those items because there are loads of options.** Same with what is included. But in general I take care of everything from beginning to end: hotels, all food, transport and equipment.

Join a certified guide on this amazing hiking experience in the West Fjords. The adrenaline of walking in such a remote area is unmatched.

Hiking in the West Fjords, Iceland. 5-day trip. Certified guide

Hiking in the West Fjords, Iceland

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